First State Kopites

First_State_Kopites
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Soccer
  • Updated Weekly

We are members of OLSC Delaware - the First State's home for supporters of the Mighty Liverpool FC. We talk Liverpool FC with well known Liverpool fans, members of other supporters clubs and we generally have fun chatting about the Reds. The opinions are our own.

  1. 1d ago

    Is this different yet or is it just the same as last season?

    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

  2. Aug 28

    How are we under pressure already? S8 E2

    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

  3. Aug 22

    Welcome to the Andoni Iraola era S8 E1

    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

  4. Jun 13

    Thank you Arne Slot, we’ll always have 20. S7 E39

    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

  5. May 21

    Falling over the line to get Champions League S7 E38

    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

  6. May 1

    Next up United - let’s show up with our best selves S7 E37

    Welcome to the latest episode, going to look at Sunday’s match at Old Trafford and then look at where the team is, in the light of this week’s Champions League semi-finals. I’m Paul, joined by Daz and Justin. Part One: Facing this Manchester United Team selection Anticipation of how the game plays out United were overwhelmed by Leeds 2 weeks ago in the first half (conceded 2 goals). They came out and pressed really intently for 10 minutes against Brentford (had chances and scored from one of them). Defence looks very open - in each of their last 3 matches. Know, think, hope? That 3-0 win last year seems a long time ago.  September 1 2024. Two Lucho goals and one Salah goal. Part Two - Everything else: Just seen the 2 Champions League semi-finals Take aways - is defence over-rated? Speed kills. Luis Diaz What’s been going on tactically this season: OK we don’t have that many good players yet Slot is still to blame for not getting more out of them? Which is it? Midfield gaps out of possession, inability to stretch the pitch in possession. Absence of coaching and training 3 games left - Villa either at 12.30 on a Sunday or 8pm on a Friday - WTF We will be back after the United game, hopefully with a good result to discuss. 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

  7. Apr 29

    Three straight league wins - but the narrative seems already set S7 E36

    Welcome to the latest episode, after a quieter week. Into the one game a week pattern now. Nice (comfortable?) win over Palace in the Anfield sunshine. I’m Paul, joined by Daz and Sean. Part One: Liverpool 3, Crystal Palace 1 Palace continue to be a difficult team to play against - and they were at full strength. Although our record against them since 2017-18 is 13W, 3D and 2 losses in the league. Midfield - Allowed Adam Wharton too much space in segments of this game. Still leaving a lot of space in the middle of the field. But we did have an outball plan with the long ball to Cody Gakpo’s head. The Curtis experiment continues to yield results Bright spots from Wirtz and Isak? Freddie Woodman and Andy Robertson - good vibes. The coverage of this game infuriated one of us. I am personally irritated by Glasner. Either Palace caused us immense problems - look at the xG! 1.14 to 2.26. Palace aren’t that bothered by the league game which is why this poor Liverpool team won this one. The response to the Palace goal… Virg and Ibou should have done more! Not one acknowledgement of us being one goal away from going 3rd (including Fulham - Villa where Martin Tyler was trying to magic up an equalizer for Villa). Part Two - Everything else: Us for Champions League - 5 points from 4 games will do it. No Salah. Need Gomez to push Curtis and Dom into midfield? United, Chelsea, Villa and Brentford to go United 2 points from clinching UCL. Looked really convincing against Brentford for about 10 minutes. ‘Scouse buster’ read one of their new flags. Arsenal and Spurs - they both play quite shit football don’t they? Reporting on referee watch - no one seems to have called out the selectivity and bias.. Arteta gets to complain about 2 red cards in a week and funnily doesn’t mention the Gabriel headbutt Moyes goes on about 2 penalties in a week (including the Garner crumple in the Derby) and somehow misses another Pickford assault on an opposition playerWe will be back before the United game, yes later this week - with a preview of that one. Thanks to Sean 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

  8. Apr 23

    Divock Origi vibes as the Reds win the first derby at the Hill-Dicko S7 E35

    Welcome to the latest episode, after a big week. Tough Champions League loss, but then there was a 100th minute winner from big Virg in the Merseyside Derby. Disappointment about the result against PSG maybe not the performance, complete joy about the win at the Hill-Dicko whatever the performance. I’m Paul, joined by Daz and Enrique. Part One: PSG at Anfield, Everton in their new stadium PSG - for 20 minutes, it felt like we had them on the ropes Team selection drew lots of criticism Not clinical enough as has been the criticism all season? The penalty a turning point? The limits of Jeremy Frimpong and Georgi Marmadashvili Everton  xG 1.45 to 0.79 2 big chances one missed by us to 2 missed by them. There was a determination about this performance Blues wilted - big expectations couldn’t match the ‘hex’ Funny to see their fans say that they were much better than us but at the same time explaining the loss because we had match winners. No shots after 70 minutes Went for it in the last 20. 6th 90th minute winner against the Blues of the PL era (most) Curtis performance, Cody, Florian and Mo Part Two: One game a week, next up Crystal Palace: CP - 3rd best defensive record in the league, but maybe an eye on Thursday European semi final. Looks like they would lose to West Ham but in the end probably did enough to win. Injuries will impact selection, but we’ve got a week on the training ground to look at tactics. Glasner thinks he owns Slot… Somehow we are 6-1-2 in our last 9 league games Part Three: Wider context 5 points clear of 6th with 5 to play - 4 to play for Brighton and Chelsea  Villa and United play each other - not that either of them are pulling up trees. Chelsea in early May. Will they have made a managerial change?  Looking ahead: Ibou close to resigningWe will be back after the Palace game. 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

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

We are members of OLSC Delaware - the First State's home for supporters of the Mighty Liverpool FC. We talk Liverpool FC with well known Liverpool fans, members of other supporters clubs and we generally have fun chatting about the Reds. The opinions are our own.

Information

  • Creator
    First_State_Kopites
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    246
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © First_State_Kopites
  • Show Website
    First State Kopites