Peter Anderson ⚽ With the footy off for the weekend, it gives me the opportunity to talk about last week's UCL matches. 

After years of not having BT, so not having UCL games, my wifey negotiated a reduction in our Sky deal, and with the cash saved I got BT. Happy man! Last week was my first round of group games in many a year, and I wasn't disappointed. The contrast was stark, however, between the performances of Liverpool and City. On Tuesday, City were majestic. They dealt with the Sevilla early threat and then slowly tightened the noose. With Ake, Stones and Laporte prone to injury, Akanji got his first start and looked imperious beside Dias. Haaland got a couple, Philips and Palmer got run outs and everything looked hunky-dory in Camp City.

Fast forward to Wednesday and I couldn't believe what I witnessed. It was easily the worst performance I have seen under Klopp. Worse than the Man U game! What exactly is going on at Liverpool? Does the problem lie with Klopp or with the board? I have written before about the Liverpool midfield, why was it allowed to get so old? Why are the Ox and Keita still at the club? On Wednesday, Milner started. The guy hasn't got the legs to cope with a quick game. The best he can do is come on in the dying minutes when everyone is tired. 

On Wednesday, Liverpool faced Napoli in Naples. Napoli have started the season extremely well. We all knew that they would come out of the blocks at a fast rate of knots. Why then start with Milner? Did Klopp have no alternative? Rumour has it that Liverpool are after Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, but were unable to get him this summer and are prepared to wait. Was nobody else available in the summer transfer window? What Liverpool need are legs in the middle of the park. Spurs got Bissouma and Sarr is still at Watford, either of these players would have at least been an upgrade on Milner and Henderson. It beggars belief that Liverpool would start another season without fresh legs in midfield.

It also beggars belief that Alexander-Arnold is still at right back. His performance against Napoli was disgraceful. He abandoned his post. He let Kvaratskhelia simply run past him on multiple occasions. There is a video doing the rounds on Twitter of multiple occasions when TA-A has neglected to do his basic defending duty. It is not a lack of skill, because that can be coached, it is a lack of will. That is the reason he doesn't play for England. The disease seemed to spread to Gomez at centre-half. Runners were allowed to run. VvD wasn't much better. His dip in form is quite unexpected. 

What is Klopp playing at? Are the players in mutiny? Is he too intense? Again, is this Klopp's fault or is the board failing to get his desired signings? Last summer should have seen a clear out of old and dead wood and an influx of fit and hungry young men. It didn't happen and the result is as dire as it is unexpected. I can't believe City lost the Community Shield against this lot!

Another massive mistake was the loss of Mané. As Merson pointed out on Sky Sports, they have now lost that Robertson-Mané axis which was as important as Salah-TA-A in terms of goals. Merson said they should have moved heaven and earth to keep him, and if not then keep him for one more season and let him go on a free at the end of this one. They only got £30m for him anyway, better to keep him for one more season and prepare for the new Liverpool MkII. That was the fault of the board, it seems. Though if Mané felt second fiddle to Salah, was that Klopp's fault? Against Everton, Klopp started with Robertson on the bench only to see Tsimikas get loads of space high on the left, but fail to use it for Liverpool's benefit. Robertson would have been able to make more of the opportunities that came Tsimikas's way. Why was Robertson rested for such a big game? And why was Salah positioned so deep and wide on the right? Out there he can't influence the play.

I have no doubt that Klopp and the board will get things right eventually, and that Liverpool will come again to the top of the table. Liverpool MkII will arrive next summer, presumably with Bellingham and TA-A in midfield. But why it was allowed to slip this far when a blind man could see what was coming, that is the shocker. Poor decisions from the board and Klopp have led to this, but the necessary changes will be harder to implement if Liverpool don't qualify for next season's UCL. 

It is hard to predict the next few weeks or months. A good kick up the arse might paper over the cracks for a while, but whatever happens Liverpool's performance in Napoli is a stain on them all.

Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports.

Fresh Legs Urgent

Peter Anderson ⚽ With the footy off for the weekend, it gives me the opportunity to talk about last week's UCL matches. 

After years of not having BT, so not having UCL games, my wifey negotiated a reduction in our Sky deal, and with the cash saved I got BT. Happy man! Last week was my first round of group games in many a year, and I wasn't disappointed. The contrast was stark, however, between the performances of Liverpool and City. On Tuesday, City were majestic. They dealt with the Sevilla early threat and then slowly tightened the noose. With Ake, Stones and Laporte prone to injury, Akanji got his first start and looked imperious beside Dias. Haaland got a couple, Philips and Palmer got run outs and everything looked hunky-dory in Camp City.

Fast forward to Wednesday and I couldn't believe what I witnessed. It was easily the worst performance I have seen under Klopp. Worse than the Man U game! What exactly is going on at Liverpool? Does the problem lie with Klopp or with the board? I have written before about the Liverpool midfield, why was it allowed to get so old? Why are the Ox and Keita still at the club? On Wednesday, Milner started. The guy hasn't got the legs to cope with a quick game. The best he can do is come on in the dying minutes when everyone is tired. 

On Wednesday, Liverpool faced Napoli in Naples. Napoli have started the season extremely well. We all knew that they would come out of the blocks at a fast rate of knots. Why then start with Milner? Did Klopp have no alternative? Rumour has it that Liverpool are after Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, but were unable to get him this summer and are prepared to wait. Was nobody else available in the summer transfer window? What Liverpool need are legs in the middle of the park. Spurs got Bissouma and Sarr is still at Watford, either of these players would have at least been an upgrade on Milner and Henderson. It beggars belief that Liverpool would start another season without fresh legs in midfield.

It also beggars belief that Alexander-Arnold is still at right back. His performance against Napoli was disgraceful. He abandoned his post. He let Kvaratskhelia simply run past him on multiple occasions. There is a video doing the rounds on Twitter of multiple occasions when TA-A has neglected to do his basic defending duty. It is not a lack of skill, because that can be coached, it is a lack of will. That is the reason he doesn't play for England. The disease seemed to spread to Gomez at centre-half. Runners were allowed to run. VvD wasn't much better. His dip in form is quite unexpected. 

What is Klopp playing at? Are the players in mutiny? Is he too intense? Again, is this Klopp's fault or is the board failing to get his desired signings? Last summer should have seen a clear out of old and dead wood and an influx of fit and hungry young men. It didn't happen and the result is as dire as it is unexpected. I can't believe City lost the Community Shield against this lot!

Another massive mistake was the loss of Mané. As Merson pointed out on Sky Sports, they have now lost that Robertson-Mané axis which was as important as Salah-TA-A in terms of goals. Merson said they should have moved heaven and earth to keep him, and if not then keep him for one more season and let him go on a free at the end of this one. They only got £30m for him anyway, better to keep him for one more season and prepare for the new Liverpool MkII. That was the fault of the board, it seems. Though if Mané felt second fiddle to Salah, was that Klopp's fault? Against Everton, Klopp started with Robertson on the bench only to see Tsimikas get loads of space high on the left, but fail to use it for Liverpool's benefit. Robertson would have been able to make more of the opportunities that came Tsimikas's way. Why was Robertson rested for such a big game? And why was Salah positioned so deep and wide on the right? Out there he can't influence the play.

I have no doubt that Klopp and the board will get things right eventually, and that Liverpool will come again to the top of the table. Liverpool MkII will arrive next summer, presumably with Bellingham and TA-A in midfield. But why it was allowed to slip this far when a blind man could see what was coming, that is the shocker. Poor decisions from the board and Klopp have led to this, but the necessary changes will be harder to implement if Liverpool don't qualify for next season's UCL. 

It is hard to predict the next few weeks or months. A good kick up the arse might paper over the cracks for a while, but whatever happens Liverpool's performance in Napoli is a stain on them all.

Peter Anderson is a Unionist with a keen interest in sports.

2 comments:

  1. Paints a dreary picture but very difficult to argue against

    ReplyDelete
  2. We all know this season doesn't count because of the world cup though lol

    ReplyDelete