Lessons from Paris

[RedStar]

No need. We weren't battered. We weren't cheated.

We were just beaten by Real Everton and the hungry hungry eyebrow pulled off a job Mourinho would have been proud of.

We controlled Madrid. Controlled. For 85 minutes. Not many teams do that.

City were beating them for 90 mins and still lost. It's like a boxer whose winning on the score cards right up until he gets knocked out.

I don't think we did control them, I think there is a misconception around how they play. We were stronger first half but they were the better side second half and made it count. They sit off, hold their shape and let the opposition have the ball in certain areas where it doesn't damage them. As soon as the ball comes into an area where they have a numerical advantage they pounce, cutting off passing lanes and swarming the ball carrier. Their midfield has a combined age similar to the Rolling Stones, they don't waste energy trying to dominate, they chose when to push the tempo and when to sit. The number of passes intercepted by Casameiro in the second half was insane, he completely out Fabinhoed Fabinho.If they get a chance they are ruthless. We have great forwards but probably only Salah in his best form would be considered clinical, we generally create alot of chances to score a goal.

It was a pretty even game and we had 2 good chances to score which Courtois dealt with superbly. We had decent chances in all 3 finals and didn't take any of them, thats probably the real issue.

 

[StevieM]

If we’re going to swing in high crosses from open play, it’s probably time, with Divock going, to look at signing anither forward who’s not a midget or very skinny.

 

[localny]

In all the finals we looked sluggish and there’s no more of our heavy metal gegenpress. It’s more like gegenchess and ancelotti outplayed us .

 

[Frogfish]

City were beating them for 90 mins and still lost. It's like a boxer whose winning on the score cards right up until he gets knocked out.

I don't think we did control them, I think there is a misconception around how they play. We were stronger first half but they were the better side second half and made it count. They sit off, hold their shape and let the opposition have the ball in certain areas where it doesn't damage them. As soon as the ball comes into an area where they have a numerical advantage they pounce, cutting off passing lanes and swarming the ball carrier. Their midfield has a combined age similar to the Rolling Stones, they don't waste energy trying to dominate, they chose when to push the tempo and when to sit. The number of passes intercepted by Casameiro in the second half was insane, he completely out Fabinhoed Fabinho.If they get a chance they are ruthless. We have great forwards but probably only Salah in his best form would be considered clinical, we generally create alot of chances to score a goal.

It was a pretty even game and we had 2 good chances to score which Courtois dealt with superbly. We had decent chances in all 3 finals and didn't take any of them, thats probably the real issue.

Whilst I agree with your last sentence completely I'm afraid the rest is just adhering to the RM rhetoric that we see a few RM-biased commentators making.
However quite simply no team in control is going to allow 24 shots (9 on target) because that is not control, that is a gamble that paid off not due to great tactics and implementation but to an unforeseeable great goalkeeping performance.
Any team that survives a Xg of 2.14 to 2.6 (depending on source) without conceding a goal or three has done so due to luck not strategy.

 

[Frogfish]

In all the finals we looked sluggish and there’s no more of our heavy metal gegenpress. It’s more like gegenchess and ancelotti outplayed us .

Miss the first half did you?

 

[Frogfish]

It's is almost certain that we will never see the Salah Mané Firmino front 3 again. That's the end of Klopps first great team in my opinion. I also don't think Hendo will be a starter by the end of next season.

I can see us buying a starting midfielder this Summer effectively making Hendo a squad player as Fabs, Thiago & New Player X our midfield triumvirate. Even though he'll still get to play 30-40 games for the next couple of seasons at least. Great to have in reserve.

 

[Holle]

Full backs who can actually defend would be nice.

 

[tomasjj]

Playing trent ad a fullback would be Nice for a start. Not this inside shit

 

[Dreambeliever]

I'm never going to a football match again

🙁 hope you and yours are ok. Can’t even begin to imagine what it was like. Hopefully the experience doesn’t put you off Anfield for good.

 

[Hansern]

I thought Trent dealt with Vinicius Jr pretty well all game. Could he have done better for the goal, sure. But in the end I think Valverde hit that as a shot, and Vinicius was quite fortunate to be there at the right time.


Robertson has looked tired for a wee while now, just as a fair few others in our team.
But we have the best full backs pairing in the World, no doubt.

Winning it next year.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

I did warn everyone about Carlo. Don't be fooled by his mild demeanour, he's a master tactician. One of the best managers around. Someone whom Klopp has struggled to beat throughout his career.

I felt at times we were playing the Spanish Everton (Carlo's). Except with far better players.

 

[Hansern]

The French sporting minister claiming there were 40 000 Liverpool fans with fake tickets.
Fucking hell, at least make the number seem believable when you're lying through your teeth.

 

[Gerry_A_Trick]

The French sporting minister claiming there were 40 000 Liverpool fans with fake tickets.
Fucking hell, at least make the number seem believable when you're lying through your teeth.

I think he said ticketless or with fake tickets. I assume, if the number is right, it was 99% ticketless.

 

[737Max]

The French sporting minister claiming there were 40 000 Liverpool fans with fake tickets.
Fucking hell, at least make the number seem believable when you're lying through your teeth.

40,001

 

[Hansern]

You're all mental.


I think he said ticketless or with fake tickets. I assume, if the number is right, it was 99% ticketless.

There are some very good threads about this on Twitter. Its not possible to operate with these numbers.

 

[KopRed]

I thought Trent dealt with Vinicius Jr pretty well all game. Could he have done better for the goal, sure. But in the end I think Valverde hit that as a shot, and Vinicius was quite fortunate to be there at the right time.


Robertson has looked tired for a wee while now, just as a fair few others in our team.
But we have the best full backs pairing in the World, no doubt.

Winning it next year.

The game against Chelsea, I can't remember which final it was, Trent lost Alonso almost every single time. He is always guilty of looking at the ball and not at the man behind him. We were fortunate in that game when Ali saved us a few times.

Ancelotti wouldn't have missed that. He had Vinicius, a much faster player playing on the left. The instructions would likely have been send the ball to the left behind Trent at every opportunity. I don't think Valverde flunked that, it was always the plan.

It's unfortunate because Trent is such a good player. He just can't track his players. We will have more of such goals conceded if he doesn't fix this weakness. In big games it would be decided on one such lapse and unfortunately it happened in our biggest game of the season.

 

[The Nomad]

There are some very good threads about this on Twitter. Its not possible to operate with these numbers.

30-40k fake? Where are all these fans surely they'd have complained by now. Where did they go?

Majority detected by first check point but the quality of them was professional? I wasn't there, from first hand accounts on here.. seemed to be minimal checking before you got to the gate.

Didn't happen at the Madrid end? Well that's a lie. Some of the footage has already been geolocated to the Madrid end.

Excuse 3 in 3 days?

Absolutely reeks.

 

[Fallon]

Re. Trent. Although he does it all the bloody time, because he can't glance over his shoulder for some reason, I can forgive the losing of Vini for the goal. What drives me up the wall though, and should Jurgen, is that as the last man looking across the line he was at least 2/3 yards to the left of the smegging line.

 

[RobbySwanson]

Bit off pace but funny.....this is what happens when Murica takes over.....

 

[Frogfish]

I did warn everyone about Carlo. Don't be fooled by his mild demeanour, he's a master tactician. One of the best managers around. Someone whom Klopp has struggled to beat throughout his career.

I felt at times we were playing the Spanish Everton (Carlo's). Except with far better players.

24 shots with 9 on target against 4 shots (2). This is far far from being a tactical masterpiece and came down to luck (none of them went in) and a keeper having the best performance of his life (9 saves - about 4 of which could easily have been goals).

 

[tombrown]

Bit off pace but funny.....this is what happens when Murica takes over.....

I believe she deleted that tweet fairly quickly, but not before someone (Tony Evans, maybe?) quote tweeted her back with "You're just a shit Dua Lipa"

 

[RobbySwanson]

I believe she deleted that tweet fairly quickly, but not before someone (Tony Evans, maybe?) quote tweeted her back with "Your just a shit Dua Lipa"

Spot on she did, bit silly of her, poor girl.

 

[Brizzle]

We dominated, but like most games where we face a parked bus we struggled to create enough clear cut chances. In this one I actually think we were very wasteful in moments where we were one pass away from being in great situations.

For me - once they scored we should have moved to our 4-2-4 formation immediately.

One reflection looking back is that from about 30 mins in (and 737Max called this, sitting right next to me) Diaz looked to take a knock and stopped sprinting as much. He was caught out (like Robbo, who was pressing too far up - but that is Risk vs Reward) for their goal and maybe this fatigue was part of it. I think he should have been replaced once we saw he was struggling - we had a great bench and maybe Jota on at HT due to that knock would have made a difference.

I'm not sure I can think of how we could have been much more dominant. They had 1 shot on target all game, they created FUCK ALL. We have it all totally shut down, in our control. We had plenty of chances we should have finished - or on the balance of probability should have scored one of. The only thing with hindsight I really see is not going 424 earlier.

We have another problem to address in the future too that I may make a post elaborating on (and there has been one in the past) - but when we face a low block we need one of our CM trio to be making more runs into the box. Too often we only had 1 or 2 bodies in the box as none of Fabs Thiago or Hendo were making any sorts of moves in there. It is so painfully evident.