[Mikus LFC]

Adlab, indeed – a recent video went viral on the British railways – with Europeans who I think own parts of them – basically thanking us for ultimately contributing to their railways thus making them cheaper for them. It’s ridiculous.

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[Mikus LFC]

I note Brian said, “it is noticeable as well that the majority of EPL clubs are owned by investments from outside the country, where have all our wealthy people gone? Probably had a reality check in investing in football!”

There are foreign investments throughout the country, not just in football.

Football I think is just following the path of the general direction of the country where everything is for sale and if it brings in money and investment, we don’t care if the money comes from abroad. I think this is the root of our problems – it’s like privatisation on steroids. We’re told it’s great that money comes in, but then it’s not so great when many can’t afford to live in new housing developments for example. And so too arguably in football that big money comes in, and not many can compete with it.

The following clip from the early 1980s is worth a watch from a Bob Hoskins interview with Barry Norman on the effect this was starting to have on London (and we see where we are today with all these luxurious flats that few can afford to live in). So without wanting to go too deep, and hopefully not too political, I think this is partly why we are where we are with many things today.

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[Mikus LFC]

Brian, hence I think Gerrard picked the wrong club if he’s to make it as manager. A good championship club would have been a better bet as he’d be less in the spotlight and be freer to make more mistakes without as much pressure being on. Villa are still a big club with ambitious owners who have some good players and have spent a bit. And it’s one of the most competitive leagues out there. Both of Graham Potter’s and Eddie Howe’s second jobs were in the championship. I just fear Gerrard went too big too quickly and got into a false sense of security that he had gained enough experience.

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[Mikus LFC]

“They forget, players are responsible also”

This seems to be the age old debate when the blame game starts with regards who is responsible: players or manager? We no longer live in an age when most players are born within 10 miles of the stadium. Players are now employees and are paid vast sums and I think that will inevitably make them too comfortable, and/or too powerful some may say. So it now falls on the manager to not only coach the team, but motivate them as well. A good manager, like a good leader, has to be an excellent persuader and communicator and most importantly has to preach with authority, and if the players see what the coach preaches actually works, it then gives the players confidence in the manager. But the job never stops in terms of keeping the players feet on the ground and maintaining the motivation. It’s a very difficult job and even the best managers still have their flaws.

But with Gerrard there seem very little signs of progress from where they are now to when he took over. I’m not sure he has the right demeanour.

Whilst I still have some criticisms of Arteta, he did win an FA cup early on, so there was clearly something there. And he does look like someone who is having to feel their way into management having previously not having the experience. And steady progress has been made. And I admire greatly what Arsenal are doing supporting the manager with young players and giving him time.

With Eddie Howe at Bournemouth he clearly had something because he overachieved with them with their budget. Rodgers clearly had something when he begun his Liverpool career, ditto Klopp, ditto Pep, etc, etc.

So it doesn’t take that long to see if a manager has it, or doesn’t. You can see steady progress being made with the players constantly reacting to the manager – both short term and long term.

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[Mikus LFC]

You’d think with all those signings they’d have found someone to put in the net Chucky.

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[Mikus LFC]

Lovely assist from Richarlison.

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[Mikus LFC]

Villa lose again. Arsenal & City up next. Gerrard under big pressure now.

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[Mikus LFC]

Quite so nil, it’s all good going on another run now but if we were to push City close again and fail, we can look back to previous games, like last season, where it just wasn’t good enough. I just get irked that because of beating Bournemouth 9-0 yesterday, we’re basically expected to now forget about what went before and praise the players again.

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[Mikus LFC]

Afraid I’m not so forgiving nil. Why is it acceptable that the players can perform poorly and then “react” like yesterday? If in any other walk of life you didn’t try hard in your job, you’d rightly be disciplined right away. But now the players suddenly perform again with extra zip, and all is forgiven and normal service resumed? Injuries – fine. Players not quite in their groove yet after pre season? – fine. But not trying hard enough in games and being out fought by the opposition? Sorry, not for me. I wish all these players would get off social media. I see Trent tweeted on 30th July saying “we’re ready”. We’ll obviously they weren’t and the only tweet about the league since then was one revelling in yesterday as though the previous games didn’t happen. It winds me up.

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[Mikus LFC]

Boy is Haaland good. So quick, so strong, so good in control, so deadly a finisher. As soon as the ball goes through to him on goal, you know it’s in a la Van Nistelrooy, Henry, etc.

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[Mikus LFC]

Looks like we’re not hanging around today.

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[Mikus LFC]

Villa need a result tomorrow. Arsenal and Man City to play after that.

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[Mikus LFC]

Spurs have got a Europa League draw. All looks OKish for the others with none of the powerhouses drawn but all ties could be tricky/awkward in their own way. Haaland back to Dortmund.

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[Mikus LFC]

Why dive in a charity game?

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[Mikus LFC]

If Ten Hag hadn’t got that reaction very hard to see where else he could go after that. So it was very important for him. But as it stands, it is just one reaction after over a season of poor performances by this team. Pivotal that Ten Hag makes it stick now and builds on it.

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[Mikus LFC]

Maybe Jurgen should set up a gofundme appeal? Sure he’d get some support 🙂

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[Mikus LFC]

Several of us had concerns about the midfield before the season started, but in no way did I foresee this start to the season. To have both midfield AND defensive issues/injuries – and Van Dijk’s poor form – is just too much to go wrong, hence the team keeps conceding first putting pressure on it straight away. It’s not all bad – the team still obviously has something about it and was able to reassert quite a bit of control and had 70% possession in the game. Some midfielders & defenders will return from injury and the team will pick up. And Nunez will hopefully get a good run and start racking up some goals. But very hard to see a title challenge.

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[Mikus LFC]

Threeps, just think Nunez would have given Utd a bit more to think about and so worried them more. He’s a goalscorer and we saw the effect Haaland had for City yesterday. No guarantee though and as I say, so many areas not functioning properly.

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[Mikus LFC]

Can’t get results with too many areas not functioning at Liverpool. We’ll pick up at some point, but we might slip lower than the 3rd I predicted.

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[Mikus LFC]

With Nunez we could have probably drawn. But a draw would be unfair on Utd tonight.

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