What an absolutely huge night:
- A crucial three points in terms of challenging for the title
- A last gasp winner away from home against your closest rivals.
- A second clean sheet on the bounce
- Missing (arguably) our best player
- Missing our (arguably) best Centre Half.
- All achieved in a truly hostile environment.
I thought Gini Wijnaldum was absolutely superb last night. In those first 20/30 minutes, under some really, really intense pressure - he was an absolute boss. Calm, brilliant control and touch, patient, hard as nails, energetic. He, for me, was a huge reason for us wrestling control of the game in the first half. Henderson I thought had a poor first 20 minutes in contrast, touches and passes astray, looked a little *off* (wanted to say nervous, but not convinced it was nerves). After that though, he grew and grew and was, alongside Gini, a dominant force. Truly becoming a proper leader of men, and a very good player.
Pre-match, Neville was tearing into our defence/goalkeeper. I remember him calling our 6-8th positions on that graphic "horrendous", which was a bit rich, considering those positions quite literally are average. Anyway - the narrative was set. This Liverpool is weak, their centre is soft etc etc. Christ, you even hear our own 'supporters' parrot this back all the time. Well, last night was a big fuck you to those people. Klavan lost a couple of headers to Lukaku and then made a crucial intervention from a cross (that Neville glossed over at half time - didn't fit the narrative that). By full time, he was eating his words, the tiny ratty fuck wit. Lovren and Klavan were excellent. For me, Klavan is genuinely knocking on the door to partner Matip. I think he's very strong on the ball, as well as defensively sound. That's not a criticism of Lovren - what a turn-around of his Liverpool career he's had.
Listening to Klopp in his post match was interesting - he mentioned how in the first half our first touches/positions etc meant we were closing passing options down for ourselves. I think it's clear the players adapted after half time - as mentioned above, Klavan was very good on the ball second half, we took our time, and showed assuredness with our passing and touches.
The subs surprised me. Not the Sturridge one, that had to happen - Divock was ok, but had one of those nights where he disappears for periods of time, I'm also not a fan of him appearing on the right wing, crossing it in to Mane/Bobby. I don't mind him drifting left as he can cut inside and unleash a shot, but it feels like his time on the right flank weakens our attack. It was the Lallana for Can sub - Lallana wasn't at his peak, but he still looked like the best player on the park in patches. Anyway - regardless - can made a crucial intervention on Lukaku so I'll ignore the couple of atrocious passes that halted our momentum/attacks.
Mignolet fills me with confidence more than he ever has done in a Liverpool shirt. And this is from someone who was advocating a shotgun to the face for him during last season. Karius may be long term, but he's got a genuine fight on for that shirt now. All the better for us.
This Liverpool group is here to stay. We're a proper team. That's away games at Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton where we've closed out victories by a single goal now. We've battered the shit teams, and we've dropped some silly points while rescuing some others. It's early in the process of this team's development still and these common experiences (to the group - manager, players, subs, fans) will be crucial - along with those already forming a base of our mentality - Dortmund, for example.
6 points off the top at Christmas. The team on top has won 11 on the bounce. They won't forever. They'll drop points. Let's ignore Chelsea. Let's come together as a collective. Let's ignore the bedwetters, pansies and pussies. FUCK THEM. no quotes, no arguments. Just add em to your ignore list and keep spreading the joy. Sing the songs, chant a players name rather than shouting in frustration. Change our own mentalities. The team are changing theirs.
Up the mighty fucking Redmen.
