Topic: EL: Ata 0 vs 1 Liv (3-1) Mo 7’

[Schmohawk]

Sad ending for Klopp this. Utterly toothless after the Salah miss unfortunately.

[Lochgelly Violet]

We'll be lucky to win another game if this keeps up. We've fallen off a cliff in terms, of defending, finishing and intensity.

The league is gone.

I wouldn't even guarantee top 4 at this point. We've fallen off a cliff like we did last year and three years ago.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Rumour has it Alisson still has his foot on the ball.

Pervert.

[MBL?]

Fucking Morissey? I'd rather spend the day in bed.

You say that like spending the day in be isn't incredible.

[Red_Mist]

Always a difficult task. Said after the first leg let’s just focus on the league and rest the regulars for the away leg. I know we couldn’t do that in reality and had to go for it, but really even with the early goal I thought it was too much to ask. Tough one. I hope that doesn’t take too much out the tank. Just need to forget it quickly because there’s six far bigger games now and they’re coming up thick and fast.

[andy07]

The team was mentally shot after the second half in the cup game at OT.  Apart from the league game at OT we have not played well since (and could say even in the league game at OT we were poor for failing to convert chances).  Need to sort ourselves out sharpish.

[newterp]

We spent that entire half just passing it between Alisson, Virgil, Konate and MacAllister. Absolutely baffling stuff. Completely devoid of any ambition or urgency. Ali must have had more touches of the ball than anyone.

It was the oddest game plan I've seen. That's what we had to come up with over the last week?

[PaleBlueDot]

Very surprised Gravenberch wasn’t utilised. Needed a bridge between the back and front in the second half, so bringing on more and more forwards was never going to be the answer.

I was just saying this. Probably the player you want against a man marking team. He can receive on the turn and beat his man. Was asking for him from minute 60. Disappointing.

[Fromola]

Now it’s 3 aways in 6 days. Yippee!

If we could somehow win them, we'd actually have a great chance of the title (2 home games to play, Villa away after their semi final).

We're more likely to win 0 than all 3 though.

[Racer]

That was a tough, horrible watch, especially in the 2nd half, we just completely ran out of ideas. Our season has completely unfolded in the last 3-4 weeks, can we rewind please and have another go from the United FA cup game onwards.

[Cozzymoto]

The kids would have shown more fight than more of the seniors in the 2nd half. This season needs to end. We need a reset.

[spider-neil]

This.

It's very unklopp like.

Long balls and crosses into the box.

It's a sign that the team are out of ideas.

You cannot hide with the performances.

If anything there weren't enough long balls. We spectacularly failed at passing out from the back so we needed to change tactics but we did the same tired thing for the entire game.

[Boaty McBoatface]

This will come across as bad losing, but there’s a stench about that Atalanta team. As in Russia 2018 stench. You can argue all you like about tactics and performance but I’ve never seen a team utterly dominate us physically for 3 hours like that. Zappacosta made a full pitch run on about 88 mins that a fresh Cafu would gawk at.

The same thought did cross my mind.

I can't remember the last time there was such a disparity of energy and strength between us and an opponent. We were outworked, out thought, outpaced, outmuscled. They bullied us over both legs.

[Gifted Right Foot]

Aaannnd the season fizzles out.  I don't think we currently have it in us to win all remaining games.  Especially the next 3 away which is just brutal scheduling.  I thought the guys returning from injury would bring an extra boost to the team but i think they needed to come back just a couple weeks earlier to get up to speed before this run of fixtures which is a shame.  Aargh well. 

[Romford_Red]

On both games...

It felt like we've spent so long, as a team, playing against the high-press and/or compact defense style that virtually everyone plays, that we simply couldn't understand how to play against and beat a complete man-to-man marking system.

As for the team in general, it's a very different feel from the first years of Klopp, especially the front line. I'm not one to lose faith an  haven't, but when Gakpo is on the ball or going for the ball, I have no belief that anything will happen. Similar at the moment to Diaz (though I think he's just finding form after that long injury and his personal stuff) and while I do love Nunez, I HOPE rather than expect stuff from him.
As for Mo, always will be a legend but while he (obviously importantly) still scores goals, he hasn't terrorised defences for quite some time.

I think it is definitely worth saying that it is normal for a player coming back from injury to take a couple of games to shake off the rust, so I suppose this sort of string of disjointed performances is to be expected when half of your team is returning t the same time.

[WorldChampions]

I was just saying this. Probably the player you want against a man marking team. He can receive on the turn and beat his man. Was asking for him from minute 60. Disappointing.

Problem is, they were physical and willing to fight. He just shithouses out of challenges.

[spicer81]

The feeling now is any outside hope of the league relies on the others falling off worse than we have. Not sure many expect us to win the remaining games at this point. Belief seems to have drained out of them.

[moloch]

Looks like everyone, including Klopp, have just stopped caring.

[Spanish Al]

After all the great European ties and comebacks we’ve had under Jurgen, what an utterly gutless way to go out that was.

They were well drilled, tactically spot on and wanted Ali to have the ball. Why we kept on just passing it about at the back rather than just trying to go long more often is what I don’t understand. Subs didn’t change the game in any way, made things worse if anything.

Perfect start handed to us and we wasted it. Makes me so sad that is the last performance under Klopp in Europe. It was the opposite of everything he demands and stands for. And it confirms the even worse showing last week as his last home tie in Europe.

Annoyed and fucking sad at that. I love these boys but I just don’t think they’ve got enough left in the tank to rally together and have a good shot at the league. We look out of ideas and out of gas.

Here’s hoping we can defy the odds again and they make us all look like fools.

[MBL?]

Worst thing about it was us playing into their hands. Kept passing back to keep possession and do our normal build up. It clearly wasn't working and what hurt them in the first half was trents long balls. How was this not identified?

[Fromola]

Sad ending for Klopp this. Utterly toothless after the Salah miss unfortunately.

Same after the Jones miss on Sunday. There was no belief we'd score after that in either game.

[KevLFC]

Aaannnd the season fizzles out.  I don't think we currently have it in us to win all remaining games.  Especially the next 3 away which is just brutal scheduling.  I thought the guys returning from injury would bring an extra boost to the team but i think they needed to come back just a couple weeks earlier to get up to speed before this run of fixtures which is a shame.  Aargh well. 

Look tired and rusty too. Not sure why, wtf has happened to Szoboszlai? First 10 games he was awesome, now looks totally fucked after 10 mins and his passing has been way off.

[kasperoff]

That hurts. I really thought that Jota, Nunez and Elliott subs could change and win us this game.

Not only that, we even threw Jayden Danns in too as an extra forward.

Bloody hell...       

They got about 6 touches between them. That second half was as bad as I've seen us play. Horrible from top to bottom. We were made to look like a Championship side chasing lead against prime Barcelona.

I can't quite fathom just how far we've fallen off over the past month. It started with that fucking complacent shitshow against Man Utd in the cup and has spread like a virus ever since.

[Keith Lard]

Fucking glad we won’t have Thursdays next year. I really hate them. I also hate that ridiculous Europa league anthem. Back to the Champions League where we belong and now focus on the league … as the dust settles, I’m actually not so bothered.

[RedDeadRejection]

You say that like spending the day in be isn't incredible.

Lord knows it would be the first time

[Heritage]

Yet despite all this, he is still the team's highest scorer and the highest creator. So where we would have been, I'm not quite sure.

I'm just trying to ignore these people at this point. We derailed our season last week. These posters are so frail. Literally 1 week of results and yes we should gut our squad, according to some of these people.

[Cormack Snr]

We didn't look like a team motivated that had belief , why was Allison not kicking the ball up the field Ray Clemence style.
We had nothing to lose and we were wasting time on the ball. A few months ago I thought the new manager was going to inherite a great team, we now look a shadow of that team when the kids were playing  and Salah was away.

[jillcwhomever]

On both games...

It felt like we've spent so long, as a team, playing against the high-press and/or compact defense style that virtually everyone plays, that we simply couldn't understand how to play against and beat a complete man-to-man marking system.

As for the team in general, it's a very different feel from the first years of Klopp, especially the front line. I'm not one to lose faith an  haven't, but when Gakpo is on the ball or going for the ball, I have no belief that anything will happen. Similar at the moment to Diaz (though I think he's just finding form after that long injury and his personal stuff) and while I do love Nunez, I HOPE rather than expect stuff from him.
As for Mo, always will be a legend but while he (obviously importantly) still scores goals, he hasn't terrorised defences for quite some time.

I think it is definitely worth saying that it is normal for a player coming back from injury to take a couple of games to shake off the rust, so I suppose this sort of string of disjointed performances is to be expected when half of your team is returning t the same time.

That's a fair point and I said in the commentary that Jota was bundled off the ball in a way a fully fit Jota would never have been. So the lack of rhythm in those returning is not helping either.

[spartan2785]

I hate to say it, but maybe the side needs new ideas, they played well for most of this season, but they haven't beaten any good sides this season.  They've needed a lot of comeback winners, I think the injuries, the amount that some players needed to play, have had a major effect on this season.  It's really really hard to see Klopp leave like this with a whimper at the end.  Hope we can still get a big fee for Salah, could be crucial in reinvesting for the new manager, I don't think he's getting back to his pre-AFCON/hamstring form.

[edeyj]

2nd half......damp squib.

Plan A obviously not working and no Plan B.

Good luck to Atalanta. They worked us out and worked their socks off over the two legs.

Re- group for the EPL run in and hope we can get our shit together for that.

[Elzar]

This will come across as bad losing, but there’s a stench about that Atalanta team. As in Russia 2018 stench. You can argue all you like about tactics and performance but I’ve never seen a team utterly dominate us physically for 3 hours like that. Zappacosta made a full pitch run on about 88 mins that a fresh Cafu would gawk at.

They looked just like we did in some incredible performances over the past few years. Energised, well prepared and giving it their all until the very end. Absolutely spot on tactically and gave a team in poor form no chance to play into the game.

[BobPaisley3]

If we could somehow win them, we'd actually have a great chance of the title (2 home games to play, Villa away after their semi final).

We're more likely to win 0 than all 3 though.

We’ve looked tired since the international break. If, with all the travelling involved, the intensity of a derby and an inevitable scrap at West Ham, we come out with 9 points,  it would be one the greatest achievements in our recent history.

[jillcwhomever]

I'm just trying to ignore these people at this point. We derailed our season last week. These posters are so frail. Literally 1 week of results and yes we should gut our squad, according to some of these people.

Yours was a very good post to be honest, pretty much said everything that was needed to be said.

[MJD-L4]

Always a difficult task. Said after the first leg let’s just focus on the league and rest the regulars for the away leg. I know we couldn’t do that in reality and had to go for it, but really even with the early goal I thought it was too much to ask. Tough one. I hope that doesn’t take too much out the tank. Just need to forget it quickly because there’s six far bigger games now and they’re coming up thick and fast.

I doubt they'll be too drained considering the majority of them didn't fucking move for the entirety of the second half.

[4pool]

We won.

The winning streak starts now.

[KissThisGuy]

If anything there weren't enough long balls. We spectacularly failed at passing out from the back so we needed to change tactics but we did the same tired thing for the entire game.

We vacated the midfield in the last 30.  Jones and Elliott were just running forward when we got the ball, leaving it being passed around the back before we'd hoof it because we couldn't link the play through midfield. Despite this when we did kick it long the player on the receiving end was completely isolated, which is mind blowing.

[kasperoff]

After all the great European ties and comebacks we’ve had under Jurgen, what an utterly gutless way to go out that was.

They were well drilled, tactically spot on and wanted Ali to have the ball. Why we kept on just passing it about at the back rather than just trying to go long more often is what I don’t understand. Subs didn’t change the game in any way, made things worse if anything.

Perfect start handed to us and we wasted it. Makes me so sad that is the last performance under Klopp in Europe. It was the opposite of everything he demands and stands for. And it confirms the even worse showing last week as his last home tie in Europe.

Annoyed and fucking sad at that. I love these boys but I just don’t think they’ve got enough left in the tank to rally together and have a good shot at the league. We look out of ideas and out of gas.

Here’s hoping we can defy the odds again and they make us all look like fools.

We knew what they would do and just played into their hands again. I can't believe all it takes in man-marking to completely nullify a team that has the combined value of about £400m. What an absolute let down of a game.

[Red_Mist]

I doubt they'll be too drained considering the majority of them didn't fucking move for the entirety of the second half.

lol, thought someone might reply with that.

[wheresnemeth]

Worst thing about it was us playing into their hands. Kept passing back to keep possession and do our normal build up. It clearly wasn't working and what hurt them in the first half was trents long balls. How was this not identified?

The were times where they over commited in attack and instead of playing out quickly we slowed the game down this was more frustrating than the 3-0 loss.

[Butter Keks]

Blown a quadruple to Man Utd twice, Atalanta and Crystal Palace. Left ourselves once again hoping Pep and his fucking super team drop points.