Liverpool 3 Southampton 0 (Sep 22 2018)

[tlw content]

 

Report by

Dave Usher

 

We’d won the previous six games prior to this but the last five had gone down to the wire. Not since spanking West Ham on opening day have we been able to properly relax for the closing stages of a game, so this was nice. A routine, comfortable win in which the opposition didn’t even manage a shot until the 91st minute. Just what we want.

 

We weren’t at our best but this team is so good now they rarely need to be. Third gear is usually enough to see off most opponents. This one was over by half time, even though we didn’t even play particularly well and looked a bit disjointed up top.

 

Klopp had sprung a couple of surprises with his starting line up, with Shaqiri and Matip coming in for Milner and Gomez. I half expected Milner to be given a rest but I assumed Keita would be his replacement, not Shaqiri. More on that shortly though.

 

Matip coming in was unexpected too. No idea what that was about other than maybe wanting to be careful with Gomez after the injuries he’s had in recent years. Both changes paid off and then some, which bodes well for the weeks ahead.

 

It wasn’t just the personnel that changed though. The front three were all moved from their usual spots and it didn’t really work. Mo played down the middle, Sadio on the right and Bobby on the left. Don’t know what the thinking was behind that. Might have just been trying to confuse Southampton, but I suspect it was about isolating Mo against those two slow footed giants they had in the middle of the defence.

 

That Danish lad is fucking huge. At one point I swear I saw King Kong climbing up him and swatting at planes circling around his head. Fair play to him and the other lad, Hoijt, I thought they did ok all things considered. There were loads of times when Mo was running at them and they managed to stand him up and win the tackle. Better players than them will fail to handle that as well this year.

 

 

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[scudger99]

Keita a fringe player !  Hopefully he'll kick into gear as the front 3 get their collective shit together.

Spot on as usual Dave.

[Guest]

All the teams that set up defensively against us and think they have got it sussed would have seen that first half with all four attacking players on the pitch and thought "Now what do we do?"

 

Good report that brings an even greater sense of expectancy that number 20 is on the way. No pressure, Dave.

[Barnesey]

I thought, rather than Shaq play behind the front three, we played Mo up front on his own with Mane, Bobby and Shaq behind him. This left us a tad short in midfield and they got behind us a few times. It didn't happen in the second half when we reverted to type.

 

Tough on Shaq but he looked good and will get more air time as the season progresses.

[Brownie]

5 hours ago, Shooter in the Motor said:

All the teams that set up defensively against us and think they have got it sussed would have seen that first half with all four attacking players on the pitch and thought "Now what do we do?"

 

Good report that brings an even greater sense of expectancy that number 20 is on the way. No pressure, Dave.

Let’s get number 19 first...

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Brownie said:

Let’s get number 19 first...

We are so good we should win it twice this season. 

[Tj hooker]

Good report Dave it certainly feels like Anfield is becoming a fortress once again long may it continue 

[dave u]

I think I may have exaggerated that statistic about the home form just a touch.

 

I read somewhere earlier though that we've scored 23 goals at Anfield (might even have been 25 actually) since the last one we conceded.

[Ipplfc]

10 hours ago, dave u said:

I think I may have exaggerated that statistic about the home form just a touch.

 

I read somewhere earlier though that we've scored 23 goals at Anfield (might even have been 25 actually) since the last one we conceded.

Michael Antonio in February, last goal conceded at Anfield.

[sir roger]

 When was the last time we even conceded at Anfield? 

 

Tuesday ?

[dylstar]

12 hours ago, Ipplfc said:

Michael Antonio in February, last goal conceded at Anfield.

Just even more proof that David Moyes REALLY  is a footballing genius . Can really envisage all the latest premier league managers phoning him up and asking him the secret or tactical nous of how to score at Anfield..............