Jürgen Klopp’s inability to reinforce their exhausted midfield was once again exposed in defeat at BrightonIt was at the very end of Jürgen Klopp’s post-match press conference at the Amex Stadium on Saturday that he was then asked the question most people in the room were probably thinking about asking themselves: was his decision to take off Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Joël Matip as part of a quadruple substitution midway through the second half symbolic of this Liverpool team being past it?“It’s our fault you can ask this question, I understand it, but the changes have nothing to do with that,” Klopp said with characteristic defiance, but ultimately his demeanour gave him away. Head bowed, voice lowered, concern etched across...
Newcastle need to invest in squad depth, Bryan Gil is in derby contention and Coventry count cost of ‘embarrassing’ lossHalf a week is a long time in football. On Thursday, for 45 minutes, Chelsea were good enough to make Manchester City look pedestrian. On Sunday, they were so poor that City located their unstoppable mode, which had gone missing since mid-October. Chelsea are now out of both domestic cups, and in the Premier League, after scraping one win from their past eight games, they are closer to the bottom (13 points ahead of Southampton) than the top (19 behind Arsenal). Top four? They’re not even in the top four in London, with Brentford and Fulham lording it over them, never...
The manager is brave with his tactics and poses an exciting challenge for all the coaches who come up against himFor the Premier League to evolve and continue to excite fans it needs fresh ideas and philosophies to help English football move forward. The new Brighton head coach, Roberto De Zerbi, is the latest innovator to make an immediate impact, impressing supporters, coaches and pundits with his style of play.I did not know much about De Zerbi before he arrived, so I tried to find out how he fitted with Brighton’s philosophy, which has been smartly built over many years. They are a methodical operation and it looks already like he is another clever appointment. Continue reading...
Meaty fist of capital has checked the dream at astutely run Brighton but no one can blame manager for seizing this chanceThere are times when the modern global obsession with football feels exhausting. Why do so many people from so many places care so much? What is it that drives the endless banter, the Ronaldo fundamentalists, the conspiracy theories over the preponderance of referees from the north-west? Why is this the focus rather than the apparently more pressing concerns of a mounting energy crisis, soaring inflation and a worrying new prime minister? Why are we more bothered by Erik ten Hag compromising his Ajax principles than by the tactics of the Ukrainian counteroffensive?And then you get weeks like this when...
The season’s first Merseyside derby, an Old Trafford blockbuster and crunch time for Bruno Lage at WolvesSeven games into the season in all competitions and Frank Lampard can finally select a recognised striker he wants in an Everton shirt. Providing someone at the Premier League has registered Neal Maupay in time for the Merseyside derby, that is. Lampard and Jürgen Klopp will be relieved to concentrate on the renewal of old rivalries after the distractions of a transfer window that both believe dragged too long into the season. Everton are without a win in the Premier League but building gradually. A derby debut for Maupay, signed from Brighton last Friday but not cleared to play at Leeds on Tuesday, would...