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Liverpool 2 FC Midtjylland 0 (Oct 27 2020)

     

     
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    Dave Usher

Is there any point even writing this? In a few months time I think the only person connected to LFC who will even remember this is Rhys Williams. For the rest of us, it’ll be long forgotten. 

 

I tend to not remember most CL group games at the best of times but this one was a real grind. Hardly anything happened, we didn’t play at all well but I don’t actually care in the least. Pick up the points, move on, get out of the group and then we’ll start making some memories in the knock stages.

 

This was proper ugly and it could easily have ended with a bad result. They missed a great chance late on when it was only 1-0 and if that had gone in I don’t think we could have had any complaints. I thought they played pretty well and made it difficult for us.

 

They pressed like madmen and usually had two or three men around the ball at all times. We were awful in the first half and they had the better chances, but I wasn’t worried because we’ve been in this situation countless times and nearly always come through it in the end. Besides, there was no way they could keep up the level of energy they were playing with. They’d tire themselves out eventually, surely?

 

Actually they didn’t. I thought they were still going strong even at the end. We were definitely much improved in the second half but at no point did we ever look like we were even in third gear, let alone anything higher.

 

For the most part I’m not bothered about how we played as it really doesn’t matter. Games are coming thick and fast and we probably won’t play anywhere close to our best in most of them. Winning is all that counts, same the big performances for the games we really need them.

 

However, it is disappointing when players who really had a chance to stake a claim failed to impress. For example, I’m not really arsed how Trent or Robbo play in games like this (Trent was actually brilliant) because we know what they are and that when we need them they’ll answer the bell.

 

Games like though, I’m looking for Minamino, Shaqiri and Origi to show us something. Give us some confidence that if anything happens to the main attackers that our back ups can fill in to a good standard. We didn’t get that. Not from Taki and Div anyway. I thought Shaq played well and I’d have absolutely no concern if we needed to bring him in for an important game.

 

This is the sort of performance we usually get from Origi though and I don’t have any great expectations of him anymore. Minamino on the other hand, yeah I was disappointed. There’s a first team place there for him if we can really shine, but in the limited opportunities he’s had he hasn’t done enough. If he had, Bobby might be really sweating for his place.

 

I think what disappointed me most about Taki is that it looked to me like the whole team was set up just so he could play in the position he prefers. The Bobby role.

 

I mean come on, why else would you stick Origi wide left when there is no natural number nine in the team? I feel sorry for Div. We know he’s generally shite on the left and yet Klopp continually lines him up out there. I don’t get it.

 

Everything else Klopp does makes sense to me. I can always see the reasoning behind whatever decision he makes, but this Origi on the left thing is just way over my head. I can’t see any possible reason to do it unless there is no other choice.

 

In the past that has often been the case. He’s played there because there was no-one else. This time though…. I’m just baffled. When I saw the team on Twitter the night before the game (whoever the mole is, they need to fucking pack this shit in) I assumed it was 4-2-3-1 again with Taki playing Div, Jota left and Big Shaq right.

 

Instead we got Shaq in a midfield three, Jota on the right, Div left and Minamino through the middle. Three players out of position just to accommodate Taki. I suppose if he’d delivered it would have been a worthwhile exercise as it would have shown we had a legitimate alternative to Bobby.

 

He didn’t though. He worked hard, he’s busy, he pops up all over the pitch but he just didn’t really provide any of the quality we need. Yes, it’s hard because Salah, Mané and Firmino are so well established, but put it this way, I look at Jota and think that it’s becoming increasingly hard to leave him out. That’s not the case with the others at the moment.

 

Not that Jota did anything in the first half either. The only player to impress in attacking areas was Trent. Some of his passing was stunning and he was a consistent threat down that side. Other than him there was very little. Shaq was bright when he had the ball, he just didn’t have the ball much.

 

I give Midtjylland a lot of credit. They were in our faces, they chased everything and what they lacked in guile they made up for in effort. They had a big chance in the first half when one of their forwards ran off Robbo and went clean through. Alisson stood tall and blocked him. Not a spectacular save, but they rarely are. That’s why he’s so great.

 

Other than that the only other thing of any note that happened was Fabinho tweaked a hamstring. The last thing we needed really. We started the season with four senior options at centre back and now we’re down to just Joe Gomez.

 

This is the risk when you play twice a week and have to use the same players, although given that centre backs run less than the rest it is a little surprising to me that Fab has broken down. Especially as he’s used to playing in midfield where he does more running and sprinting.

It doesn’t look like it’s a bad one but even a mild hamstring tweak is usually 2/3 weeks. I’d be surprised if he was back for the Man City game, put it that way.

 

So on came Rhys Williams. As I’ve said countless times over the years, centre back is the one position (other than keeper) where you can’t really get away with playing kids. Experience is just vital in that position, but as things stand it looks like a choice between Nat Phillips and Williams for the weekend. 

 

I’d go with Phillips purely because he’s older and has more experience, but Williams has played so well when called upon that he might actually get the nod. The thing I like most about him is he clearly isn’t scared. He did well in the cup games and when Fabinho went down the kid just looked ready. 

 

The expression on his face and his body language as he got stripped and ready to come on just showed that he isn’t fazed by it. I don’t know how good he’s going to be but he plays like he thinks he belongs and that counts for a lot.

 

He didn’t have much to do but that’s in part due to him being in the right positions and making good decisions. The one clear chance they had came when Gomez was skinned in the box and the lad hit the side netting. Williams was solid and has been in every game he’s played.

 

Losing Fabinho is a blow and it was irritating to me that we needed to send on Salah and Mané. The ideal scenario would have been for the backs ups to have gotten us into a three goal lead and been able to play the whole game.

 

They were so ineffective though that the big guns needed bringing on. That’s annoying, although Mo always looks like he’s made up to get on as it means a chance to increase the goal tally.

 

We were 1-0 up when they were summoned from the bench and it was a lovely goal. The best bit of football we played all night. Trent found Shaq and then continued his run into the box, and he was found brilliantly with a deft reverse pass from the little fella. Trent crossed for Jota to tap in and although I celebrated it there was still that nagging fear that VAR would step in.

 

Thankfully Trent had times his run well and Shaq delivered the ball at the perfect moment. 1-0, big relief and time for the big hitters to come on and finish it off.

 

And they did, but it took longer than we all would have liked. Mo added the second goal from the spot in stoppage time after he was brought down while running onto a great ball by Trent. I thought he’d over ran the ball and wouldn’t have scored, but it was still a clear penalty.

Interesting that he took it while Milner was on the pitch. Is Mo the number one taker now? I think he probably is, mainly because he’s always on the field whereas Milner’s minutes are far more limited these days.

 

He’s scored enough pens now to lay claim to it permanently, but I’d still back Milner over anyone else when it really matters.

I don’t even want to say anymore about this as it was such a dull, instantly forgettable game. Trent was the star man with an honourable mention to Shaqiri.

 

As I keep saying though, I couldn’t care less about how we played as it doesn’t mean anything in terms of the big picture. Spanking these 5-0 wouldn’t have made this weekend’s game with West Ham any easier, so I’d much rather we produce the big performances when they’re needed.

 

We won the game, we’re top on six points and if we can beat Atalanta twice we could send out the u18s for the final group games and get everyone a rest.

 

The PL is the priority right now and West Ham is going to be tough due to the mounting injury list we have. It’d be nice if we had Matip and Thiago back for that, but at least Alisson is back in the side and all the forwards are available.

 


Team: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho (Williams), Gomez, Robertson; Henderson (Wijnaldum), Milner, Shaqiri; Jota (Firmino), Minamino (Salah), Origi (Mané): 


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I don't like Mo's Penalty's.  I mean i love them when they hit the net but i just think a big game is coming and a keeper is just going to stand there and block it.

I prefer Millner and lets not forget Fabino has taken 17 Monaco and never missed. 

Agree that Minimino was disappointing, i keep hoping that this will be the game but it never is.

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56 minutes ago, index1000 said:

I don't like Mo's Penalty's.  I mean i love them when they hit the net but i just think a big game is coming and a keeper is just going to stand there and block it.

I prefer Millner and lets not forget Fabino has taken 17 Monaco and never missed. 

Agree that Minimino was disappointing, i keep hoping that this will be the game but it never is.

 

He mixes it up really well though and from his run up it's impossible to know where he's putting it. If a keeper saves one it will be because of a lucky guess, as there's not really any kind of trend there and he disguises it so well.

 

Fabinho took one for us in pre-season and missed didn't he? Think he's been spot on shoot outs though.

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Salah has only ever missed 1 for us - his first v Huddersfield in October 2017.

 

He’s scored the rest. 
 

However, like most, I’m never really comfortable with him taking them!

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Top analysis, Dave ! Robbo was alaways alone on the left hand side, he was running and no one to give the ball ! You wrote Origi was on the left, I hardly saw him there ...

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Fuck me, at least reading the report was easier than it must have been writing it.

I know the big Div ain't a winger but at times he doesn't look like a footballer.

You don't get many chances, when they come along you've got to grab it.

Maybe some of them don't believe they should be here.

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Couldn’t agree more Dave. Three points and move on. Far too much over-thinking of performances like these goes on. We’ve got big players out, we’re playing every three days, pre-season was short and we need to rotate.
 

Performance is not an equation where x + y = z; that shit has a million different variables and we’re currently varying just about all of them! 

 

Six from six is fantastic, no matter who we’ve faced. This is the Champions League, not the fucking Leyland Daf Trophy. And in that context, another six from six versus Atalanta would be incredible. In fact I’d be surprised if we managed it as they’re a good side. 
 

Either way, we won; roll on West Ham. 

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Yeah two wins over Atalanta would be fantastic, and also surprising given how many games we're playing.

 

Early qualification would be huge for us this year though just to be able to give some players a midweek off.

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At times we seem to be hanging on by our fingernails in games, but, ultimately it’s the result and nothing else that matters, especially because of our injury/lack of adequate cover issues.

Alisson being back is a godsend, there was no way Adrian was stopping that chance in the first half, and the big fella must make the others so much more comfortable being there.

Trent going forward was brilliant, I still think there’s more he can learn defensively that experience will bring him, but currently I can’t think there’s a better attacking full back, whereas Robbo is all round the real deal. 
I like Jota, he looks the part already whereas Minamino and Keita just don’t and, sadly might never, but at least with Taki he cost next to nothing.

I keep hoping there’s a proper striker in Divock, but glimpses won’t cut it and although he’s already in the clubs history with some of the goals he’s scored, his time must be running out.

I sometimes wondered if Shaquiri  has shit in Klopp drawer or something because I do think he’s got more to offer, but for whatever reason he just doesn’t seem to get more time to show it. We obviously don’t see everything behind the scenes so whatever Klopp doesn’t see in him, if indeed that’s the case, I’m certainly not going to question him.

Just seems surprising that a player with his experience isn’t making more of a case to play.

I think some of the kids are doing really well considering, and Rhys Williams strikes me as having the right attitude to deputise given our perilous situation at centre back. He will make mistakes, he’ll be targeted by the opposition and I hope he’s not subjected to some of the shite others have been if he does make mistakes, but I’ll say now, I think he’ll turn out to be a diamond.

We’re still the champions, still the team to beat, but we are being tested to our limits already and as long as we can hang in and grind out the results, with more players fit and, yes, with a couple of additions in January, we’ll still be in with a big say, COVID 19 allowing.

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Agree with all of the above.

 

I'm resigned to Keita just being what he is. I don't see him getting any better or worse. This is it.

 

Minamino I'm not sure about. It's still very early for him and I do see things in him I like. And he was brilliant against us at Anfield. He just needs to find his feet and establish himself. I'm not lumping him in with Keita just yet but it is disappointing when he gets a chance and doesn't do much because Bobby probably needs real competition to give him his edge back.

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On 28/10/2020 at 18:08, index1000 said:

I don't like Mo's Penalty's.  I mean i love them when they hit the net but i just think a big game is coming and a keeper is just going to stand there and block it.

I prefer Millner and lets not forget Fabino has taken 17 Monaco and never missed. 

Agree that Minimino was disappointing, i keep hoping that this will be the game but it never is.

Fuck you, I only just started getting comfortable with Mo's penalty.  After Leeds he was asked about the pressure of the late penalty and he laughed it off with I've taken them in the CL final. I think he will have something more refined when the next really big one comes around, probably a blast into the top corner.

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