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Liverpool Article 04 Sep 2024
Manchester United v Liverpool







From a Liverpool fan's perspective, there is not much in life that can compare to beating Man Utd at Old Trafford, even more so when it is as easy a win as this one. And, make no bones about it despite what the stats may suggest, this was a very simple victory. Shockingly so really. Slot has been left an excellent team by his predecessor, and so far at least, he looks to have the tactical edge to use it to its full. Liverpool's team, and squad, are better than United's, but last season showed that can be irrelevant if the tactics are not right. Slot is getting the tactics right, after an initial half against Ipswich Town in the first game, turning games from struggles and into cruises. His challenge now will be maintaining this run and, the biggest one of all, getting things right back on track after a defeat. There will always be blips, but it is how a manager copes with the problems and bad times that tell you how good he actually is. So far though, Slot cannot be faulted for the way he has taken an excellent team and made them better.



Last season, LFC were wide open at the back, with Endo having to firefight constantly trying to protect huge open spaces and a defence that was left confused by the tactics and unable to cope with covering all the space. Now there is a return to an older system of play at the back, as they return to the way it was before wing-backs became en vogue. There are two full-backs in place when the team is set up to defend, but when attacking, only ventures forward at a time, leaving three players back to cover across the pitch. Usually it is Robertson that sits in, while Alexander-Arnold is given freedom. That provides much better coverage across the back, without overly large gaps appearing.



In midfield, Liverpool were very chaotic, despite Pep Lijnders' obsession with 'control', showing very little control for large periods of the game. Lijnders idea was simple, and could easily have worked fairly well if organised properly, he just wanted an extra man in there to give that control. His thinking being that Alexander-Arnold moves inside when LFC were in possession to provide an overload in there compared to the opposition. A sitting midfielder - usually Endo - would patrol in front of the backline, and in front of that would be two midfielders that could get up and down the pitch. The problem was that, in transition, there would be two midfielders high up the pitch and full-back sat in midfield who was never sure whether to return to the full-back position or stay in the centre and provide an overload in the centre. That left gaps everywhere, and often led to soft goals being conceded by opponents counter attacking quickly. Now the team understands their roles much better and the second deeper-lying midfielder, when out of possession, allows the full-back to just get back to his position as quickly as possible. There is not then a gap in midfield, as there are two dropping in, rather than one.



Other than that, most of the set up is changing game by game to attack pinpointed weaknesses. Against Man Utd, the wingers stayed high to exploit the space left behind full-backs, similar to the way teams were doing against Liverpool last season. But it is the fluidity of the whole team that is most impressive when attacking and the workrate when defending. Szobszlai has a free role, playing as a number 10 if you prefer that terminology, almost alongside Jota/Nunez up front at times, but he was also chasing back if a gap was left behind him, or if he gave away a loose pass. On one of Robertson's rare forays forward, even though the game was really over at that point with LFC 3 up, he raced back to fill the gap left and front up the winger and it was Nunez who got back to help and put the ball out for a corner. The desire is there from this team so far, even without the legendary motivation skills of Klopp to fire them up for everything.



For me though, it feels like the main difference is the clear direction from Slot, compared to the previous Klopp/Lijnders tactical plan. Having watched lots of footage of the training and dressing room build ups etc, it feels like Slot has an excellent way of describing what he wants and give out his instructions. Even just in interviews he is very clear and concise, making it simple for the players to follow the plan and play the game without spending their time overthinking things, which can lead to hesitation. Klopp was never the tactician in his coaching team, so the job of giving tactical instructions came from others within the staff. The last few years had seen that responsibility gradually handed over more and more to Pep Lijnders, who had a very similar tactical ideology to Slot but was obviously not able to communicate that ideology in such a way that players could understand it easily. In fact, judging by footage, he is now trying to be more like Klopp at Red Bull Salzburg, with his dancing and geeing up of the players. It will be interesting to see how he gets on as a manager second time round, though Salzburg is not exactly a difficult place to start, it allows him to develop his own way of playing and managing with little pressure as their team is so far ahead of the rest. The trouble he has is that mistakes will rarely get punished, so bad habits can form easily and it can be difficult to learn how to adapt and improve when you are light years ahead of your opposition.





What can I say about United? It took them until 40 minutes in to actually have a proper shot at goal and it was their only real threat of the half. Even that was more of a hopeful shot from distance than a well manufactured chance. They did create some better chances later on, but the game was 3-0 by then and Liverpool had slightly taken their foot off the gas, so it is difficult to put that down to an improvement from them. In fact it is difficult to see any improvement in this team from last season's at all. The team will no doubt significantly improve when Casemiro is replaced in the line up by Ugarte, but there are still so many issues that Mainoo is beginning to look almost beleagured in their midfield, trying to do everything himself. It is little wonder he made a mistake in the second half - he must have been knackered trying to be an entire midfield on his own! The defence is the biggest worry, no matter which back four is playing the full-backs advance too early and are easily caught out of position. Worse is the disorganised nature of the defending against crosses. Why do the centre-backs both go so far over and leave the centre of the goal empty for a deep cross? It is like watching schoolkids, all running to the ball rather than watching their individual positioning and adjusting to deal with opposition runs.



The worst for me is the lack of real fight in the team. There is plenty of petulance, we all know about Fernandez' tendency to pet his lip when things are going against them (and waste possession constantly trying ridiculous things), but he is not the only one. Both De Ligt and Martinez showed petulance with pointless challenges, that were late and offered nothing other than a sign of weakness. They both just kicked out rather than having to continue to chase back. At least with Maguire, for all his lack of quality, keeps going and you can never accuse him of not trying to do his best. There seems a real lack of team there right now. So many players just seem to go through the motions far too much, there feels like a lack of real desire, that will to win that can carry you through when things get tough. It would have been easy for Ten Hag to sub off half the team at half-time, as there was so little coming from anyone. Rashford has not been anywhere near his best for a long time, but Garnacho was even worse in this match. Certainly questions need to be asked of the manager, and his tactics, but if the players are unable to motivate themselves for a game against United's bitter rivals, then they do not deserve to wear the shirt.





Quick notes on the players:





Alisson - what can you say about him? He comes up big when it matters. It does not seem to matter whether it is about quick reactions or quick foot movement to get across and make a block or whether the ball is to his right, left, down low, up high, wherever and whatever is thrown at him, if it is physically possible to save it, he will save it. The best I have ever seen. His contribution was key to making it such a clear win.



Alexander-Arnold - defensively he looks so much better under Slot, with it clear he understands his role and knows what he has to do. On the ball he has always had special vision and passing range, but even that seems to be improving. Now though the opposition have no idea where he will pop up to pick his passes from. There are times it is like the flying Alexander-Arnold of old, out on the flank putting dangerous balls into the box. Other times he is pinging the ball about from the centre. With plenty of movement to pick out, it is allowing him to get the most of his undoubted quality. Just a shame his goal was ruled out.



Konate - since returning to the side, he has been excellent, except when in the opposition box! He is the perfect foil for van Dijk, they compliment each other almost perfectly and it is key to keep him fit now.



van Dijk - he is defending really well still, using his experience to help with that, while being less prone to the lapses in concentration he could often be plagued by earlier in his career. He is helped massively by having Konate alongside him, with his more aggressive style of play requiring van Dijk to be more alert and ready to cover. Added to that, he is showing real leadership as captain. It not just the moments such as telling Martinez to try that with him after his late challenge on Szobszlai, but the moment when he embarrassed Onana after the goalkeeper gave him a slight dig with his elbow. He is not just intimidating opponents with his defensive ability, now he is becoming a real intimidating force with his personality and using his size and power to make opponents think twice, making them dither and commit errors.



Robertson - once again he is showing that he can adapt and learn. He has improved massively since he joined from Hull City, but it did look last season like this more restrained role at left-back did not suit him at all. He has improved once again, adapting his game to suit the new system like it is natural to him. Garnacho was almost completely shut out of the game by Robertson and he is still able to get forward at times. This new set up is much less physically demanding on him, something that was needed, even if he was younger, as he would often struggle physically to maintain his workrate as the season entered busier periods. There should be no such problems this season for him.



Gravenberch - the ability has always been there, apart from an occasional tendency to overplay at times, but he was lacking in workrate and had a tendency to shirk a challenge. Now the workrate is excellent and he is not shirking challenges, he is shining in midfield and looking like a genuine superstar. Bringing the ball forward from deep suits him much better than a higher starting position as it gives him time to spot a run and pick the pass, rather than dallying on the ball at a crucial moment. It really does show how much difference you can make to a player's game simply by putting him in a role that suits his game completely. The key for him now is to maintain this form and not allow his workrate to dip. So far, and I know it is very early, but he has been Liverpool's player of the season. But there are 35 more Premier League games for him to keep this up.



Mac Allister - another good game from the Argentine, his best of the season. Produced some really good passes and worked so hard for the team, but he is being overshadowed by Gravenberch's performances. It does feel like he is growing into the system and getting better by the game, especially his defensive contributions, which made such a difference in this match. His performances are effective without being showy, so can often go under the radar as he wins the ball back with a simple foot in at the right time, rather than a lunging tackle.



Szoboszlai - along with Diaz and Jota, Szoboszlai was having a poor game until the first goal went in. Though all three were working hard, they were just not playing well in the early parts of the match. It just seemed like he grew after that goal and his game went up a few levels. At times he is almost playing as a second striker, but he is great at chasing back to make up for mistakes - whether his own or somebody else's. The freedom of his new role seems to suit him and it feels like he is playing a more natural game this season, similar to how he began last season. I just wish he would take the shot sometimes. I get ducking under the ball for Diaz to open the scoring, even if Diaz had missed, he was in the better position to score. But there were a few times he got into position to score and he passed the chance up.



Diaz - his workrate is always phenomenal, but it was end product that was missing. This season that has changed, he still has the workrate, but now he has added end product and he is looking like the player we thought we were getting when he pushed Mane aside after arriving. He did struggle with his dribbling in this game, which meant he was poor early on, but he never stops and now he is scoring goals you just have to feel sorry for Gakpo and his chances of getting back into the team.



Jota - the only starter who did not have a good game, I feel that was down to his lack of involvement in the game. Despite a 3-0 win that could have been more, the centre-forward was barely in the game! It shows how well the system was working, as it is not reliant on any one player.



Salah - two assists and a goal, he must absolutely love playing against Manchester United! He is really forcing people to sit up and take notice of his all-round game. All the pundits have stopped talking about how selfish he is at last and realised that he is just a genuinely brilliant player. Yes, he may well have lost a tiny bit of his blistering pace now, but he is adapting and is just as dangerous. It has been a genuine pleasure to watch him each week and I just hope that he continues on like this for a few more years yet.



Gakpo - came on in the 66th minute for Diaz. He is finally getting the chance to play in his favoured position but the form of Diaz has meant it is only limited minutes. But what a great option to have, and he was once again good in his limited time. Working hard, getting involved and trying to make things happen. I like his desire to win the ball back and willingness to track back. However, it is not enough to push him ahead of Diaz in such form.



Nunez - brought on in place of Jota in the 76th minute. Like Jota, he struggled to get involved, but he did showcase his incredible desire, tracking back into the left-back area to shut down a United attack.



Bradley - also arrived in the 76th minute, when he replaced Alexander-Arnold. He is such a totally different proposition for a defence to deal with from Alexander-Arnold. He gets himself into such dangerous positions, charging forward and getting at the opposition, but is very rarely found wanting defensively, which is extremely impressive for a youngster. While Alexander-Arnold is more likely to hang back around the edge of the box, knowing that he can create havoc with a pass or shot, Bradley is more of a bull who charges in there to cause that havoc. Both brilliant players in their own right, and great to have such alternatives to alter the play without needing to change too much.



Tsimikas - replaced Robertson in the 83rd minute. Tsimikas is a great personality, but it does not seem like he has that same adaptability that Robertson has. He does not seem able to just adjust to playing with restraint. Always a willing worker and tries his best, but he does not seem to understand when to charge forward and when to sit, he just seems to always want to get forward.

02 Sep 2024 10:52:31
This is more a theory (conspiracy ) than a rumour and is nothing to do with Liverpool. But may be worthy of discussion.

1. Oasis set to earn around £1billion from surprise reunion tour

2. Man City facing 115 charges of improper financial dealings

3. Man City relegated and banned from European football

4. Mansour puts club up for sale

5. Gallagher brothers make 'opportunistic' purchase of Man City.

You heard it hear first 🤔🙄😱🤣😂🤣.

03 Sep 2024 22:40:50
Maybe.

{Ed025's Note - "Definitely Maybe".. :)

Liverpool Article 24 Aug 2024
Liverpool Icons - Number 1: Billy Liddell





It seems the most sensible place to start off a new series on the icons from Liverpool's history with Billy Liddell, a player so iconic that the club was referred to as Liddellpool during his playing days.





When he runs down the wing,

You can hear the Kop sing,

Billy Liddell!

When he runs through to score,

You can hear the Kop roar,

Billy Liddell!

La la la la la la

La la la la la la

Bil-ly Lid-dell." - Kop chant for Liddell.





On the 10th January 1922, in Townhill, Fife, Scotland, William Beveridge Liddell was born to coal miner father James and mother Montgomery, the first of 6 children. Like so many in those days, his family struggled with poverty and his diet mainly consisted of kail, bread and salt porridge. "I was the eldest of three boys, though afterwards the family increased by two more brothers and a sister. It was a struggle making ends meet, and many were the sacrifices my parents made for their children. In 1936 my father's wage, as a mine worker, was £2 5s a week," Billy wrote in his autobiography. "We lived in the mining village of Townhill near Dunfermline. Life was pretty tough, and the family's main diet was porridge (with salt, of course), Scotch broth (kait we called it) and bread. Plenty of bread." Like most children, he developed an early interest in football and his parents managed to scrape together the money to buy him football boots as a Christmas present when he was 7. At the age of 8 he became part of the school team, though the average age of the other children was 10.



"I used to run messages for my grandmother who lived in the village. I always had a ball with me, a tennis ball or a sponge ball," reminisced Billy in his autobiography. "And when she asked me to go to the grocers I always ran there on the left hand side of the road, pushing the ball against the wall and stopping it before it went into the road. I did that all the way to the grocers which was a quarter or half a mile away from my grandmothers. Then on the way back I would run on the same pavement so that I had to use my other foot to stop the ball going into the road."



When he moved up to Dumfermline High School, he was a reluctant rugby player under the guidance of retired Welsh international Richie Boon, but he continued to play football for local teams and Scotland Schoolboys. Between 1936 and 1937 he played for Kingseat Juveniles, who paid him half a crown a game. At the age of 16 in 1937, Liddell signed for Lochgelly Violet, where he quickly attracted interest. Manchester City's Alec Herd, a former Hamilton player, missed a round of golf to take Hamilton manager Willie McAndrew to watch Billy play for Lochgelly, but Hamilton's attempt to sign him were rebuffed by Billy's parents. James and Montgomery were determined that Billy would not be a miner, but they were also not keen on the idea of him becoming a footballer and pushed him towards a long term career, offering the options of civil service, the church and accountancy. He had chosen accountancy, his parents wanted him to be able to continue to study the subject but Hamilton were unwilling to give any assurances that he could do so. Even then, before the contract was signed, his family took it to the local minister to look over.



"My grandfather offered me three pence for every goal I scored. When I didn't get many goals grandfather sought to ginger me up by also persuading my grandmother and four aunts to promise me three pence for each goal. Whether the possibility of exploiting this seeming short cut to wealth was responsible or just the weakness of the opposition, I cannot say, but that same morning I scored six goals. Grandfather was there to see me do it, but after paying me up he warned me that the women of the family would probably take a dim view of my waxing rich at their expense. He was right, too. They paid up without demur, but the three pence per goal inducement was withdrawn at the same time. They also persuaded my grandfather that it was wrong to put mercenary ideas in my head, and he, too, withdrew his offer." - Billy Liddell.



Liverpool's Scottish half-back Matt Busby (yes the Busby of the Manchester United Busby babes was previously a Liverpool player and captained the club) went on a golf trip with Herd, who told him all about the young Liddell. Busby recommended Liddell to George Kay, then the manager of Liverpool. Kay finally clinched the signing of Liddell on an amateur deal on 27th July 1938, after agreeing with Billy's parents that the youngster would be permitted to continue his studies, be provided with suitable housing and be given part-time employment as an accountant at a company in the city of Liverpool. In fact, one thing that is consistent throughout his time as a player is that he was actually only ever a part-time footballer and his actual day job was working as an accountant!



In 1939 Billy turned professional on £3 per week, despite having been frustrated at Liverpool due to the frequent rotation of players in the youth team. It had taken the advice of trainer Albert Shelley to get him to be patient. His career was very nearly over before it started when, in a game at Blackburn, Billy struck his knee on concrete near the corner flag after a challenge while he was running with the ball. He spent the next two weeks living in the family home of a colleague in the town, before returning to Liverpool to continue his recovery. Before he could break into the first team, the Second World War came along.



Liddell volunteered for the RAF, hoping to become a pilot, but his proficiency at maths meant that he was trained as a navigator. Billy was well known for having no sense of direction in his every day life but he used to say that he did not get lost in the air because, "There's no streets up there, you see." When he first was stationed for training, Billy went AWOL from his base to take part in a match between Liverpool and Manchester City, having to sneak back into the base without his commanding officers realising. It was December 1942 that he was mobilised and he spent some time billeted in St John's Wood, where he got to know a trio of Chelsea players in Len Goulden, Dick Spence and Joe Payne. He also met Walter Winterbottom, who was then a Squadron Leader, but would later be promoted to Wing Commander. Winterbottom arranged for Liddell to play some games as a guest for Chelsea. Then he was posted to Cambridge, where his commanding officer was a rugby fan and refused all Billy's requests to go and play football.



"There wasn't a weakness in Billy's game. He was strong as a bull on the ball. Defenders found him a real handful, but always respected him." - Matt Busby.



He spent some time stationed at Bridgnorth, where he broke his leg playing a friendly kickabout and was admitted to the RAF Remedial Centre in Blackpool. After recovering, he was sent to Canada tto complete a course at the Central Navigation School and became a pilot officer navigator. While on leave there, he was used as a substitute by Toronto Scottish under an assumed name and scored two goals in a semi-final play-off. Billy was recalled to Moncton, New Brunswick before the final. After 7 months in Canada, he returned to Britain. He was based in Perth in 1944, where he accepted an invite to guest for his boyhood team Dunfermline. He was then sent to Northern Ireland for further training. Stationed at RAF Bishopscourt in Ulster, former Liverpool goalkeeper and then Belfast Celtic manager Elisha Scott approached him to play for them while he was there: "I would have done so but I had half promised Linfield and I didn't like going back on my word." Liddell played just twice for Linfield, both times against Ards, before he was transferred back to England. The first match saw Billy notch two in an 8-0 win and the second one saw him play a big role in a 2-0 win.



On his return, he was assigned to 617 Squadron, ferrying Allied soldiers back to Britain on leave from Italy. In the 1945-46 season, Liverpool played in the North Division and Liddell managed a total of 17 goals in 42 matches. Between 1940 and 1946, Billy had played 152 matches, scoring 82 goals, including making his unofficial debut for Liverpool on 1 January 1940 against Crewe Alexandra, where he scored after 2 minutes in a 7-1 win. He had also been capped 8 times in wartime internationals for Scotland, scoring on his debut in a 5-4 win over England in 1942. It was the 5th January 1946 when he finally got to make his official debut for the Reds, in a 3rd Round FA Cup tie against Chester City, scoring in the 30th minute as Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners. Bob Paisley also made his debut in the same game and the pair would go on to develop a genuine chemistry together down the left side.



"I always knew I was in for a hectic afternoon when I was marking Billy. The only way to try and hold him was to beat him to possession of the ball. Once he had it, he was difficult to stop." - Alf Ramsey.



In May 1946, Liverpool went to North America for a preseason tour, but Billy had to be left behind as he had not yet been discharged by the RAF. He was also unable to take part in preseason training or the first two matches of the season. It was 7th September 1946 that he finally played in his first official league match. Liddell scored twice in a 7-4 win over Chelsea. He was then a regular in the side as it won the first post-war league title, playing on the left wing and scoring 7 goals in 34 appearances. It was a disrupted season, which saw Liverpool only lift the title on 14 June 1947 after a severe winter disrupted fixtures. It was Liverpool's first title since 1923. Billy had impressed enough during the season to be chosen in May 1947 for a UK team to face a Rest of Europe team in a FIFA fund raiser at Hampden Park. FA secretary Stanley Rous had organised the match to help FIFA, who were nearly bankrupt after the war. 135,000 attended as the UK won 6-1, though Billy was as modest as ever: "We were flattered by the 6-1 victory - it was only in finishing we were so far ahead of the opposition."



The following season was an anti-climax for the team, as LFC finished just 11th but Billy managed to notch 11 goals during the season. That summer he got to go on the club's preseason exhibition tour to the USA, where he received a lot of praise from watching journalists as he scored 13 goals in 11 games. The following season, 1948-49, he began his tour of the outfield positions, which would see him play all ten during his Liverpool career. During this season alone, Billy played in four forward positions and at left-back. 1949 also saw the Reds move to sign Billy's brother Tom from Lochore Welfare, but he never made a senior appearance for Liverpool.



1949-50 was another disappointing year for Liverpool, despite setting a post WWI record of 19 consecutive matches unbeaten the Reds finished just 8th in the league. They did reach the clubs' first ever FA Cup final, which was also the first time Liverpool played at Wembley. LFC were allotted just 8,000 tickets but received over 100,000 applications. Liddell was inundated with requests for tickets. Arsenal went on to win the match 2-0, in large part to Billy being nullified by Alex Forbes, following an early tackle which hurt Liddell. Journalist Brian Glanville recalled how Billy told him that he had been so battered that he was unable to put his jacket on the next day and match reports accused Forbes of acting with malice. Billy himself defended Forbes from the accusations. Billy had managed 20 goals in all competitions that season. Despite the defeat, thousands of Liverpool fans greeted the team on its return home.



<"Any chance you can go play on the other wing for a while Billy, I'm knackered." - Alf Ramsey to Liddell mid-game.



That summer, Liddell was one of many players approached by agents representing Independiente Santa Fe and Club Deportivo Los Millionarios with a big money offer. At the time, the maximum wages was just £12 per week during the season and £10 per week in the off-season. Plus switching team was much more difficult than it is now. Despite the offer of £12,000 to move to the Colombian league, Billy turned down the opportunity to stay at Liverpool. The following season was not a good one for Liverpool, with manager George Kay resigning due to ill health and being replaced by Don Welsh in January. The following season Billy personally had a good season, scoring 19 in 40 matches in the league, but Liverpool were a mediocre side overall now.



1952-53 saw Liverpool avoiding relegation with a final day win over Chelsea, but it was just staving off the inevitable and they ended the next season bottom of the table and were relegated, to end 50 seasons in the top flight. They had not managed an away win in 14 months - 24 consecutive matches - and conceded 97 goals on their way to the drop. Liddell himself had also struggled, scoring just 7. Despite there being many interested clubs, Billy refused to consider jumping ship following relegation. Initially Liverpool struggled and looked to be in a relegation battle but then Liddell was moved to centre-forward. His 30 goals in 40 league appearances moved the club up the table, but they still only managed 11th, Liverpool's worst ever league finish. About the only cheer for supporters was the 4-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park in the FA Cup 4th round in January, where Billy was reported to be "inspirational".



"Billy had time for everyone, considering what he had achieved, which was everything in the game. Shankly told us all at the beginning that the club was called Liddellpool. He carried that team, there were some good players, but he was the main man. I would still say that he was one of the top three players Liverpool ever had." - George Scott.



Billy was awarded the captaincy for the 1955-56 season and the team challenged for promotion but ended up just missing out with a third-place finish. Liddell managed 32 goals in the season. It was not enough to save Don Welsh who was sacked and replaced by Phil Taylor. There was one controversial moment in the season during a 5th round FA Cup tie against Manchester City at Anfield. With Liverpool 2-1 down in the dying seconds, Billy raced from the halfway line, into the penalty box and scored past Bert Trautmann to launch wild celebrations among supporters. According to reports, the referee had blown the whistle to end the match just before he shot, but no one realised and the players were preparing for extra time until it was announced over the PA system.



For the 1956-57 season, Billy was mostly on the right, as right winger or inside right, but still finished the season as the top scorer with 21 goals as Liverpool once again finished 3rd, this time just one solitary point behind second-placed Nottingham Forest. Next season saw Billy surpass Elisha Scott's club appearance record of 430 league appearances. Bizarrely, despite being teetotal, he was gifted a cocktail cabinet to congratulate him! Time was catching up with him now and he played less games in the 1958-59 season, trying to make up for his declining pace by playing deeper and attempting a "more thoughtful passing game", rather than his all-action style of the past. New Brighton approached him with an offer to become their player-manager, as he was relegated down to the reserves, but both Billy and LFC rejected the offer. He did return to the first team squad in March.



"He had the type of build that he looked strong and speedy. You thought, just by looking at him, that he had a good chance of pushing the ball past the full-back and beating him for speed and that was really his game. He was direct. Rather than looking for short passes inside, he was more likely to get up the line and whip the ball across for his team-mates or cut inside for a shot at goal - and he could do either." - Doug Cowie.



Liddell started the 1959-60 season strongly, with a run of first team games until he picked up an injury in September. During September Billy was awarded a £2,000 cheque to mark his 20 years with Liverpool, something that happened fairly regularly then. Despite Liverpool being a second division team then, the BBC still came along to televise it, the only one they felt significant enough to need covering. On his return to training, Billy suffered knee ligament damage in October, which ruled him out for four months. By the time he came back, it was all change at Liverpool as a new era was launched. Phil Taylor had resigned in December and was replaced by the legendary Bill Shankly. Shanks' clearly admired his fellow Scot, once saying of him: Liddell was some player....He had everything. He was fast, powerful, shot with either foot and his headers were like blasts from a gun. On top of all that he was as hard as granite. What a player! He was so strong - and he took a nineteen-inch collar shirt!" As soon as Billy was back fit, Shankly returned him to the team for 10 appearances in a row until April, when he was replaced by the 18-year-old Ian Callaghan, who Billy believed was his long-term successor. However, it was clear that Billy was not the player he had been, with the Daily Express noting in one match report: "Billy Liddell, the once-great footballer who is 39 in January, was thrown back into the furnace of league football last night in place of Liverpool centre-forward Dave Hickson. But though the heart is still in his great frame, the reflexes are gone. I winced every time Billy fumbled an attempt to trap, turn and shoot. And I say Liverpool must stop asking the impossible of a man who is still Anfield's idol."



The next season was his last, with his final game coming in a 1-0 loss to Southampton, where he became the oldest player to appear for Liverpool in a post-war senior match, aged 38 years and 224 days. On 29th April 1961 he made his final reserve appearance for the Reds, fittingly notching one last goal in the red shirt. Billy's last goal in first team football had come a few months earlier in a 5-1 victory over Stoke City, where he scored in front of the Kop from a cross by Roger Hunt. Billy was 38 years and 55 days old at the time, making him the oldest person ever to score for LFC. He had never been booked in any of his 534 games, scoring 228 goals and getting 29 caps. He was also one of just two men ever to be chosen to represent GB twice, along with Stanley Matthews, the second time in August 1955 against Europe in a 4-1 defeat at Windsor Park as part of the IFA centenary celebrations.



"Most defenders knew who was windy amongst the opposition attack but Billy never chickened out. He was big, strong, speedy and he played it hard but fair. He put his heart and soul into the game. He was a great competitor. He wasn't a Matthews or a Finney. He was direct, no frills. Even when you had taken the ball from him he'd have another bite at you." - Harry Johnston, Blackpool and England defender.



The astonishing thing is that, throughout his time, Billy had been just a part-time footballer! An article at the time wrote about his weekly routine:

Sunday:

Billy usually up by 10am, eat breakfast and be in church for 11am. After lunch he would revise his lesson for the Sunday School he ran at the local Methodist Church in Court Hey. After classes he would deal with his duties as Sunday School Treasurer before going home for tea and an evening with the family.

Monday:

Up at 8am to drop the kids at school before going in to the city and the office where he worked as an accountant. Lunch time would be spent with friends from a local shipping company usually discussing football. Work finished at 5pm unless there was something that needed finishing. Home for a quick bite to eat, then off to a boys club or youth club to talk about his life in football to the gathered children. He usually took souvenirs to show them. He would then answer all their questions no matter how long it took or how difficult the question.

Tuesday:

Again up at 8am to drop the kids at school but then it was training at Melwood before lunch at Anfield and then off to the office. Except on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month when he had magistrate duties (adult court). The nights were what Billy called his special time, when he would spend time with his wife. They would always go out together to the cinema, theatre or a dance.

Wedensday:

8am take the kids to school, then off to the office. The post on a Wednesday was always larger for some reason. Lunch he would give a speech before returning to the office until 5pm unless there was something that needed finishing. After tea he would compose his article for the Echo and then he would work his way through his personal correspondence from fans.

Thursday:

8am kids to school, then off to Melwood where training would include a 5-a-side game in the car park which Billy loved. Lunch at Anfield, then off to the office unless it was the last Thursday in the month. That Thursday he would DJ at Alder Hey. After finishing he would walk round the wards to see all the kids that wanted to meet him. While he aimed to be home by 6pm, the sick kids came first. Evenings were spent at the Liverpool and District St Andrew Society where he was president.

Friday:

Kids to school, then off to the Juvenile Court which he often found distressing. Friday evenings were for relaxng at home unless the team had to travel to an away match.

Saturday:

Lay in until 9am. If LFC were at home, he would watch his sons play for the local Life Boys team. His gameday lunch was always one poached egg on toast followed by milk pudding. Billy would always get to Anfield early, to sign all the autographs. If his sons were not playing, he would go into the office in the morning and catch the 26 tram to Anfield along with the fans. He would then run the opposition ragged before a cold shower and back out to sign autographs. On Saturday nights he would take his wife dancing.



"Forgive me if my eyes sparkle when I think of Bill Liddell. You can talk of how the players of yesteryear would have struggled to cope with the demands of the modern game. Bill Liddell would have been a star in any team, in any age. How I wish I could have a Liddell in my successful teams. With him in the side I reckon we would have won the Grand National and the Boat Race...He was also an exceptional person. He didn't smoke. He didn't drink. He didn't swear. And he wasn't even a full-time professional! Now I'm sure that will surprise a lot of old fans but throughout his time at Anfield, Bill never trained with us on a daily basis. He would take part in the pre-season training and join us for about a month. But after that we would only see him a couple of mornings a week. The rest of the time he was working outside the game with, first of all, the accountancy firm who were Liverpool's auditors, and, after that, as accountant to Liverpool Students' Union. No-one would have known that Bill was, really, only a part-timer and I'm sure if he had trained every day he wouldn't have been a better player than he was. He was often embarrassed when people referred to us as Liddell-pool during the days of struggle but I think it was fair enough. He was a team rolled up into one. It was an honour to play behind him for so many years and when I say that Bill didn't swear, I mean it. I can quite honestly say that I never, ever heard him utter a swear word, on the pitch, in the dressing room or on the training ground. In fact, I remember one occasion when a referee was going to take his name. I interceded and asked why and was told that Bill had sworn at either him or the linesman. I told the ref he would be laughed out of court because anyone who had played with or against him knew that he would never utter a swear word!" - Bob Paisley.



Billy was said to be incredibly strong, Bob Paisley once saying: "Bill was so strong it was unbelievable. You couldn't shake him off the ball. It didn't matter where he was playing, though I suppose his best position was outside left. He could go round you, or past you, or even straight though you sometimes!" A shot from Billy carried so much power that he once fractured the arm of a Nottingham Forest keeper with a piledriver. It was often reported that a goalkeeper had moved out of the way of one of his shots to avoid being hurt. Which may seem apocryphal until you read a match report which mentions this: "I know I have written many things over the years watching football, but never have I seen a ball burst with the power of a header. Liddell was known for bursting balls with both his right and left feet, but with his head? I guess that's just another bit of footballing history from Liddell, that will eventually have people in the future doubting the power of the man." It is little wonder Albert Stubbins admitted that he did not look forward to meeting Liddell's crosses as they were hit so hard.



Despite being aggressive, no one ever felt that Billy would do anything untoward, after a collision with England goalkeeper Frank Swift left Swift with broken ribs, Swift simply said, "It was fair. Billy doesn't know how to be anything but fair." Though the respect he commanded did not stop Billy's teammates from playing tricks on him, such as putting alcohol in his orange juice, making him spit it out. While he regularly enjoyed telling tales about the pranks pulled on him in later life, it probably explained why, at the time, he did not really socialise all that much with his teammates off the pitch. They did know that they could rely on Billy, not just on the pitch, but if they were struggling with their finances he would happily do their books for free, as well as doing the books for his friends who needed help, the Scottish Dancing Society and being the treasurer for a local Sunday school. He would count the money out on his kitchen table at home. When the Sunday school gifted him a budgie as a thank you gift, it would hop around the table and then take to the air knocking the coin piles everywhere!



"You can argue he is Liverpool's best player in that he was a loyal one-club man, a religious man who would never attempt to preach to you. As well as winning a championship medal and appearing in the FA Cup final against Arsenal, he stayed after relegation and starred through many years in the Second Division in teams that did not contain players of the quality his skill deserved. His shooting was explosive, he had fantastic heading ability, was fearless and could operate anywhere. There were not a lot of frills with Billy. He was powerful and direct yet always fair and never booked by a referee." - Roger Hunt.



His testimonial in September 1961 saw a crowd of 38,789 in attendance to watch LFC face an International XI. The £6,340 raised enabled Billy to buy a new home. After retirement, Billy stayed busy as much as possible, including contributing a column to the Liverpool Echo's football edition. He also continued his volunteer work, which included working as a disc jockey for the Women's Voluntary Service at Alder Hey Hospital, working for local youth clubs and teaching at Sunday school. He had become a Justice of the Peace (magistrate) in 1958 and played football for a magistrates' team following retirement, until a broken cheekbone forced him into retirement. He then turned to tennis. Billy also worked as assistant permanent secretary to the University of Liverpool up until 1984. He became chairman of Little wood's Spot The Ball panel and was also later to become president of the Liverpool FC Supporters' Club. He still continued to attend matches at Anfield, as a fan, becoming a season ticket holder following his retirement from playing. Billy was also a shareholder at the club and repeatedly applied to become a director.



In 1960, just prior to his retirement, Billy produced an autobiography, entitled My Soccer Story, wherein he urged fans to barrack their own players when they committed fouls or cheated, which gives an insight into his way of playing the game - hard but always fair. He also never agreed with the Liddellpool nickname, denying that he had ever had to carry the team. Billy may not have agreed with it, but very few others would and he was the most beloved player of his era, fans on the Spion Kop would often just shout, "Give it to Billy!" His presence in the team, whether he did or didn't carry the team, certainly ensured that attendances remained high during a fallow period for the club. Billy's fame was such that Liddell Road in Bootle was named after him.



"The first time I met Billy, I knew him only by the reputation of being one of the best footballers of that time who had played for Liverpool, probably the best. What really surprised me was his demeanour. He was the friendliest and most approachable guy I think has ever been at Liverpool. Billy was beyond friendliness: he was just awesome. Always smiling, always ready to speak to you, always engaging and he was just brilliant, absolutely brilliant. His wife, Phyllis, was a real character as well. He was quiet, but she was more outgoing and the two of them were a perfect partnership. He was a part of Liverpool's heritage, a fixture of the club, and everybody loved him. He never got above himself; he was always on an even keel and a delight to talk to. He would always say to us that we were doing well. It didn't matter if you were terrible, Billy would say: 'You're doing well'. The fact he has been immortalised with a bench by the new Main Stand is a testament to what he did while he was at Liverpool. When you listen to the stories and read all the reports, it's clear that he was right up there with the best of them." - Alan Hansen.



In the early 1990s, wife Phyllis became worried by his seeming inability to register the events of Hillsborough and so she took him for medical tests. It was discovered that he was suffering from Parkinson's. He spent the rest of his life in a nursing home in Mossley Hill, passing away on 3rd July 2001 at the age of 79. His home village of Townhill renamed its sports complex in his honour, adding a memorial garden with cairn in 2010. In 2004, LFC unveiled a commemorative plaque to Billy outside Anfield next to the museum, a small marker for a man who made such a huge contribution to the club. He was also inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Liverpool Supporters' Association summed up Billy best of all though: "As a footballer he thrilled Anfield for 15 years but, as a man, he was the symbol of all that was good and fine in the sport."

Liverpool Article 21 Aug 2024
Ipswich Town v Liverpool







An interesting start to the season for Liverpool's new manager Arne Slot, with the kind of game that really is a difficult game for him to bed in with. It is a difficult one to launch a career with, as he was on a hiding to nothing. If he had not led the team to a win, he would have been slaughtered in the media, as Ipswich are newly promoted. But a win, no matter how impressive, is just what is expected. Perhaps the manner of the victory is the best way to impress? A first half with Ipswich showing their battling qualities and Liverpool looking like the same laboured team that threw away the lead in the title race very late in the season, followed by an absolutely dominant second half after he made a tactical change and gave a team talk.



It was good to see that Slot was willing to make a half-time change, rather than wait until 60mins or so into the game, even if it did leave Quansah in a bit of a sulk on the bench following being hooked. The change worked and contributed to a much improved second half performance from the Reds. It did still leave me with the continued worry that Quansah and van Dijk are far too similar to build an effective partnership in the Premier League. The more aggressive defending of Konate is often needed to counter the physicality of teams, though the ball-playing ability of Quansah is much more important in European competition. Against the power and pace of Delap, Quansah was struggling, whereas Konate was able to handle him very easily.



There are questions that need to be answered about the first half though, as it was not all down to Quansah at all. Almost the entire team were poor, which is a worry as it has been a constant theme with Liverpool and the early kick-offs. The crowd should have pushed them on, as it was very vocal, unlike the usual ones in these early matches, which are usually muted. So that can certainly not be used as an excuse this time. I wonder if the constant moaning about them that Klopp did has got into their heads a little? The first half was certainly reminiscent of the last two seasons, with most of the passing sloppy and the players looking like they were only half-awake. It is a conundrum that Slot will need to solve if he is to get anywhere near a title challenge this season. And make no mistake about it, this team is good enough to challenge for the title, whether there are any signings or not, but they will not be able to stumble through the first 45 minutes too many more times. One thing that can easily improve the team is set piece delivery. It was woeful against Ipswich. An improvement there will make a big difference.



My only real gripe was the lack of minutes for Elliott, who ended the season as the standout player for Liverpool and has stood out in preseason too. He has surely earnt the right to play a part in the match, especially as there was an unused substitute available? But Slot has his reasons I am sure, I am just not convinced it is a good piece of man-management to just have him sat there twiddling his thumbs when he has been in such a rich vein of form. Actually no, I have one other gripe - wastefulness. This has been a problem for Liverpool for a few years now and it reared its head once more. That really should have been a much bigger win than 2-0, there were plenty of opportunities to score which were passed up.





It was interesting to see Ipswich back in the Premier League, after such a long absence, and their crowd were certainly up for it. Though questions must be asked of their football knowledge when they were chanting to ask who the Scouser was in the black. Surely everyone knows Alisson Becker by now? Despite the Ipswich fans very vocal complaints about any decision made by the referee, they really had little cause for it. The only really controversial decisions involved their player Burns escaping what should have been a second yellow in the first half, for a blatant hand ball. It was clear the pressure from the crowd weighed on the referee when he made the decision to ignore the most clear yellow card of the entire weekend.



Overall, Ipswich work extremely hard and gave their all, but they lack quality, other than Greaves at the back, who looks a steal. They are really going to have to get the most out of their team if they are to have any chance of survival. Even then, they will struggle. There just is no cutting edge. Delap has pace and power but offers little in the way of goal threat. There is little real goal threat in their squad, which makes it amazing they won promotion on the back of outscoring opponents most of last season. The step up looks a bit much for them this time though. Especially as they are so poor defensively, with Greaves needing to do the work of an entire backline almost on his own. If they are not careful they will be on the end of a few thrashings this season, as teams work out how to beat their high press. The defenders are extremely aggressive with the press, pushing up into midfield to apply pressure.





Quick notes on the players:





Alisson - was never really troubled. In the second half, he could have put up a hammock in the goal mouth and caught up on his sleep it was so easy for him. For all Ipswich's effort, they never looked like scoring.



Alexander-Arnold - had a decent first half, one of the few Liverpool players who did, defending well, but not able to get enough of the ball to create enough. In the second half, he was able to get on the ball and create more.



Quansah - he was taken off at half-time as he showed the same weaknesses in his game as he had last season. One of the big problems with Liverpool's defence was his inability to deal with a simple ball over the top and being constantly caught out by a runner in behind him. It is an issue that he really has to address. Also worrying to see his demeanour on the bench after being pulled out - to not even react to his team scoring a goal is a worrying attitude.



van Dijk - he was extremely sloppy in the first half, one of the worst players in red. The second half saw him play a lot more like he can, with his long passes out from the back causing a few problems for the Tractor Boys.



Robertson - a truly terrible first half, he looked miles off the pace and like a player who was just not ready yet for the season. He turned it around in the second half, in part helped by the tweak in tactics which allowed him to play the way that suits him, rather than the more conservative way he was asked to play initially.



Gravenberch - stood out in the first half as Liverpool's best player and continued to impress in the second half. It was not just his contribution when he had the ball that stood out, but his work in getting it back when the team lost it. Ipswich are a physical side, who tried very hard to turn the midfield area into a battle, but he was able to just turn away from trouble or shield the ball and lay it off. He just needs to keep up this level of performance now.



Mac Allister - extremely poor in the first half, sloppy and looking like a player who is not ready yet for the season. Improved slightly in the second half, but still looks like he needs a few more games to get up to speed this season.



Szoboszlai - mixed game from him, some really bright moments of incisive passing but also a fair few moments of sloppiness. He did seem a bit more suited to this role, as always his workrate is unquestionable and he worked back well to help out when needed, while still able to get forward as well.



Diaz - he always works hard, he always causes problems, but he also struggles to have any end product. It is so frustrating as he is on the verge of being something special, but he needs that end product to get there.



Jota - it was a typical Jota performance. One minute he shows a piece of brilliance to break clear, only to play a loose pass and give away possession. Then he is missing an easy header, only to score a few minutes later. The important thing though is that one simple thing - he gets himself into positions to score and often does so. If only he can stay fit, he can be a huge difference to the team.



Salah - not a great first half performance but much better in the second and took advantage of Leif Davis' switching off defensively twice to create and score a goal. He has looked up for it since the moment he returned to training. Finally having a summer to put his feet up and relax could be a huge thing for him this season. He looks fresh and dangerous.



Konate - brought on at half-time for Quansah. It is hard to tell how much effect his arrival had, though he did defend much more aggressively than Quansah had, however Liverpool dominated the ball much more. It did seem to help, he did seem more suited to dealing with Delap, who had Quansah in trouble, but Delap was much more isolated, which helped.



Bradley - replaced Alexander-Arnold after 76 minutes. The game was over by this point so he had very little opportunity to impress, but he did get forward well.



Gakpo - took Jota's place in the 78th minute. Tried to make a mark, but there was little real intensity in the game by the time he came on. He did get himself booked for a silly challenge though, which was unnecessary but I think was a symptom of him trying a bit too hard to impress.



Tsimikas - came on for Robertson, also in the 78th minute. Similar to Gakpo, there was not a lot really for him to do to make a mark.

15 Aug 2024 19:45:24
Option 1. Sign Salah and VvD up to new contracts immediately. They will both certainly want 3 years minimum and on increased wages. This seems like what everyone wants, but have you thoughts about the last 2 years of the contract when their powers are waning and the huge wage bill stops us signing any replacements? After 3 years their sale value will be diminished, if anything.

Option 2. Let them see out their contracts so we have them for one last season still within their 'peak' years. Lose them on a free.

Option 3. Sell now for possible combined fee of £200m or more. Use the money for a rebuild with younger players on lower wages, who will be tempted to come as they know their opportunities for first team football will be increased as these two undroppables have left.

Have I missed any options?

What's the consensus?

19 Aug 2024 23:49:29
£200m or 3 year minimum contracts on increased wages both seem expensive!
I don't think we could sell them both and replace them in this transfer window. Do we sacrifice this season to risk not losing them on free transfers?
You also have to consider what they want and how this season goes.
Personally, I'd give Salah another season, at least, and van Dijk another two. As I said though, that would depend on their wage demands and how they are playing.

12 Aug 2024 20:59:14
Breaking news the deal is off for Zubimendi.

Liverpool Article 08 May 2024
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur







What an insane game. Liverpool found it so easy to create chances going forward that it could have been (maybe even should have been) a cricket score, but their defending was utterly abysmal. It certainly did Liverpool a favour that, by the time Postecoglou sorted things out with a triple substitution, they were 4-0 up. It was very nice to watch Liverpool go forward with width and attacking verve. There was good movement, good delivery into the box and Spurs could not cope with it at all. Spurs are very narrow with their inverted full-backs, which Liverpool took full advantage of going forward and really should have added more goals to their tally. The constant rotation of Diaz and Gakpo down the left unsettled the Londoners' defence and Salah was able to get Emerson isolated time and time again. It was finally a sign of some good tactics at work, rather than trying to force an unsuited system on the Reds players and wondering why they struggle.



The only thing that ruined this performance was the ineptitude of the defending. It was truly dreadful and masked early on by just how bad Spurs were. Once they managed to get some passes strung together, they simply strolled through a non-existent defence. Partly helped by Liverpool taking their foot off the gas a little after the 4th goal, but there is no excuse for such poor quality defending. It is basic stuff that is not being done. No one gets close enough. Everyone in that defensive unit just sits off and lets the opposition do their thing. The reading of the game is poor as well, allowing Richarlison to run in behind at will. If the midfield and attack are not able to smother the opposition with a press, then there is a huge problem. It is basic coaching of the kind that can be done in days. When a coach like Hodgson or Allardyce arrives at a new club, they will drill that into their team first before they do anything else. While I do not want to see Liverpool play the kind of football either of them do, what they show is that it is simple and quick to drill those basics into players. I just wonder why it has evaporated at Liverpool in the last few years. If Lijnders is the world class coach he claims to be, why can he not organise a defensive unit to defend?



He can certainly coach, that I am not disagreeing with, but Lijnders needs to get his feet back on the ground, stop thinking he is a tactical genius and work on some basics before moving on to trying to innovate. The basics were there in the team before he became the main coach, similar to when Moyes left Everton and Marco Silva came in. Adding that bit more attacking flair in Silva's case, tactical changes in Lijnders' case, to a solid foundation was good. But both have failed to return to working on the basics at regular intervals, until the basics failed them both. That is where Liverpool are at right now, they need a reminder of the basics of defending as a unit to build a base for the attacking football to prosper. Having seen footage of the way Manchester City prepare in their pre-match warm up, drilling the back four in just basic back four work, I think Liverpool need to incorporate that too. In fact there are very few clubs who could not do with a warm up in a similar vein, reminding defenders to drop as a unit when a player is on the ball in time and space and when one should close down while the rest drop off to cover.



For those wondering what I am talking about, this is a link to the clip on instagram:

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