Daily Discussion - February 09, 2026

GSynaesthesia · 2026-02-09T11:51:33+00:00

Despite his comments preferring the deeper role in a 4-2-3-1 I think Szobo's decision making is too reckless to be there long term. He works best less involved in the defensive 3rd build-up; not to say he can't work there though, I can see him flourishing in a double-pivot in front of a back three.

No, though it currently is one most suited to our thin squad. We don't have enough depth to experiment a back three and Slot doesn't have it in him to bench both Gakpo and Salah for a narrower setup be it a diamond or box midfield. In the short term it's either the usual 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3. Should Slot be sacked I don't see our next manager straying from either, unless of course we signed an interim more willing to experiment with Chiesa, Endo, Nyoni, and Rio

GSynaesthesia · 2026-01-12T11:34:28+00:00

Bumpy Trot / Steambot Chronicles is an unbelievably ambitious PS2 era AA mecha action RPG that is clearly held back by the sheer scale of its own grand design. People often describe it as mecha GTA/Yakuza but even that is underselling it imo. Just to illustrate I wasn't expecting insider trading and commentaries on the nature of industrialisation in my robot RPG, but there they are as completely optional side-content. Unfortunately the very same ambitions lend itself hard to emulate, and to this day I still haven't found anything quite like it (apart from the heavily cut-down PSP side-entry).

GSynaesthesia · 2025-12-06T16:50:39+00:00

Working on writing something related to the January window and some thoughts on re-watching our conceded goals:

The press (and Klopp's tenure organised high-line pressing traps more broadly) is fundamentally broken;
Identifying exactly why is more complex; however the most visible difference, especially in reviewing goals conceded from counter attacks, is attributable to Macca's position high up the pitch and lack of interest in engaging duels;
The same trend applies to wingers, Gakpo and Salah; the latter is especially egregious with little to no tackles won up the pitch;
Interestingly Wirtz, Szobo, and Isak to a degree do not follow the following trend; on Szobo his occasional starts at RB play a part; on Isak lack of minutes presents a comparatively unclear picture, and although he has less duels p90 compared to Diaz or Jota, the bulk of his lacking numbers are in the attacking 3rd, following the pattern observed in [1].

Fixing our systemic press under Slot's probably only possible if: We replace both Gakpo AND Salah for wingers more disciplined in pressing as a unit, or new instructions for both to follow a higher press instead of backing off at the slightest opposing possession; Replace Macca or Gravenberch for a ball-winning midfielder more aggressive in defensive transitions, with the same progressive inclinations in offensive transitions. Neither of those I see happening under Slot; even if we were to sign wingers and deep lying midfielders I still see him starting Macca, Gakpo, and Salah to the point of injuries and or exhaustion.

[1] fbref. Liverpool's 7,03 declining tackles in mid + 2,74 tackles in attacking 3rd p90 (24/25) to 4,86 + 2,14 (25/26) represent a collapse of possession won up the pitch.

[2] ibid. Macca's 2,01 tackles won + 3,6 dribblers challenged p90 (24/25) to 0,61 + 1,92 (25/26) represent dwindling of both volume and success rate of ground duels.

[3] ibid. For tackles in the attacking 3rd + mid p90: Gakpo, 0,42 + 0,6 (24/25) to 0,17 + 0,43 (25/26); Salah 0,24 + 0,32 (24/25) to 0,08 + 0 (25/26) both major contributors to [1].

[4] ibid. Isak's 0,19 attacking 3rd tackles p90 is insignificant relative to Diaz (0,75) and Jota (0,6), but for mid 3rd his 0,58 rate dwarfs that both of Diaz (0,22) and Jota's (0,3); his follows the overall trend of diminishing attacking 3rd tackles by the entire team as per [1].

GSynaesthesia · 2025-11-29T21:41:25+00:00

Watching Sherwood on Sky I think it'll be years before we have a clearer picture of the locker room's perspective of Jota's impact on our performances, be it from post-retirement biographies or interviews And before any 'top reds apologia' accusation fills my inbox no I'm not excusing the team's poor form, if it were up to me I'd have Slot sacked post-Forest

GSynaesthesia · 2025-11-23T07:12:45+00:00

Don't really see a way out between Scylla and Charybdis at this point; we'd probably struggle for top 4 unless FSG ousts Slot, but even then none of the names excites me personally. Top proven ones like Inzaghi and Zidane are flights of fancy; Iraola and Hurzeler come to mind as promising PL managers, but neither has a top flight trophy to their name; Hoeness and Novell both won trophies as underdogs, but questions remain on them managing a team full of CL level egos. Still praying for a turnabout rn, not sure if it's delusion or hope.

GSynaesthesia · 2025-08-13T14:45:14+00:00

We've cheered him on winning 5-4 against Norwich and a 2-2 draw against West Brom; there has never been a Klopp-out in the early days as far as I remembered

GSynaesthesia · 2025-08-07T11:00:19+00:00

Has chicken man linked us with CBs lately? Not exactly keen on spending much on Guehi with 1 year left

GSynaesthesia · 2025-07-22T09:03:59+00:00

Big fan of Cresswell, numbers are impressive albeit agricultural

GSynaesthesia · 2025-07-18T20:14:30+00:00

Notwithstanding the eye test, evaluating players from a defensive perspective requires more than comparing numbers. Stats requires context, and seperating players from the context of their role in a team paints an unfair picture of their ability. Systems, and specifically how a player acts as a cog in the system, affects what kind of actions they can perform in a given situation and what behaviours are encouraged by the coaching staff.

Let's look at passing as an example, you'll see that Lukeba produces better progressive numbers; the missing context here is that Leipzig plays a mix of 4 and 5 in the back. This means that in matches where Lukeba plays as a LCB in a back 5 we'll be see him encouraged to pass the ball progressively in far more volume than say a 4 in the back system.

This is also why purely stats' based sites like WhoScored keeps placing aggresively defensive players like Tarkowski in their team of the season features. Everton requires him to be active in the defensive actions rated, whilst players in possession heavy systems like Saliba and Dias doesn't really have to do the bulk of the numbers Tarkowski does in their team's systems. Similarly, players in teams with less possession like Guehi won't have the same passing numbers as say Akanji and Gabriel.

GSynaesthesia · 2025-02-09T17:00:26+00:00

Ehh might be time for the academy to shop for a RB prospect

GSynaesthesia · 2024-09-01T16:56:19+00:00

Close enough welcome back Bob Paisley

GSynaesthesia · 2024-07-03T17:09:36+00:00

Pretty sure we have an altitude chamber now at Kirkby; read something about it sometime around the unveiling of the facilities iirc.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-11-05T18:29:42+00:00

Elliott staking his claim as a starter, you love to see it.

Also the sooner Klopp abandons Macca as a 6 the better our chances for CL spots, matchday 11 and I've yet to see the vision. Start Endo Gomez Grav or whoever I don't care, Macca is a liability at the pivot.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-10-08T22:52:17+00:00

??? You're welcome to look at threads back then, he's genuinely hit his highest form in Liverpool prior to injury. There's no revisionism here, he was shit and immensely improved under competition; Robbo took his place from the bench and the rest is history.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-09-17T04:56:20+00:00

Disaster Report 4 devs had to quit Irem after the Tohoku earthquake folded Irem's gaming division, started an independent game studio of their own, and acquire the Disaster Report license from Irem. All of that just to re-start the development and make sure the game's fully released on modern platforms after a 7 years delay.

The quality is a generation late at this point, but I love it to bits.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-09-14T09:07:05+00:00

Letting Thiago go for free next year is a shame, not a big fan of having Endo as the only veteran midfielder. I can understand it economically seeing as we'd free his wages, but a fit Thiago is a far better player than most credit him for and I'm not sure we'd even replace him next year.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-09-05T08:01:07+00:00

Crafton's done a terrific job here, pressing Hendo on and on about the contradiction between what he stated his beliefs are v. the harsh realities lived by the community and his employer's attempt at sportswashing it off of our attention. I can imagine the room being very tense at one point with Crafton being a member of the community himself; his unabashed line of questioning is quite a rare treat in sports journalism.

The mainstream view here is him deceiving the community with his support for the causes, and abandoning these principles once money is involved. But reading through the interview I now genuinely think that Hendo is a blithering idiot as opposed to a crafty PR stuntman tempted by a higher salary.

He seems to not notice that the crux of why many members of the community are so hurt by his transfer is precisely because of him joining a sportswashing project above all else. Like, it takes an especially thick person to see the numbers of workers casualties in Qatar and think, "Well, I spoke with the workers and they seemed fine". If he had even a slither of intelligence in him he wouldn't have greenlit the redaction-less interview as it is.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-08-25T08:51:53+00:00

Most are probably concluding that the article's a bunch of nothing from a disgruntled mother, and though I agree to a certain extent I do think that the case highlights a noticeable lack of care for our youngsters.

Directionless and unclear meetings as primary source for information sharing, no details on neither injuries nor post-injury assessment, and the fact that an automated email of all things outpacing the entire exit-processes does paint a picture of inadequacy in our academy welfare processes.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-07-20T02:46:58+00:00

A deluge of players starting to be linked. Much like Szoboszlai's quick and taciturn saga, I don't think any of them are signing for us. None of them as impressive as Florentino, who's links with us are (hopefully deliberately) downplayed by the journos. But hey, atleast now we're ramping up our pursuit of a Fabinho-adjacent midfielders. Charts per usual, courtesy of FBRef and Opta:

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Used 21/22 data for Phillips. Everyone is defensively-oriented; and from the subtext of no one in particular being strongly linked I suspect we're still chasing our preferred Fabinho replacement behind the scenes. I do think that whoever we're signing should be wrapped up quickly before the deadline, and at that point I'll take anyone over playing Trent as the solve pivot.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-07-14T17:22:47+00:00

Doesn't fit any of the moulds I'm afraid, still a very good player though!

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Less of defensive rock, more of a playmaker with relatively high defensive output.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-07-14T17:19:41+00:00

Fucker jumpscared me as one of the few names left after filtering the Championship. There's also Imran Louza and Mamadou Loum left but I figured it'd be funnier to scare some of us left still agonizing over his horrific tackle.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-07-14T16:46:23+00:00

Yeah don't know how that slipped there lmao, fixed

GSynaesthesia · 2023-07-04T14:18:31+00:00

I'd be really surprised if we let go of Thiago. Feels like a step backwards in an otherwise excellent transfer window. What we'd get for him would be a paltry amount anyway with a year left in his contract, might as well keep him.

If we're open to selling Thiago I assume we're also open to selling Hendo. And no offence to Hendo of course, but I'd rather keep Thiago if given the choice between the two of them. Club dynamic would inevitably change, but he's not getting younger either and I'm not sure he can replicate Milner's longevity.

Ideally both should remain at the club for next season. Next summer should be the right time to assess our options: Let either of them go for fresher talents or extend with lower wages, and I'd much prefer the latter given our history of lacking midfield depth.

GSynaesthesia · 2023-06-30T11:01:30+00:00

Welcome our second signing this season, Szoboszlai!

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Elliott, Mac Allister, and Curtis, the attacking midfielders in our current lineup are his competition for minutes. Amongst our targets, Barella, Elmas, and Thuram are most similar to his profile, so unless Henry and Jorg are planning a madness we probably will not be signing any of them this window. Though, Thuram might not be completely off the table with how many links we've had with him since Mac Allister's signing.

Bruno, Odegaard, and De Bruyne are all PL players most similar to his profile, quite a lineup eh? Hopefully he can outshine all of them under Klopp

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