No post-match thread? Oh well, here it is: RAAAAAAAATINNNNNNGS!
First of all, the usual apologies for being tardy, but at least it means I don't repeat all the arguments and analysis that have been done to death already. Well, I hope I don't, as I haven't read any of it. But anyway!
I am deffo guilty of overreacting when we play certain teams, such is my hatred of the opposition. Chelsea is one such team, and it's always horrible losing to those dreadful cunts. But thanks to a moment of untrammelled genius from Sturridge, a deserved draw was snatched at the last. But I don't think either team were that impressive, really.
However, there are a couple of things to talk about that worry me. We've done Salah to death, but it's the midfield.
We cried and bitched and moaned about not having a reliable goalscorer, and Salah solved that (for one season anyway). We prayed to the Gods for a reliable keeper and a top quality CB, and finally Klopp spent £150m on Virgil and Alisson. And we screamed from the rooftops that we needed to overhaul a, ahem, workmanlike midfield, and buy a quality DM, the new Gerrard and a replacement for Coutinho and.......er..........it's the same midfield. No Fekir, for obvious reasons. No Fabinho, for average reasons. And Keita? Bench, for understandable reasons.
Did anyone expect this? It's really quite upsetting, because so much was expected. Especially of Keita. And while our midfield trio of last season are definitely OK (some are more OK than others, and we all have our favourites and not-so favourites), we all knew it needed an overhaul - as did Klopp - and his newly reshaped, rebooted midfield was perhaps that last improvement that could, along with the defence, propel us to the promised land. Fine, he didn't get Fekir as the AM, but it was pretty close.
Now, Milner and Wijnaldum have had good starts to the season. Henderson has been impressive in fits. Ditto Keita. But it's not a midfield that is going to terrorise the best teams. It's been functional. And when one or two players drop a level, it can look less than impressive. Without Keita on the pitch yesterday, we had three workhorses, but nobody who seemed capable of any magic. And sometimes we need it, and we will need it as the season progresses.
Alisson (7) I reckon he might have done better for the goal, but many disagree. Oh well. Was impressive apart from that, and made some vital stops to keep the score at 1-0. He certainly makes the team more confident and looks worth every single dinero so far.
TAA (4) He's been largely impressive in his short career so far, but this was a very testing afternoon, with Chelsea and Hazard in particular, giving him the run-around. Caught of of position too often, and couldn't get his attacking game going either.
Gomez (8) Some of Chelsea's incisive passing and movement created more space between the defenders than we're used to seeing, but the pace of Gomez and Virgil rescued a few worrying situations. There was little threat from Giroud. Composed display.
Virgil (8) Dominant in the air, and kept trying to organise the team defensively when the full-backs were caught out. An obvious leader and a great player.
Robertson (5) Has played better, but he was given a very tough game by Willian, who had his number early on. It was only thanks to the keeper and two CBs that more damage wasn't done. Had a better finish to the game, as he simply refused to accept defeat, but overall this was ordinary.
Henderson (5) Lots of effort and sweat, but was made to look leaden-footed at times by the footwork and movement of Chelsea, with Kovacic in particular causing problems. He couldn't get into the game enough, and his passing was ordinary too. We improved when Keita came on, as he carried the ball forward quicker and had more threat.
Milner (6) Was made to look a bit pedestrian by some of Chelsea's counters, and the quick feet and movement of their players. He never gave an inch, but wasn't as effective or influential as he usually is with the ball. Made some great tackles to halt their momentum.
Wijnaldum (6) Moved into a more attacking role with Henderson sitting, and was typically careful with the ball and hard to dispossess, but that care is also because he didn't attempt anything dangerous, and we simply ran out of ideas and options when "pass to Salah or Mane" didn't work.
Salah (5) Just not happening right now. He's getting into dangerous positions, but isn't making the right decisions, or simply not executing them properly. Should have had at least one goal, but when he's not scoring and playing well, we look a bit flat and uninspired.
Mane (6) I think maybe 6 is a bit generous, as he wasn't really at it. Forced a very good save from their Kepa, but too often passed or ran into trouble.
Firmino (6) Hmm, another that I'm unsure about. He worked hard - obvs - but as the game progressed he became less and less visible, and offered very little goal threat, not for the first time this season, with only one effort on target. When Salah isn't on his game, Firmino looks ordinary.
Subs:
Shaqiri (6) Positive and tried hard, but missed a sitter. He badly needs to score those.
Keita (7) Having a midfielder on the pitch whose first instinct is to pass and run forward was nice to see and made a difference to the last 15 minutes.
Sturridge (8) That was a ridiculous finish.
