Very strange game, flat and boring, pretty much what we all expected with it being the first game back. We were a bit rusty going forward but we still dominated and controlled the game. It was like a passing training exercise for us.
Everton’s game plan worked. They showed no attacking intent and played for a draw. I don’t think their fans would have allowed that if the ground was full and they’d have been on their players backs to close us down more, so the empty stadium played its part too.
I thought the absence of Salah was noticeable. He can frustrate me immensely at times but he obviously offers a huge threat with his pace, energy and quality. I’ve not been impressed with minamino in a red shirt so far and ox’s days out wide are long gone, he’s only effective from the middle.
We also missed Robertson who brings natural width down the left flank. Milly and Gomez are both great pro’s but it’s just not the same as having a natural left footer and somebody who is as good as what Andy is.
Only criticism I have is dejan Lovren. I know it’s harsh to go in on somebody after they’ve not played for so long but he isn’t good enough for us, not even as backup. I watched the game with my mate who’s a blue and when Lovren came on I said ‘I’d rather play with ten men’. And he laughed and said surely not? And I said honestly i would because dejan causes us far more problems than what we would have if we just had ten men.
Fast forward a couple of minutes and dejan makes two or three huge mistakes and we very nearly lost the game because of it. Anybody who thinks he’s ‘alright’ or ‘can do a job’ are kidding themselves. He’s a nightmare.
In hindsight, klopp should have dropped Fabinho into the back four, put Henderson into the holding role, put the ox into the middle and then brought Salah or Elliott on out wide.
But a point away at Everton in our first game back where we saw a lot of the ball and could shake the cobwebs off and get some practice is very good. 2 more games and the title is ours. Up the reds.
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