Dortmund vs Liverpool post-match thread
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Yup, one of our best tonight.
Everyone is talking about what Klopp is going to do at centre half and centre mid next season (and rightly so) but it's going to be very interesting to see what he does up top as well.
Bit of uncertainty hanging over Sturridge, Origi with a full year of Premier League football behind him, and Ings to come back. Always the possibility he'll look to bring another striker into the mix.
Hyypia was boss in 04/05.
Klopp would rather build his own striker than build around a much better one he doesn't trust to execute his plan, and he's got balls for committing to that. A manager without his reputation would get far more push back from players, agents etc about these decisions, and many wouldn't stick their neck out that much regardless.
We're willing to do the extra things in big games, we have more discipline and we track back more against opposition we fear, and that's the only time we play close to our level in terms of defense. It was a very good performance, we struggled to really get any rhythm because they are a very very good team, and they struggled because our players buy into our system, worked, and held their nerve enough to string a couple passes together.
I just loved that it was a game with some sense of occasion, real passion, but no acrimony. Would have been awesome to be there.
We're willing to do the extra things in big games, we have more discipline and we track back more against opposition we fear, and that's the only time we play close to our level in terms of defense. It was a very good performance, we struggled to really get any rhythm because they are a very very good team, and they struggled because our players buy into our system, worked, and held their nerve enough to string a couple passes together.
I just loved that it was a game with some sense of occasion, real passion, but no acrimony. Would have been awesome to be there.
That's not my recollection. He was in early 2005 even dropped for Pellegrino. He did regain his place because Pellegrino turned out shite, or perhaps he had time to rest up or recover. Good thing he did because he was excellent from the CL semis onwards.
Dortmund supporters are boss. Hope we give them the same kind of friendly welcome at Liverpool before battering them in the game.
- A bit disappointed with Dortmund's performance. I think they initially gave us too much respect; not sure if it was the Klopp factor or the perception of Liverpool as a "big club" in Europe (despite our domestic and Euro results undermining that perception) but they were slightly cautious from the start and only really went for the jugular after conceding, in the closing 10 minutes of the first half. Maybe coach Tuchel's inexperience showed there – British lower or mid-table teams have been showing us much less respect and a lot of the time our defense did crack under pressure. Hope Tuchel doesn't draw a lesson from this in time for the 2nd leg.
- Hummels was probably the best player on the pitch, absolutely superb performance with his passing, anticipation and the goal. If he had any intention of following Klopp here, we would be set with him and Matip at CB for many years. Both of them are among the highest-scoring defenders in Europe and this is something we have sorely lacked for years.
- I wrote before the game that we will learn a lot about our players in this game. Not sure we actually learned that much new, maybe the home game will be more revealing. Origi took his chance and Sakho redeemed himself after the Spurs horror-show; Can was very nervous in the first half and hour (or maybe the opponents were targeting him for pressing effectively), but after some rather heated piece of tactical advice from Klopp (while Hendo was receiving treatment, I think) he made the adjustment and was good the rest of the way. He'll learn from this.
- Sturridge's attitude after coming on was fine; I was a bit worried he's going to sulk. Someone was asking in the match thread if his problems are psychological or physiological – I think the root of the problem is probably the diminished explosiveness due to training designed to build up "slow" muscle fibers. Now he needs to tweak his playing style and find a way to be effective with less of a burst of pace and that takes time and saps a striker's confidence as well. I hope I'm right and there is no personal or attitude issue – just a normal process of adjustment after a long-term injury. For now Origi offers more in terms of holding up the ball and stretching the defense and now it's hard to make an argument that he is not capable of scoring. However I would probably start Firmino in the home game in place of both of them.
- Overall the intensity of this game was superb. I spent most of the game unable to sit down in front of the TV and screaming at our players as if I was at a stadium. Big props to our players for matching Dortmund's intensity blow-for-blow. That sequence in the 2nd half when we locked Dortmund in their penalty area for several minutes and created 3 shots on goal in quick succession was the first such sequence I can remember this whole season and a sign we're maturing as a team a little bit. So maybe we didn't learn too much new about the players individually, but as a team I think we've made a small step forward in this game. The return leg will be just as intense and despite the positive away result it's still very much 50/50.
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I'm glad Klopp showed he can send his team out to play the sort of game we needed to get a result - some sort of middle ground where we didn't go bus parking and invite trouble, nor go gung ho high pressing all over and risk leaving the back door wide open. It looked like we pressed mainly in the wide areas and usually high in our half, and reduced attempts to trap them hard in their own half.
On the occasions when they did get through and had the numbers edge over us, we got a bit lucky with some poor passing on their part, but also got in some fantastic last-ditch blocks and tackles.
Fortunately, all five of our chaps who were under threat of missing the second leg with another booking - Coutinho, Firmino, Lovren, Clyne Moreno - finished the game without being carded. When Can picked up his yellow in the 8th minute, I feared we were going to see at least a few of these guys carded. How Moreno escaped one - or even a red - near the end of the game is a mystery. With all the accumulated warnings discarded after the quarter final stage due to a rule change last year, these guys can now play more aggressively back at Anfield. There may or may not be another tie after that, but at least they know they can go out and play that game without the yellow card threat nuisance / hindrance.
On the occasions when they did get through and had the numbers edge over us, we got a bit lucky with some poor passing on their part, but also got in some fantastic last-ditch blocks and tackles.
Fortunately, all five of our chaps who were under threat of missing the second leg with another booking - Coutinho, Firmino, Lovren, Clyne Moreno - finished the game without being carded. When Can picked up his yellow in the 8th minute, I feared we were going to see at least a few of these guys carded. How Moreno escaped one - or even a red - near the end of the game is a mystery. With all the accumulated warnings discarded after the quarter final stage due to a rule change last year, these guys can now play more aggressively back at Anfield. There may or may not be another tie after that, but at least they know they can go out and play that game without the yellow card threat nuisance / hindrance.
Is it just me who thinks Joe Allen is a hell of a player at times. Not as flashy as Can and not as gung-ho as Henderson, but when he's on his game in midfield the entire side looks better.
Unlike Can and Henderson he's actually an intelligent footballer who knows the art of recycling the ball and keeping it simple.
Unlike Can and Henderson he's actually an intelligent footballer who knows the art of recycling the ball and keeping it simple.
Third game in a row that we've blown a lead. It must be doing Klopp's head in.
For a break from the usual US and Asia pre-season tours, it might be pretty sweet / romantic to have a series of pre-season games involving some the clubs which use YNWA as their sporting anthem. Quite a number of clubs in Europe to pick from**, and you could even invite FC Tokyo over. For Mainz, that would be an extra connection as one of their leading players earlier this season (out injured now) was Yoshinori Muto, who joined them from the Japanese club.
** Celtic, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Club Brugge, Feyenoord, FC Twente, Hoffenheim, Mainz 05, Kaiserslautern, Borussia Monchengladbach...
I wonder if he's given Klopp an additional option of using him and Coutinho on either side of Sturridge in the return leg. Keeps Origi's pace and strength in the team for when we go long as well as the ability to pull wide and stretch the defence, while also adding Sturridge's superior finishing ability. That wouldn't have been an option earlier in the season when Origi was still looking like a lost kid. Kudos to the lad on his improvement over the season.
Hummels pinged some beautiful balls about last night and looked pretty classy .
Although lovren and sakho put in equally big shifts ,Their front three were nullified expertly and there was some cracking defending
Allen was very good in the second half , winning first balls and breaking up play expertly. In fact he showed some great composure and played some good football in his 45 minutes , off the back off his three past Europa appearances , I'd certainly give him more playing time.
Milner put in a colossal shift and can showed some good 'game management' and classy touches. Coutinho worked hard but was largely ineffective , funny to think how robust he and Moreno appeared to be however , worked well as a unit in parts
How poor were we at clearing the ball last night ? It took 4/5 attempts far too often. That and for some reason only 2 players committing to the press in the second half, leaving gaping holes at time that Mhk whatever and co could run into .
We really shouldn't have lost that night.
No idea how this will pan out , I'm inclined to think we will struggle to limit the time and space their front three have so much at home
Although lovren and sakho put in equally big shifts ,Their front three were nullified expertly and there was some cracking defending
Allen was very good in the second half , winning first balls and breaking up play expertly. In fact he showed some great composure and played some good football in his 45 minutes , off the back off his three past Europa appearances , I'd certainly give him more playing time.
Milner put in a colossal shift and can showed some good 'game management' and classy touches. Coutinho worked hard but was largely ineffective , funny to think how robust he and Moreno appeared to be however , worked well as a unit in parts
How poor were we at clearing the ball last night ? It took 4/5 attempts far too often. That and for some reason only 2 players committing to the press in the second half, leaving gaping holes at time that Mhk whatever and co could run into .
We really shouldn't have lost that night.
No idea how this will pan out , I'm inclined to think we will struggle to limit the time and space their front three have so much at home
I didn't see it, but apparently studge was first up and applauding Origi goal. So he should, thought he might have been sulking in the dugout
No, it isn't just you. I don't totally agree with your comments about Can and Hendo, but I always liked Allen at Swansea and I hope he keeps his current form up long-term.
He has really improved. I know he couldn't get any worse at one stage, but he's been excellent in the last couple of months.
I'm happy for him to do that - what we don't need against Dortmund were some of the stunts Mignolet and Sakho tried to pull off with the ball at their feet. They really do my head in - just play it simple and pick the right opponents to show boat, you cunts.
That said, all three had good games overall, but please - stop fucking with our tickers!
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