Result In Milan Reflects A Method That Finally Felt Justified
Liverpool left the San Siro with a result that exceeded expectations and calmed a storm that had raged for weeks. On Anfield Index’s Media Matters, Dave Davis and David Lynch pulled apart the ninety minutes, the decisions, the pressure on Arne Slot and the wider implications for a season that has lurched from confusion to clarity and back again. For once, Liverpool’s blueprint made sense, and as Lynch put it, it was “a really pleasant surprise”.
Champions League Method Pays Off
Few expected Liverpool to return from Inter with anything positive. Lynch did not hide it, saying, “I didn’t expect anything other than a defeat for Liverpool when you consider Inter’s home record.” Yet what followed was a performance that, while narrow, felt justified in its restraint. Lynch argued, “It wasn’t like blistering performance where they blew them away, but you could argue they were the better side marginally.”
Davis framed the match as “one of those ones that we probably pinched on points almost,” and for once, the plan delivered what it required. Lynch agreed, noting, “If you’re going to play like that, you kind of need the outcome.” The result validated a method that had shown promise without points in recent domestic fixtures.
The Champions League table shift also added weight. Lynch said, “After the PSV game, the idea that they would get into the top eight just seemed fanciful… but this is a really important win for them.”
Officiating Chaos And Justified Frustrations
The pair revisited the officiating controversies, with Lynch blunt in assessing Lautaro Martínez’s challenge on Andy Robertson: “It’s not a great one, but probably not a red for me.”
On the disallowed goal, his criticism centred on the time taken. “If I knew that in that moment, why do I have to wait another four minutes,” he said. “Just rule it out and save us some time.”
When Liverpool finally received a penalty, Lynch admitted, “It’s a very, very soft one,” adding that “it wouldn’t get given in the Premier League.” Yet as Davis pointed out, Florian Wirtz “doesn’t get it” unless he goes down, and Lynch agreed the defender “makes himself vulnerable by doing it”.
