Reds’ Brilliant Comeback
There’s something so sweet when you’re getting ready to type in anger and then you cannot even speak through joy five minutes later. There was so much wrong with this performance that it would be hard to know where to start on that front, but this team just does not have any quit. There was the brilliant, the bad and the outright ridiculous as Fulham gave Liverpool a hell of a scare in an utterly thrilling afternoon at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp gave it three fist pumps to match the four worldies we saw and a roar to the Kop at full time as celebration was mixed with a sense of relief. We look at the lessons learned from an afternoon we’ll struggle to comprehend for some time…
Dramatic Shift from Anger to Joy
Talk about position, talk about formation and talk about what he cannot do all you want. But if that winner from Trent Alexander-Arnold cannot bring you unbridled joy then what will? The right back had already opened the scoring in this one with a sublime free kick that no-one has any interest described as Leno’s own goal. Liverpool’s vice captain has rescued a point last week against City and here he stepped up to give us all three with a stunning half volley late on. Pushed into midfield late on when Gomez was introduced and Szoboszlai was withdrawn, the debate will rage about if that is where he should be again. Right now, who cares. What a couple of strikes and what a player.
Trent’s Remarkable Impact
Considering all four goals came from the defence or midfield depending on how you want to look at it, this was a day to forget for the forward line. Darwin Nunez looked like the player from last season as composure was abandoned at key moments for raw power and this felt a small step backwards for him. Diaz offered little bar dribbling down blind alleys or giving it away truth be told and whilst Salah got an assist for Endo, he was also guilty of an awful miss with the goals gaping late on. They were bailed out by other areas but there’s no point firing four against LASK if you’re going to produce this showing the next game. They and especially Nunez, cannot keep being so wasteful.
Off-Day for the Attackers
No-one will ever be Alisson, that we know but that’s not a defence for huge and basic errors. Liverpool were comfy early on but as soon as the Fulham equaliser went in, the team and he looked especially nervous. He could possibly have done better on the opener, but his effort for Tete’s equaliser in the first half could be kindly described as pretty poor. Whilst he wasn’t responsible for the poor play in front of him, it was hard to escape the thinking that our number one would easily keep out one, if not both, of the goals. A back-line’s confidence is linked to their belief and the entire stadium felt the palpable tension. We need the holy goalie back sharpish.
Goalkeeping Issues Highlighted
It was an ambitious starting line-up from the manager that looked like he wanted to go for goals in this one. That’s what was needed in the end, but maybe a few decisions like starting Gakpo and Jones would be admitted privately with hindsight. The removal of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai seemed odd and proved counter-productive as the Reds lost even further control as the second half went on. However, at the same time, the introduction of Endo and moving Trent into midfield proved the difference at the end. There was a surprise Harvey Elliott didn’t get on as the Reds were chasing it, but a real day of ups and downs for Jurgen. Just like all of us, truth be told.
