Welcome to Issue 285 of Red All Over The Land.
I’m not going to say too much about what happened in Paris as I wasn’t there, so I’ve left it to those who were, and it gets plenty of coverage in this issue. All I will say is that the French Government, the French Police and UEFA should be ashamed of how they all tried to deflect blame for their brainless incompetence.
Just a brief word as well about last season. A season where Liverpool was involved in every trophy available right until the very final second. The two trophies we won, albeit on penalties surely made the season a success. The fact we reached three Cup finals and failed to score in any of them was used as a stick to beat us with but in two of those finals we came up against inspired goalkeeping. I felt by Paris, we’d long ran out of fuel. If we win two trophies again in 22/23, I will be more than happy.
Mo has finally signed that new contract. What Mo Salah has done for Liverpool is unmeasurable and what Liverpool has done for Mo Salah is equally unmeasurable. It would appear common sense prevailed. The good thing is he is with us for at least another three years so if any club tries to prise him away, the transfer fee has just gone up!
Sadio Mané left saying he wanted a fresh challenge. Well, he’s almost guaranteed a German League title so I can’t really see that as too much of a challenge. He was one of the best players to play for Liverpool in recent times, but he’s gone now, and it’s Liverpool who have the fresh challenge, a far bigger one than Sadio faces.
We can assume Darwin Nunez is his replacement and we’ve seen his ability close-up. I’m sure it will be pointed out, if it hasn’t already been, the Premier League is a different proposition to anything he’s played in previously, but he will be working with Jürgen Klopp and in Jürgen we have faith.
The other two signings, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsey are teenagers and could be listed under ‘Ones for the future’ but that tag always reminds me of Le Boss and his little gems. Patience is required from all sides. One thing however, it is now time for some of the younger players to show what they have. Curtis Jones being one and Harvey Elliott another. It’s time for Curtis to prove his worth, our midfield is getting long in the tooth, and this is surely a make-or-break season for Curtis. Regarding Harvey Elliott we need to find out if that horrific injury last season has had any long-standing effect. His Liverpool career restarts now. If he can be the player he seemed to be before that Leeds game, then we’re in for a treat but again, patience is required.
Red All Over The Land is now approaching its 27th anniversary. How much longer can it last? At my age you can’t look too far ahead but I do have a target of reaching Issue 300 and if that happens it will be a bonus. Last season was a tough one on the Fanzine front with restrictions all over the place following Covid and NFC was a pain at the start. Throw in some lousy weather as well. However, towards the end of the season things improved and hopefully the first few months of the new season will see that continue.
Only then we have the stupidity of a winter World Cup. That won’t involve Mo nor Andy Robertson and ideally if England and Brazil can see their way to getting knocked out early then that would be fine. I doubt it will happen because the way FIFA construct the World Cup now getting knocked out isn’t easy. I’ve seen a fair bit from official sources, including England players about the moral issue of playing the World Cup in Qatar. If countries genuinely want to make a statement, like they have tried to do with Russia, simply don’t go! Rocket science not required.
JJP: To those who sneered after we had a homecoming in May, “Don’t criticise what you don’t understand.”