All four goals can be at least partially attributed to [he was at least partly responsible for all 4 goals] him and his completely uncanny knack [mysterious ability] for allowing players to get goal side of him. Time and again he stood and watched as players nipped [nimbly ran] in front of him as crosses [balls kicked from one side] came in, and it’s hard to believe this man has been playing professional football at a good level, let alone being capped [it is even more hard to believe that he has been capped by Italy] by Italy.

He’s been poor so far in his time at Anfield, and if I’m honest I was worried about him from the very first time I saw him play as he looks overweight and vulnerable [strikers do not find it difficult to pass him] defensively. However, you have to allow players time to settle and I don’t like writing players off before they’ve been given a proper chance. He’s come to a new country, different style of football etc but enough is enough now, this performance was like watching a train wreck unfold [develop] before your eyes.

I heard several weeks ago that Rafa had realised [understood] fairly quickly that he’d bought a dud [ineffective thing], and that we would be looking for someone to take him off our hands [buy him as a favour] as soon as possible. Maybe he needs to have a word with the man who recommended him, as we paid £7m for this guy. Seven *** million quid. [pounds] He’s enough to make me pine [feel nostalgic] for Riise, and that in itself is pretty damning [negative].

One of the big problems at Liverpool right now is that players are not picked based on form [how well they are playing at the moment]. They are picked because there’s a pecking order [a hierarchy of favoured players], and also because Rafa doesn’t let form influence his choices at all. It’s often said he sees players as chess pieces [pieces in the game of chess, i.e. not as humans, but as parts of his strategy], and this game was a classic example of that.

Take Damian Plessis. Please! Seriously, Plessis is living off [dependent on his debut at Arsenal for his good reputation] his debut at Arsenal last season. He was brilliant that day, and overall [in summary] he had a good season for the reserves last year. Yet since then he has done nothing for the first team, and he’s been shite in most reserve games. Yet his status in the squad remains unchanged, he plays regardless of form. His performance last night mirrored [was a copy of] what he’s been doing all season, so we shouldn’t be surprised by it.

 

The words, sentences who are in italic are the words/sentences I didn't understand well. Can someone here help me with that?

 

”

What do you think of Liverpool so far this season?

All the best,

MrP

Hello D&L,

"Shite" is a northern English variant on "shit". "He plays regardless of form", in this context, means "he is (always) selected for the team, whether he has played well in recent games or played badly".

Best wishes,

MrP