Liverpool need to sack ‘bald fraud’ Slot after European ‘spa day’; Gakpo selection is inexcusable | OneFootball

The Mailbox asks how much longer it will be until Liverpool sack Arne Slot after he started Cody Gakpo in their 2-1 defeat to Brighton on Saturday.

Plus, Conference League again next year for Chelsea, Dutch football, a Bournemouth view, US investment in football and lots more.

Keystone Kops

We can argue about the relative strength of the Premier League versus other European leagues but it is comical how each of the teams behind City are falling over themselves to not win a couple of games in a row and cement a Champions League spot.

For some English clubs (Liverpool, in particular), Europe feels like a spa day, where they can somehow seem to play with the intensity and abandon they just can’t seem to muster in league games. Granted, injuries, short turn around times and playing against teams with no midweek games does make a difference. But the abject style of play is still inexcusable.

As soon as I saw Gakpo on the team sheet I knew Liverpool would lose. What exactly is Slot ‘saving’ Ngumoha from, by not starting him. Certainly not the trauma of watching the team struggling, while knowing you could change the game given more time. If you aren’t going to be held back because those in the pecking order ahead of you are putting in weekly stellar performances, what was the whole point of joining a club like Liverpool?

Then we have Chelsea, respecting the ball but not their fans. All that malarkey and whining about refs getting in the way of your team ball-wanking before games, then playing like turds…against a team who were probably pissed at getting a points deduction while Chelsea got off relatively lightly. Ooh, we have a transfer ban. Yeah, when you have a bloated squad and didn’t spend money on a decent goalkeeper, striker or centre back, you only have yourself to blame.

All we need is a Villa stumble after the euphoria of their Europa League win to cap off the Champions League qualification comedy show.

Everton must be kicking their lips now at a possible place in Europe. Paul McDevitt

Totally Dutch football isn’t that interesting

There was a time during Ten Hag’s tenure as Manchester United’s manager that the team would start cautiously, concentrating on keeping possession and letting the opponents get back and regroup before attacking.Then, late on in the game, when they were usually having to recover from conceding a goal or two, a lot of attacking subs would be thrown on for several minutes of chaos. There was no longer any discernible shape, just a hope that one of the attackers would be able to conjure something up. Sometimes they did, in the same way as when you pull a card from the pack at random there’s a chance that it is a diamond.

Anyway, Slot seems to be using the same approach at Liverpool. After the 77th minute you’ve got two recognized defenders, and players classed as attacking midfielders (Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Jones, Wirtz) with Gakpo, Chiesa and Ngumoha on there as well. I’m all for having a go, but running around like headless chickens without controlling the midfield, leaving huge gaps in defence, doesn’t make a winning combination. In the ensuing chaos you’re just as likely to concede another late goal as score.

I like Slot and the Dutch in general, but he needs to change his tactics, have an organised midfield that stays throughout the game and exerts control over the other team so that those playing up front (who can be subbed on or off) know what chances to expect. Calm and chaos needs to change to pressure and shape. Paul in Brussels (Welbeck needs to be in the England squad again) 

How much longer before Slot is sacked?

What more evidence do they need before they sack this bald fraud? I still think the season can be salvaged but not with this manager. I don’t understand how you can be forced to remove your striker and instead of replacing him with an attacker you put Curtis frickin Jones. We desperately need points and the bald prick isn’t even shameless to hide his personal vendettas with his players. Like what did Chiesa do to this guy that he would much rather play a defender or midfielder in his place?

I was surprised to hear him admit before the game that he knows we are better with Szobo in midfield. The guy has wasted the whole season simultaneously weakening us in two positions just because he can’t compromise and play actual specialists in their roles. Nobody is expecting Ramsey to be the answer but this was a golden opportunity for the kid having being under TAA’s shadow and watching as Bradley emerged seemingly out of nowhere to make him forgotten. Instead the manager felt the need to publicly announce that he would never play him because he has ‘better options’. Klopp got us UCL with a cb pairing of Philips and Kabak meanwhile Slot can’t pick his squad correctly without playing players out of position for no apparent reason. Philip Correa

Slot arrogance…

Why does Gakpo start? More pertinently; why is he kept on for 90 minutes? Rio came on and was our best player again. The arrogance to ignore that from Slot is astounding.

Brighton outran us by 5km today. We have been outrun in 26 of our 31 games this season. If the manager can’t get the players to run then he has no right to be in charge.

Just sack Slot. The season is over anyway. Minty, LFC

Conclusions

1. Konate & the sweet Virgin(L)=sh*t2. Maguire=….well sh*t what did you expect? 3. Boooooooom(I’m sorry I couldn’t help myself) 4. Liverpool fans, nothing is shinier than what you have( No… not the trophies) 5.Everton is SET-PIECE FC #2 6. Maybe  it’s Fergie time?????? (I’m sorry that I have sunk to this level) 7. Welbeck must layoff the weights 8.We must always respect the balls…. 9. Let us not Limit the limitless, for the limitless is without limits 10. Excellent refereeing keeping us always on the edge of our seats, shocked… flabbergasted at the inglorious decisions made even when we want GLO ry Utd to lose. 11. Can someone please shoot ‘that non-ageing guy’ and burn that notepad…. For the sake of the future of the human race and our remaining sanity. Jamo, Nairobi

The Bournemouth view

And here it is, the inevitable backlash from Manchester United and all their cronies in the media over a perceived miscarriage of justice. At what point do ‘big’ teams lose this circle of friends to come out and lobby on their behalf? Presumably as teams stay in the PL for longer, their cadres of cheerleaders grow, we already see this a little at Bournemouth with Redknapp and Murray, but other clubs have higher claims on them and far more voices in general. Not a word was said when the home game against Arsenal was stopped with us on the attack after the bare minimum additional time.

Oddly what was failed to be mentioned was that in this exact fixture last season, a Bournemouth player was wrongly sent off after VAR intervention, and Manchester United’s equaliser was scored in the time added on – at least in part – for the incorrect decision!

Also absent was any acknowledgement of Bruno’s free kick in the game earlier this season being awarded for a handball that only happened as the result of a foul on Adam Smith.

The first penalty was obvious. Great first touch by Cunha and Jimenez was always struggling. His reaction told you everything you need to know despite the slightly dramatic fall.

The Truffert/Amad one was interesting. We were at Turf Moor six years ago when a Bournemouth goal became a Burnley penalty; this one was right in front of me and after we went down the other end my immediate view was “they’re coming back to give that”. Watching again though, not sure Amad is really trying for the ball and tries to buy it. Probably marginal at best but the ref is right on top of it. On the goal – Christie with his right foot is not what you would always consider an attacking threat and the speed it went in doesn’t look great for Lammens.

The equalising penalty was a long way from me but looked absolutely cast iron. Even Bruno’s histrionics looked a bit muted, if that’s not a penalty and a red I’m not sure what is.

Finally. Even away with ten men, can’t see how SAF would have taken off his best player on the night (Cunha) at that point and sat in for the draw. Bournemouth are still brittle despite/because of the long unbeaten/winless run and that looked weak from Carrick.

Arsenal away for Cherries next, would I take another draw there before a nice afternoon down in Camden Town? Absolutely. Andy J, Bournemouth 

Leave our sport alone…

Yes Russell, I want the Yankees off football cos they mess up anything they touch. All sports you’ve invented has always come with limitations…. Let’s not even go there.

This rubbish xG metric has never made sense to me and I don’t think it makes sense to any football lover. Like how do you say him some team is expected to score from a particular position? Did you take into account the wind, the accuracy of the player, the way he strikes the ball, the opposing team setup, the ball…

Like what in the world is that moronic idea of a stat? Please stick to your NBA and NFL and leave our competition. You’re already making it like showbiz with ref cam and soon, player’s mics. Guess you’d soon engineer the use of full comms for manager and PLAYERS, fully geared up, making the game more unreal.

Honestly didn’t find AK’s “Yank bravado” comment worthy for response, but a gentleman from Alabama chimed in and I’ve now got thoughts.  If Russell had signed off Birmingham rather than Birmingham AL, would he avoid catching strays (or instead be a Brummie w*nker rather than a Yank so-and-so) ?

I find it fascinating AK believes simply including a city in America upon signing off means one can’t have grown up in Europe or have played and watched loads of footie as a youth.  The baseball comment was even more hilarious, especially because I cannot begin to tell you how that game is scored, nevermind played.

Listen, I can find hilarity in the uncool.  Harry Maguire is one such, as is Liam Rosenior (painfully so right now).  Tottenham, as an entire sporting endeavor, spring to mind.  There’s plenty of uncoolness out there and it’s healthier to laugh it off, it’s only football after all.  Good banter.  But AK’s brand of uncoolness strikes me as rather basic and defining.  Like he’s not been around enough, not seen a whole lot, maybe lacks nuance of thought.

But whatever, it’s better to keep them guessing isn’t it.  There was one bloke in the comments section years ago trying to suss out my bonafides and concluded nah, he’s spelt it favorite not favourite or some such.  Well I don’t say Bruno Fernandesh either.  But wherever I reside, wherever my roots are or what my papers say, I’ve seen enough of this game over a lifetime that Luis Enrique’s face can morph into Ernesto Valverde’s and I can quite effortlessly laugh at how uncool an oversight this is. Eric, Los Angeles  CA (Europe, Asia, Canada, UAE, Australia…  I can tell you right now, LA tops the lot.  Yet to visit Alabama though; perhaps I’ve not been around enough either.)

Conference League again next year

I like Rosenior. Despite the LinkedIn vocabulary he seems like a great guy who seems to have man management ticked off. Yes he’s over promoted and tactically naive, but Id like him to do well.

Unfortunately he, and whoever comes after him will be lumbered with 3 goalkeepers I’m fairly sure no other Premier League team would have as their first choice. I genuinely don’t think that Sanchez is Premier League quality. Yet this is season 3 of him at Chelsea. Goalkeeper aside, the squad is filled with too young, too inconsistent, too impertinent children.

The problem isn’t the manager. The problem wont be the next manager either.

The problem is moronic owners, employing incompetent people to important jobs and having a structure and plan that just doesn’t work. Buying only young ‘promising players’ was dumb, is dumb, will continue to be dumb.

But the damage to the business (as you rightly have said, Chelsea is not a football club anymore) has been done. Fans feel no longer feel a connection. This isn’t as simple as buying a good goalkeeper and defenders and some experienced players fir the squad. Nearly £2billion has been spent in 3 years. That isn’t sustainable.

Chelsea are the most expensive mid-table quality team in the world. Even Palmer looks like he’s had enough and I can’t blame him.

This ‘club’ won the Champions league just before the new owners came in. Then they chucked the manager and all the players. Will (Boehly, Eghbali, Wyss, Winstanley and Stewart. Bunch of criminally incompetent scum)

Chelsea

Wow. 3-0 Everton. Perhaps he did limit limitless afterall. Strevs, AFC, Canada 

Maybe just don’t read it…

Maybe—just maybe—if a website winds you up that much, you’d stop reading it, rather than embarrassing yourself by threatening to shut a “pathetic website” down. Ant MUFC (no plans to shut anything down pronto just yet)