#premier_league

Mo Salah is an elite player and wants elite rewards for his performances. This season he is targeting a “big trophy” with Liverpool. As supporters, we love winning the League Cup and the FA Cup. The players, too, would be ecstatic if they were to lift either this season. However, for the best in the world, they desire the biggest trophies in club football, the league title and the Champions League. Salah has one of each but for a player who will end his career as one of Liverpool’s greatest-ever, he deserves and wants more. Speaking on the Premier League‘s YouTube channel, the Egyptian said: “We just need to carry on and try to win a big trophy this season.” [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjOwUaRl-gs[/embed][embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjOwUaRl-gs[/embed] As a player who didn’t grow up in the UK, Salah’s first football experiences were of the Champions League and he has often named winning the European Cup as the best moment of his career. “My earliest football memory was watching the Champions League matches,” Liverpool’s No. 11 told FourFourTwo in their March 2018 magazine edition. “I always loved watching [Zinedine] Zidane, [Francesco] Totti and the Brazilian Ronaldo. It’s an amazing feeling when you hear that music now before kick-off.” With Liverpool back at Europe’s top table this year, the Reds have another chance to add to their six titles and while these are early days, Arne Slot‘s Reds have shown they could compete this year. Conversations with Arne Slot Salah was asked what the new head coach has done to start so well, saying: “We’ve had a few conversations. I think so far the team is playing good which is the most important thing, myself also playing well.” Key to any silverware success will, of course, be Salah. From the right wing, he already has three goals and three assists from Liverpool’s first three matches. The Egyptian now sits fifth on the Liverpool all-time top scorers list with 214 goals which, for any player, is astonishing – Salah being a winger makes the feat even more extraordinary. “In my opinion it changed a lot the last few years, the wingers now score more goals,” Liverpool’s top scorer explained. “I would say Thierry Henry was the one (who played like Salah). Titi, I was watching him a lot but he was like still kind of a striker but he go always to the left side.” Despite his mammoth goal tally, Salah said that he wouldn’t have described himself as a goalscorer before signing for the Reds in 2017. “No, that developed with time,” explained Salah. “When I was at Roma, in two seasons I scored 30 goals. Now if I score 30 goals in two seasons, they’re going to kill me here! “But I think that changed a lot, especially in my first season I won the Golden Boot so the expectation becomes bigger and bigger and bigger.” Another 30 goals this season would see Salah overtake Billy Liddell and Gordon Hodgson, leapfrogging them into third on Liverpool’s top goalscorers list. Source link - www.thisisanfield.com

LFC fan and award-winning comedian John Bishop has signed up to take part in this year’s Kip on the Kop event at Anfield, to help raise awareness and funds for homelessness across the Liverpool City Region. The event will take place on Saturday October 12 and the funds raised will go towards supporting LFC Foundation’s Global Works programme, as well as Liverpool Homeless FC. The Global Works programme provides sport-based employability sessions and mentoring for young people who have experienced homelessness, while Liverpool Homeless FC was founded for people affected by homelessness across the region. It provides footballing opportunities focussed on inclusion, fun and helping to move lives forward. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRzlmovWXBo[/embed][embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRzlmovWXBo[/embed] John, who is an ambassador for Liverpool Homeless FC, will be joining fellow LFC fans in swapping his bed for a sleeping bag and taking part in the unique opportunity to spend the night on the Kop. On taking part in the event, he said: “I’m really looking forward to taking part in the Kip on the Kop this year, I know last year’s event was a huge success and it will be a special night to be involved in to help to raise vital awareness and funds for two very worthy causes. “Both Liverpool Homeless FC and the LFC Foundation are doing fantastic work across our city and I would encourage as many people as possible to take part and help us to make a real difference to those who need it most.” Matt Parish, LFC Foundation CEO, added: “It’s fantastic to have John’s support once again and even more so that he’s taking part this year. “Last year’s event was a special occasion, and we are hoping it can be even bigger and better this time around. “We raised a fantastic amount which has already made a tangible difference and hopefully we can build on that even further this year.” If you wish to register for the event or find out more, you can do so by clicking here. Please note that you must be aged 16 and over to take part, and those aged under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult. It is free to register however those taking part are asked to commit to raising a minimum of £250 in donations which will be shared between LFC Foundation’s Global Works programme and Liverpool Homeless FC. Source link - www.thisisanfield.com

The use of the full-back we’ve already covered, with Alexander-Arnold already notching two ‘pre-assists’ (the pass before the pass) alongside his three clean sheets. Gravenberch struggled to nail down a place in Klopp’s 4-3-3, but he’s been integral to Slot’s double pivot. His technical security allows Liverpool to play passes like Van Dijk’s at Old Trafford, and his ability to carry the ball forwards has helped to overload opposition defences. And with the benefit of a partner alongside him and a back four behind him, he can step up to win the ball at the right moment. As for Jota, he’s dovetailed effectively with his No. 10. He’s free to drop deep and link play, create space for Dominik Szoboszlai to run beyond him, and pull wide to rotate with his wingers – as well as getting on the end of chances himself. This has also had a positive impact on Luis Diaz. After scoring just eight times in 37 league games last season, he has three in three so far. Throughout his Liverpool career, he’s tended to get on the ball out wide and then drive inside to make his own chances, leading to some spectacular goals but not spectacular goal numbers. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyrWVB2blTk[/embed][embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyrWVB2blTk[/embed] Under Slot, he’s been much more direct: finishing off a counter-attack vs. Brentford before scoring twice against United – both with a first-time shot. By removing the onus on him to stick to the touchline, Slot has given him the platform to score more frequently.   No stone unturned The thing is, the best is still surely to come from Slot tactically. For all of the clip-worthy passages of play, we’re still waiting for the first goal to come from eye-catching pass-and-move football. So far it’s been direct balls up top (vs. Ipswich), clinical counter-attacking (vs. Brentford) or winning the ball high up the pitch (vs. Man United). It takes time for a new approach to properly click. But Slot is allowing his players to still play in transition, press aggressively and do all the things that worked well under Klopp, and they’re still paying dividends. That means that while Liverpool learn how to play their best football, they’re still winning and winning well. Perhaps we’ll look back on this start and say: this is when we learned that Arne Slot is a winner. Source link - www.thisisanfield.com

While Caoimhin Kelleher has admitted he wants to leave Liverpool, Virgil van Dijk has confirmed his intention to stay. Today’s Main LFC Headline With Giorgi Mamardashvili joining the Reds from Valencia next summer, Kelleher is aware that he may not be considered the Reds’ No.1 after Alisson next summer. Providing a key update on his Liverpool future, the Irishman admitted that an exit makes sense, in terms of playing for another team regularly. “I made it clear in the last few years I want to go be a number one and play week in, week out,” Kelleher said. “The club made the decision to get another goalkeeper [Mamardashvili]. From the outside looking in, it looks like they have made a decision to go in another direction. “My ambition has always been clear the last few seasons, that I want to be a number one. It looks like it is 100 per cent my decision but at times it is not always in my hands.” A move away would make the most sense for Kelleher whenever Mamardashvili arrives, allowing him to reach his potential at another club. Read more here Today’s Liverpool FC News Van Dijk has confirmed that he intends to extend his stay at Liverpool beyond 2025, saying he is a “big leader” and wants “to remain that for the next two years” – town, anyone? Gary Lineker has heaped praise on Trent Alexander-Arnold for his recent performance for England and admitted his confusion at him not being picked before – what was Gareth Southgate thinking? (The Rest Is Football) Mohamed Salah is focusing on winning a “big trophy this season”, following a “few conversations” with Slot – he really does look in the zone this season Jarell Quansah has opened up about his half-time substitution at Ipswich that acted as a “kick up the backside”, saying it was the “right decision” by Slot – great to see him show such a mature attitude More from This Is Anfield Analysis: Slot-Ball Analysed: Slot is decisive but has also shown his pragmatism, writes Harry McMullen Opinion: Ron Yeats: The colossal signing who was Liverpool’s original Van Dijk, by Jack Lusby Elsewhere in the football world today Harry Kane will start and win his 100th cap for England against Finland on Tuesday evening – we just want domestic football back, to be honest (Sky Sports) Real Madrid star Rodrygo admits he is “upset” he wasn’t included in the Ballon d’Or list. We wouldn’t worry – not a single Liverpool player was, so it can’t be taken too seriously! (ESPN) Plans have reportedly moved forward to redevelop the area around Old Trafford, as Man United look to catch up with their more modern-thinking rivals (BBC) Liverpool FC: On this day On this day in 1959, Roger Hunt scored his first-ever Liverpool goal, coming on his debut against Scunthorpe. The Reds won the game 2-0 at Anfield, with Jimmy Melia also finding the back of the net. It was the first of Hunt’s 285 goals for Liverpool and he is still second only to Ian Rush (346) in the all-time scoring charts. Fifth-placed Salah (214) is currently 71 behind the Reds legend – could he eventually pip him? Source link - www.thisisanfield.com

As has become customary, the Premier League, with six teams, has dominated the summer transfer market on the back of big money. A total of 2.193 billion euros was spent d Source link - www.marca.com

Arne Slot hasn’t just been adapting Liverpool’s on-field routines, he has also implemented a routine change that Pep Guardiola made at Barcelona and Man City. Change at football clubs is natural, especially when a new coach arrives. In Slot’s case, thankfully he isn’t uprooting a culture in a struggle to turn around the fortunes of his team. Instead, his changes can be seen more as developments or modifications of what went before. One routine Jurgen Klopp‘s Liverpool followed was to stay at a hotel in Liverpool the night before home matches. At first, this was at the Hope Street Hotel before latterly moving to the Titanic Hotel. Slot has elected not to follow this routine, though, and Liverpool’s players slept at home the night before their Anfield win against Brentford and also the home friendly vs. Sevilla. The squad then met on the morning of the match for their team meeting before taking the team bus to Anfield. Taking inspiration from Guardiola? It is a routine that seems set to stay and is one Pep Guardiola also implemented during his time at Barcelona and Man City. The Spaniard once said: “People don’t spend the day before they go to work locked up in a hotel. “We just try to make things the same for them. If they don’t rest, they’re not looking after themselves and that means they’ll play worse and lose their jobs. “I judge my players on the work they do, not on their private lives. I’m not a policeman. “I’m in bed at 10 o’clock and I’ve got no urge to go and check up on my players. That’s why I’d rather have them at home and not cooped up in a hotel with nothing to do. We’re just trying to use common sense.” Legendary Barcelona midfielder Xavi even described how letting the players stay at home the night before games had a liberating effect on the team. In Guillem Balague’s biography, Pep Guardiola: Another Way Of Winning, Xavi said: “For me, two of the most important novelties were the move to the training ground and getting rid of the hotel meetings.” While Klopp will have had good reason to stay in a hotel with the team before games, Guardiola’s explanation also makes a lot of sense. This season, Liverpool will play a minimum of 24 home games, meaning at least 24 extra nights at home with family, which is a significant number in the busy life of a player who has European and international football also on their plate. Ahead of a packed campaign, having happy players with a good home life can be no bad thing for Slot. Source link - www.thisisanfield.com

Sam MarsdenMoises LlorensSep 8, 2024, 07:07 AM ETSpain forward Dani Olmo will miss Sunday's UEFA Nations League game against Switzerland and return to Barcelona early with a minor knee problem.Olmo, 26, came off in the 82nd minute of the European champions' goalless draw against Serbia in Belgrade on Thursday.Editor's Picks2 RelatedSources insist the injury is not serious, but it has been decided that the best course of action is for him to sit out the Switzerland match and return to his club.Barça, who have won all four of their LaLiga games so far this season, return to league action at Girona next Sunday and coach Hansi Flick will hope to have Olmo available.Olmo joined Barça this summer from RB Leipzig for €55 million ($61m) but missed the first two games of the campaign because he was not registered due to the club's problems complying with LaLiga's financial fair play rules.He was eventually registered and made his debut in the 2-1 win at Rayo Vallecano, scoring the winning goal, and was again on target in the 7-0 victory over Real Valladolid before the international break.Barça are short in midfield, where Olmo has been used by Flick, with Gavi, Frenkie de Jong and Marc Bernal all injured, while Oriol Romeu and Ilkay Gündogan both left the club in the transfer window.De Jong could return in the coming weeks, while Gavi is in the final stages of his recovery from an ACL injury that's sidelined him for almost a year, but Bernal is expected to miss the rest of the season.Flick is also dealing with injury issues at the back, with centre-backs Ronald Araújo and Andreas Christensen both out for the foreseeable future.Further forward, Ansu Fati is expected to be available after the international break and will add further depth in attack after returning from a season-long loan at Premier League side Brighton. Source link - espnfc.com

Having that uncompromising presence at the back allowed the likes of St John, Roger Hunt, Peter Thompson, Chris Lawler and later Tony Hateley and Bobby Graham to thrive at the other end of the pitch, in a period where defence and attack could be more clearly defined. Yeats was a constant figure for Liverpool over nine seasons, in which they won three titles (two First Division, one Second Division), the FA Cup and three Charity Shields, before back problems restricted him in his final season in 1970/71. He played just 16 times that season, with Shankly turning to Larry Lloyd as his replacement, before moving to Tranmere in 1971 and serving as player-manager for three years as part of a frustrating spell as a coach. Liverpool went on to win 11 titles in the following 19 seasons, with two of those coming upon his return to the club as chief scout in 1986—a role he served until 2006. One of his proudest achievements in his role overseeing the club’s scouting network was the recommendation of Sami Hyypia to Gerard Houllier in 1999, with the Finn going some length to filling his boots as one of Liverpool’s best centre-backs since the Premier League began. Hyypia has been overtaken now, of course, by Virgil van Dijk, and though there are decades and millions of pounds separating them, there are many parallels to be drawn between the impact signing Yeats and Van Dijk had on Liverpool. They were both transformative signings in which their manager had the utmost faith and conviction, who were brought in to end a long, barren run at Anfield. Though many of Liverpool’s titles came in the years after Yeats’ exit in 1971, arguably the most important triumph came in his first season with the club, lifting the club back up to the top table, where they have remained since. His role in that was colossal, and for a long while Yeats stood as Liverpool’s second longest-serving captain with a run of nine years, though both he and Alex Raisbeck have now been surpassed by Steven Gerrard. Sadly, the Scot was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in his later years, with St John revealing in 2016 that he, along with Yeats and Smith, who have all now passed away, were all suffering with symptoms. St John described it as “an occupational injury,” with studies linking players from the 1950s and 1960s with problems with memory due to their frequent heading over heavy footballs, and it serves as a tragic sacrifice made by many young men who were naturally unaware. Yeats was blessed to call St John a close friend, and the former striker detailed their struggles as part of Ragnhild Lund Ansnes’ book Liverpool Captains. Liverpool are equally as fortunate to count the pair among their number, with Shankly describing them as “the greatest signings.” “They were the beginning of Liverpool,” he concluded, perfectly summarising Yeats’ legacy. Source link - www.thisisanfield.com