11 games in. 27 points out of a possible 33.
Enough points amassed after 11 games to put you top of the league at this stage in the previous 98 seasons of top-flight English football.
8 wins & 3 draws from our opening 11? Yeah, I’d have bitten your hand off. Away to Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea & home to City in the first 11? Yeah, you’re taking it.
Were we spectacular yesterday? Possibly not. Did we have a hat full of good chances & could we have won on a different day, without a dodgy offside call? Definitely.
Is there cause for optimism? 100%
Alisson
Not really into the idea that he’s at fault for the goal. Chris said a split second before Lacazette scores that Alisson did well to force him out. It’s a top finish
Trent
Defended well. Kept the ball OK. Didn’t cause Kolasinac too much bother further up the pitch. A couple of uncharacteristic poor touches, but he’s certainly no longer the target of opposition attacks as he had been at times last season. Aubameyang didn’t get too much out of him. Salah seems to profit from Trent’s distribution & nearly got in a few times from it
Gomez
He’s quality, Big Joe. He’ll be gutted about the goal, but he had a good game acting as a front foot centreback. Arsenal were fizzing the ball into Lacazette repeatedly & Gomez’s positional play was excellent for most of the game
Van Dijk
Could have had a hat trick. The control for the one where he takes it down was Firmino-esque. He looks like he’ll score every time we land a corner in his area. What a player. As above, he’ll be devastated to concede. Odd to pick a CB at MOTM in a 1-1 draw with a late equaliser but I’m giving it to Big Virg
Robertson
Much better today from Robertson. Mkhitaryan got nothing out of him, nor did Bellerin really. Lost the ball once in trying to pick out Fabinho but predictably covered his space and blocked the cross from the ensuing counter. Bollocked Fabinho for it. Looked bloody terrifying in doing so
Gini
Not his best game of the season. Our midfield was bypassed by both our approach play and theirs, so it’s not necessarily a criticism
Fabinho
It’s not a popular opinion amongst Liverpool fans to be critical of a new player, still learning our system. However, he was so sloppy at times. I rate his rather unique defensive style, winning tackles with his outstretched legs, but when he got booked it altered his approach. He was getting lost at times. Klopp bollocked him for wasting a lofted ball over the top. It’ll come, hopefully from the off on Tuesday against Red Star
Milner
One of the greatest free signings in Premier League history. Took his goal well. Was busy, but as above, we were asking for industry more than creativity with our approach play. Fernandinho would have called it ‘long ball’, we’re calling it direct vertical passing
Salah
Looked lively. Caused them all sorts of problems. Doesn’t seem as quick to back himself & take on the more speculative/audacious, but played sensibly. Unfortunate with the move at 92mins to have his ball to Mané cut out
Mané
Goal wrongly disallowed. Thought he played well and poorly in equal measure. Lost a lot of the ball but was direct with his running & showed up for the ball a lot
Firmino
Hits the post & is so unlucky in doing so. Wonderful run in the first instance. Played very deep for the rest of the game. Tried to cut Torreira’s spaces & did a decent job of it when you consider how little supply Özil ended up getting
Subs:
Shaqiri
Always fancy him to cause problems when he’s on the pitch. Don’t think he necessarily did so, but there was one break & lots of putting himself about. As we seem to say every week, we’re loving having him here
Matip
Settled for the point. Why not Sturridge?
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