Full version of the LiverpoolWorld Q&A.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 Will, starting with Liverpool, just look at their centre-back situation.
00:04 Obviously, they've chopped and changed a few times this season.
00:06 What's the latest you can tell us and who do you expect to play in the next few games in that position?
00:13 Yeah, I think at the start of the season, everyone was looking at him thinking,
00:16 "Well, it's going to be Virgil van Dijk, the first choice."
00:18 And Eupen McKenna, I'd say, would be his partner for the majority of games,
00:24 but it hasn't turned out that way.
00:25 And McKenna, I'd say, maybe his form at the start of the season wasn't the best
00:29 and obviously after the Merseyside derby,
00:31 where he should have been sent off for two bookable offences
00:36 but was very lucky to escape a second yellow card,
00:39 maybe he's come under the microscope a little bit.
00:42 And Jürgen Klopp, I can't say he's had injuries in the past,
00:46 and he's had niggling injuries, maybe injuries that have gone on a little bit too long,
00:50 and that's the reason why Joel Matip's played for a few games this season in the Premier League.
00:55 And it was actually a surprise not to see Matip line up against Everton in the derby
00:59 because he hadn't gone away on international duty
01:01 and can I say played two games for France.
01:03 So to play two games and come back and play the half 12 game for Liverpool,
01:08 that was a little bit of a surprise
01:09 and maybe that was a reason why his performance was jazzed, to say the least.
01:15 Now, Liverpool, as we speak, they played Toulouse in the Europa League,
01:21 probably going to see youngster Gerald Kwanzaa play,
01:24 it depends who lines up with him.
01:25 And then the Forest game, it's a 50/50 chance between Matip and Canarsie for me.
01:32 And then you've even got Joe Gomez in the mix,
01:34 who when he played centre-half and he's Aston Villa when Van Dijk was absent with suspension
01:40 and Canarsie was injured, he has a really good game,
01:43 he's performed really well at right back this season.
01:45 So Jürgen Klopp's got some options, he's got some decisions to make.
01:50 I mean, it's good for Liverpool, but ideally you want your centre-half to be nailed down,
01:55 so every week you know who's going to be playing for the most part
01:58 and when Liverpool are playing these Europa League and Carabao Cup games,
02:01 then they can rotate it.
02:03 So maybe that doesn't rest quite easy on the minds,
02:07 but I'm sure Jürgen Klopp, after this run of fixtures
02:11 and once these three international breaks are over,
02:16 then you might have a little bit of a better idea
02:18 of who is Virgil van Dijk's main parter for the remainder of the campaign.
02:23 And looking at Liverpool's talisman Mo Salah,
02:25 obviously there's been moments this season where you think,
02:28 is he ever going to slow down?
02:30 Obviously the Saudi attention in the summer with that transfer saga,
02:34 you know, we're seeing the best of him again
02:37 and it's very pleasing for Liverpool fans because he's just not letting up at the moment.
02:40 Yeah, absolutely.
02:42 I think Liverpool's decision to turn down a monumental bid of,
02:47 what was it, up to £150 million,
02:48 I think that is long justified so far at Liverpool.
02:52 Knew they couldn't replace Mo Salah,
02:54 certainly in the short term,
02:58 getting someone in who could make an instant impact
03:00 and they've proven that.
03:00 Mo Salah did not have his best of games against Everton,
03:03 I thought he was pretty poor to be honest with you.
03:05 You know, first half's touch wasn't quite there on a few occasions
03:09 and he struggled against Vitaly Mikhailenko,
03:12 but look, he'd come up with the two big moments,
03:14 the penalty where he slammed it past Jürgen Pickford.
03:17 We've seen the camera shot of Jürgen Pickford's water bottle,
03:22 which we've seen against Leicester last season,
03:24 when he's saving James Matson,
03:25 but he just absolutely thundered the penalty past Jürgen Pickford
03:28 and then obviously wrapped up the game.
03:30 And in the closing stages,
03:31 I think it's 11 goal contributions in 10 games now,
03:36 which is outstanding to be quite frank.
03:40 I think Mo Salah will even think himself,
03:43 he hasn't had the best of seasons in terms of what he's doing for 90 minutes in games,
03:48 but he's coming up with big moments
03:51 and he's got a real rapport now with Darwin Nunes,
03:54 Dominic Sobreslai as well.
03:56 He seems to really be relishing playing alongside
03:59 and I think as the season wears on,
04:01 then Mo Salah's performances are only going to get better
04:04 and that means that his productivity in the final third is as well.
04:07 And Forrest at home for Liverpool next in the Premier League,
04:12 another big game,
04:13 another chance to really just show the rest of the league what they're about
04:18 and hopefully come away with three points
04:20 and maybe a fair few amount of goals this weekend.
04:23 Yeah, I mean, it's a sort of bread and butter game.
04:27 You'd like to hope for Liverpool,
04:29 you'd like to think that they'll go and put a Forrest side
04:32 who've been struggling to the source,
04:34 obviously the down there in 15th
04:37 and that draw at the weekend
04:39 where they should have been winning the game,
04:41 let's be quite honest.
04:42 I think if Liverpool,
04:46 I think maybe this season as well,
04:47 look, it's already looking so tight, isn't it?
04:50 Maybe goal difference will come into the matter as well
04:53 and Liverpool might be licking their lips against a Forrest side
04:57 who will be well organised
04:58 and Steve Cooper, I think,
04:59 and they'll probably play quite directly to the game
05:02 at Anfield last season.
05:03 They caused Liverpool a few problems with the physicality.
05:06 So Liverpool got to be aware of that,
05:09 but you said that the front three of Salah and Nunes
05:14 didn't start against Everton,
05:15 maybe that was because of international exploits,
05:19 apparently he says he'd come out after the Eurogrinds
05:22 to nil win against Brazil,
05:23 he has a bit of cramp,
05:24 so maybe that's why he didn't start.
05:26 Cody Gagpole might be back available for the game,
05:29 Luis Diaz is showing excellent form,
05:34 Djoko Djosa,
05:35 it's still a handful for any Premier League defence
05:39 and then you've got the midfielders as well.
05:41 So yeah, it's a game where you turn it up
05:44 and you just think Liverpool just should be winning,
05:47 there shouldn't even be any problems with getting the jobs on,
05:49 you know, they get to 65 minutes,
05:51 they're 2-3 nil up
05:52 and then maybe you can start making changes
05:54 or you keep players on
05:58 and you keep the likes of Mo Salah and Nunes on,
06:01 you think, right, how many can we go and get here?
06:03 Can we increase our goal tally?
06:05 Are we starting to think about that already?
06:07 Well, to say, for us, they'll offer a threat,
06:10 they'll offer physicality,
06:12 but this should be Brenton Butterfield for Liverpool
06:13 to go and pick up three points.
06:16 On to Everton, Will,
06:17 you know, does Sean Dyche know his best team now?
06:21 Obviously, we've spoken,
06:22 it has changed quite a few times,
06:23 there's been a lot of injuries,
06:25 a lot of them have come back now,
06:26 does he sort of look at his side
06:28 and know his strongest XI now, do you think?
06:31 I think so, I think the majority of it,
06:34 I think you've got your goalkeeper,
06:36 you nail down centre-back Perrin,
06:38 Tarkovsky and Bramford,
06:40 the left-back, Vitaly Mikhalenko,
06:41 just offers a lot more balance
06:43 after missing the early part of the season
06:46 and wasn't quite fit.
06:47 The right-back situation, maybe,
06:49 is a little bit up for debate,
06:53 Sean Dyche has preferred the experience of Ashley Young,
06:56 he's obviously saving a one-match suspension now
06:58 after getting sent off in the derby,
07:00 Nathan Paterson offers more attack on wires,
07:03 but you seem to think that Sean Dyche
07:05 likes that defensive still,
07:06 solidity in the midfield.
07:09 He's got good options,
07:11 albeit there isn't a lot of options
07:12 in centre-midfield,
07:13 but he's got four good options in there,
07:15 in Amazuel Nane, James Garner,
07:18 Idrissa Garnaghey and Abdulai Takora,
07:20 who's played a little bit further forward.
07:23 It depends what formation they're playing,
07:27 generally they play free in the middle,
07:29 it was a little bit of a surprise,
07:31 maybe Idrissa Garnaghey didn't come into the team
07:35 after missing the ball,
07:36 getting with injury against Liverpool
07:38 and coming back in
07:39 because he would have had a little bit more experience,
07:41 but James Garner and Abdulai Nane,
07:43 the two outstanding young talents,
07:45 both have shown real glimpses
07:47 of their ability this season,
07:50 and now it's all about consistency for them too.
07:52 Takora has obviously got the legs
07:55 and the power and the pace,
07:56 maybe on the ball,
07:59 and maybe needs to look after it
08:01 a little bit better at times,
08:02 but that's not really his game.
08:04 And then you've got the two wingers now,
08:06 which he's been waiting for,
08:08 Dwight McNeil missed the early parts of the season,
08:10 so did Jack Harrison,
08:11 both have shown what they can do
08:13 in up front,
08:14 Dominic Calvert-Lewin,
08:14 albeit he wasn't great against Liverpool,
08:17 and fed off scraps and didn't win many battles at all,
08:20 had one chance in the open 36 seconds,
08:23 but that's about it,
08:24 but I think he's first choice,
08:26 and then you've got Beto pushing,
08:28 so if you said that,
08:29 it's probably nine roles there maybe
08:31 that Everton know that are the strongest,
08:34 and I think once Everton get that base,
08:38 and build partnerships and rapport,
08:40 then they're just going to be tough to beat,
08:42 they're going to be rugged,
08:43 and they're just going to be a Sean Dice scene
08:45 that ultimately needs to stay in the Premier League this season,
08:49 and you've got a few options on the bench,
08:50 in the likes of Dan Duman,
08:52 whoever is in the midfield,
08:54 and Beto and Schimitzy,
08:56 so things are looking better for Everton,
08:58 but I think if they can get them in,
09:00 they'll want a few recruits as well in January.
09:02 And Jarrod Brantley,
09:04 you mentioned him there,
09:05 he's been a shining star in Everton's side this season,
09:08 so far,
09:09 what are your thoughts on him,
09:11 and how far do you think he can go in the future,
09:13 because he's certainly looking a really good player?
09:16 Yeah, I mean, I don't want to say the secret's quite out of the bag,
09:21 I think Everton fans would disagree with that,
09:23 they've known for a long time that Jarrod Brantley's a top prospect,
09:26 but a lot of the wider football world,
09:31 probably certainly fans haven't probably known really who he is,
09:34 he arrived from Carlisle when he was 17,
09:37 and after Lowndes fell as a Blackburn,
09:40 and thrived on loads of PSV Eindhoven last season,
09:42 and it was a little bit of a surprise that he didn't start the season in the start 11,
09:47 Michael Keane was given that nod,
09:48 but yeah, he's just,
09:49 you've got everything you want on the centre-back,
09:51 to be honest with you,
09:52 every attribute and more,
09:53 composed on the ball,
09:55 physical,
09:55 wins his duels,
09:58 wins his headers,
09:59 and his left footers,
10:01 which that's a rarity for a left-back,
10:04 every team wants a left-sided,
10:06 a left-footed centre-back,
10:07 if you can get hold of them,
10:08 because they are like gold to us,
10:10 they just give you that extra balance really,
10:12 when you're playing out from the back,
10:13 and Brantley adds that,
10:15 some comparisons would say,
10:18 John Stones,
10:19 and is he going to be the next big sail that Evan will go on to get,
10:22 you know,
10:23 they've obviously got a couple of players there in him,
10:25 and Amadou Ounaner,
10:26 I think maybe some people would agree that,
10:30 they might not be at Evan for the whole career,
10:33 obviously Brantley recently signed a new deal,
10:35 so Evan have secured that asset,
10:36 he's playing every week,
10:37 he's what, 21, 22,
10:40 why does he want to move on from Evan at any time soon,
10:42 he's playing this amount of games,
10:44 but yeah,
10:44 you'd think that he will have admired us closely,
10:48 watching him,
10:48 he's been linked to likes of Man United and Liverpool in the past,
10:51 and if he keeps on that upward trajectory,
10:54 then he could turn into a 60, 70 million pounds offender,
11:00 to be quite frank,
11:01 you know,
11:02 the way the market is today,
11:03 perhaps even more dependent on his development,
11:06 to be honest,
11:08 yeah,
11:08 it's just a top centre,
11:09 I think if he can stay fit,
11:11 then Evan's chances of avoiding relegation are improved markedly.
11:15 Finally on Everton,
11:17 West Ham away up next,
11:19 a very, very tough place to go this season,
11:22 and a tough side to face in David Moyes' side,
11:25 what are the thoughts going into that for Everton fans?
11:28 Yeah,
11:29 and Everton,
11:29 they're in a tough run of fixtures at the minute,
11:32 obviously the Derby defeat,
11:34 which takes some heart from it,
11:36 to be honest with you,
11:36 obviously if Canarsie goes,
11:39 then the game potentially changes as well,
11:41 now they've got to go to West Ham and Brighton,
11:44 a home,
11:45 so Everton fans have known this is a tough fixture,
11:48 but performances on the road have been encouraging,
11:53 obviously Anfield,
11:54 the rare aspects of that,
11:55 that you see and you thought,
11:58 yeah,
11:58 Everton have got something about it,
12:00 them here,
12:00 obviously winning at Plymouth,
12:02 winning at Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup,
12:06 now it's converting to face West Ham,
12:08 they're obviously in action in the Europa League on Thursday,
12:11 so maybe Everton,
12:12 that will help them for the fact that they haven't got a game this week,
12:16 and they might be that little bit fresher,
12:18 but obviously West Ham going to Aston Villa
12:21 and getting comprehensively beaten last weekend,
12:25 so they'll want a turnaround,
12:27 they've obviously got weapons,
12:28 having the West Ham bequester and Jarrod Bowen,
12:31 you know,
12:31 Mohamed Kuzos,
12:34 who's probably crying out for a start now,
12:36 you think,
12:37 in the Premier League,
12:38 they're a good outfit who will want to be finishing much higher than he did in the league last season,
12:46 albeit the Europa Conference League,
12:48 but I think David Moyes,
12:50 it'll air how low down and how much,
12:52 you know,
12:53 they're in a relegation battle for a fair bit of the season,
12:56 to be quite honest with you,
12:57 and tough game for Everton,
13:00 look, I think most fans would take a point,
13:01 to be honest with you,
13:02 against West Ham,
13:03 they're a good side,
13:04 so are Everton,
13:06 and yeah,
13:06 if they can,
13:07 obviously got beat there last season,
13:09 fairly meek performance,
13:11 I think that was Frank Lampard's last game in charge,
13:13 but yeah,
13:14 if Everton can go there,
13:16 bring a point back to Merseyside,
13:18 then they go into that Brighton game with that little bit more confidence.