ANFIELD Wrap contributors with talking points straight from the ground after Liverpool’s disappointing 3-3 draw away at Watford.
Pre Match
11.31am: I can’t believe Alberto Moreno is still starting games for Liverpool. @johngibbonsblog
11.32am: The big worry before a ball is even kicked is how the Phil Coutinho news has gone down in terms of the collective psyche. You know the Reds in the stands will be right behind the Reds on the pitch but those players are only human. It seems like a young lad has had his head turned and been poorly advised that this is the way to go to make the move happen. Whatever the reasons, it was poor timing and a potential distraction. Has it got the squad downhearted and in the dumps? Or are they ready to fly out the traps regardless? Praying for the latter… @robbohuyton
11.35am: I reckon siege mentality, you know. A mutual “we’ll show him”.
I’m up for giving Moreno one last chance. If he hasn’t developed a brain take him out the back and kill him. @PhilBlundell
11.38am: Moreno could do with knocking the Kung Fu on the head and having a game of footie… see how he gets on, and that. @robbohuyton
12.11pm: Interesting side, obvious concern about both full backs but a good opportunity for them. @Knox_Harrington
Kick Off
12.38pm: Concede from the first corner of the season. @johngibbonsblog
12.39pm: Absolutely static. No idea what the plan to defend that corner was. No one moved. @robbohuyton
12.48pm: 17 in and can already see the opposition taking time out of the game. A constant problem last season, this. Must stay patient.
Liverpool looking to suck them up the pitch, go long and then either get in or win the bits and start again 40 yards higher. @Knox_Harrington
12.50pm: They are too fucking soft. @johngibbonsblog
12.55pm: Not winning anywhere near enough second balls. Gini Wijnaldum and Emre Can a mile away from Jordan Henderson when we don’t have it. @Knox_Harrington
12.56pm: Not winning any balls. They look nervous, hesitant, unsure… no one an obvious out ball either. Looks all Watford at the moment. @robbohuyton
12.57pm: And no one wants to get it and hold it. Everyone playing to get in behind. @Knox_Harrington
12.58pm: Then there’s that. Fucking get in. @robbohuyton
12.59pm: Lovely move out of nowhere. @johngibbonsblog
12.59pm: What a ball from Can, what a finish. @robbohuyton
12.59pm: What it’s meant to look like. Can occupying the full back and a lovely pass. @Knox_Harrington
1.02pm: Not sure what Trent [Alexander-Arnold] is trying to do there. @johngibbonsblog
1.02pm: Pay £100million for Virgil van Dijk. @robbohuyton
1.04pm: Both full backs suspect in the build up, never sure even before the game. @jsexton24
1.04pm: No idea on all that. Need to watch it back. Can and Moreno overplaying didn’t help earlier. @Knox_Harrington
1.05pm: The amount of needless fouls we’re giving away is wrecking my head. Where’s the nous? A lad carrying about 16 stone isn’t getting away from you, don’t fucking foul him.
Mo Salah would have scored that if he didn’t have Western Union on his sleeve.
40 minutes gone, two attempts on goal. Sums it up so far. We’ve been shite. @robbohuyton
1.11pm: We’ve no second ball plan in our own half which isn’t “hope it goes near Henderson”.
Tons of second ball plans in their half.
This is a problem as they are all about second balls. @Knox_Harrington
1.16pm: Their seven is a lunatic. Almost like he’s playing a different sport. @johngibbonsblog
Half Time
1.19pm: We’ve spent a half playing like we’re losing 3-0 and there’s 15 left. Just out and out panic.
There’s an out ball over the full back’s head every time on both sides and we’ve absolutely no interest in bothering with it. @PhilBlundell
1.21pm: Nope. All about through the middle. @Knox_Harrington
1.23pm: I just don’t understand why I’m still paying to watch Moreno play football.
I feel like there is a TV programme I should be able to complain to. @johngibbonsblog
1.26pm: You get the ball in the middle by getting it over their shoulder and turning them round though. @PhilBlundell
1.29pm: There’s only one way to beat them, get round the back. @johngibbonsblog
1.31pm: Salah looks a bag of nerves. Snatched at that chance. Should have taken a touch when he has all the space in the world off the long ball.
Mad that as a collective we can’t work out a decent way of defending from corners. The lad does nothing special to score that, no clever run, spin, nothing, just trots over and lashes it in with his shoulder while everyone looks at him. @robbohuyton
1.35pm: Most physical side I’ve scene in the Premier League in a while. Our midfield is getting bullied. Watford should seriously run out of puff, though. They’re all fat. @RobGutmann
Second Half
1.44pm: Why did the ref take ages, there? @PhilBlundell
1.45pm: Most nailed on pen you’ll see. Bobby Firmino’s boss at them, isn’t he? @robbohuyton
1.45pm: Klopp trying to calm them I think. @Knox_Harrington
1.46pm: Behind the full back, that. @PhilBlundell
1.47pm: Salah’s boss, I’ve always said that… @robbohuyton
1.47pm: What was Firmino doing?
Mad how they’ve made seven subs. @johngibbonsblog
2pm: This is a Liverpool I can love now. Bollocks have been found. @robbohuyton
2.07pm: Much the better side second half. Their legs aren’t great. Would love a cushion, though. @Knox_Harrington
2.07pm: They’re gonna have to use sub eight, here. Could get 15 at 10 men. @PhilBlundell
2.22pm: Subs did not work. @johngibbonsblog
2.24pm: 93rd fucking minute. @robbohuyton
Post Match
2.32pm: A draw that feels like a defeat is never a good thing. @Knox_Harrington
2.32pm: They’ve scored three in our six-yard box, there. There’s only so much you can pin on the ‘keeper and the centre backs. Set-piece defending is diabolical. @PhilBlundell
2.40pm: Feel for them because they actually defended well second half. Would have been a big win, that.
But none of the subs worked. Divock Origi couldn’t get in it, James Milner took pace out the team and Joe Gomez gave away a soft foul which we don’t recover from. @johngibbonsblog
2.45pm: The one thing you want from the first game of the season is not to be walking away from it saying “same old Liverpool”. Unfortunately that’s exactly what everyone will say. It shouldn’t always be pinned on the centre halves — or even the defence — Liverpool as a collective are a bag of nerves and unconvincing when defending set pieces. And for lots of teams, especially outside the top six, that’s exactly what they will work on. It’s their way of grabbing a goal; their way of matching some of the quality we saw from Liverpool at the other end of the pitch. It’s a big worry and a bad result because of the way the match panned out. You can talk about luck, bounces, ricochets, missed chances, whatever you like — everyone else will say it. Same old Liverpool. @robbohuyton
READ: Watford 3 Liverpool 3: Match Ratings
READ: Watford 3 Liverpool 3: Match Review
LISTEN: Watford 3 Liverpool 3: The Post-Match Show
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Defending and substitutions all down to Klopp and he’s been there 18months.
Completely agree.
Questions must start being asked.
He acknowledged the problem months ago and nothing’s changed.
Dropped 2 points now.
Can’t set up & defend like that and hope to win the league. Also, we’re putting far too much pressure on our attacking players to be ruthless: can’t be expected to score 3+ goals every game just to make the game safe.
Emre Can’s a weird fucker. If Juve come in with big money we should let him go. Either that or make him a centre half.
I’m sorry but it’s a fucking disgrace that Klopp has been here nearly 2 years and we’re STILL lining up with Moreno, Lovren and Mignolet in our back 5. Is he stubborn or deluded in thinking Moreno will have grown a brain in 3 months. What the hell is going on?