Theo Squires – The Empire of The Kop

Liverpool journalist heaps praise on Caoimhin Kelleher for ‘Alisson-esque’ moment against LASK

Liam Togher — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 21:40:45 +0000

Caoimhin Kelleher produced what one journalist described as an ‘Alisson-esque’ moment in Liverpool’s Europa League clash against LASK tonight.

The 25-year-old is set to feature in the Reds’ forthcoming games due to the injury suffered by the Brazilian against Manchester City last weekend, which’ll likely see him sidelined until at least the middle of December.

Even with Jurgen Klopp’s side comfortably in front during the second half against their Austrian visitors, the Republic of Ireland stopper has still been called upon to thwart the away side, notably keeping out Ibrahim Mustapha in front of the Anfield Road Stand.

In the Liverpool Echo‘s live matchday blog (21:22), Squires wrote: “That was Alisson-esque from Kelleher. The Liverpool defence goes missing as LASK cross to an unmarked Mustapha in the box. He tries to round the Irishman and slot home, but the keeper stands tall and scrambles across to deny the forward. Had looked a certain goal.”

Alisson’s injury has suddenly thrust Kelleher into the spotlight at Liverpool, but the Irishman’s strong save from Mustapha will give him plenty of confidence, and do likewise for Reds fans during the first-choice goalkeeper’s absence.

The 25-year-old has come good for us in the past in penalty shoot-outs, and he’s proving tonight that he’s also more than dependable from open play when his team needs him.

The Irishman hadn’t managed to keep a clean sheet in any of his previous five club appearances this season (Transfermarkt), so at the time of writing, he’ll be desperate to end that sequence against LASK.

As big a miss as Alisson will be, Liverpool are fortunate to have such a quality backup ‘keeper to call upon in Kelleher, who Jurgen Klopp must be very glad wasn’t sold in the summer despite abundant speculation to that effect.

#Ep96 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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‘I suspect…’ – Journalist intrigued by what he’s spotted on official Liverpool teamsheet tonight

Liam Togher — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 19:36:32 +0000

Theo Squires was intrigued by something he noticed on the Liverpool teamsheet that UEFA have given to journalists at tonight’s Europa League game against LASK.

As expected, Jurgen Klopp has made numerous changes, with only Mo Salah and Kostas Tsimikas retained from last weekend’s draw at Manchester City.

The Greece international will play at left-back, although there appears to be some confusion as to who’ll line up at the other side of the defensive quartet.

In the Liverpool Echo‘s live matchday blog (19:10), Squires wrote: “Our UEFA teamsheets have just been handed out, and they have Jarell Quansah at right-back and Joe Gomez in the middle.

“While Quansah can play there, having filled the role at the Academy and made one senior appearance on the flanks as a substitute this season, I suspect they might have got those two the wrong way round tonight.”

As Squires pointed out, Quansah has occasionally played at right-back while progressing through the academy ranks, and he had a fleeting appearance in that position against Brentford earlier this month (Transfermarkt).

However, Gomez is far more accustomed to playing out wide than the 20-year-old, so we also reckon that the UEFA teamsheet got those two players mixed up.

Perhaps it isn’t an error and Klopp has spotted something which has prompted him to deploy a curious tactical switch, although we doubt that he’d experiment to that degree considering that Liverpool still need more points to ensure their progression in the tournament.

Whatever the case might be, we’ll get our definitive answer when the match begins at 8pm UK time.

#Ep96 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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‘Great to see…’ – Liverpool journalist delighted with ‘excellent’ Reds news ahead of kick-off

Liam Togher — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 19:17:52 +0000

Liverpool Echo journalist Theo Squires hailed one inclusion in particular among the Reds’ substitutes for tonight’s Europa League game against LASK.

Jurgen Klopp’s starting line-up shows nine changes from last weekend’s draw at Manchester City, with plenty of recognisable names among the subs including Dominik Szoboszlai, Virgil van Dijk, Darwin Nunez and Alexis Mac Allister.

At the other end of the scale to those regulars getting a breather, Conor Bradley is included in a competitive LFC matchday squad for the first time since the 2021/22 season (Transfermarkt), having recovered from a four-month layoff with a stress fracture in the back.

In the Liverpool Echo‘s live matchday blog (18:54), Squires wrote: “Great to see Conor Bradley back in the matchday squad. He enjoyed an excellent campaign on loan at Bolton Wanderers last season, and started pre-season really well prior to his untimely injury.

“He would have surely featured prominently in the Europa League and League Cup had he been fit. The Northern Ireland international will be looking to make up for lost time.”

As Squires rightly pointed out, Bradley had looked impressive in Liverpool’s pre-season friendlies against Karlsruhe and Greuther Furth before his injury misfortune struck.

The 20-year-old would surely have seen action in the Europa League group stage already had it not been for that untimely setback, and although he’s unlikely to be called upon tonight given how long he’s been absent, to simply see his name among the substitutes is a fantastic sign.

If the Reds can take care of their own business against LASK, and Toulouse fail to beat Union Saint-Gilloise, we’ll guarantee first place and Klopp will duly have the luxury of the final group match in Belgium in two weeks’ time holding zero jeopardy for his side.

In that case, it’d be the perfect game for Bradley to earn the start that he’d surely have had already were it not for his convalescence, particularly with a crucial Premier League clash against Manchester United less than 72 hours later.

Whenever the Northern Ireland right-back does get on the pitch for Liverpool, it’ll be a most welcome sight not just for him but the team as a whole, given the vast potential he offers and the promising signs he’s shown in his five senior appearances at Anfield thus far (Transfermarkt).

#Ep96 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

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Remarkable Ryan Gravenberch stat suggests that he’s already a big upgrade for Liverpool

Liam Togher — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 20:11:55 +0000

Ryan Gravenberch netted his first goal for Liverpool just before half-time in tonight’s Europa League clash against Union Saint-Gilloise, but it’s by no means his first meaningful contribution in a red shirt.

The 21-year-old had already provided two assists since his deadline day move from Bayern Munich five weeks ago, both of which came in his previous starts for the Reds against LASK and Leicester.

As noted by Theo Squires on X, the Dutchman wasted little time in equalling the goal contributions tally of one of his midfield predecessors from the entirety of last season.

The journalist posted: “In just three starts for #LFC, Ryan Gravenberch has equalled the total goal contributions Jordan Henderson produced from 43 appearances in his final season at Anfield.”

In just three starts for #LFC, Ryan Gravenberch has equalled the total goal contributions Jordan Henderson produced from 43 appearances in his final season at Anfield.

1⃣2⃣
0⃣ 3⃣#LFC #LIVUSG https://t.co/TK0EgUhdh1 pic.twitter.com/VizO3kluOU

— Theo Squires (@TheoSquiresECHO) October 5, 2023

Prior to tonight, Gravenberch had played just 162 minutes for Liverpool (Transfermarkt), a tally which reached 206 by the time he found the net against Union SG.

That’s still less than 10% of the 2,558 that Henderson played in his final season at Anfield, with the Englishman claiming three assists and failing to find the net at all in 2022/23 (Transfermarkt).

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One of the biggest criticism of the Reds’ midfield last term was the glaring lack of scoring impact, with Harvey Elliott the only player in that area of the pitch to net more than three times, ending the campaign with five goals (Transfermarkt).

The early signs from Gravenberch are that he could easily match or surpass the 20-year-old’s tally in his first season for Liverpool, especially if he shows the same goalscoring instincts which enabled him to latch onto the loose ball for his opener tonight.

Having already matched Henderson’s goal contributions tally from 2022/23, the Dutchman looks like quite the upgrade in the middle of the park!

#Ep93 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Steve Kay

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Journalist noticed Szoboszlai post-match gesture which shows how much he loves it at Liverpool

Liam Togher — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 10:11:27 +0000

Dominik Szoboszlai’s ever-deepening love affair with Liverpool was evident in scenes witnessed by one journalist at Anfield after the final whistle of the Reds’ 3-1 win over Leicester on Wednesday night.

The home side overturned a half-time deficit to progress to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, with the game being lit up by the Hungarian’s thunderous strike from outside the penalty area and into the Foxes’ net in the 70th minute.

It was such a special goal that it elicited a standing ovation on Sky Sports from Robert Earnshaw and even had a Chelsea player heaping praise on the 22-year-old on Instagram afterwards.

In a piece for the Liverpool Echo, Theo Squires wrote of Szoboszlai’s huge impact in his first few weeks at Anfield and noted a gesture from the £60m signing immediately after the game which shows how quickly he’s taken to life on Merseyside.

The journalist said of the Hungary captain: “The last man to leave the Anfield turf after the final whistle, he saluted all four corners of the crowd to soak up the occasion after the 3-1 win. He is loving his football at Liverpool.”

It’s been quite some time since a new signing captured the hearts of the Kop so quickly and so emphatically as Szoboszlai has done within three short months of joining Liverpool.

His jaw-dropping finishes against Aston Villa and now Leicester have certainly helped, but so has his indefatigable pressing and relentless work off the ball, with the 22-year-old putting in the effort to endear himself to fans, teammates and management alike.

A player and a club can sometimes just be the perfect fit for one another, and it’s very much feeling like that with the Hungarian and LFC, as illustrated by him soaking up every last bit of applause after the match last night.

We’ve already seen plenty to adore from Szoboszlai, so just imagine how much more he’ll captivate Liverpool supporters between now and when his current contract expires in 2028 (and hopefully beyond!).

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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‘Could hint’: Liverpool journo’s injury theory would be update every fan feared

Farrell Keeling — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 18:21:58 +0000

The total absence of Joe Gomez from the Liverpool squad set to face Leicester City in the Carabao Cup could represent a bad omen for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

More specifically, a worrying indication that Trent Alexander-Arnold may not yet be ready to start for the Reds in their next fixture – a trip to London to face Ange Postecoglu’s high-flying Tottenham side.

“Nights off altogether for Alisson, Joe Gomez, Andy Robertson, and Mohamed Salah,” Theo Squires wrote in the Echo’s live matchday blog.

“When you can still call upon Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Virgil van Dijk, in reserve, Liverpool should have more than enough to get the job done tonight.

“Gomez’s absence is interesting though. He’s had a great start to the season, but could hint that Trent Alexander-Arnold isn’t necessarily going to be fit to start away at Spurs this weekend.”

It has yet to be confirmed by the club if this theory is anywhere near close to the truth, though it’s also worth bearing in mind that the 26-year-old isn’t the only notable admission from the matchday squad.

The No.66 had recently returned to training after making progress in his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained in the 3-0 win over Aston Villa.

Another absence ahead of our clash with Spurs at the weekend would be a big blow, especially bearing in mind how tough a game it looks from the outset.

To be completely fair to our backup options, however, Gomez has performed outstandingly well despite the absence of our first-choice right-back and Virgil van Dijk prior to our 3-1 win over West Ham United.

There’s no question we’ll be rejoicing at the potential sight of Trent back in action at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, though no one should be throwing toys out of the pram should our No.2 be asked to slot into the backline once more.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Liverpool’s challenge before January transfer window, mentality monsters back? Reds player ‘hung out to dry’ and much more!

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Liverpool midfielder spotted ‘limping’ to hand Reds another injury concern as Klopp responds with half-time substitution

Farrell Keeling — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 15:20:32 +0000

Liverpool may have another injury concern to contend with after the Echo’s Theo Squires spotted Harvey Elliott ‘limping a little’ after being substituted at the half-time break.

The reporter shared the update on Twitter as Fabio Carvalho was given the nod to come onto the pitch in his fellow former Fulham Academy graduate’s place.

Fabio Carvalho on at the break. For Harvey Elliott. He's limping a little as he takes his seat on the bench.#LIVBOU #LFC https://t.co/j29Mo5Ovk7

— Theo Squires (@TheoSquiresECHO) August 27, 2022

The teenager enjoyed a stellar first-half at Anfield, contributing his first Premier League goal as part of a five-goal 45-minute demolition job of Scott Parker’s men.

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Liverpool can ill afford another midfield injury whilst Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remain sidelined

With a handful of injuries to contend with, a further addition to the injury room would represent horrific timing for us amid what has been a stunning performance against Scott Parker’s Bournemouth side (at the time of writing).

Given that no further precautions have been taken to protect the player, it would be unwise to assume the worst just yet, though we’ll certainly be keeping our fingers crossed for a positive update from Jurgen Klopp after the tie.

After a superb start to the season, it would be extremely cruel to see Elliott subjected to another injury blow in a repeat of his misfortune from the prior campaign.

EOTK Insider Opinion: 76% of fans want Liverpool to sell Naby Keïta after transfer bombshell dropped – but Jürgen Klopp would be insane to let him go

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‘Got carried away’ – Klopp explains unique post-match reaction after six-goal Leeds thumping

Farrell Keeling — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 22:28:14 +0000

Jurgen Klopp was positively ecstatic after Liverpool’s six-goal demolition job of Leeds United, and understandably so.

The German explained he got a little ‘carried away’ with his fist-pump celebration at the full-time whistle, however, in a reaction that may have been more tempered had he taken a breather, as relayed in a tweet by Theo Squires.

Jurgen Klopp on celebration at FT: If it was 10 seconds later I wouldn't have done it. I got get carried away. I really love how the whole stadium responded tonight. I couldn't be more grateful for the support of the people.#LFC #LIVLEE

— Theo Squires (@TheoSquiresECHO) February 23, 2022

The Reds’ result sees them move up to within three points distance away from Premier League leaders Manchester City.

Whilst our head coach may feel that he let his emotions get the better of him, few could blame the 54-year-old for embracing the elated feeling inside Anfield at full-time.

With our upcoming League Cup final meeting with Chelsea just around the corner, it was the perfect result and performance from the side ahead of another pivotal fixture at the weekend.

We’ve passed the first major test of the second-half of our season, and another top-class performance against the Blues could give us that extra boost needed to deliver our best in the remaining competitions.

#Ep35 of The Red Nets Podcast (Special Edition): Who from an all-time Liverpool XI would break into Klopp’s legacy XI?

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