MO SALAH scores.
Gambles and scores. Cardiff City have thrown their bodies on the line, done everything they can to stop the goal and yet the ball is in the back of the net, Anfield is in raptures, Cardiff in shreds and there isn’t yet 10 minutes on the clock.
Three outfield Cardiff players are lying on the deck, one with a knock, but all three looking at each other, all three knowing the worst thing that could happen has, all three just done in as were the whole team at that stage. They knew how hard the afternoon was going to be.
Cardiff then should have either conceded a penalty or gone down to 10 men immediately from where I sat. Liverpool perhaps should have scored. Cardiff an absolute mess. And just when the game should have been swept away from… Nothing.
Liverpool allowed their domination to become completely sterile. It was almost as though Cardiff rope-a-doped Liverpool. Nothing worked for Liverpool but that was fine as they didn’t try much. They forced very few issues and lacked urgency in all areas of the pitch. The centre backs seemingly became Liverpool’s most progressive players. It all added up to the most frustrating 4-1 victory I can remember.
This frustration isn’t anything about goal difference. I can’t worry about that yet. Those who can are fine to do so. I get it, but for now I can think about March but not May. The frustration is much about about Liverpool yet again failing to have other ideas, Liverpool yet again acquiescing to play at the opposition’s tempo.
Having other ideas is my favourite thing in football. “But Liverpool had other ideas,” is my favourite sentence. Today the other ideas never seemed to come. Instead Cardiff set a pattern, a horrible pattern, an entirely passive pattern, and Liverpool were alright about it.
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At least it seemed that way. But the manager had three warming up at half time and made his first change bang on 60. That change was Adam Lallana for Xherdan Shaqiri. Lallana had very much struggled and had lacked the spark required. Shaqiri was the opposite. He was lively and demanded the ball. James Milner came on and did exactly the same. Two footballers suddenly had other ideas, two wanted the ball. The difference was marked.
Shaqiri got the goal his performances had deserved and in this frustrating game is probably MOM given that he wanted to be MOM. He slalomed through the box and rolled the ball calmly into the corner. Milner was worthy of an assist, but instead terrible things happened behind and Liverpool conceded their first league goal at Anfield since either February or 1993.
Sadio Mane ends the game with a brace and his opener was very much about him forcing the issue. He ought to have ended with a hat trick but Mo Salah decided to shoot from the halfway line instead.
It’s important not to overstate Liverpool’s performance, not to labour the point. Fury inducing frustration is not the same as deep under performance, but there is something concerning or contradictory about The Reds. There is something grown up about them on the one hand, something measured and calm, but on the other that isn’t shots from the halfway.
If Liverpool want to be a crushing machine, commit to it wholeheartedly, but that means crushing Cardiff when they want to be crushed, when three of them lie on the deck, the game taken from them in the 15 minutes that follow before relaxing through the game. Score goals and finish them.
Liverpool, though, are top of the league because they are playing some of the best football and have some of the best footballers.
There are 28 more hurdles and some of them soon will need other ideas.
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The glass half full in me thinks:
Robertson Gomez Keita/Shaq Milner Hendo rested or to return for Arsenal
Shaq looks like a genuine major addition to the team
4-1 win when all cogs not working together and 3 or 4 players who Klopp was ‘giving a chance’ to – sort of game we used to regularly draw. All in a CL week. 25 unbeaten at home.
Knowing that nobody will be more aware that we need to improve to really go for the title than Klopp.
Full week to prepare for Arsenal.
Turning up at Anfield expecting to win well AND be entertained.
Sorry, Neil, but you’re completely out to lunch on this one. The result was never in doubt, some key players got a much needed rest, while others got equally necessary minutes in their legs. All in all, a good afternoon where the Reds have gone top of the league.
Totally agree Amrit.
Mo salah shooting from half way. Mo salah attempting to score from corners. Mo salah not smiling when scoring. Not bothered by any of it. It’s only been 65 games, or whatever, but so far Mo Salah is the best goalscorer liverpool have ever had. Obviously he needs to keep going, which he is, to maintain this status but I’m sure he can do what he wants. Kind of comes with the territory.
I loved the half-way shot. Told me he’s fully got his confidence back and trying thing. We’ll reap the benefits of that.
I worry that this is the equivalent to when the team were booed off the pitch under Rafa, following a draw that had just taken us top of the league
Eh mate, the booing never happened. What happened was Rafa making so many unnecessary key changes in the middle of the park. If he had stuck with Alonso and Mascerano for the vast majority of league games and not interrupted their rhythm by introducing a too young and inexperienced Lucas Leiva, I’m 100% certain we would have won the League that season.
The Anfield crowd.isnt perfect and in recent years the strain of 20 plus years without a Title has clearly brought its issues. However it needs to be said the Kop especially has a canny sense for gauging the importance of gaining momentum, and more to the point sustaining that momentum
Really, 100% certain? A touch or revisionism methinks. The realities of that season were that the bunch along the East Lancs road achieved 90 points with a strike force of Tevez, Ronaldo and Berbatov. Meanwhile we were only able to start Torres and Gerrard together in 14 games because of injuries.
I’m wondering whether the sterile domination at 1-0 is tactical from Jurgen. By this time last season the rotation had already been going strong for 2 months in anticipation of the difficult winter programme. Maybe there’s more of a plan this season to get 1-0 up and save legs by relying on the defence to see it out? Shaqiri made a difference in impetus but the change in attitude after they scored to step it up and put them to bed was impressive. It’s been said on the wrap that we could lose the league on goal difference and it would be one of them and we’d have to take it, maybe Jurgen has thought the same and this is our way of saving legs for the winter, fuck the goal difference just get the get the win at 70% instead of pushing for 4/5/6-0s at 95%
Ludicrous mewling from people who should know better.
Pushing 30 years since we won the league? What is it you’re expecting to see? A non-stop week-in week-out Rolls Royce performance? Good luck with that. It never happened while we won multiple titles and cups in the 70s & 80s.
Grow up, calm down.
Top of the league. Playing ok, defending really well. Winning, winning & winning.
This over-analysis is killing what should be a huge collective buzz of how well we’re doing currently. But there are 7 months of the season left – so chill the f*ck out.
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, Neil. It was bonkers. From 10 to 50 I was increasingly furious, which I don’t easily do. You play that way two or three up, never 1-0 at home. Cardiff just sat and sat – no interest in contesting any scoreline whatsoever – and Liverpool just slowed and slowed – showing very little interest in contesting any other scoreline either. They should, and so easily could, have pushed for a mauling.
Shaqiri with his energy and will, was everything that team needed, and it worked. But Christ that was an awful, worrying game to watch for long periods. The scoreline doesn’t tell the complete story, but glad you did. Thankfully, the Reds can do better, and we will over the season I’m sure.
For me it was a pretty mature performance. A 4-1 win in second gear is fine by me. Salah puts Shaq and Mane in and smiles … if that’s really important!?
This side has already shown it has both gears and ideas. Bit of an overreaction for me and in line with the article Robbo wrote earlier in the week. Bit worried that some of us are becoming a little spoilt/entitled. Generally 4-1 is not routine for most clubs.
I can not still figure out why Mo trying to chip the keeper at the 90 min mark when we are winning by 3 goals made you so mad.
I have been listening/reading your content for the past couple of years and this is the angriest you have been both in your review and on the pink.
I thought mo had a very good game. Two good assists and a goal. The team also played well. One of the better performances this season.
Normally agree with Neil but I’m a bit lost with his opinion on this one? Maybe he’ll get his point across on The Review etc and I’ll be convinced.
We were unlucky not to be 2,3 up and (yes, lallana was slow etc) but then they score a freak goal. No one to blame.
Liverpool then “had other ideas”. My overall feeling was of nerves/anxiety rather than anger. This is what a title race looks like.
You Neil came out with some utter brilliance after Red Star, both as writer and host of the Pink. Now you reached the very opposite. Sounds much spoiled as a supporter to come up to these conclusions after yesterday’s performance. The performance was arrogant and mature, lacking some outburst of energy due to obvious reasons. You have been advocating to enjoy the ride, and I have liked it. Now I feel I don’t get this at all. You wrote shite there, and you spoke some also. Sorry to say that, but this is of no good at all.
It’s another thing to be mildly disappointed after yesterday’s. I can understand that. But to call it “almost disgraceful” as I think you did in Pink. It’s beyond my reach, and not entertaining at all. Have to stop listening the Pink after 4-5 minutes.
Everyone can have an off day where they’re not at the races, even Robertsonesque metronomic football writers as good as Neil!
A short spell on the bench and am sure he’ll be flying down the wing again…..
We all love TAW!!
First the Pink. Now this!
Neil, always love yer takes on the footy in general, but you are BANG OUT OF ORDER on this one!
We could have bagged 2 or 3 goals in the first half alone. Cardiff really committed to 11 players behind the ball. Every team will find it hard to create chances or even find space against such tactics. Other than the unlucky goal we conceded, they offered nothing threatening. You are acting like a spoilt child. Entitlement!
The performance was good and when we needed to, we upped the gears. Nadit was easier for Shaq and Milly to make an impact in the 2nd half because Cardiff’s legs were gone.
26 pts from 30. Joint best pts tally (08/09) in club history after 10 PL games.
We are all desperate to win the League. But you ned to accept that we wont be able to win it by goal diffeence to City. They are just a different breed when it comes to creating chances against the smaller teams.
If you react like this after a 4-1 victory in late October, what’s it gonna be like in March if we should be in the title race! Take a step back and consider what you’re asking these Reds to do. They are giving us maturity, consistency, rock solid defence and most importantly results!
Congrats on getting married, Neil, but bloody hell…..
I personally love your instincts, Neil, and will always keep coming back for more!
I also think ‘Liverpool have other ideas’ is a great phrase worth paying for (in their execution, that is, not the mere words).
Couldn’t ‘October 2018’ be one of those ideas, insofar as we know how ‘indecisive’ this month actually is? I have no wish to peak yet, I’d rather by far that we conserve as much as possible before December, when the games will come thick and fast. This is the Liverpool I’m seeing at the moment, and when it’s not working, we have definite quality to genuinely ‘influence’ the game.
When it comes to March through May, I honestly believe no side is better equipped for ‘intensity’ than we are. Here’s to that ride.
I was pissed off against Huddersfield. But I wasn’t yesterday and that’s before we went on to finish 4 vs 1.
Lallana frustrates the hell out of me. However even he was unlucky yesterday. Seriously we deserved to be 3 up at half time. If we’d had a ref who knew the rules then the clown who man handled Salah in the box would be off and we’d had a pen. Then Lallana’s header would not be cleared by same said clown.
Thought yesterday we played within ourselves. Gomez is better than Lovren, yet Dejan had a good game yesterday. Robertson is miles better than Moreno, yet Albie had decent game yesterday. And Shaq has to be a deffo on the team sheet and in the absence of Ox and Keita still getting up to speed, then yesterday’s cameo was enough. Kept him fit and fresh for Arsenal while giving Lallana much needed game time.
4 vs 1. Frustrating or not, we still got the result and it could have been more. So happy overall
Jesus, think u need dropped 2 the bench Neil, poor on the pink, we were not disgraceful, & poor article, sure u will b back to your best soon but your overreaction to a 4 1 home win, with players rested is “disgraceful”
I normally enjoy the Pink and the vast majority of TAW shows. Found “the Pink” after Cardiff bloody depressing if I’m honest. Just won 4-1 and gone top of the league and I want to revel in our brilliance and the improvements made against last season (10 points better off). But no – get a load of shite about disgraceful, shocking etc. Sort it out please lads! Meant to fun remember.
Neil i see where you’re coming from. We do look like a little like the gear we are in is here to stay, and at some point a drab performance will equal a drab result – we are going to need to step it up at some point, and city are demonstrating a killer instinct that we aren’t at the moment. maybe it will come, but when the chance is there (like it was on saturday), then take it – make a statement, destroy somebody, show the rest of the league that coming to anfield might ruin your month. i hope we’ll be able to have other ideas when we need them most, but it would be a start to have them when we dont need them so much. i’m not criticising the team, i just want to be confident they will be ready for a rainy day
Neil, I understand your frustration, but as you have mentioned in previous posts, patience is needed, especially with teams set up to play like traffic cones.
I mean WTF is up with Cardiff – they set up for damage limitations after the first goal?!
So often times we see Liverpool teams under Klopp becoming complacent because the opposition has already given up, but the key here is what happened after Cardiff scored.
Yes it was much earlier than in the 90th minute which could have had worse results, but it didn’t and woke up the sleeping giant that just crushed the fuckers.
I don’t want to see this happen every time, but other than the lucky goal, Cardiff were expecting a set-piece goal. Liverpool have managed to improve a lot more defensively, than in past seasons, and I wasn’t nervous about Cardiff scoring from a set-piece in this game.
The only issue is the massive goal difference between City and us. However there are three undefeated teams right now at this stage, and I feel better knowing we took all three points. City got lucky with their win against Spurs, like we did against them in our draw. Luck will run out for Chelsea, City and Liverpool at some point.
Arsenal up next, offers one of the best tests of this season. Home ground, new manager, undefeated in their past 9 games, and have most of their top guys firing.
Klopp and the Reds have just as much as riding on this game as they did on the last.
So let’s just give them a chance to work it out.