I think this game panned out as I expected. A few moments of brilliance and a fair few of confusion.
There were a few occasions that I could see balls going astray because they don’t yet have that intuitive sense of where their teammates are going to be or where the ball was going.
This will improve with match practice. It’s obvious that we do have a few gaps as playing players out of position is only ever going to be a stop-gap. Let’s see who, if anyone, comes in during the next few weeks.
The Europa League is going to be essential for us to try out new players and new tactics. I can see the younger lads getting a fair bit of match time there.
Chelsea posed us problems, but a big part of their growing influence on the game was our inability, maybe reluctance, to continue doing what we started the game doing. We dropped off our pressure only a small amount, but enough to give chelsea the passing options they were able to use to move us around. Once that happened we seemed unable to reset and get back to our game. Maybe that was a legs things in the first game of the season, but I think more likely a bravery issue without a natural replacement for Hendo rallying everyone to get back on the front foot and marshalling everything.
In short, Caicedo may still improve us, but today’s issues were not caused by a lack of defensive shield.
I don’t get the criticism on Robbo. Yeah its not a natural position for him, but he definitely is the person to do what is required there. He is the best player in our Squad to defend against wingers, and he’s good on the ball and fast. Exactly what we need there. He and Ibou will be the most important players for that system to work defensively, and I am sure not one single player in our squad can do it better. We do need cover there though.
The hand ball I think was not a penalty because the arm wasn’t moving. Which is a fucking stupid reason, as the ball is travelling 20 yards and the guy has his arm up for no reason and it hits it. I will never understand how that makes the handball rule better when that kind of situation won’t give us a penalty.
Still happy with the result as the last 15mins of first half and first 20-25mins of second was all Chelsea but we defended well. It was very important for our season not to leave with a loss here.
I sent my hubby up in the spare room to go his laptop…he knows his place when LFC are on tv…end of the 2nd half…he plonked himself on the settee and said…who’s winning…
Encouraging 1st half followed by a mostly disappointing second. Pochettino’s must have been the better half time talk. Thank god for Alisson, who must be the best one on one keeper on the planet.
Taylor and VAR with the usual display of ineptitude, if not downright bias. Not that the performance merited more than a point, but they made sure of it.
The match itself was a let down. Two teams with clear weaknesses eventually cancelling each other out. Chelsea with a million new players and a new manager can be somewhat excused. If anything, they’ll be pleased with how they played.
We, on the other hand, expended lots of energy for nothing. Still couldn’t get near them. We started faltering around the half hour mark and didn’t really get a grip on the match until the subs. Their goal was a shit show witnessed too often since last season. Gakpo and Jota offered absolutely nothing and the rest ran and ran without success. Still cut apart too easily and this time there’s no Henderson and Fabinho to point the finger to. Klopp has to take some blame here, we just don’t look well drilled defensively and we haven’t for a long time. Also felt that he made no adjustments whatsoever until he introduced Nunez and Jones in the middle of the second half.
Sloboszlai and Mac Allister were excellent as well as Alisson and Konate. Gakpo, Jota and Robertson will want to forget this one as soon as possible. Nunez also, great energy and fight but his first touch is consistently letting him down. He should have won it for us, even with Mac Allister’s poor pass.
Guaranfuckingtee….if that was us or another other EPL/team, that PK is given. Elbow tucked to his side, who gives a shit, he reached to his right side with his hands and hit the ball. Ridiculous.
