That was an awful start to the year. We lost that game in an awful first half. Once we were behind by 2 goals it was always going to be a huge uphill battle. Better in the second half; but we were always at risk of the counters.
How do you actually unpack that shower of shit? Klopp got the tactics/line up wrong? Players let him down? Or is it that our midfielders are all made of stale wotsits? Whatever it is, someone needs to control the midfield.
Something needs to change…and with the transfer window being open, this is a month that Klopp will hate (due to the mass media nonsense) but it could be a chance for us to try and resolve things.
It’s glaringly obvious that we have problems in midfield and we buy a left winger. There’s a disturbing exodus of backroom staff and we are deluding ourselves chasing Bellingham while everything else falls apart.
Klopp has done all he can with the current crop of midfielders we have… he has rinsed everything out of them in the last three seasons… he needs serious backing.
On the plus side, Naby was excellent. I don’t care if he is leaving on a free. He needs to be starting games now, on the basis that he is an actual midfielder.
Actually, we looked pretty good until we had to start defending corners. That was the worst corner defending I have ever seen. The first drops to untouched to Konate’s leg and bounces into the goal. The second is a free header (I think). The third is taken on the chest by a Brentford player with no Liverpool defender within three meters of him. All those balls ended up in net (eventually). The fourth (and only of the second half) is another free header about five meters behind the far post and sent dangerously across goal.
Brentford had a game plan and executed it well. They defended with last ditch clearances at the start with Mee blocking the shot on target from Darwin. We were playing well at that point against a 5 man back line with another 4 in front.
But the old issues of a direct ball causing problems. The first goal was fortuitous, but Brentford with their plan of getting bodies in the box paid off.
The second goal was painful, as Brenford just had a goal ruleds out for offside. Harvey trying a suicidal dummy and instantly we’re two goals down.
At HT Klopp making the changes. Seems VVD could have an injury but Gary Neville shit stirring. Much better attitude at the start of the second half, and Ox, who was having his best game for some time, got the goal.
Darwin offside goal was a smart delicate finish. But we never pushed on after that. The third goal was preceded by two piss takes off time waste (they’ve been doing that all game, with 20 to 25 secs for each restart).
Konate allowed the ball to bounce, and that gave Mbeuno the chance to harry him. Would have liked just putting Salah and Darwin up top with more in midfield and having runners into the box.
I thought the Forest performance was the nadir, but that was pretty close. Again, utterly spineless. Midfield is a shambles, but our entire structure looks off.
The irony is that people will probably continue to take pops at Nunez, one of the only players remotely showing the desire needed.
this was not a foul , Robertson did the same and we got a corner , Konate is naïve you can read the ref after 5 min what is going to give and what’s not the ref was consistent at least. if you want to play high line you need to press, press with intensity and power not run about like headless chicken always late by two yards minimum. klopp is not blind and he must know this but he insists on playing Elliot mate thiago needs legs and power around him or else dont play thiago but it suicide to play these two against any team because now there is not one team in this league that doesnt hunt you ( ok except Bournemouth at home). the short version is we will be nowhere near top 4 without 2 midfielders now . if FSG is happy to be 6th and start over in the summer it fine we just have to accept it and move on
A reality check for sure, our defence turned into cowards when they had set pieces and our midfield disappeared when Brentford attacked as per usual this season. Personally I think we should change to a 442.
Anyone criticising Nunez, or singing that fucking stupid Andy Carroll song, should be hitherto not allowed to watch another game of football. The lad is electric.
That said, he needs to start putting these chances away.