Liverpool’s 3-1 win over LASK revealed Jurgen Klopp’s philosophy, the challenges his squad still faces, and what we may expect from lesser-known players.
It was Liverpool’s fourth comeback win in five games, and while a brilliant second half shines brightly, there’s a darker underbelly: for 45 minutes of this game, they weren’t up to par.
For one thing, the Reds’ defense looked fragile once again, as they couldn’t add to their sole clean sheet this season.
Some players stood out, but Klopp’s team as a whole was below par for lengthy stretches of the game. To some extent understandable given that their manager made 11 changes and featured a number of inexperienced players.
And it’s not all bad news. Liverpool demonstrated once again their drive to never know when they are beaten, and their two full debutants did themselves no harm with their displays.
Here are five things we learned from their comeback to the Europa League.
Liverpool’s defensive problems are extensive
With due disrespect to LASK, who have taken a few scalps in the Europa League in recent years, this was meant to be a pretty simple task for Liverpool.
They have the central defensive duo that started the 2022 Champions League final in Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate. Despite this, they were 15 minutes behind schedule. Too frequently, the Liverpool machine takes a while to come to life.
Liverpool made a mistake by failing to mark Florian Flecker as he stalked the edge of the area following a corner kick, and they were slow to respond as LASK executed a routine that prevented them from closing him down. Touch. Shoot. 1-0.
It resulted from a lack of clarity and leadership, demonstrating that their defensive unit still requires practice.
On an individual level, Konate looked far from his best in his first start since recovering from a hamstring injury. In the first half, under pressure from Marin Ljubicic in his own area, he lost the physical challenge and gave LASK an opportunity. Given enough time, he should be able to catch up.
Meanwhile, Stefan Bajcetic stepped in as a last-minute right-back replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold. When Conor Bradley was injured, the kid filled in at defensive midfield. He seemed out of sorts, which is understandable, but it highlights Liverpool’s lack of strong defensive options.
While Kostas Tsimikas generated well with his crosses from the left wing, he struggled to keep his defensive zone under control, and Liverpool conceded more chances than they should have in the first half, despite Virgil van Dijk’s performance.
Jurgen Klopp is serious about competing in the Europa League
‘We are here to compete,’ Klopp remarked ahead of this match. ‘Not to provide chances. I realize we’re underdogs, but we’re here to play football; we take this game seriously and intend to make the most of it.’
While he did give some young players like Doak, Harvey Elliott, and Bajcetic opportunity, he mostly fielded an experienced team. This was no playdate with the kids.
A front three of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and the 17-year-old Doak posed a frightening danger.
Gravenberch will almost certainly be a first-team regular for the Reds this season, and Wataru Endo has already made many appearances after signing in the summer.
The fact that Klopp brought on Mo Salah with the club 2-1 up to seal the victory, which his star duly did, was the most revealing evidence of his ambition to excel in the Europa League.
The Egyptian ace could be seen prowling the touchline warming up from the start, as if Klopp was using the prospect of bringing him on as a tactic to whip his underperforming players into shape.
Ryan Gravenberch appears to be at ease in the midfield
It comes as no surprise that Gravenberch is excellent. For some time now, the 21-year-old has been one of Europe’s hottest talents, rising through the legendary Ajax program and winning a move to Bayern Munich last season, albeit it didn’t quite work out.
With new teammates, he took the lead as the conductor of Liverpool’s midfield, commanding play with searching passes and confidently carrying the ball.
His first-time cross from the right wing for Diaz’s goal was excellent, as he didn’t even pause for a second before sweeping the ball in pitch-perfect for the Colombian to score.
It’s not time to get too excited after just one game, but if this performance is any indication – shining while teammates stumbled – he has a bright future at Anfield.
He was replaced in the second half due to cramps after sprinting forward on the counter-attack and pressing the LASK defense towards their own goal.
Doak dazzles at times yet remains raw
Give him some space.
It’s all too simple to crown Kop kings too soon. Doak, a simple lad from Scotland who has bonded with Andy Robertson, is an engaging figure to root for with his unflinching disregard for tradition and restriction.
In this game, he ran right past opponents and generated chances that would not have been possible with a more circuitous route. Why go around the houses when you can bulldoze through them, he argues, in his daring style?
Luis Diaz is moving forward from his ailments
Diaz has three goals in six games this season. He’s finally moved on from the disappointments of the 2022-23 season.
Last season was a letdown for the 26-year-old, who missed 31 games due to a knee ailment.
Now appears to be the time for him to truly step up, having placed himself ahead of Jota in Klopp’s mind.
Tonight was another good night on the flank for him. When he turns on the afterburners, there’s little stopping him. He can go from zero to one hundred in an instant. Stop him as he comes charging at you, his feet buzzing.
He was the star performer tonight, winning the penalty for Liverpool and moving superbly in the box to receive Gravenberch’s cross and add his own goal.