THAT made me punch concrete and I might have broken my seat and my head throb and my Saturday night be mostly me chewing the inside of my mouth and maybe twitch. Anyway. Let’s at least try and have a chat.
Football matches are two sets of 11 men and while the overall aim of the game is the same — putting the round thing in the rectangular thing more often than the opponent — the methods towards that are very different. Most games Liverpool play they are the side trying to make it happen, trying to force the issue. Most games Burnley play they are trying to stop their opponents from doing what they want to do. They are very, very good at it. A side who haven’t been undressed since they came back up. They don’t just sit in and park the proverbial. They try and find areas of the pitch to battle in. They create and don’t lose a lot of one on ones. They are constantly rugged and rarely ragged.
We forget this when we watch Liverpool try and impose their will. Or we denigrate it. We presume the opposition shouldn’t be able to do that effectively or that Liverpool should be able to rise above. Or we say things like “win the battle then win the game,” as though for Burnley the battle ever stops and the game ever starts, as though the right to play is ever finally won. You can get the better of your man in your one on one but he’ll be right back seconds later.
Because Burnley are a good side. They have just done to Liverpool what they did to last season’s top two. They are good at what they do, they believe in it and they never, ever stop doing it.
But if that is the case — and it is — why then is concrete getting punched, why is my eyeball twitching, why is this killing my Saturday, my Sunday, my very brio? Why has it stolen the glide in my stride?
The answer is it shouldn’t have happened to the top two and it shouldn’t happen to us. And while the top end of the league allows you a number of shouldn’ts, whatever your ambitions, it doesn’t allow an infinite number of them. The 800m race doesn’t wait for you, not any more. It’s not a marathon and it feels a lot closer to a sprint than it ever has. This is the modern reality and we feel it.
To put it in context one of Liverpool’s greatest ever sides in 1978-9 dropped points in 12 games that season (the side that finished second dropped points in 21). Chelsea only eight games last season. Yes that Liverpool side played four games more and in an era of two points for a win, but we’ve been conscious of this reality since Roman Abramovich turned up, Arsenal went a season unbeaten and then Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea happened two years on the bounce. Since then don’t you tell me it isn’t a sprint, don’t you tell me it is a marathon. This is why my head pounds, why my teeth grit. There isn’t that much room to drop points in the games you shouldn’t drop them in.
The way this one plays out is that Liverpool concede a soft goal but then do manage to make Burnley ragged and put them under massive pressure for the 10 minutes that followed the opening goal. In that period they push Burnley about as far into the red as has been managed, more so than Liverpool managed against Burnley last season when they took all three points. It took the goal to rouse them but they find their fire doused too easily at times, at times they themselves are responsible, allowing restarts due to the potshots.
Indeed, outside of that period Liverpool spent far too much time shooting from outside the area, speculative efforts unlikely to elicit anything other than giving a young goalkeeper confidence. Liverpool resorted too early to going too often.
They played well at times, weaving through the midfield, patches of play were excellent. Burnley turned around and found their one on ones not working but instead hurting them and exposing them, however they were never punished. They got the opportunity to battle again, start again.
They even defended OK apart from 90 seconds where they didn’t when Andy Robertson covered and then Burnley scored. That said Chris Wood very much got on top of both Ragnar Klavan and especially Joel Matip in the first hour, winning his specified battle a la Burnley, offering the same way home for opponents that Stefano Okaka showed first week of the season.
A season can get away from a football team, where a football team can lose its own essence because they lose their belief in themselves and one another, because they give themselves too much to do, too much pressure, too few shouldn’ts left in their back pocket.
This thing of ours, I’ve got blood in my mouth because I have been biting my tongue all week. That shouldn’t be the case. Liverpool shouldn’t drop points to Burnley. Shouldn’t. It shouldn’t hurt this much if it happens either. It does.
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Thanks for being emotionally honest Neil.
It is too early to say this, but I can’t help but feel nervous about finishing in the top 4. The three who finished above us all improved, with United the obvious replacement. And it all comes back to yet another summer window where we didn’t take the necessary steps to kick on. I’ll be stuffed if there isn’t a CB in world football that doesn’t improve on one of our 3. It does my head in.
Starting at Hoffenheim away we win 4 games on the bounce, culminating in the 4-0 dismantling of Arsenal. Much seems possible. You never know what is around the corner…..
Liverpool Football Club need to BUY GOALS
Forget the supposed defensive frailties of LFC, the point of the football is about putting the ball in the opposition’s net more than they can to you.
Buy Goals. Let’s have pulsating football, heart-in-your-mouth football that makes the Liver
Bird soar once again
Up the Goal-Obsessed Reds
Thanks for the write up Neil. I think you (and nearly all fans) and Jurgen Klopp probably feel the same right now.
I’ve been a more than vocal on here these past couple of weeks, but after the Sevilla’s match I realized we’re stuck with this team for now as are Jurgen and his staff are until January.
So I watched the match with indifference today, though still with hope that we would win it, but had to for most parts of it as I want to try and stay positive even with this result today.
So positive for me were:
– We did not lose – I will take it and wait to see at least 10 games as it is still early days
– Mignolet definitely helped us save a point. It could have been a lot worse
– It could have been a lot worse for Burnley too had those Solanke strikes gone in
– Solanke, Sturridge, Ox and Robertson getting game time – I know the amount was questionable
– Salah is good, not great, but good for the money
– No Moreno to criticize for the rabid fans foaming at the mouth today
– Nice weather for you guys – think of Florida and Texas in these past two weeks and it might make sense
Negatives for me:
– Klavan and Lovren have too much pressure on them now as they’ve repeatedly established that they are 4th and 3rd choice defenders in most teams, and no choice in the elite teams – Just waiting to see if Klopp sees the same
– Proper striker against teams like Burnley is important to consider and I think Firmino’s inabilities are highlighted
– Mane was missing, but not sure if he would have helped with the amount of misses, might have added to them as it was one of those days that we made goalkeepers look like Buffon or someone of that caliber
– Klopp’s timing of his substitutions are very hard to understand for me at least. I think the Ox and Solanke coming on need to have enough time to get in sync with the team and try their efforts
– Was not interested in having Coutinho, Firmino on for so long, nor Sturridge, as their contributions seemed counterproductive
– I couldn’t hear Anfield support on the television, so not sure if that was my TV or the microphones at the ground
Despite the performance today, the defense is not beyond fixing, but someone’s or something’s gotta give first (this include’s Jurgen’s approach).
Agree completely Neil. They are very good at what they do but we needed to be just slightly better at what we do (at either end) and we walk away with all 3. But then you could say the same about Sevilla…and Watford….and who knows how many times last season
Sometimes I think we’ll all be portions for foxes by the time we figure it out…..
Totally bang on. Already the season aspiration is top 4. That’s it and frankly that is unacceptable having finished top 4 last.
No progress. Steady state, same old, same old. A lot of people within the club should be ashamed of the summer. How Edwards hasn’t been sacked is beyond me – speaks volumes about the owners who are mediocrity specialists.
Massive pressure on now – dodgy results in league and CL could mean this season falls apart faster than it started
Not arsed about the missed chances, just glad we’re making them. We’ll give someone a real hiding soon enough. When you don’t create anything, that’s the time to worry. Next time Solanke scores, or Sturridge reacts that nanosecond quicker and we have our winner. We’ll have Lallana, Coutinho (fully attuned) and Mane back in there soon so all is well in that department.
There is literally no point analysing these defensive errors anymore. I said after Sevilla that they aren’t going to stop and I stand by that. There will be at least one more against Leicester mid-week, then again at the weekend. We need to just get ready for it and perhaps in a strange way it might reduce the pressure on them. The incident where Can and Klavan (or whoever) got in each other’s way and headed it out for a throw under no pressure at all summef it up.
Pass us those rose tinted glasses, mate.
That’s a soft arse analysis.
This has been going on for 4 years – defensive frailty – and f*** all has been done.
Even shite like Burnley can come out and reveal their “strategy ” – target the aerial weakness of Arnold. So what the fuck is our strategy??
Not good enough, LFC.
“This has been going on for 4 years – defensive frailty – and f*** all has been done.”
Must have missed the part where I denied that.
I can’t be doing with TalkSport style hyperbole, even though I appreciate some people like to be pretend they are more outraged than others over our defending. Call it “soft-arse” if you like, I’ll get over it.
Like I said, the defending has not and will not improve. I don’t need to give myself an aneurysm thinking and writing about it because, get this, it will happen again against Leicester. Then it will happen again the week after.
Matip, Lovren and Klavan are not capable of facing up to the defensive demands of playing in a Klopp team. He might think they are, or least claim he does in public, but we can all see it. They don’t have what it takes. Matip might do with a more dominant partner but at the moment he can’t lead this defence.
And what is the constant over those 4 years? Klopp, no. Matip, no. Robertson, no. Klavan, no. Alexander-Arnold, no. Crowd who absolutely lose their shit whenever a ball is lobbed somewhere near our box, yes.
Sure it would be easier if we had bought some bigger, more mature players in that time. But the main problem as I see it is that the players panic, get sucked into the first challenge when they just need to stay cool, and are then out of position to pick up the second ball. RELAX people, at this rate even Van Dijk would turn into a nervous wreck faced with this atmosphere (although I think his presence in the backline would have helped calm it down a lot, worth 120 mil or whatever Southampton were asking).
No doubt about it. The crowd absolutely lose their shit at the slightest hint of defensive hesitancy. Now of course people will talk about ‘paying the player’s wages’ and ‘entitled to their opinions’ blah blah blah, but what possible good does it do to get on their backs. Absolutely none.
I will never forget Anfield last season against Sunderland. Karius managed to kick the ball out for a corner from a goal kick. Careless yes, but the reaction from the crowd was embarrassing. Groans, moans were murmurs were audible across the ground. Bet that made him feel confident for the resulting corner……
There is nothing more tiresome than the argument that the players are paid enough to not be effected by criticism. It’s tiresome because it’s nonsense. Players are effected by it. They do look on social media and they do read the press.
I stated earlier that I don’t think our centre-backs are up for the job of playing in a Klopp team, but the idea of heckling them, our own players, during the game is unfathomable.
Neil, love your passion. For what it’s worth, the Reds will be fine. Actually saw Matip get in Can’s face after he and Klavan competed for a head ball like a couple schoolgirls playing for their 4th grade team. It’s such a fine line in the EPL between points won and points lost. Ask Spurs or C. Palace, etc. From what I saw today, sell Can in January window (don’t let him walk away for nothing), use that money, buy Swanse’s CB Fernandez and knock on Southhampton’s door again. The goals will come
Could only listen on radio but second half only time heard anything from the crowd was when mignolet apparently too slow with getting the ball out. Perfectly executing Dyches plan and every other bottom half team manager. ‘Get to half time 0-0 and the crowd will get in their backs. So easy.’
I highlighted this on the match ratings article, there was a couple of times when he could’ve released early yes, but there was one particular one when they were pressing up to prevent us playing out, and the crowd lost their fucking heads big time because he wouldn’t play it out. I was at the other end of the ground and could feel it so god knows how the players must feel.
I’m surprised the lads didn’t mention (as they seem to like being on their phones during the match) the ironic cheers that Coutinho was receiving (on at least 2 occasions) when passing to Robertson at the start of the second half. It was nice to see he’d realised Robertson was on the pitch as he didn’t want to know him first half. But to be doing that to our own player, fucks sake, absolute clueless excuse of a support.
Brilliant article, Neil. Put into words what I’ve been thinking / punching stuff over since the game finished (started, being honest).
There does need to be some context given where we are in the season but you can’t help but feel the importance of dropping points in games like this. Especially when it’s all too similar. Wood looked like he was playing in a Dad v Lads at points, against Matip / Rag.
Frustrating, but hardly toothless. Incisive, but hardly ruthless. Leave tips in the jar, thanks.
If Klopp is telling Gomez to drop some muscle, why isn’t he telling Matip to pack some on? I appreciate his ability to glide across the pitch, but he also needs to boss the box.
Another promising appearance from Robertson. Steve Finnan walking into this side would feel like a revelation, so I will take Robbo’s competence with the basics as a gift.
Don’t understand the reluctance to embrace Salah. Supporters are too afraid of getting burnt. Mo is not only boss in his own right, he makes all sorts of things possible for the rest of the side. Just enjoy him.
I can’t, Klavan. I just can’t. At this point, I think I’d rather see Jimmy Milner at CB.
Bobby Firmino. Took me awhile to warm to him, but he is literally the most underrated player in the league. Really hope he strikes up a relationship with Coutinho and rips open the fabric of footballing existence.
Imagine Emre Can’s contract negotiations week by week if they were set according to the fan’s estimation of the player. Would be the maddest line graph you’ve ever seen.
So tired of the footie dragging down my week, instead of lifting it. Arsenal was alright, though.
Now, excuse me while I go on a crying jag for a few.
Salah is a brilliant player. With improved finishing, like yesterday, he is one of the most dangerous players in the league. He is literally always in dangerous positions, either due to his pace or the sharpness of his attacking instincts.
We all know as Liverpool fans what Firmino is. Oozes class. Lallana, Coutinho, Salah, Mane and Firmino. We are going to be devastating this season.
Football doesn’t change that much. These kind of results have been happening since football time began and these will happen again. Let’s let go of how the result should be and enjoy the ride. Have faith let football be fun. Up the Jurgen Reds!
Remember Leicester at home last season. Dreadful Schoolboy mistake from Lucas leads to Leicester goal. Kop responds with huge backing for the lad who doesn’t put a foot wrong for the rest of the match and looks like he’s floating on air as the team storm to a 5-1 win over the champions. That’s getting behind the team, do we get the 5-1 win if everyone on their backs after the mistake? That was the Kop I remember in the 80s. There will be tight games, the players are only human and for all the talk we do and on this website about formations, transfersetc etc etc the only bearing each one of us can have on a game is simple – on the atmosphere we decide want to create in the ground and that is a huge factor all the way back to Shankly which is too often these days working against our lads not for them. Right now Lovren is trying doing his job, he is our CB whether we like it or not and needs the kind of support Lucas got at Leicester unless we are are trying to mentally destroy him in which case we may as well boo him every time he touches the ball along with any other persona non gratis players – Moreno, Henderson, Can, mignolet, who’s next – Trent made a few errors now? Getting on the team’s back is pretty much ringing a taxi for Klopp. I’m not saying criticism is not allowed – of course it’s part of being a supporter- but not in the heat of the game.
Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.
I’m all for being stoic and never talking about refereeing decisions when we drop points, but a better linesman for the offside goal at Watford and a penalty against Burnley and we might have been 4 points higher in the table. Refereeing standards in the prem are never going to improve when everyone (especially pundits and journalists) just shrug their shoulders every time a mistake’s been made by the officials.
Also not sure I agree with “Burnley are a good side” – a good side would try something more sophisticated than playing 10 men behind the ball and targeting our young RB as a ‘tactical plan’. The only thing I’m taking from this game is we should have been more patient in the final third. Maybe it’s a good thing our next 4 matches are away matches considering the Anfield crowd are not helping with this right now.
some good comments,but you can not make a donkey on blackpool beach into race horse,a good spine in the team,same back five,cut down on the changes,a team then be comes a good team,and can become a great team.as for the fans,back your team,help them be come a great team,loss of form happens,in a season,they will come good,city was worried about us,till the sending off,just luck what happen to other players,same weekend,yellow cards,we got red,up the redmen
A little steam engine had a long train of cars to pull.
She went along very well till she came to a steep hill. But then, no matter how hard she tried, she could not move the long train of cars.
She pulled and she pulled. She puffed and she puffed. She backed and started off again. Choo! Choo!
But no! the cars would not go up the hill.
At last she left the train and started up the track alone. Do you think she had stopped working? No, indeed! She was going for help.
“Surely I can find someone to help me,” she thought.
Over the hill and up the track went the little steam engine. Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo!
Pretty soon she saw a big steam engine standing on a side track. He looked very big and strong. Running alongside, she looked up and said:
“Will you help me over the hill with my train of cars? It is so long and heavy I can’t get it over.”
The big steam engine looked down at the little steam engine. The he said:
“Don’t you see that I am through my day’s work? I have been rubbed and scoured ready for my next run. No, I cannot help you,”
The little steam engine was sorry, but she went on, Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo!
Soon she came to a second big steam engine standing on a side track. He was puffing and puffing, as if he were tired.
“That big steam engine may help me,” thought the little steam engine. She ran alongside and asked:
“Will you help me bring my train of cars over the hill? It is so long and so heavy that I can’t get it over.”
The second big steam engine answered:
“I have just come in from a long, long run. Don’t you see how tired I am? Can’t you get some other engine to help you this time?
“I’ll try,” said the little steam engine, and off she went. Choo, choo! Choo, choo! Choo, choo!
After a while she came to a little steam engine just like herself. She ran alongside and said:
“Will you help me over the hill with my train of cars? It is so long and so heavy that I can’t get it over.”
“Yes, indeed!” said this little steam engine. “I’ll be glad to help you, if I can.”
So the little steam engines started back to where the train of cars had been standing. Both little steam engines went to the head of the train, one behind the other.
Puff, puff! Chug, choo! Off they started!
Slowly the cars began to move. Slowly they climbed the steep hill. As they climbed, each little steam engine began to sing:
“I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I-think-I-can! I think I can – I think I can – I think I can I think I can–”
And they did! Very soon they were over the hill and going down the other side.
Now they were on the plain again; and the little steam engine could pull her train herself. So she thanked the little engine who had come to help her, and said good-by.
And she went merrily on her way, singing:
“I-thought-I-could! I-thought-I-could! I-thought-I-could! I-thought-I-could! I thought i could – I thought I could – I thought I could – I thought I could – I thought I could – I thought I could I thought I could –“