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[Klopp is super when he has all players flying fit however question marks remain as to why he didnt build a squad rather than a first 11.]

Pep has spent an insane amount of money however how he has been able to keep all players fresh, hungry and HAPPY is testament to him.

Obviously the CL is still the blot on the copybook but he will give it a big rattle this season.

Klopp is super when he has all players flying fit however question marks remain as to why he didnt build a squad rather than a first 11.

Its clearly money. Liverpool can't afford world-class back-ups in most positions.

FSG want the club to be self-sustaining.

The Suarez and Coutinho money allowed them to build a top-two English (and arguably European) team under those conditions without having to cash in on other top players (Michael Edwards squeezing other clubs helped too!).

With FFP gone and now COVID, who knows where it will end up in a few years once the current team passes it's sell-by date.

There no different from the Glazers although they are more competent. Klopp has performed miracles, if you'd have been told he'd have spent what he has back when he first took the job but he'd end up winning the title and CL and wasn't far off winning both again I'd have laughed especially the way he had Liverpool playing. He's the best manager of his generation and he must be very frustrated he's not backed the way he should be.

City will go out this summer and buy a top centre forward, very had to compete with that.

To say he's the best manager of his generation. I think your hatred of City clouds your judgement here - in no way does Klopp come close to some other managers in terms of trophies won. If that is our barometer in that respect, Klopp is nowhere near Guardiola for example.

Klopp is a great motivator, tactically I'm not totally sold on him (but we'll see in the next 6 - 12 months what he's made of now, I think Pep has proved the more innovative with regards to the Covid situation and work load on players) but there's a lot made of management, the players are the ones take the pitch and Klopp can get 101% out of players that we didn't know had it. Robertson, Wijnaldum would be two I'd say Klopp made from average enough to genuine class. I think that is Klopps biggest strength.

No doubt that he is a quality manager. He has taken Liverpool to heights that nobody thought possible - but then again, Brendan Rodgers was arguably pretty close to that too and for some reason Liverpool fans have no real love for him. Why Liverpool aren't backing him? Who knows - but the title is always harder to retain, history has shown only the best managers of modern times retain the Premier League. Klopp is getting more and more aggressive as the weeks go on in interviews. I think the tide will turn against him soon if he continues that, the media will turn on him. If he doesn't arrest the current slide I actually can see him leaving soon (especially if the owners don't back him big in summer). It doesn't look like the money is there and at the minute he doesn't even look happy.

only 95% effective? Benny check the effective % for the flu each year and how effective vaccines was on previous viruses to see how remarkable it is to have one with 95%.

I think the legal minimum requirement is 50% isn't it?

[As for Kinahan, I'm sure that most of what is said is true but the argumentative side of me is saying that he has been convicted of nothing and if he really is what he is accused of being, then it shouldn't be too hard to prove, yet the authorities can't.]

Khan actually really is dumb, still can't get over the Joshua accusations.  As for Kinahan, I'm sure that most of what is said is true but the argumentative side of me is saying that he has been convicted of nothing and if he really is what he is accused of being, then it shouldn't be too hard to prove, yet the authorities can't.

Well legally, yes. You are right, he probably should under normal circumstances be allowed to work under the presumption of "innocent until proven guilty".

But you have to imagine it's because they can't bring a case that size, against someone like that until it's completely water tight. Someone like Kinahan will have the best legal team available, money will be no object - they could and will find a loophole to bring the whole thing down easily I would say.

In Kinahans case, innocent until proven guilty is a loophole he's exploiting but everyone who has stepped foot in Dublin knows who he is and what he helped do.

[The remaining 20% will he a hard group to target and the minority who aggressively peddle an anti-vac stance will also be more aggressive in their stance.]

The Vaccine take up will be a worry when it's starts to roll out more and there will be resist to it. I also feel there will be enough good reason for the soft 20% to follow through and get it. The remaining 20% will he a hard group to target and the minority who aggressively peddle an anti-vac stance will also be more aggressive in their stance.

The take up here and abroad, with some European countries like France and Italy showing even higher levels of take up, will be key and why they are looking to global roll out and collective approach. Some
Commentary that UK moving too quick but could equally Stevie EU moving far too slow for whatever reason and their seem to be several eg delay in orders/approval, supply, roll out strategy.

On zero covid, my preferred would be to aggressively pursue it but that will take a severe hard lockdown before international travel restrictions and whatever about government having ambition for that, I don't enough people have at this stage. The Northern border is one thing but we've a short sea/land border to UK and Europe and it would seem very difficult to close this off. On paper it seems easy but such are the transport and work corridors in place, it's a big task to manage and enforce.

Our personal 5km border is very very suspect at present. We see the numbers happy to travel overseas are taking the €500 fine and continuing the journey, it's even more at local level with €100 fine and in most cases a chance to just turn round and try a different route to destination.

That is a high percentage. It can't be anywhere near that. Most people I've interacted with from many age ranges are all pretty much "If it gets it back to normal, why not".

[A bit of soul searching is required as to how clubs and unions are producing an endless supply of 18 stone tanks.]

Rugby is doomed in its current guise. It will be uninsurable.

The quickest fix rugby can make is to widen the pitch by 10-15m, thereby realigning the need for agility, and territorial kicking, as much as power.

The second and more important fix is to go over the top in identifying then outlawing any form of performance enhancing drug, then hand out lifetime bans for anyone guilty. A bit of soul searching is required as to how clubs and unions are producing an endless supply of 18 stone tanks.

It's easy to get to 18stone. It's not easy to get to 18stone and move.

The country as a whole was well able to get the lid and contain on this thing last summer. There wasn't a bit of it about.

The North regularly had 0 deaths per day for about 3-4 months.

We should have capitalised then when it was manageable.

Boxing and MMA is still going.....why not? Actually there is a bit of a rise in bare knuckle boxing right now in the states. It will be interesting to see just how far that goes.

I can see them restricting certain aspects of youth Rugby in the future though.

That's true but is MMA only allowed in certain countries and am I right in saying that it is banned in a number of US states?

I don't think it's banned in any US states now. But there was at a time a problem with New York. But they did that there awhile ago. I can't say I know too much about it - in the crazy old days, there was definitely some bans but it's fairly mainstream now.

Boxing and MMA is still going.....why not? Actually there is a bit of a rise in bare knuckle boxing right now in the states. It will be interesting to see just how far that goes.

I can see them restricting certain aspects of youth Rugby in the future though.

[I'd rate Klopp as the better manager.]

Liverpool deserve some criticism although as funny as it is its well over the top, even with the injuries to the centre half's they should have more points.

Klopp must look at the way City have backed Pep enviously, he inherited a brilliant squad and still went out and spent nearly £800m on players. They've 2 top players for every position, spent over £500 along on keepers and defenders. Nobody else can cope with that.

Well done to Pep though, tactically they've changed and there system is less demanding on the players which off course is a huge benefit when there's games every days.

In fairness to City also, some players forms have been through the roof lately, Foden, Stones and Gundogan have played at a higher tempo, they are driving on a team missing two top stars also..

Pep is in a good position with the money behind him in every club he's been involved with, lets see him at Newcastle with their budget or Brighton

Or Celtic.

Peps probably had the strongest squad in Europe since he started out in management, he's had a lot going in his favour. I'd rate Klopp as the better manager.

Still in the air, Klopp is now under real pressure and his team look out on their feet - he done the same at Dortmund too remember.

Can he adjust his tactics / team like Guardiola has or is it 100mph or nothing?

[City 1/11]

Oddschecker EPL Outright best odds:

City 1/11
United 26/1
Liverpool 40/1

Some bookies should start paying out soon I'd imagine

Guardiola was written royally off in these pages, even so far back as a few months ago.

No your workplace can be contacted by track and trace, it's happened to someone I know.....(yes I know.....)

Oh he went for it alright.....

It was just something at the end of the game. The red card was the key. Burns should learn from it. Ireland will have a problem going forward if he doesn't because they were never winning this six nations anyway, even though maybe they should be beating Wales at present.....but it's time to look at the next one, then the World Cup really.

An elimination strategy in tandem with mass vaccinations is the only way to go with this disease

We've had a year of it now and the evidence is comprehensive

Letting it spread produces new variants and there is a risk a supervariant could emerge which has us back to square one

That risk exists because it has been let spread

It is frankly shocking and abominable that people are still proposing half measures, the exact same things which have failed over and over again

The failure of track and trace by any country in the West really, has been absolutely unforgiveable. Obviously no government will admit it's failure but I do not accept the blame for the spread of this disease like we get weekly from Stormont when they have completely and utterly failed on this.  It's high time they were held to account.

Ah Billy what have you done 🤦🏼‍♂️🤦🏼‍♂️

Taken the heat off O'Mahony, that's what he's done!

He had to go for it.

How are you lads still having the same row every day for about 6 weeks now. Angelo is leading you to the river and making you drink