Dr. Gonzo

We’re seeing a massive surge where I am (the last 4 days have been record numbers for the most positive tests in a day here), as well as nationwide. And because a big man child lost an election and doesn’t care about doing his job anymore (although I’m not sure he ever did), I suspect this is probably not going to go well in the US.

I am the forum’s Doctor. My colleague @Dr Boris Gobshite has been missing for quite some time though

Quite a few reasons tbh. One is Southgate completely ignores Klopp’s requests to have our players on a different training program to the other England players when there isn’t an international tournament. Then Gomez and Henderson get injured constantly (Gomez’s injuries picked up away at England have meant he’s missed over 100 matches for us). Secondly, I hate so much of what goes along with the England side. The media going completely insane with everything, so many England fans are twats, and having to want players that play for Manchester United and Everton to do well. Third, other than that one World Cup... watching England has usually been an exercise in how some of the best players in England can manage to look like they’d struggle to beat a bottom half premier league side playing some of the most rubbish football. I suppose it’s fine, because most international sides are much shitter than a bottom half premier league side. But it always does feel disappointing... other than that recent World Cup when I had exactly 0 hope for them doing well and they made the semi finals. And it’s not the England team’s fault, but part of the reason is I just think there is too much international football currently and it’s just an impediment to club football. I fully admit I’m a hypocrite and when England are in the World Cup or Euro... I’m a fan. But I can’t stand this Nations League bollocks so I’m well against it and the stupid number of internationals had already in this condensed season. It’s more like thinking you’ve got AIDS but it turns out you’ve ONLY got herpes. It’s not as bad, it’s still fucking shit.

I think that any side that can’t beat us right now is shit

Tbf I’d love it if our English players never ever played for England again

That’s just both starting CBS (and one is arguably our best player), probably our most creative player, and also our best attacker! Why the fuck would there be less panic?

Normally we get an injury to Henderson OR Gomez when Southgate calls them up. Does he get bonus points for returning both injured this time? I know it’s not his fault but holy fuck it is so annoying. Especially as it’s always England and it’s always those two.

Sorry to hear that pal. RIP Jax, what a dog

Lol so how many players has Southgate’s England paid for with us?!

I agree with you on pretty much everything you’ve said... other than we’ll slowly start to see people admit leaving was a bad idea. They will point fingers EVERYWHERE else before they admit they steered the country onto the path it’s on. I suspect the EU will be a bigger scapegoat than it ever was with us as a member.

I said I think we’ll finish top 4, but I don’t know if we can contend for the title? Not really the same thing those 2 achievements. Robertson picked up a hamstring injury with Scotland. Not sure if he’ll be able to play. Matip might hurt himself brushing his teeth or something, the injury prone fucker.

If we really are going to have our whole backline and keeper out, it really should be a walk in the park tbh

I also think people forget that when Trent is out, we often struggle for creativity. Not like missing an ordinary good right back, he’s a really really important player for us going forward. I think while he’s out, we might need to consider playing Shaqiri more. I think he’s better as an impact sub for us because he doesn’t really have the legs to play Klopp’s style regularly. But a month without Trent is a month with a big loss in creativity.

With half our first team out? Any side that finished in the top 6 last season. And looks like we might be without 8 of our best 11... but sure, we have no reason to feel anxious about it according to some of you

I trust the Egyptian FA with Salah’s health the same way I’d trust Roy Hodgson to spend money on signing players... in that I wouldn’t.

Let’s not buy into this “they’ve changed so much” and rehabilitate GOP shite like Bush (war criminal who’s stupid war made the Middle East more of a fucking mess) and McCain (started the Trump train, really, by appointing Sarah Palin as his VP candidate). Truthfully the GOP has been on this path since Newt Gingrich in the 90s. If not earlier. They don’t deserve rehabilitation, they deserve to be confined to the dustbin of history.

Assuming he recovers quick though. He could be like Dybala, it’s not set in stone. I still think we’re massively fucked by these defensive injuries so even if Salah misses just one game, I stand by my comment.

This is absurd. I think anyone that still expects us to win the league is either deluded or a moron tbh.

I hope you're right, but I just can't see it

The thing is, I think teams will think we're still the team to beat... and our defense will make it easier for sides to beat us. I just hope our quality in attack can match other sides determination to get 3 points off us, knowing we're massively weaker at the back. I don't normally like when we bin off the domestic cups, but I hope we get out of the FA Cup as soon as possible. Like you say, the league is the bread and butter... and I always want us to do well in Europe. But I think any "extra" matches aren't worth the effort for us.

I just can't see us really contending this year. I think we can still make top 4, but I think we'll be relying on Phillips and Williams too much for how ready they are to truly contend.

But a lot of why we were so far ahead of the pack is because our defense was pretty reliable. I don't think we'll come anywhere near our points total from last season, it's pretty unrealistic to expect that from the same attack but a much less reliable and consistent defense.

Yeah, I'd want to agree with you - but I don't think it's realistic tbh. And even if Fabinho's a good fill in CB (at times, he still hasn't played there regularly enough for me to say that with great confidence tbh) ... we do lose him in the midfield, which does make our midfield a bit weaker. It'd be an easier pill to swallow with Thiago... but he's also injury prone and has hardly played this season due to COVID + getting his knee fucked by Richarlison. If we win the league with kids + just one injury prone senior CB (who I rate highly, I have to add... but again, injury prone as fuck)... I'll be pretty surprised we managed to pull it off.

Having international football during a pandemic is just so fucking stupid.

Mentally... 7. If City being without Laporte for a bit of last season was considered to be such a huge reason they weren't as good of challengers last year as they were the year prior... I do think that there should be a good argument that Liverpool shouldn't be winning the league without VVD & Gomez playing for most of the season. If we do, I'll undoubtedly be delighted. But I'll also think it's pretty fucking funny if an injury prone CB and some U23 end up being the core of the defense that takes us to another title - because it'll probably mean we won the title with Phillips and Williams as our CB pairing for quite a few games. It'll also probably mean Phillips and/or Williams will have massively taken the chance they've been handed this season, which would be cool. I'll still think it's pretty funny though. I would like it if Phillips ended up making the grade with us though, nice little story for a guy who thought his Liverpool career with us would come to a quiet ending this summer.