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 game The first half performance Lot of gaps still in midfield and defence? The goal - Jacquet not following VVD’s lead Forest - lot of long balls Unlucky with the Wirtz ‘goal’ Second half More intense, Forest created little in this half - goal at 60 perfect timing The penalty? The lack of awareness and the foul throw The changes - Rio, Gravenberch, Nyoni Munoz goal - Wirtz pass Overall: 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 Away What do we know, think and hope? Team selection How will the game play out? Predictions Bradley Barcola Bajcetic to Celta Vigo Squad 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 game The performance Koumas, Munoz Midfield - and the defence - Kerkez, Virgil Keep it quiet the first 15. The long balls….. Imbalance of the attack? Gakpo, Rio, Wirtz and Isak The result Difficult away? Level for maybe 8 minutes Part Two - Nottingham Forest at home What do we know, think and hope? Team selection How will the game play out? Predictions We 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-season Pre-season games Yankee stadium experience The defeats? Squad building…Team feels short on players Iraola’s approach - greater intensity Midfield Attack Defence Part Two - Newcastle away What do we know, think and hope? Team selection How will the game play out? Predictions We 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 arrives Let’s start with Slot - won a title, unbelievable adversity to deal with The underlying numbers were referenced James 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 games Lot of hype already around Iraola: Good points - style of football, he’s not Dutch Concerns - always for an underdog team The recruitment - obviously our bench was limited for large parts of the season Looking forward to the season: Pre-season in a month What 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 Villa Team 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 injury In 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 Allister Some poor individual moments (Chiesa’s offside trap, is he really Italian?) More set piece woes James Pearce trying to buy favor with the naysayers Part Two - Brentford at home: Then there is the negativity surrounding the team Mo Salah’s unhelpful intervention Xabi Alonso gone as an option, the current feelings about Arne Slot Training and rest days Style 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 noise Who 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