“WE made it clear from the first second that it will be very difficult for City.”
Park the scoreline for a second. Wait a minute with the goals. Just hold off on the fact it could have been more.
Breathe in the dominance. Stretch in the dominance. Shake in the dominance. First to the final whistle dominance. It’s our ball and our game dominance. We don’t care who you are dominance. We beat you with sweat to spare dominance. DID YOU SEE THAT DOMINANCE?
Liverpool were angry against Manchester City at Anfield on Wednesday night and annihilated them in every department. They were authoritative in the press, energetic in attack and uncompromising in the tackle. The Reds denied the visitors a sniff — City couldn’t catch a cold let alone a break in the game. My nose ran more at Anfield than they did.
Jürgen Klopp had demanded his side “strike back” following their League Cup shootout heartache against Manuel Pellegrini’s men and all Liverpool’s disappointment from Sunday was converted into glorious determination in midweek.
Okay, back to the scoreline. 3-0. The league double over City done with a 7-1 aggregate. There’s no trophy for that, but not all that glitters is gold. It doesn’t undo Sunday’s hurt, but it offers some hope for the rest of the season and the next one. Liverpool are capable of extraordinary things. They did to be capable of it consistently.
To the goals then. All at the right time. Adam Lallana with an opener that shocked everyone after 34 minutes of superiority. Wildly grinning, Klopp had his hands out in confusion. “I was surprised… he didn’t shoot too often until now!” the manager admitted.
Liverpool needed their mastery reflected on the scoreboard and Lallana made sure that happened. Seven minutes later, he supplied Roberto Firmino, who played in James Milner to double the advantage. Let’s never ever talk about the former City man’s celebration, but there Liverpool were, deservedly 2-0 up at half-time.
Would they be too comfortable after the break? Would they drop off? Would they allow City back in?
Would they fuck!
Firmino with number three on 57 minutes. The Brazilian not just signalling City’s death in the fixture with a fantastic finish, but announcing an upcoming birth as well.
Lallana instrumental again. Lallana the best he’s ever been in the Red shirt. Lallana starting fires, putting out fires and simply showing the visitors flames.
After the third, Liverpool completed a masterclass in killing off the game. They did not let up or lose focus, they kept pressing and strangling any fight out of City.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG0s05tV5gw
Watch Kolo Toure thwart Sergio Augero on repeat. Watch the desire with the match long won. Watch what Klopp described as his moment of the encounter. Watch, watch, watch.
Now Liverpool have to listen to their manager again and repeat, repeat, repeat.
“We have to take what we can get, we have to stay angry, we have to strike back in each game for whatever reason we need. That’s how it is,” Klopp said.
“We have only two tournaments left — that’s good news. Losing the final is big, it’s rubbish, but to only be in two tournaments is now really good. That’s what we have to use.
“We have brilliant games against Manchester United in the Europa League. Both teams are not in the worst moments, so that’s really exciting. And Crystal Palace next, then Southampton and so on. We have no points to waste and no time.
“Where it ends, I don’t know. Anything can happen. This is a difficult season for us, it was a difficult season, and now we have to show that we’ve learned in the first eight months of the season.”
On Wednesday night, Liverpool showed they had learnt from Sunday night. Long may that continue.
Long may the angry Reds go BOOM!
That Kanye reference was absolute boss, Melissa. Best article you’ve written in a while. Get in there you fuckin Reds!
I think “snort” in the “dominance” is more like it.
You “Breathe” air, and there is loads of it..there hasn’t been loads of “dominance” this season…The odd gram, often diluted with mediocrity.
One game at a time. We can get 6th.
Must be fun seeing every good performance negatively within the context of what has come before.
If we win the Europa I can’t wait to not celebrate. I’m just going to think loads about some stale performances in January instead. Will be ace.
It’s called reality. Have you been snorting?
Why forget the stale performances of February?
Realistic expectations. Keeping it real. Try it.
In the highly unlikely event of us winning the Europa, I will celebrate more than you, because I never expected it. But if we don’t, then I won’t be too disappointed, based on the overall performance of the season.
But fuck reality when you can delude yourself and wear the rose tinted and have a pop at those that don’t.
As always Ms Reddy, another well written piece – you need to contribute more articles and podcasts… Don’t let the ‘men’ do it all.
Back to the full throttle, heavy metal, suffocating the opposition, foot on the throat game. Was it me or did it feel quite evil (in a good way) to play/watch that?
I’ve never seen a Liverpool team so knarley, so possessed, like blood thirsty zombies. So here’s my counter balance, my Ying to the Yang.
Would Sturridge have made a positive or negative difference to that performance yesterday?
Regardless of fitness… In his prime for us in 13/14, would he have closed down like a rabid dog?
I’m not sure – or it’s been so long since we’ve seen him, I’ve forgotten???
The gengenthrottle requires 10 outfield players to do it – they did it yesterday. You can’t do it with 9. Had to be 10.
I’m not sure that Studge – who is the best English striker in the league and the 2nd best (behind Kun) of everyone. – would have done it.
Hope I’m wrong. Cause this is the only way we can beat teams that have in paper technically better players than us – it’s the only way to try and win the unfair game.
I can see in the summer us upgrading on technique and goals etc – but not at the expense of the possessed, rabid dog pressing.
Not many fit that bill…
Agreed. I think although different klopp’s philosophy is similar to rafa’s in that it’s easier to implement if there are less superstars(egos) in the team. This is not a criticism of Daniel but youngsters will always buy into the manager’s ideas faster as they have something to prove
Sturridge doesn’t press.
I look forward to Ings ‘gegenpressing’.
We’ve been too nice and too soft all season. It’s shame it takes a cup final to get us fired up and angry. It certainly does make a difference when we are – like night matches used to be at Anfield.
I’ve been critical of him pretty much all season, but Emre Can was outstanding last night – finally using his size to full effect.
The Premier League is full of big powerful bastards and if he’s going to survive have has to fight fire with fire. It seemed, last night at least, that the penny finally dropped.
Here’s hoping:
CAN can consistently come up with such contributions on a weekly basis. (could not think more ‘c’ words).
We all know he is capable of such level, he now needs to do this ‘angry’ performance week in week out, against top teams and long ball teams.
Brilliant Mel, see the scouse rubbing off on your articles, lol…. Would they fuck….. Ha ha!! Great stuff..