I wouldn’t assume to talk for Neil and he doesn’t need folk on RAWK to be his gatekeeper, but I sense that he’s pursuing a line that is essentially one of anti-hysterical. Now and always, Neil treads a path that is opposed to dramatic opinions and hot takes. He’s not into throwing players under a bus; never has been. Indeed, he often does the opposite. He finds positives in the bad times. He sees the light when all around him feel dull. This is probably a professional decision - heading up a fan media operation brings certain responsibilities and he has the opportunity to set a tone that may be antithetical to virtually all around him. Accentuating the good amongst the sadness.
I see a virtue in this. My perspective is that Neil is railing against the tidal wave of over emotional lads who take to their mobile phones and give appallingly negative energy to any setback. Neil’s not having it. He’s not accepting the “Klopp’s been great … but…” crap that we’re seeing emerging. He’s not going along with some hysterical notion that Salah is ‘done’. He’s standing up to the large proportion of the fanbase who seem to operate with the sense of catastrophe about to happen.
I believe this is his own editorial choice. He suspects most (well some) fans can’t at all handle slumps, defeats, cup exits etc so he’s presenting himself as a protector of sanity by utterly disengaging with such unhinged lunacy.
That’s not to suggest last night was any way good; it’s more a case that it’s not representative of some disastrous decline. There’s a league to be won and all anyone can do is predict failure. Neil’s not having it and fair play to him.
Sorry, I'm just not having this. Neil has often slaughtered the players, usually when it's justified to be fair. But sometimes when it isn't. For example, I vividly remember a Pink where we'd drawn against Chelsea in 2017, and Neil absolutely lambasted the result and performance. As though it was completely unacceptable to not beat the reigning champions at home.
And anyway, you're missing my point - I didn't need him to slaughter the players or the manager on Thursday either. I just thought the "everyone should relax" message and telling us how well so many played was a bit weird and didn't at all tally with what I saw. Thursday to me wasn't a time I was angry at the players or manager - I actually felt sorry for them and for everyone. I really just thought it was a very sad, deflating end to the era of Klopp’s Liverpool in Europe. But instead the mood was almost having a laugh and saying it's all fine.
There doesn't have to be anger, there doesn't have to be catastrophising, but I just expect the chat to reflect the game. A very sad end of a certain chapter and another game with a concerning lack of energy.
I'd be in violent agreement with Neil roughly 90% of the time, but this was a case where I genuinely wondered if we'd seen the same game. I still think it was pretty weird. Like he was determined to say "we're all having a lovely time". I mean, he probably was and good for him, but I don't think most fans enjoyed much about Thursday.