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Liverpool 4 Bayer Leverkusen 0 (Nov 5 2024)

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That was much better than I expected. 4-0 against one of the best teams in Europe is not to be sniffed at. This was a proper big boy performance and result and it’s one that will have the rest of Europe taking note. We didn’t just beat Leverkusen, we dismantled them. 

 

In the second half anyway, the first half was tight with neither side able to really get on top. That’s the game I was expecting. Then in the second half we stepped on the gas and ran all over them. That isn’t what I was expecting. You can’t expect that given the results Leverkusen have had since Alonso went there. A win? Sure. A mauling? That’s pretty special.

 

The thing is, on paper we would be expected to win all of the CL games we’ve played so far, but it’s not that easy. I slaughtered AC Milan after we played them as they were fucking shite. They just went and won away at Real Madrid though. City got fucking dismantled by Sporting Lisbon. You can’t just take winning in Europe for granted so for us to have won four from four and generally looked comfortable in the process is impressive, especially as Slot has only just got here.

 

We battered Leverkusen and the second half was, dare I say it, a Klopp’s Liverpool performance? I thought Carra’s analysis of the Brighton game was interesting because he highlighted the period between our first and second goal, and how chaotic and mad it was, and said “this isn’t what Slot wants” and then spoke about how Anfield just does that sometimes and managers have no control over it. I know what he means and he’s not technically wrong, but I’d like to think that Slot is happy to see that, but only when the time is right. 

 

He doesn’t want a whole game where it’s like basketball (neither did Klopp, that’s one of the great myths often spoken about him) but you do need to pick your moments when you really go after it. We did it against Brighton and then I think we did it here as well. In those moments we’re pretty much unstoppable, but it is “moments” as it’s not sustainable over a full game. Interestingly Slot said afterwards that he wants to see us playing like that in the first half. There were various reasons he mentioned as to why that happened, but the more I listen to him speak the more reassured I am about what he wants to see his team producing,

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Marcas

Massive up-vote for the excellent Trump alt. universe. If only… But ref the game, can we just get the lads new contracts and be fucking done with it? We pretty much know for certain two of them want to stay and if we allow club legends who are still tearing it up to drift out of the club just because they’re wrong side of 30 then then Hughes etc should be put up against a wall and shot with a ball of their own shite!

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coachpotato

Lot of cancelling out in the first half which made the game a bit boring, defences on top and not much in the way of chances, for both sides.

After the break though, well, once we got a head of steam up there was no stopping us.

Brilliant pass from Jones picking out a great run from Diaz and a clever, calm, finish for the first and after that, we accelerated away from Leverkusen.

It is gratifying to get results like that, and in that manner, but just as important to get them when we’re not playing that brilliantly as well.

Slot appears to be working things out as he goes along very well.

Long may it continue.

 

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DalyanPete

Kostas was man of the match for me, not because he outshone everyone but the confidence of some of the stuff he was doing. Play him Saturday.

A word for Kelleher as well, this lad we signed from (cant remember!) Must be pretty special as Kellehers age and performances should see him as No 1.

Talk of 20 million for him? Could prove to be a big mistake if he went for that.

That performance in the second half reminded me of the night we ripped Real a new one.

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Barnesey

Watched Kelly Cates interview Slot after the game and praising his decision to play Diaz through the middle where he scored 3. Arne corrected her and pointed out 2 came whilst he was on the left. 
 

Slot knows ball. 

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Bobby Hundreds
15 hours ago, Marcas said:

Massive up-vote for the excellent Trump alt. universe. If only… But ref the game, can we just get the lads new contracts and be fucking done with it? We pretty much know for certain two of them want to stay and if we allow club legends who are still tearing it up to drift out of the club just because they’re wrong side of 30 then then Hughes etc should be put up against a wall and shot with a ball of their own shite!

They love their own shite!

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DaveT

The narrative about the Eye Test and the level of some of our performances is an interesting one, and I get it - to a point. I was as frustrated and edgy as anyone during the first half against Brighton and at times against Chelsea. But some of it has been way over the top. Somebody (Brownie?) described the first half against Arsenal as a 'disgrace' - which was just silly and maybe said in the emotional aftermatch of a tense game.

The perspective I cling to is that the biggest issue the new manager had to face was defensively -  the frequency with which we conceded first, the number of big chances and shots on goal we were giving up. That's been his priority and maybe we've been a little too cautious as he tries to address this problem whilst also trying to win matches. We're only just into November, the team are still getting used to a new coaching staff, slightly different style of playing - it's an evolution, and it's not going too badly so far. And it's not as if we've been lucky - we've deserved just about every point we've won so far. There was a bit of nostalgia for Juergen after the Arsenal game. But in some respects it was playing out similarly to last season, when we lucked our way back into the game, started to dominate - then fluffed our lines and lost 3-1. I know Arsenal were a bit weaker last month - but the back 5 they ended the match with still cost more than the 5 we started with! 

 

I think this match report gets it right, and hopefully we continue in the vein we saw here - solid for the most part, then blowing away the opposition in short destructive bursts. Roll on Saturday!

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