More Liverpool Posts

Liverpool Article 25 Dec 2024
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool A Liverpool Perspective







After the wins over Real Madrid and Manchester City, which were very one-sided, it is hard to believe any performance could top those, but for 70 minutes of the 90 against Spurs, Liverpool went up to a whole new level. The big questions I have afterwards are how did they score only six (though it feels odd to use only in relation to six goals) and how did Spurs manage to score three? That was a hiding of epic proportions and it is hard to believe just how good Slot has this team playing. This performance was incredible. Yes, it was helped by the way the Londoners play under Postecoglou and their injury situations but it was still an exceptional and exciting performance.



It really felt like Liverpool could score every time they swept forward and Spurs just had no answer. If it was not for a couple of spells of complacency, that game would have been a much better reflection of the game than 6-3 actually was. It was certainly much more one-sided than that suggests. There is really not a lot to write here, it was a thrashing, but there was nothing out of the ordinary that Liverpool had to do to achieve it, other than play their game well. Press them, they give the ball away, attack them and they are wide open. That was it in a nutshell.



The end of the game showed how to control the play and see out time, but that only became possible because of the way Liverpool constantly broke the press throughout the game. There were periods when it was clear the Reds were baiting Tottenham in to press them, by slowly rolling the ball around, looking to create a gap when someone got tempted to chase it. It kept working as well, freeing up players all over the pitch, as Spurs' press was ragged and they were not all reacting in time to the trigger. By the end of the game, understandable when you consider the scoreline, it was a broken Spurs team, who had lost the enthusiasm to even chase any teasing balls around the defence.







Tottenham Hotspur





Spurs are turning into a massive disappointment under Postecoglou, the players are letting him down badly. Far too many are strolling around the pitch and not putting in the effort needed. The only player who seemed willing to put in the effort required, and consequently their only decent performer, was Kulusevski. It looks clear that they are already at the point where a choice needs to be made to rip it all up and start again, either by backing Postecoglou and offloading the main offenders, or by removing the Australian. Which almost certainly means that it will be the manager that makes way, as that is the easy option for Levy, before the fans turn on him.



However, while it is clear that the players are failing the manager, it is also clear that he is failing to make the most out of those players. There is no adaptability to circumstances and it is costing them badly. It does not take an expert to see that Forster is awful with his feet (actually for Premier League level, every part of his game is below the level required), and that is being kind about his kicking. It also should not take much to see that a high line only works if the defence, midfield and attack are working together as a cohesive unit. Just putting fast players at the back is not a solution, even with their first choice defence in place, they are just as bad at defending.



The front three is not pressing as a unit, the midfield is too slow to back them up and the defence is just stood up high waiting for the race back towards their goal when a ball gets played over them. There is nobody willing to organise them on the pitch, much as I love Son, he is not leading them. In fact, he is probably the biggest worry as he is not playing well in himself, let alone helping to get the others playing better. And, on top of the lack of organisation and cohesion, the whole team is incredibly slack with their passes, constantly passing themselves into trouble, before inevitably giving the ball away.



They are in a mess of similar proportions to Manchester United and they need the same drastic surgery to their team to fix it. The problem is that the repairs are going to require investment at a level that Levy is unlikely to sanction, even if the money is there to do it. The youth academy is not producing the talent to work with, so it is going to be a case of signing players to plug holes. I am just not sure that anything can be done to plug the holes Postecoglou's system leaves against better sides. At the top end, you simply have to be better at defending, I am not sure he can or even if he is inclined to try and fix the defence.







Liverpool





Alisson - he spent most of the game sat in a deckchair watching the game like the rest of us! There was a dip in levels after Liverpool went 2-0 up, which led to Spurs pulling one back, but I believe he could do nothing about the shot from Madisson. It was cleverly bent around the defenders, which meant Alisson was unsighted until too late. The second half was more of the same for him, watching the game until after Liverpool's fifth, when they got complacent again and let Spurs back into the game. Alisson was needed to stop it becoming 5-2 much earlier than it did. He could do nothing about the second, though you do have to wonder if there was a possibility he could have claimed the ball in the air. He also made a good save at 6-3 to stop Spurs making the game look far too close a contest. Overall though, he just had it nice and easy.





Alexander-Arnold - defended well, almost scored with a cracking shot and produced a masterclass in passing to top it off. His cross for the opening goal was a thing of beauty - when you talk about bending it like Beckham, well that is exactly what you are meaning. Son had a very poor game, in large part thanks to Alexander-Arnold.





Gomez - an excellent game from Gomez, the kind of performance he was routinely putting in during the Premier League title-winning season under Klopp. He was all over the pitch sweeping up at times. Though, it must be said, he could have done better on the first Spurs goal and been more vocal to get the midfield to drop in and cover on the second. The midfield were sleeping and he could not deal with everyone, so he needed to bawl at them to wake them up.





van Dijk - like Gomez, he could have done better on the first Spurs goal, he also allowed himself to be drawn out of position on the second, though he does have every right to expect the midfield to drop in and cover the gap left. But, he still should have disengaged a bit sooner and dropped back. Overall though, a good game for him, though he will not be happy at letting in three goals in one match.





Robertson - a mixed game for him, some poor crosses and awful defending on the third Spurs goal in particular, but he also did some excellent work too. He did struggle up against Kulusevski, but the Swede is an excellent player. Once Kulusevski moved inside after Spurs made some subs, Robertson was much better.





Gravenberch - apart from a spell after Liverpool scored their fifth, when he was asleep defensively, Gravenberch was once again exceptional. He does need to be more alert to a centre-back being caught up field pressing the ball though.





Mac Allister - after his pathetic piece of play acting, trying to win a free kick rather than getting on with the game and possibly stopping Spurs scoring their first, he was much better. It seemed to wake him up when he did not get the decision he was hoping for and, after that, he was getting stuck in, rather than throwing himself to the floor when involved in contact. And, of course, he scored the second after a really good, well-timed, late run into the box to steal a march on the defence.





Szoboszlai - outstanding! He was my man of the match, though there are a lot of options for that accolade. However, the Hungary captain seemed to be everywhere and at the heart of everything Liverpool did. His workrate, passing and timing of the run was absolutely brilliant in this game.





Salah - brilliant game from a player who is making a stronger case for being the greatest player ever in the Premier League. Each week that goes by, he seems to be setting new records and this week it was becoming the fastest player in Prem history to notch double figures in goals and assists, getting two more of each. I am not sure there is even an argument to be made for anyone else right now for being the best player in the world. Salah has been so good this season, that he is making it more and more laughable that he gets so little recognition from FIFA and UEFA.





Diaz - played in the centre as a false 9 and was excellent, though Tottenham's defending did help with that. However, his movement was very good and they could not cope with it at all. Could easily have scored more than the couple he got.





Gakpo - had a decent game, but not at the level he has been playing. There were a number of times his touch was poor, one of them led to him getting a booking.





Jones - replaced Mac Allister in the 68th minute. He never seemed able to get up to speed in the game and was caught chasing the play a lot. Should have done better on the second Spurs goal.





Jota - came on for Gakpo in the 68th minute. Went into the centre, so Diaz could go back onto the left. While he did have a few moments of loose play, like the moment when he should have done better with a header, he worked hard to make up for his mistakes. At one point, after he gave the ball away sloppily, he chased Kulusevski back 50 yards to try and recover it. At one point his desire was enough to win a ball against a number of Spurs' players, as he just wanted it more.





Nunez - took Diaz's place in the 86th minute. Played on the left and did a decent enough job in the few minutes he was on the pitch.





Elliott - was brought on in place of Salah in the 86th minute. Played a lovely ball to Szoboszlai right at the end, but played on the right which no longer seems to be his best position at all.

Liverpool Article 17 Dec 2024
Liverpool v Fulham A Liverpool Perspective







Wow, yet again another fantastic match! To think there were people complaining on our Liverpool site recently about the lack of entertainment watching them play. Since then, it has been just incredible to watch the games. They have all been exciting, for different reasons. Manchester City and Real Madrid were just blown away, while the others have just been rollercoaster rides. Well, I accept that the Girona match was not exciting, nestled in the middle of it all, but it was a game with little riding on it, as Liverpool had already qualified for the next stage. There was very little chance of that being anything other than a bit of a grind.



Firstly though, sadly I once again have to complain about the officiating, which was abysmal. Tony Harrington was all over the place and had a mare and was so inconsistent, he was almost consistent in his inconsistency. How on earth Diaz ended up being booked was beyond me. It was clear he was the one actually being fouled. The Perreira booking was extremely questionable and really looked a red card, or should have been. There was no attempt to play the ball, it was just studs on the back of the calf in an attempt to put Gravenberch out of the game. It was everything we are told they want to stamp out of the game.



Then there was the sending off of Robertson. I have to admit I thought initially it was a good decision, but on seeing it back, I can understand why it is controversial, especially as they did have their goalscoring chance. I am now unsure what the decision should have been. The one I am not unsure about is the penalty claim for Liverpool, which was a clear penalty in my opinion. A foul does not have to be deliberate to be a foul, so I have no idea how the referee and VAR came to the conclusion that Gomez being wiped out by accident was not a foul.



The game itself was, well I think I can call it a tactical masterclass by Arne Slot. The way he jiggled the team about, over and over again until it worked to put pressure on Fulham and really take the game to them. It meant taking big risks, but the potential rewards were well worth the risk. For most of the game, despite being down to ten, Liverpool were the better side, though the spaces left by being a man short did mean there was always the potential there for the Londoners to break. If it had been up to me, I would probably have put Endo on to give a bit more solidity, but what Slot did instead worked probably a lot better than what I had in mind. It worked so well that it felt almost disappointing to only get a draw with ten men. My only worry about it is how much it would have taken out of the legs of those players who played the full 90 minutes.







Fulham





It must be said, Marco Silva has improved massively as a head coach over the years. In the past, his teams were disorganised defensively and easy to break down. This Fulham team is much better organised and defensively much more solid, while still retaining the ability to score goals that his teams have always had. I like that he rarely thinks about settling for a point and almost always sends his team out to take the game to the opposition and attempt to win. Silva has Fulham at the point that they can give any team a game and you can never rule them out from getting a result, no matter who they are playing.



Having said that, the big issue he does seem to have is motivation. They do seem to sit back far too easily as soon as they have a lead. They did it twice against Liverpool and let them back in both times. As soon as they have a lead, they want to drop deep and look to hit on the counter. They do have pace in wide areas, so it is understandable, but it does often cost them. They may be more organised than Silva's previous sides, but they are still not solid enough to sit in and hold out. That makes them very reliant on their forwards to keep opponents pushed back.



They do have a lot of pace up top, which helps, but they are so good and comfortable on the ball that it feels like they would pick up much more points by holding slightly higher up and getting on the ball more. They can play keep ball to draw opponents out, then use the pace on the counter, without ending up sat inside their own penalty area when they get the ball and in danger of one sloppy pass throwing away their lead.







Liverpool





Alisson - he was unlucky with both goals, they were both deflected past him or neither is likely to have ended up in the back of the net. He also came up with a save to keep the score equal when needed.





Alexander-Arnold - it is hard to judge him defensively in this game, due to the way Liverpool played with ten men. Slot was brave and went aggressive, pushing him onto Robinson to stop the Fulham full-back getting forward. That did leave a lot of space behind him, but it was a risk that was worth taking. His flexibility was used, as he was inverted and then pushed out wide and then inverted once more, as Slot looked to figure out how to get at Fulham with just ten men. Some of his passing was brilliant, some of it loose, pretty much as normal.





Gomez - had a really good game, though he was constantly moved about from right-sided centre-back in a back four to left-back, then right-sided centre-back in a back three. Then back to left-back and then left-sided centre-back in a back three. Through it all, Gomez had a good game, though he was very unlucky with the deflection, at least he was there to attempt to block.





van Dijk - in the early parts of the game, he was caught up field, then got caught by a simple ball over the top. But, as the game went on, he grew into it and led the team well. Slot had to take chances and go man-for-man at the back, which meant there were lots of spaces to be covered, but van Dijk did what he could to organise the defensive set up.





Robertson - that was a disastrous game for Robertson. Even when he got wiped out by Diop, there was an offside so the team were unable to gain any real advantage from it. But then he followed that up by giving the ball away, leading to a passage of play where he was caught out ball-watching and not noticing Perreira behind him on the first Fulham goal. Worse, the ball deflected off him, otherwise it would have almost certainly been a simple save for Alisson. Not satisfied with that, he then failed to control a simple ball, letting it bounce off him to Wilson, who he then wiped out and got himself sent off. I know people are making excuses for the loose touch, due to him possibly carrying a knock, but that is no excuse for ball watching.





Gravenberch - was immense, whether playing in midfield or defence. And that even despite Perreira's attempt to put him out of the game with a stud rake down the back of his ankle. What a player he is growing into. Man of the match for me.





Szoboszlai - was the one who pushed Gravenberch closest for man of the match. In fact, he has a very good case to be the one who should get it. His graft and intelligent work for the team made a huge difference. His mobility and some very nice play, allied to a prodigious workrate, were like an extra man. He allowed Slot to play an aggressive game, going for the win, even though they were missing a man for most of the game.





Jones - played a higher role initially, though he had to play all over the pitch after the sending off. Before the sending off, he had not done well, he should have done better early on and then was weak just before the sending off. But after the sending off, he picked up his game and the only blot on his copybook after it was the silly booking he picked up. It was a consequence of him trying so hard and the way the team was sent out to be aggressive and on the front foot, but it was a moment that you could see coming as he chased the ball. He did play a big role in enabling Liverpool to wrestle the game back, after Fulham took complete control following the sending off.





Diaz - he should never have been booked but he never let that mistake by the referee stop him. He was here, there and everywhere helping to fill in gaps. He was also a threat when Liverpool got the ball, interchanging well with Gakpo while he was on the pitch, and generally causing havoc. A very good performance from the Colombian.





Salah - I know Robinson had been booked for a cynical foul on Diaz, and so had to be careful, but it was still impressive how Salah just ripped him apart so easily, even though Fulham constantly doubled up on him with Cuenca constantly coming over on the cover. He also got his 100th assist with a lovely ball for Gakpo to put in the net. By forcing them to double mark him the way he did, it opened up spaces that would not otherwise have been there. And he was still managing to cause them problems, even with two men on him.





Gakpo - apart from his short spell at left wing-back, as Slot tried to find a solution with the ten men on the pitch, Gakpo was excellent. He scored, showed skill on a nice run, worked very hard and caused them real problems with his movement.





Nunez - replaced Gakpo in the 70th minute. Set up Jota's goal, but he looks short on confidence still in front of goal. His energy and enthusiasm came in at just the right moment, I felt, as it brought fresh impetus to the performance.





Quansah - came on for Jones in 70th minute. Unfortunately Quansah once again had a terrible game, vying with Robertson as the worst player in the match. He was negative on the ball, mostly turning back and playing sideways, ruining the momentum that was building. His touch was poor. But the worst thing was his defending for the second goal. He had fresh legs, but he was weak and allowed Muniz to just muscle him out and score, when he should have seen out the danger. He is far too lackadaisical and needs to wake up before he misses the chance to make it at Liverpool. He has not learnt anything from all his errors, which is worrying. He plays like he is a reincarnation of van Dijk, but lacks the Dutchman's quality and physicality, so just ends up costing goals.





Elliott - took Szoboszlai's place in the 79th minute. Nearly scored but, other than that he struggled to make his mark on the game. His energy and willingness were much needed though, as there were clearly some tired legs on that pitch by the time he came on.





Jota - was brought on in place of Alexander-Arnold in the 79th minute. He may not be the best at link up play, to put it nicely, he may spend far too much time injured, but when you need a man to come off the bench and rescue a goal for your team, there are few, if any, better players around. At times like that, he turns into something special, able to shimmy and send players so far out of the way they need to get a ticket to get back into the stadium. And he is clinical as a substitute as well, with no need to get a feel for the ball or get up to speed, he is just on it. It was an excellent goal as well.

Liverpool Article 12 Dec 2024
Girona v Liverpool A Liverpool Perspective







While there has been a lot of criticism of the performance, even Slot admitted to being unhappy with it, I think that is what you get when there is a team that is far superior to their opposition but have nothing really to play for. Qualification was already assured, so the only thing that seemed to be on the mind of most of the players was avoiding injury and suspension. Except Diaz, as he simply cannot change the way he is and he is a fiery, all-or-nothing, kind of character, who is unable to play at half-pace. For all Slot's complaints about the performance, I feel he contributed to the poor performance with his selection of players. None of them had anything to prove, they are all regulars and know they are going to be involved each game during the season, if fit. This was the time to put one or two fringe players in, players who are fighting to get some game time, in order to raise the overall levels of fight and desire.



I know I will probably sound like a broken record now, but I thought this was a great time to give Endo a run out and rest Gravenberch. The Dutchman had looked fatigued against Newcastle and yet he played the full 90 minutes in a game with little riding on the result. It was a very odd decision, if you ask me. Hopefully, the next two games will see Slot feel comfortable enough to rest him and keep him fresh for the Premier League campaign. He is fast becoming key to the midfield's play and his level is vital to Liverpool's chances of lifting trophies this season.



It must be said that, even though the performance was not the best, Girona offered so little genuine threat that it must have been difficult for the players to rouse themselves from their state of torpor. The game was very much a stroll in the park, though Alisson was called into action a few times, it never felt like they were close to beating him. The defence did try their best to give them opportunities to test him.



I suppose I have to talk about the penalty, as it was the only really controversial moment in the match. If it can even be called controversial. It was a very soft penalty, but it was a penalty according to the rules. Technically correct, but not a satisfying way to win, nor a penalty that anyone would have complained about if it was not given. Though, by the same token, there is no definitive argument that it should not have been given.



The performance was poor, mainly because of two things - the passing was far too slow and laboured most of the time and the press was poor and lacked commitment. The press was not done as a unit, sometimes just one or two players were pressing, while every one else dropped off or worse, stood around watching. What also did not help the defending was the way the midfielders think. They are all offensively-minded and, when chasing back and the opponent stops, look to cut off a pass back in the hope of getting away on a break, rather than getting themselves goalside and seeing off the danger. That can pay off sometimes, but most of the time it just left the opponent able to keep running forward.



There was also the standard problem with a high line, it is very reliant on the press making it difficult for passes to be played with accuracy in behind. Except that there was no real press, no pressure on the ball, but the defence were not dropping off and no one was tracking runners in behind.



There was also a strange lack of quality to the long passing and set pieces, particularly the long passes, which were almost all significantly overhit. It does make me wonder if there were issues with depth perception, after playing in large stadiums week in, week out in the Premier League and then in front of smaller stands in Girona. Maybe it makes it feel like the distances are further than they really are, as the stands are so much smaller. I know there are a lot of players who have talked about that when their club has moved to a new stadium and it took them time to adjust. Or maybe I am just giving too much credence to players simply making excuses for playing poorly in a new, unfamiliar stadium?







Girona





Sadly, this is not the Girona of last season, that did so well to earn a spot in the Champions League. Last season they had a cutting edge, with Savinho causing havoc down the wings for them and they had an end product. This time around, they have Danjuma, who couldn't finish a fish supper. They are still playing the same way, still playing good football, but they just have no real quality left in the team to put the ball in the back of the net.



This is the problem with being nothing more than a feeder club for a bigger one in the chain, when you have good players they get moved up the chain. All you end up with is the ones that are not good enough. It is impossible to build anything for the long term, and it is just a waste of a quality manager, in Michel, he could be building a club to challenge for, and probably, win trophies.



They do love to throw themselves to the floor at any opportunity, particularly Miguel, who is an outright diver, but even that cannot make up for their lack of real quality. It is a shame really, they worked so hard to earn a spot in the Champions League only to be unable to do themselves justice. It is such a waste of a spot in the competition when their fans deserve better.







Liverpool





Alisson - it says a lot about the way the team played that he was Liverpool's man of the match by a margin. In fact, he was probably the only one to play well. It was so good to have him back, passes usually hit their target and shots were never going to go through him.





Alexander-Arnold - had a poor game, very loose with his passing and not putting in enough effort defensively.





Gomez - started off well, but soon succumbed to the malaise that was affecting the rest of the team. He did show flashes of his quality but also picked up a silly, needless booking.





van Dijk - not at his best, caught in behind by runners far too easily.





Robertson - he still does not look right this season and it is really looking like his time is coming to an end with Liverpool, sadly. His defending is becoming worrying, where he would engage high up in the past, thus any poor challenge led to just a free kick. These days, he backs away, backs away some more and then waits until in the box before challenging. It is dangerous and is probably due to his pace no longer being there to allow him to recover if his challenge fails.





Gravenberch - played a bit too high at times, without anyone covering him behind. I really feel this was a game to rest him or, failing that, partner him with Endo.





Szoboszlai - another who had an off night.





Jones - was back to the Jones who does nice things and then holds onto the ball too long and wastes the chance to use the space he has created for himself.





Diaz - he was the one player who never seemed to be off the pace, he just is not that type of person. Also, he was getting very frustrated by the decisions given against him, most of which were poor decisions. Particularly the one that saw him get booked, when it was clear Diaz was the one being fouled. After winning the penalty, which he was probably as surprised about getting as anyone, he then threw himself to the floor looking for decisions.





Salah - scored the penalty and always looked a threat.





Nunez - really should have scored, struggled with his link up play and was off his game. He looks very low on confidence.





Gakpo - replaced Nunez in the 70th minute. Like so many, he was not at his best, though at least he seemed to be trying.





Elliott - came on for Jones in 76th minute. Ran around a lot, but achieved very little.





Endo - took Diaz's place in the 88th minute. I really feel he should be on much sooner.

02 Dec 2024 18:35:01
I have to say I’m disappointed with some people on here.

We’ve just beaten Real Madrid and Man City without breaking a sweat so they can’t have a moan about the team.

So what do they do?

That moan about the contracts instead. The site is wall to wall moaners it’s embarrassing.

I’d say just enjoy the team at the top of both the Champions League and the Premier League but I know you won’t so I won’t waste my breath.

Liverpool Article 27 Nov 2024
Southampton v Liverpool A Liverpool Perspective







This was another in a string of similar performances under Slot, where the team gradually takes control of the game, but always looks to just do enough to win. This one was marred by a few moments of poor play, which looked arrogant, like the team felt the game was already won at 1-0 and led to Southampton getting back into it. Actually, I think complacent is a better word than arrogant. Saints' ability to get back into the game was aided by the size and strength of Onuachu, who was as awkward to deal with as Peter Crouch, being 6ft 7" tall, but with strength and a decent turn of foot as well. He troubled both centre-backs badly and a defensive-minded midfielder was a miss there, as no one sought to front screen him and make it more difficult for him to get control of the balls played up to him. There is no way anyone is going to get above him and beat him in the air, so the only way to deal with it is to front screen him and just make it as difficult as possible for him to do anything worthwhile with it.



What was worrying is how quickly the team descended into nonchalance in the first half, after taking a lead. Maybe it was just too easy, but it did feel like van Dijk fell back into the old bad habits he had developed when at Southampton as a player. It cost the team a goal and nearly the three points, but this team is good enough to pick itself up and get itself going after a bad spell. The will to win is incredible, reminiscent of Klopp's 'mentality monsters', that just never knew when they were beaten.



The style is closer to the Liverpool of the 1980s though. That measured possession-based play that ground down teams, rather than blasted them away as we had become accustomed to under Klopp. It worked then and so far it is working now. Back then it was the next step in the team's evolution from occasional winners to constant trophy winners. Perhaps it is once again happening? The signs are certainly good so far, but it is far too early to tell.



There are issues, particularly with midfield squad depth for the deeper position. There is no real alternative to Gravenberch and there is a lack of alternative options to change things if needed. Only Endo offers any real steel, if the opposition turn the match into a battle once more. With the Japanese midfielder ageing, and not being high on Slot's list of starters, that will need to be looked at. Though I do feel Slot could make a bit more use of Endo, to allow Gravenberch a rest sometimes.







Southampton





Southampton only have one man to blame for the predicament they find themselves in - Russell Martin. His insistence on playing out from the back is not the main issue, they actually do have the players within their squad to play that way. The issue is for me twofold. Firstly, he is not picking the right players in the right positions, Stephens, for example, is not a left-sided centre-back, nor is he a ball-playing centre-back. The bigger issue is the coaching, which has not improved the way the players attempt to play the system.



Referring back to Stephens again, he is still not setting himself in preparation to receive a ball under any kind of pressure. Instead of opening his body up ready, to increase his options to play the ball, he is being left in a panic and playing the ball blindly into danger. The keeper is a different matter, he is a back up and a terrible one at that, you have to expect a drop off in performance level, but the players in front of him were not helping him out. He was given no real passing options. At least he realised that, eventually, and just began to clear it.



You do wonder how different things could have been, if he had begun the game looking to go long to the big man up top, it would have forced the Liverpool press to drop off. That would then have opened up the short passes for the rest of the game. It is such a simple thing to do, you wonder why the coaches at the club are not telling these players to react to the situation the moment it is clear an aggressive high press is being used against them. You also have to wonder how players can come up through an academy system without knowing these kind of things as part of their basic knowledge of the game.



There does seem to be a problem with academy footballers, this lack of basic understanding of the game and ability to think for themselves, rather than just blindly following their coach's instructions. If the Saints actually figure out when to play out from the back, they might have a chance of survival. Otherwise, they are just going to continue to throw away points they desperately need.







Liverpool





Kelleher - decent enough game, was not really at blame for the goals, but he is up against the extraordinary in Alisson, who you always feel might have pulled out a wonder save for one of them.





Bradley - not his best game. He was so bad defensively on their second goal, it was embarrassing. It was schoolboy stuff from him, just running towards the ball, rather than positioning himself and being aware of what was around him. That was a very stark reminder of just how much he has to learn.





Konate - had a terrible first half, a silly, needless booking was just part of his return to something like the struggles he would sometimes have under Klopp. The booking did seem to help focus him and he improved for the rest of the half. He was much better in the second half and not so flustered, though he was helped by Onuachu going off. After that, Saints lacked a focal point and it was much easier for the centre-backs to play.





van Dijk - another who looked complacent in the first half and his giveaway for the first goal was a huge blunder. It was very like the kind of error he used to make in his Southampton days. He was much improved in the second half, but he needs to do better from the start, as Forest showed that we will not always be able to dig ourselves out of a hole.





Robertson - a very poor game from the Scotland captain. He looked sluggish and made a poor error in judgement to go for the challenge that resulted in Saints' penalty. Regardless of whether it was inside or outside the box, forget whether it should have been given, the point is that he should not have made the challenge. The question has to be asked of his future at the club, whether he is just tired from the internationals or on a decline, a team challenging for trophies cannot afford passengers. Right now, he is one. Though I would be loath to lose his personality from the club, I am not sure that he can continue on at the top level while playing international football any more and I would not expect him to want to give up the captaincy of his country to continue to play for us.





Gravenberch - at times, it was clear that he is not defensively minded, first and foremost. The defence needed his help with dealing with the forward, who was able to take the ball in far too easily from aerial balls, with no cover in front. Overall, he was still very good, but just needed that little bit of defensive forethought.





Szoboszlai - finally got a goal and looked so much better for it. His defensive work was particularly strong in this match, he covered so much ground and was a big part of the win.





Jones - had a poor game, too many touches in a game that was crying out for faster ball movement. He was also very off on his defensive game. Like Gravenberch, he should have been helping out more defensively, helping to front screen the high ball, just to make it more difficult for the forward to take the ball in.





Nunez - he embarrassed himself with his ridiculous fall to the ground and attempt to claim he had been fouled in the box. Nothing was quite working out for him, though he was not exactly missing lots of chances, it just was not being delivered into areas he could get on the end of it. He does play an important role in the press and works back brilliantly, but he needs to score more goals.





Salah - excellent game. He really looks revitalised this season after a summer off. The only real question is if he can keep it going all season? If so, he could come close, or even better, the numbers from his first season.





Gakpo - did not have the best of games, but must have felt unlucky to be the one taken off for Diaz.





Mac Allister - replaced Jones in the 62nd minute. He was given much more license to get forward and looked so much better as a result. He is so much more suited to playing high up, threading balls around the edge of the opposition box.





Diaz - came on for Gakpo in 62nd minute. His arrival, along with Mac Allister's, seemed to lift the performance to another level. His movement, and workrate, caused Soton so many problems.





Endo - took Nunez's place in the 89th minute. Somehow, despite only being on the pitch from the 89th minute, he managed to show that he is so much more than just a capable shield in front of the defence. He harried, hustled, covered and tackled, like you want from a defensive midfielder, but he also showed more, protecting the ball and keeping possession despite being under enormous pressure.

Liverpool Article 05 Nov 2024
Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion A Liverpool Perspective







A dreadful first half performance, followed by a much improved second half performance which was enough for a comfortable win in the end. I just hope that Slot's perseverance with Mac Allister will either pay off or be ended before it costs him. Right now, the midfield combination is really not working, with Gravenberch having to cover far too much ground most of the time and is given little help defensively. The times it makes sense are when one or either full-back is inverting to help out at the base of midfield, then it gives Mac Allister that bit more freedom to get forward and play where he is useful. The problem is that Mac Allister is not adapting his game to circumstance and holding back when there is no cover in midfield to allow him to attack. Right now, it feels like the best thing to do would be to drop him altogether, while Jones is fit and playing well, though it is unlikely he can manage to play every game.



One thing that particularly stood out about about the game were the similarities with the games against Nottingham Forest. Brighton had clearly taken cues from that game and set out to try and bully Liverpool in midfield, just like Forest did. Like the Forest game, Mac Allister did fail the challenge in the first half, but he did come out much stronger in the second half, as did the whole team. Brighton were simply just not as good as Forest and unable to capitalise on the lead they had gained. Where Forest were always a genuine threat on the break, with widemen able to offer an end product, whereas Brighton lacked the same threat from their wingers. In fact, they were very well dealt with by the defence, in the main. I did like that Slot learnt from the defeat by Forest and set out to win the midfield battle in the second half, bringing on Endo once a lead was taken, to help hold onto it.



I know there is a bit of discontent on the Liverpool site with the way Slot chooses to revert to his more controlled way of playing as soon as the team takes the lead, I have even seen someone say it "is not the Liverpool way". Clearly they have no idea what Liverpool's success of the 1970s and 1980s was built upon! Back then, Liverpool played an even more controlled and slower way of playing. The 'Liverpool way', and in fact the sole reason Liverpool were created, was to win things. Clearly the Anfield crowd appreciate that as well, as they were excellent and created a very good atmosphere for this game, driving the players on. It was great to hear and made the game even more exciting to watch.



I have to also say well done to the referee, who tried to let the game flow as much as possible and allowed a lot more physicality than is usual in the modern era - I really enjoyed that he allowed players to actually tackle and not give a foul because someone brushed past someone else and messed up their new hairdo in the process. Football is so much better when it is a contact sport! Even when we were terrible in the first half, I still found myself really enjoying the match. I really hope he is commended for his performance and asked to continue in this vein. Even more so, I hope the other refs take notice of this and try and follow suit.







Brighton & Hove Albion





I have to admit, I found the hyperbole over their performance in the first half way over the top. The commentators on the stream I watched were talking about how brilliant they were, which I thought was complete nonsense. They created very little, almost everything good came as a result of loose passes in dangerous areas from Liverpool players, giving it away under little or no pressure. If those poor passes had been because of good pressing, then I could understand the hype, but as they were contributing little to force bad passes, it feels odd to give them so much credit. Especially as they were very easily opened up at the back when Liverpool did manage to string any passes together. The one time BHA did manage to put together a good move, they scored from it, which I think fooled the commentators into thinking they were "brilliant". If they had been as good as was being made out, they would have created much more and could have easily run up a cricket score against a Liverpool team that were, at times, helping them. They were still clearly the better team in the first half, just that it was as much down to Liverpool being poor as it was to anything they were doing well.



Personally, I was a little disappointed with the Seagulls, they had a team at their mercy and yet were unable to really put pressure on them. Tactically they were decent on the ball, constantly overloading wide areas, looking to exploit the gaps left by Mac Allister usually being too busy rolling around pretending to be hurt to even try to get back and help Gravenberch out. They struggled to make the most of the overloads as both Liverpool full-backs had a solid defensive game, a lot of their attacks either broke down or ended with a shot from the edge of the box. They just needed to make that one more pass or hold possession, but they were handing over possession too easily.



That left Welbeck mostly reduced to chances from free-kicks, when he was often in place to receive a ball in the box, where his good touch is likely to have enabled him to take good control of the ball and create a chance or make Liverpool risk giving away a penalty. Once Liverpool improved in the second half, they had little real answer other than hopeful balls to their wingers, in the hope that their pace would make something happen. Once Liverpool took the lead and settled back again, they had a chance to fire back, but all the changes left their side unsettled and disjointed. Instead of looking to build up and overload one wing, it was lacking in any real tactical plan that could be made out, as the players did not seem to know for sure what they were doing due to all the changes. Brighton are just missing that bit of quality to allow them to step up and compete at the next level. They are good on the ball, but the decision making in dangerous areas is poor and their wingers have pace but lack end product.







Liverpool





Kelleher - really needs to work on the accuracy of his longer passes, as he is often closed down and needs to play it further forward when the opposition are pressing well, but you can almost guarantee the ball will go nowhere near a team-mate if kicked more than about 20 yards. That is a major weakness for a team that wants to be able to pass it around at the back under pressure.





Alexander-Arnold - defensively solid, dealt very well with a tricky customer in Mitoma, allowing him very little chance to really attack the box. Unfortunately, his work on the ball was nowhere near the same level. His passing was mostly terrible and his deadball delivery was not at its usual level.





Konate - once again he was playing well defensively before picking up an injury on the stroke of half-time. Losing him would be a big blow, as he has been having an excellent season and showing signs of maturing into a great defender. Just a bit of bad luck, not a pull or strain, as he had so often been prone to in the past, hopefully that is a good sign for the future and that he is over his regular niggly injuries.





van Dijk - he has very much become the leader of this group since taking over the captaincy. Even when not playing at his best, his presence is very important to the team.





Tsimikas - mostly very good, looks like he has now moved ahead of Robertson in the pecking order. However, he did make a major mistake on the Brighton goal, positioning himself to cover an overlapping run, when there was no one outside of the player on the ball, and so failing to close down and put the player on the ball under pressure. That was a lack of awareness as he just ran across, rather than towards the guy about to shoot. It might have made no difference, but putting the player under pressure makes it a more difficult shot to take.





Gravenberch - once again he was left fighting fires, trying to be everywhere at once as he got little help from his partner in midfield in the first half. He is playing well, but he needs a more solid partner alongside him than Mac Allister. Someone to help him in the defensive end.





Mac Allister - in the first half, he was utterly abysmal for almost the full 45 minutes. In between the play acting, complaining, dallying on the ball and allowing it to be taken off him and poor passes, he did show flashes of ability. Unfortunately, it was mostly followed by him taking 6 touches too many and losing the ball, then falling over in the hope of winning a free kick, rolling around on the floor leaving the team a man down until he eventually realised he was not getting a foul and then he would spend the next few minutes complaining. He did improve slightly in the second half, but his performances are becoming a real concern now and he is not offering enough in terms of controlling the play and getting forward to make up for being such a weak link defensively. He was lucky to come out for the second half. I think it is time to accept that it is not going to work playing him in the deeper position and giving him Endo's minutes, at most, and not in the deep-lying position. In fact, I think I would prefer to see Morton given a chance over Mac Allister playing like this. It is not a lack of effort, at least in my opinion it is not, it is just that he is channelling it in the wrong way.





Szoboszlai - while he is still not at his best on the ball, his work off the ball and defensive responsibility is key to Liverpool's good form. If he can refind his form, added to his exceptional workrate, then Liverpool will go up a level.





Nunez - he links the play up so well, gets back and helps defend, particularly after the changes had meant Liverpool were essentially playing with four forwards for a short period. He does need some better service though.





Salah - not at his best, but still pops up with a cracking goal when needed. Probably should have scored earlier after breaking through to face the keeper one-on-one though, but who can complain when he wins the match for you?





Gakpo - a good game for Gakpo, he is a constant menace with pace and power on the ball. He lacks Diaz's skill and trickery, but he is much more direct and that can often be enough.





Gomez - replaced the injured Konate at half-time. He was excellent, very solid defensively and could have added a couple of goals. It is little wonder the Kop were chanting his name at the end. To have played so little football this season and then just step up like that is extremely impressive. While I did say losing Konate would be a big blow, if he continues to play like this, it would be less of a blow and more of a tickle with a feather.





Jones - came on for Mac Allister in 66th minute. Immediately the midfield looked much better for his arrival, despite Szoboszlai going off and being replaced with a forward. Jones, despite having a similar tendency to Mac Allister of wanting too many touches, is much more defensively responsible and better at protecting the ball when under pressure.





Diaz - took Szoboszlai's place in the 66th minute. Is facing a major battle to keep himself in the team and is showing a real desire and willingness to earn that place. I have been very impressed with him this season and he caused Brighton problems every time he got the ball.





Endo - was brought on in place of Nunez in the 77th minute. In a match like this, with the referee allowing both teams to be physical and make proper challenges for the ball, he was an ideal player to bring on and shore up the midfield once the lead was taken. It was so good to see him getting a few more minutes than usual as well.





Bradley - substituted in for Salah in the 91st minute. Had very little time to do much.

09 Nov 2024 10:54:11
Wonderful article, many thanks.

{Ed001's Note - thanks Neggy.}

Liverpool Article 30 Oct 2024
Arsenal v Liverpool A Liverpool Perspective







Not exactly the most exciting of games, with tactical play ruining any moments when the game started to veer close to a good game breaking out. Slot got his initial team selection wrong, probably waited a little too long to change it, but the changes he made did make a difference and meant Liverpool took the midfield over and controlled the play. The first half was very much in favour of Arsenal, they were the better team, but Liverpool defended well and did not give up many clearcut chances, despite the scoreline. Arsenal overloaded the midfield, Havertz dropping in there to add an extra body, and were able to win the midfield battle as Liverpool's midfield was so lacking in mobility without Szoboszlai. Gravenberch has been mighty this season, but he can only do so much on his own. Make no mistake about it, he was pretty much on his own as Mac Allister was little more than a traffic cone on the pitch for large parts of the match and Jones is not quick enough to get back and help.



It meant the defence was worked hard and showed how far off the pace Robertson is right now, as he was given a bit of a doing by Saka. Luckily for him, and the rest of the team, the centre-backs were on top of their game and restricted Arsenal's chances. The result was probably a fair one overall, as Arsenal were better in the first half, Liverpool in the second, though both managers made tactical mistakes. Slot got the first 66 minutes wrong, but his subs fixed the mistake and really took control of the game. Arteta got it wrong by setting out his team more defensively at the start of the second half, allowing Liverpool to be the better side by sitting a little deeper and not continuing to overrun the midfield.



What was nice was to see Liverpool use a high press without the ball, though the old basic error of not dropping off when the press was broken returned from last season, leading to Robertson being dumped on his backside by Saka at one point after he was caught out trying to hold a line when the man on the ball was under no pressure. If he had just dropped off, there is a good chance he just sees out that danger, rather than being caught sprinting back to catch the Arsenal winger. Overall, a fair result I would say, but both managers will go away thinking they should have won it and that they only got it half-right tactically.





Arsenal





The whining over injuries overshadowed the fact that they went into this game missing just two players who would have started the game and only one of them was actually injured. Hardly a crisis and, after spending over £700m since taking charge, you have to wonder how come Arteta has still not built a squad at Arsenal that is capable of coping with two first choice players out. Putting that aside, Arsenal did well in the first half, winning it without really creating much in the way of good chances, but were far too ready to sit back and try and hang on to a 2-1 lead in the second half against a Liverpool side that they had been overrunning in midfield. It seems like Arteta has made a conscious decision this season to be more pragmatic. Understandable as he just needs to win something now, but it does not seem to be working as well as he probably hoped.



Added to their diving, whining, time wasting etc, it is starting to make them thoroughly dislikeable as a team, a bit like Brentford, but with much better players. But, if you are an Arsenal fan, you will not care about that one bit if it finally brings them the Premier League title back. It does feel like a waste of the potential there, this team is not at the level of the great Wenger teams, admittedly, there is no Henry (but then where is a player of that quality these days anywhere in the world?), Vieira or the sublime skills and touch of Bergkamp in this team to play the game the way he did. But it still feels like there is more to this team than sitting back and holding onto a one-goal lead. Still, if Arteta does a George Graham and grinds out 1-0 wins all season and they get to lift the Premier League trophy at Ashburton Grove, the fans will be as happy and enjoy their celebrations as much as if they had won every game 5-4. In fact, they would probably enjoy it all the more because pretty much everyone else will hate it!





Liverpool





Kelleher - he had a decent game, the problem is that he is being compared against the best and it is fair to say that Alisson would probably have saved one of the goals. Kelleher is a very good goalkeeper, but he is nowhere near Alisson's level and it shows in games like this, when small margins make the difference. Also, it is clear that, despite the commentators talk about how he played midfield back in Cork, he is simply not as good with the ball at his feet as Alisson is. Kelleher's passing is not as accurate and that point of attack is a big part of the system Slot has set up, with the passing around at the back mainly to set a trap for the opposition, to create a space for him to play the ball into. Unfortunately, Kelleher is not able to maximise the potential there to launch attacks, so it often just ends up with pressure on the backline or the ball given away.





Alexander-Arnold - had a poor game, he was struggling badly with his passing (perhaps a consequence of carrying an injury), with his usual accurate passes just ending up sliced and given away. Despite that, his ball out to Nunez to set him away for the second Liverpool goal, was delicious.





Konate - a very good game, he defended solidly, covering up the gaps as the midfield was overrun. He and van Dijk ensured Arsenal had very few real chances and just one corner in the entire match. In fact, I think he has to be man of the match for Liverpool.





van Dijk - also very good, his long range passes usually finding their mark. Defensively he was solid too.





Robertson - sad to say, but he looks like a fading force right now. It very much looks like his legs are going and he is a weak link for any winger to target now. Replacing him is going to be incredibly difficult, mainly because of his outstanding personality and personal drive to give everything to the cause. He is one of those personalities that is great to have around the place for the youngsters breaking through as well.





Gravenberch - his worst game of the season, though he still had a decent game. It was just that he was being overrun as there were no legs in there other than him. He spent most of the game covering the gaps Mac Allister was leaving, which then left a gap where he should have been that normally Szobszlai would have dropped back to cover, but Jones has nowhere near the mobility needed to get back in time.





Mac Allister - terrible performance, a couple of bright moments aside when he got the ball at his feet and picked some nice threaded passes. It is little wonder he was replaced, though I would have replaced him at half-time personally or even sooner. Yes, he has the ability to pick nice passes, yes, he can always be counted on to work hard, but he drifts forward too far constantly and leaves a huge gap behind him which he lacks the pace to get back into. It should be either him or Jones in the team, not both.





Jones - struggled to get involved until the triple substitution on 62 minutes. Then he was much better. He has much more of an all-round game than Mac Allister, as a defensive midfielder anyway. It seemed odd that Slot decided to play him in front of Mac Allister, rather than the other way around. I would have to call that a mistake and it held Liverpool back badly.





Nunez - linked up well with Salah when the opportunity came, but was very much starved of service for most of the game. He did press well and kept Arsenal from being able to make use of their dominance in midfield, with Havertz dropping in to give them the edge in numbers, as well as mobility. Nunez was always willing to drop back in and cover gaps. His workrate is a very important factor in tight matches like that.





Salah - once more adding to his tally and giving their defence a really difficult game. When he is sharp like that, even though he has not got the blistering pace he used to have, he is still incredibly difficult to handle for any defence.





Diaz - unfortunately for him, Partey was very adept at diving to win free kicks every time he was near him, so he never really got a chance to do anything. It was incredible how strong he must be to throw Partey about the way the referee seemed to believe he was doing. It was little wonder he got fed up.





Szoboszlai - replaced Mac Allister in the 62nd minute. Immediately improved the midfield and got involved in pretty much everything. For all he has not been at his best this season, his workrate and particularly his tracking back, have been essential to the team's performances. If only he would shoot when the chance arises!





Gakpo - came on for Diaz in 62nd minute. He had obviously been watching what happened with Diaz, as he made sure not to physically engage with Partey and instead used him movement to get space.





Tsimikas - took Robertson's place in the 62nd minute. Looked much more solid than Robertson and offered more getting forward as well. It might well be time to swap over which of them is the first choice.





Endo - was brought on in place of Jones in the 90th+1 minute. It was far too late for him to have any real effect. It is a shame to see him so massively underutilised, similarly to how Klopp wasted Minamino a few years ago. I could understand him being out of the picture if Mac Allister was not playing so badly in the deeper role. At least Endo offers competitiveness.