Van Dijk Doesn’t Need an Armband to be a Leader

A couple of years ago, I wrote an article here on Anfield Index about Jordan Henderson (which you can read if you click here). Essentially, I made a case for Henderson returning from what has turned to be the first in a growing list of injuries for the midfielder. At the time, I felt...

Burnley v Liverpool Preview – Turf Moor Test for the Reds

The Details Venue - Turf Moor, Burnley Referee - Roger East Date & Time - Monday, January 1st @ 15:00 GMT Current Odds - Burnley 7/1, Draw 3/1, Liverpool 9/20 Form Burnley Form Burnley's form, of late, has been a little bit meh when compared to the start they made. However, that doesn't take away from the job Sean Dyche has done with Burnley. This...

Observations as Liverpool Come Back From Behind Against Foxes

Liverpool came back from behind to win 2-1 with Leicester on Saturday after a blunder from Joel Matip saw Jamie Vardy put the visitors in front after just three minutes. Klopp's side responded well though, moving the ball around nicely and creating several chances for the in-form Mo Salah. It seemed to be an off-day...

Key Stats from Liverpool 2-1 Leicester

Liverpool ground out a terrific 2-1 win over Leicester, with Mo Salah once again the goalscoring difference. But what were the key stats from Liverpool’s big win? Salah’s Goalscoring Insanity https://twitter.com/BassTunedToRed/status/947151177011130369 Mo Salah is an incredible forward, scoring insane amounts of goals. With 17 league goals in 1597 minutes in the Premier League, Salah is scoring a...

Salah Fueled Liverpool Edge Out Foxes

Liverpool continued their recent run of good form with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Leicester. Mo Salah was once again the hero with two goals, but it was testament to Liverpool’s improvement that they were able to grind out a win, in a game that looked set to go like so many others have...

Player ratings as Liverpool hold off the Foxes

YESSSSSSSS! A 2-1 victory against Leicester City on December 30th isn't one that's going to go down in the record books, but at this moment in time, it feels like a big one. The Reds went behind to Jamie Vardy's goal but came back strongly in the second-half. That man Mohamed Salah provided a beautiful...

Five New Year’s Resolutions for Jurgen Klopp

The New Year. A time for reflection, but also time to look forward. Forward for the Reds, forward for Jurgen Klopp. I doubt the beautiful German will have 'go to the gym more' or 'catch up on the soaps' on his resolutions list, but here are a few Liverpool related issues he might want to...

FSG and VVD: A Signal of Intent

As signals of intent go, it doesn’t get much bigger than Liverpool’s signing of Virgil Van Dijk from Southampton. On multiple levels, the transfer for the Dutch international defender states firmly and unequivocally that Liverpool are no longer messing around in the transfer market. They’re ready to compete. Firstly, there’s the fee itself, a reported...

Liverpool’s Future Pinned To Twin Fullbacks

The Premier League’s top six clubs dream about having English talents good enough to bring all the way through from their academy systems and into the first team.  Liverpool are fortunate to have one of these rising stars in 19-year-old Trent Alexander-Arnold.  Blessed with speed, intelligence, a powerful shot and outstanding passing range, Alexander-Arnold...

Liverpool 2017-18 – A Half Term Report

As 2017 comes to its creaking and inevitable end, perhaps it’s time to take stock and look at the state of our Red nation - to make a brief assessment of where we are; to ‘take our temperature’ as Leo McGarry says in the West Wing. The last month has provided a perfect cross section...

Liverpool v Leicester Preview – Key Battles

Alright, it's time for the euphoria to die down. Liverpool have got Virgil van Dijk, but now, it is time to focus on more important business - racking up the Premier League points and keep ourselves firmly in the race for the Premier League top four. Leicester City are the next visitors to Anfield, as...

Van Dijk Makes LFC Unlikely Action Hero

Why do we watch Liam Neeson action movies? On the surface, it doesn't make much sense. He's not exactly Jason Statham or Dwayne Johnson, but after wrestling a few wolves and using his particular set of skills he's somehow an action movie guy. Liverpool supporters have been telling anyone who would listen that The Reds...

Liverpool v Leicester City Preview – The First of Two Tough Games in a Row for Klopp’s Men

The Details Venue - Anfield, Liverpool Referee - Neil Swarbrick Date & Time - Saturday, December 30th @ 15:00 GMT Current Odds - Liverpool 2/7, Draw 9/2, Leicester 17/2 Form Liverpool Form Liverpool got back to winning ways against Swansea on Boxing Day. A comfortable first-half performance was improved upon after the break when the Reds extended their one-goal lead to run out 5-0 victors...

Liverpool’s Goalkeepers – A Statistical Analysis

You probably won't believe me but I had the idea for this article way before the Arsenal game. I had even started gathering the stats from the different sites before the game started. The article was due last Thursday but I decided to postpone it for this week so I get a sample size...

A Tactical Breakdown of Liverpool FC’s midfield, versus Swansea

45 minutes into the match, and apart from Coutinho's rip-roaring wonder strike (another one), and a squandered chance for Firmino, it seemed a drab affair for Liverpool, against current relegation favourites: Swansea City. As I sat watching the game, I thought the only logical conclusion to draw was that Liverpool can't blow every team...

Liverpool seal £75m Virgil Van Dijk deal

Virgil Van Dijk will become a Liverpool player when the January transfer window opens, the Reds confirmed today. A deal has been agreed with Southampton to sign the player for a fee that the Saints claim to be a world record for a defender, Liverpool paying in the region of 75 million pounds to put...

What We’ve Learnt About Klopp’s LFC | Part 2: Midfield dynamics and game impact

Following on from part 1 of this series, which can be read here. After more disappointing dropped points at the Emirates, that piece is worth a read. In this piece, I will take a brief look at the midfield and Klopp's use of his players in his various systems. Klopp is the best manager we've...

Key Stats from Liverpool 5-0 Swansea

Liverpool thrashed Swansea 5-0 to move back into the top four and close the gap on 2nd place Man United to five points. But what were the key stats from another emphatic win at Anfield? Phil Coutinho etc. Honestly, it’s boring when your best player is the same person week in, week out. But here...

Observations as Liverpool saunter past Swansea

Liverpool were coming of a sequence of mixed results and were looking to set the record straight, and that is precisely what they did as they put five past Swansea. The key takeaways from the game are as follows... Liverpool needed this win Liverpool were coming off of two home draws and then the usual bit...

Liverpool Surge To 5-0 Victory Against The Swans

Location: Anfield Liverpool: Mignolet; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Klavan, Robertson; Can, Wijnaldum, Chamberlain, Coutinho, Salah, Firmino Swansea: Fabianski, Naughton, Fernandez, Mawson, Olsson, Routledge, Fer, Mesa, Carroll, Ayew, McBurnie. Match Report James Milner's post-match comments rang true for Liverpool in the aftermath of their 3-3 draw with Arsenal last Friday, with the midfielder claiming that the side needed to 'be more...

Player Ratings from Liverpool 5-0 Swansea

Liverpool cruised to an excellent 5-0 win over a hapless Swansea side, which means that there will be high scores aplenty as two goals from Firmino and one each from Coutinho, Ox and Trent moved the Reds back into the top four. Simon Mignolet – 6/10: A virtual spectator for 90 minutes, making a decent...

Why Coutinho is the Best Player in the Premier League

Yep, you read that title right. I’m going to argue Phil Coutinho is the best player in the Premier League this season. I have numbers, I have intuition and I have absolutely no fear of the backlash. First of all, I appreciate there will be two instant reactions to this. The first is: he’s not...

Individual Errors Becoming A Theme In Liverpool’s Season

Liverpool's entertaining 3-3 draw away at Arsenal on Friday evening was definitely one for the neutral - but not if you're a Reds supporter and have any regard whatsoever for the health of your heart. A topsy-turvy game saw the visitors race into a two-goal lead which seemed unassailable at the time, with the Reds...

Tactical Analysis: Breaking Down Arsenal 3-3 Liverpool

It took some doing for Liverpool to best their most ridiculous performance of the season, but somehow they managed to do it. Unlike the Sevilla fixture though, Liverpool only surrendered control for a brief handful of minutes: but that was more than enough for Arsenal to sweep in and turn the game on its...

Liverpool’s ‘Rotating’ Problem

A lot of clubs have a rotation problem, balancing the heavy requirements of the winter schedule can be daunting, but Liverpool... they're different. For once Liverpool have a deep enough squad that rotation is not an issue at all, but the Reds do have a rotating problem. The focus of supporter ire changes from...

Liverpool v Swansea City Preview – Key Battles

After a bizarre night at the Emirates when Liverpool oscillated between the exhilarating and the exasperating, it is back to Anfield on Boxing Day, as the Reds welcome bottom-placed Swansea City in a game they should be hoping to take three points from. Liverpool's familiar problems with the goalkeeper and the defence resurfaced in five...

Should Sadio Mane Be Dropped?

Alright, so two caveats before we even get into this debate. The first is that rotation means Mane will get less game time than he might have otherwise in the next few weeks anyway. So this isn’t so much a: ‘should Mane play in X or Y game specifically’, but more of a ‘should...

Liverpool v Swansea Preview – Swansea to bear brunt of Emirates’ frustrations

The Details Venue - Anfield, Liverpool Referee - Kevin Friend Date & Time - Tuesday, December 26th @ 17:30 GMT Current Odds - Liverpool 1/7, Draw 13/2, Swansea 16/1 Form Liverpool Form Liverpool have had a bit of a stop-start month this December. Impressive wins at home to Spartak and away to Bournemouth have been overshadowed by two poor home draws against West Brom and...

Liverpool’s New-Found Squad Depth Paying Dividends

Since Liverpool stopped ruling English football in 1990, there are many reasons why a return to the summit of the game has continued to evade them. There have been dreadful signings, bemusing managerial appointments, unprofessional squads and rivals spending vast chunks of money, among many others factors. One of the Reds' greatest Achilles heels has been...

Is this Liverpool side evolving without Henderson?

Liverpool fans love a moan whether it be over the lack of a true centre-forward in the side, a midfield lacking in goals and defensive solidity, a back-four that’s an accident waiting to happen or Klopp’s rotation policy amid a rigorous fixture schedule. However, the strongest degree of scrutiny from supporters seems to stem from...