Richard Jolly
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Richard Jolly
@richjolly.bsky.social
7K followers 380 following 640 posts
Senior Football Correspondent, the Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/author/richard-jolly
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Virgil van Dijk says it is a "fact" that Liverpool are in a "mess" as he questions some of his teammates and believes Liverpool have lacked the consistency, mentality and defensive solidity required:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Virgil Van Dijk’s damning four-word statement reveals depth of Liverpool crisis
The Reds succumbed to another shock defeat to Nottingham Forest at Anfield on Saturday, leaving Arne Slot in trouble
www.independent.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 12:03 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Nottingham Forest's biggest ever win at Anfield but an awful day for Liverpool, now in the bottom half after a sixth defeat in seven PL games. On Liverpool 0-3 Nottingham Forest:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Liverpool’s title defence is over – how much lower can they go?
Liverpool 0-3 Nottingham Forest: The Reds now sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table after repeating the one feat from last season they would’ve wanted to avoid
www.independent.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 7:44 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Arne Slot says Liverpool will see the Newcastle Alexander Isak - but in the meantime, he will have to give him minutes ahead of players who perhaps should be on the pitch instead of him:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
What you aren’t seeing in Alexander Isak’s quest to get back to his best
Arne Slot warned that it could be six months before Isak reaches the peak of his powers at Liverpool – but he’s showing glimpses behind closed doors
www.independent.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 11:09 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Florian Wirtz and Conor Bradley give Liverpool a double injury blow. With Jeremie Frimpong still out, Arne Slot is short of right-backs. But Alisson is back (though not to play right-back):
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Alisson return comes at price for Liverpool as Arne Slot reveals double injury blow
Alisson’s return to fitness has coincided with a frustrating double injury blow for Liverpool
www.independent.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 11:45 AM
richjolly.bsky.social
On Newcastle, a slow start to the PL season and issues in each part of the team:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
The Woltemade problem and Eddie Howe’s challenge to save Newcastle’s season
Newcastle are going well in the Champions League but their flagging position in the Premier League is indicative of the raft of issues in Eddie Howe’s new-look team
www.independent.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 8:55 AM
richjolly.bsky.social
Thomas Tuchel will talk to Trent Alexander-Arnold to tell him about his chances of going to the World Cup. Though it doesn't seem to bode well that he says Jarell Quansah is ahead of him:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
The awkward conversation Thomas Tuchel must have with Trent Alexander-Arnold
Trent Alexander-Arnold is well down the England right-back pecking order and the Real Madrid star may need to brace for bad news
www.independent.co.uk
November 17, 2025 at 8:00 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Harry Kane got the goals. Jude Bellingham got the attention. Thomas Tuchel was unimpressed with Bellingham's reaction to being substituted on his first England start since June. On Bellingham and Albania 0-2 England:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Thomas Tuchel unimpressed as Jude Bellingham reaction takes shine off England win
As England completed a perfect World Cup qualifying campaign, Bellingham commanded the attention on his return: for better and worse
www.independent.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 9:16 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Four big decisions Thomas Tuchel faces for his World Cup starting XI:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
The four big World Cup choices that could define Thomas Tuchel’s England reign
Seven of Thomas Tuchel’s first-choice England XI look locked in but four positions are still up for grabs
www.independent.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 9:07 AM
richjolly.bsky.social
Harry Kane on emulating Pele, winning the Ballon d'Or and why England need an NFL-style playbook:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
The Pele parallels that Harry Kane hopes may take England to World Cup glory
The England captain could match the Brazilian’s goal tally against Albania but has his sights set on a bigger prize
www.independent.co.uk
November 16, 2025 at 9:06 AM
richjolly.bsky.social
Thomas Tuchel says England cannot win the World Cup without goals from substitutes. Which, in turn, needs players to accept a status as squad players when Tuchel gives them clarity on their roles. Tuchel on the importance of subs:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
How Thomas Tuchel plans to turn England headache into World Cup advantage
The England manager accepts he will need to harness the abundance of options available to him if England are to succeed at the World Cup next summer
www.independent.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 9:11 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Thomas Tuchel seemed to have too many No 10s. So Phil Foden excelled as a false nine and Eberechi Eze scored as a left winger. On England 2-0 Serbia:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Foden and Eze boost World Cup hopes with solutions to England’s No 10 problem
England 2-0 Serbia: Arsenal players scored both goals at Wembley as Bukayo Saka and his Gunners teammate Eberechi Eze secured three more points for the Three Lions
www.independent.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 12:20 AM
richjolly.bsky.social
Tuchel said Saka should score more goals for England. So he did, and then Eze added another, aided by Foden. On England 2-0 Serbia:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Bukayo Saka volleys away Thomas Tuchel’s criticism as England see off Serbia
England 2-0 Serbia: Arsenal players scored both goals at Wembley as Saka and his Gunners teammate Eberechi Eze secured three more points for the Three Lions
www.independent.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 10:05 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Australia: the force of old or a team that is too old?
www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricke...
Australia’s ‘old blokes’ rally for the Ashes chasing one last demolition of England
Australia’s Ashes squad contains only one player – Cameron Green – younger than 30 years old but that does not mean this battle-hardened Test team are over the hill just yet
www.independent.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 2:08 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Should Rob Edwards really have said yes to Wolves?
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Wolves made Rob Edwards an offer he should have refused
All roads led back to Wolves - but leaving Middlesbrough and following his heart over his head may prove a catastrophic choice, writes Richard Jolly
www.independent.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 2:01 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Andy Robertson is in the last year of his Liverpool contract but says he is "relaxed" about his future:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Robertson ‘relaxed’ over Liverpool contract talks but admits it could be last season
The left-back’s deal at Anfield is set to expire at the end of the season
www.independent.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Pep Guardiola has got his energy back and a younger, newer Manchester City team have more energy. On Guardiola's City 3.0:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Younger, faster, stronger: How Pep Guardiola reinvented Manchester City again
A summer rebuild has transformed an ageing squad into one capable of challenging for the title again
www.independent.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 8:13 AM
richjolly.bsky.social
Is Liverpool's title race run after 11 games? Because they have lost five and are in eighth. Arne Slot says they can't think about the title right now. And if it is over already, it has been a terrible title defence. On Liverpool so far:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Liverpool can forget about the title – they have bigger issues to solve
Liverpool’s defeat to Man City was their fifth Premier League loss of the season and leaves them eight points adrift of Arsenal
www.independent.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 8:23 AM
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The perfect way for Pep Guardiola to bring up 1,000 games in management with an emphatic win over his greatest rival, Liverpool, aided by an electric Jeremy Doku. On Man City 3-0 Liverpool:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/doku-man-city-liverpool-score-result-premier-league-b2861780.html
Liverpool’s title defence is hanging by a thread after Man City masterclass
Manchester City 3-0 Liverpool: Erling Haaland, Nico Gonzalez and the sensational Jeremy Doku got the goals as City moved to be only four points behind Arsenal ahead of the international break
www.independent.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 8:47 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Hugo Ekitike on Haaland, Mbappe, Messi, Neymar, Isak and Slot:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
How Hugo Ekitike looks to Erling Haaland in mission to join attacking elite
Interview: Ekitike has gotten off to a flying start since joining Liverpool in the summer and faces Manchester City frontman Haaland on Sunday
www.independent.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 5:09 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Arne Slot accepts Liverpool may have changed too much, but says he had no choice. On Liverpool & the change this season:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
The champions’ dilemma that left Liverpool and Man City in the same hole
After Man City made the mistake of not changing enough for their 2024 title defence, Arne Slot’s side have fallen into the trap of changing too much
www.independent.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 10:39 PM
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Guardiola at 1,000: Pep Guardiola on why Liverpool are fitting opponents for his milestone match, on his insane numbers, place in the pantheon and career so far.

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
How Pep Guardiola analyses his career on the brink of his 1,000th game
Sunday’s visit of Liverpool will mark Guardiola’s 1,000th career game as a manager
www.independent.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 6:55 PM
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Leny Yoro on why he has no regrets about going to Manchester United, despite finishing 15th last season, and on Lenny Kravitz:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Why the world’s most expensive 18-year-old chose Man United over Real Madrid
Interview: Now into his second year at Old Trafford, the 19-year-old explains why he never regretted his choice of club despite a rocky start
www.independent.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 10:04 AM
richjolly.bsky.social
On Gianluigi Donnarumma & his fine start to life at Man City. "It’s much easier when you have a goalkeeper like Gigio," said Josko Gvardiol. Donnarumma's performances suggest as much:

www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
In Donnarumma and Gvardiol, the future looks bright for Man City’s defence
The giant Italian goalkeeper has made an impressive start to life at Manchester City
www.independent.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 3:58 PM
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Of course Erling Haaland scored in a reunion with Borussia Dortmund, but Phil Foden ensured this was a night when Manchester City were not over-reliant on his goals. On City 4-1 Dortmund:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
Phil Foden provides reminder that Man City don’t just rely on Erling Haaland
Man City 4-1 Borussia Dortmund: Pep Guardiola’s side jumped to fourth in the Champions League table after a brace from Foden
www.independent.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 10:19 PM
richjolly.bsky.social
Liverpool weren't keeping clean sheets. Now they have two in a row and shut out Mbappe and co. On a change in their defensive record:
www.independent.co.uk/sport/footba...
The unsustainable problem Liverpool fixed to spark revival
What a difference a week makes. Arne Slot’s crisis-hit Liverpool suddenly look back on track after victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid
www.independent.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 1:57 PM