Welcome dear listener to the 22nd episode of the 7th season of First State Kopites. I’m Paul and today I am joined by Enrique and Daz. The Reds follow up their win over Real Madrid with a disappointing loss at the Etihad (which for once appeared to be lively)

Part one - 

• Always want to start with the comments we made at the start of the season - we should not be picking on any of these boys on the basis of what they went through this summer

• I’ve seen this defeat described as us being blown away, thrashed, dismantled - just a few of the over the top descriptions from our defeat to City where the xG was even without the fucking ridiculous penalty (0.72 to 0.61). Less than a year ago, City were defeated, overawed, consigned to defeat by the same outlets and the xG was 3.86 to 0.51 in our favor. Proof if proof was needed that overreactions around the Reds gets clicks - then there’s our own mad fan base.

• The actual game - personally can’t get past the officiating. And the easy dismissal of goal related events in such a low scoring game.

• The penalty and the mad 200x zooming in - cf. the non-penalty at Brentford. Or even the studs up challenge at Anfield in 2024. Grating to hear the Manc accent announcing the penalty., 

• The offside….  Only the Reds get goals disallowed like this. How can the linesman call this? Can I mention Bernardo Silva and his foul count

• The half baked offsides being flagged

• The inconsistencies - Wirtz can’t expect fouls like that in the Premier League

• Performances - people too willing to bury everyone. 

• Ibou does look a step off. Confidence, distraction? Isolated in the press.

• Doku - ‘all fart and no poo’ - scores his first goal since January. Not sure what else Foden, Cherki and Haaland did

• Review has questions on the out of possession plan - are we on the same page?

• Being played like it’s a cup final. Is Slot being too passive?

• Making it too easy? Lots of pressing but not coordinated

Part two - Mindset going forward:

• No one that we play till Arsenal has the exceptions of most of the teams we’ve played so far. Forest, West Ham, Sunderland, Leeds(?) and Brighton in the next 5. With PSV at home and Inter away.

• Points max - we could get 99! I think the no draws thing is interesting. Few teams have won the league with 5 losses. 

So, in summary, this loss carries the weight of the previous ones, but looking at the numbers, we don’t believe Liverpool are that bad, and that there’s plenty of cause for optimism going forward. We’ll be back with a preview of Forest and PSV. Thanks to Daz and Enrique for joining me, Paul. And most of all, thank you dear listener for joining us.
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