HolyHank

Roy Evans-era defending. Van Dijk a tad better than the rest. Neither full back able to defend one against one and the cb's being bullied. Midfield not helping out either.

At least we can bury this "Matip is world class" - nonsense

I thought Sadio was breathtaking last year, but this season he has fallen off a cliff. Salah is doing good numberwise, but neither he is at the level he performed at earlier.

More like the front three as a unit. They produce moments of quality, but the collective brilliance is gone. Jota and one of Salah/Mane could stay for a new attacking line

Oh, man, we're in trouble, from a to z. Allison has dropped his standards considerately and looks like a Pepe 2010-doppelganger: every decent shot hits the back of the bet. Trent is proving Southgate right, and Klopp is seemingly too proud or naive to protect him. Every opponent of a certain standard is looking for the space behind him as he is slow and can't defend one against one. Phillips/Kabak are playing to their standards. It is what it is. Robbo is out of steam and has lost the spring in his step. Why on earth Klopp went Keita tonight, God only knows. He is not physical enough, doesn't cover enough ground, and when he passes the ball, it looks like he's hitting a basket ball with a golf club. And, as Usher has pointed out long time ago, the front three is finished. Let them grow old on someone elses ground. This Real team is piss poor, and we were outclassed.

And I was trying to be a know-it-all.

Hard Times? More Tale of two Cities.

Just a word about Trent. He wasn't okay, in fact he was horrible. He's so slow, he plays like a 40 year old would do: Constantly backing off and getting close to his centre back. Any time someone comes one on one, he panics

I'm starting to think that he may be our Juan Seb Veron: World class player, mysteriously out of depth in the Prem.

We all know Jurgen is a genius, but this was a bit like watching a game from Rafa or Ged's last season, in terms of not being able or not want to change things. At the moment, we are not able to play football like Klopp want, and maybe he should go for doing things a little bit simple and try to grind out results? Like setting the defensive line lower, get people behind the ball to let us get the space to counterattack in, and drop some of the players out of form. Last night we were outplayed and run into the ground.

What about Big Nat? Thought he bossed McBurnie.

A high line is essential when doing gegenpress. Thing is, we have taken it from high line to "both centre halves in the middle of their half, with the full backs up at the corner flags". The main difference last night was that Smith had done his homework. The runners came from behind and thus tricking the offside trap, with our midfield caught upfield, goalhanging. The fourth goal was something other teams also have tried against us - crossing a free kick wide to a player who doesn't run in behind on the first movement. Better teams than Villa can do this to us if we keep a high line, but with dropped intensity.

Minaccino? I like that.

Dont want to be a doom nerchant, but part of me is afraid that this team peaked in 2019. With no investments and Abu Dhabi FC free to spend, we could face some real troubles next season.

Klopp is obviously one of the best managers in the world, if not the best. Still, I find it difficult to understand why he insist on playing Origi and Ox out wide. The same goes for Minamino. We are still winning this, though.