That was an enjoyable afternoon despite the baltic conditions. An early goal ways helps, as does being three goals to the good by half time. It was just a stress free, fun Anfield experience, the kind we’ve been treated to an awful lot over the last three or four years.
There was a point late in the first half when I thought to myself “don’t take this for granted, it won’t always be like this”. This team is special, in my view the best we’ve ever had. But they have a shelf life and Klopp isn’t going to be here forever. That’s something I’m well aware of but it’s not something I often think about, because it’s fucking depressing. I am going to savour all these games at Anfield though watching this team, because it wasn’t that long ago it home games were fucking miserable (the final 14 months or so of Brendan).
We may or may not win the title this season, but if we don’t it will be because either Chelsea or City have done something incredible that we couldn’t quite match. Whatever happens, it doesn’t change how incredible this squad of players have been for us and there’ll be many more wins like this one and the Arsenal one a week ago.
Of course it helps when the opposition actually wants a game of football and aren’t solely focused on spoiling. Southampton didn’t come to just roll over, sit back and hope for the best. They tried to take the initiative and show intent. They just aren’t good enough to do that against a team like us, but fair play for trying. If they’d tried to just sit back and keep the score down I doubt they’d have fared any better as that isn’t their style. They’re a high press, attack minded side so that’s what they did.
For some reason though, old Ralph changed their usual 4-4-2 set up and brought in an extra centre back. I say for some reason, but I assume the reason is that his centre backs are useless so he felt like three gave him more chance than two, but it backfired on him fairly spectacularly as they were wide open in that first half.
He admitted afterwards that he got it wrong and it does seem mad that you’d do something like that without working on it extensively in training. I’ll be honest, I didn’t even notice that they were playing three centre backs because 1) I sit down the other end 2) at times it looked like they didn’t have any defenders, let alone three.
Look at the opening goal. Not the goal itself, but the break seconds before it. One of their centre backs misjudged a bounce and all of a sudden we were free and clear running at them. Jota should have played in Mané but he didn’t play the pass when it was on, and then it was too late so he had to go on his own. He so nearly did it but he was denied just as he went to shoot.
It was pretty bad like. Not passing it was terrible, but he got away with it because seconds after he was tapping in from close range. The build up to that was so fucking good though. The interplay between Robbo and Sadio was great. It feels as though we’ve not seen enough of that, not just this season but last season too. The previous couple of years it was happening all the time, it was such a productive outlet for us but it tailed off a bit, first with Sadio’s huge drop in form and then with Robbo falling off a bit. This was really encouraging though.
Robbo played a pass and then made a run into the box, pointing to where he wanted the ball. Sadio played a perfect pass through the legs of one defender and that one ball took three Southampton players out of the game. Robbo runs onto it and two more defenders had to commit to it but couldn’t get there in time. Robbo crossed and both Jota and Mo were there to finish it but Jota got there first. Five defenders were taken out of the play by one pass and run. Glorious.
We had some sloppy moments in that first half too though. Thiago got caught dallying on the ball and Alisson needed to smother at the feet of Ward-Prowse. Then Trent sold Konate short with a throw in. He probably still should have got there but he hesitated and Broja ran by him into the box and Alisson needed to save again. He made another good stop to deny Armstrong as well. It’s a little concerning that in a game we dominated so much, Alisson has still had to make three big saves.
The flip side of that coin is that teams only seem to be able to create chances against us when we give them the ball cheaply. Nobody really plays through us, we just have issues when we make a stupid mistake and get caught with players out of position. I don’t think Southampton really created anything of their own accord. Maybe the Armstrong chance, but from what I can recall every other moment they had was because we made a daft mistake.
Against better opposition that could be an issue but when we’re playing this well teams like Southampton have no chance. I don’t mean that in a disparaging way either. By ‘teams like Southampton’ I pretty much mean anyone outside the top five or six. What we did to Southampton we’d do to most teams. Some of the football played was sublime.
Take the second goal for example. It starts off a bit scrappy as Thiago’s ball to the right wing was too short. Trent had to commit to a challenge, which he won, and suddenly we’re bearing down on goal again. Mo was stopped initially but popped the ball off to Hendo, who produced a lovely little disguised left foot ball to send Mo in behind. He fizzed it across goal with his right peg and Jota was on hand to slot in his second.
The third was nice too. The deflection took a bit of the shone off it but the first touch from Thiago to create the opening for himself was glorious. His shot looked to be fizzing towards the far bottom corner but it struck a defender and flew in the opposite side, leaving the keeper with no chance. Imagine if Thiago actually starts scoring regularly. That’s not something you bank on as it isn’t his primary role in the side, but if he adds goals to his game it’s almost unfair.
We almost had one of my favourite ‘red arrows’ goals too when we broke from a Southampton corner late in the half. Out of nowhere we were suddenly flying at them with Mo on the ball and Jota and Sadio haring through the middle. Mo did the right thing in trying to lay it on for Jota’s hat-trick but the defender’s position made the cross somewhat tricky and he didn’t get his angles right. Frustrating as it would have been a hell of a goal. There’s nothing quite those mad counter attacks.
We’d had other chances in the first half too and 3-0 almost felt like Southampton had got off lightly. But they could have scored a couple themselves as well. It was an enjoyable game, which was important because we needed something to distract us from how fucking cold it was.
The game was obviously over at half time though and the only question was how hard would we push to score more goals. My expectation was we’d add one or two more before taking our foot off the gas, bringing on some subs and generally just conserving energy for Goodison on Wednesday. My hope was that Jota would complete his hat-trick and Mo would get himself on the scoresheet.
Jota should have completed his hat-trick and Mo was clearly desperate to score but it just wasn’t happening. Jota’s best chance came from a perfect Robbo delivery but he couldn’t keep his shot down as he stretched for it. Mo had a few sights of goal but nothing clear cut.
Alisson had to make another good save but generally Southampton didn’t cause us any real problems after the break. They changed back to a back four and they’ll probably feel like that helped to stem the flow. In reality, we just eased off because the game was won. Ox came off the bench and had a good effort saved by McCarthy, who also tipped over a dipping 25 yarder from Sadio.
We did increase our lead when Virgil volleyed in from Trent’s corner, but at 4-0 we were understandably happy enough to just see the game out. If we didn’t have a game in midweek I’d have wanted us to really step on their throat and go for goals, but with the heavy fixture load I’m good with conserving energy. Our goal difference is great at the moment anyway so it isn’t a pressing need.
Keeping everyone fresh and fit for the upcoming grind is the priority. We’re in a nice groove now and have bounced back really well from West Ham. There are no international breaks to disrupt us now either so it’s just a case of playing twice a week, staying in a rhythm and picking up as many points as we can, starting on Wednesday.
Everton are so fucking bad that there’s no excuse for not swatting them aside, and after what happened in this fixture last season I expect our lads to be absolutely foaming at the mouth for this one. I don’t usually look forward to derbies but I can’t fucking wait for this one.
Star man is Robbo, who just edges out Jota (and Alisson, weird as that seems after a 4-0 win). I said in the Porto report Robbo looked like he was right at it again and he didn’t disappoint. Top performance from him. I thought everyone was good though. Konate had a couple of ropey moments but was generally sound. Matip has to come back for the derby though, that’s a no brainer.
Ox was a little unlucky to lose his place but that midfield three looks like something special doesn’t it? We’ve hardly seen it so far for various reasons but if this is a taste of what’s to come then we’re in for a fucking treat.
Final word is on the Kop bestowing the “Dalglish” chant onto Jota. Firstly, he needs a chant so that’s obvious. But he shouldn’t be given THAT chant. Salah should be given THAT chant, because it’s generally reserved for the star player. Toshack would be one exception, Sturridge another (although he was tearing it up at the time he got that chant, and his name wasn’t exactly easy to fit into another chant). But St John, Dalglish, Fowler…. yeah Salah is the natural successor there and although in time Jota might earn the right, it’s too soon for me.
So can we come up with something original for Jota (and Matip) and let’s give Mo the honour he deserves?
Team: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson (Milner), Thiago (Oxlade-Chamberlain); Salah, Jota (Minamno), Mané:
Recommended Comments