13 Feb 2017 06:17:40
I thought I would try my hand at a match review. See if everyone agrees as there was a few talking points in my opinion. Right here goes.

On the whole I thought we plaued extremely well as a team but there were a couple of players not at the races that we need to be firing on all cylinders to mount a serious climb up the table to challenge Chelsea or even Spurs. It still worries me that without Mane we look ordinary. Im not saying we've become a one man team but we just become slow, predictable and ineffective. I don't want to sound too negative after what was a very good game, where we played so well that we made second place Spurs look extremely ordinary.

Mignolet- Had a very good game. Made some very good saves when needed. He actually commanded his area very well for once, coming out and claiming high balls. Still likes to stand too far forward for me though and could of been caught out by Ericksson but luckily his shot was of no threat anyway and I'm being picky. A good leading performance.

Clyne- Did his job defensively, although wasn't really needed. Didn't contribute much going forward either, in fact you wouldn't of known he was playing. Maybe that was due to Mane commanding that right hand side. He could of overlapped Mane but didn't really get forward much.

Matip- A couple of sloppy tackles but like with Migs, that's being picky as he commanded his box very well and is proving himself to be our most effective defender. A very good game.

Lucas- Proved me wrong. Was immense, lead the defensive line very well, read the game extremely well and was even very good in the air. His performance made it easier for Matip and Migs. A good strong shout for man of the match.

Milner- A similar performance to Clyne. Remains totally ineffective going forward but was possibly stronger defensively than Clyne. Like Clyne though I struggle to think of anything he contributed to our forward play. Link up play with Coutinho down the left was relatively nonexistent.

Henderson- Again proved why he's the rock of our midfield. Another leaders performance. Dominated midfield. Strong defensively but carried the ball well too. Proved why he's the captain.

Wijnaldum- Very similar to Henderson. The pair bossed the centre of the park and helped make life difficult for Dier and co. Used his strength very well today I thought and showed some very strong passes which I'd not noticed before. A very strong performance.

Lallana- Another that had a good game. Some quick interchanges. His game definitely looks helped by Mane. When Mane plays Lallana seems to speed up his game. Harried an tracked very well too.

Coutinho- For me Coutinho was the only weak link going forward. It seems strange saying it as so often we talk about how effective a match he's had and he's normally the spark of everything good about our play but during this game he didn't look at the races. Passed very well but was ineffective going forward and fluffed far too many chances.

Mane- A very strong performance and seems to change our game. Everything good about our game came from him throughout the game. His link up play with the midfield is what stands out for me as well as his pace and directness. We look a different team with him in it. A case for man of the match.

Firmino- Although some of his flair and creativity was missing he did lead the line very well especially when we didn't have possession. He harried, pressed and harassed Spurs. You just cannot fault his work rate and energy for the team. I do think his forward play is better the better Coutinho plays. Saying that you cannot fault his link up play with Mane either.

I won't go into the substitutes as when they where introduced the game was relatively over as a contest.

The two main talking points for me are, Mane, why are we a different proposition with him in the side? Are we becoming a one man team? And Coutinho, why is his game so off?

1.) 13 Feb 2017
13 Feb 2017 09:24:40
Yes the team is dependent on Mane a bit but it's majorly because he is mainly the only real player with pace in our team. We have no real player like him who can take on players and beat them for pace. Add to that his stamina has been phenomenal.
That is the major area we need to address this summer.
Add a couple of good pacy wide forwards uptop
Also left back too needs upgradation. Milner did well in the first few games but nowadays every game he looks really tired.

2.) 13 Feb 2017
13 Feb 2017 09:26:45
It isn't that we are a one man team per se, not how it used to be with Gerrard single-handedly dragging us to wins, but what Mane offers is something unique that we simply don't have when he doesn't play: pace. This pace changes how teams defend against us and how they approach us - essentially if they don't get really tight on Mane he can breeze past players an create chances and goals; if they get tight it free's up space for other players to exploit. When he wasn't in the team there was a distinct lack of movement up top and it made our attacks predictable and easy to defend - when Mane plays it gives us another angle of attack and unsettles back lines which, in turn, leads to more goals. His work rate off the ball, in putting defenders under pressure, stops defenders getting comfortable and leads to mistakes - evidenced by the Spurs game. We are not a one-man-team but we are a different proposition with him in the side.

As for Coutinho? Coming off the back of a 3-month layoff I think he is just getting up to speed - it's not a fitness issue so much as a match fitness/ sharpness - often takes weeks to get back up to previous levels, I think he'll be fine.

3.) 13 Feb 2017
13 Feb 2017 09:34:39
Pretty much spot on mate apart from saying we're becoming a one man team, just because Mane scored both of them goals and was incredible on the day doesn't mean we're a one man team, granted he's been one of the best players this season for us but we have many other top quality players.

We was a one man team when we had Suarez, today it's different, we have a team of quality players, of course this can be improved but what team can't be. Having said all of this, I would be worried to not have Mane in the team on any day. It depends how you want to look at it, he certainly makes a massive difference.

Coutinho has been off form but before the Spurs game every player was off form, he is fine and will soon be back to his best. No matter how good he is, he can't be top notch every single game. I'm not too worried about it.

4.) 13 Feb 2017
13 Feb 2017 10:28:27
i think you are bang on the money with your match report.

The one thing i will say is that Wijnaldum while being awesome also proved that Can shouldn't get near that midfield, and he should be one of those moved on in the summer.

5.) 13 Feb 2017
13 Feb 2017 10:57:04
Think Wijnaldum was instrumental in our play simply coz He kept Dembele quite all night. Any team who plays high line against us is going gnto get punished no matter who. It simply is our territory and we are the best when there is space to run at.

With our Midfield nullifying Dembele deep in his own half we simply cut off the supply chain to Alli and Kane from midfield ( One of our best tactical game in some time as Dembele simply owned Chelsea 3 weeks ago ) .
Alli never dropped into the middle and it was easy for us to win the midfiled.

A poor show from Son and Davis on the left means Clyne and Mane were dancing through the channel.

Think Klopp knew how to stop Spurs playing football and we exccuted it perfectly.

Out weakest link is Left hand side. Milner offer nothing upfront and also allowed Walker to bomb high up. Coutinho is not a winger, not oday, never was and never will be. He is an actual midfielder who occupies the flank simply coz we have no real left footed winger like Mane.

I agree with your view we need another world class winger on the left and we are good to challenge the the title.

6.) 13 Feb 2017
13 Feb 2017 13:51:52
I didn't actually say we are becoming a one man team. I left it open as a question for discussion. I actually agree with what most of you said that Mane's pace and ability to occupy defenders provides space for others.

7.) 13 Feb 2017
13 Feb 2017 17:59:16
Great posts, lad. Feels good to have great conversations with cooler heads especially after a big win. As for me, mane is a great asset just like Hazard is to Chelsea. Neither are a one man team. if you want a one man team, look at Arsenal and Sanchez. If Sanchez doesn't play, Arsenal is in trouble, plain and simple. As for Mane, he is a key player and allows us to pressure team even tho they park the bus. the prob with Jan was that we had Studge and Origi who were supposed to step up while he was away and they flopped big time especially Studge who with next to no pace, couldn't keep things moving in flow when the ball got to him hence, moves died.

Also, we were unwilling to flood the box with players via third man runs that drag defenders out of position hence, creating space and scoring chances. And lastly, our attitude and approach to games vs parked buses was poor. After 20 minutes without scoring, our team would just stop probing and lose focus and then we get caught on the break. Hopefully in the summer, we will target wingers who can do exactly what Mane can as he is now the prototypical winger needed in Klopp's system.

Also as a side note, I watched Julian Brandt play this week and I sure hope we get him cos that kid is special.

8.) 13 Feb 2017
13 Feb 2017 18:50:28
Yeah I mentioned Brandt in earlier posts. He's got real potential considering how young he is. Two or three good buys is all we're short of. I'd like to see a 20-25 goal striker added. Especially if Sturridge leaves.

9.) 13 Feb 2017
13 Feb 2017 20:32:56
think lots of us agree that we def need another fast forward in the summer, When Mane was away, we really missed his pace and drive, just imagine if we had another Mane in the team .

{Ed025's Note - hes quality RF and he drags the others up as well, im not saying your a one man team...but you are.. :)

10.) 14 Feb 2017
14 Feb 2017 00:29:13
Ed25, Lukaku makes Everton better. W/ O him, you will not even score a goal BUT hey, you're definitely not a one man team.

{Ed025's Note - your not far wrong there noah, we do over rely on rom to get our goals, the difference is that thats all he does and his work rate can be sadly lacking at times, hes still only 23 though so that could improve but it may not be with us sadly mate..