Standouts emerge from a season of relentless excellence
As the ultimate echoes of pyro fade into Anfield’s purple mist, the dialog turns inevitably from celebration to recognition. On The Media Issues Podcast from Anfield Index, Dave Davis and journalist Lewis Steele picked aside which Liverpool gamers would possibly earn their place within the Premier League’s workforce of the 12 months.
Steele, who has lined each match this season, was unequivocal on sure names. “Salah and Van Dijk undoubtedly in there,” he declared. “I feel you might in all probability say the identical about Gravenberch simply because he’s been so good. He’s performed, he’s began each sport.”
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In a marketing campaign outlined by tactical sharpness and emotional depth, it’s no shock that a number of Liverpool gamers are in competition. Steele didn’t hesitate to place ahead a fourth title: “I’d argue that Mac Allister ought to be in there.”
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Reward earned the onerous manner
Recognition, nevertheless, shouldn’t be about sentiment. It’s about contribution. Steele defined his reasoning with methodical equity: “I principally attempt to not give a ten as a result of I all the time suppose which means they’ll’t get any higher… so I gave Salah and Van Dijk a 9.5.”
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There was room too for measured reward. “Alisson has bailed them out numerous instances,” he stated. “Gravenberch has been completely excellent, Mac Allister the identical, Konaté…” It was an inventory as spectacular for its depth as for its breadth.
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Steele was candid about those that could miss out. “I can’t see Robertson getting in… Diaz or Gakpo simply because they’ve been a bit inconsistent.” However the listing of credible candidates from Liverpool speaks volumes a few aspect that didn’t stumble into the title—it marched in direction of it.
Sensible ambitions, deserving candidates
The podcast supplied one thing not typically present in official shortlists—context. Take Steele’s evaluation of Darwin Núñez: “Sure, he’s been fairly unhealthy, however with out his objectives at Brentford… I began to actually suppose, yeah, these are champions within the making.”
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Even marginal instances have been dissected with readability. “Endo bought a great mark as a result of it’s all relative actually. He’s come on and seen out video games,” Steele famous. The narrative wasn’t about massive names however about gamers doing their job at crucial moments.
Slot’s fingerprints on each nomination
Underlying all of the participant reward was an acknowledgement of the construction behind the success. “Slot ought to win supervisor of the season,” stated Steele, noting contributions from different bosses however giving the sting to Liverpool’s relentless evolution beneath the Dutchman.
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As Davis summarised, “I feel Liverpool ought to have no less than 4, perhaps 5 within the workforce actually.” For as soon as, this isn’t partisan hype—it’s grounded within the work, the information, the output.
In a season the place narratives have typically overtaken nuance, The Media Issues Podcast supplied a grounded, detailed argument for why so many of those Liverpool gamers have earned their place among the many league’s elite.