First State Kopites

Reds home to Nottingham Forest and drop more points. We will review Liverpool’s first home game of the new season, and then we’ll go onto preview our Friday visit to Ipswich Town, a team that has looked better overall than the one that got relegated in 2024-25. I’m Paul, joined by Daz and Justin.Part One - the Forest gameThe first half performanceLot of gaps still in midfield and defence?The goal - Jacquet not following VVD’s leadForest - lot of long ballsUnlucky with the Wirtz ‘goal’Second halfMore intense, Forest created little in this half - goal at 60 perfect timingThe penalty? The lack of awareness and the foul throwThe changes - Rio, Gravenberch, Nyoni Munoz goal - Wirtz passOverall:The xG appears misleading. Statsbomb doesn’t double count or generally count offside efforts and they had Forest at less than one non-penalty xG.Part Two - Ipswich AwayWhat do we know, think and hope?Team selectionHow will the game play out?PredictionsBradley BarcolaBajcetic to Celta VigoSquad building:We will be back after the Ipswich game - looking ahead to Atletico in the Champions League and Fulham at home. Thanks to Justin and Daz for joining me, Paul. And most of all, thank you dear listener for joining us.If you enjoyed the pod, please share it with a friend. Follow us @FirstStateKopites on X  – we only tweet and retweet from sources we think are credible. Music is courtesy of Hypenotic – they are a Welsh electro-pop band – https://hyperfollow.com/hypenotic   

Reds go to Newcastle and drop points or rescue a point with a last minute goal depending on your perspective. It’s the same response to Liverpool dropping points as most of last season - the sky is in fact falling. We will review  Liverpool’s first game of the new season, and then we’ll go onto preview our first game at home against Nottingham Forest, a team that has given us problems in the last few years. I’m Paul, joined by Daz and Justin.Part One - the Newcastle gameThe performanceKoumas, MunozMidfield - and the defence - Kerkez, VirgilKeep it quiet the first 15. The long balls….. Imbalance of the attack? Gakpo, Rio, Wirtz and IsakThe resultDifficult away? Level for maybe 8 minutesPart Two - Nottingham Forest at homeWhat do we know, think and hope?Team selectionHow will the game play out?PredictionsWe will be back after the Forest game - looking ahead to Ipswich away. Thanks to Justin and Daz for joining me, Paul. And most of all, thank you dear listener for joining us.If you enjoyed the pod, please share it with a friend. Follow us @FirstStateKopites on X  – we only tweet and retweet from sources we think are credible. Music is courtesy of Hypenotic – they are a Welsh electro-pop band – https://hyperfollow.com/hypenotic   

It’s a brand new season, our 8th. Wow. I guess we will look back at the pre-season, and then the first game and maybe beyond. I’m Paul, joined by Daz and Justin.Part One - the pre-seasonPre-season gamesYankee stadium experienceThe defeats?Squad building…Team feels short on playersIraola’s approach - greater intensityMidfieldAttackDefencePart Two - Newcastle awayWhat do we know, think and hope?Team selectionHow will the game play out?PredictionsWe will be back after the Newcastle game - looking ahead to the first home game of the season. Thanks to Justin and Daz for joining me, Paul. And most of all, thank you dear listener for joining us.If you enjoyed the pod, please share it with a friend. Follow us @FirstStateKopites on X  – we only tweet and retweet from sources we think are credible. Music is courtesy of Hypenotic – they are a Welsh electro-pop band – https://hyperfollow.com/hypenotic   

Welcome to the latest episode, looking back at the season and the hiring of Andoni Iraola. I’m Paul, joined by Haitham and Enrique.Arne Slot leaves, Andoni Iraola arrivesLet’s start with Slot - won a title, unbelievable adversity to deal withThe underlying numbers were referencedJames Pearce ‘What Iraola needs to learn from Slot’s failings’Don’t lose one of your players before the season starts, don’t have your most expensive striker miss most of the season and most of all don’t be Dutch.Style of football, reliance on players (Gakpo, Mac Allister, Konate)Fitness issues. Unwillingness to use younger players? Unlike in 24-25, an inability to change gamesLot of hype already around Iraola:Good points - style of football, he’s not DutchConcerns - always for an underdog teamThe recruitment - obviously our bench was limited for large parts of the seasonLooking forward to the season:Pre-season in a monthWhat do you need to see in the next month?We will be back through the off season, to talk about Iraola’s first pre-season and maybe the Reds’ acquisitions. Thanks to Enrique and Haitham for joining me, Paul. And most of all, thank you dear listener for joining us.If you enjoyed the pod, please share it with a friend. Follow us @FirstStateKopites on X  – we only tweet and retweet from sources we think are credible. Music is courtesy of Hypenotic – they are a Welsh electro-pop band – https://hyperfollow.com/hypenotic   

Welcome to the latest episode, looking back at 1 point from 3 games and now an important last game home to Brentford where fortuitously 1 point is needed to absolutely guarantee Champions League football next season. I’m Paul, joined by Daz and Enrique.Part One: Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston VillaTeam selection - limited options obviously. How much of a pass should the team get?The optimism before the United game really drained away with the Isak injuryIn each game, a period of passivity, a period of optimism and then a disappointing ending where confidence seemed to drain away (especially away from home)Lot of discussion about Szobo, Gakpo, Rio and Mac AllisterSome poor individual moments (Chiesa’s offside trap, is he really Italian?)More set piece woes James Pearce trying to buy favor with the naysayersPart Two - Brentford at home:Then there is the negativity surrounding the teamMo Salah’s unhelpful interventionXabi Alonso gone as an option, the current feelings about Arne SlotTraining and rest daysStyle of football. I think there’s been a decline across the league (which may have missed last season because we were so in control of the race).The social media noiseWho are the real options?We will be back after the season, to round the discussions about the future. Thanks to Enrique and Daz for joining me, Paul. And most of all, thank you dear listener for joining us.If you enjoyed the pod, please share it with a friend. Follow us @FirstStateKopites on X  – we only tweet and retweet from sources we think are credible. Music is courtesy of Hypenotic – they are a Welsh electro-pop band – https://hyperfollow.com/hypenotic