THAT was the embodiment of two teams playing at their natural level. We looked like a very good side playing our game and playing it comfortably. Burnley looked like a side well drilled but limited. Ultimately, they tired and were bewildered by the speed and style of Liverpool’s play. Your traditional out of 10.
SIMON MIGNOLET: 6
Comfortable with his hands again, generally uncomfortable with anything from the waist down. It’s a bit mad really.
EMRE CAN: 8
Classy performance from the panzer. A few iffy moments early on soon forgotten with some trademark surges. A Daimler Benz.
MARTIN SKRTEL: 7
The leader at the back, another solid performance.
DEJAN LOVREN: 5.5
Hmmm. He’s got issues that boy. Like passing and stuff.
ALBERTO MORENO: 5
I’m in a bit of a quandary with the lad if I’m honest. I think there’s a player in there but he’s bloody brainless and for the life of him can’t play an assist across the box.
JOE ALLEN: 8
Never let it be said I don’t rate the diminutive Welshman. An exhibition in continuity football.
JORDAN HENDERSON: 8.5
Goalscorer (did someone say Olympiacos?) and creator supreme. Captain and man of the match.
PHILIPPE COUTINHO: 7
Not at his recent brilliant best but still the most gifted player on the pitch. Is he now Liverpool’s most important player?
DANIEL STURRIDGE: 6
Will be thankful that the goal came from his head because his feet were conspiring against him. Looks like it may take time for his touch and movement to return. Beautiful goal though.
RAHEEM STERLING: 8
Felt like Sterling’s best game in a while. Intelligent positioning, great movement, constant menace.
ADAM LALLANA: 7.5
Great running between the lines — seems to have kicked on in the last few weeks. The boy can turn like a whirling dervish and, like your nana, he knits well.
SUBS:
GLEN JOHNSON: 5
Nice to stretch your legs.
KOLO TOURE: 6
Did well and looked composed under no real threat.
RICKIE LAMBERT: 5
Appearance bonus.
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda
Spot on. Thought for a minute mignolet had done a Harald Schumacher when he won that header outside the box. Kicking was bizarre at times but what an improvement on a few months ago
Is Hendo the new Souness?
No, and he never will be. Different type of player. He’s the new Hendo, reaching his potential. We can be happy enough with that
Based on the three-and-a-half minutes they showed on MOTD, these ratings are an absolute travesty!
Hold on, now.
Lovren had one poor pass back to Mignolet. Other than that, though, he looked very confident on the ball. He deftly sidestepped Burnley players more than once to line up a pass or make a proper clearance. Beyond that, he defended his space quite well. I don’t think he turned in some sort of virtuoso performance, but I certainly wouldn’t rate him less than Skrtel.
(That last bit is not meant to sound like a criticism toward Skrtel, who had a solid game.)
But Sakho definitely replaces him when fit again. Definitely. Right?
Lovren was poor throughout. His passing and decision-making were (again) awful. Glaring weakness for opponents.
He’s improving in every game and was defensively sound tonight but Mike’s right, his passing isn’t the best. He gave possession away too often with hurried passes and poor long balls. He’s improving, and that’s something to celebrate, but should be a squad player at best this season.
Generally speaking, his passing is very good, but it hasn’t been that good lately.
Joe Allen-The Continuator
…and he got MOTM votes! I have to agree Lovren was better than the summary. Think he should get at least a point for continued improvement.
So we’re going to dock Mignolet points for not doing well what he’s never done well? Have a word, mate. Seriously. Since when is kicking the fucking ball truly in the top 10 things valued in a keeper, particularly when the SYSTEM he’s playing in doesn’t demand pinpoint accuracy in such a trivial thing? Just let it go.
Moreno is a terrific fullback in a 442. The wingback role is finding him out a little, but nowhere near enough that he is a liability.
Ratings were a bit harsh on Lovren and Mignolet. Apart from one shaky back pass Lovren was steady throughout.
Am I allowed to say that I think the low rating for Migs – because he wasn’t much good below the waist (!) – owes more to pre-conceived opinions than it does to what actually happened during the game?
Agreed. Lots of work on his right foot needed in the summer.
Couldn’t agree more. Thought Mignolet had a good game tonight. There were a couple of really good balls played through to Ings and he was very quick off his line to get there. The header was a little too close for comfort but it dealt with an otherwise very dangerous situation.
Actually, I think these player ratings are all quite shit, I mean the idea of them in general rather than Mike’s attempt here. Everyone did what they needed to do tonight, 7’s and 8’s all round. Having to come up with a spread of scores to fill out an article just serves to perpetuate unhelpful typecasts when we are killing it at the moment and we should be just enjoying it and hopping on the Graves’ train.
Except Lovern did well with his passing and passed alot and Mignolet was very good again. You guys are falling for your own agenda. Typical of british media nowadays….
He didn’t. Watch it back. He’s improving though and we can all get behind that.
Joint top in numbers of passes.
Pass completion?
After his first half of the season he backs himself enough to get joint top passer in yesterdays game. We had good control and got a clean sheet. What percentage would he have to reach to not have “issues”.
Well the number of passes isn’t a measure of quality if the ball ends up with the opposition. He’s improving in all areas of his game, let’s be happy with that.
Thought Skrtel was actually up there with Allen and Henderson as a MOM shout. He won EVERYTHING and has taken on the responsibility of organising the back line very well past few weeks.
I thought that too. He was immense last night. Anticipated everything.
I wouldn’t get two worked up about any of it .We beat a team who are second tier in everything but name and we are still behind one of the worst Man Utd teams in living memory
Worst but up there with the jammiest with a very good keeper. We smash them at home and they will fall apart though.
I too said Olympiakos.
Disagree on Moment and Sturridge, should be 7 both