LIVERPOOL LUCK TRAIN FINALLY DERAILS
Well, good morning BEST FRIENDS. That’s what we are, right? RIGHT?
I’m still on my sugar high from the Chelsea game. A magnificent beasting for the ages! Should have been 7 or 8 when you watch it back. I still can’t quite get over energy levels like that considering the context of the month. Our weak little lambs, who were bullied by Newcastle, are now the bullies massacring teams with identity issues.
I love it. Sorry, I mean I FOGGING love it.
You know what else I FOGGING love? Predictions about Liverpool coming to fruition. Their luck has run out. Their players are cooked. Their title aspirations are likely dead for this season barring an absolute miracle. Sure, there’s still a chance they could finish ahead of Arsenal, but it looks done to me.
Everything has rolled for them this season: the refereeing decisions, the ridiculous amount of late goals, and the incredible luck they’ve had defending. But in the end, what’s cost them a final hurrah has been finishing. They just can’t put the ball in the net. Mad, considering everyone was bragging about how incredible their xG monsters in attack were going to win them the league.
They’ve moved on from the swaggery Ruben Amorim, and it looks like they’re chasing down Arne Slot. Taking over from Jurgen Klopp is the hardest job in football. You aren’t going to last. You’re the first guy in after a revolutionary leader dies. It isn’t a question of ‘will they make it’, it’s a re-up of the Liz-Truss-lettuce-livestream. If there’s any doubt here… the lettuce will prevail again.
Here’s my prediction for next season – it will start strong then collapse. When things go down the pan, the new man will have no sway over the trophied old dogs. VVD was awful last season as soon as he knew big titles were not being won. Salah has already flirted with Saudi. The rest of the mega-winners aren’t going to have time for a manager they had to ID via Google.
That’s the reality of taking over from a legend. It’s why Xabi Alonso said no. It’s always better to be second in. No one wants to be David Moyes or Unai Emery. The fans won’t take to you, the media will put double scrutiny on you… the only thing you can hope for is that the exit clause is fat, so you at least get a good payout when it goes tits up inside 2 seasons.
Anyway… that’ll be a shit show next season.
Arsenal though… my word. We are now the second horse in a two-horse race at this very moment. The algebra of a title win is very simple. Beat Spurs on Sunday and who the f*** knows what is possible.
I was quite angry about our workload this month compared to Spurs. They’ll have had 15 days off prior to the showdown. Their players will have had a Dubai-like-break away from the league, Ange will have them coached to within an inch of their lives, and they’ll be getting circus whipped into a frenzy because the consequences of losing are just so, so dire.
That worried me. But looking at Arsenal against Chelsea, the concern has subsided. I’m now thinking that we’re on a hot streak. If we were an early 90s basketball video game, the commentator would be saying ‘HE’S ON FIRE!‘
Spurs exited into their break with a sad 4-0 loss. They were opened up by an average Newcastle side who let off 18 shots against them. Now this team that is looser than a John Terry couples’ dinner party has to be buttoned-up against a team that has the best defense in the league and the best attack.
Does Ange have it in him? We’ll find out, but I know one thing… Spurs fans are NOT excited.
Ok, it’s late where I am. Remember, sign up to the Substack if you haven’t. The site will be moving over in the next 48 hrs. It might already have.
To clarify… there will always be plenty of free writing and podcasts. I’ll just be gating some of it. The blog can now be advert-free so you get the best experience. Thank you to all those that read, I am very lucky to have you as an audience. ALSO, I’ll be there for the last game of the season. Working on a ticket. But I am there for the Everton game! x
P.S. Thursday Therapy will be out later. Matt, Pedro, Jacob and one of my favourite writers… Matt Scott!