Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network.
It is Ian Ryan with your pre-match warm-up as we start to look ahead to Aston Villa on Friday night. I've got Sean, Josh and Greg with me for this one. It is action-packed.
Chapter 2: What are the key details about the Aston Villa vs Liverpool match?
We will have a caller a little bit later on to give us the Aston Villa perspective. It will be Tom Fahey. And we will have an insert from Neil on a Sixerside fundraiser as well. But this one is going out for free. It is with our partners, Nord VPN. Josh, I'm going to come to you because you are a Nord VPN fan. You have joined the club. Thanks. Why do you use NordVPN?
Talk us through it. Mainly to sort of give myself internet security like the whole time. So it's just like constantly on my phone, like active connection all the time. But it's also good for like accessing like geolock content and stuff like that as well. So that would genuinely be the couple of things I use it for. I've heard there's a way you can get around watching some of those Saturday 3 p.m.
kickoffs, but don't say you heard that from me. I'll tell no one, honestly.
But yeah, if you want to get extra internet security and peace of mind when logging into public Wi-Fi's, then NordVPN could be the sketch for you. So if you want to find out more, go to nordvpn.com forward slash tour. There is also a 30 day money back guarantee. And I do believe they are offering a four months extra free on a two year deal as well. So well worth checking out.
But Josh, the manager has, he has done this press conference this morning. The first thing he was asked, was about a number of players who have been on the sick list for the last couple of weeks in Alisson's case a lot longer he said with the keeper there's a chance but I got the impression that he probably wouldn't feature Abdullah Park Salah a little bit more positive
Maybe we get to see him for a few minutes. Canarte should be fine. Florian Wirtz has been on antibiotics. He may well train this week, but he wasn't too sure. So it feels touch and go. I think ultimately here, Liverpool are going to be taken to the pitch on Friday with a number of big hitters missing. But listen, the challenge is...
to get results, even if you are missing some of these big players?
Yeah, I mean, part of the reason that we thought Liverpool had, you know, what was a pretty deep squad, at least on paper, coming into this season, listen, it's been decimated throughout the course of the season. It's been clear as well in the manager's use of it, sort of in the same way it was last season, really, where I think the squad was probably actually
I don't know if it was a little bit thinner or a little bit stronger it's almost a toss of a coin but your perception of it becomes that it is thinner over the course of the season because the manager doesn't fancy certain players so even going into this one and listen I don't think he's been in any way you know the opposite of vindicated with Federico Chiesa I don't want to see more of Federico Chiesa but coming into the season the manager thought like he was a genuine option I thought he was a genuine option maybe it's become the case that someone like Rio Engamo is instead um
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Chapter 3: What injury updates are there for Liverpool players ahead of the match?
No one's denying it for one second. But if you find yourself a goal up, that puts you in a really, really good position to then put your foot down a little bit and find ways of at least, at the very least, keeping your position at bay and making it difficult for them. So I like the way Mo pushed him on that. But again, the manager talked about, you know, listen, styles make fights all that.
You know, the other team can have the ball and when they do, it makes it really, really difficult. What did you make of his response to that question? Because again, it felt like he maybe wasn't quite getting the point.
Yeah, possibly. I think he... in a press conference environment was probably as honest as he sort of could be because you never know if that's what he really thinks obviously behind closed doors.
I said on review I have major concerns on Chelsea in the first half because he even said in his pre-match press conference to Chelsea quite accurately that they will build out when they've got the ball they use three at the back. So when the team sheet drops and people are like, ah, could Chelsea be playing a back five? Could this be a back three?
Now, that might be a bit different to what they do out of possession. It ended up not being too different. But in possession, there's no surprises there. So what, they build out on a back three? You knew they were going to do that. You even said in your pre-match press conference they were going to do that. So Chelsea didn't do anything particularly exciting down our right, their left.
Cucurella stood on Jones. they tried to move Enzo over into that area. Jal Pedro was flicking between Canarte and Van Dijk so they're not sure quite who's on him and trying to make sure he takes Canarte's attention so there's no cover for Jones in that area. But letting the opposition centre-backs have the ball when you're
one nil up might be one thing but when they start putting stuff into caicedo that's when you you're on them that's where the intensity is on there and you can't have any footballer getting their chin up and having a look around because they're gonna look a lot better than they are you've got caicedo and enzo
getting the chin up, having a look around Anfield, maybe seeing if the mates are in the crowd, they've got that long on the ball, you are going to have problems. And when you actually look at parts of Sabazlai and McAllister and Gravenberg in the game, I don't think they weren't grafting.
When I watched it back, I don't think they could inject the intensity from that shape because I think that shape is too complicated in that there are some sides that would go man-to-man. And Sunday League, you know your jobs. And then there are other sides, let's say like Arrigo, Sakis, Milan, which would be much more...
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Chapter 4: How does Liverpool's squad depth impact their performance this season?
with the problems Liverpool have. If Liverpool looked good out of possession, that there was intensity in the right areas, and that when we counter-attacked and when we got the ball in the final third, it was breaking down because of a lack of quality, I think you'd then go, yeah, well, Izak's not starting, we've got no Eke Teekay, no Verts, they've let him down with the wingers, I get that.
But when you've had a week on the training pitch and your back four looks a mess, and players don't know whether they're going zonal in this moment, are they locking on man-to-man,
I felt really sorry for Cody Gappo, I don't think he knew what his job was in there between the double pivots for Chelsea and the back three, and they didn't do anything different in that regard to what they do, and I think that, now at half-time he corrects it, he makes Curtis Jones man-mark Enzo, and he makes Frimpong man-mark Cucurella. I think that's just too late.
I don't know why you can't make some of them tweaks 25 minutes into the game and help your team out. So I do think Chelsea performance, Mo was right to push forward on that. I think the manager probably can't tell the truth in the answers to that question because it wouldn't be good for him or the squad.
But yeah, my main concerns is all season, the out of possession stuff isn't getting any better.
Yeah, that's definitely a worry, Josh. I think where it's also difficult is Even when we're doing shows like this, a lot of it's dominated by the manager. Understandably so, because you've got to call it as you see it, and we're seeing lots and lots of performances where it's just nowhere near the level you expect. That said, at some point, we will have to draw a line under it one way or another.
He was pushed on his future, and it was pretty clear from his response that he absolutely expects to be Liverpool manager next season.
Yeah, and everything we've heard from, I don't know if you want to call them briefings, Beth Lindup gave a really good answer on a gutter the other day about this. It's not all briefings, some of it is just conversations that journalists are having with people at the club and stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if everything that's coming out of the club is pretty unanimous that...
either he gets revisited in the summer or Arnott is still going to be here next season. I would imagine that at some point there'll be a review in the summer and that there'll be some really honest and frank conversations that happen within that and everyone accepts responsibility for the parts of it that they've let each other down in.
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Chapter 5: What are the tactical challenges Liverpool faces against Aston Villa?
And I think we've all had our share. And with all, I mean, the players have had their share, the manager have had their share, and other people in the club have had their share. That is... how things work nowadays if you don't win the league.
And Greg, another thing the manager was asked about was the left back, Andy Robertson, who he talked about in glowing terms, to be fair. I quite liked the way he almost held them up as, this is what good looks like. When people are looking back at what a left back should be doing, he talked about Andy Robertson as, that's your guy.
That's who you can look at and go, if you're playing that position, you won't go far wrong than to look at him.
Yeah, it speaks for itself, the kind of career that Robertson has had at Liverpool during his time. He's grown to be one of the big figureheads in the dressing room. A lot of the players, not even just the left-backs, Kostas when he was here and now Kerkhez, not even just those two looking up to him as a figurehead, as an idol, but all the new players do.
I think that's more of a testament to how much of a positive spark a player or a character like Robbo is for Liverpool. I think he suits Liverpool well.
perfectly i think you know he's one of the for me he's one of the figureheads of you know this liverpool area and he he shows the kind of determination that is expected and from from a liverpool side if you know if you know what i'm like what i mean by that and you know as we all know most i'd never give up but you know robertson was and still is kind of He displays that when he's on the pitch.
Obviously, in recent years, he might not be the same player that he once was, but I still feel like this season he's done his dues. I still feel like this season he's come up with some good and spectacular moments as well. Obviously, we're all gutted to see him go at the end of the season and it's going to be quite a tough season.
tough ask to replace him and not just a player aspect and I know we've got Kirkus and I think Kirkus has been very good in the last few months of the season but just to replace the character in the dressing room to replace the culture that a player like him brings into the team and the squad.
Sean, I think it's fair to say maybe Robbo's powers have faded a little bit over the last 18 months, two years. Still done well at times, but maybe not quite the same player he once was. I'm intrigued by the whole leadership and standards thing because it's talked about a lot now in the context of the manager.
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Chapter 6: What are the expectations for Aston Villa's performance in this match?
And that was sort of the way he showed that kind of leadership. With Richard Hughes being a former player, that'll help. But I do think when Jürgen was there, you've got someone in them recruitment meetings that may be like, look, the data might say that player you want to bring in is really good.
but he fails the without swearing he fails the bad egg rule if that makes sense and I think to play for Liverpool there's going to be loads of games where things are going well for you and you can look good but I don't think you judge it by that you judge it by like you're up against it and what have you got so I think
Yes, there's been seasons on the clock that haven't gone our way when a lot of them players I've referenced have been there. We can talk about Souness and Daglish in that dressing room and pick out seasons where the league form maybe wasn't that great. But I just think you're much better with it than without. And Liverpool do have to be massively careful because otherwise...
There's too much weight on the head coach's shoulders to manage that. To see any players on the training ground, in the canteen, on WhatsApps, going, no, we don't do that here. Like, that's not on. You know, when you come into the dressing room, I think you want the players, when things aren't going well, you don't want to be coming into a quiet dressing room where they're waiting on you.
You want to come in with players at each other's throats. And you'll quiet them down and tell them off, but secretly you're quite happy. that you've got them leaders in there sort of taking charge of things. Liverpool need to be very careful, I think, with the squad make-up.
One of those senior players, Josh, is Canarte. Now, he falls into that category. He's been around Liverpool for a number of years. Obviously, he's still relatively young as well. But Beth, in the press conference, asked a question about his contract and she got the answer she expected, which is no news. Are you a little bit surprised that maybe that's not got done?
Because there were certainly kind of noises from the player that actually we weren't too far away from seeing this kind of
signed sealed and delivered and it's not quite there yet would that be a worry for you or are you someone who actually if canarsie was to leave maybe you're not the first no i i think i'd like him to stick around i think he's you know someone who is genuinely like a good personality to have about the place i think he's he'd been a good option in the second half of the season as well in fact he's probably one of the ones who's you know come away with more credit as the season's gone on really like you know sobasi was the one who was like
bona fide no one anywhere near him unanimous player of the season first half of the season i would actually say that sobber size dropped that level a little bit and that canate has you know got a bit closer to that level with some of his performances i think he has inspired leadership at times and you know it's not been without big mistakes and i think most then did come in the first half of the season it's not been without you know head scratching moments still and even some of them have come in the second half of the season i i still expect it to get wrapped up i imagine it gets wrapped up
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Chapter 7: How do the players' fitness levels affect team selection?
I'm very busy thinking about Istanbul. And then having to explain that to the non-football people at work that like, no, no, no, this is the biggest moment of my life. And they were like, wasn't your son born like two years ago? And I was like, yes, let me repeat myself. This is the biggest moment of my life.
It's huge for the club, isn't it? But there's games before that and there's ours on Friday. It's a tricky one for Villa really because top five isn't guaranteed for either of us at the moment. I feel like if Liverpool and Aston Villa are in a fight for that fourth position, it's two drunks in their underpants swinging at each other. It's got all the grace of that. But it is...
You know, whoever wins this game is, you know, is guaranteed, you know, well, probably fourth as well, but definitely those Champions League places. So it feels like a slightly bigger game for both teams on Friday night than either of them would like it to be for different reasons.
Yeah, I could really do with this game not happening because it's just dampening any excitement that I have for next week. I think Unai Emery must have overheard me saying that if it gets to the Liverpool game, we've already qualified for the Champions League, that I'd like to play left-back and have a go against Salah. So we've had so many opportunities to finalise this Champions League spot.
Even two weeks ago, pre-Fulham game, Unai Emery was like... you know, finishing fifth, it isn't enough for me. I want to finish third. And then we've gone back to back, uh, lost to Fulham and drew with Burnley who were already relegated. Yeah. So like it,
All of our focus has, like all of the players' focus, whether they want to say it or not, whether the club want to admit it or not, all of the focus has been on just that Nottingham Forest game. And you could tell when they stepped onto the pitch because it was a performance that we haven't seen for about six months.
So them shifting focus now back to the league, there's really like no good league game that we could have played. I think I do like it a bit more that we're playing like You may not agree, but we are playing against a good side. I'm going to do inverted commas. The football isn't great at the moment for either of us, but we are playing a good side. We're not playing a team that's relegated.
We're not playing a team that has nothing to play for and the shackles are off. We're playing a team who it also matters to them. So I'm hoping in that way that steel sharpens steel. and everyone will be up for it and playing for their place in the final. But then I know what will happen. It will get to 6.45 on Friday, and I'll be like, oh, Victor Lindelof's in midfield again.
Like, he's good there, but that's not really what you want the week before a final.
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Chapter 8: What are the implications of this match for both teams' Champions League hopes?
I think we talked a lot about the play. So I would expect him to go as strong as he can in this game. But, you know, unless someone's got a little niggle or anything. But what do you think?
Yeah, I think the team that we play on Friday will be the team for the final. He rotated people against Burnley, just to save people's legs. And he's been doing this weird thing where he's rotating out players who are playing really well. He did it with Pau Torres a few weeks ago, where Pau Torres was really playing excellently.
And then he rotated him and everyone was like, oh, Pau Torres is injured. He was like, no, I'm just giving him a week off. And it's like, okay, we... we can't really afford to do that. So please don't do that. So I think the team on Friday is going to be as full strength as possible. Like basically every Villa fan wants this team to go out, but not have Morgan Rogers playing in it.
Cause that boy has played every game this season. He has played every minute. He has played 110 games in two years for Villa. Everyone is like, please give him the day off before the final. He needs to join a union. I've been saying this for so long. He needs a day off. But I think the team, he's going to go as strong as possible, whatever he thinks is his strongest possible team.
If he thinks his strongest possible team has Victor Lindelof in midfield, I'm okay with it because he did really well against Elliot Anderson and he even did all right against Burnley in a bit of a mad game. But yeah, I think he's just going to say to these lads, keep yourself fresh and everyone else is going to be knocking on his door being like, it's a televised game on a Friday night.
And you know what? A lot of these players, it might be their last game at Villa Park.
like emmy martinez might be his last game luca dean might be his last game you know morgan rogers it might be his last game ollie watkins you never know so they're all going to want to play in it and you know we're all going to be in the hall and standing there waving them off like i don't know like a northern village sending their boys off to war and like 1935 we're all going to be like go back and tell us stories from the home front but yeah it's it's going to be yeah full side i think
Yeah, and as you alluded to there, you could point to the European game and say it might be a little bit of a distraction, but like you said, it is the last home game of the season and they'll want to finish on a high at home, teams always do. They'll want to go into that 5-8 game with confidence. So regardless of the fact that there is still a small chance that
Either of those teams don't qualify for the Champions League. There's still that feeling of, listen, it's our last time game of the season. It's our last chance to play in front of these fans before the final. Some of them might not even want to be there, so they'll want to send you off, like you've just said there. And also Friday night. Friday night's just a better atmosphere.
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