Football Daily | Slot Has Ditched Liverpool’s Control And Turned Up Klopp’s Heavy Metal

Arne 2.0

Arne Slot was perspiring, pacing his method area, astir to implode pinch fury. St James’ Park was bouncing, having conscionable exploded pinch joy. The nighttime billed arsenic a conflict complete Alexander Isak had been hijacked by a caller young king of nan Gallowgate. William Osula gambled connected a flick-on and it arrived disconnected Ibrahima Konaté’s backmost into nan way of nan grateful 22-year-old, whose guided decorativeness past Alisson sparked chaotic scenes successful nan stadium. The book had been perfectly written – until it was torn up minutes later by different young attacking star. Rio Ngumoha, days short of his 17th birthday, powered location a 100th-minute winner successful nan mode of Federico Macheda, to bargain nan headlines for himself. Alexander who?

It was nan 2nd clip successful arsenic galore weeks that Liverpool had been pegged backmost to 2-2 having flattered to deceive. On neither occasion, against Bournemouth aliases Newcastle, would their opponents person been fortunate to draw. On Monday nighttime nan 10 men successful achromatic and achromatic were, by each measure, nan superior outfit. Liverpool whitethorn person recovered a measurement to triumph erstwhile much but this is surely unsustainable. You cannot slope connected an 88th-minute volley from Federico Chiesa to bail you retired each week (it was his first Premier League goal), nor is Ngumoha – talented arsenic he whitethorn beryllium – ever going to conjure nan proverbial rabbit from nan chapeau successful stoppage time. Slot will person woken up realising this, for each his gripes astir nan Magpies’ ultra-physicality, and has a problem to lick pinch Arsenal lurking astatine nan weekend.

Football Daily’s prevailing thought, however, aft a rip-roaring nighttime successful nan sweaty summertime aerial connected Tyneside, did not subordinate to Isak, nor Ngumoha, nor Liverpool’s title credentials. It was a emotion of axenic alleviation that, for nan 2nd week successful a row, a dreadfully dull play of Premier League soccerball had been saved by Slot’s fantastically flawed side. On nan opening nighttime they served up that ding-dong against Bournemouth, a superb title marked by nan affectional tributes to Diogo Jota and Antoine Semenyo’s robust reply to alleged racist abuse. But nan remainder of nan TV games were abject: Aston Villa 0-0 Newcastle offered nothing, Chelsea 0-0 Crystal Palace offered 1 disallowed extremity (but different nothing) and everyone tried to glean acold excessively overmuch from Manchester United 0-1 Arsenal.

The 2nd play wasn’t overmuch better, barroom Tottenham’s Etihad ransacking. It each sewage FD a small concerned as, pinch our shortening attraction span, we checked our phones mid-match for nan 117th time. Maybe nan cynics are correct … has Pep Guardiola really ruined football? Is it each rigid structures and pointless pressing? Is this shiny billion-pound world merchandise really a spot boring?

If Slot brought a consciousness of quiet power to Jürgen Klopp’s dense metallic shot upon presence astatine Anfield, possibly nan Dutchman has decided to move nan measurement backmost up this season. The squad he picked astatine Newcastle had Dominik Szoboszlai astatine right-back, conscionable 1 holding midfielder and 4 out-and-out attackers crossed nan frontline. OK, Liverpool only mustered 5 shots successful nan crippled (their lowest tally of nan Slot era) pinch a woeful xG of 0.7 but they were very watchable. So while Reds’ fans whitethorn beryllium worrying astir Virgil van Dijk’s capacity to support a flimsy backmost 4 together, neutrals tin tune into Liverpool and guarantee themselves a cracking night’s entertainment.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

We sewage Jobe Bellingham because we built a trusting narration pinch nan parents complete years. Now nan family came particularly complete from England for their son’s first Bundesliga crippled and wanted to meet Jobe aft nan lucifer astatine nan bus. Then they stood astatine nan entranceway to nan locker room and besides said emotionally pinch Sebastian, which isn’t a problem astatine each based connected nan relationship. Everything was cleared up already today” – Lars Ricken, Borussia Dortmund suit, connected nan kerfuffle that followed nan younger Bellingham being subbed disconnected astatine half-time and a passageway statement betwixt dada Mark Bellingham and sporting head Sebastian Kehl. Nothing to spot present apparently, though Kehl has besides reiterated nan passageway area will beryllium restricted for players, coaches and officials, not families aliases agents.

Following his England idols, Wayne Rooney and Paul Gascoigne, successful wearing No 18 astatine Everton, will Jack Grealish go Jazza to Wazza and Gazza? And why nary emotion for Gareth ‘Bazza’ Barry?” – Mike McNally.

Jazza astatine Hill Dickinson Stadium. Photograph: Peter Powell/Reuters

Last Friday’s [full email version] missive connected player naming rights deed nan spot. Who other but Sir Alex Ferguson, José Mourinho, Arsène Wenger and maine would person recognised nan strap statement vineyard without overmuch ado. Personally I for illustration Chateau Margaux but erstwhile times are tight Chateau d’Angludet meets my needs astatine £30/£40 a bottle” – Alex Cameron.

As a large instrumentality of nan late, awesome Terry Pratchett I was pleased to spot nan quality of footnotes successful past week’s Football Daily. I’ve ever recovered them entertaining erstwhile utilized arsenic a instrumentality for nan overseas humorous aside. Oh” – David Bell.

If you person any, please nonstop letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s victor of our prizeless missive o’ nan time is … Mike McNally. Terms and conditions for our competitions, erstwhile we tally them, tin beryllium viewed here. 

RECOMMENDED LISTENING

Max Rushden is joined by John Brewin, Lucy Ward and Jonathan Liew to screen each nan fun/anguish (delete arsenic applicable) from St James’ Park. Plus, a speedy look astatine really nan Premier League has started for Leeds, Spurs and Manchester United.

RECOMMENDED BOOKING

On Thursday 11 September, subordinate Max Rushden, Barry Glendenning and Football Weekly all-stars Jonathan Wilson, Nicky Bandini and Jonathan Liew for an evening of dazzling punditry astatine Troxy successful London. The pod will besides beryllium livestreamed globally. Book now.

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