04 Jan 2019 13:25:54
My thoughts on the game:

That was probably the most competitive game of football I have seen in the Epl in the last 4-5 years. Constant back and forth, constant probing and attacking. Was one h*ll of a game. Amazing and excellent to watch.

Fernandinho makes all the difference in that team. He had bookable tackles, but he is still the steel and clean up guy who allows the two Silvas do what they do. If our Fabinho develops up to that level, then we'd move up a notch, too.

For me, Klopp had the right formation and midfield setup to start off the game. They're reigning champions and one of Europe's best, so be smart and play on the side of caution on their home ground. Clearly, they had more to lose than we did, and we saw that in their determination. But I have said it before and will repeat it again. Our optimal spine is Alisson-VVD-Fabinho-Firmino. These 4 should be starting every game. Respect for what Henderson, Milner and Wijnaldum have done thus far for the team, but Fabinho starts ahead of them.

I'm of two minds about the Kompany tackle on Salah. I watched it 4-5 times on replay. Kompany caught Salah with the studs on the toes (even thought it was clearly painful) . It was a one footed stab with the studs. So the question is do you punish what actually happened or what could have happened? Do you start looking at unaccomplished intent? Klopp says Salah's season would have been over if he had not jumped over the tackle. He's very right, of course. But Salah jumped over and escaped most of the force of the tackle. What do you give the guy who makes a two footed tackle with both studs up high in the air, but completely misses both the player and the ball? A yelllow, a red or a loud laugh?

I think ManC won because they wanted it more and our luck for the night went missing. Bernardo Silva was running around like a frenzied zombie all night long, and I didn't see much of our "anger" to win (in a positive way, according to Klopp) . If Mane's shot goes in after hitting the post, if Sane's shot goes out after hitting the post and if their three goal line clearances don't happen then, we're looking at a different result.

Key for the rest of the season is to see if Klopp can instill that positive "anger' to win again, into the team. (And I hope Gomez comes back asap into the team, because the right side of our defense showed weaknesses the other teams will now go after) .

1.) 04 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 15:02:54
Brilliant post, ArAy1969, I agree with many parts of your post. On the Kompany tackle, watch it from behind. When he loses the ball, look at his expression. It looked like, "OMG, I have done a dodoo" and the desperation in his expression, shone through the desperation of his tackle.

The first thing to look at in the tackle is did he try to get the ball? No as his two feet left the ground. Did he get the ball? No as Salah touched it against Kompany while on the ground. Did he catch Salah in mid air? Yes and had he not, Salah was in on goal or had a chance to do it. This IMO, is why it is a red. It is interpreted as "endangering the safety of a defenceless player". Salah is defenceless when he is up in the air and cannot get out of the way of the tackle. Mind you, he already jumped up to avoid the challenge so should we now ask him to go all Matrix on us and contort himself a second time? Just my take BUT your post ios once again, spot on. Up Da Pool!

2.) 04 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 15:35:25
Thanks RedWolf. Your point about the Kompany tackle is well taken. I'm just happy that in life, I don't have a job like what the refs have to do every time they are out there. Split second decisions, of which many have far reaching repercussions. It's a thankless job where some people will always disagree with you no matter how good or bad you are.

{Ed0333's Note - I feel that most refs in that type of frenzied big game situation will err on the side of caution and not send a player off and spoil a game when they have to make a monumental decision like that. Personally I feel it was borderline and probably not a red.

3.) 04 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 17:00:27
I agree ed0333

4.) 04 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 17:42:58
I always thought if you left the ground you were deemed to be out of control and if your studs are up it’s a red. I remember Kuyt grtting sent off against Utd I think a few years ago. 2 footed tackle, left the ground and missed the player. Still got a red.

5.) 04 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 17:47:33
I think the true evidence comes from Kompany himself where he said after the game "I didn't try to injure him. It was that or let him go through on goal. " He knew what he was doing. It was a red. BUT it's history now.
Roll on Brighton! (I have no interest in the FA Cup this year)

{Ed0333's Note - i love the warrior-like attitude of Kompany, he’s a titan even in the winter of his career. If that was VVD making that tackle we’d have been revering and lauding him for centuries. He could of got sent off he didn’t let’s move on.

6.) 04 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 17:50:45
ArAy1969, I was just about to post having just watched the whole match for the first time and you have said virtually everything I would have said - I agree 100% with your analysis. One or two additional points from me. On the weakness on the right side of our defense, I would go a bit further and say that Lovren was our defensive weak link last night. I love the guy for his whole-hearted attitude and he often performs better in big games but I don’t think he was at his best last night. He was caught dozing by Aguero for City’s first goal and was a little deep, playing Sterling on side, for City’s second goal. I actually thought Trent was excellent, keeping Sane quiet for most of the game and passing and crossing the ball well. For City’s second goal, I thought he had no option but to go with Aguero’s run into the penalty area and we were caught 1 short in defence with Sane having space to finish brilliantly. Of course, we will never know if Joe Gomez would have made a difference but I would like to think he would. Finally, our goal was the culmination of the best, most sustained piece of attacking play in the entire game. Great stuff. Both teams were actually better without the ball than with it, with little of the flowing football that both teams are renowned for and I thought a draw would have been the correct result overall.
We are still in the PL driving seat with 5 winnable games coming up. Come on you mighty Reds!

7.) 04 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 19:20:40
WW, I disagree with the whole blaming of Lovs for the first goal cos people fail to consider one salient point. I have watched that goal again and if you really want to know what happened, watch the build up. There was a cross in the box where VVD challenged Aguero in the air, won the header and Aguero screamed for a pen. We push up while the clearance gets back to Sane who runs to the byline. Lovren and the whole defence push up and Aguero is slowly walking back onside and here is where Aguero comes alive in the box.

Aguero anticipates where Sane would play the ball and before Lovs (who like everyone else, still thinks Aguero is offside) could blink, Aguero steps in front of him, controls, shoots through a mouse-hole and scores. Only Aguero could have done that cos he is that brilliant. Could Lovs and the defence have done better BUT be honest, did you think Aguero could have scored from there, thru a mouse-hole with a man-mountain like Allison in front of him? Pls, check the goal again and let me know what you or anyone thinks?

8.) 04 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 19:35:41
Agreed WW. In fact, Ed025 had mentioned before the game that he expected a 2-2 draw and that scoreline would probably have been the most fair reflection of the game. But, hey, it's football. We move on, and on May 12th we hopefully add another trophy.

{Ed002's Note - Manchester Citry were far better.}

9.) 04 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 20:10:39
RedWolf, good post and good challenge. I can’t argue with anything you say other than if Lovren had been a bit more alert he might have stopped Aguero from getting his shot away - but it was a world class finish and if it had been a Liverpool goal I would be applauding the scorer rather than castigating the defender.

While I’m posting . Ed02, I don’t agree that City were far better, it was a very close game with City claiming a marginal victory. It could have gone the other way but congratulations to City on making it go their way.

{Ed002's Note - That is because you had the old rose tinted specs on.}

10.) 04 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 22:37:18
WW, I disagree that City were far better as well. Saying they were far better is a stretch cos they had only one shot on target (the Aguero goal) and the second shot on target did not come until the Sane goal. Did I also mention that the great David Silva was a non factor in the whole game?

Also, Pep said himself that City got lucky in some situations and you're going to need some of it to win such a tight game. Just stating facts here. No red tinted glasses.

11.) 05 Jan 2019
04 Jan 2019 23:42:56
Good post ArAy.