LFC Footy Pundit

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 ...

Match Date: Sunday 31st August 2025 Liverpool Scorers:   Dominik Szoboszlai (83') Armchair Match Report: The buildup to this match and particularly on the social media spaces was very intense and it seemed like most Arsenal fans and pundits on social media for some inexplicable reason felt Liverpool were their for the taking given their performances in the last 2 games against Bournmouth, and Newcastle where they allowed those teams to come back into their respective games after Liverpool had taken a 2 goal lead in both.  Everyone and their family seemed to be convinced that Liverpool was weak at the back - both Konate and the new left back Kerkez were showing signs of struggle and the midfield seemed like it was disorganized with no co-ordination and plenty of misplaced passing.  The record signing Wirtz along with Salah had both had underwhelming performances to date (although Salah had 2GA already to his name). Liverpool had setup just as they did against Newcastle, Sz...

Match Date: Friday 15th August 2015 Liverpool Scorers:   Hugo Ekitike (37'),  Cody Gakpo (49'),  Frederico Chiesa (88'),  Mohamad Salah (94')  Bournmouth Scorers:  Antoine Semenyo (64', 76') Armchair Match Report A lot of emotion in this game and rightly so as we started the season with the sad summer news of the passing of Diego Jota.  Its a strange feeling to know that you will never see a player again because he has passed away at such a young age.  However, Anfield was buzzing with the knowledge that the club had finally spent big, and the new season opened with high expectations. The match turned out to be the perfect advert for the league and audiences worldwide will know that the English premier league is the place to watch competitive football at its best.  Never a one-sided affair as Liverpool fought back to win the game in the final 10 minutes, and the Anfield atmosphere reminding all of England that there is no place better for Eng...