Observations as Firmino fires Liverpool to opening European win
And breathe. Liverpool are up and running in Europe once again by virtue of Roberto Firmino's last-gasp winner against PSG at Anfield.
Three points that looked as if they'd been lost wrestled back by one moment of genius from the Brazilian - who needs more than one eye?
Speaking of eyes, here's what I saw with mine.
An expected score in an unexpected manner
That was a weird one. If you'd told me ahead of the game that Liverpool were …
Scouting Adrien Rabiot: PSG's Smooth Operator
Liverpool are currently four from four in the Premier League and preparing for the commencement of their Champions League campaign; arming themselves to toil in a group that includes Red Star Belgrade, Napoli and the French Champions Paris St. Germain.
But one of the French giants' star midfielders could well be on his way to Anfield – and that’s not referring to PSG’s trip to the Champions League finalists next Tuesday.
According to reputable French journalist Julien Laurens, writing for …
How a Second Striker Can Help Liverpool Break Down Low Blocks
With Liverpool having one of the most feared attacks in Europe for the past season, we are seeing more and more teams sit back and defend deep against us. Although the past season has seen us improve in the way we play against these type of sides there are still too many occasions when the team's patterns of play and types of attack become way too predictable. Games at home to Burnley and Manchester United and away to Newcastle and …
A Back Four Ready to Compete? - Liverpool FC Squad Analysis
Liverpool kicked off the season with a delightful 4-0 win on Sunday, conceding only two shots on target and rarely looking in trouble.
The back four was among the youngest seen in recent memory during a Premier League game and played together like a group of players ready to kick on this year. Virgil van Dijk anchored a defence with an average age under 23 years old, continuing to prove himself the most gifted leader the defence has seen since …
Liverpool Back With A Bang - Key Stats from LFC 4-0 West Ham
Liverpool’s 2018-19 Premier League got off to a flying start as the Reds dismantled an average West Ham side, rolling out 4-0 winners. But what were the key stats from an absolutely emphatic game at Anfield?
Déjà vu For Hammered Hammers
West Ham fans might feel as though they’ve seen this game before. Liverpool have now scored four goals in each of their last four games against West Ham, winning both of their games against this opposition 4-1 last season, …
Finding Faux-kir | The Search for Fekir Alternatives
It was either him or us. Someone was going to get hurt here. Fekir or us Liverpool fans. Either his knee would collapse, or the deal to sign him would. He had already been interviewed for the site, done the photo shoot, sold his house in France, told his ex-colleagues what he really thought of them and cancelled his milk order. Then Liverpool pulled the plug. At least that is how I believe it played out based on some reactions …
Pre-Season - What we've learned about Liverpool so far
With Liverpool's early group of pre-season matches drawing to a close, now is a good time to assess what we've seen from Jurgen Klopp's men so far. Although it's still early days, the first couple of weeks can go a long way to setting the tone for the forthcoming season.
Uncertainty Remains Regarding the Number One Spot
In spite of the inevitable speculation linking the Reds to several goalkeepers, Loris Karius will have been hoping to make a smooth start …
Liverpool's 2018/2019 Premier League Schedule - Analysis
The fixture list is out:
https://twitter.com/AnfieldIndex/status/1007310540669181952
You have probably already read reaction pieces and circled dates on the calendar. Even with the disappointing turn of events around Nabil Fekir failed (for now) transfer to Anfield the new season brings a lot of hope - a revamped midfield, a defence was very solid for over half a season and the magical attacking trio. But how about a more numbers-based approach on schedule. Last season, as part of my line up analysis …
How Klopp Could Unleash the Big Guns in the 4-2-2-2
A manager requires perpetual change if he’s to succeed in the savage land that is the Premier League.
That’s the narrative that gets swung about on the regular, amidst pundits and fans alike. In Pep Guardiola’s first season, his tactical ministrations were seen as too imposing, not giving English Football’s top tier its due. Jose Mourinho has been accused of remaining “stuck in his ways” on multiple occasions; accusations which surprisingly were most stark in the Champions League against Sevilla. …
Loris Karius: Inside the Mind of a Goalkeeper
Recently, I found myself reviewing my notes for my FA level 1 coaching course, and came across the FA's "Four Corner Model" of long-term player development. In the four corners are "Technical/Tactical", "Physical", "Social" and, lastly, "Psychological". Very often, we focus on the technical/tactical and physical aspects of the game when we look at or analyse teams and players at the expense of those other two aspects, indeed, there's far more glamour and associability with the technical and physical sides …