Liverpool 2-1 West Bromwich Albion: In game and Post Match discussion

Honestly, I expected a more difficult game.  There is no easy game in the Prem, but Pulis sides are always a bi*ch to play against.  He is the king of setting up to take a point against the big clubs, and the fact that we basically made mince of them for 80 minutes is mighty impressive.  The final score should have been closers to 4 or 5 to their 1 -- which was a scrappy, half deserved goal at best. 

We are genuine title contenders this year, even if the media is reluctant to admit it.  Arsenal and City both have tricky runs coming up, so we've got a chance to grab 1st place by the pussy before Christmas!! 

*** Sorry, but I couldn't resist.  If you start to get offended, just remember they're just words.  #lockerroomtalk  #americanembarrassment 

Nice reference to the pr**k that is Donald Trump . I'm genuinely very impressed with not only how well we've played but also how many points we've picked up during what can only be considered as being the hardest opening schedule of any team in the league so far.

That first 80 minute was some of the best football I've seen, better than when we finished 2nd under Rodgers.

It was relentless and it was brutal. I'd hate to play against us right now because we never let up or give you a second to breathe. That is death by football.

Just hoping we can keep this tempo up all season because if we do it's going to be quite a ride.

I agree. It was exhilarating stuff under Rodgers but today had far greater dominance and control. A few hours after the match now and my prevailing thought is 'how the hell did that match finish 2-1.' That was a 5-0, 6-0 performance quite easily. 

Today showed something important. People aren't talking about how little teams are creating against us. Man Utd created f**k all and bar the fortunate and undeserved goal, West Brom did f**k all too. The difference between us today compared to three years ago is that we don't allow teams a sniff. That stat provided by Melissa Reddy, reposted by WAHS tells us a lot. Yes, we have problems on the set pieces but our defensive work IN PLAY is as good as it's been for years so when I hear pundits talk about 'I don't think that defence is good enough'. I'm scratching my head as to how that has become so popular. In fact wasn't Chelsea away the last time we conceded from open play ie not a set piece?

And at the heart of it all is Joel Matip who has been a revelation. Didn't cost a penny. Compare that to John Stones who makes a fool of himself in the Champions League and how much did he cost? A figure that is set to rise to £50m apparently.

That second half was sensational until the 80th minute. We crushed them.

Can't pick a MOTM. Matip, Lallana, Can, Firmino, Phil or Mané could win it.

Should've been 5-0 but whatever because we are joint top of the F***ing league and staying there.

I really think we will win the league this season. No one can live with us.

Don't get excited though Karl. The fun police are about.

I've had a blast so far, anyway.

https://twitter.com/MelissaReddy_/status/789940954455273476

Wait, didn't after the Burnley game, everyone was saying as to how will struggle against small teams? I wonder what all those pundits are saying right now.

As they say, we thrashed them 2-1.

This match contained elements of 13/14 Rodgers style swashbuckling attacks, but also peak Rafa style control.

It has to be noted that while there are infuriating aspects at how we concede goals due to dodgy goalkeeping and poor set pieces, our ability to restrict the oppositions chances for in-game play is excellent. Teams are finding it difficult to create chances and test the keeper - again, the goalkeeper did not have much work to do today due to the excellence of those in front of him.

Their only chances are inevitably coming at our biggest shortcoming of setpieces and goalkeeping issues. Get these ironed out and we will be a complete team.

Sometimes you need to give a team credit for being good at something which WBA evidently are at set pieces.

I'm happy with any 3 points against a Pulis side although we missed a bit of an opportunity to send a message out to other teams that think they can park the bus.
Coutinho was outstanding today possibly the best game I've seen him play for us he did nothing wrong today everything was coming off. Felt the energy receded at about 60mins and that for me was time to change it I'd have unleashed Origi at this point but hey ho. 3 wins in a row now against Spuds, Palace and Watford would do nicely before the next int break

This match contained elements of 13/14 Rodgers style swashbuckling attacks, but also peak Rafa style control.

The perfect blend and this is without Suarez, Carra, Masch etc.

I've been waffling on about least chances and lowest shots on target conceded since before Christmas. It was one of the many reasons behind why I could see improvement in us back then and why I feel so confident moving forward. It's nice that it's getting some air time now because it's for too long been under appreciated with people only focusing on the pressing side of our game.

Watching us defend these days is fantastic, we guide the opposition into our area of strength and then simply walk away with the ball as they're forced to run straight into us.

Absolutely battered them, what a performance.

Honestly think we are winning the league this year.

Straight after the match I was annoyed that it got so tight at the end but after watching the highlights again I realised how they were damned lucky with their goal whilst we had sod all luck and on any other day would have scored at least 3 more goals. It really was an excellent performance from the team and if we can beat teams like West Brom with ease, and beat teams like Arsenal and Chelsea away then who is left to stop us this season?
I think the only thing that could possibly derail us at the moment are multiple key injuries at the same time, 4-5, but we have much more strength in depth this season compared to last so I think even then we could probably struggle by on team spirit and organisation.

I said it before, and I will say it again.... We would have lost that game under previous management.

And you would be right, 3,5 years ago. We've never lost this home game since.

Enjoyed being provisionally top for an hour, and hoped to boost the goal difference after half time. Of course it never happened, and yet again we couldn't cope with a team whose only threat is from set pieces. We crawled over the line in the end, but at least we got the win. And that's Pulis and his 13th-place football expertise dealt with for another 6 months.

I wouldn't be getting very bothered over handshake-gate. Personally I'm not a big fan of it, while Klopp also refused to shake his hand at last season's game. So calls for fines to be dished out now are utterly ridiculous.

Even more ridiculous are calls for Mignolet to return. And he will against Spurs, but that's about it. Like it or not, Klopp didn't sign Karius to sit on the bench, so he is the undisputed No. 1 now. Get used to it, as I'm sure he will.

Wait, didn't after the Burnley game, everyone was saying as to how will struggle against small teams? I wonder what all those pundits are saying right now.

Commentators kept saying it during the game too.

'Will Liverpool be able to play this way against the bigger teams? Man City, Arsenal....' 

Conveniently forgetting how we destroyed Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester*, and drew against Spurs and Utd.

Commentators kept saying it during the game too.

'Will Liverpool be able to play this way against the bigger teams? Man City, Arsenal....' 

Conveniently forgetting how we destroyed Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester*, and drew against Spurs and Utd.

Agree fella, watched the match on BT sport, and Hoddle was banging on about being able too do it against the big teams would be the test, who are these big teams he talks about ffs. 

It was more tongue in cheek, aimed at Arsenal with their 4th place trophies.

I know mate, hence the smiley 

I agree with what everyone's saying about the control and dominance we had even though the scoreline makes it look a tighter game.  F**k what everyone else is saying about us, it's the same everytime any team seems to be improving, they're so blinkered into previous issues they can't/won't/don't see the priest on the sugar mountain until he's stood in front of them slapping them round the face.  It was the same with Leicester last season.

I laughed the other day on ssn when they were talking about our game against the mancs.  The silly tw*t that used to be at QPR but now at WB, can't remember his name, was saying the mancs would still finish above us because our defense isn't good enough and their attack is much better.  Really?  So how come they failed to score against us and only had one shot on target then?

Anyway, the longer we go under the radar the better.  Nobody gave Leicester a chance of maintaining their form last season, every group of fixtures was going to be the time they started to wobble and drop points but they didn't.

F**k 'em!  I'm enjoying myself, I'm enjoying our football, I'm confident of results and I'm excited about where we're going and where we could end up.  It's been a very long time since that happened 

I thought that we were fantastic for the most part but again not sure about a league winning side.

The way we deal with set pieces continues to give teams who aren't on our level a chance to take points off us.

I don't know many if any league winning teams who concede at set plays so often and who's goalkeeper flaps and can't read the flight of a ball.

Sooner or later we will get found out i feel.

In general play though we looked fantastic, no doubt about that. Left Pulis and his side for dead, just wish we'd have killed them on the scire sheet rather than falling over the line. Got to be more clinical at 2-0

I know mate, hence the smiley 

I agree with what everyone's saying about the control and dominance we had even though the scoreline makes it look a tighter game.  F**k what everyone else is saying about us, it's the same everytime any team seems to be improving, they're so blinkered into previous issues they can't/won't/don't see the priest on the sugar mountain until he's stood in front of them slapping them round the face.  It was the same with Leicester last season.

I laughed the other day on ssn when they were talking about our game against the mancs.  The silly tw*t that used to be at QPR but now at WB, can't remember his name, was saying the mancs would still finish above us because our defense isn't good enough and their attack is much better.  Really?  So how come they failed to score against us and only had one shot on target then?

Anyway, the longer we go under the radar the better.  Nobody gave Leicester a chance of maintaining their form last season, every group of fixtures was going to be the time they started to wobble and drop points but they didn't.

F**k 'em!  I'm enjoying myself, I'm enjoying our football, I'm confident of results and I'm excited about where we're going and where we could end up.  It's been a very long time since that happened 

Isn't everyone enjoying our football Debs if their not enjoying it now , they must have been right fckin depressed a few years back , if you're  not enjoying now perhaps footy is the wrong sport for them .

I did not watch the game but what I like is that Coutinho seems to be a threat in EVERY MATCH now. He was not that regular last season. I think he will soon become one of the best players of the world if he continues his progression. His shooting has improved a lot, I'm asking myself if there is someone who is as threatening as him in the EPL.

I know mate, hence the smiley 

I agree with what everyone's saying about the control and dominance we had even though the scoreline makes it look a tighter game.  F**k what everyone else is saying about us, it's the same everytime any team seems to be improving, they're so blinkered into previous issues they can't/won't/don't see the priest on the sugar mountain until he's stood in front of them slapping them round the face.  It was the same with Leicester last season.

I laughed the other day on ssn when they were talking about our game against the mancs.  The silly tw*t that used to be at QPR but now at WB, can't remember his name, was saying the mancs would still finish above us because our defense isn't good enough and their attack is much better.  Really?  So how come they failed to score against us and only had one shot on target then?

Anyway, the longer we go under the radar the better.  Nobody gave Leicester a chance of maintaining their form last season, every group of fixtures was going to be the time they started to wobble and drop points but they didn't.

F**k 'em!  I'm enjoying myself, I'm enjoying our football, I'm confident of results and I'm excited about where we're going and where we could end up.  It's been a very long time since that happened 

I misread these smiley things all the time .

I've read a few match reports from the game and small parts of the one in the Sunday Express made me laugh this morning.

Big headline at top of the page: "KLOPP FAILS TO LAND TOP SPOT: Defensive lapse costs Liverpool." Did we lose? .

Then some snippets: "Like Tottenham and Arsenal, they missed a chance to stamp their authority on the title race." Didn't all those wins against the 'big' teams do that for us anyway?

"Tony Pulis lacks Jose Mourinho's charisma and silverware but the Albion boss seemed to have borrowed the United manager's gameplan." Mourinho has charisma? Also, Pulis has used dinosaur tactics for many a year.

"The cheers at the final whistle were ones of relief." Yep, relief. Absolutely nothing to do with the fact we won the game and went joint top? Of course not

I'm thoroughly enjoying watching our football. I couldn't be any happier about the results or the performances. Our front 3 is a group that is so entertaining and interesting to watch, forever interchanging, forever making it easier for the others to play to their full potential, sharing the goals and assists etc. and their work rate on the pitch is insane. I read something along the lines of Coutinho having 6 ball recoveries yesterday and that the others had decent figures too. I actually clapped at my TV when Firmino ran 80+ yards back to our own box to try and win the ball back, you guessed it, he did.

It helps so much that Klopp is a people person/manager, it's so easy to see how the players really want to play for him.

Isn't everyone enjoying our football Debs if their not enjoying it now , they must have been right fckin depressed a few years back , if you're  not enjoying now perhaps footy is the wrong sport for them .

I still sense a few doubters mate.  I guess that doesn't mean they aren't enjoying it but I'm enjoying the spectacle, win, lose or draw.  That probably sounds weird but for those of us old enough to remember the 70s and 80s, we didn't win every game then, just like we won't win every game now, that doesn't mean we can't or won't win trophies though.

As Jürgen said early on we have to become believers if we are going to be successful.  If we lose or draw one game it doesn't mean that's it, gone, done, finished, it means we need to believe we can win the next one and the one after and the one after that.  Put it behind you and look forward to the next one.

That's what I'm doing now, just like I did then 

I still sense a few doubters mate.  I guess that doesn't mean they aren't enjoying it but I'm enjoying the spectacle, win, lose or draw.  That probably sounds weird but for those of us old enough to remember the 70s and 80s, we didn't win every game then, just like we won't win every game now, that doesn't mean we can't or won't win trophies though.

As Jürgen said early on we have to become believers if we are going to be successful.  If we lose or draw one game it doesn't mean that's it, gone, done, finished, it means we need to believe we can win the next one and the one after and the one after that.  Put it behind you and look forward to the next one.

That's what I'm doing now, just like I did then 

Haha I feel  quite battered  from yesterday's drive , thought it was just that but then you had to go and bring up remembering the 70s / 80s and it reminded me I'm an old f"""r still if we match some of that I'll be a happy old fecker ,

I misread these smiley things all the time .

I've read a few match reports from the game and small parts of the one in the Sunday Express made me laugh this morning.

Big headline at top of the page: "KLOPP FAILS TO LAND TOP SPOT: Defensive lapse costs Liverpool." Did we lose? .

Then some snippets: "Like Tottenham and Arsenal, they missed a chance to stamp their authority on the title race." Didn't all those wins against the 'big' teams do that for us anyway?

"Tony Pulis lacks Jose Mourinho's charisma and silverware but the Albion boss seemed to have borrowed the United manager's gameplan." Mourinho has charisma? Also, Pulis has used dinosaur tactics for many a year.

"The cheers at the final whistle were ones of relief." Yep, relief. Absolutely nothing to do with the fact we won the game and went joint top? Of course not

I'm thoroughly enjoying watching our football. I couldn't be any happier about the results or the performances. Our front 3 is a group that is so entertaining and interesting to watch, forever interchanging, forever making it easier for the others to play to their full potential, sharing the goals and assists etc. and their work rate on the pitch is insane. I read something along the lines of Coutinho having 6 ball recoveries yesterday and that the others had decent figures too. I actually clapped at my TV when Firmino ran 80+ yards back to our own box to try and win the ball back, you guessed it, he did.

It helps so much that Klopp is a people person/manager, it's so easy to see how the players really want to play for him.

Yep a bit like Hoddle in commentary yesterday mate.  Wtf was that all about?  Have they forgotten the games we've already played and won?  Those we're going to be competing with for honours, away from home.  So what if the moanyone took a point off us at Anfield, they're the only team not to score against us in the league, shouldn't they be talking about that?

Course not, it's not in their narrative to say anything negative about them.

We've had enough to moan about for the last 25+yrs, we've had enough piss taken out of us in that time too so I for one am not gonna let the fuckers stop me from enjoying what I'm seeing.

Haha I feel  quite battered  from yesterday's drive , thought it was just that but then you had to go and bring up remembering the 70s / 80s and it reminded me I'm an old f"""r still if we match some of that I'll be a happy old fecker ,

Absolutely mate.  I miss the days when after we'd been beaten everyone used to say "god help whoever Liverpool have got next, 'cos they're gonna get battered".  As Jürgen said the other day, we need to be angry to compete.  Doesn't matter if you're only playing against your mates, doesn't matter what sport, without that anger and determination to win, every time, every game, it'll never happen.

Can't remember the interview now but one of our ex players last week said something about they expected to win every time they walked out onto the pitch, it didn't always happen but they never thought they wouldn't before the final whistle.

If Jürgen can bring that back, we'll be unstoppable again.

I've been waffling on about least chances and lowest shots on target conceded since before Christmas.

https://twitter.com/AnfieldCircle/status/788405745800908800

Yep a bit like Hoddle in commentary yesterday mate.  Wtf was that all about?  Have they forgotten the games we've already played and won?  Those we're going to be competing with for honours, away from home.  So what if the moanyone took a point off us at Anfield, they're the only team not to score against us in the league, shouldn't they be talking about that?

Course not, it's not in their narrative to say anything negative about them.

We've had enough to moan about for the last 25+yrs, we've had enough piss taken out of us in that time too so I for one am not gonna let the fuckers stop me from enjoying what I'm seeing.

I'm glad I missed that tidbit of commentary or I'd have lost my sh*t. Winds me up no end when commentators and/or pundits don't do their homework before going on live TV to share their opinions and end up embarrassing themselves. You're right, they should be talking about that but it wouldn't make for interesting reading in their mind so they focus on other stuff instead.

I'm with you on that!