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 …
Why Liverpool Should Court Courtois in a Chelsea Fire-Sale
Chelsea fans have had quite a storm blowing their way over the last few months, haven't they?
A manager in disarray over his future after coming nowhere near to defending his league title and an owner refused a visa to the country that his club operates in.
An FA Cup win managed to push the storm back a bit, but Thursday's announcement that they're postponing their stadium development due to an 'unfavourable investment climate' seems to have thrown the Blues …
Player Ratings as Liverpool are beaten at the Bridge
Depressing that, wasn't it? I know we've got a certain other competition on our minds but the last few league performances have been dreary at best.
Chelsea win 1-0 and we've got another Middlesbrough (H) job on our hands next weekend against Brighton. We should get it done but it'd be lovely if we didn't need to.
Ratings, sorry if I'm harsh.
Is Clyne worth the hassle?
Loris Karius (6): Couldn't do anything for the goal, was fine apart from that. …
Sustainable Progression Clear to See as Liverpool March on in Europe
After the resounding, comprehensive display that was Liverpool's scorching 5-1 aggregate win over Manchester City, it seems unfair to spend my time talking about 'sustainability' and 'mature growth', but I'm going to anyway.
You'll hear and read many impressive things in the coming days, weeks, months and perhaps even years about the tie, but what it showed me was that Liverpool's natural progression under Jurgen Klopp is under no signs of slowing down.
The Reds have seen too often in …