Liverpool legend John Aldridge has claimed that the boos following Saturday’s Anfield draw with Chelsea are a fair reflection of a poor season for the Reds and the outcome of their dismal title defence.
Not even the guarantee of Champions League football for next season after the 1-1 result was enough to convince Aldridge of the need for anything other than a Liverpool overhaul in the summer.
Writing in his regular column, carried online by the Irish Independent website, Aldridge echoed the feelings of many Liverpool supporters who can’t wait for the season to end.
He wrote: “Boos at full-time tell the story and the jury is still out for Arne Slot and many of his players ahead of a summer which is likely to bring another overhaul.
“Even though Champions League football will be back on the agenda next season, this will be remembered as a very disappointing season for Arne Slot and his players.
“The 1-1 draw against Chelsea was the latest example of a team failing to make the most of the momentum they should have got from a fine early goal from Ryan Gravenberch.
“In the end, they didn’t seem to have the will to push for a winning goal in the closing stages and the jeers at the end were not just about this one game at the end of the season.
“The jury is very much out on Slot and a lot of these players, as they have come up short far too often this season and it might be hard to get some of the fans back onside.”
Aldridge added: “Liverpool have lost 18 football matches this season, and when I look back at a season that can’t end soon enough, it’s hard to take too many positives.
“We can’t blame injuries for the problems the team has had this season, and while there have been plenty of dubious refereeing decisions going against Liverpool, that can’t be an excuse either.
“We can look back to last summer and question whether the club made too many signings after winning last season’s Premier League, with Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz not living up to their billing so far.
“I would still back them both to shine at Liverpool as they are excellent players, but some of the other signings have not performed and you could also question the decisions to sell some players.”
American centre-back Auston Trusty is ready for the fight as Celtic face into the two games that will decide their season and their title hopes - away to Motherwell on Wednesday night and home to leaders Hearts on Saturday.
The big defender has told the Daily Record that the Fir Park clash will hold no fears for the Bhoys in the first of those two games as he looks to set up another magical day out for the Celtic faithful come Saturday.
Hearts, who host Falkirk on Wednesday night, remain the favourites for the title but Trusty believes Sunday’s Old Firm victory against Rangers and the atmosphere that afternoon can inspire Martin O’Neill’s side.
Trusty said: “I don’t think we’ve ever stopped believing. I think we’ve always had the mindset that it’s been within our grasp. But with the momentum we have now, I would say it can be really magical.
“That atmosphere, it’s everything. It’s everything we need. We think we need to do our part, but as an organisation, as a club, everyone’s playing a part - and the fans, definitely, truly played a part in this win against Rangers. This is the best atmosphere I’ve ever played in.
“Obviously Champions League nights here are incredible, but that atmosphere was insane. The Champions League is hard to beat. But it’s definitely up there. It’s just great. It was so insane it really helped us. But we need to get there.
“We play a game on Wednesday and hopefully we do our thing and set ourselves up for the final game. But we just need to take it game by game.”
West Ham will contact referees’ body the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) over their late equaliser being disallowed against Arsenal.
And Irish legend Shay Given has suggested Arsenal haven’t been afraid to dish it out in the opposition penalty box themselves this season as the VAR controversy continues over the disallowed Callum Wilson equaliser at West Ham on Sunday.
Given’s remarks have been included in a BBC Sport report which states that West Ham will seek an explanation around the VAR review which resulted in the goal being ruled out for a foul by Pablo on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
The BBC report also says that West Ham will raise concerns and request further explanation from PGMO following the controversial decision as well as seeking the audio between referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR Darren England.
Former Newcastle and Ireland goalkeeper Given meanwhile joined the debate in his role as a pundit on Match of the Day:
The Donegal native said: “The thing that grates [on] me is we have seen on numerous occasions with Arsenal this season, goalkeepers and defenders getting blocked off and the goal stands.
“Everyone is frustrated about the consistency of the refereeing decision. Why are some goals allowed to stand and this was disallowed? There is so much at stake at the bottom of the league and the very top.
“The other thing is Gabriel is holding, Odegaard is holding, Trossard is holding before the foul even happens on Raya. When does the referee decide that’s the foul he wants to pick and not the previous foul?”
Cork born teenage strike prospect Jaden Umeh won’t make his Ireland debut against Grenada this Saturday after his club Benfica withdrew from the squad currently attending a training camp in Spain.
The Lisbon giants have told Umeh he must stay in Portugal as they look to qualify for the UEFA Youth League and there is nothing the FAI or Irish manager Heimir Hallgrimsson can do about it.
Hallgrimsson had included the Ireland Under 21 forward in his squad for the training camp in Murcia, a closed doors game against a local side on Tuesday and Saturday’s friendly against Grenada.
But as this camp falls outside the official UEFA international window, Benfica are fully within their rights to keep Umeh in Portugal according to a report on the RTE Sport website.
Ireland boss Hallgrimsson said: “Benfica are still fighting in their Under-19s to be in the UEFA Youth League. The plan was for them to have secured that by now, but unfortunately, results this weekend didn’t go their way, so Jaden still has one more game to play.
“We knew beforehand that this was a possibility, even if it was unlikely. It is unlucky for him that the results went that way, as we were looking forward to working with him, but we understand the club’s position and will have to wait for a future window to bring him into the environment.”
Umeh starred for Ireland at the Under 17 World Cup in the UAE late last year and has featured for Jim Crawford’s Irish Under 21 side already this season.
Cork City have quit the X platform according to a report in the Irish Examiner which outlines how the decision was taken following toxic online reaction to the recent launch of a ‘rainbow’ third kit.
The paper reports that, in its ‘final’ post on the network, City announced on Monday that “X is no longer for us.”
The report adds that City launched a new third kit last month which features a rainbow design in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Some of the reaction online has shocked the club who said: “Over the last while, like many others, we have noticed a significant increase in discriminatory and abusive language on X.
”While differing opinions should and will always be heard, they cross the line when they are intolerant and downright offensive. We have a duty of care to our players, our staff, our supporters and the wider community, and it is a responsibility that we do not take lightly.
“As a result of this, we have decided that X is no longer for us.”
