Liverpool suffered their second defeat in as many games as they were beaten by West Brom at Anfield. The Reds started the game well as Roberto Firmino scored in the 5th minute. However, two goals in the subsequent six minutes from Jay Rodriguez meant the Reds were behind.
Firmino was given the chance to equalise from the spot but could only hit the post. To make matters worse, West Brom added a third after some abysmal defending from Liverpool. Jürgen Klopp’s side were left with a mountain to climb in the second half and though Mohamed Salah’s 25th goal in all competitions reduced the deficit, the hosts never looked like scoring and were deservedly beaten.
Here are 3 talking points from the game…
#3 A midfield that isn’t good enough and a manager who is too stubborn
That’d be the most apt way to put it. Jürgen Klopp is hell-bent on proving the doubters wrong and making his system work with pieces that just don’t fit together. Granted, Liverpool’s defence was below par, but how many times did we see the midfield offering no protection whatsoever?
The number of times the likes Jay Rodriguez and Matt Philips were able to run at the back four was embarrassing. The likes of Emre Can and Gini Wijnaldum were often left chasing shadows.
It doesn’t matter who the centre-backs are, as long as that midfield doesn’t improve, Liverpool will continue to impress and flatter to deceive almost immediately in the subsequent games. It’s just not a sustainable system, is it?
#2 Alan Pardew’s side show their own version of geggenpress
Yes, they put the usual Liverpool press to shame. While Pardew is no managerial saint, he should be given credit for the brave approach. Teams who try to press Liverpool early on tend to perish, but West Brom’s transition game was pretty strong and the Reds sort of struggled to deal with them.
Luck favoured the Baggies as Firmino missed his penalty, but despite some near VAR heartbreak, West Brom will hope to replicate tonight’s performance in the league and ensure their survival.
Though Pardew’s side eventually sat back to soak pressure in the second half, their impressive pressing in the opening 30 minutes was enough to put Liverpool in panic mode.
#1 You do miss Coutinho now, don’t you Liverpool fans?
One game against Manchester City and the Liverpool fans went over the top with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s performance, some even labelling him the new member of the fab-four.
The thing is, against teams like West Brom who sit back and do everything possible to defend their lead, Liverpool don’t have enough creativity to unlock defences.
The second half saw quite a few crosses put into the West Brom box, something the likes of Hegazi and Evans had no trouble in dealing with.
What seemed like a smashing squad a few weeks ago now seems to have obvious holes in it. With a few days to go before the transfer window closes, Liverpool might have to start looking for players else risk collapsing in the coming months.