When Wolves Stop Hunting

Anthony McIntyre ⚽ It has been said so often that the phrase 'It's a game of two halves' has long been a cliche.

Yet for all its banality, the received wisdom contained therein was very much evident today in the EPL clash between Wolves and Liverpool at Molineux. The first half saw the home side completely dominate the game. Liverpool were under sustained assault and were fortunate to go in for the break trailing by one goal instead of two.

The Reds, all at sea, looked even worse than they did throughout most of last season, the much vaunted new midfield, performing as poorly. Alexis MacAllister was horrendous, consistently giving the ball away in situations where the error wasn't forced. Today he played as well as Thiago did, just that Thiago wasn't on. Perhaps the Argentinian has not fully recuperated from the rigours of international experience during which he had to receive oxygen. Whatever the reason it was a relief to see him substituted at half time with Liverpool chasing the game.

If doubts persist about MacAllister, there would seem to be none about his midfield partner Dominik Szoboszlai who is shaping up as a class act. Vision, composure, ability all combine to potentially make him Liverpool's most creative midfielder since Xabi Alonso. No longer having to compensate for the shortcomings of the Argentinian, the Hungarian's performance seemed infectious to those around him.

Cody Gakpo, although scorer of the equalizer, seems to be lost in the new formation. Neither fish nor fowl, his contribution to today's game was also as good as Thiago's until he netted the easiest of tap-ins before he too was substituted. Working out what role he has in the team requires quite a lot of thinking but is ultimately a futile exercise. Liverpool surely cannot have bought him to function like an ashtray on a motorcycle, its purpose ornamental rather than useful.

Salah having lost the ability to dribble past defenders, has at least carved out a new role for himself with his talent for spotting the pass and making the assist. While he is expected to score goals his role in creating them is vital in a side that is not getting enough assists from the middle of the field.

My son sitting beside me on the settee managed to miss much of the game. He had been out on the beer last night and didn't get home to around four in the morning. He just about managed the first half which can only be regarded as self-inflicted harm. My roaring each time Liverpool scored in the second period temporarily jolted him out of his slumber.

The home side lost it because they were not hungry enough. Wolves went into the tunnel and sheep came out. This was a jaded lot, thoroughly unable to compete with a Liverpool side rejuvenated by the Klopp talk and the change in formation.

Despite securing all three points and for now sitting at the top of the table for the first time in sixteen months, the frailty of old still characterises this Liverpool side. It is one thing to take the attitude that success is just failure turned inside out against Wolves and step up the game. Title contenders like Manchester City and Arsenal are going to prove much more formidable and less likely to yield.

Liverpool can score but they seem not yet able to defend with the necessary acumen that being a title challenger demands. And they will be punished for it by teams hungrier than Wolves.

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