Well... The Wheels are coming off. I think, looking over the whole season we've overperformed compared to what could reasonably be expected with the overhaul last summer and also with all the injuries during the season. It may be that partly what we've been seeing these last few weeks is a team that is trying too hard because of the special circumstances with this being Klopps last season. Snapping at chances, making rushed decisions in the final third. Like in this match, any "normal" level of finishing would win us this game with the chances we created. However I've been worried for a long time about the quality of our forwards when it comes to finishing and impact. They DO score a lot of goals, but with the exception of Jota I don't really trust any of them to score when it matters and to score what they should score given the chances they get. Obviously we've been spoiled by the Mane/Bobby/Mo era, but I just don't see it with our current first choice options. Diaz was one of the better ones today, but in general I feel he's too much on the perifery in the games. The effort is there, but running across into traffic is not all that effective, he doesn't score enough goals and at 27(?) for his type of player I don't really see that changing. I'd sell him if someone offered good money. I've always said that if you compare him to Mane, one of the most significant differences is that while Mane would run through you to get to the goal, he'd go straight to the jugular, Diaz will try to go around you. He's not a killer.
Nunez, I think is a really good player, but he's not stable enough in his output to be our main source of goals. Maybe he would be better of playing on the left if we can get a more clinical striker (or a new Bobby!) in.
Salah, as great as he's been, and as many great things he's done even this season, is melting. Pace is wastly deteriorated, he's not beating his marker like he used to, he makes SO many unforced errors and his finishing is getting worse. Yes, he can show great vision and he's got a killer pass on him at the best of times, but if the Saudis want to pay silly money for him I think it's time. (I know he's a model professional and that he's setting the standards at the training, but I don't think that's enough to keep a player on his salary).
I'd keep Gakpo for his versatility and obviously Jota cause he's great.
So I don't think it's a coincidence that we've been throwing away points due to bad finishing and bad final third play for quite a while now and today was just another example of this. I think we were by far the better and dominant team and except for a frantic first 15 minutes and the endless succession of cheap freekicks Everton got, they didn't really have anything. And that is where we, unfortunately, again have to talk about the refereeing. Some might think that for a referee to have a telling impact on a match he'd have to do what they did at the Nottingham v Ev match last weekend, or in our City match, or in our Spurs match, or in our Arsenal match, or in our Chelsea away match or... (you get the picture...) But this is a perfect example of what I call the Anthony Taylor approach; just give every single 50-50 (40-60) to one team, and more often than not it will make a difference. Their first goal is from a non-freekick, then VVD gets a yellow for protesting another non-freekick, and if that had been the standards for giving freekicks in this match then surely the ref would have chalked off their second for multiple showes on VVD? Or given a freekick when Szobo was hacked down, or when Elliot were kicked at the edge of the 16 yard box? Or a foul when Diaz were clearly fouled and even kicked after the foul.. but no that was a yellow card for Diaz for protesting AND a freekick to them for Gomez running next to the same player who'd just fouled and kicked Diaz. I find it impossible to believe that the completely different interpretations of every single incident in this match depending on the colour of shirt is random. After all if he were just shit it would be random, and both teams would get equally inexplicable calls for/against no?
The way I see it there were two reasons why we lost: Firstly because our finishing is horrible and not at an acceptable level, secondly because the ref gave them enough opportunities to score a few themselves.
