TAW contributors with 10 talking points from Liverpool’s comeback victory at Swansea City in the Premier League.
1: When The Reds Win When They Come From Behind…
That’s the win I’ve been waiting for. A goal behind against relegation fodder away from home, just kept playing knowing that it would come. Very few shots from distance and won despite a few below par performances (most notably the keeper), and with a couple of strokes of luck. A few more of them and the mentality of our crowd will shift from losing our heads to being like United fans under Ferguson – always knowing the goals are likely to come. Origi and Can need some minutes for the greatest ever under 23 side if they’re going to be useful this season though…
2: Run Of The Mil
2: Run Of The MilMilner’s penalty was fantastic. Loved his celebration too. After an indifferent few months when he first arrived he’s became one of our most consistent and best players. His numbers in terms of goals and assists are right up there with any midfielder/left back! But above all he’s got the mentality of an elite footballer, which masks his shortcomings.
3. Oh Mane, Mane
Mane’s feet in their box in the first half. Imagine defending against that. @TheCenci
You can see what Mane gives us just by being on the pitch. Wasn’t at his best today but whenever he got on the ball Swansea rightly shit themselves. @whichdave
4: Nobody Wants To Play Liverpool Now
Twelve months on from Brendan Rodgers losing his job. If you’d told me a year ago we’d be second favourites to win the league after a negative spend window and Manchester United and Manchester City both spending over £150m and getting Pep and Jose in I’d have laughed my head off at you.
Thirty one games to go, 93 more points up for grabs. No one wants to play us. No one. @JohnnyMilburn
5: Keeper’s Jeepers
Just to reassure everyone, Karius isn’t shit. He’s just having a bit of a ‘De Gea’ start to life in England. Watched plenty of him at Mainz and if he can get to those levels we’ll be laughing. Keep Calm and Karius. @whichdave
6: Danny, The Champion Of The Team
On the sly I thought Sturridge was very good the last 10 minutes in terms of realising we’re winning. Origi having that daft shot on 93 did my head in. Brainless.
Sturridge held the ball up well. Used it intelligently when he had it and played the right pass. Wasn’t caught up in trying to score which logically the ‘self-centred cunt’ would normally be (apparently). More of a team player than most will acknowledge. @PhilBlundell
7: You’ve Got That Lovren Feeling
First half thought Degsy was poor. Stuck under the ball a few times. Then he whacked it over their ground and got man of the match. @Benjanijohnson
Forget abar that Dortmund goal this is the greatest thing Dejan Lovren has ever done in a Liverpool shirt pic.twitter.com/MbzHemtkot
— Neil (@Neil_LFC_) October 1, 2016
8: Pressing Matters
Interesting to see how we coped with a team who wanted to press us high up the pitch, as that was something we struggled with last season. Was a bit worried that we seemed unprepared for Swansea’s aggressive start (particularly as they caused City the same problems last week) and it took us a while to figure it out. But once the ball was moved up the pitch quicker, and we had players running beyond their midfield, it improved massively.
It’s a sign of a) how we’ve developed as a team and b) how I’m casting off my longstanding Negative Nancy instincts, that I never felt we wouldn’t win. Sometimes you just have to trust a good team to work it out. It’s exciting that we’ve already got to that stage this early in the season. Win the United game, and win it well, the aura builds, we become a team to fear. Teams that are feared win football matches. That’ll do me. @66zimbo
9: Clyne’s No Patsy
Thought Clyne was superb, and set the tone for a Liverpool side that just wouldn’t be beaten. He was incessant getting up and down that wing, doing his work, and doing it well, at both ends of the pitch. I think he’s a little bit taken for granted to be honest — he’s consistently among the best performers for Liverpool yet is rarely singled out for praise. @robbohuyton
10: And Now You’re Gunner Believe Us…
The best thing about that goal was Mane supporting Bobby’s machine gun aimed at the crowd. I’m pretty sure I saw him doing the noise of the machine gun with his mouth. @paul7cope
https://twitter.com/liverpoolgifs/status/782201358082596864
I agree with Neil Docking in point #2, in that I thought James Milner was the man of the match today. I loved his celebration as well, genuine empathy with the fans instead of looking for his bird in the crowd.
I bloody love Clyne, and have done since very early on. He supposedly had a slow start, but I thought he was solid if unspectacular at first, and now I think he spectacularly consistent. He was amazing in all our big games last season. There isn’t a weakness in his game. Excellent defensively, and good enough going forward to hold his own. Just so damn solid.
There was this calm feeling yesterday. Wouldn’t have thought it possible a season or two ago. Thats what has changed significantly under klopp. There was a belief that we could get something out of the game. karius gave a a few scares but the rest were rock solid. Swansea did a Liverpool in the first half. They pressed us, dogged us and just didn’t let us play. This may become a thing with most teams. What I love is how we responded in the second half. The result was more important than the performance yesterday, which is not really a bad thing. 2nd in the table. YNWA.
Loved Henderson’s celebration for the equaliser
Underrated moment of the match was Mane just knocking it round someone and running onto it. I’d forgotten how great having genuine pace in the side can be.
The ‘I’m coming for it – shit, actually I’m not’ was more worrying than the flap for me. Hoping the De Gea 2011/12 teething problems is gonna end up being the shout.
Need to lay off Karius. As fans we need to learn to stop letting our heads fall off when players look a bit shaky early in their careers. Lovren, Lucas, Henderson, Can, Firmino and Origi have shown how foolhardy it is to judge players early on.
I get what your saying, but that was a frightening performance by him.
There can be no doubt about that. Too hesitant.
That Mane chant though, fuck me it’s last isn’t it? Much prefer “Give me Mane, that’s what I want”.
Karius have been weak from crosses in his 2 games, and cost us goals. He needs to command his 6 yard box. He almost cost us the points yesterday with hesitation at the end, and at least one other time in that game.
1. Thank you Rodgers for softening up Guardiola, exhausting his players, and showing the template for dismantling the favourites. First place is that much closer.
2. Thank you Joe Allen for softening up Mourinho, demoralizing Old Trafford, and showing Stoke the way to earn their first point there in 36 or something years. If we beat them, expect the murmurs about the possible shark-jumping of Moyes-inho to grow in decibels.
Hi Walter, well said mate. Some of us fans sometimes forget in the euphoria of wining a game that sometimes having such factors could just help us in the long term.
I watched the Celtic vs city game and genuinely rooted for the former manager to do well. They did, and today Spuds turn them over, while Mon Petite Joe twists the knife a little bit more.
I love this comment. Jallen is a tremendous little fella.
‘A few more of them and the mentality of our crowd will shift from losing our heads to being like United fans under Ferguson – always knowing the goals are likely to come.’
Mr Cope’s quite right, but I’d rather we were like Liverpool fans under Paisley.
I don’t want to be anything like them lot.
Thanks TAW for the 10. Nice read.
I don’t want to say too much due to the long break and how it may impact our players and the rest in general, but this:
“A few more of them and the mentality of our crowd will shift from losing our heads to being like United fans under Ferguson – always knowing the goals are likely to come.”
This would be really special now. Given how much firepower the Scum have bought, it is really a David vs Goliath scene coming up, and your sentiments would be the Reds greatest challenge yet this season.
Maureen is a snake in the grass, so let’s please be careful. I will not forget his chest thumping during that infamous Chelsea game.
I wish our players come back intact and allow Jurgen to get the Red Machine in full effect.
Up the Reds!!!
Thought Dancing Dan was poor. His pressing was half-hearted and link up play sloppy. Hard to see him getting a start if everyone is fit. Hope he proves me wrong but right now I’d be much more worried about Firmino getting an injury . Ironic that Klopp appears to have sorted Sturridge’s injury problems out but doesn’t really want to play him.
Swansea played well first half and definitely put us off our stride. But for the delightfully named V D Hoorn having a bit of a mare we could well have drawn or lost the game. Chuffed that we ground out the win though as that’s something our mercurial style doesn’ t really lend itself to.
Interesting to see whether Can gets into the starting 11 when fit and at whose expense-presumably Wijnaldum with Henderson moving forward?
If Coutinho moves to a deeper role, something I’m all for, it will be that much harder for Can. I’d like to see something like this if everyone’s fit (I realise you wouldn’t):
Firmino-Sturridge-Mane
Coutinho-Hendo-Lallana
Milner-Lovren-Matip-Clyne
Honestly, I could go either way for the GK. Migs should get the gloves on merit, but I understand if the future needs to start with Karius.
His touch was a bit off but I thought his movement and hold up play was good. I think he is still adjusting to what Klopp is asking him to do and when he stops having to think about it he will start to get back to his best
I thought Sturridge had a pretty decent game. He worked hard, made some intelligent runs and as Phil mentioned killed time in the last few moments. Unfortunately the were too many occasions when the wrong ball was played. He looks stronger, fitter and much sharper.
Numbers 6 and 9 were bang on the money for me. I also thought Sturridge was quite decent. Ok, he had a bit of moan at his team-mates occasionally, but overall he actually played with intelligence and good movement.
Clyne was superb. He was motm for me. We need to exercise some patience regarding Karius. Seen someone in the comments here saying he has cost us two goals. No, he fucking hasn’t. Just let the lad bed in over 5 to 10 games and then let’s see how he is getting on by then.