HOLD on while I dust off my template opening for most Liverpool games over the last few years.
Something something unlucky. Something else poor finishing. Something or other incredible opposition goalkeeping, and then also sloppy goal conceded. Blah blah blah beer in my belly.
It was another frustrating night of not conceding much in the way of chances, having an absolute bucketload of our own, and somehow scoring the same number of goals as them. The Reds had 64 per cent possession and four times as many shots as Spartak Moscow. The cramp-riddled Russians held out for a draw during the four minutes of time the ball was in play in the second half, and Liverpool are already left with a bit of a hill to climb if they want to win the group.
By the way I’ve tried very hard to avoid making any tasteless Soviet Union puns thus far, so I hope you all appreciate that.
Anyway, enough Stalin, here’s my Marx out of 10:
Loris Karius: 4
OK, I have a theory. Karius struggles to save things with his hands for Liverpool, but had a reputation for being a saving machine in the Bundesliga. My theory is that at Mainz they allowed him to stop shots with a simple look of Blue Steel, like when Ben Stiller halts the shuriken in mid air in Zoolander. Dreadful on the goal, otherwise rarely needed, thankfully. One slight thing in his defence, his mistake shouldn’t have mattered. It should have been a smudge on a 5-1 victory.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 7
I liked Trenty tonight. Did well in both directions largely, and always seemed to offer a threat running from deep. Unlucky with his early chance and his passing wasn’t always the best, but certainly looked like he was well over his Manchester City nightmare.
Joel Matip: 6
A quiet night for him to be honest. Wasn’t massively called upon to do anything more than clean up bits, and again he looked pretty tidy in possession. Still wish we could see more from him in an offensive sense. Used to average five goals a season at Schalke.
Dejan Lovren: 7
Not sure whether Klopp had had a word after his poor outing on Saturday, but it was much improved from Dejan tonight. Oddly calm and assured in most things he did, wasn’t caught making rash tackles or lashing the ball into touch. Showed a mental control that he needs to show more.
Alberto Moreno: 7
Really starting to like Albie again. Before I liked him just for his mischievous little face, always imagining it should really be covered in chocolate and biscuit crumbs, but then fell out with him after Basel. He’s now putting in the sort of performances that we hoped he would when he arrived from Sevilla. A great outlet down the left, linked up superbly with Sadio Mane again and played some really good passes to start attacks.
Jordan Henderson: 8
Another excellent showing from the skipper. Can sometimes be too ready to whip that outswinging ball into the box but when he gets it just right it can be a real weapon. As with Saturday he was here, there and everywhere in Moscow, and it’s much needed in that engine room.
Emre Can: 5
What isn’t much needed is Emre putting in that kind of performance. When Henderson was doing all the hard work, Emre was largely undoing it, giving the ball away in silly moments, including the buildup to their goal. Settled into the game a bit as it went on, but wasn’t missed once subbed for Gini Wijnaldum.
Philippe Coutinho: 7
The freekick given against him was harsh, and he redeemed himself with a really well taken goal. Still feels like he’s not quite at full bar, but was still a big influence on the game. His quality just oozes out of him at times, including for the goal, and if he can keep on this trajectory he should be relatively unstoppable over the coming weeks and months.
Sadio Mane: 8
Asda’s favourite son, Mane was at his brilliant best again tonight, terrorising Spartak with his usual running, dribbling and movement. Lovely one two with Phil for the goal and it felt like one could have been on its way in the second half, but then he got subbed.
Mohamed Salah: 7
He’s just always in the game. Even when he’s 90 yards away from it you know a short time later it could be at his feet or on his head. He’s just always there, in the peripheral vision of everything. No idea how he doesn’t get on the scoresheet tonight. Deserved a goal, probably two, but thwarted by poor crosses, offsides and weirdly flexible goalkeepers.
Roberto Firmino: 6
Arrgh. I love you Bobby, but putting the ball in the net when you should really put the ball in the net would make it far easier to love you more. Like Salah, should have scored at least a couple.
Interestingly worked well as a 10 after Sturridge came on. I say interesting because I dream of a day when Firmino is indeed a 10, with a 30-goal a season striker ahead of him. Yes I’m greedy, but with all the focus on Harry Kane, Sergio Aguero, Romelu Lukaku and Alexandre Lacazette of late — and games like tonight where we need 1,000 chances to score — make me wonder what we could be with our own.
But again, that would all be easily forgotten if Bobby would just finish those simple chances in games where we need him to. Chin up though, it’ll come.
SUBS
Daniel Sturridge: 6
Could in theory be that 30-goal a season man were his fitness guaranteed. Showed his quality when he came on again but was unfortunate not to be able to play with the man he replaced, Mane, and missed a really good chance to win it right at the end.
Gini Wijnaldum: 6
Was better than the man he replaced, Can, but still didn’t provide enough to make much of an impact. Might have to get used to being utilised as a sub now that the awesome foursome are all able to play together.
Sick of not actually winning games that we absolutely won on points, but you’ve just got to believe that eventually it’s going to click regularly and teams are going to get smashed to teeny tiny bits on a weekly basis.
That said, we’re still well on course for qualification. Liverpool will absolutely dick these at Anfield, and Maribor don’t seem up to much either judging by their humbling at Sevilla tonight. Nine points in those games sees us through, and a big night in Seville should determine who comes top. Still a lot of footie to be played and Gazprom to be lit.
I’m choosing optimism, especially as I have a big announcement on the horizon in the coming days (he says mysteriously)…
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Karius and Can were abysmal tonight. I cannot be confident that we will get out of the group with Karius in goal he proved how bad he was last season why does he have to do it again, it really was another of those nights, again !!
None of the front line should have more than 5s tonight, bar Coutinho, sick of this 1 goal out of 35 nonsense, ridiculous for professional footballers of this quality if we’re honest.
Some nights things just don’t go your way, deal with it. That was a good result away from home, in a very fuck’n loud vodka enhanced fuck you and your fancy Dan big buck bitches atmos.
Four points from these nullifies them.
No way you’re going to convince me that’s a good result. We won’t play a worse team all season than last night’s version of Spartak. I will be absolutely astonished if Sevilla don’t get 6 points from them.
It’s no catastrophe, and I’m certain we’ll still qualify in second, but not much positive from how we played against utter dross.
If Sevilla get 6 points off them then that’s perfectly fine. We get 6 off Maribor and its pretty much job done by game 4
Argh yea we all love Bobby and that but is it not worth feeling he’s been pretty woeful since the turn of the month. His touch was garbage today. Doesn’t have the killer instinct we need in games like this. Kane, Aguero etc probably have at least 2. He could have very easily scored a hat trick. He’s got a lot of good attributes but he is patchy and it’s costing us in big moments. Gets away with it due to his style of play I feel. we’re dealing with such fine margins and I’m not sure he really should.
Moreno’s final ball is sorely lacking. One good cross against Sevilla being the only real impact he’s made going forward this season.
Can back to his lumbering, indecisive worst.
Henderson MOM 2 games in a row, fair play to him.
Wijnaldum seems to have treacle on the bottom of his boots away from anfield.
Can’t really blame Klopp for this one. You’d expect any keeper to save that now matter how pants they are. The chances were created and formation fine – although lost their way once the subs came on a la Sevilla.
Once again not good enough but not bad enough for heads to roll. We’re stuck with this now and that’s not instilling any confidence in achieving consistency or eradicating results like this to occur as one offs.
our away record in Europe is poor since the last champions league campaign started to say the least. We won against ludogorets and Rubin Kazan and that is it. That’s not good enough. Maribor away is no guarantee on that evidence.
Karius isn’t good enough across the board. Mignolet is a good shot stopper but can’t convincingly command his 6 yard box, let alone his area. I suspect that Ward is the best keeper we’ve got, and deserves to play. Meanwhile, Emre Can is a fine athlete but not a great footballer. He can’t look up with the ball at his feet and looks ponderous. Keita will be a massive improvement when Can goes to Juventus.
Two mistakes tonight
Ward should be second choice keeper
Firmino should have gone off instead of Mane
I know it’s popular to hate him, but I think you’re being incredibly generous with Sturridge. At Leicester he provided a cool head when one was needed, but tonight he took far too many touches and the play broke down around him. Add to that the chances he missed.
I honestly can’t believe that anyone could think that there’s another dimension to come from him physically- he is never going to move any quicker than what he did tonight. This is him at optimum fitness now and it’s very sad to see. Gifted technically, but unfortunately sport (proper sports anyway) will always contain a physical element. Pace, power, strength, agility etc etc. He doesn’t have any of these. And if he’s not scoring, what exactly is he bringing to the party?
And no, I don’t just want a “Fifa speed merchant” up front, but I’m not sure I want Daniel sturridge either. I know football is apparently all about opinions but this is one debate I’d rather see the end of. Us and United are the only clubs from last years top 7 (as the blues had Lukaku who is now
at united) who didn’t have one player get more than 20 goals over the course of the season. It’s great that the goals are spread out, but it’s games like tonight were you coan see we need someone who as you say yourself can play ahead of Firmino. Someone who puts the shit to the sword. Harry Kane got a hat trick out in Cyprus and he made it look easy. That’s what we need.
@RoadWarrior Sturridge may be all you state he is, but he still brings more to the table than Gini in a bottle and Can. These two don’t have the footballing brain that Sturridge has and even though his body lets him down time and again, his flashes of brilliance are something I would take when he can give them.
Tonight’s game showed that Klopp should not have added Sturridge at the time he did. Also pulling off Mane instead of Firmino might have altered the game slightly.
Oh well. We still have a chance to get this system into the players’ system, so we just need to be patient.
the Kane comment misses the point a bit on that game – APOEL hit the bar from 10 yards and a Lloris howler almost led to Spurs being 2 down inside 25 minutes.
Spurs were not very good against a pretty poor side.
And yet Kane scored three. I wasn’t specifically stating that Spurs made it look easy, and I accept that alongside Aguero he’s probably the best striker in the league so it’s harsh comparing anyone to him. The point is more that even when Spurs don’t play particularly well I back Kane to score at least one.
I just think there’s a bit of a myth developed around Sturridge amongst some reds; the idea that he just needs a chance and a run of games and he’ll show everyone up with 5 in 5. He is physically shot and seems to play within himself, with fear of injury always circling his mind. Also despite not starting tons of games he has had his chances, including Burnley at home recently where he didn’t offer a lot. Firmino is a bit off at the moment but I just don’t see Sturridge as the answer to replace him. But then again out of our current options who is? Just another indication of what went wrong in this summers transfer window.
think of something original
Would Firmino have to kill a dog on the pitch to get less than a 6?
I’d give him a 10 for that. I’m a cat person.
Karius gets a 0. He’s an empty head of lettuce
Short concise and to the point!
Entertaining piece Dave. I found myself nodding along with everything until the scores for the forward line. As someone else mentioned, none of them deserve much more than a 5 (maybe 6 for Salah).
Despite the fact that Firmino should’ve been pulled instead of Mané, I didn’t think Sadio had a good game at all, fine assist for the goal notwithstanding. He really felt like he was strangely playing with the handbrake on for most of it, not much was coming off for him (like the second half vs Sevilla) and it wasn’t as great a shock to me as to some when he was taken off.
Salah did the standard Salah performance – simultaneously extremely dangerous and extremely wasteful. He’s so fast and hard working, but also brainless at times. His goalscoring has been great for us so far, but sometimes it feels like you can only judge whether he’s been good or bad on whether he scores or not.
Firmino was simply the worst I’ve seen him for nearly two years. Not sure what’s happened to him, but his form has fallen off a cliff since the international break (after being utterly brilliant before it) and last night his touch was awful, never mind the missed chances and that infuriatingly bad square ball near the end.
Sturridge tried to make things happen but frequently lost it and missed some serious chances, not really capitalising on Saturday’s return to form.
Aside from all the forwards you were spot on though! Henderson man of the match by a mile.
Things I didn’t understand before yesterday’s game and things I don’t undertand after:
1. Why Klopp sees a potential goalkeeper in Loris Karius. I know we lack a world class goalkeeper, but when you are in the Champions League and you have Simon Mignolet, Dany Ward and Loris Karius available, the latter will definitely be my very last choice!
2. why Klopp at the end of September doesn’t still seem to know his best eleven
3. why Klopp keeps on playing his ‘favourite’ players, even when they are way out of form. I love Bobby, I really do! But he isn’t a goalscoring striker by far, lacks a bit of form lately and when Sturridge is fit, he should play.
4. why Emre Can can often be a monster at the weekend and a hamster in midweek (or the other way around)
5. why you buy a left back and keep, on playing Moreno. And before I get the stick: he is doing well recently, I admit, but still: he isn’t up to to Liverpool standards and probably never will be.
6. why Klopp always seems to take off his best players during games (Coutinho last week, Mané yesterday…) and kills the fluency we have in attack
7. what kind of player Gini Wijnaldum is exactly
8. why Liverpool can’t win games they dominate
9. why I didn’t watch Real Madrid, but Liverpool 30 years ago, when I decided to support them. Oh wait, I know the answer to that one: my life wouldn’t be that entertaining and it would be far more boring…
As I said to my pub mates during the Seville game: “I rather die at 65 supporting Liverpool, than become 100 supporting Real Madrid”. Bloody frustrating once again, but we go again!
Up the bloody frustrating Reds (who, despite all, I keep on fucking loving big time)
I still find it hard to understand someone ‘deciding to support’ my team. As a Scouser born into a Liverpool supporting family it was not a decision but a birthright, something that is part of me, something that makes me believe that every season we will win the league.
Yes, pissed off with the result, sick of Groundhog Day and how crap some of our players performed but can’t wait till the next match, the hope. the expectation of the 6.0 drubbing of the opposition. Does a decision to support Liverpool include this, or am I just a victim of witnessing the Club’s success from the 60’s onwards!
Karius seems intent on walking round looking cool, calm and collected when the ball is nowhere near him only to absolutely fluff his lines every time it comes near him the fucking moon unit.
Been a lot of frutrating results of late but last night really does just seem like one of those nights. Far from a disastrous result but put more pressure on again for Newcastle and if they dont win there its crisis mode going into the international break.
Although they are very obviously flawwd it feels like this side is only the rub of a green and a couple of results away from clicking to me.
Sunday’s game is massive.
Our forwards shouldn’t get more than 5 between them and Firmino should get -5 he was rubbish. Klopp should get -2 for subbing mane instead of Firmino which should become -4 for not bringing Can off at halftime. I think Sturridge deserves to start on sunday with Firmino given as few weeks off the match day squad. Klopp could use a few weeks off himself he hasn’t done himself any favours recently
Well, we huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow the house down. I thought the team looked great when it was announced (apart from the goalie). They played a formation that we always find difficult to break down and I would love to believe we will smash them on 6/12 but their manager did what a lot of PL managers have discovered, have 2 banks of 4&5 and we struggle, even with Phil, to find a way through, and there is no reason to think he won’t do the same at Anfield. We have to be cuter, even with a fab four (or five with Studge). We need 6 points from Maribor and a draw In Seville
Talking of goalies I was amazed to see Bogdan is still on the books!
sorry mate but we did break them down and find a way through. Several times. Don’t confuse not scoring with an inability to break down a packed defence to create chances.
6 points against Maribor, Sevilla take 6 off Spartak, then even a draw at home to the Russians sees us through with a game to spare and we’d all take that at the start of this.
It also means a win in Sevilla and we top the group.