QUESTIONS FOR THE REDS
If we were disappointed with our performance against Luton, it’s difficult to put into words how we felt after a lackluster effort in Toulouse. To many Reds, this will not be the greatest defeat in the world, and it will be considered as a minor setback in securing qualifying, but ignoring all of the issues would be incorrect. Jurgen Klopp spoke afterwards about physical duels, and the Reds were second best in every way. There were a few positives, and you know we’ll have to revisit that subject. We examine the lessons that might be drawn from a humbling Thursday night in France.
VARIOUSLY ANNOYING BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE
I’m darned if I remember the handball regulations, never alone how the referees on the field and VAR will apply them. Nobody knows what happened between the time Alexis Mac Allister chested the ball and it rolled into his arm and the time the referee finally disallowed it. Some cited the fact that there were around three stages of play following, while others stated that it had to be the player shortly before or an intentional act. The UEFA interpretation against the Premier League was referenced, and this is another case where the audio may be juicy (with a translator, of course). It’s tedious to talk about VAR, but it’s impossible to ignore.
SQUAD NUMBERS ARE NOT THE SAME AS SQUAD DEPTH
With question marks hovering over their heads, this was an excellent opportunity for several players to provide answers. However, by halftime, several had already made up their minds. Despite Robertson’s injuries, Kostas Tsimikas did not start against Luton, which many attributed to his poor recent performances. The only way it could have gone worse for him is if he had played in the second half. Endo was also pulled at the interval, already on a yellow and looking destined for a second. Kelleher appeared unconvincing once more, while expressing his eagerness to seize his opportunity during the press conference. By no means was it just them. We’ll also get to the senior talents.
SOME POSITIVES….
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On another night, we’d be saying that no matter how poorly the Reds play, they don’t know when to stop and love a late goal. We’d also be congratulating Jarrell Quansah on his first goal and how well he deserved it given his recent form. Diogo Jota’s finish after his slalom run was spectacular, reminding everyone of his finishing skill. Harvey Elliott once again performed admirably and was likely one of the few midfielders to receive pass marks here. Joe Gomez established himself as the club’s second best left-back and had a few good moments, albeit they were difficult to recall by the end. The biggest plus is that if you’re going to lose a game, this might be the best one. Oh, it’s also finished.
PRIMARY CONCERNS
Regardless of the rotation, the performance of older players should not be overlooked. Joel Matip was fortunate to receive a foul for a disallowed goal and looked pitiful at times. Alexis MacAllister’s return to his native position did not provide answers to inquiries about his recent performances, while Cody Gakpo remained anonymous until his withdrawal. Even the treble substitution of Trent, Mo, and Dom at the start of the second quarter had little effect on the game, as Toulouse continued to control until late. Many of Liverpool’s older players have struggled recently, and while a couple were abroad, this is cause for concern. Brentford, we could really use a few more players.
