LIVERPOOL in London for the third time this season already and for the third time they are clearly the better football team; for the second time they pick up the points, their superiority deserved.
It’s fast becoming a season where that looks like it will be the test. We won’t come out of many football matches this season feeling as though a side has outworked, outplayed or out-foxed Liverpool.
The Reds have played five games, clearly been the better side — however sternly Burnley defended — in all five but have only won three. Ten points from 5 games. A ratio that would almost certainly be good enough for top four but who wants to be good enough for top four when the game is afoot.
Rest assured the game is afoot.
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The first-half performance from Liverpool was the inverse of the Arsenal explosion. This was the showing of a serious football team, dominating the ball and territory at Stamford Bridge; finding a way to demonstrate that dominance onto the scoreboard
Liverpool weren’t irresistible first half as they have been, especially against Leicester and Arsenal. Instead, they were irrevocable. First to every second ball — all balls were Liverpool balls. Their desire and positioning and certainty was in every tackle — hard. It was in every pass — hard.
Liverpool blammed the ball at each other, knowing it would be kept under control and Chelsea, full of quality grafters and battlers, found themselves grafting and battling past themselves just to hope to live with The Reds.
https://www.facebook.com/TheAnfieldWrap/videos/1376931035669825/
They couldn’t live with The Reds because The Reds weren’t being lived with. Tackle harder, pass it faster, position smarter. They couldn’t live with The Reds because The Reds know the game is afoot. You can see it in their eyes when they come to the support at the end of the game — it was there against Arsenal and there again against Chelsea.
It was even there against Burnley in the hurt and the pain. It’s there in the eyes of Jordan Henderson and Dejan Lovren and James Milner, a steely glint. A silvery glint. The Reds are serious, and leaving early this season isn’t going to be an option because even when they lose — and they will lose — this glint needs homage paying to it. They know what they are about and now we know and we are thankful for it. Liverpool are about something and this is the first thing that has to happen before anything can be achieved.
The second half was, in its own way, as pleasing at the first. Only the blemish of the conceded goal — when Liverpool must have had nine players on their backside in their own box by the end of it — detracts from the performance.
But even that allowed Liverpool to show greater resolve, even if they will show greater quality as the season develops. Chelsea didn’t get to pepper Simon Mignolet’s goal and what the Belgian had to do he did with a minimum of fuss. His compatriot had to make the world-class save from Divock Origi to keep his side in the game.
Liverpool instead finished the game minute by minute doing the sensible thing even, on occasion, in spite of their manager. At one point late on Lucas Leiva emptied into touch only to get a volley of abuse from Jürgen Klopp, who wanted him to play the ball up the pitch to feet. Lucas shrugged — “I’m playing here, mate, and these lads are shattered.”
Klopp demands perfection and he has to keep demanding it but seeing a senior pro take the 30-second option rather than the third-goal option was inherently pleasing in the circumstances.
The circumstances are that Chelsea are good. This is important to acknowledge because it emphasises how good a display and result Liverpool have managed — Chelsea are a good side full of gnarl and graft but they slightly lacked two things The Reds had: quick feet and quicker legs.
Even the normally impeccable Willian looked pedestrian at times in comparison to Lallana, Georginio Wijnaldum, Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane.
The framework of the players in those four positions interchanging with each other, with their deepest midfielder or their most advanced forward is what is making this Liverpool side tick both with and without the ball.
They pop up all together one second and then they have 60 yards between them the next. It made most sense when the most advanced forward was Daniel Sturridge, his movement very intelligent, him finding a way to function and flourish in this side. Origi toiled a little, but hopefully that is nothing that 90 minutes against Derby County at Pride Park on Tuesday can’t help with.
The performers most worthy of focus though were Henderson and Joel Matip. The latter looks like he has been playing for Liverpool for years and while he was poor for the Chelsea goal, the rest of his performance was so assured and he was totemic defending set pieces — a reminder that often all you need to have is the lad, or lads, most likely to win the header in the penalty area and good organisation.
Gerrard Houllier had Emile Heskey and Sami Hyypia at times; Rafa Benitez had Peter Crouch and Momo Sissoko. Both had Jamie Carragher organising and while it isn’t clear yet who is doing that for this Liverpool side, even set pieces seem ever so slightly less like things to be afraid of.
Henderson though. Whether or not he was man of the match, the game belonged to him. His curler brought about an explosion of emotion — the celebration almost as compelling as the finish — both on and off the pitch.
His performance had everything good about his game in spades and very little of the bad. The goal merely crowned it.
At the end of the game the manager walks him away from his teammates and the Liverpool end, arm around him for 15-20 seconds, talking, talking. Talking serious matters, I suspect. Remember this. Feel this. More of this. The manager telling him the game belonged to him, I suspect. Frame it and hang it above your mantlepiece and look at it every day, look at it twice on Saturdays, look at it three times on the days you have a bad game because it is football and bad games are inevitable.
The goal merely crowned it, crowned the performances that Henderson and Liverpool have been putting in — the performances that now tilt towards the serious business we want Liverpool to be engaged in.
No-one can ask anything more of their football team than that they are a serious proposition. Go and ask them, ask them up and down the country if Liverpool are a serious proposition. They will tell you and Antonio Conte did so before the game — Liverpool were the worst possible opponents for his side now. That’s what I want to hear. Liverpool are in town. Batten down the hatches and prepare for your toughest 90 minutes of the season because Liverpool are in town.
You know the game is afoot because you want it to be Tuesday and you want it to be Saturday and bring on your Manchester sides and you want the Derby and you want to play all these games day after day after day.
You want it all again — the day in London, the night in London; the moment when Henderson’s effort hits the net, looking down at that lower tier in rapture, an end without end; the moment in the 93rd minute when the offside flag goes up and you know then, you know then. And even then, being in the ground long after the final whistle to pay homage and to stick it to Chelsea.
To see the glint in the Liverpudlian eyes — the players, the coaching staff, the support. To see that glint.
Let’s go Liverpool. Don’t stop. Hull next. Let’s go.
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I don’t mind “parking the bus”….
As long as it we do it in their box
Good as Gold. Nice handle. Pithy arrogance : Red means danger. For the other set of grocks.
And now you’re gonna believe us…
Don’t think I’ve ever been so pleased to see anything like I was their triple sub. They didn’t get a kick after that. Moses, lol.
Made up for Henderson. Spent the week arguing with mates about his performance v Leicester, me saying it was a great performance them saying it was ok. I decided the miss was the deciding factor. Had he scored then more would have said ‘great’. Well, last night he was great and got the goal to back it up. After a tough couple of years nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing Henderson with a smile on his face (the 3 subs aside, haha.
Wijnauldum excites me too. Certainly wouldn’t say he’s been anywhere near our best player over the last 2 but he inspires. I think there’s a lot to come from him. We were saying in the pub last night that Matip is the closest we’ve had to a Hyypia in years. We all know we’re an attacking threat but to see the defence do well seems more of bonus at the minute. If that carries on, well I wouldn’t like to say where we could end up but in the back of my mind I’m already dreaming. Obviously, their goal was a complete joke and a terrible time to switch off but certainly 4 steps forward and 1 back perhaps. I like that left back too.
On days like today I just accept I’m gonna spend the day reading every word said about the win and watching every video. Will watch the match again too because to be honest I didn’t enjoy that second half. I was having unrelated conversations with friends just to switch off from the intensity. Head had gone a bit but on reflection I bet it wasn’t as close as I thought it was. Love the video’s of the hugs at the end and the Mane song. Love the fact that Reds all over the world were full of ecstasy last night. Our celebrations continued until we couldn’t find anyone to serve us. I think for the reds fans it wasn’t about the 3 points, though they were huge. It wasn’t about beating those bastards, though that is always fantastic. It was about the potential of this team. We knew we had the right man at the helm. We knew we had the fans and the new stand and the potential for home games that brings but now we’re all starting to realise we may just have the players too. I think we’re getting the most important ingredient of all too – the momentum. Please, let’s destroy Hull or it comes crashing down. It’s just how it is. If this is Friday night football though, then I’m a fan. What a night for Reds everywhere.
Top post mate, and I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been preaching Hendo since Kenny brought him in, in my own small world as a fan, that goal was immense for so many reasons. Good on the lad, and more please.
On your Wijnauldum point, certainly not doing the “business” at the moment, but the way he almost silently controls that midfield and disrupts attacks, his calm, his control, and his vision are very reminiscent of Didi, albeit a faster version.
Cheers mate, and on the reds! (can’t stop watching that goal).
Not irresistible, irrevocable – great turn of phrase.
Great review :)
One ‘new’ thing I noticed in this game, (new to me that is,) is that our press kind of involves players “over committing.” By that i mean that players fully commit to trying to get the ball off the opponent. Usually you wouldn’t want to do that because if you skinned, they’re away from you; but in this team, there is ALWAYS a player straight in after, covering. I’ve seen this before, obv, we all know about how the press works, but I’ve never thought about it in those terms.
Also wanted to add a couple of things from the ratings article- loved how others are now seeing Lovren as a leader, he’s becoming huge for us.
And that brings me on to the next point. I still feel, even here, but moreso in mainstream media, there is too much focus on individuals. The ratings guy said wijnaldum “disappeared” for a while in the second half and then improved again. Well that directly coincided with our play, didn’t it? So to me, of course he’s going to “disappear” if we’re not getting any ball?! So is it players dictate how the team is doing, or the overall team play dictates how the individuals play? Obviously I’m aware a player can score 2 goals and his team lose 5-2, and on the flipping, a guy can play crap in a win; but as a general rule, I’m looking at the team first, and then maybe some players will really standout.
Anyway, to me, it is very hard to find a standout player last night, and that is a great thing to say. To me, migs, milner, Clyne, Lovren, matip, lallana, Hendo and wijnaldum were all superb. If you pushed me, I would prob say one of lallana and Hendo was man of the match, but I thought wijnaldum was central to everything in that unbelievable first 30 mins. I think he’s a bit unheralded so far for us; really neat and tidy, does the press perfectly, has pretty good aggression and driving forward ability.
So hard to put expectations on the season right now. I am LOVING watching our progression though. We are seriously good…
Meant to say, a good example of “over committing” not working was lallana on matic for their goal. The one time someone didn’t come in straight after, matic got clear, played a great ball and then they were behind, and matip slightly compounded it by going to ground. Has to be said tho, lovely drag back by matic and good lifted pass for Costa. It was a pretty nice goal by Chelsea.
In an echo of 13/14, when Hendo was similarly steely and influential , I can see this possibly developing into a race to the finish between ourselves and City- fittingly the free-scoring entertainers.
Both teams have better managers now and both have bought well in the summer. City’s squad looks frighteningly strong with match-winners like Aguero and De Bruyne amongst the very best players in the world. Although we no longer have the mercurial genius of Suarez it is encouraging that we can win at Chelsea without the likes of Mane and Coutinho playing well and with Firmino and Can absent.
We are still being written off today by pundits such as Merson and Jason Roberts saying that we cannot keep up our intensity and our defence will let us down. I would argue that we are already seeing big improvements defensively with a strong partnership forming between Matip and Lovren. As for the intensity , I’d suggest that with our ability to blitz opposition teams in short spells and our rivals set to have long slogs around European backwaters we have the potential to do very well this season. And not forgetting the points we have already taken from said rivals.
Fuck Merson, I’ll bet you any money that right now he’s in a drunken stupor with shit in his pants and vomit on his shirt and that’s reflected in the way he talks about football. An absolute mess of a man.
The lucky Bastard
@Ron Ely – Mate forget the two pundits or any of them for that matter. Even if they do sound out too loud, let them, it’s less pressure for the Reds.
It was an awesome game to boot, and your assessment of the current status of the teams and performance mentioned is close to being accurate. Though I do wonder about Arsenal, Mancs, Spurs and Everton who are currently beating and collecting points off the usual suspects we have lost to in the past.
All the Reds in my opinion and Henderson did well last night. I hope Henderson for his sake, can rinse and repeat for the rest of the season, not just the next game. They are showing grit, pace and determination not all of it in that order, but it is certainly showing.
What I fear every time is that whenever Henderson or any of the other Reds demonstrate some potential in a game, us fans and the press start with the “greatest of players in the league” rhetoric and invite undue pressure on the players and on ourselves, only to be left disappointed.
As Andy outlined, we will lose games, but when and how will be telling.
I thought Gini played well as best as he could for now, but like Henderson he may have more in the locker of his – Matip too.
I am really hoping Grujic and Can will get up to speed soon to help stabilize the Reds throughout the season. I don’t know about Karius, Gomez or Sakho in light of how things are going. I just hope they add to the value and talent that the Reds have to offer when we really the Red Machine to stay in full effect.
Anyways good post mate and good match review Andy.
Now we need to be careful of Hull and avoid the unnecessary cull. (sorry just me being daft)
Up the Reds!!!
Oops, so sorry Neil, I meant thank you for the review, not the other Neil/Andy.
When Klopp won his first league title with Dortmund they were also in the Europa. So he managed to keep up the intensity even with European footie.
That first-half performance was one of the best I’ve seen from a Liverpool side against at top team in a long, long time. It was different. Not explosive, not patchy, but sustained dominance. A joy to behold. As was the second for different reasons: it was without doubt the most sustained and mature defensive display I’ve seen from a Liverpool side post-Rafa. We managed the game. How long has it been since any of us felt as though we could write that? Good sides will come at you and if you have to be able to defend.
A complete performance. 10/10.
A couple of interesting tactical notes: first, I thought we were playing more of a 4-1-4-1 last night. Mane was noticeably deeper, helping out Clyne throughout, Coutinho and Lallana were interchanging a lot.
Secondly the ‘holder’ debate, why we clamour for a defensive midfielder, and why it’s a mistake to do so:
Henderson’s performance raises some interesting questions. The idea of a specialist holding midfielder is relatively recent in the English game. When we think of the great midfielders of the 70s and 80s we don’t think of Makélélé types but of multi-functional midfielders capable of holding and scoring. We think, for example, of Graeme Souness and Johan Neeskens, of Jean Tigana and Alain Giresse, of Uli Stieleke and Marco Tardelli. The specialist holder who can’t score goals or pass forwards is a relatively recent phenomenon. Why do we obsess with players with limited skillsets?
We should welcome the return of the multi-functional number 6.
Oh, and I think we now know what Klopp meant by playing with your gut (and it isn’t me in the park on a Sunday…)
LOL! Good one.
An Ian Rush hat trick was the last time football on a Friday night was this good,
We’ve been slow out of the blocks for most of the season so far and it was a relief to see us start so assuredly,
We then built on this and dominated the plastics for the entire half until the second goal went in and then we do what most football teams do when they get that breathing space goal, took our foot off the gas, it’s totally understandable but still infuriating, those fuc*tards were there for a tonking,
The second half onslaught was expected and it kind of materialised in patches,
But then came the defining moment and for me the most pleasing aspect of the night,
Our reaction to there goal,
We took the sting out of the game by keeping the ball, I was totally expecting the kitchen sink from them but they couldn’t gather any momentum due to our unexpectedly mature last twenty,
Delighted for Hendo & Lazarus Lovren,
Matip looks the biz & Milner isn’t wrecking any of our heads at full back which I thought was a dead cert after Burnley,
Gini has also been quietly impressive,
Spent the day watching clips of goals & the away fans celebrating, reading reports etc,
Like a pig in shit I am.
Bit strange, this. Two weeks in a row we have a defender commit a real clanger that lets in a goal to deflate the whole enterprise. And yet both defenders could walk away saying they had fairly excellent games.
I am genuinely confused by my level of anticipation for the Matip-Lovren partnership – I’ve always had a real soft spot in my heart for Sakho, but he’s becoming more and more of a Tiago Ilori (as in, “oh, that’s right, he still plays for us!”).
I’m loving Hendo these days. He’s like the English Joe Allen, if not in any real and actual way, at least in the sense that it feels similarly good to offer up two fingers to the nay-sayers among our support when he does something brilliant.
Up the irrevocable Reds!
This game the players each showed they knew their roles and they knitted very well together. There was a tougher mentality and more steel. They weren’t going to let it slip.
Fire it up Redmen!!
Guess what?
Matip is a new Centre Back.
Wijnaldum is a new Midfielder.
Mane is a new Forward.
Doesn’t fell like it though- does it? !
That’s management of the highest to integrate these lads so that they can ravage Chelski at ‘The Bridge’ with their ludicrous price tags and make them look pedestrian under another top manager, Conte.
Folks- this win is the marker for what this team can do to anybody, anywhere, anytime this season. Make no mistake- we are heading for the top and any faults will be dealt with and improved while we are on the journey. Klaven was responsible for 2 Burnley goals. He hasn’t played since including last Saturday when Lucas was Lovren’s replacement. Klaven to learn to respect all PL teams at all times.
Remember our LB problem anyone?? Moreno benched since and Herr Klopp makes us a New LB- the great Jimmy Milner- he could be on the PL Team if the Year yet in that position if he’s not careful.
What a Deadline Day Purchase!!:-)
Finally – Firmino.
JK was torn between chancing him or not with a minor injury and decided against the risk and even left him out of the squad in case he was tempted. That’s the type of animal we’ve been blessed with at Anfield. No shit. No chances. Says as he sees it. Believes in his methods and his people. And beats Chelski without perhaps our most in-form player. Away.
City’s performance yesterday is the only ‘hair in the soup'(sic) that I can see. But I also see boys and wonder how they’ll react to going 1 or 2 down to us like the men of Chelski did in fairness.
Onwards and upwards and Versprung Klopp Technik!!!
Not worried about City – we will get the 5 pts back by beating them home and away and they still have to go to Burnley.
Good one Baggio.
And to cap off a perfect 3-day Footie Weekend- …….
Watford stuff Man Ure!!
Does it get any better I ask you??? :-D LoL, LoL
And Mourinho’s already blaming his players and the refs. Expect full meltdown within the month.
The best thing about our game was how easy we made it look. I can’t remember the last time I felt so calm watching Liverpool dominate a top side in that first half. That’s new.
Just goes to show how that narrative about him attracting the attention onto himself to protect his players was always BS. He just likes the attention and couldn’t give a shit about his players.
That 31 passes move that resulted in Origis header was as good as a goal, totally killed off Chelsea.
Great piece, thanks. Bit of grit in my eye when talking about Henderson, bet he’s been tempted to drop a tape of his 13/14 season on the managers desk. Lets hope he’s making a new one.