Klopp and Liverpool granted undue Carabao praise by trio of Sky Sports underdog peddlers
Jurgen Klopp’s farewell will be nauseating enough without us all buying into this underdog narrative. Liverpool beat Chelsea, as they should.
“Goalless but not eventless,” was the eye-roll inducing assessment of our old pal Peter Drury at the end of a first half which featured a ridiculous save by Caoimhin Kelleher to deny Cole Palmer, Cody Gakpo hitting the post, a Chelsea goal ruled out for a tight offside, various other chances besides and another Liverpool injury, this time to Ryan Gravenberch after a nasty challenge by Moises Caicedo, which went unpunished to the great bemusement of Jurgen Klopp.
The Liverpool boss spent the last 20 minutes of the first half shaking his head and smiling with pure, unadulterated anger. Few are better in the ‘woe is me’ role than Klopp, but Liverpool stakeholders in general are fully signed up members of the Us Against Them society.
MORE: 16 Conclusions on Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool – Van Dijk greatness, kids, injuries, underdogs and… Carabao BEER?
“Can Klopp’s kids do it?” Carragher asked as more and more of his children came off the bench in the second half, convinced as everyone seemed to be even ahead of the game that the Liverpool injuries had turned them into underdogs despite them being 25 points better off than their opponents in the Premier League, having pulled their pants down less than a month ago.
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Chelsea will feel like they should have won the game in normal time, given they had the better of the chances in the second half, with the quality and frequency of those opportunities increasing to a frenzy as 90 minutes approached.
But to suggest that “defeat could be really damaging for Chelsea”, as Carragher put it in extra-time, to a side that included more seasoned winners than academy graduates, was one of many examples on commentary of not just Carragher, but also Gary Neville and Drury, firmly casting Klopp’s Liverpool as the little guy.
“They’ve shrunk right in front of our eyes, ” Neville said of Chelsea after Van Dijk’s late winner, having already delivered a nauseating line worthy of a Drury prep sheet: “It’s Klopp’s kids against the blue billion pound bottlejobs.”
By the end of the game they gave up talking about the football, instead alternating between praising wee Liverpool for fighting the good fight and tearing Chelsea apart. “This game isn’t all about money,” Carragher said with barely contained glee.
An opposite but perhaps more valid narrative might be ’11th-placed Chelsea go toe-to-toe with Premier League title challengers’ but there was none of that, with the co-commentators apparently also of the opinion that Liverpool have a monopoly on being tired.
Liverpool were “understandably leggy” when Chelsea were flying at them at the end of normal time, but as the tide turned it became inexplicable for the Blues to be similarly knackered. “What’s wrong with them?!” Neville crowed.
We’re set for a nauseating enough time in Klopp’s farewell tour without granting Liverpool undue praise for against-the-odds wins which aren’t actually against the odds.
Even with the injuries, Liverpool are a better football team than Chelsea, who – save for maybe four or five decent performances – have been rotten this season. To suggest Pochettino’s side were anything close to favourites going into this game was a madness, and to claim “Chelsea’s chance of winning increase the longer the game goes” was a hollow enough statement before Carragher added in near enough the same breath that the Blues’ substitutes are “woefully inconsistent”.
Liverpool have won a trophy, perhaps the first of four this season, but let’s all try to keep the This Means More-ness of it all at a low simmer, by not creating imaginary walls Klopp and his players need to climb or smash through. Liverpool beat Chelsea, as they should.
Are Arsenal the best set piece team in Premier League history?
Arsenal scored two more goals from set pieces against Newcastle to take their dead ball tally to 19 this season. Mikel Arteta attributes the improvement to Nicolas Jover – poached from Manchester City in July 2021 – who has made the Gunners more deadly than any other Premier League team from set pieces, from what was a very low baseline.
Only Sheffield United and Fulham scored from fewer set pieces than Arsenal in the 2020/21 season, with just ten per cent of the Gunners’ goals coming via corners and free-kicks.
In 2023/24 that percentage currently stands at 30, which isn’t the highest in the Premier League – Sean Dyche’s Everton predictably lead the way on a franly ridiculous 53 per cent – but Arsenal are bucking the trend in being a genuine title challenger so reliant on them.
Here are previous 14 title winners ranked according to the percentage of their goals scored from set pieces, with the number of goals in brackets. ‘Why 14?, you ask. Because WhoScored only has that data from the 2009/10 season onwards.
14) Manchester City (2018/19) – 11% (10)
13) Manchester City (2017/18) – 14% (15)
12) Manchester City (2022/23) – 15% (14)
10=) Manchester City (2020/21) – 16% (13)
10=) Leicester City (2015/16) – 16% (11)
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8=) Manchester United (2010/11) – 17% (14)
8=) Chelsea (2009/10) – 17% (18)
4=) Manchester City (2021/22) – 20% (20)
4=) Liverpool (2019/20) – 20% (17)
4=) Manchester City (2013/14) – 20% (20)
4=) Manchester City (2011/12) – 20% (19)
3) Chelsea (2014/15) – 21% (18)
1=) Chelsea (2016/17) – 25% (21)
1=) Manchester United (2012/13) – 25% (22)
It’s historically been deemed a method of scoring beneath the top teams, with a side reliant on set pieces typically one fighting for survival that can’t find the net frequently enough in open play, with balls lumped into the box for the big lads.
And it’s seen as a stick to beat Arsenal with by rival fans, who insist they’ll be screwed when the set piece goals dry up. But if anything they’re less likely to dry up than open play goals, which depend on the smooth functioning of the team as a whole. Set pieces are more of a practice makes perfect method of scoring, and the practice is certainly paying off for Arsenal, who have recently put Declan Rice on corners to further increase their threat.
Asked after the victory over Newcastle whether there might be a bonus on the way for Jover given how big a part set pieces are playing in their title challenge, Arteta smiled and said: “That’s probably for the owner or Edu to respond!
“The fact that we are scoring goals in various ways, from various players as well, is really satisfying. We could’ve scored many more today and we have to continue to do that and keep developing all the things we can still do better and something we have to improve obviously, and get players back which as well we are doing right now. That’s going to be really important.”
They might not be as much fun or entertaining as a free-flowing move that opens an opposition team up, which Arsenal obviously can do as well, but set piece goals are goals, and if Arsenal win the title you can bet your bottom dollar other top teams will be putting just as much focus on them next season.
Arsenal firmly in Osimhen race while eyeing Man Utd striker target
Arsenal appreciate the ‘world-class potential’ of Evan Ferguson but they are also in the running alongside Chelsea and PSG to sign Victor Osimhen this summer…
ARSENAL EYE SEAGULLS STRIKER
Mikel Arteta is making do without a top-class goalscorer through the remainder of the season – Arsenal are coping just fine in the Premier League right now – but the Gunners are making plans to land a centre-forward in the summer.
They have been heavily linked with Ivan Toney but, according to Football Insider, a deal for the Brentford star is ‘far from done’. Arsenal are still assessing their options, one of which is Evan Ferguson.
Apparently, Arsenal believe the Brighton teenager to be ‘a huge talent capable of playing in the Champions League and developing into a world-beating number nine’.
GUNNERS IN RUNNING FOR OSIMHEN
If Arsenal, or anyone else, want something closer to the finished article, then Victor Osimhen will be up for grabs at the end of the season.
Give Me Sport suggests that the Gunners ‘should not be ruled out’ of the race to sign the Napoli striker. But there are plenty of runners in the pack.
Like Arsenal, Chelsea and PSG are willing to meet Osimhen’s wage demands, which come in at around £250,000-a-week. If Napoli insist on the Nigeria international’s release clause being met, then Serie A club could bank £112million in exchange for their no.9.Related video
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MAN UTD AT FRONT OF DUMFRIES PACK
Manchester United are targeting a centre-forward, a right-back and a right-sided centre-back this summer, according to The Independent. And probably a new manager too unless Erik ten Hag pulls his finger out.
The right-back could be Denzel Dumfries. United have been linked with the Inter Milan defender for a while now and Tuttosport, via Sport Witness, suggests the Red Devils remain on ‘the front row’ to land the Netherlands international.
Inter are minded to sell since Dumfries is set to enter the final year of his contract in July. The two parties have been talking about a renewal but reportedly remain around £1million a year apart in their positions. United would have no issue paying Dumfries what he is demanding from Inter.
In terms of a transfer fee, the Serie A leaders are said to be looking for around £34million, but that could rise if Dumfries enjoys a positive European Championships with Netherlands. Though United, now under seemingly more savvy leadership, are likely to insist upon a bigger discount given the 27-year-old is a year from free-agency.
Read next: Liverpool’s big three in top 20 stars out of contract in 2025 headed by Bayern trio
Celtic boss Rodgers branded ‘dinosaur’ for condescending ‘good girl’ put down to female reporter
Former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has been labelled a “dinosaur” for calling a female reporter a “good girl” during an interview after Celtic beat Motherwell on Sunday.
Rodgers is under pressure after two draws in their last four Scottish Premiership matches allowed Rangers to take charge of the title race.
Motherwell deservedly led at half-time through Blair Spittal’s impressive goal but substitute Adam Idah quickly headed Celtic level after the break.
Celtic forced Motherwell back in the final quarter of the game and the pressure told four minutes into stoppage time when Idah stabbed home Alistair Johnston’s pass.
Luis Palma quickly added another to seal a 3-1 victory which cut the gap at the top of the table back to two points.
Rangers had moved five in front with a 5-0 win over Hearts on Saturday and Celtic faced a big challenge at half-time after dropping four points in their previous three league matches.
READ MORE: Mailbox: Liverpool’s Carabao Cup glory is a true underdog story after ‘perfect’ final
The former Liverpool manager was spiky in his post-match interview with BBC Radio Scotland’s Jane Lewis as he seemed unhappy at the media coverage of his side, referring to the female reporter as a “good girl” at the end of the interview.
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Full transcript:
Rodgers: “There’s a story being written about this group, so we will write our own story.”
Lewis: “Can you give us-”
Rodgers: “No.”
Lewis: “You can’t give us-”
Rodgers: “No.”
Lewis: “You don’t want to give us a bit more insight into that and what you mean?”
Rodgers: “No, no. You know exactly what I mean.”
Lewis: “I’m actually not sure I do exactly know what you mean.”
Rodgers: “Okay.”
Lewis: “Can you tell us-”
Rodgers: “No.”
Lewis: “People might be interest to know-”
Rodgers: “No, no.”
Lewis: “But you’re the one that’s bringing that up…”
Rodgers: “Yes, absolutely.”
Lewis: “So can you not give us some more on it?”
Rodgers: “Okay, done. Good girl. Well done. Cheers. Good girl.”
Lewis: “There you go, he’s done.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Feminist Network commented: “Jane Lewis was just doing her job, trying to extract an explanation from Brendan Rodgers on his cryptic comment.
“That the go-to attitude was condescension is quite illuminating, but really very depressing in 2024. We thought dinosaurs were extinct.”
And campaigners at For Women Scotland added that Celtic boss Rodgers should apologise to Lewis: “It’s depressing that casual sexism is still embedded in sport. Women’s achievements are underrated and dismissed, and their professional status undermined. Rodgers owes the reporter an apology.”
Johnny Nic is due out this week and he has some people he wants to thank in the football community
I’ve been in hospital now for three and a half months, having had what was described to me as ‘a massive’ stroke and I’m due to get out this Thursday. In the time I’ve been here I’ve learned a lot about a lot because it’s a kind of hot house for humans. It brings out the best and worst in people.
Firstly, some people are angels, some people are devils. I suppose I knew that anyway. But here it is written large. The nurses are the former. Nothing fazes them and they do indescribably awful things with good humour. Whatever they are paid (and some students on placement get nothing) they deserve double. They are the best of us. When all else fails, there are nurses. Anyone who doesn’t agree with that has never needed a nurse. They carry out the most heinous and important work, without judgement. If we don’t respect that, what do we respect?
The devils? Well that’s some of the patients who have mistaken the hospital for a hotel, the nurses for servants at their beck and call, night and day. Awful bastards who you’d gladly strangle in the night. People so thoughtless and selfish, they must wonder why the rest of us are so undemanding. We must seem weird. But those people are likely to be horrible in real life. Illness has not changed them. They exploit people in the most selfish of ways. The family members who visit are invariably the same.
Secondly, football. To me it’s been a life thread to hang onto. Every day is like the last here but knowing who was playing last night centres me. I know where I am with football. It keeps me sane. Life fell apart, but when I tried to put it back together again, football was there and was my routemap back to reality. And what we might call the football community has been very generous to me with their good wishes.
Although I’ve been nominated for Football Writer of the Year twice, I don’t really embrace or believe such accolades. It’s probably imposter syndrome born out of growing up working class and poor. If I’d gone to Eton, my self-confidence would mean I would think I was great, but I would also be an unbearable prick probably called Jacob. I can’t escape the feeling that I’m a scammer.
Except after my stroke and the good wishes that poured in from many presenters, pundits, ex-players, commentators, writers and readers it made me realise that my work was widely enjoyed and all those below-the-line abusive comments were just a self-eating minority getting off on their own nastiness; they are best ignored. A stroke shows you what is good and what isn’t. You have no time for such energy vampires. No-one should. They’re a waste of space and time. A lesson learned.
At a certain moment when nothing works anymore and the corrupt and venal has become a default, thanks to a vile and inept government, I was shown a better side of humanity and it has made me feel warm and validated and worthwhile. For which much thanks. It’s one of the positive things to come out of this experience. So I shall continue to annoy fans of rampant end game capitalism, by seeing football through a socialist lens. Not because I’m smart, but because I care about the game’s culture, politics and economics. It might not seem like it, but I have your best interests at heart. Even so, by all means, call me a c*** if you need a hit of negativity to justify your existence.
(I know you want to now because you think it is clever, don’t you, but are worried you’ll look predictable, I know, I know.)
This has been more than three months of the most profound and humbling and eye-opening experience which in the next few months you will be able to read all about in a book called ‘Help! I’ve Had A Stroke, Get Me Out Of Here,’ which will hopefully amuse, disgust and help in equal measure. I hope a stroke never happens to you and that if it does, you have a support community to inspire you, like I’ve had.
Despite 40 years of hard drinking, that didn’t cause it. ‘It’s just one of those things that happens for no reason. It’s in your genes,’ says the specialist who finds me in rude health otherwise. I was just unlucky.
It makes you confront your own mortality quite profoundly. You recognise that life will end at some point, that there is less of it to go than you’ve had, so you better enjoy every sandwich. You are helpless for the first time since you were a baby. And here are these wonderful people to look after you and be kind when your defences are at their lowest. I can’t exaggerate how you need support. You can’t fight this alone. And all of football’s kind words did that for me. For the first time I properly realised I was part of a bigger diaspora and not just a lone voice shouting at the moon.
People recorded videos for me, urging me on. My partner, Dawn who has been amazing, would come in everyday to read out more messages. I was gone, barely conscious and unable to speak but football was the Sellotape which held my life together. Complete strangers, who know of my existence only because I once wrote something about them, dropped by on social media to say get well soon. People who have nothing to gain by thinking of me in a moment of crisis and sending me warm wishes. And it has to be said that when I was at my lowest ebb and I wondered how I was going to cope, my editor Sarah, always a reliable shining star when the sh*t hits the fan, and the F365 people said, don’t worry, you’ll get your money anyway, just get better. That was kind and generous and much appreciated. I owe you guys.
This is just another section of a journey I never expected to take. I’m now disabled and as militant as an ex-smoker, coming at you for parking on a pavement and thus blocking my way. ‘You want this coined? Then move it.’ It’s taught me to appreciate what I’ve got, not what I don’t. Taught me to look forward, never backwards. Taught me that the people throughout the football community can be kind and thoughtful, sometimes in contradiction to the common perception. We are bonded by a deep love of the game at all levels and that is an immutable fact, but it’s also more than that, something bigger-hearted and unusual. Thanks to all of you. You helped make me much better than I would have been.
Now, can we get on annoying the hell out of each other?
