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Total wine and more. [Laughter] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Right, okay, so to open up a little bit then and talk about the season as a whole and what's coming up. Are we all pretty positive or beat? Bloody is not in the room, so we're generally okay in terms of that kind of positivity levels. Are there still some concerns based on what we've done and what we've yet to do? What's the overall mood for you going into the season? If you want to extrapolate out from that a little bit and say what's acceptable as a finish and that type of thing. I have to say I'm massively boy powder on this season as opposed to just in general. [Laughter] Don't pigeonhole it there. I'm quad powder. [Laughter] Yeah, I'm moving violently back from massive positivity to massive negativity. I don't know and I suppose it's just that feeling of not known because of the lack of swirl is what can we actually achieve? How good is this team with the players that we have at the moment and that's without getting into silence in the whole lot. If Moreno is our last sign and let's say and that addresses our left back, where are we as a squad? Where are we in terms of replacing the goals that we've lost and will we stop enough goals to cover an actual loss of gold which we will do? So at the moment I'm falling on positivity because you have to be positive the week of the season starting. I'll get really nervous getting comes in Saturday morning, some of the morning before the game picks off. But I think we are in a reasonably good space as good as can be without making that last attack and signing. Yeah. And we should have enough to definitely be in the mix for a top tree, top four come the end of the season. And I don't mean that in a disrespectful way. I just think it's going to be a big ask for us to challenge for the title, lose and Suarez. But it's imperative that we are in their challenge and it's imperative that our goal remains win the league because if we go to win the league we have a better chance of finishing second toward a fort than if our aim is top tree or top four. Yeah, I think what you said there, you're talking about Chelsea and City probably as the two main contenders and even Arsenal. None of them have weakened their team. They've all strengthened it. We've weakened our team. Regardless of what way we look at this, we can pretend, you know, whatever. This is the first 11 argument again. First 11, yeah, yeah. I'm not talking about the team rather than the squad. And our first 11 has been weakened. Chelsea, Arsenal and City's has been strengthened. And that makes it far more difficult. Like you look at the key signings that Chelsea, they had to play as per Laqueta on the left side of defense chunk of our season. And they went out and signed a pretty top-notch left-back. They signed Fabregast to replace Lampart and the AO Costa to replace all of their forwards in Chelsea. All of them. And they signed Dralbert, that'd be no for six points. And that's fucking... Is it six? Yeah, well, I didn't say how long you were there for, but I knew he injured himself. But I think they're absolutely excellent signings. It's exactly how I wanted Liverpool to do their business. Identify three or four positions that needed to be filled, fill them early and just sit back and fucking chill out. And if anything else comes up, then he can nip in again. Yeah, that's kind of a sign of Benazia as well. Yeah, they might nip in and spend just a little chump-chained 30 million on somebody if they need to. But, you know, they've just done Mangala now. Or sorry, that's City. I was going to move on to City there. City have done Mangala. They've got... Regis. Regis. And who's the... They signed Cabellier, the Willie Cabell keeper. The keeper. Because they didn't back up. You're starting, I think. Yeah, absolutely, you may do. But this is... Again, I don't think we've let Rayna go to Bayern Munich. We have... We're going into a season again with Brad Jones as our number two. I think that's an absolute catastrophe, to be honest with you. I don't rate him as a keeper whatsoever. He's done nothing in pre-season to make me feel like he's improved in any way. And if we're looking at all our other players that we're going to have 50 games this season, who's to say that Meg won't pick up anyway, and also we're lying on him? Well, Pat, I know, and I think we probably all agree around the ag with the round, that our force team isn't strong when you take Suarez out of it. And you're not going to deal with by buying one player, because you'll have to buy Suarez back to do that. Or by one of Ronaldo, you know, Messi, somebody of that ilk, someone at that level. But, Steve, you have to say to yourself that overall, the squad that we now have should be good enough to be in a shout. You want to be going into the match, Abel still would in touch of the league for a second place again. Yeah, no, I don't. I'm not disagreeing with any of that. I'm just saying that from the point of view of where we're at as a squad, I think, or as a team. You know, Brendan, I suppose maybe he didn't change the first 11 that much last season for two reasons. He didn't need to, because we were lucky-ish with injuries, and one or two, he had no options. Look, you've been quite defensive there, saying that this first team is wakin' right now. Look, you lose Suarez, your waker, granted. But if Lovren works out, that's one area the team that's improved immediately. If Emory Chan works out, that's one area the team that's improved immediately. If one of our four players steps up, or we have Benny doing a job, we're better. We are to an extent. We're talking about three to four variables, rather than one. But Steve, we're playing our football still. We've still got this philosophy. We've still got, okay, we don't have that sharp cutting edge of Suarez. But who's to say other people on staff forums go to goals? We play our football. No, absolutely, and there's no guarantee that the big signings that the other clubs have made are going to be successful. Costa could be a failure. I don't think he will be. Lots of people do think he will be. You may have it whereby Mangala is a complete fucking disaster. You know what I mean? And City probably do want to tighten up a little bit, you know, with Arsenal. Sanchez may not. That's my biggest regret. I'll be honest with you. If we had got Sanchez as part of the deal, not signed Markovich and had done all our other business, I would be sitting here over the moon, just saying we need a left back. That's it. I'm happy. Paul, do you tend to agree with Steve on? I won't say dower and gloomy, but it's more of a downbeat sort of assessment of where we are in comparison to our rivals, which I think is the point Steve was making. That's available. Well, when you look at Chelsea and City, you would think whichever one of them doesn't win the league would be very disappointed with the strength of their squads and what they've spent. But when you look at us as well, you have to take into account, like, Rajas could overachieve again. Because last season was ridiculous. Mourinho was sitting there calling him Wenger, a specialist in failure. And then he finished behind a rookie manager who was first sold, was Victor Moses by the end of the season. Rajas could pull it out of the bag again because he's shown that he's a brilliant manager. But I've said that I don't think Suarez' loss affects the first team that much. I don't think, because we can restructure it. I think the diamond, and especially the 3.5.2 that we played last season, it was all sort of a compromise just to get Suarez and Sturridge into the team together. I think there is a, you can with the likes of Sterling Coutinho, if Markovitz takes off, Lalana, they can support Sturridge properly. Just there at the moment, like, you would just be petrified of Sturridge, you know, getting injured because we haven't replaced Suarez yet. And all really up in terms of forwards. So that's something we really need to do. But I'd say I'm kind of with Phil where it's hard to call what we're going to do this season. Because if Rajas does overachiev again, we could kind of challenge for the title. At the moment, I think we should finish top four. I think we should finish ahead of United Spurs. And I don't think Everton are that much of an issue anymore. It's very personal, again, we could finish it above them. They're in the same boat. They've had, like, they sign brilliant players a lot of the time. But Wenger always seems to have this kind of collapse at some point in the season, whether they have a craps star to a collapse in the middle or a collapse at the end. So, like, we could finish ahead of them as well. So, I think, third or fourth. You're very quick to write off United. You know, heaven sent them Louis Van Halen. You do know that. Like, the Smiths wrote a song about it, apparently. Have you seen this? I think that they're going to be a massive player this season. In the top four scenario or title challenge? I think anything could happen. Like, we can discount what they want. Apart from Robin and Van Percy, you look at how limited that Holland squad is. And they went to a World Cup final. You're going to give me a whole lot of Louis Van Halen? No, no, no. I'm just saying that, well, not a whole lot of Louis Van Halen love, but we have to respect that he's a good manager. And he's taken over a club with huge resources. They could pull fucking two signings out there. They could pull Di Maria and Bonatia out of the bag. And all of a sudden we're going, "Oh, fuck." Actually, no. I can't say I'm doing that. I do agree with your general point, because I think... This is a team that had Ron Flauer as their key center half and got to a World Cup final. But I think the one thing that whatever happens, whether they're in contingent on top four or not, right, they won't be any worse than they were against the top four sides that finished up in the league last year, which means that if they start taking points off those teams, then ultimately the complexion of the league changes again. I think it'll be... It's either going to go one or two ways. City and Chelsea are going to tear off into the distance, right, because of the size of the squads they have and the quality of players that they have throughout the squad, leaving the other two spots up for grabs between ourselves, Arsenal, Spores. I think Spores are going to have a much better season than they had last year. And I think it will... Because they're opening eight fixtures on paper are relatively easy for them. In the same way that we had a relatively easy opening last year, I think they will get up ahead of steam and they will be in the mix. Now whether they should be, rightfully or not, I think they will be in the mix because they'll get some confidence behind them, they'll get a belief back into themselves again, and they will provide a stronger opposition to the rest of the premiership than they did last year. You know, teams were going to Old Trafford looking forward to Newcastle one day for the first time in 152 years. You didn't even see the last time Newcastle won in Old Trafford, which is something else, right, and they won last season. West Blanc won there, you know what I mean? I don't see them giving up so many points as they did last year. And if they don't give up as many points as they did last year, they'll definitely be in with a shout or in the mix for top four come to end this season. And that's why I think it's imperative that we stay in touch with Chelsea and City for right the way through the season. No two ways about it, and that's going to be a huge ask. Your shout last year, all the way through the pods, was look, if we keep on Arsenal's shoulder and finish ahead of them, then we'll be all right. Who's the kind of benchmark this season? Is it them again? For me, Arsenal, they're just now held to finish top four. And if you can finish ahead of Arsenal, you're going to be in with a shout of 3-2-1. And I said the first thing you do is you ensure that you're going to finish ahead of Arsenal. Once you've nailed that, then you're looking at who's in second and forced and because we were able to do something like that, we had ourselves top of the league for such a long run towards the back end of the season. We approached it the same way, we approached it with the same mentality and we approached it in the idea of gaining two points per game. The two points per game ratio, if you do that over and over again throughout the whole season and keep your average up at two points a game, you're more likely to finish toward second than you will if you're in at one point eight, one point nine. That's just random figures by the way. The two-point thing is true. Saying numbers. Dave, what's minimum acceptable season for us now? There's been an awful lot of pressure he'd done here on the manager lately in some stuff I've read. What's minimum acceptable season? Well, I think it's difficult to say that. I think most people's minimum acceptable season is pretty fluid. I mean, first of all, we've got three weeks of transfer when they're sold to go. I think what's acceptable now becomes different if things happen or different. Last year we were all saying our challenge for fourth and then six weeks out from the end of the season, most people's minimum acceptable was winning the league. So people's minimum expectations. Are you now hoping that we're going to have a title from the top and go out? Look, I disagree with quite a bit of what's been said. So let me summarize my view. First of all, I don't think anything has happened to the teams outside of the top four, to make them top four teams. I don't think Spurs, Everton, or United. Taking Van Harless out from it, I don't think any of them have done anything spectacular to their squads that make me go every time I've stood still. OK, they've signed Ocaku permanently and they've, you know, they've done a couple of bits and pieces. Spurs, they might do better with Pochettino, but it's still the same squad. And it comes down to, right, how much does a manager elevate or drag down a squad? And most research would suggest that you finish where, you know, that you finish within a couple of points of where your squad's ability is to finish. So the question we're going to say is Van Har worth a 20% improvement, let's say, on where they were last season. Let's say he is. Let's say he's worth 20% extra because they haven't done anything to that squad. They've lost three of their four starting defenders for last year, right? Let's say he's worth 20%. That gives them 76 points, right? That wasn't good enough to finish fourth last season. So I'm not on board the Van Harle train. I think, look, he could have a spectre. He's over the three. They're the one I'm most worried about because he doesn't have Europe and he is a big game manager. And I get the point that if he was to go out and buy two absolutely phenomenal players, then it would change the complexion. But as it stands right now, he doesn't worry yet. Can I give you a camper argument on that, Dave? The manager is, say, 20%. Let's give a manager 20%. Moise was, by far, 20% worse in terms of the points that they accumulated last season compared to Ferguson. Yeah. So my point is you take the team that Ferguson had, albeit, you know, a season older, right? Had Ferguson started last season rather than returning at the end of the last one. You take out Rio Ferdinand, who we all know was past it. I don't believe Rio Ferdinand was any better than Smalling Jones or Evans, to be honest with you, where he was at the time or where he is now. And you bring your ad van hal to the mix. I think with the squad that they finished with with Ferguson, adding Herrera and losing the ones that they've lost and bringing Van Harle in instead of Moise, they're a top four side. I know that sounds like a very mathematical equation on what football is. I mean, you can't really, you know, equate it that way. So let's go see, let's say not to focus too much on A&I. Let's go see season earlier, right? Yeah. That squad that Ferguson wins the league with, right? Yeah. That's not the best squad in the league, right? That's not even, that's not the third best squad in the league. No, I agree. So if we're doing pluses and deltas, right, he's given him what percent, 20%, 30%, 40%, right? So Moise drags that down. Beyond the level of Moise other matters. So he goes below Pa. Yes, absolutely. He goes below Pa. So for Van Harle, right? So for Van Harle, to get them above us. For Van Harle, to get them above us. He's got a reverse Moise's decline and ad. This is like the worst poofy mathematics. Anyway, I want to move the trick. I want to move the trick. I want to move the trick. I want to move the trick. 20%, 20%. The trick is over. Carry the four. I think we're told about it in the call. Long division. Move the level we'll have to worry about. Right? Yeah. And I'm saying one from the top right until entry from anywhere else. I'm saying that I don't think we have to worry about United. But in terms of us, I expect us to challenge for the title. I think that we are well equipped to do it. I think on the squad, point to Steve or me, you know, about going out and buying, you know, like Chelsea have done. I think the difference is that Chelsea sit the Arsenal and United. We've already built a squad that was capable of being in the Champions League. We didn't have that. We had to add. We played with 14 players last season. We had to add six players to that. And that costs money. And the reality is if we're going out and bought three players, we'd only have 17 to play with. Not 20 or 21, which is what we have to play with. So I think the way we've done it is right. I said it on the last part, we've got more to do. We need a left back. We need a striker. If we get a left back and we get a striker, I think we'll win it. Right, well, look, let's get everyone to sort of put their bets on the block then. We're talking about the season to come. We've had a prediction about the set times in game. Let's have an overall season prediction from everybody and what we think that we've put our goal to achieve. We do top four. Who are the top fours going to be, is there? Well, just let's keep it to Liverpool. Let's keep it to Liverpool because I think the mics are going to melt that we don't go with mics anymore. Paul Brennan. Tired. Tired for Liverpool for you. Okay, and any Champions League shots? We're going to get a closer look of a group. We'll get out of that. We'll be happy. I'd rather just play big teams in the group. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Make a spectacle of a base with me. Make a spectacle of ourselves. Lovely stuff. No, not ourselves. We have some big games looking forward to this. Yeah. Yeah. Enjoy the first year. Just enjoying being back in a base with me. Brennan. Okay. So, Tired for Paul. Steve. Yeah, I'm thinking Tired possibly said. I don't see us winning it. No, that's based on our current squad right now. So, we can base it on. I think Tired and quarterfinals of the challenge. What algorithm are you using there, Steve? I couldn't possibly. Three over 40%, 20, 20. Nicely currently in talks with a major US multinational for this algorithm. Excellent. Okay. I'd prefer not to leak any of this. No, we can't understand that. We can't understand that fully. Keep it to us. 16 cosign. 10. Fine. Just... Shh. Just might be going in. Dave. Dave. Okay. So, I don't see us finishing lower than third. And if we're going to finish in the top three, we've got a hell of a chance to win in it. So, I think we'll win it. Wow. That was trickier than my algorithm to be on the stage. But I think that the only side that genuinely frightened me is city. Right? They're the only squad that genuinely frightened me. I am one of those that think Costa will be a flop. I think Fabregast was that actually they didn't need. It wasn't in a position they needed strength. So, I think that we'll finish. I think we can finish ahead of Chelsea. And then it's about what city do. Make no bones about it. If city get the season right, they could get 100 points. They could absolutely walk it. If they got all their shit together. On a basis yesterday, they haven't quite got their shit together. So, that gives me a little bit of hope. So, fuck it. If we're going to go for second, we may as well go for first. Fucking brilliant. It's going to be the only numpti saying that we're going to win. I actually think with player football, I think we're better than everybody else over the course of the season. Such. I did. He wasn't going to say that if you hadn't said anything. He'd have gone toward what he was going to do. Well, actually, well, I thought it was going to be the only numpti saying. So, me and Dave are the numptis together as well. Baa. Yeah. So, Phil, your prediction for the season for the football? Phone at the same time. (Laughter) We can stay ahead of Villa. We have a chance to stay ahead of Villa. (Laughter) Hopefully, we can enter the second round of the League Cup after the round of the win. What round are we even in? Because we have the Champions League. Third. Third. Is it not the fourth? I thought the Champions League Cup is going to win the fourth round. All Champions League teams, Gab. Yeah. We wouldn't know about that. It's a long time to do. I think they changed the rules since 1846. (Laughter) Yeah, no, I think we win the fourth round, yeah. Yeah, fourth round. So, fifth round of the League Cup view is the prediction for the season. If we get to the fifth round of the League Cup... You're not going to the game. I'm going. (Laughter) If we get to the club for tickets... You're going out. We're going to Ryan. Can't. (Laughter) Head's gone. It's gone. (Laughter) Fifth round of the League Cup. And if we can get past the fifth round of the League Cup, fucking hell. Well, just to have a look at the season ahead then and get your thoughts on us. How are you feeling about the season as you look forward to it? Are you feeling bullish about it? Do you have concerns? You know, there's still some business to be done in the window. Is that going to colour it for you? What's your overall feeling as the season begins? How much? Yeah, quite optimistic about this season. If I won't lie, I was worried like everyone else was when we last saw this. But I think we've replaced him very well with Mark Fitch and Lan and Lambert and Cheyne and Moreno. All these players come in. I think we've done some great business in this window. And as you said, the window hasn't closed yet. But even if we signed nobody for the rest of the window, I still think that we're looking at at least a top four spot this season. So I'm pretty optimistic on it. And is that the minimum acceptable outcome for you, top four? Well, look, in the day, Liverpool is all about putting trophies. Like second, third, fourth place. Yeah, it's fantastic. But we all want to win the league. But if you were to offer me fourth place right now, I would take it because that means we're going to get next season to the Champions League two years in a row. And what that means in the players, that we might have looked at this summer but couldn't get it. Well, then look at us and go, hang on, they've now got Champions League for two years in a row running. It wasn't a flow class here. So we're more likely going to sign those players going forward. Which would then mean we can challenge for the league's and Champions League's going forward. And if you were, I presume he's learned this lesson a long time ago, but if random was to have three envelopes this year, who you think, what names do you think might be in them? Lucas would be in two of them and Johnson will be in a row. [LAUGHTER] It could have. In the interim. And so will Johnson be in the interim as well. [LAUGHTER] Oh, I stopped it this year. [LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] [LAUGHTER] Mowdy, who do you reckon will be our player this season? I know. Oh, Joe's going to be Phil. And I can't wait for him to come after season, Sterling. I saw what Suarez left. And I remember I was chatting to you about where I said, where's the magic one to come from? Suarez was one of those players, edge your seat, defend your shit or pence when he gets to ball. But from what I'm seeing of Sterling all over the World Cup and all over the pre-season, it's going to be him. He's going to be that guy that's going to get you on edge of your seat. He's going to be that guy that when he gets to ball defend, there's a lot of shit or pence. So I think Sterling is going to be the absolute star of the season. Like, you know, when people talk about players having a ceiling, I don't think Sterling has a ceiling. He's not going to display a bit of him. Yeah. OK. A couple more questions, Mowdy. How strong do you think the rivals that we have to deal with are? Maybe the ones that finished below us last year, who can we expect to be challenging? And how much stronger is the rest of the league in terms of, in relative terms, compared to ourselves? Well, I was slightly worried when, say, you know it got in Vangal. And he was saying a lot of things about him, but he got to use a winner. I mean, you can't say that, but Mowdy's, you can't say about Vangal. So I was worried when you know it got in Vangal. You know, it spoils me to point him to Pochtino. I think that was a clever one. Everything. Look, that's still a good side. So, you know, these teams have straightened in certain areas. But I still don't think they're good enough to get near us. I really don't. I think this season gone in. It's going to be the same four in the tough fours. It was last season. Might be in different positions, one to four. But I think it's going to be the same four. Well, we had, I think, chant the wrestlers and ask them what they think that order might be. So I might as well get that from you as well. Maybe this year, I think the order in the tough four in the season would be top Liverpool. Second, don't. Three. Care. Four. Give it four. Yeah, not dissimilar to me on that little prediction there. Fair folks. Yeah. And the last question for you is who do you think this Southampton has got? This season, Southampton is going to be. In other words, who will be buying all the players from next year? I think this year is a Southampton. We'll actually be. I think we're going to go back. If sports don't get shnerdling, I think it's going to be someone we'll look at next summer. James Waapros coming through. Yeah. Yeah, he'd definitely be someone beyond our radar. And even Victor Wanyaba. And he will be perfect for us Wanyaba. You know, you can play a center back. He's that absolute dominant force in the field. So unfortunately, he's out here to listen in. Next year, Southampton will be so rented. Lovely. Cheers. Great. Cheers. Right. With the season started, how you feel in terms of looking forward? Are you fairly bullish, fairly confident? Do you have any concerns based on what we have or haven't done in the transfer window? General feeling as we approach the season and the season gets kicked off. How do you feel about it? I'd say two weeks ago, it would have been probably a little bit worried about the staff of the season. I think after the Dortmund game, I started to think, yeah, we have a real chance, again, to do well. I looked at how we were approaching the game. There was a nice tempo to our play. And that's going to be pretty much how we finished off last season. And to go into this season playing the same way. Yeah, we've got a chance for a straight and then Sunday to see the line up on Sunday, which should never have ever happened again. But I think if we address them issues that happened on Sunday, and we go back to how we finished against the Dortmund and how we finished against the last season, I think we're quite confident for the season coming up. We've strengthened on all the areas that we need to strengthen. We've got a decent midfielder in there, we're at again a good center, half in, our full backs have been dealt with. The worrying thing for me is that we haven't got that second man to cover for storage. The last time something like this happens was, I think it was all annoying. Ten, when we had Torres, and he never got a money back up, and he had fuckin' anger, or eggnog, or even nine was as his back up. And our fuckin' sides, though, was Torres done his hamstring, three or four games into the season. We're stuck with fuckin' anger for four or four months. Yeah. And that would be a worry if we don't get someone in and something happens to storage, right, right, left with fuckin' lumbers. And that would be more memory between now and the window closed. If we don't address that, I think we could have some problems. Well, if we do at least adequately, what for you is the minimal kind of finishing position for us. What's the least achievement that we can get over the course of the season that you'd be actually semi-cont hardware? I don't see why we shouldn't. Lookin' at Chelsea last night in the squad, they were saying, "Well, it does look formidable." City, as well, again, a massive solid, and squads in terms of quality. But what we have there ourselves, we have plenty of debt, and we have plenty of quality in the sort. Just the big worry is we've only got one real out-and-out storygirl at the minute. He'll conscore girls, anything that happens to him, and basically, he'll shit-creep with no paddle. But I do think where we can finish, I think we can mount a challenge again. Whether we'll do it after fall off because of Champions League football, it could be the case. But I do see us doing quite well in either the Champions League or the League. I don't see any reason why we shouldn't be talking top four again. If we take it, that's going to be the case. It's going to require a lot of good performances from a lot of different people. Where do you think are the worries in the squad, if Brendan has a sample upside, who do you think is in them? I think the main weakness in the squad, I do feel we're still lacking in midfield. And Sony was the one who showed it that we are lacking slightly in there. Whether Khan was carrying a knock or not, he should have started, in my opinion. But we're still lacking that one ruthless defensive midfielder. That one nasty fucker, he was going to hunt down players and chase ball down. Gerard does the job of controlling play. He's not naturally going to break play down for you. I don't think Khan is going to do it either, being honest. He seems to be more of a controlling type and reads the game tactically. Does nobody in the corner match around or mould? I think we're a little bit low in midfield. We've got Alan, he impressed the ball, and he walked there. But we're still lacking that one player with a bit of tactical awareness about them, the over them gaps in them holes from a ring transition. They see that in Sony, we had Lucas, he was a fucking abomination in the game. Kaz and Gerard also had some problems with being in there. And then we've Khan and Alan, that can come into that set up. I don't think neither are going to be really comfortable playing that defensive hole in role as such. So we think we're a lot a proper defensive, kind of mobile, aggressive midfielder. If they feel more disagreement, Khan may be able to do that job, but I don't think I've seen it in Joshito. Fair enough. Looking around you Dan, you've mentioned a few of the other teams there in the squads, and they're talking about how Chelsea look formidable, and they certainly did. Who do you see as being the main rivals in that top four? If you're seeing us finish in top four, who do you see being the people in those positions? I think what we should be looking at is a very mini league should be between ourselves, personal, sports, and you know, between the four of us, we've got to make sure that we're going to want to detail to get that four slot. Although you're not going to beat in the weekend, I think Van Hal will make them difficult to beat. He will pick up a lot of points. Sports are an unknown. They can be very, very good in their day. If he improves them even 40% on what they wear last season, the cold cause is trouble looking for that top four slot. I think City and Chelsea might just be too strong for everyone else this season, and I think they're the four teams we've got to worry about most, with ours not being our main threat. And then sports, I would probably rate a heady annoyed at the moment. But if you know you've got to run the games without any European football, I'd hate to say that. They could just take each game as a con, one a week, like we did last season, and just start picking up points that I had to stay in. They could become a danger for our sports as well. Especially if we're still in Europe, come the new year, and our arrows are off the ball a little bit. They're the four that we think are our main threats to the season. I think just Chelsea and City fair to superior, that anything of the four of those have. And do you reckon that we have enough about us to edge into one of those spots? Is that where you see us finishing in the end? Is in top four definitely? I'd be disappointed that we didn't. In the last year of sitting down, I would have fuckin' taken the arm off you for our place. Kind of still felt at this time last season, we weren't good enough to be there. I'd get there even this year, and just to kind of compete for it would have been enough for me. But I'm looking at what's around us. There's no reason why we shouldn't be there. Definitely not. I don't know. I still think we're better than sports. Watching Arsenal to know that they were fuckin' the crappers. So they're going to take a ward to pick things up with a lot of new players in there as well. Where we stand to kind of have a good base. I know we've got a lot of new players, but we've got a good basis of what we're dealing with. I think we might be kind of two or three years further down the line than that. What are teams? Spores, a lot of very good soils. They put your channels only there. A wet day. If a house only in the door, a wet day. It's gonna take them time to catch up two or three years to where we are. And even Arsenal are at the moment. So we have a bit of a heads there in our terms. But again, it's about what's hitting the ground. We spoke about this a few weeks ago. I think we need the people. A good few points early on. Just to make sure we don't get dragged into the park there. And I'm probably being a little bit, actually, I forgot to mention them. And I'm really going to stick over and not mention them. I think of everything can get their wits about them. The day can cause a lot of problems for a lot of teams as well. And cook it into that mix again. If you look around the league, is there anybody you see who could be a potential? Southampton for next season. Who might surprise or who might come along with a new little bundle of players? And we could be picking them off next summer. Jesus. There's absolutely no one that I've seen that's kind of stood out or anything like that. But now you just said who can be the next Southampton? I really feel so Hampton will be the next Southampton. That was the exact same thing Molly said. That's class. I don't believe it. Yeah, I was eavesdropping on Molly's top of the day. But I tell you something, he's very, very impressed with them. And the one thing about Kilman, he fucking knows his shit. You know what I mean? He's been around the block. He's been in all the top clubs. He's been playing for Holland when European champions, whatever, with teams. He knows his stuff. Or he's never really rated. But whatever his fucking name is, he's not really rated. He's been sacked in his previous job and he kind of went in there. I think Athens has been doing okay. He got him anywhere. And he kind of brought them to kind of another level, slightly. I think he can bring them to another level as well. I probably agree with him. Molly said, so Hampton will be the next Southampton. Perfect. Thanks a lot, Flody. All right. Right, Steve. Just looking forward at the season to come. How are you feeling? Are you confident? Are you a little bit concerned with regards to the business that we've done and what remains to do? How are you feeling in general about how we're going to approach the season and Liverpool in the next season to come? How do you feel about it? What's the minimum acceptable outcome for you for the season to come? Minimums for a place. Has to be minimums for a place. The buzz I have now at the minute going into this season, because of the fact that we're trying to guarantee champions to be a football, that has to be champions to be able to attract the ability of players that, sorry, the level of players that we can attract and we want to attract to the club. And fourth place is minimum of, it has to be the minimum target. It'd be brilliant if we could improve on last season and got one step closer and actually win the title. I just don't see that happening this season, to be honest. It's just looking at Chelsea and City who have strengthened in the areas that they were specifically weekend. And they both are, especially Chelsea, watching Chelsea last night, when they even when they went one down, they just stepped it up a level and closed the game. It was something that we couldn't do on Sunday. Yeah. Yeah. Well, if you are thinking that maybe, you know, it might be a bit of a long shot for us to actually have a tilt at the title. Where do you see us coming up short and what areas in particular in the team in the squad are you looking at as being weaknesses? As I already said, it's up front as the weekend is at the moment. Like we've lost the turret best player in the world and we haven't really replaced them yet. We haven't had, you're not going to get a lie for like replacing for the least for us. It's just, it's not going to happen. But we haven't bought in someone who's going to add like maybe, maybe Sterling steps up and adds another $10 to his tally or Markovich steps up and hits the ground Roman and scores on the line or whoever it may be. We still need someone that's going to be able to contribute to the first 11 as well as the squad. Someone who is going to be up on a level with storage. It's going to be able to keep open storage. Like Suarez did last season where we need someone who has that bit of magic. You can probably just turn a game for you on their own. I think at the moment, that's like suddenly it was decent enough defensively by the obvious candidate at the back. Who hopefully will be replaced now with Moreno being, hopefully Moreno being, I don't think Moreno will start on Sunday, sorry, on Monday. But the idea of planning is Mankio and Moreno as their two fullbacks. Yeah. Yeah. Well, taking into account then that you think we have a good share of being top four. Who do you see as being our main rivals for those positions? I mean, we can all, I assume, take City and Chelsea as to that you'll have in there. Who are the other teams that you see being involved in that shake-up? I think it's going to be ourselves, Arsenal, obviously, and Spurs. Looking at other sides around, like, everything spent 28 million to stay at the same level they were at last season. I'm one player, you know, it is, look, it shambles. And I don't think as much as I really, highly, right, lose my heart. I just don't see him being able to work that much magic on them. Especially after watching them on Saturday and seeing the level, they need at least four players that are world-class or supposed world-class players. I just can't see that happening. I can't see them getting their players in. So, you know, it'll be looking to get seven to eight again this season. Yeah, so, with their sales, Arsenal, Spurs, because I think our Pudge team will do an excellent job as Spurs. Yeah, yeah. Well, if they're going to be the contender for the big spots, is there anybody you see doing in Southampton and mounting maybe a surprise challenge? And he's looking well-positioned to do that for you. Not really, no. I can't see them being another surprise package. Like, the league is nearly splitting off into seven teams now, rather than eight this season. Or eight that were their last season. Yeah. It's very hard, like, with especially with all the money that's come in this season, to new money that's come in with the TV deals and so on. The bigger draws have just gotten bigger. And it's very hard to see any club making a step up. But, like, obviously, there might be one surprise team, but, like, Southampton last season, I think they'll fade away. They won't be anyone up challenging by the usual suspects. Well, put your neck on the block there and give me your top four that you predict for the season, then. And Chelsea City, Liverpool, Arsenal. Lovely. Time to fire up the grill. Time to go to Total Wine and find the perfect flavor to pair with those burgers. Ooh, I love their beer cooler. You love their prices even more. Wunderous selection, helpful guides, ridiculously low prices, Total Wine and more. Turn off your laptop. We're on Stakeation. I'm on TotalWine.com. They have so many rosés, Chardonnays and Proseccos. It feels like a real vacation. Wunderous selection, helpful guides, ridiculously low prices, Total Wine and more. This podcast is part of the Sports Social Podcast Network. (crowd cheering) [BLANK_AUDIO]
Right a very rare special from us. We discuss our views on the season ahead, our hopes fears and ultimately our expectations. In the first half Trev, Phil, Dave Thomas, Paul and Stephen Daly round table their opinions while the second half sees Trev get the individual views of Moley, Damo and Ste Browne. 40 mins in and out Job Done Danny Sturridge. Get on
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