Scouser Tommies: Plastic Rivals

The Anfield Index Podcast

Jim Boardman and Jay Reid return with the latest from Liverpool on the best team in the world, the top-of-the table Mighty Reds.

Another international break is finally over, and it made such an impression on Jim and Jay that they saw some of the games. Well, one of them saw some of the games. One game. Well, one clip of one game. Thankfully, proper footy is back, and it’s going to be hectic again.

With yet another international break around the corner, those running the different bits of the game must squeeze in as many games for their competitions as they can before club players are reclaimed by their countries. As a result, the Reds have a lot of games to fit in, and with clashes against sides from the top end of the table, including Chelsea, Arsenal and Villa, maybe this interval between non-proper footy breaks is the toughest one so far under Arne Slot.

Early last season Liverpool drew away to Chelsea and it seemed like a decent result, given the huge amounts they’d spent beforehand. Yet as the season went on, it felt more like a missed opportunity. With the London blues now back in the top four, has their latest manager has got them performing in a way that justifies all that outlay? Jay and Jim have their views. (We won’t put the current guy’s name in here because they change bosses so often it could be a new one by the time we go to press).

With Arne Slot loving his early starts for press conferences. there was very little for him to give away in terms of what state his stars have arrived back from their national squads in, but Ali and Harvey aside, it could be close to a full-strength, if still slightly jetlagged, squad for him to choose from for the visit of those who think of themselves as rivals, who we see as plastic rivals. Like their flags.

Arne will need to keep something in reserve for the midweek trip to Leipzig and the game against one of the Red Bull teams. Will ex-boss Jurgen Klopp be there in his new capacity as something important at Red Bull? Will he be able to give away any secrets, let them into any of the players’ weaknesses? Or could it be Pep has already shared all that on the Red Bull Managers WhatsApp group?

Still no concrete news on contract situations for Trent, Virgil and Mo, but Jay is kind of hoping they’re just waiting for the right time to announce it. Until they do announce something, whatever way that might be, Jim points out that the uncertainty just feeds all those who feast on sharing negativity.

Talking of announcements, there will eventually be an announcement on the new Liverpool kits from Adidas, but obviously not until Nike have had every ounce of exposure for the cash they paid for their deal, which has almost a full season to run. Until then there are rumours and leaks, and it looks like a change of kit manufacturer isn’t taking away the desire to base new kits on retro ones. As Jay and Jim recall, Adidas have made some of the best LFC kits, if not for the quality of the design, for the quality of the memories conjured by seeing one.

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