Stato
Well-known member
- Dec 21, 2011
- 6,607
Wouldn't entertainment at half time make it more apparent that there isn't any either side of it?
Klopp's post match press conference. Matt Lorenzo's last question at 7:18 asked about Potter. He said that he hoped we knew what we had in Potter. Then he said that 'What is it 5 losses in a row? Eh, that's the Premier League. That can happen'* He didn't deny that we have problems, but he provided an expert view that isn't inspired by the hurt we feel, and that presumably prompted this thread.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYzsvDhCfos
Of course a comment like this is usually followed by someone posting that the manager in question has an agenda, or that it suits him for Potter to stay because he loses to Liverpool. Our EPL record against Klopp's Liverpool:
Before Potter - Played 4 lost 4, Goals for 1, Goals against 11;
Since Potter - Played 6 lost 3, Drawn 2, Won 1, Goals for 6, Goals against 10.
We're hurting. The frustration is through the roof. Let's be cleared eyed about this though. Although we might not want to admit it, that is what it will always be like for a smallish club trying to compete with giants. We have been among the relegation favourites at the beginning of every season except perhaps this one, and we have beaten the odds and stayed in the division for five seasons. Look at estimated salaries: https://www.spotrac.com/epl/payroll/
2017/18 - We were 17th in Estimated total salary budget, finished 15th
2018/19 - 17th in budget, finished 17th
2019/20 - 16th in budget, finished 15th
2020/21 - 15th in budget, finished 16th
2021/22 - 15th in budget, currently 13th
No other team has been in the bottom 6 for wages spend for every one of the last five seasons without being relegated. We have beaten the odds because our owner has a plan, because he signs personnel on and off the pitch who buy into that plan and because he generally recruits the right people. Graham Potter is very much one of the right people. This doesn't mean that there won't be periods when we struggle to get results against those who have a financial advantage over us. Potter's way of trying to beat the odds may be prettier, but it will at times be just as belief sapping as Chris Hughton's was. As Klopp says 'Eh, that's the Premier League. Anyone voting to sack him must presumably believe that there is another manager around who could solve all of the problems and not create new ones. There isn't. The problems are inherent in our situation and, despite sharing the dread that most feel whenever a home game approaches, I can't blame the players or the manager for this.
*- Even to him. Our win at Anfield last year was the first in a run of four successive EPL losses for Liverpool. That run saw them lose 6 out of 7 league games, beating only Sheffield United.
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