coalman

One can only imagine it would be a lot like the FYRE documentary.

I didn't say anything against Russ. Russ the man is not Russball the system. If most of your possession is around your own penalty area then any extreme conditions mean you're more likely to make mistakes.

Russball is not going to benefit from any situation where passing or control is more difficult.

Hello old friend complacency. Is it that time again? What's that old adage?... never interrupt your enemy while they are making a mistake.

Or in our case sideways and backwards passing.

This is the kind of game where we raise ourselves and either sneak a win or are pegged back for a draw. It's also the kind of game we get absolutely tonked so 🤷‍♂️

“It always starts with us and then, of course, we look at Liverpool and have a look at a few things that we can try and capitalise on,” he continued. “We also need to understand their threats, which they have a lot of. We have prepared the same way we prepare for every game. “To try and be better than our last one and to try and prepare as best we can and find a way to stop the opposition and to impose our own game as much as we can. “[Whether it works or not] we’ll find out on Sunday. “I think we have real ways that if we stick to the game plan and stay brave and aggressive, then we always have a chance against anyone.” Spoiler alert. It won't (work).

My frustration comes from the fact that his style has the potential to become something good but only if he adapts. Our passing took a step change forward at the start of last season. The problem is it's happening at the wrong end of the pitch. Over a period of time we seem to be more and more conservative so we wind up playing good stuff in the wrong areas. We used to play two pacy wingers who could beat their man. Now the ball goes out wide into promising positions and comes straight back. Bravery seems to be about holding the ball rather than putting teams under pressure. Along with that we can't defend or soak up pressure. If Martin learned and adapted he could be great. But his dogmatic refusal to do so means that every week teams have a better idea how to exploit our system. I also worry about his attitude. Being pleased after losing shouldn't be in anyone's repertoire. I remember a story about Le Tissier meeting up with with Flowers after scoring two worldies in a 3-2 defeat to Blackburn and being upset Flowers congratulated him because they'd still lost.

Amen. The man's private life is his own and I don't begrudge him time away with someone he loves. Compared to Jones rocking up and giving the players a 3 week holiday during the World Cup rather than getting to know them this is a nothing burger.

If they'd cycled through ball back to their keeper they could have drawn out the Polish defence and then hit them by surprise.

We won the last time you predicted 2-0 (albeit only 1-0) so I'm here for this prediction.

That's where we're headed.

For all I loved some of our play last season I would hope Martin's brief went slightly beyond getting us promoted. When he joined we'd just been relegated, our confidence was shot to pieces and we had lots of players that didn't fit in. 2 years on it's likely that we'll just have been relegated, our confidence shot to pieces and even more players we can't move on.

McCarthy will have a point to prove. Bednarek has just been keeping Captain Jack's place warm and isn't able to influence the game as much from a roving left back midfield role as he'd like. Playing in the middle gives him the perfect position to watch the ball as Liverpool bring it forward. We will miss Bednarek's league leading passing stats. It also allows Manning to move back to left back giving Salah no chance to shine down that flank. If we also are without Downes then we've got a ready made replacement in Lallana to anchor the midfield and give us much needed bite in the tackle. Shutting that door as well. The stars are aligning for Russball.

Charity shop window? Saints to start brightly. Then fade. The only disappointment is Klopp won't be there to praise Martin at the end so he'll have to make do with Slot's bemused indifference. Men Vs Boys with the boys of Liverpool to come out on top.

Before anyone asks, the hamster is holding out for the Leicester job.

That horrible moment when Gio thought we were Indiana Jones then realised we're the comic relief.

At the very least the opposing fullback knows he's going to be pressure on the outside and that Edozie isn't just going to just check back and pass backwards so we'd have a chance of stretching play. Edozie was making real progress until he got injured last season then Rothwell and Brooks were brought in and then he got frozen out. Nowadays we play either Manning or Armstrong out left.

You state that this is the only way to fight the fascism if the premier league like we're fighting some noble fight. We are not some plucky freedom fighters bucking the system. We're the problem gambler walking into the casino with their paycheque thinking it's going to be different this time.

We truly are the victim of many crimes this season.

For the crime of being unworthy I sentence you to... Russball

The other four teams could also point to things which went against them. Everton for starters against us.

No chance of that. Martin doesn't see the point in defensive midfielders