Paupers At The Palace

Anthony McIntyre ⚽ It couldn't last, and it didn't.

The Liverpool habit of stumbling their way to late victories was going to run out of steam at some point. Today was that point. Having won every game played this season, none of them convincingly, the discerning fan went into every encounter thinking this could be the one where it all falls apart.

At the Gaza vigil in town this afternoon I said to my friend Dave that what is probably needed as a wake up call is a drubbing of the type handed out by Aston Villa a few seasons ago. Bobby Sands' favourite team put seven past them on that occasion. Today was nowhere near that bad, But, only for Becker in nets, it could have been. How Crystal Palace were not five in front by half time is not a mystery. No miracles on display, the brilliant agility of the big Brazilian explains it perfectly.

I have watched Liverpool on seven occasions this season, five times in the EPL, once in the Carabao Cup and once in the Champions League. In none of them have they played well. Up until today they went undefeated, but the underwhelming quality of their performances always suggested that at some point the dark clouds would burst and the false dawn exposed for what it was, seeing the Slot side swept away in the resulting deluge which even the greatest Dutch builder could not construct a dam to keep out.

Liverpool have spent a skip full of money bringing new players into the squad. Other than Ekitike none of them have performed to the standard many had hoped for or what they are supposedly capable of. Federico Chiesa said in a recent interview that a player is brought to Liverpool only if it is felt they can make a difference. To his credit he does make a difference despite availing of much fewer on field minutes than his much more expensive colleagues. If Wirts was called Worst, no one would notice the difference. A damp squib, there has been no bang for bucks. Izek remains a work in progress, the flashes shown not yet a distress call. Either side of defence Kerkez and Frimpong show promise but it will take a few more games before they truly find themselves or are found out. Frimpong is certainly better in the right back position than the man he replaced, Trent Alexander Arnold. But then anybody is. The Dutch full back, however, does not yet possess the midfield maestro skills that was was part of the TTA package.

As for the established players, Salah has simply not come out of the training ground at Melwood. His contribution to the games have been minimal, his passing diabolical. How Konate thinks he can hold out for a better contract using the interest of Real Madrid as negotiating leverage needs some explaining. On current form he would be lucky if Drogheda United were to take him.

For all the wealth that makes up the Liverpool team they turned up as paupers at the Palace this afternoon. Lacklustre, dull, pedestrian, flat, mediocre, there is no shortage of adjectives to describe their display. Going in after ten minutes time added on due to a medical emergency in the stands, fortunate to be only a goal behind, they came out in the second half with a sense of purpose although not direction, being wholly unable to find their way to the goal until Chiesa came on as a substitute. He was the real sun in galaxy of dim stars, lighting up everything around him. Liverpool snatched him for a few million last season yet he totally outshines the big money signings. It was his goal that pulled the sides level, giving rise to a sense that a late victory was once again on. In the end they fell to what my friend Andrew called a taste of their own medicine. A last minute strike was poetic justice for a team that had rode their luck with late steals of games they did not deserve to win. The gander was made to sup its own sauce and our celebrations at the Chiesa goal were short lived.

Liverpool's bluff has been called. Undoubtedly, they have the cards to come out on top. The big question is do they shuffle or do they play?

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