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Derby County 0 Liverpool 3 (September 20 2016)



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Report by
Dave Usher
 
 
 
 
For years we’ve made these games difficult for ourselves, but it looks like they’ve finally figured it out. Last year we needed pens to beat Carlisle at Anfield in this competition. We drew at Exeter too before winning a replay easily enough. Hell, even when we had that great team in 2014 we still needed Suarez to come off the bench and score a handball winner to beat non-league Mansfield. This year we’ve faced two Championship sides, and smothered them both.
 
Derby were never in this game. At no point were they in with a chance as we were on top from start to finish. It was the same against Burton in the last round. The main difference between the two games was we did this without Mané, which probably explains us having to settle for three goals rather than the five scored at Burton.
 
Klopp got his team selection bang on though. Players who could have used a rest got one. Sturridge had looked goosed against Chelsea, while Lallana and Wijnaldum have been running themselves into the ground so far this season. Then there’s Milner, who could play every game if necessary, but why take the risk? It’s a physically demanding position he’s playing at the moment, so any opportunity to let him put his feet up should be taken. And obviously we don’t want to be risking Mané unless it’s absolutely necessary.
 
Bringing in players like Klavan, Origi, Lucas, Grujic and even Moreno (whatever his faults, he’s still several levels above Championship opponents) doesn’t weaken the team much at all, but in previous years it would have done. Then again, even our full strength team had problems whenever they faced lower league teams. Maybe it was complacency, or perhaps it was tactical. Whatever it was, it now looks like Klopp has solved it, fingers crossed. 
 
We’re even scoring from set-pieces now too, which always helps. Lovren got the opener at Chelsea last week with an accomplished finish and this time it was his replacement, Klavan, who opened the scoring when he neatly despatched a chance that fell to him after Derby failed to deal with Coutinho’s corner. The goal had been coming as we’d been all over them from the opening whistle.
 
More goals should have come in the first half but the final pass kept letting us down, specifically on counter attacks. We were frequently winning the ball and launching attacks and Derby were just unable to get anything going all night (the work rate and closing down from our players never wavered), but we kept making the wrong decision or producing a poor ball when we got near the box. The most glaring example of this was when Origi got free on a two v one but failed to release it to Firmino when the opportunity was there, and then he compounded that error by treading on the ball as he ran towards goal. It summed up how he’s looked all season, but he showed signs in this game of coming back into form so hopefully it won’t be long until we see the lad who looked so promising last spring.
 
Firmino on the other hand is not having any problems with his form this year, he's been dynamite. To go in Klopp mode for a second, he is “in a really, really good way”. Derby couldn’t get near him, he was doing all mad tricks and flicks and leading them a merry dance, while also working his balls off (as he always does, in fairness). Coutinho was enjoying himself too, and they combined to make it 2-0 not long after the break. Lovely goal it was too. The build was great and the finish even better, as Coutinho played a give and go with his mate and then sorted his feet out so quickly to get his shot away the keeper couldn’t react to it. 
 
Coutinho’s quick feet then created the third for Origi. He took one touch and then immediately rolled it into Origi’s path, whereas most players wouldn’t have been able to sort their feet out so quickly and by the time they played the pass Origi would have been offside. The finish from Origi was great, right in the top corner, but without Coutinho’s quick wits and even quicker feet, it wouldn’t have happened. 
 
With the game well in hand Klopp gave Henderson a well earned rest and sent on Emre Can. Danny Ings would soon come on for Coutinho and Ovie Ejaria was handed a late debut to give Firmino a break too.
 
Hendo had been a bit sloppy, truth be told, and just before half time Karius had to race off his line to deny Bent after the skipper had inexplicably passed the ball straight to a Derby player to put his team in trouble. With the inclusion of Lucas as the holding player, Hendo had moved into the “Lallana role” with Grujic filling in for Wijnaldum. It gave us more control in midfield but less of the 100mph cavalry charge type attacking play.
 
Grujic is just a class act though, I really like him. It’s difficult for Klopp to give him much playing time with the way the midfield has been playing so far, but if he were to get in due to injuries or suspensions, he’d take some shifting I reckon. He faded a little late on when he was caught in possession in his own defensive third when he tried to overplay, and he was booked soon after for a lunge after Can had played him into trouble.
 
Can was terrible actually. While Ings looked like he had a few cobwebs to shake off to knock off, Can was so rusty he looked like he’d been left out in the rain for months. His passing was woeful, but this was the ideal opportunity to get him back out there as the game was over and there was nothing riding on his performance. I’d be wary about putting him in the starting line up any time soon though based on this. Besides, he’s not needed at the moment anyway so there’s no rush.
 
The last half an hour of this game was a bit disappointing because we basically stopped playing. There were more goals in this if we’d wanted them, but ultimately it’s not important. I’m certainly not going to complain about a 3-0 win given the difficulties we’ve had with these games in the past. 
 
Klopp was pissed off though, specifically with the slack passing in and around our own box that threatened to to allow Derby a consolation goal. Klavan was the biggest culprit and Klopp tore a strip off him after one unnecessary pass into midfield that was intercepted. Privately, Klopp is probably happy that this wasn’t perfect because it allows him to keep them on their toes.
 
Star man is Coutinho, who stepped up at the start of the second half and made the game safe with his brilliance, which allowed everyone to relax and just play out the rest of the game. His performance was very bright, almost as bright as Firmino's new teeth but not quite. Klopp will have to leave out either Sturridge or Coutinho against Hull this weekend, and that’s not a decision I’d want to be making. I don't know what I'd do at this point. I want Sturridge playing in games like that, but I don't think I could drop Coutinho.
 
He also has to decide on his goalkeeper, but thats a much more straightforward choice for me. Karius had virtually nothing to do and this game doesn’t really tell us anything, so on that basis alone we need to have another look at him. He did well to rush off his line and deny Bent but he also flapped at a corner and got away with it. It's not unreasonably to point out that had Mignolet done that everyone would be slating him, but Karius will get away with that for now, mainly because he isn’t Mignolet and a lot of people hate poor old Simon.
 
Karius has to stay in though purely on the basis that we need to see what we have. We know what Mignolet is and can always go back to him eventually if - heaven forbid - Karius isn’t any better, but for now let’s see what this lad has got.
 
 
Team: Karius; Clyne, Matip, Klavan, Moreno; Lucas, Henderson (Can), Grujic; Firmino (Ejaria), Origi, Coutinho (Ings):


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"His performance was very bright, almost as bright as Firmino's new teeth but not quite ."

 

 

If there had been a floodlight failure you wouldn't of noticed because of Firminio's teeth .

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Was at the game, we played very well when you consider the changes. Previous seasons we'd have really struggled in this type of game after making the changes we did to the previous game's line up.

 

But, I think this is both an indication of Klopp's acumen plus, the strength in depth we are starting to build. Previously, you'd look at our first 11 and say, yeah, they'll give anyone a game. Make a few changes though and it was a different story, anyone and everyone fancied their chances against a changed Liverpool team.

 

Karius was solid but he did look a bit weak in the air once or twice. I think anyone clamouring for him to start against Hull are going to be disappointed.

 

Nice to see Klavan slap one in. Its always a good sign in my opinion when different players weigh in with goals and the goals different players are scoring from us now makes the talk before the window closed about getting another striker in look a bit by the by.

 

Another good goal by David Blaine and good to see Origi get back amongst the goals with a really good finish. might have got a couple if his vision had of been a bit better.

 

One or two derby tackles flew in but it was good to see we stood up to them and no one got injured.

 

Back to the Prem on Saturday so roll on Hull!

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