LFC Footy Pundit

Match Date: Saturday October 25th 2025 (8pm) Brentford Scorers: Dango Ouattara – 5′ ...from a long throw Kevin Schade – 45′ Assist from Mikkel Damsgaard Igor Thiago – 60′ (Penalty) foul by Virgil van Dijk Liverpool Scorers: Milos Kerkez – 45′ +5 cross by Conor Bradley Mohamed Salah – 89′ Assist from Dominik Szoboszlai Lineups: Sky Sports Match Report: Ok - so I said in my previous game where Liverpool beat Frankfurt away 1-5 that it would mean little for the premier league clash against Brentford, mainly because Frankfurt are known to be a basketball team, and can win good and also lose badly.  Well sadly I was right in the most negative sense.  That game really did have NO bearing on the game that would follow for Liverpool.    Although Slot adjusted the lineup that kind of matched the same formation and lineup against Frankfurt - it was hard to tell if it was his plan from the start or he had to play that lineup due to injuries to Gravenberch, and Isak....

Match Date: 22nd October 2025 8pm (UK time) Eintracht Frankfurt Scorers: Rasmus Kristensen – 26th minute (assisted by Mario Götze) Liverpool FC Scorers: Hugo Ekitike – 35th minute (assisted by Andrew Robertson) Virgil van Dijk – 39th minute (header, assisted by Cody Gakpo) Ibrahima Konaté – 44th minute (header, assisted by Dominik Szoboszlai) Cody Gakpo – 66th minute (assisted by Florian Wirtz) Dominik Szoboszlai – 70th minute (assisted by Florian Wirtz) Lineups:  Teams Match Report: A win was a must for under fire coach Arne Slot and luckily for him he delivered.  After the complete meltdown against Manchester United, Slot finally made some long awaited changes to the starting lineup; Salah, Kerkez were benched along with Bradley, as Slot opted to start with Hugo Ekitike, Robertson and Frimpomg.  The fans favourite midfielder Alexis Mac Allister was not spared either as Slot opted to start with Curtis Jones in a double pivot with the ever present Szoboszlai and the other...

Match Day: Sunday 19th October 2025 (16:30) Liverpool Scorer's: Gakpo (78') Man Utd. Scorer's: Bryan Mbeumo (2') Maguire (84') Lineup:   Lineup Match Report: Well they did it again !!! - yes somehow after spending near enough 450M on new players they have lost 4 games in a row now.  We all hoped that after the international break, where many of the players scored for their respective national teams; many would come back refreshed and with their scoring boots on.  Oh how it all went wrong from the 2nd minute of this fixture and at fortress Anfield of all places. Unlike previous reports - I am not going to describe every detail of what happened in this game except highlight what I thought were key moments.  Giving away stupid goals has been a major feature of this team since the start of the season, call it miss-communication, bozo moments, or just laziness - it was all on display from minute two of this game.  We have our Captain Aura (Virgil) running back gentl...

Yes it really has been 15 years since they took charge of the club. It was dark times when they took over, we had accepted one American owner for another kind. Those days were the lowest Liverpool FC had experienced in terms of their existence. Players were just signed that no one really wanted when you compare them against our then rivals, and a manager in Roy Hodgeson who through no fault of his own was really not liked by the fanbase...he was just more England than ... Liverpool - if you understand what I mean. Throughout FSG's tenure - I have heard many a disgruntled Liverpool supporter dissatisfied at their ownership and running of the club - but it was mainly due to the lack of transfer activity. Howevever, a closer exmaination of the heart will suggest that actually they have been one of the best owners of a football club that any team could have. When they took over Liverpool, it was like a dying giant, but within 9 years they had made it into one of the strongest te...

It started so well didn't it ?, 6 games and 6 wins, we all knew there were .... teething issues, but we never thought they would lose 3 in a row. The fanbase is now in doubt if Slot is the right guy, from cries of 'he does not know what he is doing' to 'Slot Out'.  A bit extreme but football fans are not known for their patience, and in this case its a little too over the top even for the harshest Slot critic.  After all  Liverpool are just one point behind league leaders Arsenal and only seven premier league games into the season. My own perspective is that this new LFC team have first of all not connected properly, they are still having to look for the next pass to a team mate, and therefore the radar of the existing players need to be adjusted to find the new signings.  The old fight seems to be missing, Macca is out of form  and the new signings like Wirtz, and Isak do not bring the same level of intensity Liverpool had become accustomed to by th...

Well since Liverpool's latest defeat to Chelsea in the premier league, there have been some wild reactions from fans on the social media space which rivals are lapping up like the best food that money can buy.  Who could blame them ? - since the start of the 2025/26 season to late September the games involving Liverpool saw them get last minute winners despite bad performances that included the most hideous defensive displays you will see from a team, and now that the tables have been turned rivals feel that Liverpool are getting their just rewards.   Here are a couple of video's to amuse yourself if you have not watched any: Footy Judge Mo This is a beautiful break down from Judge Mo who references the reactions from the various watch along's during the game.   Some like Drifty from Kopish seem to have given up on Liverpool's title aspirations despite only seven games into the season and being one point behind the new league leaders Arsenal (can there be any ...

Match Day: Saturday 4th October 2025 (17:30) Chelsea Scorer's: Caicedo (14')   Estevao (90+5') Liverpool Scorer's: Gakpo (63') Lineup: click here Match Report: The idiom 'Lightning never strikes the same place twice' is usually stated in the context of a question, but surely in this case with Liverpool having lost their last 2 games, where the last Premier League loss against Crystal Palace came in the dying minutes of the game could not happen again against Chelsea could it ? Liverpool in their first 6 games spanning all competitions had been winning in the last minutes of games, but it seems that another common idiom can be associated with Liverpool - 'the tables have turned'. Chelsea came into this game with a number of injuries and suspensions having lost their last two premier league games.  So one would have assumed that their confidence would be at a low point having to now face the current champions.  However, the champions themselves come i...

Match Day: Tuesday 30th September 2025 (8pm) Galatasaray Scorers: Victor Osimhen (16' - Penalty) Lineups: Click Here Match Report: You would think that a Champions League game would get the Liverpool players to focus and back to winning ways after the recent disaster against Crystal Palace in their last Premier League fixture.  But no, this game away to the second loudest crowd in European football would prove too difficult a fixture for the reds.   Slot had finally opted to rest Salah on the bench and play Frimpong on the right wing position, with Szoboszlai playing at right back.  The midfield trio consisted of Curtiz Jones, Gravenberch, and Wirtz, with Cody Gakpo, at left wing and the striker position given to Ekitike. Galatasaray had not lost a game yet this season in their domestic or champions league fixture, and despite their team consisting of a mixture of players - many of them with experience having plied their trade at other big European hitters.  T...

Match Date: Saturday 27th September 2025 Scorers: Crystal Palace: Sarr (9') Nketiah (90+7') Liverpool: Chiesa (83') Lineup:   Details Here Match Report: Well I did say in my match preview thoughts , didn't I ? The game was actually worse than I had expected for Liverpool, especially in the first half when Palace could have been 5 goals clear of Liverpool given the chances they missed.  The first goal from Place was yet another set piece goal conceded by Liverpool, but that happens.  What you do not expect is how throughout that half the entire Liverpool team with the exception of Alisson and Viril were not giving it their A game.  The selection by Arne Slot to play Wirtz on the left wing in place of Gakpo was one where every Liverpool supporter has been against on all the social media channels; its almost accepting that the Wirtz signing is a complete failure as a creative 10.   The player with the most struggles in the first half was Ibrahima Konate, he ha...

 Match Date: Saturday 27th September 2025 (3pm UK Time) Don't expect this game to be an easy one for Liverpool, they are up against a team that have not lost their last 19 games.  They have at least two players that can potentially be starters for Liverpool in Adam Wharton, and Mark Guehi.  I expect this to be an incredible midfield battle, and the ground to be very noisy - Liverpool will have to show some degree of respect towards their opponents which means they will have to be at their best with very little room for mistakes.  The last two encounters against Crystal Palace have not been easy at all, losing to them in the Charity Shield (on penalties), and also drawing their last home game against them.  In those games Crystal Palace demonstrated that they can compete in the midfield against the best that Liverpool can offer. The question is - would a draw be a good result ? - not really considering that they have an away game at Chelsea next and depending on...

Liverpool 2 - Southampton 1 Match Date : Tuesday 23rd September 2025 (8pm) Lineup Link   Scorers: Liverpool: Isak (43') Ekitike (85')  Southampton: Shea Charles (76') Match Report: With an expected and very much changed lineup - you just knew this game would be something to forget.  However, it was a chance to see some of the younger, and less fitter signings by Liverpool over the summer - that included Frimpong, Isak, Rio, Leoni, Chiesa, Gomez, Wataru Endo and Trey. There was a chance for Isak to score in the opening minutes of the game when put in a shot in the penalty area with two defenders around him, but it was saved.  But from then on it was a dull affair, with Liverpool's build up being at pedestrian pace, Southampton were easily able to defend in numbers, and Liverpool seemed to have no bright ideas on how to get through their low block.  What was noticeable in the first half were how many of the starting lineup seemed off form, in particular Endo who s...

Match Day: Saturday 20th September 2025 (12:30PM) Liverpool 2 - Everton 1 Liverpool Scorers: Gravenberch (10') Ekitike (29') Everton Scorers: Idrissesa Gueye (58') Match Report: Very unexpected lineup  by Slot, there was no Chiesa on the bench (don't know what is going on there), no Isak, Wirtz, Frimpong to start the game, and most were surprised not to see Robertson keep his role as left back to start this game after the way Slot had substituted him in the first half in the previous Premier League game against Burnley.  The midfield setup was the trusted 3 from last season with Mac Alisster, Gravenberch and Szoboszlai, and Bradley at right back.  Up front it was Gakpo, Ekitike and Salah.  Curtis Jones was on the bench back from injury which was a plus.  The opposition lineup did feature Jack Grealish who has been in terrific form since joining Everton on loan from Manchester City. Liverpool started the game in a lively fashion, taking control with Everton see...

Match Day: Wednesday 17th September 2025 Scorers Liverpool: Robertson (3) Salah (6) VVD (92) Scorers Atletico Madrid: M. Llorente (45+3'), (81) Match Report: They did it again, the drama continues with this team, unable to hold a lead and having to come back to win in the dying minutes.  How many Liverpool fans must suffer through this ? Its 5 games in a row that Liverpool have won all by a winning goal in the last 15 odd minutes of a game and include extra time in that assessment. This game was different though, it felt like a Klopp era game, perhaps it was because Mohammad Salah rolled back the years with his display of speed, dribbles, scoring and assisting.  There is a belief by one youtube channel where it is said that if Salah plays 'sh*t' then the whole team looks 'sh*t', so in this case the opposite must be true as well. The big news when the team was announced, was Alexander Isak starting, finally Liverpool fans all over will get to see what the fuss was ab...

Match Date: Sunday 14 September 2025 Scorers:  Mohammad Salah (Pen 94)  Well everyone thought it was going to be a goalfest, but it was anything but that.  The team lineup was exactly as it was against Arsenal, with Szoboszlai still starting at right back. The first half was something to forget by Liverpool, from the outset it was clear that Burnley were going to defend and defend deep, with very little interest to play football unless Liverpool do something stupid.  The Liverpool build up was extremely pedestrian, and consisted of trying to find a way through a 10 man defense.  The amount of sideways and backward passing was hypnotic to anyone watching that it would take great effort to mainatain ones awareness.  The only entertainment on show was Ryan Gravenberch doing things with the ball in tight spaces, a joy to watch, but shame about the rest of his team mates.  For the first time it appeared that Ekitike looked out of place in the team, always l...

Date: 13th September 2025 As I write this, Jack Grealish has just got the Premier League Player of the Month, having managed 4 assists for his new club (on loan) Everon. You may wonder why a Liverpool fan is writing about a player who plays for the Bluenoses.  Well before his move to Manchester City, this player was incredible for Aston Villa, his ball retention, awareness and creativity was on another level compared to other wingers (or is he really a creative 10 ?). I thought it was criminal how few times he was utilized by the then England Manager Gareth Southgate.  It was also criminal of Pep Gardiola at City to restrict him to his system and not let him free to express himself.  Still how do you argue with a manager that won a trebble with Grealish in that team. I think Everton have struck gold by getting him on loan, he will make them a dangerous proposition for any of the top sides with his creativity and ball retention.  The fact that he has integrated so wel...

Match Date: Sunday 14th September 2025 14:00 Now usually this game may not be worth talking about, it is Burnley after all.  What can we expect from this, well the last time Liverpool faced a team managed by Scott Parker was 3 seasons ago, and it was at Anfield against Bournmouth, Liverpool beat them 9-0.  Parker was sacked after that game, but one would hope he has learnt a bit more since that game. On a personal level, I always worry about this fixture  mainly because I have Sean Dyche PTSD from years ago, it was never easy for Klopp to beat this team in the away fixtures. I still feel that it will not be as easy as most Liverpool fans expect with their new expensive squad of players.  I do not expect Isak will take part although I would not rule it out that he will be on the bench.  With Jones out due to injury, expect Szoboszlai to start in midfield, with Bradley restored to right back.   One of the reasons I always think it was hard for Liverpool ...

Match Date: Monday 25th August 2025 Liverpool Scorers: Ryan Gravenberch (35') Hugo Ekitike (46') Rio Ngumoha (110') Newcastle Scorers: Bruno Guimaraes (57') William Osula (88') Armchair Match Report: It felt like an eternity waiting for this match to take place, all the other teams had already played their 2nd game during the weekend and this game was on a Monday; it was building up to be a real grudge match given the issues Newcastle were having with Alexander Isak and his demand for a transfer to ... Liverpool FC.  I could not help but think that Newcastle's midfield would be extra aggressive for this game with the home support backing them to 'get at em'.  My worry of course are potential injuries to any of our key players this early in the season. For Liverpool the return of Ryan Gravenberch for this fixture was a welcome return after serving his one match suspension by missing the previous Bournmouth game., and with Frimpong injured, and Bradly not ...