Neil Atkinson’s post-match review after Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League…
THERE are no niceties, no pleasantries. No excuses.
Two dropped. More than any so far this season, two dropped.
It is an enormous missed opportunity from Liverpool after a second half which beggared belief with its lack of quality.
I wish there was more. I wish there were mitigating circumstances but there aren’t. Liverpool possibly deserve to get in 2-0 at half time. But deserve nothing more than a one-goal lead by 70. If Liverpool get two ahead then West Brom don’t get near one. Liverpool dangle the carrot.
These, these here are the ways it is a funny old game. It’s a punishing game.
The greatest relief is that they deserve to drop the points. Had Sam Johnstone made save after save, had he and his defence been continually extended then it would be one that stuck in your craw.
The fact of the matter is that Johnstone makes one magnificent save at 1-1. He defends when he has something to defend. Apart from that there is nothing. Liverpool are absolutely non existent second half.
West Brom don’t defend badly but second half the examination never quite comes. They aren’t stretched. They aren’t battered until they are about to break. They are instead at their leisure, really. Able to hit on the break. Which they do through Grant around 70.
Liverpool find themselves having taken only three points from West Brom, Fulham and Brighton. There is a bit of mythology that there are no easy games in this league. There aren’t but there are easier games. They are three of them.
Liverpool have hard lines at Brighton. But they also only score three goals to go with their three points. And across the three games that doesn’t flatter anyone either.
Being fair tonight, the first half was OK. Ever so slightly lacking in terms of cutting edge. But just about OK under the circumstances.
When you slaughter them you have to remember you slaughter them as champions and as the best team in the country, as the business, the best you’ve ever seen. But every now and again they will deserve a bit of slaughtering.
It’s alright not to win. It’s alright to get beat frankly. It’s alright to go to bits hunting victory down. But it isn’t alright to be limp, to let a side get out of this ground not exhausted by the enterprise. West Brom will be buzzing on the bus back, ready for midweek.
That can’t happen again. I wish there were more mitigating circumstances. I wish I could praise Allardyce and the brains behind the operation Sammy Lee. I wish there were words which allowed room. Liverpool knocked off. They got punished. Don’t knock off. Don’t get punished.
Because, lads, while this league is conspiring to work for you, this league isn’t going to win itself.
Into these Wednesday. Into them the following Monday. I’d have just about taken seven from the run. It didn’t need to be six on the road. But now it does.
No backward steps, Champs. Into all of these and into them again.
Do that and you retain. Do what you did tonight and god only knows.
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A game best summed up with something sounding like yyyyaaaarrrrrgggggjjjjjjjnnnnngghhhgfffffuckSAKE. Or something like that. Very poor second half performance, not helped by Matip getting crocked (again, sadly). He and Naby are great players to have, we just don’t have them often enough, we can’t rely on them being around. It’s a bit of a problem and while all the transfer heads are suggesting we will hold our fire, I think if Joel is out for more than one game we need to just buy a centre half. We can’t not win the league and the champions league and whatever you’re having yourself because we don’t react to an unprecedented injury crisis. As for this, it was a thoroughly disagreeable way to spend December 27th, especially seeing the Allardyce blearing over, under and through his mask(please wear it properly), and it’s to be filed with Fulham and Villa – games in a regular season you have to win. Brighton and Everton – robbed, really, though we could absolutely have made sure before the VAR nonentities conspired to filch the points. And despite all that, we’re still clear at the top. If we get our act together, we will win it. But you’re right – we can’t have any more of these.
It was clear to me that the midfield had no idea how to open up their defence. Good players all but simply no idea. The game was crying out for Shaq and at some point Minamino to offer something different. Watching Hendo Gini and Jones labouring was excruciating so I wonder why Jürgen did nothing about it? Sending on Origi the invisible man was strange.
Seemed like a very promising first half, thought the lads played really well but just lacked a bit of luck/ touch in the box.
Went down hill in the second, as if they went to sleep.
In this bonkers season it’s really too early to talk about the league. However, I was happy that we were keeping a nice cushion to Man City, if we’re honest probably the only title contenders. However, we’ve left the door open for them to close the gap to 3. And we know how devestating they can be when they get a run together.
From now on on its up to the reds to regain the consistency that they’ve shown the previous two season and grind out results.
As Neil says, this league aint gonna win itself.