Well done Marco and the boys. Really happy we've broken that long run of defeats already. Hope we get some momentum for the season from this result. Also good to see us scoring from set pieces, given the size of our players.
I thought Kaboul and Britos did well on the whole so I don't understand the vitriol. I think some people's minds are already made up. Femenia and Holebas were good too (Holebas especially made some critical challenges and did well against the pace of Salah) but the back four switched off momentarily and were punished. Liverpool may not be title contenders but make no mistake that is a potent front line by anyone's standards. For all the moaning about him pre-match I thought Okaka was a real handful. Battled well, chased their defenders and got himself a goal. Looked spent by the time he came off but a good effort from the lad. Pereyra wasn't involved enough from the left. I understand the thinking behind Cleverley at 10 and his energy was invaluable but I hope Pereyra's iniury isn't too serious (looked like his groin) and he plays centrally against less offensively threatening opposition. I wasn't a huge fan of Amrabat before, but now I'm convinced we need a new winger as a priority! Offers nothing. Doucoure is too good for us. Sublime today. His best performance for us I reckon.
As it stands at the moment, I'd have to agree with you, though I assume he will be given more than just the one game.
Very enjoyable and encouraging match and result today. Most of it has all been said, but I think this made me realise how dire we were most of last season . We not only looked more solid , but we appeared to have a game plan . With Chalobah and Doucoure we were able to play he ball out quickly and actually broke with some genuine quick passing . No more aimlessly passing the ball Around only for if to end up back with Gomez kicking it long. Have to agree with what people are saying about Amrabat . I thought he was excellent in the first half of last season but seems to have picked up where he left off at the end of last season . Still I'm all for giving him a chance as that was only the first match . Ricarlson looked promising and seemed prepared to chase and harry which is a good sign . The injury situation is a worry though . Hope Pereyra is back soon .Janmaats injury was predictable ! Looking forward to Bournemouth. Would really like to see us beat them as we seem to have always played poorly against them since we got back in the premier league
Great game today. Played well for 45 minutes, dreadful for 15 and then desperately (but pretty effectively) for 30. Can see the difference in style this season already, higher pressing, faster passing. Gomes 2 big mistake, defence looked okay, would surely look much better with Prodl instead of Britos? Chalobah, Doucoure and Cleverley put in huge performances which prevented Liverpoool from dominating the match. Shame about Pereyra coz he's pure class on the ball. Richarlison, Gray and Okaka all looked like they could be a handful. Amrabat was simply dreadful again, reasons have already been explained by everyone else, but I've never known a winger to give away so many free-kicks.
Really? I wish I'd have posted it here for posterity but I swear I said to my dad at kick off to watch Janmaat as he'd be off injured inside 15 minutes as he never fancies it when up against a pacey opponent (in this case Mane). And when did he hit the deck for his obligatory breather? About 14:50. Absolute joker. Get rid. There was a VIP leaving not long after the game in a black BMW 7 series driving along Vicarage Road escorted by suited and booted old bill in a Range Rover. I can't imagine he'd get that sort of help would he? Watford fans love a trier. Absolutely love it.
It does appear a complete lack of productivity and ability is forgiven as long as you run around a bit. Nothing wrong with expecting a bit of both at this level.
Just seen the equalizer again. Britos was standing in a slightly offside position but I'm pretty sure Richard Allison's ball wasn't a forward one (if anything it went slightly backward) so it doesn't matter. It only went towards the goal when the keeper elbowed it onto the bar. So not offside for me. Sorry Klip-Klop. Meanwhile, L***n lost at Barnet to an injury time goal ha ha
Re Amrabat, he's hustle bustle and combative. Look at doucoure's goal - fighting to give the defender trouble, getting the ball, shielding it and playing it back to doucoure. Sometimes infuriating when he holds the defenders shirt, could improve his crossing and isn't ronaldo, maybe better midfield than winger. The opposition full back will know hes been in a battle every game. Never shirks defensive duty but wouldn't want him at actual right back because he'll give away fouls, but hey if he can fill a gap when needed, better than Niang or berghuis or success filling in there. So hes not perfect but is decent for us. Certainly cannot fault his work rate.
Amrabat was just too frustrating, given his age he's not going to improve, a year ago he put in some good performances but we clearly need a new right winger (and a shed load of bubble wrap).
Third goal wasn't offside because it wasn't a forward pass. Britos + Richarlison were basically in line at the very edge of the pitch. Klopp's understanding of the rules is simply wrong.
I think most English football fans and pundits do! Even a bang average player is often praised for "getting stuck in" or "putting himself about" That's until they play for England or in Europe and get outclassed technically then everyone moans about how inferior we are.
I think we might regret not going the extra mile to get this guy when we were reported to be in for him, unless today was just a flash in the pan?
More importantly is Klopp's admission that Liverpool are a bunch of sissies. In his post match interview he stated "I wasn't happy in the first half with the situation when it was obviously too physical." Bless his little cotton socks. He then when on to state how his teams 2nd and 3rd goals were wonderful. "We were extremely unlucky at times and in the second half scored two wonderful goals." Erm it was a penalty and a tap in from the length of ants willie...idiot.
So long as he doesn't need to change direction that is. We have some OK centre backs but need a bit more pace, ability to track runners, and someone who can play the ball out. If we could sign one up great, if not we'll have to make do.
Finally a realistic review of the game. It's early days and I'm pleased with the result. Amarabat wasn't that bad at all, he pushed forward pretty well but he was sucked into the play for Liverpools first. Kiko looked a little weak as well will need to toughen up, doucoure was great, his ball retention to take out 3 Liverpool players was supreme shame about the injurys, conversely pleased with the debuts today.
Well I'm late to this party - can't believe there's so many negative comments! What's it going to be like next week when we surrender meekly to our friends on the south coast?!! As usual, I feel like I've seen many different things to a lot of you on here, but surely we can all agree the overall team performance was like night and day compared to the end (and most of) last season? A few points: It amazes me how many fans/reporters/journalists and ex pros don't fully know the offside rule. Lots of smart arses on twitter linking the FA's rules about how there's no mention of the direction of travel of the ball in order to flag somebody offside, and that if the recipient is ahead of the player making the pass without 2 covering defenders (GK included) between them and the goal - then he's offside regardless of direction. What they fail to mention is that A: Britos was level or only marginally in front of Richarlison (benefit of doubt is supposed to go to the attacking team); and B: Richarlison wasn't passing to Britos - he was shooting, but managed to get it wrong in as much that the ball would actually have gone out for a throw-in had nobody touched it. Only the double ricochet off the defender and Mignolet changed the trajectory of the ball and took it into Britos' path - hence no offside. Besides - Spurs weren't bothered when Son scored from a clear-cut offside the season before last; and the scousers didn't seem fussed when Ian Rush dived in 86. Salah man of the match? What utter nonsense. He was useless in the first half, and half decent in the second. Bias or no bias - Doucoure put in a 90min performance, of that you can't argue. Okaka was great, but he can't do it for 90mins. When Deeney's fit, it'll be interesting to see who starts and who comes on as sub. A nice problem to have (not including Gray of course). Final point on Amrabat, being as he's taking a lot of stick as usual. He's still not playing as well as the start of last season - maybe he never will? But to say he offered absolutely nothing isn't true. He was the architect of our second goal - he won the throw-in, then was responsible for holding off the defender to toe it to Doucoure who was then able to slide Cleverley in due to the huge gap left as a result of Amrabat taking the defender out of the game during that moment. Within 5 seconds of his intervention, we'd scored. I agree he wasn't great throughout the 90 - but if you're going to pick his game apart, you can't leave out a very significant positive factor and only highlight the poor parts. Overall - a thoroughly entertaining days football
To put it exactly re. the equaliser Britos was behind Minolet originally and not blocking or interfering with him so not offside, also the trajectory of the original cross was actually backwards hence no flag. It was in fact defender/keeper that spooned the ball forwards hitting the bar and thus starting a new and very definitely onside phase of play .... The test is that had the ball not hit the bar but gone straight in who would have got the credit? the answer is obvious, a Liverpool own goal would have resulted. Klopp needs glasses! ..... erm
Amrabat did not hold the defender off and play Doucouré in for the second goal. He was in the process of losing the ball and indeed the defender beat him to it but the defender's poke away landed at Doucouré's feet. It was only the off the ball positioning from Doucouré that allowed the move to happen, if he wasn't there Liverpool would've easily had the ball back.
Pretty sure you're wrong. And even if you were right, amrabats nuisance making forced the defender in to the error.
The fa laws actually state nothing about the ball going backwards or forwards, it says any part of the player being adjudged on or off side, cannot be ahead of the 2nd last defender OR the ball as it is played. This does not include arms or hands. Britos left leg is a fraction ahead of the ball as Richarlison kicks it. Hardly a massive error and we should have the benefit of the doubt. Klopps a richardhead.
He slid in and got the ball ahead of Moreno to get it to Doucoure. It was an excellent tackle and set us on our way to the goal. It's clear on match day 1 that anything this bloke does isn't going to be good enough for many.
All the same Britos was not interfering or blocking the keeper or his view meaning he only became active when the ball hit the bar. From there on it's impossible he was offside.
My recollection was that he had the ball on the wing in a good position but then typically lost possession and the throw in came through a Liverpool defender failing to clear and instead kicking it out for a throw in. I can't find the highlights to double check so am doubting my own memory now.
Britos was offside. Very marginally, but he was offside. I don't understand why we are so adamant to prove he wasn't, when he absolutely was. Who cares? The goal was given, that's all that matters now. The offside is so marginal you can understand why the officials didn't notice it, but it is offside. Ahead of the ball, same phase of play (even though it deflected off Minolet), offside.
No, no, no. Everything Amrabat does is bad. Don't get me wrong, he's not the greatest in the world, but the stick he gets on here is bizarre.
Klopp should stop bitching about offsides and sort his defence out, its abysmal, he's had 2 seasons and it's actually one of the worst in the league
