NEIL Atkinson is joined by Mike Nevin and Gareth Roberts to chat about the 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield on this week’s free podcast.
Was Mauricio Pochettino’s side the best to visit Anfield this season? How far away are Liverpool from achieving Spurs’ consistency in terms of results in the Premier League?
What could have won it for the Reds on the day? Neil asks the lads whether Liverpool looked one game-changer short, either in the starting 11 or from the bench.
Could Liverpool have capitalised more from their periods of dominance in the game? And why didn’t they?
There’s also a detailed discussion around Daniel Sturridge. Was Jürgen Klopp right to substitute the man arguably most likely to score the winner? What does the future hold for the striker?
The Reds are assessed from back to front and the panel also look to the summer and next season.
Hi everyone at the Anfield Wrap.
I have been listening for a few years to your pods and always enjoy the lively discussion on them, and understand that people come on your show, giving up their time to present their opinions and hard work.
However I did disagree somewhat with some of your comments about Sturridge, and I understand that there was a counter-piece of writing which went up at the same time, so I am not accusing you of bias or anything. I just think that it gets dangerous when we start saying that Sturridge’s demeanour on the pitch should implicate how we feel about him. To quote Mike, why should he act ‘apologetic’ when he is substituted? Whenever he has been fit he has scored and created goals. What does he need to apologise.
I think Gareth hit the nail on the head with Sturridge when he said that we were spoiled by Suarez. I really feel that Sturridge is still living in Suarez’s shadow, and when you look at his numbers then you have to feel for him a little bit. Suarez is the best number 9 in world football, Sturridge is not. He is still one of the best strikers in the league, but how hard must it be after two years to still have to live up to that prototype whilst your body has been letting you down for most of that period?
I also think comparing him to Kane and Suarez is harsh as neither of them have anywhere near his injury record. Another thing that doesn’t get noticed is that he improves the players around him. I would like to see if he still has that explosive pace, but even if he doesn’t his movement, link-play and finishing ability still make him an absolute must keep (although you suspect if the right offer came in LFC would consider it – like most of the players at the club).
I really do worry that the fans’ relationship with Sturridge is going in a similar direction to that of the Sterling situation and I really hope that we do not see another acrimonious split with one of the top three players at our club.
Thanks again for all of your hard work, I am just commenting on the current narrative as a worried fan.
Regards the incident in the paddock when Sturridge was subbed, some fella on row behind me was screaming at him, calling him a lazy bastard. Sturridge stood up told him to be quiet then received a load of abuse from same fella who decided to scream at him telling him that he isn’t good enough to play for lfc to which kolo toure, pep linders & martin skrtel ripped in to him. Some proper dickheads in that ground. I’m all for having an opinion but to take it further & say it to players themselves after they come off dosnt do any good whatsoever
Thanks for clearing that up Matt. I wondered myself, though in fairness I guessed that would be the case.
I’ve just about had enough of Liverpool fans. These idiots like the one Matt points out will drive him away.
I became embroiled in a debate on Twitter on Sunday over this lazy tag. They were trying to say that Liverpool fans were racist for using the term as it’s usually applied to Mario, DS and Benteke. I didn’t and never have called DS lazy but I don’t agree that’s the case. I’m aware of the historic connotations but I’m a bit sick of being told what we can and can’t say. On the one hand I don’t like criticism of Sturridge but I feel if someone wants to use that term to describe him, Mario, Benteke or any other player black or white then they’re entitled to without being labelled a racist. I wanted to make that point because I don’t feel because a black man was making that allegation that it’s beyond criticism. It’s not and it’s not automatically correct for that same reason.
If I did have an issue with DS on Saturday it would be two-fold. Firstly, I thought he was drifting too wide or too deep. I think he’s more effective with a partner who’s on his level. I think Klopp may have noticed that too (the drifting). Second half was less so in the time he was on.
The other issue was the substitution. I’ve seen a lot of comments saying a player shouldn’t be buzzin to come off. Well, there is a middle ground and it’s about showing respect for the managers decisions. It doesn’t look good. I think the issue with DS not being as popular as he should be is not racism but attitude. Not so much on the pitch or because he wears chains or a gold ear ring but more because we rarely hear him say how much he loves Lfc. Kolo does. Torres wore the armband, Alonso’s son has the kit, Suarez was Liverpool on the Xbox or had the anagram whether intentional or not. Agger had the tats. I fully believe we’re desperate to hear all that shit. We’re such suckers for it. I think Mignolet has suffered for it. He seems like he’s more interested in himself that he is about what I think the cheeky cunt. Taking it to absolute extremes look at Kenny v Roy. Bad example that but you get my point. Rodgers suffered because having new teeth and a new girlfriend made some wonder whether it was about us winning stuff or whether he was more about bettering himself all round. We’re a bunch of dickheads. Fact. We’re so desperate.
Anyway, I probably need to apologies a bit for my Twitter posts at the weekend and the reason I mention that here is because I’d include Andy H in that. I’ve never been ashamed to talk about my drug taking – I genuinely don’t care what people think so I don’t mind admitting I’ve had to stop smoking pot because of the new driving laws and how they’re being enforced. I’ve gone from 25 years of smoking pot and currently 200 joints every month to absolute zero. I’m not so much angry but extremely irritable and short fused. I’m finding it hard to just turn a blind eye to all the stupid opinions (not Andy’s, I misunderstood him). On top of Masher getting ripped off and then England blowing the cricket I was on the war path by Sunday afternoon) So bear me if I act like a dick on here. A dicks fine and standard for me but an argumentative / aggressive one wouldn’t be.
Youre a good egg, Crimes. “Dont let it get you down” buddy.