- 3 years ago
A full length of our LiverpoolWorld Q&A.
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00:00 So, Will, just on Liverpool, is Luis Diaz specifically the most important forward at the moment?
00:05 Because it seems like he has started this season the brightest in terms of goals and numbers going forward.
00:13 Yes, definitely. I mean, two goals in this many games, you can't complain about that.
00:19 Obviously, last season he suffered injury problems,
00:23 he was sidelined for six months and when Liverpool started the season quite poorly, he was probably one of the few players who hit the standards you'd expect of him.
00:33 I mean, obviously, arriving from Porto in January 2022, he lit the touch paper immediately to his Anfield career,
00:44 nailed down starting spots very, very swiftly.
00:48 And, yes, he started the season really well. I think that's what you've been wanting from Luis Diaz now.
00:54 You've been wanting to see him add goals and assists on a consistent basis.
00:58 Obviously, we know, as a young man, he was more capable of just doing that.
01:03 And Luis Diaz's trickery and the amount of problems he causes the defences,
01:10 maybe at times he hasn't had that end product, but he's had to have a time to acclimatise.
01:15 I think even helping him be sidelined on that knee injury has at least helped him from a language perspective.
01:21 He's probably picked up English a lot better than maybe he's had more time to work on that.
01:26 And, yes, as you say, it's a lot of goals.
01:29 The goal against Chelsea was a crack one finish and then the one against Bournemouth was just absolutely superb, wasn't it?
01:36 The way he managed to adjust his body and finish with the bicycle kick.
01:40 Mo Salah obviously broke his duck for the season against Bournemouth,
01:44 albeit fairly fortuitously after seeing his penalty saved.
01:49 And he's been a little bit underwhelming for me in the Open two games.
01:55 Assisted Diaz's goals have been fair and then that was a one just offside of Chelsea.
02:01 But he just hasn't been threatened as much as you want.
02:03 There was a couple of occasions against Bournemouth where he just didn't convince when he was through on goal.
02:08 There was one in the second half where you're looking at him and he just didn't get any power behind it.
02:13 And sometimes it's frustrating, the reluctance to use his right foot at times.
02:18 But, yes, you think it's only a matter of time until he really starts doing the business.
02:25 You know, his numbers speak for themselves, don't they?
02:28 And then that third position, the striking position, it's up for grabs, really.
02:34 Diogo de Otto hasn't been spectacular in the Open two games.
02:37 Kody Gappos probably just because of circumstances has been unfortunate.
02:42 He's had to feature in a midfield role and it shows after arriving last January.
02:47 He got better and better as that false number nine.
02:49 And Darwin Nunes is fairly fifth choice.
02:51 And Klopp's got a little bit of a conundrum with him.
02:56 But, yes, the far greats are as good as any in the Premier League.
03:02 And up next for Liverpool, Newcastle away in the Premier League.
03:08 I mean, an incredibly tough place to go since their takeover and building this,
03:13 what they're building there.
03:15 But Liverpool have been a team that have sort of let that go under the rail
03:19 and have actually had some good results there over the past few visits as well.
03:22 How do you see this one going?
03:24 Yeah, they have, you're right.
03:25 That game in about February last season, something like that,
03:29 when Liverpool weren't in the best moment.
03:31 But they blew Newcastle away in the Open in 15 minutes.
03:35 Obviously, I think Nick Pope got sent off as well quite early in that.
03:38 That changed things.
03:39 And Newcastle had a little bit of a go.
03:41 But Liverpool were always probably fairly comfortable
03:44 and maybe put the shuffles on themselves after they were 2-0 up.
03:48 And that's a numerical advantage.
03:51 It's the third game of the season.
03:54 You already get a feeling that it's a big fixture.
03:57 I think that's just because how tight the race to the top four is going to be this season.
04:03 City are going to be probably champions, Arsenal are going to be there,
04:08 Chelsea, Man United, Tottenham have...
04:12 That winning against Man United showed that maybe they could threaten Brighton.
04:17 They've just kicked on again, haven't they?
04:19 It's going to be so competitive, that top four race.
04:23 Every result is going to count.
04:25 It's just going up to St James' Park.
04:29 It's got a massive feel about it.
04:32 Liverpool probably take a point now, I'll be honest with you.
04:35 If you win your home games and draw away, especially against your rivals,
04:40 it's not bad results.
04:42 Liverpool boosted by the news that Alexis McAllister's red card had been rescinded.
04:48 I think justice prevailed there.
04:51 A really poor decision by referee Thomas Bramwell on the day.
04:55 But yes, Newcastle.
04:57 I think Eddie Howard won a response.
04:58 He might have been completely happy with that Man City performance,
05:03 especially the way they blew Aston Villa away.
05:05 Jürgen Klopp will be mindful of that.
05:07 It'll be interesting to see exactly how Jürgen Klopp sets up to size.
05:13 He never sets up teams to not get beat.
05:16 He always wants to win games.
05:18 If you offered to fans a draw now, I think a lot of them probably would take it.
05:23 Finally, on Liverpool, just a bit of a transfer update.
05:26 What can you tell us about the recent ongoings and what we might expect
05:31 as we really get close to this deadline now?
05:34 Yes, I think we can definitely see one more coming in at least.
05:38 Jürgen Klopp after Taro Endo was signed from Stuttgart last week.
05:43 Obviously, a little bit of a left field one.
05:45 But by all accounts, he was one of the top defensive midfielders in the Bundesliga.
05:50 If he was five, six years younger,
05:54 you'd be thinking the pool would have pulled off a real coup.
05:57 But because he's 30, it just doesn't go against the policy that FSG usually operate with.
06:03 But for £15-16 million, it's probably very low risk, to be honest.
06:10 He's probably not on massive wages as well.
06:13 Probably not on the sort of money that Jordan Henderson or Fabinho would have been on, certainly.
06:18 So that's another boost as well.
06:20 You've got to think about that.
06:21 Apparently, it looks like he's come in to be a starter.
06:27 He's 30, so yes, a decent bit of business.
06:29 Now, you would think that another, maybe, Paul McPhail would come in.
06:34 That's a tension for Fabinho leaving.
06:36 Someone who's a little bit younger who can maybe learn on the job a little bit more,
06:41 who can pick the brains of a few of the more experienced players, Ryan Gravenberch.
06:47 He's one who's linked.
06:47 He's had a tough time.
06:49 A Bayern Munich, Chet Thakore, Crystal Palace.
06:53 Might be a little bit out of Liverpool's price range, potentially.
06:57 He's only had one Premier League season.
07:00 For the price, he would be Joe Pall and a Fulham.
07:04 I think for what's being mooted, £60 million for someone who's 28.
07:08 Yeah, that's a little bit steep, especially with the Endo deal coming in.
07:12 But yeah, definitely another sentiment field.
07:14 And then, depending on the budget, maybe Liverpool might look to strengthen at the back as well.
07:20 Getting another left-sided centre-back, which they've wanted throughout the window.
07:27 And in terms of outgoings, I mean, Jürgen Klopp said he can't see any other players leaving,
07:31 which was a little bit of a surprise for me, because you've got someone like Nath Phillips,
07:35 who has barely played last season.
07:39 You were thinking if the right-off comes in that he will go.
07:44 And Karim Kelleher, the second-choice goalkeeper, he'll want to go and play first-team football.
07:50 But Jürgen Klopp seems to think that he'll be staying.
07:53 Probably a chance in Europa League will be given to him.
07:57 And then probably a few of the other youngsters might,
08:00 some of the better youngsters might go out on loan as well.
08:03 But yeah, it should be an interesting one.
08:04 And I think what we can say is, expect the unexpected.
08:08 Because when you're putting £111m off Zinfen, Muises, Caicedo,
08:13 and what happens with Enzo coming in that no-one expects us,
08:19 yeah, anything could happen pretty much.
08:22 Well, starting with Everton, not an ideal start to the season.
08:27 Obviously, two back-to-back defeats, a real terrible start, really.
08:32 Where do the problems lie for you?
08:33 Is it something that's recurring over the last season, or have you seen slight changes,
08:38 but there's still more problems circulating throughout that side?
08:41 I think that Fulham defeat weren't too bad.
08:46 It was palatable somewhat, because Everton created chances in that game.
08:51 And he thought, "Well, if they kick on it, he might be able to get a result available."
08:56 Shaun's eyes seemed to think they were ready to take the players
09:00 at what they were like before they came in.
09:02 As soon as one goal goes in, two goals go in,
09:05 and then Prissy must have capitulated, and that's what happened at Villa.
09:10 There's a few reasons why.
09:14 I mean, the attacking options, you've got to say, there's a date for attacking options.
09:19 Albeit there are some players injured.
09:21 Dwight McNeil, obviously out, Jack Harrison coming in, signs with a hip injury,
09:25 and to Mari Gray, future remains uncertain, and wasn't involved.
09:30 Obviously, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, you know,
09:33 unfortunately picks up a facial injury when he's put his body on the line.
09:37 To be fair, that's what some fans have questioned Calvert-Lewin,
09:40 saying he hasn't done enough.
09:42 If anything, it's probably stupid he went for that ball.
09:45 So, you know, it underlines his commitment,
09:47 but unfortunately, he came out the wrong side of the collision.
09:52 So, yeah, the attacking options, defensively, still a little shaky.
09:57 And the decision to start the season with Michael Keane has come under scrutiny.
10:02 Certainly now, you know, when he came in, Sean Dice,
10:07 it was James Tarkowski and Connor Cozy who had a centre-back pair,
10:10 and then Dice decides to give Michael Keane a go.
10:14 Obviously, he'd worked with Burnley, but for the past,
10:17 for the final four games of last season,
10:20 he dropped Michael Keane and brought Yeri Minor in,
10:22 and then even for the last day of the season,
10:25 he brought Connor Cozy back in as well.
10:27 So, obviously, those two players have left the club,
10:34 and we know that Everton are about to prioritise attacking signings,
10:37 but I think it's, you know, Michael Keane has shown maybe he has a few chances at Everton,
10:46 or has he? I think he hasn't quite taken them.
10:48 He's a good player, a good professional,
10:50 but maybe he just needs a fresh start elsewhere, to be honest with you.
10:54 And there's not a lot of pace in that back line between Tarkowski and Keane.
11:00 Yeah, Nathan Paterson is still inexperienced as a Premier League player.
11:08 The midfielders as well have looked brittle.
11:10 Amadou Ounaner and Abzalay Dekhoury went missing.
11:14 Ains Villard and James Garner were put out to the right midfield.
11:19 I thought he'd done OK, but he's not a right midfielder,
11:21 and positionally, especially defensively, he was caught out.
11:23 Yeah, there's probably a long list of what is wrong with Everton at the minute.
11:29 You know, they need players in, we know that.
11:31 The finances as well have dictated what they can and can't do, unfortunately, in the window.
11:37 It's a big job that Sean Dijs has got on his hands,
11:40 and already after two games, I mean, shouldn't be in panic stations at the minute.
11:45 There's plenty of time, but from what we've seen,
11:49 it's not looking too good, and maybe another relegation battle might be on the cards.
11:55 Everton's next game, Wolves at home.
12:00 I mean, this must be viewed as a must-win, or at least getting a point from this.
12:05 They just can't lose this game, it seems, because Wolves, similarly to Everton,
12:09 started really well, still lost 1-0 against Manchester United away,
12:14 and then they have been batted in their next game, as Everton has as well.
12:17 So, they are quite similar positions, struggling with goals.
12:22 This could be an interesting one. What are your thoughts ahead of it?
12:26 Yeah, I mean, people jest on social media, but it's always getting called a six-pointer.
12:33 I don't think it's quite that point yet, but as you say, both clubs have got their problems, haven't they?
12:38 Wolves have brought many players in and all, have lost several key players.
12:43 They are still ready to start on 11, haven't they? They have brought a lot of depth to it.
12:47 And Everton, obviously, the issues in the transfer market themselves,
12:52 you look at this Everton, they have got to be picking three points a year.
12:57 They have got to be picking up wins against potential rivals at home.
13:03 There's no bones about it. You think of last season when Wolves went and beat Everton,
13:09 and teams like Southampton came to Goodson Park and got results.
13:13 It's not good enough, to be honest with you, for a team like Everton.
13:17 They have got to meet Goodson Park at Fortress again.
13:20 It looks like they will be without Dom, Calvert-Lew and Alex O'Loughby now,
13:24 who picked up a hamstring injury. I don't think he will make it, to be honest with you.
13:27 Hamstring injuries, the way the knee injury went off, you look at an absence there.
13:34 It's two sides who both sets of balls will feel they should be challenging a lot higher in the table.
13:45 But this is just the reality of football, unfortunately.
13:48 It might be a little bit cagey early on between these two sides,
13:52 because they know both teams are out of point.
13:54 Both teams have just been comprehensively defeated in the past game.
14:00 At this stage of the season, it's a pretty dire situation that we find ourselves in, isn't it?
14:07 You being a Wolves fan.
14:09 Finally on Everton, is there much more business to happen in transfer-wise?
14:15 What can we say? It's been a recurring situation where we thought there could be a last roll of the dice
14:21 and it will be very late from Everton. What's the latest you can tell us?
14:25 You'd like to hope there are going to be a good few incomings.
14:30 Certainly a striker, obviously Che Adams.
14:33 Everton have moved them closer to signing, it appears, £15 million.
14:38 That's the structure of the deal, Southampton's being negotiated.
14:42 I think some have poured scorn on that deal, because he hasn't been prolific as a goalscorer.
14:50 Everton just need to increase the amount of goals they score. They don't need anyone prolific.
14:55 If they can keep Tom McCowell, they've got Louis Fitts.
14:58 They need a good back-up as well.
15:02 They can get players chipping in with more goals this season and that's a good thing.
15:07 Obviously, Willy Ganon's been in hot pursuit of.
15:11 He's been reintegrated to Leeds training now.
15:14 Leeds have made it very clear that he won't be leaving the club this summer.
15:19 A lot of the time, it's player power that prevails in the modern day, doesn't it?
15:26 But Leeds, obviously, there's no relegation or release clause in his contract.
15:32 Given how many players Leeds have lost this summer, they can't afford to lose too many more.
15:37 Sinisterra might depart still as well.
15:40 They really can't afford to lose too many more.
15:43 So, Everton have got to go and look elsewhere for another potential winger.
15:49 A centre-back for me is quite important now.
15:52 Some people look at a centre in midfield and think, "Do we need to strengthen there as well?"
15:56 But it's folks who Everton can get in ultimately.
15:59 The budget allows them to get in.
16:03 And to purchase as well might help with that.
16:07 Damali Gray appears at a fee with Al-Shabaab and Saudi Arabia's in a grieve.
16:13 But it's a case of whether Damali Gray wants to go to Saudi Arabia.
16:16 Because he might not fancy it, to be honest with you.
16:19 He's got a young child here.
16:22 He might not want to leave his childhood to go and play there, to be honest with you.
16:27 I mean, I know Everton need the money.
16:29 But for me, I say fair play, to be honest with you.
16:32 As someone who's willing to turn that sort of money down.
16:35 You've got to, in a way, admire him for that.
16:38 Because there's so many who are doing it.
16:40 But if that's his reason, fair be it.
16:42 That's his prerogative. He's got a year left on his deal.
16:45 Reports have suggested that Fulham and Crystal Palace both like him.
16:50 So I think Everton will be happy to make a deal if they can.
16:54 Mason Holgate hasn't been featured in the matchday squad.
16:59 He was injured earlier in the summer.
17:02 But he played two games for the under-21s and friendlies.
17:05 And he hasn't appeared.
17:06 I don't think he's been spotted in any training photos either.
17:09 So I think Everton would be quite happy to offload him.
17:13 That gives you funds to maybe bring in another centre-back.
17:16 You've got players on the periphery like Andre Gomez.
17:19 Who's on a significant wage, so a year left on his deal.
17:24 Probably not in Sean Dyche's plans.
17:28 Not really a Sean Dyche player, to be honest with you.
17:30 You've got John Philip Gabamon, who's another one with a year left on his deal.
17:36 After spending last season out on the Traversland sport,
17:39 Sean Dyche asked him at the press conference last week
17:42 what's the situation with him.
17:43 And he hasn't even returned to training this summer.
17:46 Sean Dyche said, "We're waiting for offers. There's got to be offers first."
17:51 That was Everton are open to letting him go.
17:55 But no-one's coming in for him yet.
17:57 Is that a case of his wages being too high again?
18:01 It's hard for Everton, to be honest with you.
18:06 A couple of youngsters like Tom Cannon, I think once another striker comes in,
18:10 he'll probably be allowed to go out on loan.
18:12 But it's just the situation.
18:14 If they find themselves in it, I've said it all along,
18:16 it's going to go right to the deadline.
18:18 I think we can't expect a busy deadline day.
18:21 Last look at January, we were desperate to get Attacham players in.
18:25 And we couldn't.
18:27 I think it'll go right to the wire again.
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