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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Let's hear your best overreaction theory for why Liverpool looked like shit in the first half. Two of mine:

1) Jordan Henderson is actually the best player in the league.

2) Dejan Lovren is actually the worst player in the league.

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YerAJediFrodo's avatar

Jurgen Klopp is secretly a subscriber to NGITC and can't manage appropriately in the middle of a chat.

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YerAJediFrodo's avatar

Definitely seems like Henderson is the key

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James Milner's Peloton's avatar

Without James Milner's jawline, there's no one that strikes fear in the opponent.

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Aye, Jordan is a proper footballer who leaves it all on the pitch. Sure he’s not the most cultured of footballers but he is indispensable to the side

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Is there some discord brewing in the dressing room with Salah, Mane et al

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

And the winner of the Will Fuller award is (pause for effect) Jordan Henderson!

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Matthew's avatar

where's the overreaction?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

If anyone needs me to ruin a supposedly fun thing, let me know. I'll just schedule a chat during it.

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Ian Bollag-Miller's avatar

Can you do the 2020 dem primaries?

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YerAJediFrodo's avatar

Would love more comparisons on which football player fits which political policy

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

The Warriors 2020 season unfortunately

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James Milner's Peloton's avatar

Is Kerr the NBA's Mourinho?

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Matthew's avatar

Not personality-wise but in terms of career arc Tom Thibodeau may be the best comp

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Mourinho is David Fizdale

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Matthew's avatar

Take THAT for data!

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Joe's avatar

Larry Brown, Porto was the Pistons

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Since Klopp came to Liverpool, the only game worse than this one -- from an xG perspective -- was the City match in 2017 when Mane got red-carded at the beginning of the match. This was worse. Eesh. If you're gonna lose, I guess, you might as well REALLY LOSE. Anyway, I had a lot of fun today despite, uh, you know. Thanks all for joining in and for reading. We'll do it again soon!

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Liverpool have never created a lower amount of expected goals than the .20 from this match in any premier league match going through Understat's database that starts from 2014/15. This isn't just a loss, it's a complete collapse by an otherwise historic side. Even in that city match with the red card they created more xg than this. Thank you once again, Ryan this is great. Please release the Troy Story 3 Emergency Pod soon. Have a great weekend despite this please!

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Ola's avatar

Thanks, Ryan! Please write about why Lovren still gets to start games in the newsletter.

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Cheers Ryan

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Gonna wrap up in a few -- just looking up a stat for you guys. Is this proof that I should A) never do another chat, or B) literally do a chat for every game for every team for the rest of the season?

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Every game for every team but being cautious before throwing win streak stats up there

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

The latter

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

This is pretty wild. Can't remember Liverpool playing this poorly (without a red card) since Klopp came to town. https://understat.com/match/11921

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Easily their poorest performance under Klopp. But then, something *had* to be as it’s football and this shit happens. Luckily they’ve still the points cushion but this is a good wake up call. trying to look for positives

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

my goodness this is brutal

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

I feel like we all need to take a moment to appreciate this sentiment: Divock Origi, Adam Lallana, and Dejan Lovren have 25 minutes to salvage the longest winning streak in Premier League history.

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Divock isn’t bad, and Lallana has the odd moment every 7 matches but Lovren is putrid

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Devin Mitchell's avatar

I feel like Origi shouldn't be in that group!

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

I hope your health is not compromised, because you will need great strength to watch these 25 minutes

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Hey guys! Liverpool are -220 to break the PL win-streak record.

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Feels like playing with fire to put this out there right before the match

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

I wrote an article in December for ESPN-dot-com about how LFC had already won the league. Fire has already been played with.

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Joe's avatar

tell the truth how much is Michael Caley paying you for the jinx

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George McIntire's avatar

Just wanna share that I was at West Ham-Liverpool for my first Anfield match ever!

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Sarr and Deeney are going to be the inaugural entries to the Premier League's Hall of Fame by a majority vote from every other club.

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Matt Gaydos's avatar

have been a liverpool fan for more than 12 years. that last game to clinch the title (assuming coronavirus doesn’t ruin the season) will probably be a nirvana-like experience for me. but in the meantime i’m including liverpool games in parlay bets just to make them a little bit more tense for me 😂

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

The funny -- I'm not mad, I'm honestly just laughing -- part of this is that the result matters WAY MORE Watford. Hell of a run for LFC, though. Best game anyone has played against them in years. No undefeated season, but the points record -- which, after all, is THE point of the game -- is still attainable and probably likely.

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

In a way maybe this is good for them. Shows they’re mortal or something and can be got at on any given day. I think this means we see a sharp focused Liverpool in the Atleti second leg

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Don't forget the title

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

I'm still not convinced Liverpool won't come back ...

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Watford's win probability is still below 99 percent. There's a chance!

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

This has a real Golden State 2016 best team but injured and Dray suspended vibe to it. Only difference is Sarr and Deeney are the Kyrie and Bron duo

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

My brain has been broken by the Internet, but I'm dreading the inevitable "Is something wrong with Liverpool?" articles that are on the way.

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Jack Dawson's avatar

Are we sure Liverpool is good?

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

The writers have been waiting to hit publish for months

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El Pibe's avatar

Premier league is having a down year

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Sarr was pretty good in the first game between these two, btw: https://understat.com/match/11808

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Gotta be rough for Arsenal fans. I'm not sure that Sarr isn't better than Pepe.

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YerAJediFrodo's avatar

Oh I'd guess arsenal fans are riding rather high at this exact moment

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Lovren starting and Lallana first man off the bench -- it's amazing this team hasn't lost in over a year.

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Lallana peaked in a meaningless exhibition game in bloody Foxboro against some shit MLS side in a friendly some 5 years ago

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Liverpool have not bought well.

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Do you take full responsibility for playing with fire to create this loss?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

I am typing this without eyebrows.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

[Klopp furiously trying to sub in Alberto Moreno only to realize he's no longer on the team]

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Welp, payback for when Sarr completely whiffed on a 7-outta-10 chance in the first match!

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

OK! One theory I do have which is not being unproven by this match: Liverpool struggle against teams with athletic, rangy midfielders. See: Napoli, Atletico, Watford.

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Pogba is shite

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Joe's avatar

was Ndidi there for the LCFC game though

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Joe's avatar

I agree, basically, i think it requires a double pivot that don't advance past midfield-see the Man U game

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

It seems like Lovren has moved ahead of Matip on the LFC depth chart. Very weird, imo.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

IS ARLO WHITE READING THIS CHAT? SHOW YOURSELF ARLO

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Matip is about to be bought by Barcelona from Leganes that's definitely got to be the reason

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

I think it's time for Liverpool fans to take a deeeeeeep breath. No team plays well every game. They throttled West Ham, and Atletico-on-the-road-in-the-CL is about as tough as it gets.

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Are you hyperventilating as you type this out? It's ok it's a safe space here

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

smfh I've been accused of being a Manchester City fan multiple times this season

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

They don't recognize your reverse jinxes that's why

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Joe's avatar

Put Keita on, watch Liverpool all of a sudden take it up a gear

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

He's injured again :(

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Joe's avatar

looking for the radar where he was like, the best midfielder in the world for when he's been healthy, and I'm not finding it.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Jesus.

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

He has 18 goals this year

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YerAJediFrodo's avatar

Pathetic

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Yikes. This is awful -- both for Deulofeu and for Watford's chances to stay up. He's the best attacker on the team: first in xG+xA per 90 among consistent starters.

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Poor guy, that looked really unfortunate on a routine play, like the Jeremy Lamb injury.

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Joe's avatar

I dunno if you were ever on the field for something like this in college but even at that level when something like that happened it was hard to get your head back in the game. Wonder what it's like for pros.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Once had an ambulance come onto the field AND then our opponents scored on the free kick from the foul that led to the injury. And we still won. So who knows.

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Joe's avatar

if I had a nickel for every foul I took in college that probably should have ended my career but didn't even get whistled I'd have.... 25 cents.

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Daniel Gray's avatar

Pretty sure MY KNEE popped watching that injury

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

#solidariknee

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Daniel Gray's avatar

#wekneedeachother

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

more knee puns than Liverpool have had shots yeesh

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Will Liverpool ever take a shot?

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YerAJediFrodo's avatar

One shot in 40 mins... That a new record?

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Maybe they're winning so much they're treating this match where the main goal is like a madden objective, break the completion percentage record with a minimum of 20 pass attempts. Only in this case it might be score on every shot you take (minimum 3 goals).

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Joe's avatar

this is like the team where the coach made you run a 400 for every shot you took outside the box in a scrimmage. Frankly, that wouldn't surprise me if Klopp did something like that.

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Please do an Emergency Pod with Jack

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

smfh he just texted me

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Jack Dawson's avatar

This is karma for what he did to me last time

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Name it Troy Story 3

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YerAJediFrodo's avatar

Is Watford better than Bayern??!

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Matthew's avatar

If Milner somehow made the Hall of Fame through the soccer equivalent of counting stats, what jersey would he wear?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

This is the good stuff right here. Leeds, Newcastle, Villa, City, or Liverpool? So many options. I'm recency-biased, but I think he'd go in with LFC.

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Joe's avatar

I think he'd be Leeds by choice. Rumor is he wants to head back there. Milner under Bielsa would be WONDERFUL

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Matthew's avatar

I think it depends on how historic this Liverpool season ends up. Even though he's played a smaller part in this season than the past few, being part of a historic team may tip the scales. Otherwise I could see Leeds or Villa.

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George McIntire's avatar

Prediction: Origi comes off the bench to score the winner

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

What do you think Elton John's preferred formation is? And could he coach Watford out of the relegation zone?

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Joe's avatar

four fucking four fucking two

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Thomas's avatar

Is there a source for XG stats for players in the Championship (fbref doesn't have)? Rhian Brewster's goal return has been decent for Swansea but curious as to whether the goals match the underlying performance.

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Nothing publicly available that I know of, unfortunately. But I can tell you that he's less than one goal ahead of his xG.

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Liverpool have never created a lower amount of expected goals than the .20 from this match in any premier league match going through Understat's database that starts from 2014/15. This isn't just a loss, it's a complete collapse by an otherwise historic side.

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Fuck United

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

This just shows how amazing their season has been. Many a game where they could’ve lost or drawn but their class won out in the end. Sure, the odd lucky bounce here and there too but then every title winning side gets those. To have their absurd points total just shouldn’t be possible.

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Anyone catch the All or Nothing series on amazon on the Seleçao? Ederson seems a proper tit

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Bloody love the coach Tite though

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

If you took Watford to not only win but win by 3-0 scoreline pretty sure the payout was like +15,000

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Markets gave 'em a 14-percent chance of winning: http://www.gambletron2000.com/premier-league/52778/watford-vs-liverpool

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Ugh fuck me

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Are we sure Atleti loss hasn’t gotten to the lads and Klopp? Seemingly untouchable until the 1-0 defeat. Only half kidding - they’ve lost that aura of invincibility and other sides will fancy having a go at them. Simeone is a proper GIT

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Aye, no class that Simeone. A proper wind up merchant who plays to disrupt other sides

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Bloody hell. Klopp out

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Manager swap: Pearson for Klopp, who says "no"?

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Lovren says no. Pearson wouldn't play him

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Adam seconds that veto

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

I’ve lost me months wages on this match

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El Pibe's avatar

Minamino to the rescue!

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

Bloody hell I Lost 300 quid on this shower of shite

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Mean Mr Mustard's avatar

We outchea doe

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Somehow 2-0 still wouldn't be enough for Watford to escape the relegation zone.

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

And on que my goodness

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Well Watford has now gotten what they need out of this match. Is this the worst loss for Liverpool fans in the last 20 years?

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YerAJediFrodo's avatar

The slip comes to mind...

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El Pibe's avatar

They need one...but they’re playing like absolute ass

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

*three

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

four

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El Pibe's avatar

LOL

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El Pibe's avatar

Lovren is so fucking bad

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Joe's avatar

Time for Netherlands Wijnaldum to show up

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Joe's avatar

#Kloppout

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Joe's avatar

this is a good preview of the champions league match, at least

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Matthew's avatar

It feels like Liverpool are a team super-dependent on being in rhythm. They've been sloppier and had less urgency starting games since the break. Didn't the draws down the stretch last season come after they trained abroad for a bit?

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James Milner's Peloton's avatar

This game just screams Origi 87th minute winner.

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

James Milner definitely runs around a lake for 2 hours a day

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Where does James Milner keep his Peloton?

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James Milner's Peloton's avatar

An industrial warehouse on the outskirts of Leeds, away from the public eye. After a grueling session, he takes penalties in the dark for 3 hours and finishes up by downing 3 raw egg yolks and a spirulina shake.

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Outside in his front yard, to grow more accustomed to the weather conditions

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Matthew's avatar

Why doesn’t the premier league use a cart like American sports? Carrying someone off seems I don’t know. Risky?

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Ryan O'Hanlon's avatar

Assume they don't wanna fuck up the grass (since, you know, the ball has to consistently roll along it, unlike the other sports).

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Avi Tyagi's avatar

Who would you give the Will Fuller award to on Liverpool?

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Joe's avatar

Mo Salah.

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Joe's avatar

shit that's his knee done

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YerAJediFrodo's avatar

LFC looking so sloppy last few games. Makes me think Atleti got in their heads a bit

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