Thread by @babuyagu

Thoughts on the XI?

Kinda what I was expecting given the fitness of Hendo, Jones, Robbo, etc.

It will be interesting here to see how the midfield plays without Hendo given a lot of people - myself included - have been very critical of him this season in that #8 role.

https://twitter.com/LFC/status/1462095913191673857

I love that 1% of our fanbase thinks the match will finish 7-0.

Behave! This isn't Ole's United we are facing here!

Bench is looking a little thin after the internationals. Origi, Hendo, Robbo all in the day-to-day category and should be back quick. Milner, Naby and Jones aren't far behind.

Still... I'll be delighted if Kaide Gordon can get some minutes in his boots here.

In Hindsight...

Have to say, brave of Klopp to play Mané with broken ribs here that should keep him out for 6 weeks.

Must be absolutely loaded up on painkillers. To jump into someone like that and land flat on your back with broken ribs... god damn that would hurt.

On a coming podcast I was talking to Seb about how smart players move towards the ball when they don't want it - sometimes. Good example there from Thiago. Arsenal marking our split CBs when Ali has the ball.. Thiago drops in between the Arsenal players - both narrow to stop the

ball into Thiago - and suddenly we have both CBs available in acres of space again.

Stuff that has no statistical value but you see Bobby do that too. Moving to the ball but not wanting it and hoping the ball is played into that space he vacated

Thiago again with that under-rated combative side to his game again there. Goes into a pack and comes out with the ball at his feet.

Surprised to see White pressing Mané as high up the pitch as he was there - near our own box in open play. Without tactical cam we can't see if that leaves any spaces for us in their 1/3rd.

Really liking the Thiago + Fabinho combo in midfield. They do a good job of breaking things up, protecting the defence, recycling the ball carefully and can play forward vertical passes (Thiago) and chipped through balls (Fabinho) when on too.

Fabinho, Fabinho... running down the wing...

doesn't have Mos pace and it runs out for a goal kick.

Mane isn't quite 'on it' yet today. The fine margins at this level are ridiculous but he seems a little out of tune with the game. It happens. Sometimes it just takes 15 minutes or so to get back up to the speed of club football.

Those Tsimikas balls are great. Pace and a low arc which means if you can get a clear header on it you are just aiming it.

That Mo stuff in the box was a madness. If we had scored from that...

Thiago having an excellent game so far.

Arsenal doing well there to get out of our press high up the pitch... but if you are taking the risks they were there and margins from losing it when wide open in your own third you need to be perfect every time. We need to get lucky just once.

Sweeper Ox.

Pops up in the Matthias Sammer position between the CBs picking up the runner Saka, and clears brilliantly a ball that Matip had failed to get to.

Mané giving it away in midfield now. Like I said before... he just isn't quite on it here. Maybe the broken ribs are affecting him but I still think it just takes a moment to flip between the pace of international and club football.

Hope the switch flicks soon though.

https://twitter.com/Brogs97/status/1462115437760729098

Yep... i said before it has to be Fabinho OR Hendo in midfield as a 6. It just doesn't work as an 8.

For me it is
6 - Fab/Hendo
R - Thiago/Elliott
L - Naby/Jones

Ox & Milner fill in the gaps where there are injuries.

Thiago best player on the pitch so far by a mile. And this is him probably not even match fit after not playing much for a couple months.

I think he is a proper levelling up player for us. Much in the same way Ali, Virg, Fabinho, Robbo and Salah all were.

The only difference being we haven't been able to get him on the pitch to the same extent. Was key to finishing 4th last season with our end of season run form.

Anfield feels a little flat tonight. Anyone else feeling it?

Trent smashes one across the box and it just evades a few red shirts - cleared for a corner.

Mané flicks to Ox, he bursts out of midfield in the right half space - not being closed down really so tries a go, blocked and spins wide.

Mane keeps coming REALLY deep in the buildup. I wonder is it the awareness that White is following him to see how high up the pitch he can pull him out of postition? If Mane gets White in space it could be curtains for White.

https://twitter.com/babuyagu/status/1462113450289733635

Ooooh Thiago with the volley on his left, breaks loose, Mane on it challenging Ramsdale. Somehow forced wide for a corner. Bit of a goal mouth scramble there.

Outrageous backheel by Smith Rowe, Auba looks miles off. Square to Laca. He puts into the empty net with the Liverpool defenders all strolling back waiting for the flag - and there it is. Offside. No goal

Arteta having to be held back here... he wants to fight Klopp. Weird moment that. Lucky not to get dismissed for that.

Both managers booked by Michael Oliver for coming WAY out of their areas to have a go :D

Something we are doing REALLY well that I have been critical for us almost every game recently ... when attacks break down how well we close angles and force then to return the ball to us quickly. We just haven't had any control of games like that.

Mo almost scores... close range can only touch the cross towards goal. Ramsdale gets something on it and manages to palm the loose ball away from Mo too.

Oh and another big save, Trent cuts inside onto his left and smashes one.. tipped over the bar.

Massive tackle that Fabinho. First time I've felt we were a bit open all day and it was from a counter from our own corner.

Yep, we have over 70% so far. Dominant just without a goal so far

https://twitter.com/Brogs97/status/1462120207984566272

Oh we have one now. Maneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

The switch has flicked now.

Freekick in from Trent. Mané peels off to the back post, ball evades all the Arsenal defenders, Mané heads back across the keeper. 1-0

https://twitter.com/babuyagu/status/1462116138989535232

Harsh words for Mikel Legohead here.

https://twitter.com/Brogs97/status/1462121427881107457

Massive tackle that by Ox too. He's had a good match against his former club - albeit somewhat overshadowed by Fab and Thiago who have both been huge.

Mane going to get booked here. Dived in on White. Thought he got the ball you can't dive in like that from behind. Pointless too as White was going to put it out for our throw in.

We have seen some nice first time passing from Arsenal today and have opened us up, or almost, a few times. With offside preventing them scoring. But they are definitely still a big threat here if we allow them some of the ball.

Thankfully, we haven't so far.

Half Time. Thoughts?

Pretty much perfect so far, pretty much. When you are this high and aggressive you can suffocate teams and barely let them touch the ball. If they have quality players though they will sometimes get out - and that is what we have to be careful with.

https://twitter.com/RobLFC_/status/1462123361119752204

Lots of nearly moments. I said in the thread it is like he isn't playing at the speed of the match. He's causing problems regardless though because he is pulling White out of position, and if and when it clicks he will commit straightup murder.

Think all 3 have been great. First 20 minutes was the Thiago show and he has set the whole tone of the match: we are going to control this game. And we did.
Without that guy setting the tone, maybe we have another open midfield, a nervous one... like recent games. He's gamemaker

I dunno... there is a lot to be said for me in just owning the ball & owning the game knowing you have another few gears to fly through when the moments present themselves. I think the start of the game was about control & once we had that we do the rest.

https://twitter.com/SimonWilliams81/status/1462124363990409219

Arteta not happy at all with Klopp first half vs when Mane scored.

I think either we watch different games or your expectations against the only EPL team unbeaten in 8 and with 20 points from a possible 24 from those games are fucking outrageous. We have absolutely controlled the shit out of them.

https://twitter.com/CarloColluci/status/1462125165245083654

Big Virg with a big tackle there. He'll be fucking furious though that he has had to do something AND got his shorts dirty too. Someone will get a bollocking for that after the game. He might even need to wash his kit this week.

I mentioned first half if Arsenal are going to risk playing through our press like that they need to be perfect every time... and when Trent picked off that pass across their own box I thought they would be in trouble. But his pass when nowhere.

Another attack. This time Ox gets in and tries to pass it into the far corner. Just wide.

And anoher... Salah's shot squirms through to Ramsdale.

And another... Salah can't get through the defence.

The tempo gone up a few notches here. We want a quick second and then we will

shut the game down and bore off Arsenal for the remainder I guess?

Boom Jota.

And it came from them trying to play through our press. Tavares plays a seemingly blind pass to Jota between their CBs... his composure is outrageous to Firmino the whole Arsenal defence and keeper on the deck.

#Foreshadowing #LIVARS #LFC

https://twitter.com/babuyagu/status/1462115395968585731

Arsenal need to make sure they don't collapse here.

Playing out from the back against this Liverpool side who sense blook... and you are looking wobbly isn't a good idea.

Thiago gets in but thankfully for Arsenal his shot was blocked.

Salah trying to do Salah things again - decides this time he can't score a Puskas and so plays back to Trent. Trent shot blocked.

Another now, Jota flicks to Mane, swivel and shot, parried by Ramsfale. Mo on it, pokes wide under pressure from ramsdale.

Ooof big collision here between Ramsdale and Jota. Hope both are okay. Jota's took it in the knee which is being tested now by the physio for stability. I hope he is ok

https://twitter.com/Brogs97/status/1462130445282426881

That is brutal. You almost never hear us sing about other teams - especially if we aren't even playing them. Good to see a bit of friendly trolling here though.

Jota up and walking - good sign.

Hey Ref, what happened with players needing to go off the pitch and get called back on. Make Arsenal play without Ramsdale for a few minutes :D

*usual disclaimer for those people*

And I see now Arsenal have abandoned the idea of playing through our press... probably a goal late on that call Legohead.

I can respect that. It is like the Merry Christmas Everton song though. There is a time and a place for it.

https://twitter.com/Kloppologist/status/1462131325360435201

What a save.

Mo perfect again with that outside of the peg pass that he's mastered... Jota on his left. Probably not putting it far enough wide of the keeper.

I will say again of Ramsdale and it is something I said before too... the ball comes off him into danger too much for me. And you have to make the first save of course but after that he seems to struggle to parry away from danger.

That was a Mignolet trait too. He would get

hailed for those big double and triple saves but it was always more of a concern for me that he gave teams 2 or 3 attempts rather than holding the first one or saving to put the ball into a safe area.

Mo tussles with Gabriel in the box, goes down, no penalty. Arsenal counter, Fabinho dives in on Rowe. Yellow card.

Mo is in his 'I gotta score' mode now. Trying to run at Arsenal every time he gets it. Now runs into a culdesac and loses it.

Jota with a perfect flick header. Plays Mane in. Mane momentarily forgets that he utterly despites Mo - passes him for an open net. 3-0

Taki is getting minutes!

TAKI IS GETTING MINUTES!!!

TAKI HAS SCORED!!!

TAKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Mane to Mo to Trent, squared across the box again... taki back post tapin.

Arsenal are getting absolutely fucking rinsed now.

Already looking forward to my Taki Minamino shitposting later tonight with a tiny sample size. I'm going to be utterly unbearable.

Never wanted a player to succeed so much in my life. Love him

https://twitter.com/goKontra/status/1462135215053234185

I didn't even know Hendo was on the bench. Missed his name in the pre-match lineup.

He came on for Ox and played the ball to Mane in the buildup to our 4th

It will sound weird saying this but Sadio and Mo haven't played that well today.

That isn't a criticism. More of a reflection that there is even more to come from the pair.

Tyler Morton on for Thiago.

I really like this kid.

Salah just made Tavares look silly.

He's had a rough game Tavares. Tierney will be pleased at least... it was looking like he would struggle to get his place back on form.

https://twitter.com/______jg_______/status/1462136703968235523

Yeah it is why I didn't worry about Jones before. He was trying fine-margin things. And kept trying. It is why I was positive about Mane first half when people were replying saying 'he is awful'.

People love the wonder goals Mo scores yet moan he is

selfish when he beats someone and then tries another without passing.

Make your fucking mind up - do you want brilliant players trying brilliant things and sometimes failing? Or do you want safety and for them to never try? Hodgson ball.

People love their hindsight. Every decision you make that pans out well for you was a good one. Every risk you take that pays off was a good one.

But when it goes against you... WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

Cowardly analysis.

https://twitter.com/p____m____b/status/1462138881051090944

Yep, you have to. You have to analyse decision not outcomes.

Full time 4-0

I'm going Thiago MOTM. Just feel like he set the tone of the whole game in that opening 20 minutes, made Arsenal realise they wouldn't be touching the ball today and that was the foundation everything else was built upon.

Who is yours?

I said this at the start of the thread and today reinforces that point today. Henderson makes our midfield more open.

Consequentially, Fabinho, Jones and Ox have all looked silly in midfield this season trying to manage wide open spaces.

We couldn't control opponents or games

irrespective of game state. Whether behind or coasting... we haven't had that control that we had today

I said it before but Thiago is a controller. There is a whole thread on that in here

Today he gave us the control we have lacked this season

https://twitter.com/babuyagu/status/1386845564239814662

Remember our old friend compactness?

Pressing is like tossing a net over the opponent. The smaller the spaces in the net, fewer things escape through it

We lose compactness with Henderson in midfield FAR too easily because he is caught ahead of the ball

https://twitter.com/EmekaOkoye/status/1462140010870804500

The numbers behind that Liverpool performance are ridiculous.