Exciting, but needlessly so. First 40 mins Milan were beyond dreadful, and Liverpool were excellent if profligate. From about 30 mins on, Liverpool stepped off the pace and tried controlling the game, sitting deeper and playing back more. The only problem was our midfield was set up to attack with a very high press, and it left space in behind and exposed Fabino to a LOT of work. The fact he was quietly brilliant lulled the rest of the team into a false sense of security and eventually he was overloaded. The chances came and Liverpool were picked off. I felt the second goal was about panic for Liverpool and momentum for Milan.
At halftime I said I had hoped to see a holding midfielder come on to exert more control and help the back 4 and Fabino. That, I guess, is the difference between a top class manager and a nervous fan (OGS anyone?) Instead Klopp said "it worked peachy for 40 mins, we go again. And so Liverpool did, brilliantly winning the game. I said after the Chelsea game (which I was personally disappointed Liverpool drew) that I felt there were a handful of pivotal games in the league that made the difference by the end of the year.
Well, this feels like a pivotal game in Europe. Instead of demonstrating Liverpool's dominance it showcased something very vital, Liverpool's fight. You win jack without fight, no matter how good you are, and this was brilliant (and intimidating) to see.
