#one piece origial character

[apirateslifeforbudgie]

Pfft *major* spoilers for Wandering Star, but at this point it's fine since I don't know when I'll have it in me to get back to writing. So yes...it may or may not have been obvious, but Carmen is a Kid Pirate. She's their helmsman and absolutely loves sailing. Part of her Devil Fruit powers is control of the tides. Thought about typing up the insert for this to go along with the image, but I'm already late on my next mermay piece!

p.s. I know this could still use some work but after her Mermay prompt I wasn't happy with her face and decided giving her some more practice in the form of this, but it turned out to be a 3-day ordeal instead of a quick exercise so yeah...I'm done messing with it 🫠

[jacquelinemerritt]

Dragon Ball Z: Abridged Episode 60 Review

What does it mean for an abridged series to go even further beyond?

Part I

I started this review series in 2015 because I loved Dragon Ball Z: Abridged, and I needed there to be writing out there that explained why I loved it so much.

It’s a funny thing, re-reading all of my old writing about it. Part of the nature of a weekly review series is that you tend to zoom in on the particulars, as that’s where the meatiest criticism lies. Going over the specifics of the story’s structure, how details in the show add to a greater whole, it’s all part of the process of finding out why something in a show works, or sometimes, doesn’t work.

It’s in those details though, that you come to a greater whole. By recounting the specific ways in which a story is threaded together, week after week, episode after episode, you start to bring forward recurring ideas, and piece together aspects that continually make a show work, and contribute to the greater whole. And when you’re critiquing a masterpiece, a show so lovingly crafted that every single detail lines up perfectly for its conclusion, you eventually are able to tie those thoughts together into what is hopefully a masterful conclusion of your own.

Dragon Ball Z: Abridged is the best possible version of Dragon Ball Z.

This might be the most contentious statement I’ve ever made about this show. It’s a statement I know for a fact the creators disagree with. But it’s a statement I believe wholeheartedly, and I even would go so far as to say that Dragon Ball Z: Abridged is closer to the spirit of the original Dragon Ball than Toriyama managed to pull off himself.

The original Dragon Ball manga is a masterpiece of its own. Akira Toriyama did a phenomenal job weaving together hilarious gags with thrilling martial arts action and compelling character growth, all while centering one of the most lovable, fun, and pure-hearted protagonists to ever be written. There’s a reason that it spawned an entire genre of imitators, and that’s because its blend of action, comedy, and growth were all executed masterfully.

I don’t think that Dragon Ball Z ever manages to capture that magic the way the original does. That’s not to say that Dragon Ball Z is a bad show, but by the time Raditz enters the story, the manga and show both change into something much more akin to a melodramatic soap opera. There’s so much waxing from the characters about how powerful these foes they’re facing are, and there’s very little levity sprinkled throughout these long, drawn-out fights, as the circumstances feel too dire for the characters to make jokes and be silly.

Silly humor was core to Dragon Ball’s charm though. The very first fight in the first World Tournament Arc is a gag about how Krillin is able to beat a martial artist who has never bathed and uses stench as a weapon, because he doesn’t have a nose to smell him with. The best side character in this series goes from being an angry, murderous criminal to being a cheerful, innocent sprite every time she sneezes, and she always sneezes at the worst possible moments for everyone. Hell, the entire Red Ribbon Army Arc is a joke about how Goku completely obliterates a major threat to the world on a whim, because none of them are martial artists, and not a real challenge as a result!

The very magic of Dragon Ball Z: Abridged is that it takes this melodramatic source material and finds the space within it to make jokes again. The Saiyans are a world-dooming threat, but Nappa is hilarious, and I will forever quote everything he said. Freeza is a genocidal tyrant who has taken the galaxy by force, but even when the world around him is unable to laugh, his spoiled, petulant attitude is funny as hell, and full of delightful dark humor. Even the darkest timeline of Trunks’ future is filled with jokes, whether that be the genuinely despicable ramblings of TJ and the Wombat, or a 50-year-old Bulma making a pass at Gohan, perfectly fitting her original boy-crazy characterization.

And phenomenally, Dragon Ball Z: Abridged manages to do everything I just mentioned without sacrificing an ounce of drama. Goku’s battle against Freeza is desperate, and his Spirit Bomb failing rips the ground out from under you. Future Trunks’ battle against the Cyborgs is tense, and his first transformation into a Super Saiyan is gut-wrenching. Even in the first season, before they fully found their feet, Team Four Star managed to make the battle between Goku and Vegeta every bit as tense as it needed to be, while still incorporating a constant stream of jokes.

So where does that leave us with Episode 60?

Part II

What, exactly, is the purpose of an abridged series?

I think it’s fair to say that an abridged series is, at its core, an adaptation of a work of art from one medium to another. This is a statement I’ve made before in these reviews, but I don’t think I’ve ever elaborated on it. It feels rather obvious to me that an abridged series be treated as any other adaptation might, because at the end of the day, that’s what artists like Team Four Star, LittleKuriboh, and Something Witty Entertainment are doing. They are adapting a work from the medium of televised anime to the medium of a comedy YouTube short, and making the same kinds of adaptational decisions in creating these series as a production team turning a book into a movie.

You can see this question of adaptation present itself as far back as some of the earliest abridged series, like Avatar: The Abridged Series. Most of that show intentionally leans into the weakest aspects of Katara’s character, emphasizing her feminity, thirst for cute boys, and quick temper far more than the original show ever did. Yet, in its last episode, Katara undergoes a significant transformation in the face of Paku’s sexism, and is completely reimagined with a new voice actress as she goes on a rant about the sexist ways she’s been written, and her refusals to stand for it anymore. The last episode of this abridged series ever made goes out of its way to critique both itself and its source material in its last episode, and it begs the question of how far an abridged series adaptation can go.

Sword Art Online: Abridged famously goes even further in its critique of its source material. Almost every character is completely rewritten to serve as both a more accurate representation of online culture, and a deconstruction of their original persona, with Kirito in particular standing out as a fantastic depiction of the kind of loneliness and self-isolation that comes with being a try-hard edgelord. It takes an entire season of the show for Kirito to learn to truly connect with other people, and that growth is made all the more satisfying by showing genuinely difficult it is for him to maintain anything resembling a positive friendship with anyone because of those edgelord tendencies.

These shows both have very different purposes, in large part due to the evolving understanding of what an abridged series is capable of between their creations, but they both raise a fairly similar question: what happens when you give everyone with a video editor and internet connection the ability to re-tell someone else’s story?1

The answer here is something I think is quite beautiful. The abridged series thrives outside of the realm of copyright locked down by rent-seeking ideas landlords, and allows individuals, groups, and communities to reimagine their favorite stories. Sometimes, what they imagine is as simple as few extra jokes, or a simple rant about the sexist way a character is written, and sometimes, what they imagine is a completely new version of the story that actually raises interesting questions and showcases compelling characters.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the abridged series found its roots in the copyright-less utopia of early YouTube, when anyone had the freedom to take something they loved or hated, and transform it into something completely different. The rise of Content ID has long since taken away this pure, unadulterated freedom from us, and I truly feel that the internet is worse off for it.

When it comes to Dragon Ball Z: Abridged, the show we are watching is the result of a bunch of people who love Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z more than anything else, asking what they can do to make the show funnier, smarter, and more meaningful. Team Four Star found their footing as writers when they began to focus on the comedy that came from character interaction, as we watched these huge personalities clash, and for every funny joke they were able to draw out of that foundation, they managed to draw even more pathos and catharsis for these characters.

Which is to say, Team Four Star took the idea of an abridged series, and went even further beyond.

Part III

Episode 60 of Dragon Ball Z: Abridged is a massive episode that provides a satisfying resolution to the whole series, and nearly every storyline running within it. It also highlights the relationship between its characters fantastically, placing most of the story’s emotional weight on the fractured dynamic between Gohan and his chronically absent father, Goku.

The entire first part of the episode is focused on the tension between who Gohan fundamentally is, and the man his father expects him to be. Goku has, in a stroke of fighting genius (the only genius he is capable of), perfectly planned out this encounter between Perfect Cell and Gohan. He’s manipulated Cell into hosting a tournament for the fate of the world, and placed his son in the perfect position to take down Cell and ascend to power greater than anyone has ever seen. And it’s all ruined because, as Piccolo perfectly points out, Gohan hates fighting.

The subtext of emotional strain between Goku and Gohan has been running throughout the entire series, but it’s finally brought to the forefront of the text in this moment. We see Gohan wrack himself emotionally and Cell wrack him physically, as he and Cell both try to force himself to fill the role his father has placed him in. Even as Cell violently births his own progeny to wreck Goku and his companions, in a last ditch effort to stir a fire within Gohan, Goku’s son cannot bring himself to be the warrior his father believes him to be.

Android 16’s speech and subsequent death changes all of that for Gohan. In a moment set to a breathtaking cover of Unmei no Hi, Gohan internalizes the lesson passed onto him by Android 16, who thoroughly eviscerated the liberal pacifism Gohan has been trying to embody. And Gohan gets angry. So angry that his power skyrockets, and he becomes a Super Duper Saiyan.

Super Duper Saiyan Gohan is fucking terrifying.

Throughout Dragon Ball Z: Abridged, we’ve come to know Gohan as an incredibly intelligent, exuberant, compassionate bookworm. Even though he doesn’t want his entire life to revolve around education and books, he still revels in knowledge and the opportunity to learn, and some of his cutest moments are when he is allowed to be truly childlike, like when he eagerly investigated Cell’s time travel pod for clues.

Every single ounce of compassion and love for life Gohan had before transforming into a Super Duper Saiyan is replaced with rage. Rage at Cell for destroying Android 16, a beautiful soul who did nothing wrong. Rage at Goku for thrusting him into this fight unprepared, and taking away the only hope he felt by throwing Cell a Senzu. And rage, most of all, at the world, for being so fucked up that he was forced into this situation to begin with.

Gohan’s rage is cold though. There is no righteous fury like Goku, no petulant tantrum like Vegeta, no sorrowful torment like Trunks. This Gohan slowly defines the word “filicide” for Cell as he effortlessly commits it, wiping out all of Cell’s children so quickly even Freeza, the most murderous being we’ve met in this universe, would be impressed.

That very rage drives all of Gohan’s decisions, as he lords his power over Cell and takes every opportunity to torment him. He blows away all of Cell’s limbs with a Kamehameha, and then guts him with his fist so hard that he throws up Android 18, and loses his Perfect form. It’s this blindness by rage that leads to Gohan’s greatest mistake, of not finishing off Cell, who tries to blow himself and the planet up in order to gain some kind of victory.

What’s perfect about this moment though is that while Gohan feels entirely responsible for his mistake, Goku knows better. He recognizes the responsibility he bears for Gohan’s bloodlust, and knows that the only way to make it right is to remove Cell from the equation altogether, teleporting the two of them to King Kai’s planet in bold move to save the earth.

Goku’s decision to sacrifice himself also recalibrates Gohan’s perspective, guiding him away from the rage that filled him before, so that when Cell returns, and murders Vegeta’s baby boy, Gohan doesn’t hesitate to put himself in harms way to protect Vegeta from a deadly blow. It costs him an arm, but his commitment to protecting others, even when it’s stupid, and even when it gets himself hurt, is true to the Gohan we’ve come to know and love. All that’s left for Gohan to do is face off against Cell, one Kamehameha against another, and draw on the strength and fighting spirit of his father to deliver the final blow.

Goku and Gohan aren’t the only two characters whose relationship is deepened in this episode. Vegeta’s enraged cry of “MY BABY BOY!” when Cell kills Trunks shows just how much Vegeta has come to love his own son, despite the airs he puts on to the contrary. Piccolo’s love for Gohan is also expressed incredibly here as he lectures Goku for not paying attention to the needs and wants of his son, who just wanted to receive love and affection from his father.

In fact, the love that these characters have for each other, and the ways they express it, is a theme that runs deep in this episode. Trunks love for all these folks around him is shown as he dutifully delivers them all Senzu Beans, quietly making silly puns to each of them. Krillin’s love for Android 18 is displayed wonderfully, whether through him gaining the strength to stand up to Vegeta because she’s resting in his arms, or through him wishing her and her brother free of the bombs implanted in them. Even Yamcha and Tenshinhan are given a moment of brotherly love, as they express for the first time in words how much they both mean to each other.

That very love is also what drives Goku to refuse to be resurrected at the end of the episode, despite Cell having been defeated. He genuinely loves Gohan, Goten, Chi Chi, and all of his friends, and knows that the best way to show his love, for once, is actually to be away from them, and spend time in heaven with King Kai. He’s not afraid of the great change this will be, both for him, and the people he loves, and is willing to embrace the afterlife if it means safety for his loved ones.

Goku’s speech about embracing change and not being a part of his loved ones’ life anymore is also very easy to read as a coda to Dragon Ball Z: Abridged itself. He, and all the rest of these characters, are saying good-bye to us, the audience that has followed them on their journey for years, and they are all embracing the truth that it is beautiful to let this show end on its own happy terms. It’s ironic that, at the time, Team Four Star announced that they would be trying to continue this series, but it’s clear they grew to see the wisdom in Goku’s words too.

A similar message can be found in Cell’s final moments, as he gives us a beautiful rendition of Frank Sinatra’s My Way. Team Four Star, just like this villain, has spent nearly a decade re-telling the three sagas of Dragon Ball Z they loved the most, and at every turn, they chose to do it their way. Sometimes, in the early days, that meant reference-based humor that aged like milk, but more often than not, it meant leaning into their strengths as comedic writers, taking creative liberties with the source material, and working to elevate the text of Dragon Ball Z to something even better than the original show.

I don’t know what to call that other than Perfect.

Epilogue

The journey that I’ve been on with Dragon Ball Z: Abridged, both as a viewer and critic, has been an incredible one. It has meant more to me than just about any other show I’ve ever watched, and stands up there with some of the most impactful art that I’ve experienced. It’s a show I’ve watched when I was suicidally depressed to find some sort of levity, a show I found enough depth in to meticulously critique every episode, and a show I’ve gotten even my shounen-indifferent partner to get extremely hype about, as I showed them the entire show in the lead-up to its fantastic finale.

What Team Four Star managed to create in Dragon Ball Z: Abridged is something genuinely special. It’s a show that makes me laugh harder than just about anything. It’s a show that’s made me cry more times than I can count too, as I was tearing up multiple times while re-watching the finale for this review. It’s even a show that I get to cringe at sometimes, when I think of the early seasons, but that cringing makes it all the more impressive how much Team Four Star improved as storytellers, and elevated their craft to tell their version of Dragon Ball Z better than anyone else could.

I love Dragon Ball Z: Abridged. I will always love Dragon Ball Z: Abridged. And even though it’s over, I know it will always be there for me, waiting for me to tag along with Goku, Krillin, Vegeta, and Gohan, as they power up and save the world.

Rating: 5/5

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Stray Observations

1This question, you might notice, is exactly the same question raised by the existence of fan-fiction, and this is because abridged series are, at their core, no different from any other form of fan-fiction. An abridged series does, by its nature, require more work and expertise than a piece of prose on Archive of Our Own, but all it achieves, in the end, is a greater level of accessibility, like the difference between a written article and a video essay.

I genuinely adore that in this episode, when Piccolo goes to yell at Gohan to dodge, he’s already dodging Cell perfectly. What a great ending to a running gag.

Yamcha’s every line in this episode is great too. He just wants to be included, whether that’s in Team Three Star, or Cell’s plans for tournament entertainment, and I love him for that.

Super Duper Saiyan is also, just, fucking brilliant. Like, what a great way to use Goku’s silliness to get around the awkwardness of these forms being called Super Saiyan 2 and Super Saiyan 3. Vegeta calling the next form Super-Dee-Duper Saiyan just sells the joke even further. If the show had continued for another season, I genuinely would have loved the comedy of these characters shouting about being “Super-Duper Saiyan” or “Super-Dee-Duper Saiyan,” and would love to see a mock-up of Goku’s “even further beyond” speech with these terms in Team Four Star’s style.

Krillin Owned Count: 0. And as a huge fan of Krillin, yeah, this makes me real fuckin’ happy J

Also holy shit, did Krillin cum 39 times??? That’s super impressive for a cis dude, mad props.

[trilobiter]

After reading into this story, I think that it's worth saying that the situation is a bit more complicated than it has been portrayed, or as the headline suggests. A human being, Jason M. Allen, used an AI program called Midjourney to create a work of visual art to his specifications, a process that he says took him over eighty hours. He entered the finished result into a contest and won first place.

I'm not an expert on art, but like many people I have a very strong relationship with it. Much of my thinking on art has been influenced by the common mythology around art and its role in modern society, a mythology which expresses the values we place on art. As I value art, I can't help having opinions on this - but since I'm not a visual artist, I'm not qualified to speak to the way this will impact those people economically. I am not optimistic on that front, but I won't get into it too much.

I think creative people of all types are right to be apprehensive about AI, because it seems that there is no reason, in principle, to suppose that it won't upend their livelihood in some way. Jason Allen says he was an active participant and creative controller of the process that resulted in his winning artwork, but as the technology improves it will be used to generate content in an increasingly automated way. I say "content" because what we're talking about is a kind of capitalist production of art-as-commodity.

If an AI program can generate an image that can win an art prize, then it can compose and record a number one pop song, write a best-selling novel, or direct an award-winning film. And I believe that when these things happen, the public will mostly accept it, because as odd as it sounds, it's not that different from what we've been trained to accept as culture. Pop music, popular books, and popular films have all been created in assembly-line fashion for over a hundred years, in a corporate structure aimed at maximizing returns from a market. Most people don't care that much about the ghostwriter of a bestseller, or the technical crew named in the end credits of a blockbuster. When AI gifts us with a bop, most people will shrug their shoulders, say "it's a bop," and dance.

A lot of people believe, intuitively, that making art should be difficult. AI makes art a lot easier, but in that sense, so does modern industrially produced paint, which comes in a variety of colors that Michelangelo could only dream of. We lionize the Renaissance masters because of what they achieved with simpler tools, though I haven't heard many people suggest that painters today limit themselves to whatever colors and techniques were available in 15th century Italy. Still, there's an inherent tension between possible through innovation, and what is thereby lost.

Like most things, issues like this make me think of Star Trek. Specifically, I think of Data from The Next Generation. Data is an android character with markedly android mannerisms, and is a futuristic depiction of what can only be called AI, who nonetheless is presented to the audience as a person with an interior life that is equally valid to a human being's. When Starfleet Command wants to compulsorily reassign and disassemble him, the show explicitly compares this to human slavery. We are meant to evaluate Data's character as we would a human crew member, and not as we would a typical piece of the show's futuristic technology.

Data wants to be seen as human, and he does human things like making art. He is shown to practice several creative arts throughout the show's run, including poetry, comedy, music, acting, and painting. He studies these arts, and attempts to replicate them, struggling along the way to find his own creative voice. His early attempts often seem to bear out the claim that, not being human, he cannot produce anything that is both original and genuinely moving. As time passes, however, this is no longer clearly the case. Attentive viewers will note that Data grows into an artist who does create with an original voice, even if that voice is characteristically like an android - in other words, characteristically like Data.

Optimistically, we may be looking at a future where an AI personality not unlike Data will create works of art that will move us all. But it is important to remember that Data is not just an AI, he is a person - and not simply because he is portrayed by a human actor. We as viewers can accept Data's legitimacy as an artist because the show takes pains to reinforce his legitimacy as a person. But Midjourney is not a person. It lacks anything like the interiority that defines Data as a person in our eyes. Midjourney is not learning how to paint so that it can become a real boy.

What Jason Allen did probably qualifies as art, and Midjourney can probably be seen as analogous to a brush or any traditional artist's tool. A tool like this could, conceivably, help artists achieve breakthroughs of the same magnitude as the discovery of perspective, or the conceptual leaps of modernism. But put that tool into the hands of people who aren't artists - say, the hands of a CEO who wants to cut costs on the latest product of the content assembly line - and I'm afraid I have to say that the result will only cheapen the art. It could be visually indistinguishable from the most beautiful human artwork I have ever seen, and it won't be worth remembering. It will have value only as a commodity.

When I think of some of my favorite works of art, music, or writing, I reflect on how what makes them my favorite is not simply that I appreciate the shape of a line, the resonance of a harmony, or the word order of a sentence. What makes the experience of engaging with these things meaningful to me is not just that they exist, but that they represent the attempt of a real human being, just like me, to communicate with other human beings just like me. What use is art without artistry?

The joy that makes art worthwhile, even art that was produced for commercial purpose, is the knowledge that it wasn't just produced for commercial purposes. It's not enough that the thing was made because the maker believed some one would buy it, but that they felt in their own soul that they could reach that person in a way that had nothing to do with money. If I can't believe that about an artwork, then I can't care about it the same way as the works I truly love. It has to be more than something to consume, at the cheapest prices available.

I don't think it can be denied that AI will change our relationship with media, or challenge some core assumptions we have about creativity. The real question is, what are human beings (and the truly sentient AI of the future) going to do about "art?"

[skyflyinginaction]

X/1999 Volume 4 Illustration Comments 

1995 Monthly Asuka April Issue, Cover Illustration

Paper: Kent

Lines: Holbein Color Ink (Special Black)

Color. Dr. Ph. Martin's Color Ink, Liquitex 

I thought it might look cool to see a lady's kimono draped over a boy's high school uniform. Although the effort of drawing all those blossom outlines really tired me out (laughs), I think the kimono ended up looking nicely vibrant for it

1999 Monthly Asuka September Issue, Bonus Poster 

This illustration was for a poster, so the original size was quit large. Because of that I was a little worried about using only Copic markers to color it, so except or the hair and eyes used color ink instead. The gold parts were done with tempera paint. At that time Nekoi was wearing a kimono with a very distinctive pattern. so kind of used that as a motif, although I didn't copy it exactly. I wanted the kimono in the illustration to have a Yuzen look to it, so I painted it without drawing outlines first. And that way the camellas in the kimono also look different from the ones in the background

[Ed. Note: Yuzen is a style of kimono dyeing that was developed during the Edo era.]

2001 August, X: An Omen Package Illustration

X: An Omen was an OVA released before the TV anime series. It's about Kakyo's dream, so he takes center stage in the illustration. Kamui is included as a figure representing that omen. This is the standard-issue Kamui with wings. For some reason, he's wearing a CLAMP Academy uniform coat. The coat never appears in the actual manga, but you get to see it in full color here laughs

1999 Monthly Asuka April Issue Title Page Illustration

Another image of Kakyo as a captive-then again, he's pretty much been a captive his entire life anyway [laughs]. I wanted to create an effect as if there were fireflies flying about, so I left as few white areas in this illustration as possible. Ohkawa told me to make it seem as if he were wearing a thin, black silk summer kimono, and that turned out to be difficult After giving it some thought, I decided to use an airbrush. The background was done with India ink.

2002 Monthly Asuka July Issue. Title Page Illustration 

The colored paper butterflies scattered on this illustration are ones I'd used on an earlier piece. The image is one of Kakyo thrown down and abandoned on el the lavender petals of wisteria. Because his character is the "captive man" type, his leg is bound with a cord. The white cloth draped over him I painted by hand, not with an airbrush. If I'd used an airbrush. the texture of the material would have shone differently

1997 September, Volume 10, Cover Illustration 

Paper: BB Kent

Lines: PIGMA Graphic ink pen

Color: Dr. Ph. Martin's Color Ink, Copic marker

 I needed something white for the image, and I thought magnolia blossoms would be the perfect thing [laughs]. There was a large magnolia tree near my house that was very beautiful. This one is growing in someone else's yard though [laughs].

1998 Monthly Asuka August Issue, Title Page Illustration

This illustration is unusual in that Kamui appears against a blue background. And I painted his eyes violet. Although I did a similar piece later, this time when I was painting I really went extreme with the blue theme. I penciled the rough outline on copy paper and then transferred it to another sheet of paper where I did the inking and coloring.

1998 July, "Midsummer School" Festival Exclusive Calling Card Set Illustration 

This is the illustration for an exclusive calling card set that could only be bought at the "Midsummer School Festival” event. I knew the image was going to be shrunk down radically, but I still used long shots of four characters [laughs]. The people who got hold of these calling cards must have thought the characters were tiny especially their faces [laughs]. I drew them in groups of two for the two calling cards. Their clothes look similar but are different in color, and the forms are slightly different too

2002 March, X Original Offset Print

This image was going to be used to create an offset print, so I put a lot of effort into making it. I was doing a Chobits piece simultaneously, so the building and altar in the background of the two illustrations are actually the same, as are the candleholder and small ornaments. However, the building in the Chobits piece is nice and intact while the X one has been destroyed. I wanted to create matched illustrations that could be enjoyed together as well as separately 

1998 Monthly Asuka August Issue, Bonus Poster

I drew this one on Watson Paper, which has a rough surface. I put down a background wash of Lumocolor sepia first, in order to brighten up the center of the illustration. Fumas wing was done with color ink, and I used an airbrush for Kamuis wing in order to give it a translucent look Ohkawa had asked me to create an illustration that could be viewed in either orientation. so I created a symmetrical composition divided by the water's surface in the center

2001 Monthly Asuka December Issue Title Page Illustration

Karen has a lot of sexy shots like this laughs. I think I did the background mainly in red color ink, with a matte finish to it. I colored her hair and lips with Copic markers. which are great for when I want to give something a glossy texture. The illustration would have looked vulgar if I'd used the Copics too much, though, so I only used them for the important parts

1998 September, X Volume 11, Cover Illustration

This is the back-cover illustration for volume 11 of the manga series The title on the front cover was in dark lilac, so I gave the image a purplish hue. Karen has a Christian background, so she's often drawn together with a cross. The lilies are a reference to the Holy Mother. Karen usually wears sexy clothes, but she's dressed rather conservatively here.

1999 Monthly Asuka February Issue, Cover Illustration

Back then my illustrations weren't as soft as they are now [laughs]. Here the glass Earth is made to look like an egg about to hatch. I used an airbrush for the background and the egg. After inking Kamui, I did the wings and the rest with an airbrush. which meant that I spent more time fussing with masking tape than doing the actual coloring. I'd peel a section off and color it, then put the tape down on a different place, peel another section off and color it... I had to watch the amount of ink I was using too, so it was really time-consuming 

1998 Monthly Asuka November Issue, Cover illustration

This is another older illustration. I remember it being a pretty easy piece to work on. I purposely drew it so that Kamui's face could not be seen. I put down a layer of modeling paste over ordinary BB Kent Paper to create a wall-like look before I started drawing on it. The uniforms were done with color ink, to give them a woolly texture. After I shaded in all the colors I placed another quick layer of modeling paste over them; you can see the colors through the paste, which creates an interesting effect

2000 Monthly Asuka August issue, Cover Illustration 

This is an illustration of Fuma placing his hand upon a pane of glass and looking through the window. I like drawing close-ups of a single character since those are easy to draw [laughs]. I wanted the rain and the parts of the window in contact with Fuma's hand to have a different texture so I used a gloss-type thinner for the Liquitex. It hardens when it dries and creates a nice translucent

2000 Monthly Asuka January/February issue, Mail Order Calling Card and Calendar illustration

This is actually a very small illustration. I inked it mostly using Copic markers and did the cherry blossoms using acrylic gouache afterward. When I draw these two guys I always put nothing but cherry blossoms in the background they would go to waste if I included something superfluous. In this one, I had the cherry tree capture Subaru. Even though Japanese cherry trees don't have vines (laughs].

2003 X TV Anime DVD and Video Trading Card Premium

I happened to have a blackish, dark purple ink at the time, so I used that for the background. The gold flecks are rhinestones produced for nail art; I stuck them directly onto the illustration. I did a lot of work on the background to give it a rich feel, so I mainly used Copic markers for Seishiro to balance that out. Now that I think of it, this illustration may seem a little grotesque since it looks like he's gouging out his own eye

1999 March, X Volume 12, Cover Illustration 

This is the back-cover illustration for volume 12 of the manga series. The "X" on the front cover of this volume was silver. I had used grey on volume 4, and I wanted to make this volume brighter than that, so I had Subaru wear gray clothes against a white background. I wanted him to be up against the wall. The posters on the wall are torn-up bits of an English newspaper that I pasted on then drew "X”s over them

[fmp2mt]

One interesting word I want to look into is retry, the act of repeating and action, usually in the hopes to achieve a goal that was not previously completed. I wanted to look into this as it is quite common in media, especially games, to repeat certain ideas and or segments for narrative or play reasons, and by looking into ways it has been used could help my product as art can benefit from repetitive attempts to improve.

One interesting case or retrying is present in Destiny 2. In Season of the Haunted (SH), the main characters are confronted by their nightmares, ghoulish and abhorrent abominations that have been sewn into the world through paracausal powers as the villain of the piece uses them to power his ascent into Godhood. 

This idea is a sequel of sorts to a previous major DLC called Shadowkeep (SK), where these nightmares are first show, but in Season of the haunted, Bungie, Developers of destiny 2, show how far they have come since parting ways with Activision by pushing the story further and in more interesting ways.

In SK, nightmares are underutilised, and while used sloppily to progress the plot, they have no interesting uses, just being previous bosses from the games history, witch was a major complaint of this DLC, as it felt recycled with lots of the areas and bosses being reused. Areas were made to look up to date with the games higher resolution and quality, with some new areas also made such as the title of the DLC, the Scarlet Keep. The real plot was entering the pyramid on the moon, this ancient evil that had somehow hidden itself beneath the crust of our Earth's rocky Satellite. However, the way this was achieved was lacking and boring, with our character having to obtain the armour that came with the game, yet this set was lacking and had no weight to making it, as the game delved into fetch quests to create it, making the game feel even more thrown together than before, especially when I experienced it.

In dynamic contrast, SH pushes this idea further and makes it far more interesting by adding a villain who helps push the story along, extra content centred around the season, including a new 3 man dungeon, and through random dialogue that can be found while playing the new 6 man activity. It also centred the story on others rather than the player, due to the player having no personality, we can't tell how they feel about their nightmares, but by putting the light onto other characters like Crow, a newly risen Guardian who has to grapple with his previous life, Zavala, a veteran who once tried to live a normal life till disaster struck, and Caiatl, an empress who has to face the idea of her people and change it for the better.

This instantly makes the story far more personal and interesting, as we can spectate 3 miniature stories and help them through it, what still gives our character story relevance. And, because these characters actually have history, these nightmares make sense as they are derived from their fears that you could guess before you played the missions.

It also brought an old location back, the leviathan, now a destination instead of a raid, so we can now explore it in a more passive way. Unlike the moon, the environment was heavily overhauled, with fungus spreading far across its deck and bow. Not only this, but this destination had far higher entity density and enemy difficulty with hundreds of little public events and hidden secrets to scrounge for. One of my favourite details about the Nightmares in the season is that some are actually people we've seen before, such as [Name here] who was the sniper who tried to kill Zavala a year previous. 

Just from this brief overview, it’s obvious that SH has far more interesting themes, ideas and far better execution than SK, excelling in all areas in which its bigger brother had failed in so harshly, making SK feel subpar, what, while sad, also shows how far they came.

By the time SK had been released, Bungie had just left Activision, their original publisher, having brought the rights of their game back from them and instead going independent. This being their first DLC going into it alone, it makes sense that it would be bad, of course this is disregarding development time, but this breakup could have been planed up to a year and a half before, when Activision stated that their previous DLC, Forsaken, to have not met expectations, whereas Bungie were happy with the quality and revenue it produced.

With SH, Bungie went back to the idea of nightmares and evolved it, weaving it into the story, plot and gameplay, and while aspects of the games past was reused to save budget and time, it is visible for all to see that they put their heart and soul into the product. This retry, this second go at the concept, allowed them to improve on its shortcomings and failings while also making it a memorable experience, showing how a once barren and boring experience can be developed and re-experience for the better.

This experience, from SK to SH, is not uncommon however, other sequels use similar techniques and ideas all the time to produce better films with more introspective and nuisance, Toy Story 2 takes the idea that toys are made to make children happy in the first film and takes another go at the idea, by letting Woody wonder if becoming a museum piece would be a better life for himself and if he should be bound by what he is or grow into something new. It also presents Jesse in another light relating to toys, in the first film, Andy is still a child, and this is continued on in the sequel, however, Jesse’s owner grew up, her preferences changed, and Jesse was no longer fun for her, leaving her to collect dust till throwing her out, leaving a more nuanced view of if a toy should stay a toy, because eventually they will become outdated and unwanted. While sad, It allows the characters to evolve dynamically while retying and pushing the previous film’s ideas.

However, not all sequels are made in unison. Some, even when given the chance to be amazing and interesting looks into pre-established series, feel no need to try and develop their worlds and characters and rather would do naff all, knowing that if they lie hard enough in marketing and have a big enough name and campaign that they will likely make back all the expenses needed and make more on top of it. A prime example of this is the Terminator series.

Its sand to see a franchise as prevalent and prestigious as Terminator fall to such lazy motives, once, they had been a perfect example of how retrying and idea can lead to better products, no better and example than the classic that is Terminator 2, Judgement Day, where the film is flipped on its head where our prejudices and conceptions of the world are challenged and changed by the actions of the cast. Alas, The franchise made money at the box office and, like all series, would continue to be milked into the ground. 

Starting with the third terminator, Rise of the Machines, the series would see a dip in quality, what is not unnatural in the movie scene where the first sequel is usually regarded as the best while its successor is always slightly worse or on par with the first as the best ideas are usually already used up with little to no time to devise new ones. The forth film, Salvation, follows suit, being even worse, then Genesis comes in being the worst one yet, then Dark fate appears and it becomes apparent to all that the movies had lost all that made them great. The quality dips become more understandable when you realise that Terminator 1 and 2 were released 7 years apart, (1985 and 1991 respectfully,) giving the crew and producers time to make the film and also to prepare for its. 12 years had passed between 2 and 3, then only 6 between that and 4, then it’s 6 again between it and 5 then only 4 till 6 came out.

This is not the most bizarre thing to happen, movies were always a far more gruelling task Back in the 80’s, but nowadays films can be produced and developed way faster, but it's evident that as these films went on, it became more for the fact that it was a revenue stream and less about the art and story of it, becoming a mindless action series that was adamant on showing as much destruction and badass shots as possible, what weren't void from the originals, but was far more relevant, from seeing the destroyed future scape of Sky Net and the gruesome appearance of its mechanical horde or to see the terminator liquefy and reform through a set of bars, it just that they became more about the destruction that it became mindless.

A sequel that I personally find a burning hatred in is the film Son of the Mask, sequel to the classic Mask. While not the perfect film, the mask situates itself in a very similar predicament as the live action Grinch adaptation where its so off the wall that it somehow becomes lovable in an underdog sense. Annoyingly, that was thrown out of the sequel which was adamant in making it far more kid friendly than the original what was already made more tame from the comic adaptation which was a very violent and cruel series.

The original mask focuses on a Man who is pretty boring, living a normal life in a nice but unfulfilling life who one day finds the mask in his possession, turning him into a lunatic who has no respect for the laws of reality. By the end of the film, he forsakes the mask, finding out that it's better to live his own life rather than handing it over to someone else. This message isn’t the best delivered, as the movie is a cruel by hilarious comedy, but its sequel has none of the qualities that made the first enjoyable.

The sequel tries to explain how the mask works, blaming it on Loki, Norse God of Trickery, who is punished by Odin for losing his mask in the real world. Now, exploring the origins of the mask is not the worse direction, but the importance of the mask was never its mystery, in all respects, it was a plot device to drive the plot onwards, it never mattered where it came from, who made it or how it got to him, it only mattered that it could make him a force of nature, by exploring this idea that the mask was made, you have to focus it on the creator, why did they make it? What did they use it for? How’d it get to Earth? This, again, could work, hell, it could have been great even, definitely a different film would have been created, but it could have made the mask exactly that, a mask to hide who the creator really was due to insecurity and their fears, rather than that, we got a film where a baby has to decide if he wants Loki to be his dad. Also it looks horrid.

One of the most disappointing sequels from my childhood was Skylanders: Imaginators. The game was the 6th in the series, and it was apparent that the passion and time had grown sparse, with a yearly release cycle each game became harder and harder to produce, with Toy’s for Bob, the original developer, having help from Vicarious Visions to help them, each company releasing a game every 2 years as to fill in the gap year. Funnily enough they were owned by activision, the same as Bungie, what stirs a sadness in me as i things turned out differently perhaps the series would still be around today.

Imaginators is not the worst game ever made, it has faults such as basic worlds and boring mechanics, (aspects still exist in the game since the first game, Spyro’s Adventure.) and sadly enough no soundtrack, as long time composer for the series, the Glorious Lorne Balfe, didn’t return and they instead used stock music that they brought, (Previously rarely used for thing such as Villain themes in Trap Team, which were only apparent for a few seconds.)

Overall, from this research, I have learned that, while a sequel can enhance an idea and series, it can also help stagnate it at the same time removing re-usability, causing unoriginal aspects. I would like to see if I could perhaps use retrying an old theme or idea in my project, perhaps even a game that never peaked.

[apirateslifeforbudgie]

Ok so...The only reason I am posting this is because I'm pretty sure it's not gonna happen, but I would just honestly need to see how the series ends. This is a warm-up sketch and play-around design I did of Eustass Kier, who would be Kid's son. If he does come into existence, his story would be called Fallen Star and take place when he's around eight. For those of you who don't know, while Wandering Star is the current and main story that I am working on, it has a prequel called Black Star and a Kid Pirate spin-off sequel called Damn the Stars. Those are solid for me, while Fallen Star is just scattered ideas that come to me for the time being. Anyway, hope you like this guy! He's my newest OC in a long time!

[drewebowden66]

Detailed Guide & Inspiration For Designing A Mid-Century Modern Living Room

Design enthusiasts praise the mid-century modern style – but what is it, exactly? Coined by author Cara Greenberg in her 1984 collection, mid-century modern refers to pieces from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s which pushed the limits of engineering. Desperate for creativity after World War II, famed designers took war materials and molded them into iconic chairs, tables, and lights – goods still sought after and replicated – furniture whose design was never bettered. Follow our detailed guide and links on how to incorporate mid-century modern pieces – and the style’s philosophy of good living – into your own inspired living room full of 50’s wonder.

Visualizer: Sam Habbaba   Make mid-century modern look effortless. Fit your lounge with the high, wooden windows typical of the style, using a tilter to afford fresh air. By using wooden-legged furniture, here a peach accent chair, nested coffee tables and long three-seater, your interior can offer difference without one piece dominating. Light a swing arm wall lamp like this, beside a Bell table lamp by Tom Dixon to pair matching metallics. Sprigs of poppies could add focus behind your couch, as ferns pop up in planters across your living room. By matching a leather floor pouf to your wooden joinery, you can provide a place to read books surrounding the TV.

Designer: Orlando Soria   Imagine mid-century modern away on holiday. Use shades of white, turquoise and gold beside an artificial Areca palm to create an everyday getaway. Stretch a Jute rug beneath your couches to add a dash more colour, and tie metallic end tables, each featuring three rounds of glass, into hues for leaf-patterned pillows. Prism coffee tables can further catch the eye with triangular legging, as a large arc floor lamp bends over the scene. Light up a wall of windows with the day’s incoming sun, finishing with turquoise tunes in a tufted floor pillow, couch cushions and table ornaments.

Visualizer: Studio Aiko   As day sets, settle for something warmer. Heat up a more masculine scene with a ceiling-held fireplace beside a white Wegner-style shell chair. Sit a wood and metal coffee table on a Jute rug to centre the space. Two Wegner Papa Bear-style chairs can cuddle up beside a monochrome ottoman, while a couch in the same hue can offer more snuggling. Polish off your interior with grass views through glass panes.

Visualizer: Aleksandr Kalinov   Grey and light wood are classic mid-century modern hues. Keep warmth in your living room with wooden walls on either side, while grey hues in your floor, seating and Jackson Pollock painting (here the number 14 in Gray) keep it spacious. Use the style’s ceiling-height windows to bring in light, and an Axis floor lamp to bring a focused glow to seating. With the Axis’ golden base harking to the seat and square coffee table’s legs, it’s easy to add glitz to this relaxed scene.

Designer: Jessica Helgerson   Think outside the square when designing inside. House trees in hand-blown glass, a table in spotted driftwood and a Jute rug in natural weave. Insert wooden-frame lounge chairs and floors to make it more modern, and two spiralling wall ornaments to match their tone. Ceramics in jade and lots of white – here shown in the lounges, walls and chaise longue – create breathing space for your outdoorsy interior.

Photographer: Federico Cedrone   Create the look with different materials and textures. To design an eclectic, yet not overpowering, living room, coat your seating brown in leather Barcelona-style chairs, mid-century modern classic chairs, and a blue metal accent chair in the Platner style. Join together a marble coffee table, metallic standing lamp and tulip-style end tables to create a lounge that looks ever so put-together.

Mid-century modern was originally created for smaller spaces. Use a brown leather sofa like the room above, but create your own vibe with a lightbulb pendant and dreamscape surfing photography. Let geometrics linger in a pentagon-legged coffee table and grey patterned rug. A range of potted plants, most notably here the Boston fern, can sit with your objects and photos to tie the look in.

Designer: AB Curated   Looking a little larger, this living room uses brown as an accent for notable pieces. To achieve this look, sit a demure mid-century sofa upon a varnished floor in the hue. Face two chairs in the style towards the couch for conversation, letting a sofa cushion, framed print and turntable box match them in colour. By using classic mid-century modern pieces, here a geometric-legged coffee table and standing swing lamp, you can add nature in potted ferns and an artificial ZZ plant. Lie a red Turkish rug upon your floor to suggest travel and avoiding jarring colours.

Designer: Desiron Lizon   The mid-century look can look super-modern – although its pieces have never changed. Make like this sloped-roof living room and use a couple of masterpieces, such as the Verner Panton S-style chair and cheeky Ray Eames elephant. Other interesting finds, like the tortoise with the elephant, or red shell couch to the back, can add character. Build ceiling-height windows and rows of long wooden bookshelving to cement your interior’s mid-century modern influence.

Source: Barker & Stonehouse   Metallics are not just for the 21st Century. Employ them as feature pieces, by hanging a convex wall round and sitting a large copper floor lamp on your floor. Add hints of blue in a Myers sofa and rug to match patterned wallpaper, lending the blue to more knitted poufs. Finish with a few florals in a vase full of snapdragons, printed cushion and leaning stamen painting.

Photographer: Wells Campbell   Create an entertaining area the 50’s greats would’ve been proud of. If decorating for a large, high-windowed space, scale up its walls with widely-spaced wooden panels, a series of white pendants and a large abstract artwork. Cover the floors and fireplace with red brick, keeping it warm with a large faux fur rug. Create a space for a chaise longue, Tom Dixon Wingback and school chairs, letting a rounded coffee table meet another in a triangle. Complete the look with a wistful baby grand and standing lamp for company.

Source: Wayfair   Don’t be scared to have colour at your centre. Draw in the eye with a psychedelic piece beside a relaxed leather sofa set and geometric marble coffee table. Use light wood to softly cover your chair legs, shelving and wood stack, a potted tree to add nature.

Visualizer: Bruno Helbling   Keep it classic in black, white and brown. Signal an eclectic style with dotted framed abstracts, abstracts like these or these. Employ a range of seating styles to populate your area, such as the Arne Jacobsen-style Egg chair, and a golden floor lamp to match your coffee table. Woollen textures can get cosy in fluffy ottomans, rugs, throws and cushions, whilst plants, such as the natural or artificial Fiddle Leaf Fig, can be presented for show.

Designer: Balodemas Architecture   Baby boomers will remember this decor of their parent’s style. Get nostalgic with a white and wooden frame, centred by a blue wall featuring a bookcase. Place two white sofas beside many smaller windows, and two tripod plant stands to bring the outside in. Draw in guests with a mid-century modern coffee table holding a Russel Wright pitcher full of roses, adding a geometric console in the 50’s style. A bookcase can stand as your final relic, full of vases and picture frames below a George Nelson-style ball clock spreading out its rays.

Designer: Deering Design Studio   Get cosy with 50’s-style colouring. Relax your orange and grey room in three types of seating amidst mid-century style table lamps, available here and here. Hang two rectangular framed prints mirroring the shape of the windows. Design your furniture in light wood to keep it cohesive.

Designer: Christian Dean   Grey and orange couldn’t look more different in this open plan rendition. Break colour dominance in your living room with two berry chairs and the Noguchi table by Herman Miller, now available as an original or replica. Match its shine with a Flos Arco-style lamp gleaming silver in the corner, adding a hint of life with wooden plant stands. We recommend a simple grey rug and shelved ornaments to finish.

Designer: Cynthia Prizant   Heavily influenced by 30’s painter Mondrian, this living room uses mostly geometric shapes, shapes that Mondrian believed were of a higher nature. Open your living room to a bold feature wall almost copied from his pieces, falling to a triangular-patterned rug and chairs in block colouring. Allow breathing space by decorating with simple windows, white walls and a wooden table, console and floor.

Source: Surefield   Lucky enough to be surrounded by windows? Clothe your interior in charcoal, like this unique space. Showcase a ceiling-high feature fireplace amongst wooden accent chairs, adding small pops of colour in couch cushions, magazines, and two pieces of abstract art.

Visualizer: Int2 Architecture   After more muted hues? Colour your furniture in teal and taupe, bordered by white walls and patterned floors. Matching wooden legs and a stone bookcase provide a good background for an Orient pendant looping over your wall.

Source: DWR   Make your living room warmer, with a floor and half-wall in the polished wood of the style. Wrap a stone-coloured L-sofa around your windows, complementing the look with a white lined rug. Play with iconic pieces such as a Platner-style coffee table, black Swan-style chair and Serge Mouille floor lamp peeping over your sofa. Offer a spot by the fire with an Eames-style walnut stool. Splash turquoise about in hued watercolours and cushions.

Designer: Risa Boyer   Keep it warm yet light with wood and orange tones. Carve a wooden roof with rafters over a stark white floor, diffusing your bright orange wall with a rug in brown checkers. Opt for an Eames lounge chair, available as an original or replica, to tie your TV and orange hues together. A suite in taupe could look out to a Noguchi table, whose Herman Miller original and now-available replica are iconic of this style. Complete the look with a fireplace, cushions and vases.

Photographer: Federico Cedrone   Make the most of a beautiful outdoor view, with a few mid-century modern pieces. Wind a cream L-sofa beside a unique end table, here the iconic Platner side table, whose oscillating bands reflect the midday sun. Adding a lower side table, ball lamp and classic fluffy rug can make this look last a lifetime.

Source: Solar Innovations   Decorate your living room a la Mad Men. Make the most of your high windows with a marble centre, brown leather seating and unique ceiling fans shown here. Pepper your lounge with standing lamps and an olive green armchair, for a perfect place to relax and watch the show.

Source: LA Times   Design like the Eames’ – using their own Pacific Palisades living room as inspiration. Take cues from their contemporary Mondrian, and build double-height windows and high wooden bookcases with his rectangular forms. Nest amidst a bevy of indoor plants, using the Eames’ chair designs and iconic bird, available as an Eames Bird replica. Fill vases with flowers, lean a ladder to the ceiling and add hanging paper lanterns to complete your homage.

Photographer: Ezra Stoller   Designed by architect Eero Saarinen for the industrialist J. Irwin Miller, this also-famous home was the beginning of a once-burgeoning trend – the conversation pit. Get inspired by Spanish and Middle Eastern influences, and construct a pink-couched depression in the middle of your floor, offering a space for focused chat. Scatter differently-coloured cushions to complement an iron table, figure and pot. A few roses in and out of the pit can also pretty up the scene.

Visualizer: Tero   Centre your mid-century modern living room around a rug. Take a bright-coloured Cubic rug and set it upon a wooden floor, inviting companionship with black chairs in the style. Accent the look with a marble standing fireplace and retro-style floor lamp.

Designer: Disc Interiors   White and wood mixes with grey and blue in this mid-century modern interior. Light its décor with a fireplace illuminating pockets of wood holding ornaments and frames. Starburst wall décor can act as your headline piece, while a shaggy rug, gold-rimmed table and geometric cushions create your home’s rested guests.

Visualizer: Valkyrie Studio   Looking for more modern adaptations of the mid-century modern style? These last three interiors should yield inspiration. This particular look, blessed with the décor’s high windows, can be achieved using more muted shades of wood to cover your floors and walls. Replace the style’s characteristic floor lamps with LEDs lighting each wall. Place a rug in the centre, and stand a plethora of chair styles in more recent materials. A low marble table can act as your room’s pivot point.

Visualizer: Hodidu   Use the classic mid-woods of the mid-century modern style, but throw distressed floorboards and charcoal into the mix. Go for the classic look with wooden window joinery, a Wegner-style Shell, mid-century style console and voluptuous bookshelf. Make it more modern with framed prints, not paintings; a rug that’s neat, not shaggy; and a central couch and ottoman that match a modern pendant.

Designer: YamaMar   Make mid-century modern work with a sunny veranda. Employ the starburst wall décor and laden bookshelves of old, adding a lime couch and black-painted floorboards. Add a central fireplace and rug to show evolution of the style. A Noguchi-style coffee table and faux sheepskin pillows can further twist the classics.

Recommended Reading: Ultimate Guide To Mid Century Modern Chairs

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[apsbicepstraining]

Premier League 2017 -1 8 preview No10: Liverpool | Andy Hunter

Jrgen Klopps Liverpool are attuned now to his methods but whether they have the defensive tone for a shot at the entitle may be clearer when the transfer space closes

Guardian writers prophesied post 5th( NB: this is not necessarily Andy Hunters prediction but the average of our writers tips-off)

Last-place seasons post 4th

Odds to acquire the league( via Oddschecker ) 12 -1

It is an riling characteristic of the Premier League period for Liverpool that a season of sincere change often predates a reversal but Jrgen Klopp is convinced the hertz will be broken. The extra requisitions of Europe and individual patients, high-risk carry-over programme that has yet to pay off afford counter disagreements to the Liverpool administrators ideology. They should not distract from what is at Klopps disposal, nonetheless. Consistency, he has insisted, will ensure Liverpool do not merely flirt with a title objection this season. Numerous, although not all, of the segments are in place.

As was the lawsuit last-place summer, before he guided Liverpool back into the top four for the only second time in eight seasons, Klopp has been unperturbed by the external feelings that bordered the golf-clubs carry business when compared with contenders in the top six. Tottenham Hotspur are, of course, the notable exception. At this spot in the window the feeling is understandable. The final steps Klopp had envisaged for the coming expedition have proved the hardest to take.

RB Leipzig have been as good as their recurred word that Naby Keta is not for sale despite Liverpool deferring fraternity evidence offers of 57m and 66 m for the midfielder and his openness to the move. Stake in Kylian Mbapp has undone how Anfield officials always believed it would: with Real Madrid stringing up a astounding furnish for the Monaco send. And there was the aborted move for Virgil van Dijk, a setback that proved the feeling of a difficult window for Liverpool and showed Klopp that even the briefest see to Blackpool where he reportedly tapped-up Southamptons team captain can have damaging repercussions.

Liverpools interest in the order Holland international is not over despite publicly withdrawing from the race for the 60 m-rated supporter when Southampton reported them to the Premier League over an illegal approaching. A preliminary investigation ended without charge because of a lack of proof and Liverpool will return for Van Dijk should Southampton indicate they will part with their wantaway centre-half. The quest of Keta is expected to be parked under next summer when his 55 m freeing clause kickings in. Add into the desegregate Barcelonas interest in Philippe Coutinho and a sense of uneasines is legitimate, although there are still four weeks for Van Dijk to arrive, others to follow and what has already taken determine at Anfield this summer signals improvement ahead.

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Liverpool have the will and the money to signal van Dijk and Keta but not a mode to break the resolve of Southampton and Leipzig respectively. That was always the inherent hazard in Klopp targeting a few top-class modernizes to elevate Liverpool from fourth into title quarrel, rather than the wholesale changes that have characterised recent summers in L4. He has also been reluctant to consider alternatives as the waiting game over van Dijk supports. The success of such an approach will be uncovered formerly the transfer window closes and Champions League commitments arrive for a force that benefited from a European-free season last time out, delivering the play-offs are navigated successfully later this month.

For a director who implores consistency and trophies stability, however, the existing footings are more important, and encouraging, than what is currently out of reach. Klopp has a settled squad attuned to his methods , no disruption to be faced with and an improved indulgence of options in the final third. Liverpool would bask business opportunities in the Champions League against resists who, like Bayern Munich in the Audi Cup on Tuesday, are more open to assault than numerous in the Premier League.

The pursuit of quality over length is another mark of recent change at Anfield. Liverpool possess a crew is suitable for Champions League qualification, one that finished above Arsenal and Manchester United last season and grew some exhilarating renditions when emerging as Chelseas closest challengers before Christmas. Title assertions evaporated at the turn of the year when Liverpool, to use their managers argument, absence the magnitude to deal with a frenetic fixture planned, a run to the League Cup semi-finals, harms and Sadio Mans departure to the Africa Cup of Nations. The squad necessitates bolstering in center midfield and central defence but it has no doubt improved.

Reinforcement so far has mainly centred on Liverpools strongest department, criticize, where Mohamed Salah has joined for a organization account 36.9 m from AS Roma and Dominic Solanke has arrived in search of greater opportunity than he found at Chelsea. A tribunal will be used to determine the compensation cost payable on a striker who starred in Englands triumphant Under-2 0s World Cup campaign and has shown in pre-season that his involvement will not be confined to the under-2 3s squad, as Klopp initially suggested.

Salah has shone in pre-season, three years after scorning a proposed 8m move to Liverpool in favour of an ill-fated sorcery at Stamford Bridge. The Egypt international give full play to on the interests of Klopps forward wire, with Man labor his course back to full fitness, and his velocity, labor frequency and end product have already been impressed. The expectation of Salah and Man terrorising explanations from all inclinations and feeding off the intelligent awareness of Roberto Firmino, is tantalising for Klopp. Make other squads crazy with a better quality we have, the manager has said. Equally comfortable on the left, Salah ensures Liverpool will not be as reliant on Man for speed and yields Coutinho licence to dictate play from a deeper post. The Anfield club are adamant the Brazil international will not be sold this summer despite continued interest from a Neymar-less Barcelona.

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In Coutinho, Salah, Man, Firmino, Daniel Sturridge who had payed Klopps approval with his sharpness the summer months simply to abide a thigh harm while scoring in the 3-0 overcome of Bayern Solanke, Divock Origi and the fit-again Danny Ings, Liverpool boast a formidable reach of strikers. They will be needed. Klopps side regularly faced, and toiled against, opposings who sat back en masse and played on the counterattack last-place season. It was not only a repetition topic at Anfield, with units prepared to concede ground at home to combat Klopps style. Jordan Hendersons they are able to extend and swap the play was missed after he suffered another debilitating foot trauma. Liverpools captain can ill-afford a reproduce while their manager expects more throughout center midfield, as the Keta quest indicates.

Klopp has identified where improvement will be necessary for his team to make an impact in Europe and satisfy the fraternities desperate praying for a first conference claim since 1990. Our biggest challenge is to be stronger defensively as a unit, to be more concentrated, more focused in situations, he said this summer. We know what their own problems is. He said the same last season, very, but set pieces and attacks continued to cost Liverpool.

The expectation of Liverpools Sadio Man, left, and Mohamed Salah terrorising defenses from all inclinations is tantalising for Jrgen Klopp. Picture: Christof Stache/ AFP/ Getty Images

Competition for James Milners place at left-back has arrived in the form of Andy Robertson, an initial 8m ratify from Hull City. Central defence remains a concern without van Dijk and, despite his excellent species at the hind end of last-place season and impressive reaction to the arrival of Loris Karius, Simon Mignolet faces a challenge to retain the No1 spot all over again. Harms, a major factor in Januarys downturn according to Klopp, would have an impact on a force facing a more demanding workload this season. Liverpool must also show greater mental resilience under pressure if, as their manager has territory, it needed only a draw at Sunderland to sow doubt in his players two days after they had beaten Manchester City at Anfield.

A stunning facet of Klopps Liverpool reign so far has been the extent of individual improvement, Adam Lallana being a prime example, and with no significant retirements to contend with the manager can be confident of maintaining that upward trajectory. He also has youngsters of genuine predict “whove been” carefully integrated into the first-team spotlight such as Ben Woodburn and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Rhian Brewster, a 17 -year-old striker acquired from Chelsea, “couldve been” next. Nathaniel Clyne may be an England regular but he faces a ferocious defy for his right-back character this season from Alexander-Arnold. The 18 -year-old from Liverpool has reached no secret of his ambition to captain his boyhood golf-club and has hijacked the risk afforded by Clynes injury in pre-season.

Liverpool are sanctified with gait, assaulting prowess, stability and a balanced force. Whether they will have the required character in central midfield and defence, however, may rest on cracking the resolve of Southampton and RB Leipzig.

The post Premier League 2017 -1 8 preview No10: Liverpool | Andy Hunter appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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[walkonwalkonwithhopeinyourheart]

MATCH THREAD: GAME WEEK 38 via /r/LiverpoolFC

MATCH THREAD: GAME WEEK 38

PREMIER LEAGUE : GAMEWEEK 7

MATCH INFORMATION

Stadium: Anfield

How to watch it?:

Sky Sports 1, NBCSN HD, NBCSN

Who is the ref?: Martin Atkinson

OTHER USEFUL LINKS

Pre Match Thread

LINEUPS

Position Liverpool Middlesbrough GK 1. Mignolet 12. Guzan RB 2. Clyne 2. Fabio CB 6. Lovren 25. Chambers CB 32. Matip 6. Gibson LB 7. Milner(C) 3. Friend MID 5. Wijnaldum 34. Forshaw MID 23. Can 8. Clayton MID 10. Coutinho 7. Leadbitter FWD 20. Lallana 19. Downing FWD 15. Sturridge 29. Gestede STK 11. Firmino 20. Bamford

Liverpool Substitutes: Karius, Klavan, Moreno, Grujic, Lucas, Origi, Alexander-Arnold

Middlesbrough Substitutes: Konstantopoulous, Bernardo, Ayala, Roon, Negredo, Stuani, Fischer

PRE MATCH UPDATES

Submitting this a touch early to see if it's possible to do from the pub, if not, /u/_cumblast_ will take over.

I'm picking up my friend for his first game and he's running late. Come on come on come on.

We've made it to the pub. Penny Lane in Richmond, VA is absolutely rocking.

MATCH UPDATES

AND WE'RE OFF.

1' Early shot from Firmino saved by Guzan

What a beautiful fucking shade of red that kit is.

3' Liverpool working the ball around and Coutinho whips in a great cross, which is cleared.

4' Middlesbrough play themselves into a bit of trouble but recover. It's all Liverpool so far.

5' Ads break dances around a player and makes him look quite foolish.

6' Nathaniel Clyne has a shot fall to him but flashes it wide on the half volley.

Update from the other games of note: City has scored. If City were to lose today then Liverpool could skip qualifying for CL altogether.

7' Daniel Sturridge is nearly slipped through but Guzan and his baldy dick of a head smothers it.

9' Milner overhits a cross.

10' Mignolet gathers after Liverpool reset.

Update in other games: Arsenal up 1-0.

12' God Joel Mario looks pretty with those long long legs in those short short shorts-er uh anyway Coutinho crosses and it's gathered by Baldy Americanman.

14' Coutinho finds Sturridge who isn't able to bring it under control. Goal kick to Boro.

14' Linda sighting.

UPDATE: The French defender that's name starts with a K and plays for Arsenal is off after a brutal tackle against watford. Edit: too lazy to try and spell that shit but I know how to pronounce it.

16' Wijnaldum fouls Gestede.

17' Milner called for a foul near the edge of the box. Stuart Downing stands over it.

19' Coutinho clipped. Daniel Sturridge down, but back up. Free kick pings around the box after two good shots, but Boro clears.

21' Emre Can fires over the bar and wide, but only just.m after a great piece of play. Boro growing into the game slightly before that.

22' ATKINSON SAYS NO ERA PENAL TO BORO. Replays will indicate whether we got away with something there. E: Replays show that he Boro player was already on his way down.

24' Clyne crosses but it's cleared back out to Coutinho who can't find his way through.

24' Gestede finds himself on the end of a cross which cause Mignolet to sweat a little bit, but it's wide.

25' Another cross is claimed by Guzan.

27' Sturridge shoots from the corner of the box and it goes wide. Meanwhile, City have doubled their lead.

Update: 10-man Arsenal up two.

29' Liverpool starting to show, as they're shooting from way out.

30' Coutinho gets into his spot, but there were a lot of players in front of him and he pushes it wide.

32' Clyne wins a throw in deep in then Boro half. And again.

33' Sturridge shoes some great strength to hold off the defender, turn and fire, leaving the Bald One at full stretch but it rolls JUST wide.

34' Corner to Liverpool.

36' Liverpool counter but Lallana fires at Guzan.

37' My friend has informed me that Guzan looks like One Punch Man, so I'll refer to him as such for the rest of this, unless time is of a factor.

39' Friend skips through the LFC defense and Milner clears for a corner.

40' Big dick Migs punches clear.

42' Boro wins a deep corner.

42' Liverpool recover.

43' Boro's long diagonal out for a throw.

Also, City have 4.

44' Milner wrongly judged to have fouled the man whose muscles and tendons decided to stop working in tandem when Miner kicked the ball.

45' One minute added.

45' + 1' HARRY FUCKING HOIJINI GOAL

GOD I LOVE THAT LITTLE MAN AND HIS BEAUTIFUL SMILE. HE'S GOING ON THE KIT NEXT YEAR AND ALL YOU PEOPLE THAT DISLIKE THE IDEA OF THAT CAN FUCK RIGHT THE HELL OFF.

And breathe. Halftime. City up 4. Arsenal up 2, but down a man against the Blue Shite. But Liverpool up 1, and fate is still in our hands. Up the motherfucking Reds. I love this fucking club and their heart attack footie.

Check out this adorable video of /u/SerSamwell's dog celebrating

46' Once more dear friends, unto the breach.

46' Can down from a flailing arm to the head, courtesy of Rudy Dickbreath Gestede.

47' Can back up and moving. Don't worry.

49' Liverpool win a deep corner and then reset.

50' Sturridge dances and is fouled.

51' Coutinho stands over the kick.

51' HE BURIES IT 2-0 TO LIVERPOOL

HANDS THE FUCK OFF BARCA, HES OURS AND YOU CAN DIE

52' WHO KNEW YOU COULD MAKE A TENT WITH YOUR DICK WHEN WEARING JEANS. IVE NEVER BEEN HARDER, NOT EVEN WITH THAT GIRL THAT WAS WELL AND TRULY OUT OF MY LEAGUE.

53' Firmino fires a shot which goes off a Boro player and Clyne shoots over the bar on the volley.

Update: Gabriel stretchered off in the Arsenal game.

56' Corner to Boro

56' A 5 ON 2 COUNTER RESULTS IN US FUCKING UO THE COUNTER BUT BEAUTIFUL, CHARACTER FILLED ADAM LALLANA SMASHES HOME AFTER ALME EXCELLENT INTERCHANGES.

3-0!!!!

58' COUTINHO GETS IN AN AMAZING POSITION AND ONE PUNCH MAN JUST FINGERS IT WIDE.

Unsurprisingly our corner comes to nothing and the Boro counter and win a free kick.

No one gives a shit, but Everton have one back.

62' Lallana fouled.

64' Excellent opportunity for a fourth, but the ball doesn't bounce kindly.

65' Boro forgetting that you can't just shove through someone's back and complaining when they're called for it.

67' Another foul by Boro.

67' Absolute Poetry In Motion there. Just unable to finish.

69' Sturridge showing his worth despite his lack of pace. It may be that we get to see him for a few more years if he and Klopp's have had the productive talks that have been rumored.

70' Shot from Lallana saved by One Punch Man.

73' Daniel Sturridge fires over, with an excellent chance that gets Anfield on its feet.

74' HUGE THROBBING MASSIVE ERECT AND VEINY COCK MIGNOLET MAKES A NICE SAVE THAT WOULD HAVE CHIPPED HIM EARLIER THIS SEASON. MR. NASTY IN THE BUILDING.

City up to 5. I'm beginning to think Watford might not pull off the comeback.

77' Can misfires but draws a round of applause from Anfield.

78' Lucas getting ready and my Buffalo Chicken Tenders are here. Updates may be a touch slower. If and when you come to Richmond's Penny Lane Pub, owned and operated by a family of Scousers, order the Buffalo chicken or spicy barbecue tenders. You won't be disappointed.

79' Lucas on for Firmino. Could this be his last run out for us? I certainly hope not, but if he wants more playing time, then I do understand.

82' Boro have a shot butnits wide and no one gives a fuck. More importantly, Divock Origi is on for Daniel Sturridge.

83' Lucas nearly put through and he runs back with the highest fucking grin. Edit, biggest, but whatever.

84' Lucas told to shoot by the supporters. Liverpool win a corner.

85' Liverpool fans telling Lucas to shoot from midfielder here at Penny Lane.

86' Alberto Moreno in for Milner. Milly hands the band to Lucas.

87' BORO PLAYER THINKS THAT MILLY MADE THE WRONG CALL AND BLASTS LUCAS IN THE FACE WITH THE BALL. He's okay that. He's Scouse Tough.

88' Moreno getting into shit with the Boro defender.

89' Lucas had a shot that would have been out for a throw, but the Boro defender puts it out for a corner instead.

90' 2 minutes of stoppage.

91' Mignolet smothers a weak shot.

92' LIVERPOOL HAVE A NEW THEME

UEFA CHAMPION'S LEAGUE GET READY TO HAVE YOUR ASSES HANDED TO YOU.

This is OxfordsandTea signing off. Great season reds. Up the reds.

Submitted May 21, 2017 at 02:24PM by Oxfordsandtea via reddit http://ift.tt/2qHWWxl

[apirateslifeforbudgie]

Wandering Star Snippet

Currently working on something! (Hint hint: log collection cover with a certain captain...) But today I was thinking about this scene I've had written for a while now! Keep in mind it's not polished or finalized 100% yet, but I think it's funny and have been wanting to share it for quite some time. And since Carmen's powers have been revealed as of last episode, I just decided to go for it today. It is a tiny bit spoiler-y, as it is from a way later episode.

Read below the cut!

Breakfast sizzled and popped in the skillet, and Killer removed it from the stove top to add it to a clean plate on the beaten island countertop behind him. Most of the spread had been picked clean by the crew - minus the captain - who sat and ate at the two tables just on the other side of the counter. The sound of forks scraping plates or cups being put back on the table replaced the usual morning chatter, and upon tiring of the silence, Heat gave a sigh.

“Alright…I’ll be the one to say it: Something happened.”

Most of the crew exchanged glances.

“Yeah?” seated directly across Heat, Haikei raised an eyebrow. “You were at the bar the other night– you saw what went down.”

“No, I mean after that. On the bow. Even after the bar, she still chose our ship. We’re all ordered off deck, and then she doesn’t show for two days?” He glanced over his shoulder to the kitchen. “Boss say anything about it to you, Killer?”

“Not a word,” Dishes clanged out as Killer placed them in the sink, and he grabbed a damp rag to wipe his hands. “You know he isn’t much of a talker.”

“Best stay out of the boss’ business,” Oscar interjected from the other table, warning his fellow crewmates. “This seems personal.”

Wire added, “And as much as I hate to say it…May as well get used to not having her around, anyway. We don’t have much longer before we reach the last island…” as he spoke, Carmen could be seen carefully peering into every angle of the room through the porthole window in the background, though she went unnoticed as Wire finished his thought. “Unless…Think maybe the boss will ask her to join the crew?”

Before any response could be given, the door opened and shut behind Carmen as she strolled in like she was already a part of the crew. Though they were taken off guard by her sudden appearance, they were just as delighted to see her again.

“Budgie!!” Noe happily threw his arms up in a greeting, and she hugged his neck from behind and sweetly spoke.

“Morning, boys,” she let her fingers gently brush against Heat’s smokey locks as she walked past and made her way into the kitchen to see the first mate. “Didn’t make my honey toast?”

“Didn’t expect you to join us – I’m a little surprised to see you this morning.”

Haikei called out to her as he took a bite. “Yeah, what’s the deal? Boss ban you from the ship again or something?”

“Because that worked so well the first time,” she teased with a smirk and Killer slapped her hand when she reached for a piece of toast on the counter. “I just figured you guys were getting sick of me and decided I should show the other crews some love. So! Now that you’ve had a little break, I came over to invite you fellas out tonight. Wanna come? We can have a bit extra fun since it got ruined last time.”

“You know you can count us in, Budgie,” Heat told her, but Wire chimed in with the concern.

“Doing okay? We haven’t really seen you since the other night.”

She crossed her arms and leaned her hip against the counter, not thrilled that the topic came up. “I’ve certainly been in worse situations.”

“That bastard….” Bubblegum gripped his fork just thinking about it. “Boss shoulda killed him.”

The Massacre Soldier spoke up. “Who’s to say he didn’t? At the very least, that guy won’t be walking that hit off for quite some time. So good news there. And speaking of the captain…” he turned his attention to Carmen. “Why do I get the sense you’re avoiding Kid?”

With a successfully stolen piece of toast in hand, Carmen could only offer a poorly-done change in subject. “Where’s your ‘Don’t Touch Anything’ apron? I like when you wear it.”

As she awaited his answer and went to bite into a corner of the toast, the door opened, causing her eyes to go wide and her body to drop on all-fours. The crew sounded out with casual greetings that were a mix of “Morning, Captain” and “Morning, Boss”, though she only heard him grunt in response and his approaching footsteps as she crawled around the far end of the counter, hair dragging the floor and toast hanging from her mouth.

“Morning, Kid,” Killer told his captain, who now stood where Carmen had just been as he handed the redhead the freshest plate.

“Go ahead and start morning routine without me, men,” Kid’s delayed reply was an order, and Carmen pressed her back into the end of the island as she intently listened, especially for footsteps. But for now, it seemed she was safe with more orders. “I got some work I wanna get done. Last I checked, we’re still on course to dock this afternoon. I want one of you to take an inventory check – see if anything needs restocked.”

“How about fruit?” Wire suggested. “Budgie may be willing to make us some more jam.”

From her hiding place, Carmen gave a thumbs-up to Haikei who confirmed for the crew. “Yeah, good idea. I get the feeling she’d be happy to.”

“Not much use for jam if there’s nothing to spread it on,” the redhead was aggravated as he observed the plate with a single piece of toast and mere crumbs. “Which one of you took an extra piece?”

Carmen’s face was flooded with dread as she heard Killer began his answer. “Oh, that was my mistake, Kid. Almost forgot,” the Massacre Soldier’s hand reached and yanked the somehow unscathed toast from her mouth, and she listened with wide eyes as he explained. “It got dropped this morning. The floors are clean if you want it.”

She heard his typical grunt of a response, but then came the concerning part – approaching footsteps. In a panic, she was on all-fours again, scuttling her way around to the outside of the counter. Some of the crew members were amused while others exchanged nervous glances as they watched her attempt at stealth while the captain once again stood where she had just been.

With only one arm, he placed the plate on the counter and began pouring a glass from one of the available pitchers. But with his height and the worried grimace on Carmen’s face, it was clear there was a real possibility of her being caught – any movement from her would be sure to catch his attention.

“Um…” Wire nervously spoke up. “Were there any more orders, boss?”

Carmen listened carefully with bated breath. From where she was pressed up against the island, she could just get a glimpse of those ridiculous lizard-print pants and that maroon feathered captain’s coat.

“Morning routine. Inventory,” he spoke after some thought, and stuffed his mouth with two pieces of bacon from the plate. “Prepare to dock in a few hours.”

“We’re on it, Kid,” Carmen heard Killer say, and the captain must’ve looked to his first mate because Bubblegum frantically gestured for her to move with his eyes. Quickly and quietly, she used her powers to levitate just above the ground and move towards the other end of the island, her calves down glowing blue and the usual trail of sparkles lighting up behind her.

“If one of you handle inventory, I’ll take over your part of morning routine,” Reck offered to anyone. “It’s been slow around here lately; I wouldn’t mind some extra work.”

Just as he finished his sentence, Carmen safely pressed her back to the end of the counter, though the sanctuary would be short-lived.

“Whatever, just get it done,” Kid placed his cup on the plate where bacon had been and carried the dish in his single had. “I’ll be in my quarters.”

Carmen had heard the footsteps immediately after the words, and before she knew it, she caught a glimpse of him walking by out of the peripheral of her wide eyes. An instant reaction, she was on all-fours for a final time, scurrying back around the counter, past Killer in the kitchen, and all the way back around to the far end where she stayed until she heard the captain kick the door close behind him.

“Whew!” she exclaimed when she bounced up, and the first mate already had his eyes on her through the mask.

“You owe me.”

“Of course, Kill,” Carmen took one of his hands and looked up to him with the utmost gratitude. “Buy you a drink tonight?” She offered as she span around him back into the kitchen where she was delighted to see that last piece of toast still on the plate. “Ooh~” As quickly as she saw it, she swiped it and was already hurrying to the exit. “Actually, I owe all of you for that. First round on me tonight! See you boys later!”

And just like that, she gone – door closed behind her and all – rushed out to avoid any and all questions.

“Alright…” the Massacre Solider spoke up to his crew, but those blue eyes behind that mask were fixed on the door. “Something happened.”

[apsbicepstraining]

Premier League 2017 -1 8 preview No10: Liverpool | Andy Hunter

Jrgen Klopps Liverpool are attuned now to his methods but whether they have the defensive tone for a shot at the entitle may be clearer when the transfer space closes

Guardian writers prophesied post 5th( NB: this is not necessarily Andy Hunters prediction but the average of our writers tips-off)

Last-place seasons post 4th

Odds to acquire the league( via Oddschecker ) 12 -1

It is an riling characteristic of the Premier League period for Liverpool that a season of sincere change often predates a reversal but Jrgen Klopp is convinced the hertz will be broken. The extra requisitions of Europe and individual patients, high-risk carry-over programme that has yet to pay off afford counter disagreements to the Liverpool administrators ideology. They should not distract from what is at Klopps disposal, nonetheless. Consistency, he has insisted, will ensure Liverpool do not merely flirt with a title objection this season. Numerous, although not all, of the segments are in place.

As was the lawsuit last-place summer, before he guided Liverpool back into the top four for the only second time in eight seasons, Klopp has been unperturbed by the external feelings that bordered the golf-clubs carry business when compared with contenders in the top six. Tottenham Hotspur are, of course, the notable exception. At this spot in the window the feeling is understandable. The final steps Klopp had envisaged for the coming expedition have proved the hardest to take.

RB Leipzig have been as good as their recurred word that Naby Keta is not for sale despite Liverpool deferring fraternity evidence offers of 57m and 66 m for the midfielder and his openness to the move. Stake in Kylian Mbapp has undone how Anfield officials always believed it would: with Real Madrid stringing up a astounding furnish for the Monaco send. And there was the aborted move for Virgil van Dijk, a setback that proved the feeling of a difficult window for Liverpool and showed Klopp that even the briefest see to Blackpool where he reportedly tapped-up Southamptons team captain can have damaging repercussions.

Liverpools interest in the order Holland international is not over despite publicly withdrawing from the race for the 60 m-rated supporter when Southampton reported them to the Premier League over an illegal approaching. A preliminary investigation ended without charge because of a lack of proof and Liverpool will return for Van Dijk should Southampton indicate they will part with their wantaway centre-half. The quest of Keta is expected to be parked under next summer when his 55 m freeing clause kickings in. Add into the desegregate Barcelonas interest in Philippe Coutinho and a sense of uneasines is legitimate, although there are still four weeks for Van Dijk to arrive, others to follow and what has already taken determine at Anfield this summer signals improvement ahead.

Interactive

Liverpool have the will and the money to signal van Dijk and Keta but not a mode to break the resolve of Southampton and Leipzig respectively. That was always the inherent hazard in Klopp targeting a few top-class modernizes to elevate Liverpool from fourth into title quarrel, rather than the wholesale changes that have characterised recent summers in L4. He has also been reluctant to consider alternatives as the waiting game over van Dijk supports. The success of such an approach will be uncovered formerly the transfer window closes and Champions League commitments arrive for a force that benefited from a European-free season last time out, delivering the play-offs are navigated successfully later this month.

For a director who implores consistency and trophies stability, however, the existing footings are more important, and encouraging, than what is currently out of reach. Klopp has a settled squad attuned to his methods , no disruption to be faced with and an improved indulgence of options in the final third. Liverpool would bask business opportunities in the Champions League against resists who, like Bayern Munich in the Audi Cup on Tuesday, are more open to assault than numerous in the Premier League.

The pursuit of quality over length is another mark of recent change at Anfield. Liverpool possess a crew is suitable for Champions League qualification, one that finished above Arsenal and Manchester United last season and grew some exhilarating renditions when emerging as Chelseas closest challengers before Christmas. Title assertions evaporated at the turn of the year when Liverpool, to use their managers argument, absence the magnitude to deal with a frenetic fixture planned, a run to the League Cup semi-finals, harms and Sadio Mans departure to the Africa Cup of Nations. The squad necessitates bolstering in center midfield and central defence but it has no doubt improved.

Reinforcement so far has mainly centred on Liverpools strongest department, criticize, where Mohamed Salah has joined for a organization account 36.9 m from AS Roma and Dominic Solanke has arrived in search of greater opportunity than he found at Chelsea. A tribunal will be used to determine the compensation cost payable on a striker who starred in Englands triumphant Under-2 0s World Cup campaign and has shown in pre-season that his involvement will not be confined to the under-2 3s squad, as Klopp initially suggested.

Salah has shone in pre-season, three years after scorning a proposed 8m move to Liverpool in favour of an ill-fated sorcery at Stamford Bridge. The Egypt international give full play to on the interests of Klopps forward wire, with Man labor his course back to full fitness, and his velocity, labor frequency and end product have already been impressed. The expectation of Salah and Man terrorising explanations from all inclinations and feeding off the intelligent awareness of Roberto Firmino, is tantalising for Klopp. Make other squads crazy with a better quality we have, the manager has said. Equally comfortable on the left, Salah ensures Liverpool will not be as reliant on Man for speed and yields Coutinho licence to dictate play from a deeper post. The Anfield club are adamant the Brazil international will not be sold this summer despite continued interest from a Neymar-less Barcelona.

Interactive

In Coutinho, Salah, Man, Firmino, Daniel Sturridge who had payed Klopps approval with his sharpness the summer months simply to abide a thigh harm while scoring in the 3-0 overcome of Bayern Solanke, Divock Origi and the fit-again Danny Ings, Liverpool boast a formidable reach of strikers. They will be needed. Klopps side regularly faced, and toiled against, opposings who sat back en masse and played on the counterattack last-place season. It was not only a repetition topic at Anfield, with units prepared to concede ground at home to combat Klopps style. Jordan Hendersons they are able to extend and swap the play was missed after he suffered another debilitating foot trauma. Liverpools captain can ill-afford a reproduce while their manager expects more throughout center midfield, as the Keta quest indicates.

Klopp has identified where improvement will be necessary for his team to make an impact in Europe and satisfy the fraternities desperate praying for a first conference claim since 1990. Our biggest challenge is to be stronger defensively as a unit, to be more concentrated, more focused in situations, he said this summer. We know what their own problems is. He said the same last season, very, but set pieces and attacks continued to cost Liverpool.

The expectation of Liverpools Sadio Man, left, and Mohamed Salah terrorising defenses from all inclinations is tantalising for Jrgen Klopp. Picture: Christof Stache/ AFP/ Getty Images

Competition for James Milners place at left-back has arrived in the form of Andy Robertson, an initial 8m ratify from Hull City. Central defence remains a concern without van Dijk and, despite his excellent species at the hind end of last-place season and impressive reaction to the arrival of Loris Karius, Simon Mignolet faces a challenge to retain the No1 spot all over again. Harms, a major factor in Januarys downturn according to Klopp, would have an impact on a force facing a more demanding workload this season. Liverpool must also show greater mental resilience under pressure if, as their manager has territory, it needed only a draw at Sunderland to sow doubt in his players two days after they had beaten Manchester City at Anfield.

A stunning facet of Klopps Liverpool reign so far has been the extent of individual improvement, Adam Lallana being a prime example, and with no significant retirements to contend with the manager can be confident of maintaining that upward trajectory. He also has youngsters of genuine predict “whove been” carefully integrated into the first-team spotlight such as Ben Woodburn and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Rhian Brewster, a 17 -year-old striker acquired from Chelsea, “couldve been” next. Nathaniel Clyne may be an England regular but he faces a ferocious defy for his right-back character this season from Alexander-Arnold. The 18 -year-old from Liverpool has reached no secret of his ambition to captain his boyhood golf-club and has hijacked the risk afforded by Clynes injury in pre-season.

Liverpool are sanctified with gait, assaulting prowess, stability and a balanced force. Whether they will have the required character in central midfield and defence, however, may rest on cracking the resolve of Southampton and RB Leipzig.

The post Premier League 2017 -1 8 preview No10: Liverpool | Andy Hunter appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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[apsbicepstraining]

Premier League 2017 -1 8 preview No10: Liverpool | Andy Hunter

Jrgen Klopps Liverpool are attuned now to his methods but whether they have the defensive tone for a shot at the entitle may be clearer when the transfer space closes

Guardian writers prophesied post 5th( NB: this is not necessarily Andy Hunters prediction but the average of our writers tips-off)

Last-place seasons post 4th

Odds to acquire the league( via Oddschecker ) 12 -1

It is an riling characteristic of the Premier League period for Liverpool that a season of sincere change often predates a reversal but Jrgen Klopp is convinced the hertz will be broken. The extra requisitions of Europe and individual patients, high-risk carry-over programme that has yet to pay off afford counter disagreements to the Liverpool administrators ideology. They should not distract from what is at Klopps disposal, nonetheless. Consistency, he has insisted, will ensure Liverpool do not merely flirt with a title objection this season. Numerous, although not all, of the segments are in place.

As was the lawsuit last-place summer, before he guided Liverpool back into the top four for the only second time in eight seasons, Klopp has been unperturbed by the external feelings that bordered the golf-clubs carry business when compared with contenders in the top six. Tottenham Hotspur are, of course, the notable exception. At this spot in the window the feeling is understandable. The final steps Klopp had envisaged for the coming expedition have proved the hardest to take.

RB Leipzig have been as good as their recurred word that Naby Keta is not for sale despite Liverpool deferring fraternity evidence offers of 57m and 66 m for the midfielder and his openness to the move. Stake in Kylian Mbapp has undone how Anfield officials always believed it would: with Real Madrid stringing up a astounding furnish for the Monaco send. And there was the aborted move for Virgil van Dijk, a setback that proved the feeling of a difficult window for Liverpool and showed Klopp that even the briefest see to Blackpool where he reportedly tapped-up Southamptons team captain can have damaging repercussions.

Liverpools interest in the order Holland international is not over despite publicly withdrawing from the race for the 60 m-rated supporter when Southampton reported them to the Premier League over an illegal approaching. A preliminary investigation ended without charge because of a lack of proof and Liverpool will return for Van Dijk should Southampton indicate they will part with their wantaway centre-half. The quest of Keta is expected to be parked under next summer when his 55 m freeing clause kickings in. Add into the desegregate Barcelonas interest in Philippe Coutinho and a sense of uneasines is legitimate, although there are still four weeks for Van Dijk to arrive, others to follow and what has already taken determine at Anfield this summer signals improvement ahead.

Interactive

Liverpool have the will and the money to signal van Dijk and Keta but not a mode to break the resolve of Southampton and Leipzig respectively. That was always the inherent hazard in Klopp targeting a few top-class modernizes to elevate Liverpool from fourth into title quarrel, rather than the wholesale changes that have characterised recent summers in L4. He has also been reluctant to consider alternatives as the waiting game over van Dijk supports. The success of such an approach will be uncovered formerly the transfer window closes and Champions League commitments arrive for a force that benefited from a European-free season last time out, delivering the play-offs are navigated successfully later this month.

For a director who implores consistency and trophies stability, however, the existing footings are more important, and encouraging, than what is currently out of reach. Klopp has a settled squad attuned to his methods , no disruption to be faced with and an improved indulgence of options in the final third. Liverpool would bask business opportunities in the Champions League against resists who, like Bayern Munich in the Audi Cup on Tuesday, are more open to assault than numerous in the Premier League.

The pursuit of quality over length is another mark of recent change at Anfield. Liverpool possess a crew is suitable for Champions League qualification, one that finished above Arsenal and Manchester United last season and grew some exhilarating renditions when emerging as Chelseas closest challengers before Christmas. Title assertions evaporated at the turn of the year when Liverpool, to use their managers argument, absence the magnitude to deal with a frenetic fixture planned, a run to the League Cup semi-finals, harms and Sadio Mans departure to the Africa Cup of Nations. The squad necessitates bolstering in center midfield and central defence but it has no doubt improved.

Reinforcement so far has mainly centred on Liverpools strongest department, criticize, where Mohamed Salah has joined for a organization account 36.9 m from AS Roma and Dominic Solanke has arrived in search of greater opportunity than he found at Chelsea. A tribunal will be used to determine the compensation cost payable on a striker who starred in Englands triumphant Under-2 0s World Cup campaign and has shown in pre-season that his involvement will not be confined to the under-2 3s squad, as Klopp initially suggested.

Salah has shone in pre-season, three years after scorning a proposed 8m move to Liverpool in favour of an ill-fated sorcery at Stamford Bridge. The Egypt international give full play to on the interests of Klopps forward wire, with Man labor his course back to full fitness, and his velocity, labor frequency and end product have already been impressed. The expectation of Salah and Man terrorising explanations from all inclinations and feeding off the intelligent awareness of Roberto Firmino, is tantalising for Klopp. Make other squads crazy with a better quality we have, the manager has said. Equally comfortable on the left, Salah ensures Liverpool will not be as reliant on Man for speed and yields Coutinho licence to dictate play from a deeper post. The Anfield club are adamant the Brazil international will not be sold this summer despite continued interest from a Neymar-less Barcelona.

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In Coutinho, Salah, Man, Firmino, Daniel Sturridge who had payed Klopps approval with his sharpness the summer months simply to abide a thigh harm while scoring in the 3-0 overcome of Bayern Solanke, Divock Origi and the fit-again Danny Ings, Liverpool boast a formidable reach of strikers. They will be needed. Klopps side regularly faced, and toiled against, opposings who sat back en masse and played on the counterattack last-place season. It was not only a repetition topic at Anfield, with units prepared to concede ground at home to combat Klopps style. Jordan Hendersons they are able to extend and swap the play was missed after he suffered another debilitating foot trauma. Liverpools captain can ill-afford a reproduce while their manager expects more throughout center midfield, as the Keta quest indicates.

Klopp has identified where improvement will be necessary for his team to make an impact in Europe and satisfy the fraternities desperate praying for a first conference claim since 1990. Our biggest challenge is to be stronger defensively as a unit, to be more concentrated, more focused in situations, he said this summer. We know what their own problems is. He said the same last season, very, but set pieces and attacks continued to cost Liverpool.

The expectation of Liverpools Sadio Man, left, and Mohamed Salah terrorising defenses from all inclinations is tantalising for Jrgen Klopp. Picture: Christof Stache/ AFP/ Getty Images

Competition for James Milners place at left-back has arrived in the form of Andy Robertson, an initial 8m ratify from Hull City. Central defence remains a concern without van Dijk and, despite his excellent species at the hind end of last-place season and impressive reaction to the arrival of Loris Karius, Simon Mignolet faces a challenge to retain the No1 spot all over again. Harms, a major factor in Januarys downturn according to Klopp, would have an impact on a force facing a more demanding workload this season. Liverpool must also show greater mental resilience under pressure if, as their manager has territory, it needed only a draw at Sunderland to sow doubt in his players two days after they had beaten Manchester City at Anfield.

A stunning facet of Klopps Liverpool reign so far has been the extent of individual improvement, Adam Lallana being a prime example, and with no significant retirements to contend with the manager can be confident of maintaining that upward trajectory. He also has youngsters of genuine predict “whove been” carefully integrated into the first-team spotlight such as Ben Woodburn and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Rhian Brewster, a 17 -year-old striker acquired from Chelsea, “couldve been” next. Nathaniel Clyne may be an England regular but he faces a ferocious defy for his right-back character this season from Alexander-Arnold. The 18 -year-old from Liverpool has reached no secret of his ambition to captain his boyhood golf-club and has hijacked the risk afforded by Clynes injury in pre-season.

Liverpool are sanctified with gait, assaulting prowess, stability and a balanced force. Whether they will have the required character in central midfield and defence, however, may rest on cracking the resolve of Southampton and RB Leipzig.

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