TONIGHT at Anfield we watched two of the best 20 teams in Europe go head to head. Being honest, being frank, we probably watched two of the sides that would rank fifth to 20th in Europe go head to head. Bayern, Real and Barca a solar system away; Juventus and Atletico possibly a world away; Dortmund mooching. We’ll find out that distance. That’s the next thing.
This thing though, this thing was a game between two good football teams — one of which is threatening to become proven as very good, threatening to become proven as heroes to a generation. Spurs turned up thinking they were on the verge of the next thing.
The match took place on the verge. On the verge of being a game which made Spurs the next thing. On the verge of being a game which made Liverpool the arch spoilers. On the verge of being a great game. A definer, a game which tells a story or leads to a story. A game which makes so much clear to us. On the verge of being that most wonderful of things for amateurs like me and professionals in the papers — on the verge of being narrative.
Instead there is no narrative to take. For parts of the game Liverpool were clearly the better side. For parts of the game Tottenham were clearly the better side. The draw was broadly a fair result. Everybody wants more than this, me included. But for some games 11 lads meet another 11 lads and it transpires they are, on the day, about as good as each other.
In a sense this is the story, the narrative. In a sense this is the important thing.
Spurs aren’t simply better than Liverpool this season. But they have been simply sharper. Been simply more focused. Done their day-to-day better and their week-by-week better. Done their jobs better and if anything nothing stings like that. They’ve been better at bits and those bits today were exemplified by Dembele and Kane. The bits were everywhere but they belonged to them in those key moments. They did the bits, the ugly bits, and then suddenly there was a man turning, lashing and wheeling away as the ball hits the inside of the post and goes in. Kane. He’s one of their own.
The game shifts from there. For 10 it was all Spurs. For 15 it was all Liverpool. For the last 10 it was all Spurs. It’s a fascinating thing, the way the intensity switches on and off, the way sides simply can’t keep this going. Score on top. Easier said than done.
- Liverpool v Spurs: Player Ratings
- Liverpool v Spurs: Five From Fitzgerald
- Liverpool v Spurs: Post-Match Reaction Show
Sturridge was very poor for Liverpool. Possibly his poorest game for the club. He couldn’t get going or occupy players properly. Then he was replaced by Origi who occupied better but couldn’t find himself in the right position. Both Origi and Sturridge were crying out for one another. They didn’t want to be alone but they were very much so.
Instead Coutinho offered huge quality without much ongoing effectiveness. Lallana couldn’t be kept out of the action without impacting directly enough on it. There wasn’t quite the balance. Henderson pulled wide to force the issue but was unable to quite make it happen enough; in the middle him and Can coming off verging on second best. Lovren excelling, while Sakho toiled a smidgeon.
This is the strangest thing. Nothing is resolved today. We know no more. Sometimes 11 lads face 11 lads and everyone tries their best and everyone is smart and everyone does their business and nothing gets moved along because football isn’t scripted. It is inconvenient and awkward and is occasionally blunt.
Sometimes you watch two good sides and doff caps. These lads worked hard for themselves and their football team. They will do so again and again before this season finishes. The Reds need a smidgeon more ruthlessness before Thursday. But when hasn’t that been the case this season?
An alright night at Anfield. Up the Reds. Up at the Yellow Wall. Let’s stick it to them. This isn’t a cuddly friendly. Up the prickly Reds. Be pricklier.
Really enjoyed this game. We are as good as them but you’re spot on about the sharpness. A good pre season hopefully will sort that out. Onwards and upwards.
Mad game between two Klopp-type teams. I’d struggle to remember a more intense game at the highest level, in terms of the amount of scraps in tiny pockets of the pitch. I thought we created the better chances while they were able to sustain possession, pressure and shape more effectively.
What did we learn? That Matip will be replacing Sakho; much as I love him he was a liability today and not for the first time. That Moreno will never learn and that Lallana and Coutinho need to be more ruthless. We also learned that Sturridge’s future may be as a shadow striker. He missed a couple of chances today but made the goal. He has the quality to be our new Kenny (ok, maybe not, but you take my point) but needs a Rushie to serve.
Deeper than Kane for England maybe.
Nice piece Neil. I particularly liked the section about it being ‘a game on the verge’. Lots of see-sawing intensity, very few solid answers.
‘Spurs aren’t simply better than Liverpool this season. But they have been simply sharper. Been simply more focused.’ Yes they have been those things, but they’ve also been able to be those things when absolutely blessed (like Leicester) with their injury situation. If Spurs had had even 50% of the injuries we’ve had this season, they’d be nowhere near top either. Today, where both teams could call on almost all their keys players was more of a true reflection of how these squads match up in terms of quality.
In other words, in this league we’re really not far away at all.
Totally agree. Frustrating thing is we’re genuinely as good as any of the title challengers but we’re only 6 months into a new regime and if we’ve had another 6 months of Klopp and another transfer window I think this would of been a title deciding 6 pointer. Hopefully next season we can progress and show constantly how good we are.
Harry Kane is the real deal, only Lewandowski or Suarez are better number 9’s for me.
He’s the English Lewandowski.
When is the smidgeon shooting season? I love Coutinho but hated the dive. I love Sakho but hate the stress. A lot of good, a bit more than a smidgeon of bad, and Lovren was a ten. Tell me lad will you.
Lovren was good first half not great second half, Sakho was a shambles first half but good in the second and no, Lovren didn’t make just 1 fault in that second half same way Sakho didn’t make 50 in the first (I think it was like 3-5, big errors though.). By the way, on the balance of the two id have Lovren at 7/8 (his big error did cost us) and Sakho5/6 (Probably 5 cos his scond half honestly was decent)
Maybe you can’t stand the praise Sakho gets at times/the lack of praise Lovren gets at times or whatever but you really should be more fair, this is ridiculous.
We just see this too much now. Lack of intelligence…tackling awful….missed chances. Frustrating to watch good players struggle so much but the quality has to improve from the squad now and new players coming in. Hope Jurgen can get rid of some dead wood and invigorate others. Otherwise it’ll be another season of frustration next year.
Kane’s half a sniff vs Sturridge’s two painful misses is the difference. Think Sturridge is more ‘talented’ than him but not as effective. The amount of football Kane has played this and last season compared to Sturridge is probably why they’re finishing above us in these seasons since 2013/14.
Tottenham are all a bit ‘so what?’ as an entire club. They’re just a team that turns up being decent at football. When we were going for it two years ago the run in felt like a series of cup finals every weekend. I think it’d be harsh to say spurs don’t matter… But, you know…
We were as good as them today but they maintain their level week in and week out, while we cannot. In other words, they are actually quite a bit better, as the table clearly shows. Best Spurs team that I can remember since the 60’s. I would love to have Dembele and Kane at LFC.
Nice review. A draw ensures a reasoned narrative. The game could easily have ended 3-1 in either direction and people would have found all sorts of reasons for it. None of them would have been that one side simply shot straighter.
Overall I thought we were pretty good except for doing what they wanted by overplaying out from the back. A keeper who could pass the ball 50m like Reina would have been a real asset today which isn’t to ignore Mig’s saves, one of which was fantastic.
Read a few Spurs fans saying we are the toughest side they have played, and I’d echo that for them.
They were easily the strongest side to come to Anfield that I can remember for a while. It was like playing ourselves at times. Sakho caused me health problems at times with his dithering. Lovren was excellent though. Alderweireld is brilliant for them and Lloris has to be second only to De Gea, though our own keeper’s save off Eriksen in the second half was outstanding.
On one corner Lloris punched it back into our half…..
Well, Leicester beat spurs and are however many points ahead so their fans who said we’re their toughest opposition are chatting shite there.
Not necessarily. Leicester did beat Spurs but Spurs had the lion share of that game and got stung at the end by Huth’s goal.
We stood toe-to-toe with them and matched them at what they do best. We outran them for the second game running. Doesn’t mean much on its own but bodes well.
Dembele best midfielder I’ve seen this season,Kane best striker.Thought Lovren played well apart from goal.LFC played well down the left not so well from the right,compare Coutinho,s final ball to Lallana!Origi developing nicely,Moreno not so much.Can’t have Sakho as 1st choice centre half.Hendo,Milner and Clyne all very solid,Can bit in and out,probably outplayed by Dembele.Sturridge is becoming an enigma wish I could read his mind.
Delle Ali full of himself ain’t he?
Enjoyed the game.
“Strong drink giveth the desire while taking away thy ability” to paraphrase Shakespeare (Source: a Mormon helicopter pilot in a Tom Clancy novel).
Matthew : These Things I Believe Part Deux (I Believe More Things).
There’s a pride to our product again. it seemed worth contemplating after the measured amount of Scotch why that is. Must be something about peat, aye, must be…edited upon waking up.
.Philippe Coutinho does not do normal. He thinks to big for that dross.
.Harry Kansas face is too narrow to be trusted.
.if 13/14 we were Dijon then this year we’re probably just yellow, still a bit of bite mind you.
.Bobby Firmino. I’m utterly besotted.
.Emre Can Can do things only Emre Can Can do which oscillate between your quintessential genius and a dyslexic theater of the Absurd; what a bargain he was though.
.more time thinking about how to add what we need instead of listing what we don’t have.
.Joe Allen actually owns f@-ing owns some Cockrells.
Coutinho produced the best response to being caught diving seen since Suarez belly flopped at Goodison Park. I’m assuming that good old Toby was asking Phil to please go ahead and stop diving. Unfortunate advice it seems because after that The Phil (I’m stealing that from someone and it’s killing me for guilt) ripped them Cockrells back 4 like his fox had gotten into the henhouse.
Whats even more important to those of us in need of a guide to love making with verve and panache while still maintaining a proper a Germanic level of aesthetics and effiency?Dortmund to come and I’ve been reading some new books ladies.
“toiled a smidgen” is a beautifully merciful assessment of Sakho’s day. The man’s a disaster zone. It’s like playing with a booby trap at the back. Him and Mig still primed for replacement next season.
Otherwise a really enjoyable contest between two decent teams.
Nice review
I’m made up. Go back to the last 18 months of Rodgers and we were genuinely rubbish. Average players playing average football. It’s been said a trillion times but what Klopp has turned that genuinely awful squad into is exciting beyond words. Exciting because a lot of us are confident he knows what he’s doing in the transfer market but more importantly knows what he wants for the team. *As a side note, it’s incredible that for years an entity as huge as LFC hasn’t identified it’s weak points and looked to correct them. It’s like we’ve said ‘we’re desperately in need of a new xyz but for now we’ll buy a new abc because they’re ok and available’. Those days feel over.
If that team yesterday can have spells like they did then I’m genuinely excited about what’s to come when we’ve got some good players on the pitch as well. For example, we were never gonna win yesterday once Sturridge and Lallana went off. That’s just how it is but that will change. It’s so friggin exciting having Klopp as manager.
I’m actually enjoying this season. The uncertainty doesn’t bother me. Under the previous manager- whatshername- I even contemplated being content with the idea of relegation to purge our system of shite. Now some of the shite has turned into health food – Lovren, for instance. I never thought the lad would EVER redeem himself, but he seems to have done so.
If we can beat Dortmind (which is unlikely but possible we can look forward to reaching the sunny uplands again.
I feel for Lucas again. A handful if games starring at CB, leadership qualities to the fore, injured again, and slated for sale yet again. He must hate Easter.
Hi Kevin. My only fear about this season is that we needed top 4 to help us in the market (despite what Klopp says). We may or may not do it through the Europa (gain entry into the CL that is) but it’s tempered any enjoyment I’ve had watching games recently. If only we could play those Palace (h) West Brom (h), and Newcastle and Watford games again. It would be a different story.
Regarding Lucas, you may know that much as I love the man I don’t feel he’s good enough to be part of a league winning side. I never have. I’m quite a cold person in pursuit of glory. I don’t really have time for sentimentality. In fairness though mate, most of the links over the past few years have been initiated by him. If he’s not playing he wants to look for new pastures. He’s made that clear on several occasions.
Sentimentality is dangerous. It played no part in our most successful
years. Shankly and Psisley moved players on when they had a couple of years left – even Roger Hunt. But those were not the days of £100,000 a week pays.
I agree about Lucas. But whenever he seems to
be off, he’s dragooned back into the team because of injury or poor form.
The weaknesses that Rodgers ignored are still with us, though, and I was appalled to see SM get a long extension and Ward brought back and ignored. Klopp has now seen all the played he inherited; from here on in, the team is his.
One things for sure mate, we definitely genuinely inquired about Ter Stegen so that tells me all I need to know about Mignolet’s position. I think he’d make a very good number 2 if I’m honest. I’d be alright with that.
I thought we played quite well. Sturridge looks like he already has one foot out of the door though.
I’m starting to feel better about Klopp. Not because of results, which are still appalling. He’s making some of our players play better than they used to. Lovren, Lallana, Origi. You have to at least give him credit for that.
What’s going on at Leicester casts a huge shadow over everything for me though. Our 25 years of failure. What does it now mean? It feels like our own story has become less-interesting and a better one is unfolding in the East Midlands.
How impressive actually is it if Klopp guides us to a title, after what Ranieri has done? We are no longer the poorest Sheikh with a horse in the Derby.
It’s not just us either. Spurs have struggled to be truly competitive throughout the history of the Premier League. After finally getting past us, United, Chelsea, Arsenal and City all in the same season, they now face the prospect of either losing to Leicester City, or being the fairy-tale-killing establishment club that nobody wanted to see win apart from their own fans.
Leicester changes everything.
‘How impressive actually is it if Klopp guides us to a title, after what Ranieri has done?’
Outrageously impressive, though I do see your point.
However, if Klopp did win the league for us he would have done so against the backdrop of suffocating expectation that Ranieri has not had.
I think that has become suffocating hope, rather than expectation. There’s no getting away from it though, a future title won by Liverpool or Spurs would be to some degree diminished if Leicester win it.
Before this season, we thought we were the least powerful/wealthy institution to have any kind of shot at taking down the Premier League title. Of course we still desperately want to win it, but for the wider public Liverpool being crowned as Champions in 2017 would be much smaller beer than what now appears to be taking place.
Not to Liverpool fans it wouldn’t, which should be all that matters.
Leicester’s title success will be an astonishing, unprecedented achievement but should only be judged in the context of the season in which it has taken place.
Good luck to Leicester. I can only say that Liverpool winning the title would be something beyond words for me , my children, my family , LFC fans all over the world and especially the people of Liverpool .
Nothing but nothing will take anything away from that day when it finally arrives , God willing and the proof will be on display for all to see when we show the rest of the country how you really celebrate winning a title.
It will happen, but let’s be patient.
Christ you post some fucking shite… seriously Leicester having a great season while everyone else falters casts a shadow over 25 years blah blah blah. Fuck off and annoy Leicester fans.
Post again in 25 years time list the number of trebles and Champions league finals Leicester have endured.
If we win the title with Klopp the words “damn I wish we had won the title by spending less money” or some such won’t enter my head. I think what you describe borders on the pathological. Perhaps monastic. Depends on whether you’re possessed by an inferiority complex thst borders on the narcissistic or just don’t enjoy having fun.
People in glass houses is fair does but God we’re a neurotic bunch.
‘but God we’re a neurotic bunch.’
That we most certainly are.
We’re now looking for ways to downplay successes that haven’t even happened yet based on successes that financially poorer clubs haven’t even had yet.
All very British.
Haha. quality comment.
I lost respect for Lady when he/she said booing Sterling was because he was black. Living in NZ for so long he’s obviously forgotten how British people work. If a player leaves us because he thinks another PL team are better then we see our arse, think he’s a judas and hope he fails miserably in his new venture, much like Torres. It’s not just football fans who can’t take rejection in Britain. If we’re a boring cunt who doesn’t give our girlfriend the respect she deserves or craves and she leaves and gets a boyfriend who does, then she becomes a little slag. We’re a vile and bitter nation.
I think that comment is even worse than the Sterling one though.
Are you coming out to celebrate us winning the league? Nah, it’s good and that but we spent too much more than Leicester to achieve it, haha. As fuckin if.
“I lost respect for Lady when he/she said booing Sterling was because he was black.”
Good luck searching for that quote.
Fuck off cunt we all remember that. Although finding out you are a Kiwi begins to explain a few things. Dunedin?
I bet you wishing you could erase your comment though. I’m really not into abusing and swearing at people on here but will say your comment was really stupid.
You appear to support the club without emotional attachment – like a football technocrat. The football is one thing but for many it’s about history, identity, pride and belonging – it’s about passion and emotion – Klopp gets that and is a major reason why he came, but it appears to have passed you by.
That’s bullshit about Sturridge mate. He was alone up top against two quality centre halves plus Walker and still managed to set up Coutinho for the goal. And that’s his worst game? Stop printing bollocks because people will believe it and you’ll ruin the players.
We were sitting in the main stand (my wife made me type the ‘ we’ she has by bits in a jar in some vault somewhere, so I do what I’m told until she gives me the code) ‘Arry Kane was practising banging them in ( the football) in front of me. “he certainly knows where the goalposts are” I said to my wife she didn’t know what I was talking about. Anyway the point is this: Sturbridge either (a) was not interested or (b) had been listening to Pink Floyd’s the wall on repeat and has decided to be Pink.who knows do you?
We were sitting in the main stand (my wife made me type the ‘ we’ she has by bits in a jar in some vault somewhere, so I do what I’m told until she gives me the code) ‘Arry Kane was practising banging them in ( the football) in front of me. “he certainly knows where the goalposts are” I said to my wife she didn’t know what I was talking about. Anyway the point is this: Sturbridge either (a) was not interested or (b) had been listening to Pink Floyd’s the wall and has decided to be Pink.who knows do you?
Deja vue? Dejan Lovren? Saaahhhhko!!1
I hate to be the party pooper here but we also might want to try winning this title first before we decide how winning a title feels.
Truth bombs away.
‘A smidgeon’? You’re boss Neil, but like many Reds, I think you’ve got a serious blind spot when it comes to Sakho! Him and Skrtel both need to go in the summer so we can hopefully stop leaking goals like we have three seasons running.