Klopp: the man to take “Jekyll and Hyde” Liverpool to the top

Liverpool were supreme against Arsenal on the opening weekend of the 2016/17 Premier League season but Jurgen Klopp knows that there is still plenty of work to be done before the Reds can be regarded as genuine title contenders. After all, it would be foolish to get carried away after just one competitive fixture...

Assessing Liverpool’s Attacking Options

Liverpool go into the 2016/17 season with the best attack that they have had in a number of years, with a number of genuine high quality options across all positions. Although there is much more to any attacking player than two stats, ultimately they are judged on two things: goals and assists. Therefore to gage...

Liverpool FC – Taking the Positives

Support is needed now more than ever This past weekend showed the best and the worst from our players on the pitch.  It also showed the positives and negatives of our own fan-behaviour off it.   At this stage I’m tired of hearing about Alberto Moreno’s shortcomings.  I was guilty of voicing these concerns myself on...

A Tactical Look at Moreno’s Performance Against Arsenal

After the humbling of Barcelona last weekend many Liverpool fans thought the Reds would fly out of the traps against a weakened Arsenal side. What fans witnessed in those opening 45 minutes was the complete opposite. A dozy opening 45 minutes saw Arsenal mount attack after attack and look destined to take a 1-0...

How Sadio Mane takes Liverpool’s attack to the top level

Liverpool have a habit of scoring some pretty damn good goals on the opening day of the season, but not many will surpass Sadio Mane’s effort against Arsenal. In a hybrid midfield role, Adam Lallana won the ball inside the Liverpool half near the right flank, and without looking up, instinctively chipped a pass in behind Nacho...

Two Liverpools

How was it for you? I won’t lie to you. I’m still in shock. I’m not sure what happened at the Emirates yesterday, but when things calm down and the bruises on my toes fade (Alberto Moreno/skirting board incident) I’ll hopefully be able to wrap some reason and sense around Arsenal 3 Liverpool 4. Personally, the...

A Case for Marković

Since his arrival from Benfica two summers ago for a healthy £20 million, the word which best describes Serbian wide man Lazar Marković has almost universally been "frustrating." In his debut season he struggled to break into the first team, despite inconsistent performances from fellow new-boy Adam Lallana. While Lallana struggled to get into promising positions...

Arsenal 3 Liverpool 4 – Pressing Stats Analysis

Liverpool opened up the new season with an impressive victory at the Emirates Stadium beating Arsenal 4-3. Liverpool went behind after half an hour but provided more evidence that Jurgen Klopp is turning around this Liverpool side as they fought back to lead 4-1. Arsenal mounted a mini-comeback but it wasn't to be as...

Leandro Paredes – The Midfielder Liverpool Lack?

Jurgen Klopp has refused to rule out any incomings between now and the end of the transfer window. There's still hope within the fan base that the Reds will bring in a left-back to displace/challenge Alberto Moreno as well as a controlling/tempo setting midfielder to turn a 7/10 window into a potential 9/10 window....

Don’t Bet on a Premier League Dark Horse. This Season Bet Red!

Liverpool failed to take advantage of the Premier League Giants last year and had a poor season start themselves. It was a perfect storm that resulted in Leicester winning the trophy, but Klopp managed to turn the ship around. The German didn’t have enough time to undo all the harm done before he arrived,...

Observations from the Thriller at The Emirates as Liverpool win!

The Premier League is back with a bang and in typical Liverpool fashion the Reds made their fans sweat on a result when it could've been much more comfortable. You could look at the negatives if you're that way inclined but, for me at least, it was a performance filled with positives and they're...

Player Ratings from a brilliant opening day win for Liverpool

What a start! What a start! An absolutely rousing display from the Reds at the Emirates Stadium left Arsenal shell-shocked and saw Jürgen Klopp's men complete a brilliant comeback after falling behind to a Theo Walcott goal and generally being shoddy in all aspects in the first half. Here is how I thought each of...

Liverpool 2016/17 – Season Preview and Predictions

Going from “we’re going to win the league” after beating Barcelona 4-0, to the outlook being doom and gloom within just 24 hours after losing to Mainz by the same scoreline is precisely why I try not to read too much into pre-season friendlies. They are essentially just for fitness, integrating new players and...

Sadio Manè – Catch Me, If You Can

One ingredient missing from Liverpool's attack in recent years is raw unadulterated pace. With the £30 million signing of Sadio Manè, from Southampton, he brings this essential, game changing ability to this side. It was clear Jürgen Klopp was looking for an attacker who provided pace, with Ousmane Dembele and Leroy Sane strongly scouted,...

Arsenal vs Liverpool Preview: London Calling As The Reds Kick-off 16/17

Liverpool travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal on Sunday, as their 2016/17 Premier League season finally gets underway, 88 days after last season ended with the Europa League final defeat to Sevilla. Pre-season form Much has changed since then, not least in terms of transfers, with Jürgen Klopp seeing a huge overhaul in terms...

The Dismantling of Barcelona shows Liverpool should be Feared

I know I said not to read into pre-season results much but I’m a liar. Words did no justice to the performance Liverpool put in on Saturday against Barcelona and I resorted to just making the odd animalistic noise to show my approval. I’m not ashamed by it. Shame implies I was embarrassed by...

Are Liverpool Dark Horses for the Title?

It's a new dawn in the Premier League. Not just in terms of more money than ever being pumped into the league effectively evening the playing field somewhat, but more importantly, never before have people been able to find a collection of the most influential managers in world football today within the same league at...

Key Battles to Watch Out For Against Arsenal

The drama of pre-season is done. It's now time for serious business. And what better (!?) way to start than a trip to the Emirates to play Arsenal. Over the weekend, the highs and the euphoria of the 4-0 thrashing of Barcelona were negated by the loss by the same scoreline to Mainz. That is...

Anfield Index Fantasy Football Draft – Review

It’s that time of year again, the season’s curtain raiser has been played and the Premier League is less than a week away! It’s also the time where fantasy football leagues all over the globe begin to take shape, whether it’s for office bragging rights, money from your mates or an online community league,...

Liverpool’s Recent History With The Opening Weekend

This weekend, Liverpool get back into the swing of competitive action with their ‘opening day’ fixture against Arsenal. Of course, it’s not the opening day, as the Reds meet the Gunners on Sunday afternoon, making it more of an ‘opening weekend’ game. Still, the excitement and buzz will be there to see as Premier...

Tactical Analysis – Is Kev Stewart Playing His Way Into the First Team Squad?

It was a Jekyll and Hyde weekend for Liverpool fans as the Reds rounded off their pre-season in bizarre fashion. An emphatic 4-0 victory at Wembley against Barcelona was followed up with a 4-0 loss against Mainz in Germany. Defeat against Klopp's old club pissed on our bonfire. Yes it's only pre-season and results...

Alberto Moreno: Under a Microscope of Scrutiny

The Spaniard has been under severe criticism since he’s joined the football club, and the honeymoon period between Moreno and fans have long been over. The times where his recovery tackles and ability to burst forward was an asset that left fans raving about have long gone, and no longer will you hear positivity...

Jurgen Klopp – Master of Psychology

"Lying is a common communication strategy" (Zuckerman) All managers are liars. They have to be if they want to be a successful manager in the modern game. These days they're expected to keep the fans on side, win the game of chess against the media and keep their players happy.  It's a juggling act that some...

New Bundesliga signings could make the difference at Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp looked close to home when adding to his Liverpool squad this summer and three new arrivals that have joined from the German league could make a big difference this season. Ragnar Klavan, Joel Matip and Loris Karius all joined the Reds after spells in the Bundesliga and Klopp’s German influence could be...

Liverpool FC Squad Analysis: The Depth Chart

During his first summer transfer window Jurgen Klopp is slowly shaping the Liverpool squad to fit his tactics, his style of play and the personalities he wants in the dressing room. We’ve seen stalwarts such as Skrtel moved on and Mignolet marginalised, with more departures expected in the coming weeks and maybe one or two...

Liverpool’s Attack: Two’s A Party Three’s A Crowd?

As the season draws closer, there is a certain situation not many are talking about... With the signing of Mane and early captures of Grujic and Matip, Klopp has most of his team settled down with places earmarked for all personnel. But the one position where Liverpool truly have a conundrum is the spot for the solitary...

Why I would pay the £20m for Jonas Hector

Jonas Hector is one of the latest players to be linked to Liverpool, with 1.FC Köln reportedly wanting £20m for the left-back. The sale of Brad Smith leaves Jürgen Klopp with no other specialist in the squad for that position to rival Alberto Moreno, whose injury has prompted the links with Hector to resurface....

Lucas Leiva and the Anfield Cull

We all knew when Klopp arrived at Liverpool Football Club, we had unanimous agreement that a massive clearout of players was in order. There was the likes of Jose Enrique and Martin Skrtel that needed to be moved on from the club. Today, even without any European competition this season, the manager has found...

Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona – Now We Can Get Excited!

Liverpool trounced Barcelona, yes... the actual Barcelona, by four goals to nil at Wembley on Saturday evening, and it puzzles me as to why we're not all feeling giddy. Yes, it's just pre-season, but come on? Four goals against Barcelona. Four goals past a defence protected by the best defensive midfielder in the world. No...

The Suarez Legacy

It seems both an age but also a short fleeting period since Suarez last donned the red of Liverpool. Yet almost three seasons after his departure, Liverpool look no better in their league position despite the reinvestment of the £63m they received for him. With Liverpool facing off against Suarez, and his fellow Barcelona...