Whatever happened to those roller coaster games when we couldn’t hold onto a lead? We’d play the likes of Palace or West Ham or Norwich and it’d be 4-3 or 5-4 or something wild, because we couldn’t control games.
The way the team has evolved was never more in evidence than here. We completely strangled Sheffield United and amassed the most passes in a league game since records began. To think that a lot of fans were worried about this game.
I wouldn’t say I was worried as such, but I can’t say I was fully confident either. I thought we’d win but I expected a tough game, probably similar to the Wolves game three days earlier. Turns out it was quite easy. Or at least that’s how the lads made it look. No doubt a lot of hard work went into it but to the untrained eye it looks like we rarely had to get out of second gear. I’m sure that’s not the case, and the distance covered stats for the players would attest to that (Milner especially).
It helps when you score inside four minutes of course. Lovely goal it was too. Ok, the defender fell down and that helps, but I’m not sure he would have been able to cut out that pass from Virg anyway.
Robbo collected the ball, got his head up and picked out Salah’s run. Mo did the rest. Lovely goal and I wish I’d celebrated it properly. I didn’t though. Why? Firstly because from where I was sat it looked like the ball might have brushed off Robbo’s hand as he controlled it, and secondly because there was no way of knowing whether Salah was onside or not.
As it turns out the ball was nowhere near Robbo’s hand and Mo was well onside. I didn’t know that though from the opposite end of the stadium. I didn’t celebrate the second either because I thought it was probably offside. I hate this, but what can you do?
That opening goal is another example of how the team has developed. Those long balls played from the defenders are killing opponents. We can hurt teams in so many ways that we’ve become almost impossible to stop. Sit back against us and we can play around and through. Push up and we’ll hit the ball over the top. If we don’t get you in other of those ways, then there’s always counter attacks or set-pieces.
Mo’s movement was terrific all night. He never stopped running in behind and deserved more than the one goal. But for the keeper he’d have gone home with the match ball. Dean Henderson was the villain when his error gifted us three points earlier in the season, but he made amends in this one.
Everyone thought Mo had bagged a second goal when he met a cross by Hendo and directed the ball towards the top corner with a first time right foot shot. Somehow the keeper managed to get a hand on it and turn it over the bar.
He denied Salah again after a lovely flowing counter attack. What a goal that would have been.
Sheffield United were struggling to keep us at bay but they had two chances of their own, completely against the run of play. Lundstram saw a clever lobbed effort drop just wide of the post, and McGoldrick forced a save from Alisson with a snapshot from 18 yards. Aside from that it was one way traffic though.
It was a hugely impressive performance all things considered. The toughest game we’ve had all season was at Bramall Lane. We got the win but it was fucking hard going. The Blades have been very difficult for opponents to figure out. Even the games they’ve lost have been tight and nobody has been able to dominate them. Not until this game.
Chris Wilder’s classy comments post-match summed it up really. They couldn’t lay a glove on us and we outworked them as well as outplaying them. They’d played City a few days before and held their own in an unfortunate 2-0 defeat. This was men against boys though.
Wilder was disappointed with how his team played but he also knows that we can make any side look ordinary when we’re on our game. It’s a mark of the respect Klopp and the players have for Sheffield United that they put on a performance like this.
I feel as though this season we’ve become masters at just doing what needs to be done and conserving energy when possible. When we need to play really well we do, but most of the time second gear is enough. Leicester away was potentially our most difficult game of the season and the players obviously knew that and responded accordingly.
Against Wolves we started well, got in front and then after that it was just about keeping what we had. We looked tired in that game but if Wolves had scored with ten minutes to go, you can be sure we’d have flown at them with everything we had. I look back on what we’ve seen so far this season and I’m convinced that there is an element of the players being able to ‘pace themselves’ and just do what is needed.
This was a great example of it. We had the lead and we just kept the ball and didn’t let them have it. The second goal gave us the cushion we needed and although we could have added more, we never went gung ho for it because why would we?
The second goal was brilliant. You can’t stop that, it’s just too good. It started with Alisson who threw it out to Robbo. He played it down the line to get Sadio off and running, but it never really looked like it was going to be a goalscoring opportunity as they had players back.
Sadio fed it inside to Mo but there didn’t look to be any way he could get the ball back to him as it was too tight and if the timing wasn’t right then Mané would be offside. The pass was brilliant though, and even though the keeper initially made another great save, Mané was quickest to react and smashed in the loose ball.
As I said, I thought it was offside and fully expected a VAR review. It all happened so quickly and it was such a difficult ball that I just assumed it must have been off. The fact it wasn’t shows just how brilliant those two are. They shouldn’t have been able to fashion a goal from that but they did.
All that was missing was a goal for Firmino. He should have had it too but he missed his kick from a few yards out after a trademark brilliant ball in from Trent. Bobby was a little off all night. He did a lot of good things, particularly dropping deep to win the ball back, but his final ball was shite. So many times he could have played someone in but left his pass short.
On another night it might have mattered, but this time it was merely a slight annoyance. I thought he’d have been the one to make way for Origi and was a little surprised that it was Mané. Bet he was pissed off, he doesn’t want a rest as he always says “tiredness is only in your mind”. He plays like that too. He never, ever looks jaded does he?
We got a little sloppy late on and the Blades began to enjoy a bit of possession in our half. It only resulted in one chance, but it was a sitter that McBurnie should have buried. Speaking of McBurnie, I’ve often took the piss out of him over his appearance, so it made me laugh hearing a couple of fellas behind me ripping on him.
“Look at the kip of him!”
“They found him when they were training on Stanley Park this morning. He was only there walking his dog and they nabbed him and told him he was playing tonight”
“Look at him, he’s still got the Echo tucked in his back pocket”
Quality.
Other than the goals I think my favourite moment in this game was when Origi went streaking back to take the ball off an attackers toe deep in his own penalty area. That just sums up this team. No ego, no shirkers, no complacency, just a group of lads all giving everything they have for each other every week. You can’t go unbeaten for over 12 months without that kind of mentality.
It was a little surprising to see Robbo brought off too, but I think the woeful crossfield ball he put straight out of play sealed his fate. Klopp immediately got Lallana ready when that happened, not because he was mad but I think he must have realised that Robbo’s legs were tired. No point leaving him on to pull a hamstring or something.
The new rule for substitutes meant that Robbo had to leave the field at the nearest point and then walk along in front of the away fans. He got loads of shit from them but I felt as though there was no malice in it. They were just amusing themselves and when Robbo was grinning at them (as he does) that just mad them play up even more.
Chanting “England” at him was a bit lame but it was an attempt at humour rather than them being bad brexit twats. I thought their fans were probably the best we’ve seen at Anfield. I might be wrong, but I don’t think they resorted to any of the “sign on” or “feed the scousers” bollocks, they seemed only interested in singing for their own team, which makes a pleasant change.
When we sang about being World Champions, most cunts would have responded with “sign on” or something along those lines. They came back with “Champions of League One, you’ll never sign that”. Fair play, they’re alright them and I hope they continue having such a good season.
Harvey Elliott got on too, albeit for about ten seconds. He didn’t touch the ball but it’s still nice to see him involved. I hope he starts on Sunday because he deserves a chance. With Shaq injured I’d say he has a decent chance.
Much was made beforehand about the extra day’s rest we had prior to this fixture. While that was no doubt helpful, just where do the Premier League get off having the World and European Champions playing on a fucking Thursday night? We don’t play on Thursdays, only bums play on Thursdays.
We deserve more respect than that. Fucking Thursdays *shakes head*. We play on a Thursday again in a few weeks, which is outrageous really. It’s insulting, we should demand that as world champions that fixture is moved. Make United or Arsenal play on Thursday instead. And make it an afternoon kick off. In fucking Kazakstan or somewhere.
We’re the World Champions, damn it.
As for the star man, there were good performances all over the pitch but it was quite clearly Henderson. At half time it was a toss up between him and Wijnaldum (who was incredible, what a strong little fucker he is), but by full time the skipper had outshone everyone after yet another top performance.
Gomez was great again too, while Salah deserves special mention for his relentless movement that just dragged defenders all over the place. One of the great things about this squad is that the so-called ‘star’ players work just as hard as everyone else and it doesn’t matter who the opponent is. It’s like having a squad full of Luis Suarez’s only without the aggro.
My Dad reckons that up to know Henderson should be player of the season. He also acknowledged that there’s no way it would happen because “players like him don’t win awards”. Personally I don’t think Hendo has been our best player this season (Sadio for me) but it’s not an outlandish claim either. He’s absolutely right that he’s got no chance of getting that kind of recognition though.
Probably the biggest compliment I can pay Henderson is that we haven’t missed Fabinho one little bit. Fabinho is one of the best in the world at what he does, a fact not lost on the skipper who when he saw how good the Brazilian was requested a change in position.
Henderson felt he couldn’t play the six role as well as Fabinho and few would have argued with him. Since being pressed into that job again after Fabinho’s injury, his performances have been world class. In fact, you could make an argument for him being man of the match in every game he’s played there. He’s barely had any rest either. What a captain he is.
Klopp was gushing in his praise afterwards and once again basically said “if you don’t rate Henderson then you’re a fucking moron”. I’m paraphrasing but that’s clearly what he meant.
Hendo will almost certainly get a rest this weekend as I can’t see him starting the derby. It will be interesting to see just how many changes Klopp makes. Personally I think he can get away with still including a few regulars and mixing up the rest. I honestly believe if he starts with Van Dijk and any ten others we’ll still win the game.
Team: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson (Lallana); Henderson, Wijnaldum, Milner; Salah (Elliott), Firmino, Mané (Origi):
Recommended Comments