WE’RE back then.
Oh good lord we are back. The sweat is pouring off me. My heart is pounding. My legs are shaking. I have hugged a million strangers. We’ve just won but I might not make it through 37 more.
I can’t wait for 37 more. I couldn’t wait for this. It has loomed large in my mind since July. Loomed larger since San Francisco.
Mad life syndrome – you are in San Francisco and talking to the Liverpool manager, looking him in the eye and wanting him to say things about the new season – and he does. Mad, mad life. He says to be excited. He says to expect an intense Liverpool. He says to expect a greedy Liverpool.
A greedy Liverpool.
Did we see a greedy Liverpool? We saw a mad, mad game.
The Reds teased us. Teased us during the game, streaking into a 1-4 lead before letting two goals in. Teased us after, coming over for their deserved ovation late after the final whistle. The captain reinforcing. Urging. But when they came over they did so as a unit. They were acclaimed as one. As Liverpool.
Consecrate those memories in front of the supporters. Feel together as a unit. Be Liverpool. The Liverpool we need. The Liverpool we might just deserve.
There are things that matter today. Things you can remember. Things you can do again:
– Set pieces were defended well after conceding from one.
– A one goal lead was played out when under pressure away from home.
– The 15 minutes after half time were the heaviest metal of football. Liverpool were magnificent. Three marvellous goals. Liverpool everywhere you look. A swarm.
Liverpool everywhere you look. That was the main thing I took from the game. Liverpool playing in a manner that couldn’t be lived with, playing in a manner difficult to sustain.
Goals gave them the freedom to do it. The equaliser and the second liberated Liverpool. They got to the place where they could play their football by putting the ball in the back of the net. Philippe Coutinho’s equaliser was sensational. But then what wasn’t until the sixty third minute.
Sadio Mane was astonishing. The speed and the power, but the sense. All the time the sense. He sees the game out marvellously after winning it. Jordan Henderson’s second half was very good – his first stuttering. Neither Georginio Wijnaldum nor Adam Lallana set anything alight for 45. Both excelled as the game wore on.
The intriguing choice for man of the match could well be Roberto Firmino. Endlessly willing in unconventional ways, he wants the ball at his feet, twisting and turning and bringing people into the game. The correct choice is that there wasn’t any one man. There was Liverpool. Liverpool were everywhere.
Things you can’t do again:
– I feel sorry for the left back. I really do. But there comes a time.
– The goalkeeper microcosmed his Liverpool career. Fair play to him really.
But why focus on that? Why focus on that for a second? Because Liverpool are playing football, Liverpool are winning and Liverpool are in front of you. Sweat pouring off them, sweat pouring off you, them clapping you, you clapping them and everyone gets to be rightfully proud, and rightfully happy, while safe in the knowledge this happens 37 more times because this is the treadmill, this is how it works. There is nothing but this.
Liverpool play again in six days. I can’t wait. You can’t wait.
Up the greedy Reds. For clarity – that’s all of us.
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I’ve missed these match reports almost more than I’ve missed the sight of Emre striding through the midfield in the 94th minute.
“Things you can’t do again:
– I feel sorry for the left back. I really do. But there comes a time.
– The goalkeeper microcosmed his Liverpool career. Fair play to him really.
But why focus on that? Why focus on that for a second?”
Because they are the two biggest reasons why Liverpool will not win the league this season.
You are my sunshine my only sunshine….
I have to agree. While I get your point Neal, and we will revile in this, it is exactly because there are 37 more to go that we need to deal with this. That third goal just does my head in. You look at Mignolet’s starting position, all he had to do was take two steps out and punch it into kingdom come. Instead, well he did what he does, drop back to his line.
But still, what a game. And what beautiful goals.
Mate that’s just wrong, when the ball is delivered that flat the keeper can’t come for it, because it could get flicked from a wider position before it gets to him. He has to wait and try to react to it. Watch all the analysis on Sky, nobody blamed the keeper.
Not many would have made that punch – doubt Karius would have. We didn’t say that about Szczęsny after Gerrard’s free kick
Classic armchair fan hindsight analysis. There was nothing wrong with mignolet’s “starting position.” All he needs to do?? Firstly, 2 more steps wouldn’t make a difference, second, if he comes far enough out to actually be able to intercept a perfectly delivered cross he messes up our defensive line and gives arsenal other options for the free kick; possibly lobbing him!
It was a great ball in; if you want to place any fault, it’s the defensive line’s and whoever slightly lost chambers.
I don’t have faith in mignolet long-term, but blaming mignolet and moreno every time we concede is not helpful…
Jesus.
Weve just won the first match of the season. And what a match it was.
Lighten up for a bit, eh?
I think the point they’re trying to make is that the win didn’t need to be so nail biting at the end.
All last season we knew we had a problem with left back and keeper.
We’ve made efforts towards fixing the keeper situation but we are in worse position with regards the left back position.
We’ve had all summer to put this right.
If we don’t it will cost us more goals and undoubtedly more points/games.
Not sure the left back or the keeper had any part to play in the game going from 1-4 to 3-4..
I’m not so sure about that.
Both the keeper and and Moreno instill little confidence in the rest of the defence.
They have been 2 very problematic positions in a defence that has conceded 50+ goals the last coupla years.
Whilst we have tried to address the keeper problem with Karius we’ve don’t nothing to address the left back position.
Failure to bring a adequate replacement/backup would be akin to the decision to replace Suarez with Balotelli.
I genuinely believe the problem with our leftback position has the potential to fuck up our season.
Well what can we do about Mignolet? Not Klopp’s fault Karius broke his hand! Moreno will surely be replaced. I just can’t for the life if me see how he doesn’t after that. I’m trying to not get too excited because that’s now the fourth season in a row we’ve won on the opening day but this was different, we where away at Arsenal! Starts rarely get that difficult and yet we won and we were comfortably the better side! Bring on Burnley!!
You took the comment out of my keyboard..
Plus it wasn’t the strongest Arsenel side, but that’s by the bye.
3 points and left wondering how we let a 4-1 almost become a draw….and how many more goals and points Mignolet and Moreno will cost us.
How many has Mignolet cost us? Surely not the second one yesterday? If that’s what you’re on about then there is no fucking hope. None at all.
We’re gonna win the league,
We’re gonna win the league……
Yes there were some not so good bits. But there were a whole fucking bunch of great bits. More of that lads.
Believe it. We’re gonna win the league!
A GREAT BUNCH OF LADS. A GREAT BUNCH OF FUCKING LADS.
THE END.
This could be 13/14 deja vu. Pleased we beat a weakened Arsenal side and scored some quality goals too. We might concede a few goals as well.
A left back and a solid defensive midfielder are required to ease the nerves and help the journey, maybe a forward depending on Sturridge.
Well played Reds, excellent start to the season.
13/14 started with Mig penalty save too…
Teams will start to park lots of buses this season or end up with 3 or 4 goals scored against them. Will Klopp find a fine balance between attack and defence? Who knows, but it will be one entertaining ride. This style of football worked for Klopp at Dortmund against all the odds so why can’t it work for him at Liverpool?
Can’t stop pacing around the lounge room with those goals swimming in my head. Individually brilliant as Coutinho’s free kick and Mane’s run / strike were, the most exciting goal – from a team perspective – was our third. 135 passes (and not just for the sake of passes), then bang bang BANG. Could be mistaken, but I don’t think we saw Clyne do that at all last season. The cross and finish were sublime. So were we, in parts. Hard to see how Moreno recovers from that first half. Huge liability. Worry about that another day, though. Let’s go to Burnley on Saturday and rip them to shreds.
Watched it back just now. Bottle of good Italian red in hand. ( so I may be wrong ) but Moreno – who has melted my head repeatedly, never more than the Final, legged it to be level with Lallana when he lost the ball. Suggesting a game plan. Does this mitigate against his having to track back? I don’t know. His first instinct seems to be attack. But he is supposed to be a defender.
Watching the body language between Klopp and himself after the game and the buttock slapping while Klopp whispers in his ear I suspect Jurgen is not giving up on Albie just yet – it’s a work in progress. He just keeps picking him.
I think Milly may have got the nod if he was fit.
Time will tell in future games.
I said in response to Craig’s piece about realist or idealist that it’s not going to be Hodgeball this season and strap yourselves in, but fuck me – that was a Rollercoaster and a half !! And I wouldn’t miss it for anything.
As always Neil. You’ve cut to the chase. Can’t wait for the next match.
Up the Reds!!
Exactly – All part of Klopp’s plan, or so we hope. Moreno breaks, cos thats what Klopp has been telling him to do all pre-season long! That Lallana loses the ball and the defence doesn’t cover is a team fault.
I struggle to believe Klopp is not aware of what he’s got in his LB. And if he wasn’t happy with it, there would be a new LB at the club already.
I’m sorry guys but I rather like our little Albie, and I’ve a feeling that Klopp very much does too.
We’re 3 points up on 13/14 already (remember fuming over Arsenal away November 2013). The left back situation is shitter than any position in any year I can remember but there’s time yet. Gomez and Flanagan have announced themselves at the emirates in recent seasons so a steady full back from the academy wouldn’t have had us behind the 8-ball like samurai head.
Thankful for the win, but…
If we continue to leak that many goals this season there will be no title or perhaps even a top four spot.
Title winners are above all things consistent, both in attack and defense.
No consistency, no title. Just ask Rodgers.
If we continue to be erratic at the back, it will thwart our ability to consistently grind out wins over the course of a season.
That defense needs to be sorted for a title challenge to materialize.
Make no mistake, we were lucky today.
At this moment, not knowing how other teams will perform, would you take 84 points?
If we continue at this rate, we’d have a goal difference of +38.
Both of those figures are better than anything produced by any team last season.
The league is going to be absolutely mad this season. With so many competitive teams, it seems unlikely that anyone will run away with it. So let’s not lose our heads just yet.
Up the greedy Reds. The glasses are off.
I don’t know who we refers to, it can’t be Liverpool. But no measure were we lucky today. They hardly looked likely scoring apart from when they did, they scored one from a deflection and were given a pen that wasn’t. We had several other good chances. And we managed the game very well in the last 15.
But who cares – 3 points at Arsenal is a monster start. We are already 2 above par.
‘Make no mistake, we were lucky today.’
Except we weren’t. Luck is a fictional concept peddled by people to mask deficiencies or explain other team’s success that they don’t like.
So we weren’t lucky… really?
If that game were replayed today would we get the same result?
Does Coutinho score the same free kick?
Does Mignolet save his?
And does Moreno get caught out again?
Of the above, which is the most probable to occur again if the game were replayed?
Luck is real, weather you acknowledge it or not.
And we certainly rode our luck during that game.
If it was replayed, we are no sure bet to get the same result.
Everything you have just said is hypothetical. We aren’t playing the game again as we won the game. You play each opponent twice in a season and we have played and beaten Arsenal already.
The logic you have used simply does not make sense. Of course Coutinho doesn’t score that free kick again if we play them again, because the situation that led to the free kick would not happen in that exact way again. But the point is he DID score yesterday.
It makes no sense to talk of probable outcomes if we played them again. In this hypothetical rematch, are we aware of yesterday’s result or does the game take place in the past where the original game never happened?
You get what you deserve in football and luck just doesn’t factor into it. All four of our goals yesterday were deserved and so were the ones we conceded.
I’ll say it again… title winning teams are consistent.
We are not going to be consistent if we these poor defensive displays continue.
Its that simple.
And if the rumors are true, and Chelsea are in for Hector, I’m going to be in a foul mood… and I wont be the only one.
He’s the best left back option around at the moment, and having him end up at Chelsea only adds insult to injury, which no amount of TAW spin will make us fans feel better about the situation.
Liverpool will need to score four goals per game to have any hope of winning any of them.
No they won’t.
They will win plenty of games 1 or 2 nil as they won’t be playing away to a quality side every week.
Stop the negativity.
Negativity?
Some of us call it pragmatism.
Sorry… just not buying into the narrative being set here… I’ve heard this tune before in seasons past.
For me, there are plenty of issues that will keep the team from being consistent enough to mount a title challenge… its just that some choose to ignore them.
Consistency is of critical import that will influence a title run.
And we have plenty of work still to be done before we reach that level of consistency.
Hi David,
In my opinion, saying Liverpool will need to score 4 goals per game to have any hope of winning any of them after beating Arsenal in the opening game of the season (away no less) is a negative outlook,
There is absolutely no truth in the statement, it’s designed to piss on people’s parade,
whar narrative are you on about and who is setting it?
Mad, mad mad, and all the better for it.
My take on this season is that we’ll score loads and conceded a few. But I don’t think every game will be as mad as that one. Our defending will get better once Sakho and Matip are fit. I wasn’t sure about our Estonian as a left back until that sprint against Walcott (I think) 2nd half. Yes, he can play there for certain games (he started his career there) and Mo can play the home games. Might even play 3 at the back occasionally with 2 up top. Now that will be mad.
Let’s all get right behind Klopp’s ZZ Top brand of footy and enjoy the ride.
If Ragnar playing LB is really a thing, I’m interested.
Sadio,
Sadio Mané,
Racing through my brain,
And I just can’t contain
That feeling that remains
We showed yesterday that once we get into our rhythm we are irrepressible. You couldn’t really blame Arsenal’s defenders for any of our goals, they were just clinically executed. Mane’s goal in particular was like an adult playing in an under-18’s game.
There is no need for us to temper our attacking instincts in order to achieve a bit more defensive solidity. We actually closed the game well in the last ten minutes, we just need to change how we react to both scoring and conceding goals. After our fourth we momentarily switched off when in fact we could have gone on to score 6 or 7, such was our level of dominance. Arsenal were terrified.
In any group of mates – there’s always one, always one who’s a sandwich short of picnic, the one who does mad things because he just can’t help himself.
He’s also the one with the boundless enthusiasm, the craziest antics, the most bizarre stories. He’s the fella in the pub that you stare at wide-eyed because he’s never quite on the same page as anybody else – the things he says.
More importantly he’s the one that creates the best memories to look back on when all the fuss died down. Without that bonkers mate, if we’re honest, life just wouldn’t have been as interesting.
That mate is Moreno – with his tats, and his top knots, and his ballistic defending and his irrepressible grin at the end of the game, jumping on his mates backs like a puppy dog.
Here’s to you Albie – you’re an absolute lunatic, you could become an absolute legend one day, for one reason or another. I can never say you don’t play for your shirt, because you give everything when you’re on the park.
If you’re a liability, and Klopp likes you, then you’re my liability too.
This… brilliantly this.
What an awesome comment.
The fella in the pub is probably a better defender. Sell Moreno now.
Klopp said himself we (including him) over-celebrated the 4th goal and relaxed too much to let them in for a quick response. There was still a long time left. When they scored their 3rd I could see them equalising, but we did a good job in closing the game out with a 1 goal lead.
With Moreno we either get rid, play him as a winger or find a way of covering for him. At the moment he’s the most obvious weak link I’ve ever seen.
The game was awesome juice. Klopp just needs to find a way to bottle it and dab it on our players before every game.
Really liked the way Mane was looking pre-season and OH MY WORD, he tickled my fancy.
Simply a beautiful goal.
Even Lallana scoring a goal? It’s like all my Christmas presents coming early.
Are we ready to be Champions? Let’s keep up the pace and stamina for the next game. We can be sure Burnley won’t give us the wide open spaces like the Gunners did. It will be a different sort of game.
To Moreno or not Moreno?
How many of our back five are top four back five? I don’t believe we can win the title until this area is upgraded.
I am happy to concede the team defend and attack together. Klopp conceded as much in the interviews afterwards. However, if he continues to include players like Coutinho, Lallana and Bob in the team. We will get found out. Happy of course but we were close to losing a 3-0 lead – again.
So have we really learned from last season?
I expect Klopp is the sort of manager that mostly backs his players to give them confidence so we can’t be sure what he really thinks of Moreno. I suppose I respect him too for not over paying for a left back over the summer. Would an extra 5 million quid got us the left back most of us think we need?
For that first goal Lallana tried a Cruyff turn in the middle of the pitch and lost the ball. Moreno was already half way up the pitch on maybe some counter attack position. Why isn’t Clyne caught out like that more often?
I’ve been a strong critic of Mignolet for the past 3 years but I can’t see his fault for anything last night.
Very exiting season ahead! Up the mighty Reds!
“Teased us after, coming over for their deserved ovation late after the final whistle…”
Excellent as usual, but you got that one wrong: It is not about their ovations but about paying tribute to supportes coming all the way down to North London into the expensive Emirates!
Liverpool were 4-1 up at one stage and I fail to see how Moreno was at fault for how they came back into the game. Just how many players were actually needed to stop their second goal? Why didn’t the right FB do his job? Liverpool conceded from yet another free kick yet poor old Moreno gets all the stick for his defending.
Defending as a whole is poor and to just single Moreno out is a joke in my opinion.