Liverpool 1-1 Napoli: A Tactical Breakdown
Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli are a formidable force. Last season, they were an Alisson save away from knocking Liverpool out of the Champions League in the group stages. They were also one of the few teams to utterly outplay Liverpool over the course of last season, as they won 1-0 at the San Paolo stadium, a result that was rather kind to Liverpool.
Both Liverpool and Napoli entered this game not quite at their best level, with Napoli enduring issues off …
What now for Joe Gomez?
It seems very strange to say now, but it’s been nearly a year since Joe Gomez was Liverpool’s first choice centre-back.
The 22-year-old had well and truly established himself as Virgil Van Dijk’s partner by this time last season, and he started 12 of Liverpool’s first 15 Premier League games last season, as well as four of the Reds’ five Champions League group stage matches.
He was still being used rotationally as a right-back to rest Trent Alexander-Arnold, but there …
Have Liverpool Already Found Klopp's Successor?
“Our identity is intensity.”
They were more than words – a tagline, or perhaps an often-repeatable motto, that anyone would think came from Jürgen Klopp himself.
But no, they came from his second in command, the man seemingly placed in charge of the Reds’ Capital One Cup campaign: Pepijn Lijnders.
“All these boys from the city have so much passion and ambition as well. Take the Tottenham game, everybody says we had the most shots on target, we were constantly …
Four Years of Jurgen Klopp - Part 5: Klopp 4-0 Impossible
This month marks four years since Jürgen Klopp took charge at Anfield and began the process of transforming the Reds into one of the most dominant teams in world football.
You can read the previous entries in the series below:
Part 1: Liverpool 2-2 West Bromwich Albion
Part 2: Manchester City 1-4 Liverpool
Part 3: Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund
Part 4: Spurs 4-1 Liverpool
Now for the final entry...
Liverpool 4-0 FC Barcelona - 7 May 2019
Liverpool XI: Alisson, …
Four Years of Jürgen Klopp - Part 4: The Black Comedy
This month marks four years since Jürgen Klopp took charge at Anfield and began the process of transforming the Reds from Premier League also-rans into one of the dominant teams in world football. I’ve been reminiscing about some of the crucial games and moments that have stood out over that period.
You can read the previous entries in the series here:
Part 1: Liverpool 2-2 West Bromwich Albion
Part 2: Manchester City 1-4 Liverpool
Part 3: Liverpool 4-3 Borussia Dortmund
…
Four wonderful years of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool
People often say that you remember exactly where you were when huge moments in history occurred.
I'll never forget hearing about the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on the bus home from school, for example, or seeing a kids TV show interrupted in order to inform me of the death of Princess Diana.
I must immediately stress that I don't put the arrival of a Liverpool manager on a par with those events mentioned above, in terms of …
How Trent Alexander-Arnold Has Become Klopp's de Bruyne
No, for the love of God, Trent Alexander-Arnold is not as good as Kevin de Bruyne. Just examine the radar below, courtesy of understat.com, for evidence of that. Kevin de Bruyne, under Pep Guardiola, is a phenomenon, involved in everything Manchester City do on a football pitch. Without him, as evidenced by the performance against Wolves, they lose their incisors, they lack the ferocity, and they are without one of the best footballers on the planet right now.
Good, now …
Player Ratings as Liverpool Topple Leicester City
The Reds keep marching on after a dramatic 95th-minute penalty from James Milner sealed all 3 points. Liverpool should have had the game wrapped up much earlier but wasted a number of opportunities, allowing Leicester the chance to level late on. However, it was a thoroughly deserved win which will undoubtedly boil the piss of the rest of the Premier League, so that’s nice, isn’t it?
Adrian – 5
Was decent up until the goal, but you can’t be letting those …
Salzburg rollercoaster provides timely reality check for Liverpool
I must admit, I feel a bit daft.
It was only recently that I wrote something, somewhere about how Liverpool's players are the epitome of the mentality monsters that Jürgen Klopp christened them as only last season.
While that's still not so far from the truth, the Reds certainly have reason to believe that they are still susceptible to moments of incapability and mental weakness.
The second group stage fixture of the Champions League will always be remembered as a …
Liverpool Survive Scare in Anfield Goal Bonanza
A Mohamed Salah brace and goals from Sadio Mané and Andrew Robertson saw Liverpool clinch a 4-3 win over Red Bull Salzburg in an Anfield goal bonanza.
The defending champions raced into a three goal lead, thanks to goals from Mane, Robertson and Salah. But the Jesse Marsch coached Austrian side managed to claw the game back to 3-3 through goals from Hwang Hee Chan, Takumi Minamino and substitute Erling Haland.
Salah broke the visitors hearts late on, however, with …