Thread by @babuyagu

Thoughts on the XI?

So many things I didn't see coming.

I didn't see Virg starting the season.
I didn't see Klopp going with this midfield - and I am a little worried about Milner as a 6.
I am surprised Firmino isn't starting - but had a feeling he wouldn't be here.

https://twitter.com/LFC/status/1426566791149637637

My assumption is the returning guys like Thiago, Hendo, Firmino and Fabinho missing pre-season means we will be slow in introducing them all.

https://twitter.com/babuyagu/status/1425991443617878022

I predicted 5-0 in my preview for this game btw. I almost never go with big scores but this thread explains why. Norwich's pre-season hasn't gone well, they struggled to name a subs bench in their last friendly and with so many new players it could take a

minute to gel - which is again problematic when half the team isn't training or playing due to injuries/covid.

If you look at this team, many of them haven't had much of a pre-season. Cantwell and Rupp were injured until recently. Pukki, Rashica and Hanley were all in isolation from Covid until recently. Gilmour and Giannoulis are new signings.

Interesting to see if they play as a unit

or look a bit disjointed early in the season due to the large number of new faces and lack of time to bed them in for pre-season.

https://twitter.com/whipashitty/status/1426570401040191493

I dunno, there is nothing I think is particularly safe about this lineup. Actually feels very bold and aggressive to me. There is a tonne of penetration in those 8s and that is usually the quality we lack in our Milnerson or Gini-Fabinho-Hendo/Thiago trio

You swap Milner for Fabinho in that midfield and I would say that is MORE safe - but still looks aggressive as hell. It is a pair of 8s designed to pin them in, swarm as soon as the ball is lost but you would worry still if under sustained pressure and from set pieces.

The lack of height in the team is the real worry tbh. Replacing Fabinho with Milner, Hendo with Keita and Firmino with Jota is taking 3 of our bigger zonal defenders and replacing them with smaller guys.

Might be an issue on defending set pieces - that would be my focus if NCFC

https://twitter.com/dgljones/status/1426572171531464706

I weirdly both agree and disagree with this. Our 'stable' midfielders are probably Fabinho, Hendo, Thiago and Jones. But all of them aren't ready for this one game.

And you want to pair them with a more penetrative guy like Keita or Ox or Elliott.

They are your penetrative midfielders, they break lines, pull the opponents shape apart and create space in behind as you have to close down the long range threat.

And in the season as a whole that is a good mix of options and maybe this is just the one game where literally none of our more stable guys are available.

Some will probably ask why Milner isn't 'stable' and yet Jones & Hendo are.

Basically, Jones modifies his game based on what is required (and that is why I am so excited about him) - when he is in a game where we need a foot on the ball, to just keep it - he does that.

Milner kinda only has one way of playing in midfield and as he tends to always look forward - he tends to turnover the ball more, or play it forward when attacks can't be sustained. Which creates instability. Hence... not stable.

Liverpool twitter when Milner starts in midfield

Right from the start, Jota filling the passing lane from GK to Gilmour. Forces it long and we win it back easily.

Keep an eye on Jota, he is always checking where Gilmour is - that Firmino job.

So Milner there, over on the right flank on the counter and the ball is played off him for a throwin.

And I just think your #6 should just never be there.

Surely that is a foul on Tsimikas, taken out while clearing the ball with a late tackle?

Watch a replay of that flickon Mane just made.

How many times did he change the angle of his run to get in front of the defender?

Early signs are here that Tsimikas is the perfect Robbo understudy. Our style of play doesn't change, he has pace to manage players 1v1, he doesn't dive in, he gives us excellent width and can play the ball early forcing opponents to stay wide(r) than they would against Milner.

We are so aggressive pressing Kurl today. They kept the ball after those two presses (Jota first, Salah second) but it created 50/50 situations around their own box rather than a calm passage of play to keep possession. We say lots of that in our Bologna, Bilbao and Osasuna games

Krul... ffs who who is Kurl?

https://twitter.com/CarloColluci/status/1426585649671507973

Lots of switches which is the right idea against a side trying to play zonal and compact option oriented marking. The space is always ball far side.

But yeah, I don't like this midfield (yet)

https://twitter.com/babuyagu/status/1426580293771796483

Good example of this twice in a short period, once setting up that attack although sadly nothing came fro it.

Ox isn't being closed down there - he needs to be doing better with that shot. Get your body shape right and foot over the ball. He never looked set to hit the shot.

Pukki gets in behind Virg there and on the replay I would be REALLY worried about Matip's communication there. Because Virg doesn't react at all suggesting no shout to pass him on, yet Matip lets him wander 10 yards away from him into space. Either Virg didn't hear a shout or

there was none.

Good defending there by Tsimikas. He didn't get pulled out by Cantwells run which would then have let Cantwell check and run inside. He stays in the valuable position where on percentages the ball will go - and it did

https://twitter.com/HCBox/status/1426588015284137989

Honestly not sure on the offside. It looked level but the camera angle isn't great to tell tbh.

Thought that was in from Mo - not gonna lie.

Mane picks him out back post, Salah full on the volley, but it goes just wide.

https://twitter.com/CarloColluci/status/1426587957230809089

Yeah but that is normal. Nobody comes back from an ACL the same as before. Some take 6-12 months to get back to the same speed, some never do. It isn't a problem though really.

He is also probably taking it easy subconciously. Lucas talked about this

in the past but you do a lot of second guessing. Do I need to make this tackle or can I wait - do I need to sprint here or is it offside? You try to protect yourself until you are confident in your knee.

Boom, 0-1, Jota

Trent picks out Salah in the box, he miscontrols the driven ball but it falls for Jota who hits low and hard and first time (TM) past Krul.

Once again Krul is closed down and almost plays Gilmour into trouble. It is a very clear pattern we have worked on here, shaping the run and leaving Gilmour open in a trap.

When that ball was in the air I thought Matip was gonna chest it inside and fire a left foot volley in.

Then I remember it is Matip not Rivaldo.

Wow that Pukki dive. Waits for Virg to touch him and then falls over.

If Milner is going to step out and press he has to get there. Because at the moment he isn't and Cantwell is doing a very good job of dropping into the hole he leaves before any #LFC player can fill it.

Lots happening - penalty shout on Salah as he gets to a bouncing ball first and then goes down after a challenge. No pen from VAR check

Then Mo has a volley that is blocked.

Then Matip in the rebound cleared off the line.

Then Virg volley scuffed so nothing comes of it.

That Matip one, if he had any goalscoring instinct at all and shot technique he is putting that off the ground so a player can't just slide and block it. Aguero is a fantastic watch for doing that. Slight feint to sit defender down then mid/high shot to get past him.

Thoughts on the midfield trio so far?

Think Keita has been good, filled holes well. Norwich can't advance this side.

Milner is getting pulled out of position and is already booked.

Ox hasn't got in the game with the ball and is getting played around too easy on the right.

You can see here... Norwich had some joy on our right, none on our left.

Weird shout but I wouldn't be surprised to see Taki come on for one of the forwards and give us more of a diamond. Bobby works the same but maybe pre-season work gets Taki the chance.

Think we see Fabinho for Milner early 2nd half, maybe even HT. Milner on a yellow isn't good.

Rishica gets some joy running at Tsimikas for the first time. He will be asking for the ball quick to try him out again. Tsimikas maybe a bit unlucky in that he got touches on the ball but it still want by him.

HT 1-0 to Liverpool. Thoughts?

They have had one real chance - Pukki getting in behind but Ali comfortable saving near post.

We've had 5 chances in the box - one big chance, converted it.

Thing we should look to control this game more second half, we don't need to be open anymore. I worry about Milly on a card too. Gilmour is really dangerous on long/switch passes when he finds pockets behind Jota.

https://twitter.com/JimWynn7/status/1426594898250244103

Agree with all that. I think like Gini at Barca, Jota has been told to focus on positioning himself between the ball and Gilmour. He is constantly checking for him and moving - and as the half went on he did that less and Gilmour saw more of the ball.

https://twitter.com/Jhdharrison1/status/1426595187095216128

Fantastic analysis this as always. Yep I thought he made a bad situation look easy.

On Norwich, Cantwell has been very good. He keeps finding spaces around Milner who is distracted by what is in front of him. He needs to check his shoulders more.
Lees-Melou looks like he will be a very good signing for him on this brief glimpse.

No changes for the 2nd Half.

Here is the thing on Milner... we rate what we see but there are so many intangibles in football. What value is his leadership out there? How quiet would our team be without him?

Football is a team game afterall. Sometimes the guy that brings out

the most of those around him, keeps people switched on, focused, prevents standards slipping, bollocks the ref for calls... he makes a big difference even if he is individually having an iffy performance.

Almost 2-0, keita cuts their defence open with a scooped ball over the top. Trent smashes it across the box, keeper on the deck, Mane tries to passs it into the open net. Defender gets a block

Almost another big chance but the tackle comes in just before a shot. Knocking on the door here

Matip goes down holding his leg and I am terrified for a moment. But he gets up and jogs back.

Great that - Jota picks up on the edge of his box, carries the whole pitch, skips past 2 without a challenge and Cantwell just blatantly brings him down from behind edge of the box.

One of those I said that is with the sole intention of ending a counter - deserves a sinbin

Trent hits the support for the net and I thought it was off the post and in! :D

Still 1-0

Fab & Bobby coming on.

In the last 3 minutes, I have seen Keita in both full back positions and in the #9 pressing people. We are too open and he seems to have volunteered to be a 1-man midfield and to track all the runners. It's too much

Jota off for Bobby. Ox off for Fab. Can't argue with either of those. As long as Milner dodges a booking, I would rather him than Ox at 8 here - Ox struggled, sadly I was so hopeful

And it is 2-0

Another Salah assist. Unselfish to pass not shoot - I am sure that will be forgotten the next time he has a shot.

Hear that?

It sounds like there is something the travelling Kop want you to know 🎶

Yep. Fuck em

https://twitter.com/p____m____b/status/1426603576692981760

See how they aren't playing through midfield anymore? And the only space is wide? And they are trying long deep switches?

This is what we need. This compactness.

The Mo song starts up - so he obliges with a goal 10 seconds later.

Corner headed shallow - picks it up edge of the box and puts it in the top corner.

3-0, a goal & 2 assists for Mo

Rashica's turn to feel a touch and go down. No pen.

Agree with this too Peter. I think Trent & Robbo gets energy from the crowd too and will be another level.

https://twitter.com/p____m____b/status/1426603897569923072

I love Mo. He fluffs a chance set up by Virg and is furious with himself - having already scored, assisted 2 and we are 3-0 up.

30 seconds later and he is still arguing with himself about it. He is fucking fired up this season!

Elliott coming on for (I guess) Milly

Tsimikas had 2 very memorably bad moments this match. But I think the has been excellent and don't want to put too much value oon those moments.

Oh it is Keita off, not Milly.

In 60 seconds we see why Elliott is a good fit in this team. He is playing near to Bobby, Mo, Trent giving us little combinations, giving the man on the ball options, allowing us to commit players and destabalise their shape. Taki is on that wavelength too and I think that mostly

seeing him with Origi - who isn't like that at all and actually slows things down - is largely why most of Taki's starts haven't been great.

Ali just made the unilateral decision that we aren't conceding today. Point blank save and then eventually paws away the attempted rebound threatening to loop over his head.

Fabinho with his first crumple of the season

Matip needs to be stronger there, you can't let the guy hold you off and go around him - you just did his job for him in needing to spin you to get goal side.

Maybe a good example there of Elliott inexperience. When Tsimikas is tackles he sets off but as Fabinho is moving over that side it means we then have no midfield in the middle of the pitch.

He sprints back to make up the numbers though which is good.

3-0 win and already behind United on goal difference. FSGOuT!!1

Not sure what to make of that performance. Lots of positives. Some negatives. Good to see Keita, Ox, Matip and particularly Virg all playing again. Tsimikas was decent in his first EPL start. Salah looks fired up.

Thought Trent was quiet by his standards but then everything was coming down his side with Ox in front so maybe that is expected.

Ali probably saved us at least 2 goals.

Keita looked our best midfielder.

I was so hype to watch again there is probably a dozen things I missed and even more I have just forgot.

3 points on the board though and onto the next

Getting offline quick tonight. Have some work still to finish so I can focus on the working on the next podcast episode tomorrow.

Thanks for joining me and following the thread. Delighted with the win. Onto the next!

xG eh? :D

The difference a world class keeper makes (mentioned on the @FiveATB podcast last week). He saved us 2 goals.

And the difference qualify in attack makes - Jota, Bobby and Mo all finishing their chances.

Games are won and lost in both boxes.

Klopp found this out the hard way in his final year at Dortmund. You can be the 2nd best team in the league in everything but shooting and stopping shots - and those two things alone will kill you and put you near bottom of the table.