THE match ratings from Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Stoke City.
Simon Mignolet: 10
Seasons can hinge on moments, ours could rest on two, both of them brilliant, reflex, strong saves at crucial moments.
Aside from arguably two of the best saves of his career, his punching under pressure was strong and sound, the coaching team obviously had a plan and it was executed well.
Been harsh on the Belgian in the past and haven’t hesitated in highlighting his shortfalls, incredibly happy to do the opposite now.
Dejan Lovren: 5
Whether it was the system or just a bad day at the office, didn’t look comfortable.
An error strewn performance.
Joel Matip: 6
The best of a lukewarm back three, took responsibility in the latter part of the game and managed his partners well through the last 15.
Ragnar Klavan: 4
Treacherous afternoon for the Estonian, pulled from pillar to post and beaten far too often in one v one situations.
Did well to manage to stay on the pitch after an early yellow, but not a performance to write home about.
Emre Can: 9
When he’s good, he’s very, very good, and he’s been brilliant of late.
Slowly developing the substance to match the style and potential, has mitigated a huge Jordan Henderson-sized hole to the point where he’s potentially saved the club a fortune in the summer.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 6
Tough for the youngster in an unfamiliar role, got better as the half went on and blameless for the goal.
Wasn’t helped by some of the balls played to him in awkward positions from Lovren and co.
Georginio Wijnaldum: 6.5
Mixed bag to say the least, first half to forget and put the game on a plate for Stoke, but then puts an incredible ball in for the winner.
As last week, refused to hide or shirk responsibility.
James Milner: 6.5
Plodding but effective, looked better the more Liverpool came into it and showed his experience in helping see the game out.
Nathaniel Clyne: 5
Last time Glen Johnson made a show of a full-back like that he was still playing for Portsmouth.
Like Clyne and think he gets a lot of unnecessary grief but was poor today, nothing going forward and none of his usual dependence at the back.
Divock Origi: 5
Toiled away mercilessly upfront but looked like the Origi that we’ve become accustomed to, not the one he can be and occasionally is.
Ben Woodburn 6
Far from the worst in a dog of a first half.
Great little interception on Joe Allen to break forward but found few options and ran out of steam a little.
Almost won a penalty seconds before Stoke took the lead.
SUBS
Philippe Coutinho: 9
Such a streaky player, doesn’t have a 6-7/10 game in him, but fantastic influence on proceedings, scored one, could have had a couple more, moved intelligently and sharply between the lines.
Roberto Firmino: 9
Bobby with a bulllet straight in at No.1.
Bang bang bang.
You’re dead.
TOPS OFF.
Daniel Sturridge: 7
Great movement and intelligence, and was always a threat.
At the heart of the first movement that brings Liverpool back in the game.
Hopefully the start of a run in the side that see’s him help get us in the Champions League.
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Having criticised Mig for the mid week game for letting in two goals against two shots, I will be the first to admit I want him as our first choice keeper next season IF he can consistently deliver performance like today.
Phil and Bobby scored the goals indeed. But Mig won us three points today!
Tell me how he saves the goals in midweek…
Doesn’t matter that he had no chance on those 2 goals. The point you seem to have missed is that he should have saved them because reasons. Sheesh. How can you not know that?
Very unreasonable to put the two goals conceded vs Bournemouth on Mignolet.
Spot on.
TBH I prefer Can in the Hendo role and think Hendo can be more effective higher up the pitch.
At the beginning of the season, I wouldn’t have known Hendo would be the first choice deep lying midfielder. He has done really well that we suffered initially when he went off injured and when Can was still coming back from injury.
Well, at least both Hendo and Can (along with Gini and Adam) can fight it out for the three starting spots in midfield.
(And yes, Hendo can definitely make an impact in the more advanced role that he played in 13/14 season too)
Bit harsh on Clyne. He was rubbish first half but then again the rest of the defense weren’t too great either. He improved a lot when moved to the right.
Moreno is done at Liverpool. If he didn’t play today, he’ll never play again.
I thought we lacked leadership in the first half without Lucas or Henderson. Milner just doesn’t seem to have it.
See’s?
Agree with your ratings Andy.
Here’s mine:
1st Half – Klopp & Team 5/10, Away Fans 10/10
2nd Half – Klopp & Team 10/10 & Away Fans 20/10 (to come from behind and win at Stoke needed something all of them needed to produce without Mane as their crutch/excuse, and then there’s that infamous game)
On with WBA next. Fucking Pulis and his rugby team.
Up the-come-from-behind-Reds!
Johnson made a show of Clyne – really? Clyne played one half against him, out of position, and was solid.
Johnson made a show of him, and Clyne was pathetic for their goal
Seasons hinge on moments like Migs save. They also hinge on moments like that clanger against Hull a few weeks back. Was excellent today but the truth is we need him to be excellent every week. Not once every month and that’s why Liverpool have to get rid of him in the summer.
Nearly 4 years of him as number 1 keeper is enough to know that he will continue to have a lot of mistakes in him and cannot be trusted.
Watch out Andy….or the blind idiots of the Criticism Police will knock on your door. Too late for me….save yourself!!
How many times this season has Mignolet realistically cost us a game? Once? Twice? At a push, using the harshest of criteria, no more than half a dozen. And yet many fans are still so unwilling to give him the credit he deserves. His performance against Stoke wasn’t a one-off, he’s generally been solid all season. How do we know? Because the internet hasn’t been clogged up with people complaining about him, unlike in previous seasons. He’s gone away and improved on his weaknesses and I believe we now have a keeper worthy of the position we are in the league.
If there’s one thing that frustrates me, and I don’t know if it’s just Liverpool fans, it’s how difficult we make it for players who don’t instantly hit the ground running. Lucas, who is on the cusp of a testimonial, and Henderson, who against all odds made it to captain, are still the focal points of derision despite all of their achievements, and you can add Mignolet to that list. Some of us just can’t seem to accept that players can improve, preferring instead to write them off in an instant. If we manage to finish in the top four this season Mignolet’s contribution will have been as important as that of Coutinho and Firmino.
“Whether it was the system or just a bad day at the office”
Lovren is just crap Andy, it has nothing to do with the system or a bad day. He’s awful. As bad a CB as we’ve had in a long long time. Rigobert Song levels of shit.
You’re very generous to Henderson in your ratings, Can is playing at a level Henderson never even approached this year. Can is also not filling in for Henderson, he’s merely playing the role that was his last season and would have been this season if he hadn’t gotten hurt.
Lovren is crap? Yeah, right.
Agree with all the ratings Andy. Weird the guys on the Pink didn’t give Migs MOM. Without him, there was no match.
Quite what Klopp was thinking playing a right fullback at left wing back is anyone guess but that’s gotta be pretty much it for Albie.
It’s a game of two halves…