After Emi Martinez became Aston Villa’s first World Cup winner, attention quickly tuned back to club football. Aston Villa look to roar again under Unai Emery but will have to work hard. The Kopites will look to take flight after a disappointing start to the Premier League season.
I spoke to a Liverpool fan to gather their thoughts on the start to the season…
THE OPPOSITION VIEW
Liverpool have had a relatively turbulent start to the season winning six and drawing and losing four each. What’s gone wrong compared to other starts to the season in recent years?
When you compare the start to the season that we’ve had to the past few seasons it’s not good. Our performances have been stale and at times it’s looked like we’ve been found out. It’s hard to pinpoint what specifically has gone wrong but many Scousers will point you in the direction of Joe Gomez. Injury problems have plagued us recently and it’s left in Gomez being exposed.
However, our first game back we stood toe to toe with Manchester City and despite losing we looked much more like our old selves. This will be reassuring going into the Villa game.
A lot was said when Sadio Mané was allowed to leave Merseyside last summer. How big of a hole has Mané left and how much of that hole has Luis Diaz covered?
Listen, Sadio is an unreal footballer. I’d say he may be one of the most underrated in the world. Having said that, a club the size of Liverpool really shouldn’t be affected by one players dismissal as much as we have been. In terms of Diaz, he’s the closest we’ll come to replacing him. His skill and pace all add up to make him the exciting player he is. Sadio was good, Diaz can be just as good given time.
Both Nunez and Firmino have chipped in with their fair share of performances this season. Which of the two do you feel better fits into Klopp’s system?
The truth be told they are both quite similar. It’s hard to distinguish between the two but the competition brings out the best in both of them. One thing that Nunez does bring which Firminio perhaps doesn’t is his hotheadedness. That’s both praise and criticism for the Uruguayan. It’s good that he brings his intensity but he’s inability to control himself has already ended up costing us.
Finally what’s your score predictions?
Villa seem to be on the up under Emery but like I said we looked a lot better against City. Us on our good day are very hard to beat however we’re just struggling to find those good days. Villa have proven difficult to beat in the past, but we’ve always found a way. I’m going 2-1 Liverpool.
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OPPOSITION FOCUS | WHAT’S GOING WRONG?
Over the first portion of this Premier League season, it’s been fairly busy on the red side of Merseyside. A turbulent season sees Liverpool sit sixth in the table. Far off where they’ve sat in recent seasons. Here we’ll be casting an eye on Liverpool’s tumultuous start to the 2022/23 season.
Where best to start than with the first competitive game of the season. The Community Shield. Yet another contest between two sides who have proven in recent years that they are the best two in the world. It’s very rarely quiet when these two teams meet and this time it was Liverpool who bested the Citizens. Things were looking good going into the first game of the season.
Up next Fulham. The team that came second in the Champions League coming up against a team who were promoted from the Championship. An easy win, right? Wrong. Liverpool were stunned and held to a 2-2 draw. Not ideal but never mind, Fulham played very well. Next for the Scousers, Crystal Palace at home.
Another game where Liverpool were fortunate to pick up a point as Palace battered Liverpool as Nunez saw red after seeing red. This was the first sign that Nunez’s temper was going to cost Liverpool. It didn’t get much better. Two sides with equally as disappointing starts meeting up to try and end their respective rots. Two bitter rivals. Manchester United and Liverpool. Yet Liverpool still couldn’t put three points on the table as they lost 2-1.
Three games, two points. Had Liverpool been found out? Are they just not that good anymore? Well a 9-0 against Bournemouth suggests otherwise where Luis Diaz took centre stage. Add another impressive win against Newcastle and its crisis adverted. That’s what they did yet Liverpool still looked shaky.
Liverpool’s season carried on in a topsy turvy fashion. Wins came against the likes of Spurs and Man City, losses came against the likes of Leeds and Nottingham Forest. So what’s caused it? As big of a role he has played, surely all the blame can’t be placed on Gomez. It’s simple really. Teams love to break against Liverpool. It’s just so easy and if that doesn’t change it could be a long season for the Kopites.
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MY PREDICTION
Absence makes the heart grow fonder and that is absolutely the case with me and Aston Villa Football Club. I’m sure that’s also the case for many other of the 40k+ people heading down to Villa Park tomorrow. As Emery has said in his recent press conferences when Villa Park is alive it’s difficult for anyone to beat us.
Having said that, if Villa Park is alive and Liverpool have another off day which is likely, I see no reason why we can’t win. Not quite 7-2 but I’ll predict a 2-1 win. Ramsey and Bailey finding the net.
AUTHOR | ELLIS BURNETT
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