Report by
Dave Usher
A decent enough start I guess. Some of the same old failings were there for all to see, but so too were some of the things Jurgen Klopp wants to introduce, and a point at Spurs is never a bad result. The first 20 minutes were great, it was like watching a different team, but then it petered out somewhat and the lack of goal threat when Sturridge isn’t on the field was once again evident.
Speaking of Sturridge, I’m just not having it that the club “decided not to risk him”. He’s cried off hasn’t he? It’s what he does. Slightest little knock and he doesn’t want to know. I always remember Carragher saying once “some players won’t play when they’re not 100% fit. I’ll only not play when I’m 100% not fit”. No prizes for guessing what category Sturridge comes into. Some of you will think I’m being harsh, but I’m just sick of him. This has been going on for years, Rodgers was constantly having to try to persuade to him to play through minor injuries, and it’s no secret that a lot of people at Melwood think he’s a complete fanny.
With Benteke, Ings and Firmino all unavailable, it’s criminal that he sat this out with a bruised knee and left Klopp with only Origi and Sinclair to choose from up front. You can be sure Klopp has noted that, he’ll be figuring out who he can count on and he’ll have Sturridge’s card marked already.
I know it’s a different sport and so it’s an apples to oranges comparison, but I’m watching the NFL as I’m writing this and I’ve just seen Steve Smith, a 36 year old wide receiver for the Ravens, make a ridiculous touchdown catch, even though he’s playing with four broken bones in his back!!! Players in other sports just play through injuries, some footballers do too in fairness. Then there’s the likes of Sturridge, sitting in the stands in his big warm coat handing out fucking mints to genuinely injured players like Henderson. Yeah, I’m being a bit of a meathead about it but he does my fucking head in. He’s ridiculously talented and we need him, but he’s like the anti-Suarez isn’t he?
Origi did his best though and overall he did quite well. He just doesn’t look like he’s going to be a regular goalscorer yet though, which is a problem if you’re playing him as a lone striker. He worked hard, ran the channels and was unlucky not to score when his early header hit the bar. He had another decent effort in the second half too, and Klopp seems to love him doesn’t he? “We shall have fun with this player!” he said afterwards. He’s doing all he can to make Origi feel ten feet tall, which is a good thing as until we get everyone back we need him.
Interestingly Klopp was complimentary of several players while basically saying at the same time that they were crap against Spurs! He’s right too, Coutinho, Lallana and Milner were all rubbish with the ball, but they were brilliant without it, especially Lallana who got through an incredible amount of work before predictably being subbed when he ran out of gas. These are all good players who can play better, but at least they got half the job right and were good without the ball.
That was the most pleasing thing about the performance; the pressing in the opposing half. Spurs didn’t have a second on the ball for most of the first half, the hunting in packs was great to see and if they can do that after just three training sessions then I can’t wait to see how we look in a few more weeks. That first 20 minutes was really good, very encouraging stuff but it was hardly a surprise that we couldn’t keep that level up for the entire game. I doubt there’s a team out there who can do that, it’s about picking your moments to do it.
We need to get a lot better in possession though, but there are mitigating circumstances for it I guess. For one thing, all the strikers are missing. Also, and I may be totally wrong here, but it felt to me like we put so much energy into playing without the ball that it affected what we did when we had it, especially in the second half. Tiredness shows more when you have the ball than when you don’t I reckon. When the other team has it, and you’ve had it drummed into you about closing down and pressing, you just do it. When you get it back, that’s when players can sometimes ease off and try to catch a breather. There were loads of occasions in the 2nd half where Sakho or someone had the ball and was looking forward for a passing option that just wasn’t there because players weren’t moving as much.
The opposition also has to be taken into account. Spurs don’t give you any time on the ball either, and in their last home game they walloped City. You’ve all seen the stat that we’re the first team to run more than them all season, so that’s an encouraging start. Only Bournemouth covered more ground than our lads this weekend, which is a massive increase on what we were doing under Rodgers.
Against lesser opposition or with a goal or two lead we might not need to run as much and can relax a bit more. Klopp seemed to think the players were too anxious in possession, so Rubin Kazan should be a good game to build a bit of confidence as they’re shite.
Klopp seems to genuinely believe in the players he’s inherited. Most managers talk of needing time and having to rebuild, but he keeps saying how good they are and how he’s got loads to work with. I like that, and I’m sure the players are buzzing about it.
That showed with the enthusiasm in their performance, although there were only a few of them who performed particularly well at least the effort was there from everybody. Mignolet made one great save and two good ones. Generally the only times he was called into action came from our own mistakes, it’s not as though Spurs played through us. The best save he made came after Lallana had given it away in a dangerous area, and the one he made with his feet from Kane was because Skrtel didn’t deal with it well enough.
Sakho was great too. He defended well, made some key blocks and his passing was ace. He’s probably happier than anyone that Rodgers has gone, he’s not constantly looking over his shoulder expecting to be dropped now.
Skrtel might have to though if he puts in any more displays like this. He never really got to grips with Kane and he looked jittery all day. Clyne was just Clyne, dependable and energetic as ever, but on the opposite flank I don’t know just what the hell Moreno was doing for parts of this game. He just started making crazy decisions in the 2nd half, holding onto the ball when he didn’t need to, shitting out of 50-50s and generally just getting into a “cunt off” with the equally ridiculous Lamela. As my mate Julian said, nothing sums up modern football more than the ‘battle’ between Moreno and Lamela. That free-kick late on too, what the fuck was that?
Lucas had a good game, he’ll benefit as much as anyone from having all this extra running around him. Can and Milner got through a lot of graft either side of him (I think Milner set a PL season high for distance covered) and this is our best bet for keeping clean sheets I reckon. Just work so hard that the other team struggle to play.
Can was ok, not great not shit, just ok. The good thing was he didn’t seem to tire as he has done in the past when played in midfield. I’d prefer Allen to him at the moment but maybe Klopp can get more out of his young compatriot than Rodgers did. There just wasn’t much going on in the final third was there? Coutinho was virtually invisible, but his form has been bad virtually all season. He gets away with it though because everyone loves him, but he’s not been anywhere near good enough and needs to step it up soon.
With the games coming thick and fast now hopefully all this high-steria (little nod to Brendan there) around Klopp can disappear. It’s ridiculous, all the knobheads not giving him a minute’s peace and all the stupid questions he’s getting asked in press conferences. I want to know how he feels about playing two up front, what role he sees Roberto Firmino playing or where he sees Jordon Ibe fitting into his team. I don’t give a fuck what he thinks of the knobhead going around town pretending to be him and posing for photographs.
Hopefully the novelty has worn off and all these outsiders who’ve been monopolising questions in the press conferences will disappear and we’ll actually get to find out a bit more about what he thinks tactically.
Star man is big Mama.
Team: Mignolet; Clyne, Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno; Lucas, Milner, Can; Lallana (Allen, Coutinho (Ibe); Origi:
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