Reminiscence
10 years ago, I watched my first Premier League game. It was Liverpool vs Stoke City. Suarez was still serving a ban. Sturridge scored and debutant Mignolet saved a late penalty to secure the 1-0 win.
After that miraculous but ultimately dampened 13/14 season were the dark days, which led to the departure of Brendan Rodgers.
Then began the Klopp era, which can be split into the pre-van Dijk and Alisson era and the post-van Dijk and Alisson era. Yes, Salah is great, but in the season he was signed and broke the goalscoring record Liverpool only scraped 4th place on the final matchday, and the other Big 6 teams weren’t even that outstanding as a whole that season.
Luckily, Barcelona was cretinous enough to buy Coutinho. Many Liverpool fans think Coutinho should not have left because of how good he was for us. But under Klopp (and subsequently under other managers in different teams: Brazil, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Aston Villa), he was holding back the team. His style of play is incongruous to the modern game—the tactics, flow, and formations. He fits well in neither phase transitions nor build-up play. Some people know Coutinho for his long-range goals, but his success rate in long shots is really not impressive. His movements are very predictable for defenders too.
Some people also think he made the career mistake of ditching Liverpool for a move to Barcelona. Come on, as a South American, he was always going to leave for a club like Barcelona. He would be regretting his decision for the rest of his life if he had rejected them. Clubs of this stature do not come knocking all the time—they often pursue other targets come next season.
In addition, one cannot judge decisions based on their outcomes, but on expectation. But since we only experience one branch of reality, the true expectation is unobservable to us. So we use outcomes as an estimator of the quality of a decision, but results can at most only be a proxy measure for evaluating choice.
(Fun fact: I’m blocked by Coutinho on Instagram. I think he went on a blocking spree towards the end of his spell at Liverpool, during his supposed injury.)
Transfer Window Thus Far
As of today, Manchester United have incurred more net spend under Ten Hag (since 2022) than Liverpool have under Klopp (since 2015). And Manchester United have had a much higher wage bill for at least the past 10 years. Isn’t this ridiculous.
And Manchester United fans still want their owners out so badly and routinely blame them for not spending on buying players. Liverpool have the most parsimonious owners in the Big 7. Rival fans still continue to dramatise Liverpool’s slumps and downplay Liverpool’s successes. If I posted this on social media rival fans would be ingeniously and maturely commenting “cry more”.
After an unexpectedly abysmal season where players, fans and commentators were demanding and projecting a squad makeover, there have been 2 major incomings and 7 major outgoings. The season starts in less than a week!
Community Shield: MCI v ARS
Looking out for how each side sets up tactically, not least because one team’s manager is the disciple of the other. Both sides have introduced new tactical systems last season, so it would be interesting to see how (or if) they have reinvented themselves again.
Also key to watch new signings Rice, Havertz, Timber and Kovacic. With Jesus injured, it is less interesting to see how Havertz would fit but still worth keeping an eye on how he performs. The Havertz signing is in keeping with the Guardiola-tradition of signing technically elegant and tactically flexible players—Jesus, Zinchenko, Bernardo Silva, Torres, Sterling and Sane fit this mold.
Arsenal’s maturity should be under observation too. Their lack of it last season was probably a decisive factor in the title showdown. I predict Arsenal will be fired up, as they are a young squad and eager to seek title revenge on Manchester City. Manchester City, on the other hand, are a more seasoned bunch and their core group of players have participated in the Community Shield many times in recent years.
FPL Pre-Season Draft
I composed a solid team but my plans were derailed by the injury of Jesus. Would need to tinker more and I may have to change my formation.
BLOGOPUS 