ANFIELD WRAP contributors react to Liverpool’s 4-2 Premier League victory at Crystal Palace.
1. Mor, Mor, Mor – How Do You Like it? How Do You Like It?
2. I’m Doing Clyne Now…
3. Don’t Worry Be Happy
Palace my arse. Pardew my arse. Benteke my arse. Said it before and will say it again, fuck worrying about what ‘they’ can do and might do and roar these Reds on because they are as good as anyone. They’re working their plums off, they can battle, they’re aggressive but they’re quality above all else. How do you stop them? There’s quality all over. Go the match, sing, shout and scream and throw the worries in the bin. We haven’t even reached top gear yet. Imagine when we do.
Imagine when we do. @robbohuyton
4. Phil’s A Ten Of The Best
Think Coutinho has this season has not only improved again but also begun to find that consistency that we all wanted from him. He was unplayable at times. @StephenEvans75
Coutinho’s nickname is the magician but it should be the maestro. Everything going through him. A genuine superstar. @Adam_Smith_82
5. Window Gains?
Any transfer business depends on injuries though. Particularly at the back. If we lose any of the first choice back four for an extended period, especially the full backs, it would be a massive risk to assume we could cope. Even without injuries, we look light, if Sakho is not going to be involved. @66zimbo
6. A Glove Is All We Need
Starting to think Karius just needs a big moment. A key save or something. He doesn’t really seem part of the team at the moment. Just some mad gorgeous fella in goal who no one is sure about. Think he needs to prove to everyone, including probably himself, that he deserves to play for Liverpool and can contribute. @johngibbonsblog
Keeper showed signs of settling a bit, still a couple of dodgy kicks, but actually had a few saves to make and dealt with them well. Not sure if I’m being harsh or not thinking he could do better for their first goal. @StephenEvans75
7. Stuck In The Middle With Who?
As well as his goal I thought Can had another good game. Dispossesed them loads, made marauding runs, looked handsome and avoided the second yellow. Comparitively, Cabaye spent the game kicking and stamping on Coutinho, the little shithouse. @whichdave
The Can/Wijnaldum thing is pretty interesting, I reckon. Almost feels like there’s gonna be a definite horses for courses type thing. Maybe Wijnaldum at home and Can away, or against sides you need a more physical presence. @PhilBlundell
8. Sad All Over
Mane was unbelievable btw. I’m not getting that he’s not had the love. Should have scored twice, but every thing else he did was perfect. @RobGutmann
Mane going to the Africa Cup of Nations will be a blow because of the opposition’s fear of his pace. Be interesting to see if Klopp dips into the market in January for one more attacker. Or if he feels Ojo might be an option. @johngibbonsblog
9. May The Fourth Be With You
I keep watching the fourth goal back and I love every part of it. Mane drops deep to link play and brings his man with him. Lallana runs across into the space he has vacated. This pulls Tompkins, creates the space, Firmino skips to the right and the ball is beautifully weighted. First time finish and the top is off. I love all of this. It’s brilliant football, reminds you how hard we must be to play against and the top off tells you what we’re about. It was a massive goal in a statement of intent win. The Reds have come up the hill. We’ve planted our flag. Red and Toxic Thunder. We’re not going anywhere. The others have to live with us, not the other way around. @Knox_Harrington
https://twitter.com/DeadIyFirmino/status/792808330280497152
10. Bob’s A Good Un
When Suarez was here he used to make me laugh about four times a game with some of the mental stuff he used to do with the ball.
The biggest compliment I can pay Firmino is that he’s started making me laugh loads. @PhilBlundell
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I’d be disappointed if Bobby does not have any LFC tattoo on him after we win the league! (Phil too!!!)
When Mane goes, can Wijnaldum become more of an out-and-out attacker in his place? Suspect he’s being incredibly disciplined and has a whole other gear. Kind of like that part in Princess Bride where the swordsman reveals that he, too, is not left-handed.
Or just throw Origi into that mix. Big lad, but he’s also dead quick. Clocked last season as the 3rd quickest player in the league.
On a different note, I noticed that the nastiness of social media has turned me into a bit of a contrarian, and I find myself thinking that Mignolet really should be given a chance to take up the gauntlet. He was already addressing his shortcomings, and then against Spurs in the cup he was getting rid of the ball faster than I’ve ever seen him. And there’s a gnawing little voice that tells me he would have stopped that first goal.
Love that Firmino looks like he is remaking the Robert DeNiro character in Cape Fear as a comedy.
Finally, Gibbo’s Clyne song is dead brilliant. Hope to hear it ringing out from the Kop next time around. A song for all the unsung heroes.
Good 10 from the terrace but a little harsh with Karius. He can only deal with what’s in front of him. I’m sure in due time he’ll be called upon to make a great save and no way he can take any blame for the awful defensive error from Lovren. Errors like that are never suppose to happen. I think Karius just tried to make himself big by putting the Palace player off. Karius will be fine. We won so lets go and claim the league!!!!
Moreno couldnt win. Zaha’s antics in the second half show what happen if you get too close. He’ll move to towards Moreno and go over like he’s been shot.
I know the hands thing is weird but he is not the only player in the PL who does that – mainly caused by refs having no sense of what a natural hand position looks like, so why give them the option?
I agree with this. On first showing I was frustrated with Moreno, but I think that was more to do with me expecting to be frustrated by him. In reality, like you say, if he gets too close to that diving shit-house he’s going down immediately. Equally, the whole hands-by-the-side thing is bizarre but we’ve seen obscene penalties given against full-backs before, so maybe he’s conscious of that. Other than that he was very good indeed.
What would Clyne have done though as he’s the benchmark? I reckon he gets two yards closer and gives Zaha a decision to make. Take me on and I’ll push you to the byeline or try a cross and I’ll shut it down. Mo made Zaha’s mind up for him. Stop the cross and you don’t have to deal with the header.
that decision to make would be zaha taking a step in and falling over.
And as for Zaha crossing it – james mccarthur???? never scored a header in his life, so its not as though we left it for Benteke. Lovren possibly could have been stronger there or ask why mccarthur was allowed to get a run on the ball.
Firminho looks like the cat from red dwarf.
That is all.
Reckon Karius was thinking about the passback when the ball looped up so kept his hands down.