That was exactly what we needed. The front three all back among the goals and the overall performance much more like what we’ve come to expect. It might be the best we’ve played all season, although in truth tat’s a pretty low bar.
Red Star were the perfect opposition really. I’ve mentioned before that the Champions League is much easier for us because even the unfancied sides play quite open. Red Star are top dogs in their own league and they’re used to winning every week. It’s hard for a team like that to suddenly go into shithouse mode and pack the defence, and that’s why we usually spank them. Maribor, Spartak, now Red Star.
They were lucky to escape with a 4-0 and it should have been six or seven easily. Some of our football was fantastic and although the clinical finishing still isn’t there, it was better than it has been of late and hopefully it will be the start of a return to how we were.
I’m not completely sold on this 4-2-3-1 yet but I do love seeing Shaqiri lining up with the front three. He’s the creative spark we’ve been missing, the link between the midfield and the forwards. Every time he gets on the ball I expect something to happen.
I’d prefer he was just used in the Coutinho / Ox attacking mid role, but presumably Klopp won’t play him in the 4-3-3 because he’s not yet yet fully up to speed with the intricacies of the pressing game. Ox took a while last year before he was comfortable enough to play in there, but I hope we see Shaqiri given a chance in the midfield three soon.
Perhaps because of the lack of trust in Shaqiri, Klopp has adjusted to 4-2-3-1. Against Southampton Shaqiri was the number ten, Firmino was wide left and Mané wide right with Mo centre forward. This time Mo was still up top but the other three were switched around, with Shaq on the right, Sadio left and Bobby as the ten. It worked pretty well but in an ideal world I like Bobby through the middle and Mo on the right. I could get used to this though if they keep this up.
It was a slow start though and it took 10 or 15 minutes for us to get going. Not much was happening and Red Star looked quite confident early on. They weren’t scared to throw men forward when they had the ball, but that gave me confidence that we’d have little trouble creating chances against them. And so it proved.
Shaqiri was at the heart of most things. He’s such a clever little bastard and was always looking for the first time ball over the top to release Mo. That almost led to the opener but the keeper did well to smother the ball at Salah’s feet after he’d brilliantly brought down Shaqiri’s lobbed pass over the defence.
Most of our attacks were coming down the left where Robbo was flying forward at every opportunity. That’s where the opening goal came from, although most of the credit goes to Shaqiri. First, he chased back and won the ball (take note Gary Neville), and then seconds later he played a perfectly weighted and angled ball behind the defence for Robbo to run onto and cut back to Firmino, who finished with the aid of a deflection.
Shaqiri is a special talent and it’s his passing and awareness that’s really standing out. The ability to put the ball into tight spaces and weight it perfectly so his team-mates don’t have to break stride is something not many have. The ball to Robbo was inch perfect and couldn’t have been weighted any better either. It’s little things like that which make all the difference. Same with the assist for Mo at the weekend. If the pass isn’t played exactly like that, a goal isn’t scored.
I feel as though Shqiri really has to be in the side more or less every week now, at least until the front three get back to last year’s form. We’ve lacked that bit of guile and creativity in there all season, and when he’s in the side it helps the front three immensely.
The goal sparked a spell of brilliant football and a few times we were within a whisker of scoring what would have been stunning goals. Firmino almost found Mané with a first time flick that the defender just about intercepted, and Robbo sliced one horribly wide after another sweeping move.
Salah missed a sitter but had his blushes spared by an offside flag. He soon got another chance and this time he finished it. Again Shaq played a part as it was his lovely little cushioned volley that set Mo in.
The second half was a bit of a stroll and at times it was almost like a training session. We were in total control and the most impressive thing for me was how the lads kept their concentration and never got complacent. They wanted the clean sheet badly, and they defended so well that Alisson had nothing to do all night.
Joe Gomez is fucking brilliant. He’s actually now playing at the same level as Big Virg. He’s got the same confidence, swag, speed and ability on the ball. He’s just smaller and therefore not as dominant in the air. The burst of pace to snuff out a rare Red Star attack was great to see, but it was never in doubt.
As soon as the ball was played in behind and I saw Gomez had it in his sights, I almost felt sorry for the forward. He probably thought he was favourite to get that, but we’ve seen that movie before and there’s no happy ending for the forward.
Van Dijk was majestic too of course, and the Red Star forwards didn’t have a sniff all night. This is ou best back four right now but we’re in good shape as you won’t find a better back up than Lovren anywhere in the league, maybe even Europe.
The Red Star players were getting proper ratty the longer it went on and some naughty tackles started flying in. I can’t really blame them, as the two penalties that were given against them were an absolute fucking joke and I’d have struggled to keep my head in that situation too.
The first one was a nothing challenge on Mané that saw him go to ground holding his face. The second was an unintentional handball as the lad headed it against his own arm.
I couldn’t believe the ref gave either, especially the first, as initially he seemed to have ignored it. I did wonder initially whether the stiff behind the goal had drawn his attention to it, but then I remembered that they never do anything, the wage stealing fucks, so it couldn’t have been that.
The man penalised was their captain, but fuck him as he had a face like a smacked arse all night. He was moaning at the ref from start to finish and that’s probably why the pen was given. If I was the ref I’d have wanted to do him over too, the moaning gobshite. That left back was a twat as well. He hit Trent in the face twice and there was a lot of niggle between them all night. Something to look for in the return game there I think.
Salah stepped up and scored easily from the spot. Now it was just a case of how many we’d get and whether Mo could get his hat-trick. He didn’t, as he was subbed soon after. He wasn’t happy but it was a sensible decision. He’s only just over that minor injury that he picked up in the international break so no point taking any risks.
Sturridge took his place, while Lallana had earlier come on for Shaqiri. Both were heavily involved but it was Sturridge who made the bigger impact. He was quality and created several chances as well as having a couple of goes himself.
He unselfishly set up Mané for the fourth and he put chances on a plate for Lallana (who fluffed a one on one after being caught from behind despite a ten yard start) and Mané again (who hit the side netting). Mané had earlier missed the second penalty and made a complete hash of the rebound too. That’s one of the worst misses you’ll ever see, he poked it wide from about two yards.
All in all though a near perfect night. All three forwards scored, Shaqiri was boss and we kept a clean sheet. Not only that, Napoli and PSG drew so we went back to the top of the group and if we can win in Belgrade we’ll have one foot in the knock out stages.
Star man was Fabinho. Could easily have been his midfield partner Wijnaldum as they were both outstanding, but I’m going for Fabinho because he’s had to wait a long time for his chance and it was great to see him impressing.
He did everything well. Tackling like a machine, closing down well, dropping in to cover for his defenders and he showed a good range of passing too. Very encouraging. Don’t know why he didn’t take the second pen instead of Mané really. He’s scored 21 times from the spot in his career and I don’t trust Sadio on pens at all.
Hopefully this result can be a bit of a turning point in our attacking play. Cardiff at the weekend could be tough unless we get a couple of early goals, but after that we’ve got a trip to Arsenal (who are in good form but look tailor made for us), the rematch with Red Star and then a home game with Fulham, who are leaking goals at a record breaking rate.
So there are goals to be had and let’s hope this is just the start, because if we get our attacking game going I don’t think there’s anyone who can beat us, not while we’re defending as well as this anyway.
Team: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson (Moreno); Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Shaqiri (Lallana), Firmino, Mané; Salah (Sturridge):
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