And 3 - 0
If we were exposed by simple balls surely they would have scored more tha 1 or 2 as the definition of simple it should have been easy for them
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Didn’t quite understand what happened with the McCann chance. Joe kept up with their initial thrust impressively and took possession, only to somehow stumble and fall and surrender possession. Did he get his heel clipped or his tangled himself up? Anyway it was unfortunate.
His 1st touch, at pace, ended up with ball under his feet and he lost balance and fell over, sometimes happens especially on a players weaker foot
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I thought he just slipped at first, but then the next replay looked like his heel was clipped.
Very hard to tell really…
The reason they don’t do 3pm ones is due to the wider league program.
There is no rule in place on this. As I said it needs to end with the next PL contract though I expect it to end up something like La Liga at this point where effectively you have games all day.
Considering the FL have decided to not call time on it but stuck 6 games a week at 12.30 sort of tells you they aren’t to bothered with this 3pm blackout anymore.
There appeared to be an issue with the grass as 6 or 7 times a player inexplicably wiped out like they were on ice skates for the first time.
I think it’s difficult to overstate how good a performance that was from us in the context. VIlla had an odd approach of defending high yet barely getting any pressure on us. It could have created a tendency to force the ball, but we played with a patience and care we haven’t seen for a long time. Trent, Dom and Nunez were the obvious bright sparks, but special mention to MacAlister and Jones who I think were also central in setting the right tempo and preventing us falling into the trap villa seemed to want to set.as
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Wrong assessment IMO.
We needed to be exactly in top gear to nullify the Villa game plan.
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Who?
That’s what Klopp said post-match. If our lads had put in one percent less effort and commitment, we’d immediately have had big problems against this side. He said that our game was ‘near to perfect’, one of the very best in a long time. I regret having missed it.
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Might have been what he said but we really didn’t empty the tank so to speak.
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Not sure what empty the tank quite means, but 3-0 up, and then we controlled it. Actually, correction, we were in control almost the whole game. Good start, then a second goal, it was almost as if we could have added another couple.
Villa had one or two moments - how could they not given their talent, but not too much, and we were well on top.
If not emptying the tank means we still had a bit left in reserve, I would go with that. There were another couple of goals out there for us in that game.
But it was excellent, in all departments.
Early season signs are very good indeed.
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Put in your browser - full match replay.
Try one of the options that comes up…
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How nice was it, to be able to watch a dominating game of footy, without the ref upstaging the experience? What a breath of fresh air.
Also, I thought that a new, hi-tech pitch was installed this summer. FSG may want to get a refund on that, as players appeared to be slipping all over the place.
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Think the end of the 400m Olympics finals when the athletes fall on the floor utterly spent. That’s emptying the tank. The point where you have nothing left to give.
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Got it, cheers.
So like the power reserve gauge on a Rolls Royce, we had plenty to spare.
(Not that I drive such a fine machine, I wish, but it seems an apt comparison as this new red machine starts to get into its stride).
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I thought Matip and Gomez showed a lot of intelligence in posession generally and it did wonders. Particularly with good movement from those just in front of them.
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Like I’ve said before, it’s not the pitch it’s the feckin boots that they wear (are paid to wear so that they can sell expensive boots to star struck kids). 
The pitch was like a carpet on Saturday. 
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They’ve been doing that for a few years now.
I think it’s their boots.