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Liverpool 5 Toulouse 1 (Oct 26 2023)

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Enjoyed that. Plenty of goals, some nice individual performances, opportunities for a few kids and some typical madness from Darwin. This is what we wanted from the Europa League, not the scabby, dull games we’ve had prior to this. Not that it was perfect, we were probably only at around 70% but that was more than enough.

 

Toulouse had a go and that made life easier for us. I thought they were shite without the ball but they were adventurous with it and tried to attack. I respect that, they were never going to get anything from the game but instead of just sitting deep and hoping to keep the score down they decided they wanted to try to give their fans something to remember. And they did, because they got themselves a goal and really ought to have had another one.

 

Their fans had a great time and that’s what this competition is about. We’re playing teams we’d never normally play and it’s a big deal for them. It’s been quite refreshing really in that sense. Union and Toulouse fans have come to Anfield and had a great time in town and been welcomed to the city. Our fans went away to LASK and were giving a warm welcome too. Compare that to how Newcastle’s fans have been carrying on in the Champions League, acting like England knobheads.

 

As much as last season was a slog and depressing for the most part, maybe it needed to happen. It prompted the rebuild we needed and although it left us in the Europa, I’m convinced now that this is exactly where we need to be for this particular season. If we had been playing Dortmund this week would Luke Chambers, Endo, Kelleher, Elliott, Gravenberch etc have been playing? No, we’d have started with Kostas, Mac Allister, Alisson, Szoboszlai, Mo and the rest of the first eleven.

 

That’s not a good thing. This way we can rest players and give minutes to those who need them while not having to worry about potentially dropping points. It’s also very helpful when it comes to integrating the new players. Endo especially needs games to get up to speed, but Gravenberch too. He’s featuring in the league but these Europa games are great for him. He hardly played last season so any minutes he’s getting now will help to get him back up to speed, and he’s starting to look like an absolute steal isn’t he?

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etho

Definitely agree it really will work out for us long term of having had this year in the Europa and giving these young and new players game time and experience they otherwise wouldn't have had, will be invaluable 

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bossy

I really enjoyed this after the last few where we spent so long passing around at the back I almost fell asleep. It helps of course when the opposition pushes and tries to play football, but regardless, it was entertaining, and that’s how we should be under Klopp. 
I’m pushing for My Boy Gravenberch to the tune of My Boy Lollipop by the way.

For some reason my mate who I watch matches with, fucking loves Endo, before he’d even played for us, so it was smiles all around.

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Razoray

I agree that it won't be just a load of kids for the final two games, even if we have top spot wrapped up. However, I do suspect that there might be 11 changes from the weekend games, rather than the usual 7 or 8. Trent, Gravenberch and either Jota or Darwin would sit those games out. 

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Mudface
7 minutes ago, TheBitch said:

“Just a couple of peacocks”

 

What a great sentence. 

 

There's an episode of Men Behaving Badly where Tony and Ken the barman pretend to play Chess so they look like a couple of dandies. Similar vibe...

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Remmie

 

 

I think on their goal Kelleher was doing one of 2 things. He was either trying to confuse their striker by not narrowing the angle like every keeper at all levels would which would be a huge miscalculated gamble, or he perhaps thought the defender (was it Chambers?) might be able to make up ground and tackle their player, perhaps even a mix of both. 

 

Still woeful though as I knew about narrowing angles as a goalie at 9, it's goalkeeping basics. 

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aws

Didn’t Kelleher do something similar in a match earlier this season? If so, it’s a massive weakness and surprising it hasn’t been coached out of him. 

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DaveT

A comprehensive 5-1 win and all the media and bantz merchants want to talk about is the Darwin miss. Of course he should have scored but at least there was a smidge of difficulty as he was on the run, away from goal. The misses by Diver Gordon and that Burnley lad last weekend were way, way worse. 
Agree about Kelleher. I’ve been thinking for some time that his shit-stopping isn’t that good and one v one situations, he’s quite poor. Still better than that kid Burnley bought from City for a small fortune.

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Barnesey

If I worked with the best in the world every day I think I’d be better at 1 on 1s. 
 

I can’t see the current selection policy changing until we play someone half decent. I suspect these athletes are trained to cope with 2 games a week and not playing will disrupt the regime. Hopefully the slightly reduced workload will mean we manage January and February better than we usually do. 

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Dave D

Agree how this competition is helping bed-in the new midfield and giving opportunities elsewhere on the pitch.

In some ways I hope Thiago just sees the season out with his "niggling injury" 

 

He's part of the midfield of the past but would no doubt expect to play at the expense of players who are the future. 

 

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dave u
16 hours ago, Anubis said:


Quite.

 

Negged. Say what you like about me, I don't care, but if you disrespect my boy then you better believe I'm going to come out swinging.

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Paul

While I think concerns about Kelleher are valid, I think it’s important to remember that he’s still only 24 years old and has a mere 25 first team appearances to his name. Because those appearances have been spread over a number of years and were for Liverpool it can seem like he’s way more experienced than he is. However, 24 games at a young age for an elite first team team keeper doesn’t make him immune to developmental/experiential wobbles.
 

The psychology of goalkeeping is probably the biggest factor in whether a player makes it at the highest level or not, and no one can tell me that being a back up keeper for four years as you are coming through isn’t psychologically taxing - especially when you must feel like every appearance you get is a massive shop window test. 

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dave u

I'm not concerned as such as he's only the back up anyway and he's fine for that role. 

 

I've just realised he's not as good as I thought he was, that's all. And when others see that his value will plummet. Last summer might have been when his value was at its highest, but we'll see.

 

Up until the Southampton game I thought he was far too good to be on our bench and he'd start for most teams. Now I'm thinking maybe this is the right role for him and he's not too good for it.

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polymerpunkah

Felt the same watching Salah.

 

Match is over, but he comes on and plays as if it were the start of a CL final.

 

Not ducking out of challenges, battling with defenders, determined to score.

 

And all with a smile on his face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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