Aston Villa 1 Liverpool 3 (Dec 26 2022)

[tlw content]

 

Overall there was a lot to feel good about. The three points were well deserved, we played a lot of good stuff, had a very bad spell that we came through and in the end the score didn’t really do us justice.

 

The first half was impressive and we looked like I’d expect us to look. Very good pressing for the most part, some excellent football, we controlled the game and deservedly led by a couple of goals. Despite how well we played, Villa did have some very good chances though so something wasn’t quite working the way it should. That’s for people more qualified than me to identify though.

 

The second half wasn’t anywhere near as impressive, although we did show a different kind of quality and that half was a victory for Klopp and his staff, because it was their decisive actions that swung the game back in our favour after Villa had wrestled it away from us and were threatening an equaliser.

 

There were no surprises with the team selection. Klopp had said a few days ago that Ox had been in line to start at the Etihad until he got ill, so he was always going to come in on the left. Aside from that, it was full strength. Well, Konate was missing but I still think we’re going to see him and Joel splitting time alongside Virg, so whoever plays is not going to ‘second choice’.

 

We’re ok at the moment in terms of the starting eleven, but the absentees in attacking areas mean the bench is nowhere near what it was. We went into this without Diaz, Jota and Firmino. That’s a problem when you want to make changes in the game, and an even bigger problem when you play twice a week. Cody Gakpo makes a massive difference to our attacking strength now though, hopefully in the same way Diaz did a year ago.

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[dockers_strike]

Good report Dave. Thought we were running on fumes for the first 15 or so minutes of the 2nd half. That's really strange as you'd expect energy levels to drop round the 70 minute mark especially as we had the city game and not much else to regain match fitness.

 

Incredible Harvey getting slagged off within 6 minutes of coming on. Thought the ref, Tierney was shite. Again.

[Rico1304]

2 hours ago, dockers_strike said:

Good report Dave. Thought we were running on fumes for the first 15 or so minutes of the 2nd half. That's really strange as you'd expect energy levels to drop round the 70 minute mark especially as we had the city game and not much else to regain match fitness.

 

Incredible Harvey getting slagged off within 6 minutes of coming on. Thought the ref, Tierney was shite. Again.

I slagged him off within a minute - as he’s not good enough and slower than pregnant slug. 

[sir roger]

To be fair Robbo had to knock that pass in with the outside of his left foot as he is still in the runnning for a massive payout on his bet that he could go through a whole career without using his right foot.

[Guest]

 

[Barnesey]

Very happy with 3 points and an improving performance. 
 

But I liked football better when we could defend. 

[Razoray]

2 hours ago, Shooter in the Motor said:

 

Bajcetic is a cocky, skillful so and so. I like him. Think he'll be a star

[05 Milan]

Glad someone mentioned Emery's bubble coat. That's the kind of shit you find when you get so bored of waiting for your wife at Zara that you go browsing in the men's section. You notice something on the hanger that looks decent enough, pull it out and just go WTF??? And then you try not to panic and hang it back before someone notices that you've been looking at it.

[terry symes]

The thing is with Darwin is that the price tag will always be mentioned - and probably justifiably so. It’s not necessarily lazy to say that he misses chances and forget the good things he does. Are you allowed to be a work in progress when you cost £80m or whatever we paid??

 

If he was a 30 / 40m signing in the mould of Diaz, Jota, Gakpo then I could understand it. But I don’t want an uncut gem for £80m. I want someone to come in and replace Mane’s 20+ league goals a season. By all means he still might, and if he works on his finishing then sound. But at the moment it’s dreadful, he miskicks the ball far too many times for my liking and he seems really lacking in game intelligence - typified by the amount of times he doesn’t hold his line correctly. Similar to your man Werner in that regard! 

 

Hopefully it all comes, and what a player he will be if and when it does. BUT, I think it’s justifiable to have some reservations at the moment. Yes of course he does good things, and makes things happen - but so he should, shouldn’t he?!

 

I honestly thought we were just signing an out and out finisher - something which would have probably got us over the line last season. Think that’s where my struggles with it are.  

[Rushies tash]

38 minutes ago, terry symes said:

The thing is with Darwin is that the price tag will always be mentioned - and probably justifiably so. It’s not necessarily lazy to say that he misses chances and forget the good things he does. Are you allowed to be a work in progress when you cost £80m or whatever we paid??

 

If he was a 30 / 40m signing in the mould of Diaz, Jota, Gakpo then I could understand it. But I don’t want an uncut gem for £80m. I want someone to come in and replace Mane’s 20+ league goals a season. By all means he still might, and if he works on his finishing then sound. But at the moment it’s dreadful, he miskicks the ball far too many times for my liking and he seems really lacking in game intelligence - typified by the amount of times he doesn’t hold his line correctly. Similar to your man Werner in that regard! 

 

Hopefully it all comes, and what a player he will be if and when it does. BUT, I think it’s justifiable to have some reservations at the moment. Yes of course he does good things, and makes things happen - but so he should, shouldn’t he?!

 

I honestly thought we were just signing an out and out finisher - something which would have probably got us over the line last season. Think that’s where my struggles with it are.  

He wasn't £80m.

[terry symes]

Ok. Slightly pedantic. Transfermarkt has it as €80, so £70m. Think my point still pretty valid. 

[dave u]

If he was converting more of these chances he'd be looking like a steal even at that price. So if and when he sharpens up his finishing, he'll be seen as a bargain.

[Reckoner]

Poor Unai. ‘Ofcourse I love my present darling. Yes I will wear it on tv tomorrow ebening, I’d be happy to’.

[Barnesey]

How many goals did sadio have at this point in the season last year?

[Nolongerathletic]

15 hours ago, terry symes said:

The thing is with Darwin is that the price tag will always be mentioned - and probably justifiably so. It’s not necessarily lazy to say that he misses chances and forget the good things he does. Are you allowed to be a work in progress when you cost £80m or whatever we paid??

 

If he was a 30 / 40m signing in the mould of Diaz, Jota, Gakpo then I could understand it. But I don’t want an uncut gem for £80m. I want someone to come in and replace Mane’s 20+ league goals a season. By all means he still might, and if he works on his finishing then sound. But at the moment it’s dreadful, he miskicks the ball far too many times for my liking and he seems really lacking in game intelligence - typified by the amount of times he doesn’t hold his line correctly. Similar to your man Werner in that regard! 

 

Hopefully it all comes, and what a player he will be if and when it does. BUT, I think it’s justifiable to have some reservations at the moment. Yes of course he does good things, and makes things happen - but so he should, shouldn’t he?!

 

I honestly thought we were just signing an out and out finisher - something which would have probably got us over the line last season. Think that’s where my struggles with it are.  

 

I think we have to take the rough with the smooth on this one. The amount of chances he gets/creates if he were to convert he would be closer to 150m...so I'm happy to run with his performances up until now. If he doesn't score or have an assist he does seem to be 'involved', like that third goal. As mentioned, forget the dummies, time those offside runs a bit better etc and only going in one direction. He is always looking to get in and really causing problems for defences. He will never be blessed with amazing feet, but Klopp et al would have seen that in advance and trust that he will deliver regardless.

 

It may be a patient one and at times frustrating, but I feel worth the wait.