Liverpool 2-0 Newcastle United: In game and Post Match discussion

This was an excellent performance by Liverpool, quite possibly one of our best, until the last twenty minutes. It was a match were we needed to be patient and not attempt to force things and Liverpool showed a level of maturity that was simply missing at the beginning of the season. We've come a long way in just a few months. The last twenty minutes, however, was simply too sloppy and against Porto or United, we'd be punished for such sloppy play. I'm sure Klopp will be having words about that as we speak.

I thought the refereeing was dreadful again and so I'm going to digress here for a moment. VAR needs to be rolled out once and for all, but not the VAR that the disfunctional FA running this country's game has introduced. Officials need to be wired up so the supporters both at home and in the ground can hear them. It also needs to be strategic like it is in Cricket. Limit it to say three appeals per side in the match so it's not used willy nilly and is at the discretion of the Captains, not the referees so the flow of the game is not disrupted.

Back to the match, another fine save from Karius to keep us in the match. He's going from strength to strength as a keeper. His positioning has improved, his communication is head and shoulders above Mignolet's and his distribution has added another dimension to our attack. I would still like to see another top goalkeeper signed in the Summer, if for no other reason than to keep him on his toes.

Man of the Match goes to Chamberlain who is another player going from strength to strength under Klopp. His passing was fast and clinical, he pressed well, he attacked well, and he tracked back and defended well. A complete performance from someone who had been written off before signing for us. Next up Porto, get the business done early there, then away to Manure were a draw will do me fine, especially if City do the business against Chelsea tomorrow because that will all but secure our place in the top four this season.

Any comparison stats for the ox compared to when he was at Arsenal to now.
Hendo had a decent game today i thought as well.

A thoroughly decent and satisfying result. If Man City beat Chelsea tomorrow this could turn out to be the pivotal result in this top 4 race. So on that basis to see them run out 2-0 victors against one of the most disciplined sides in the league was a relief as much as it was pleasing.

For 40 minutes of that match I was thinking 'so this is what Juventus fans felt like...' and all those other teams Rafa completely neutered in Europe. Newcastle weren't just plain defensive and cynical like a Pulis or Allardyce side. They were defensive but they had individual pressers which meant that we were never going to completely relax on the ball hence the reason why our defenders and goalie saw so much of the ball. Their dominance off the space was seriously good and the two goals which we scored were the only two goals that could have been scored - one coming from a fortunate break in midfield and the second just simply sublime and intricate and in my opinion one of the goals of our season. No defensive might or tactical master plan exists to counter such phenomenal football. In a match that didn't present too many goal scoring opportunities Salah and Mane's finishing in those two jobs really were vital so kudos to them for not squandering the chances when they came.

And I want to give a big hug to Karius - the one piece of action where he was called into action and he comes out with one of the saves of the season. It beggars belief how anyone thought Mignolet was better and 'the best of a bad bunch'. I can only guess that once VVD came in Klopp believed that the big Belgian blunder would only serve to make his brand spanking new £75m player look like a bargain bin buy and was merely saving Karius once a world class defender came in as he had the ability to make the big Dutch look every bit the 75m man he is. Either that or VVD (who was brilliant again today) threatened to leave if he ever had to play in front of Mignolet after that West Brom match. Probably a bit of both! Either way, Karius was excellent. He had the ball at his feet loads yet got it out as quickly as he received it and was dominant in the few potentially dangerous Newcastle set pieces.

And fair play to the midfield - very professional job and Emre Can I thought was the pick of the bunch. AOO was great especially in that first goal - he's a fearsome sight when he finds that gap and starts bearing down on goal.

Any comparison stats for the ox compared to when he was at Arsenal to now.

I thought I heard them say he's been involved in 7 goals in his last 10 games or something?

Don't ever remember him having anything like that kind of involvement at Arsenal.

Ox is probably in the top 10 CM in the league. At Arsenal he was played at fall back.

Missed the game again as couldn't get a decent stream. Ugh. Sounds like another comfortable victory though!

Just need to keep racking up those 3 points. Excellent form. Excellent football.

The nasty foul on Robbo went unpunished ,dirty c@nts

Seemed to be a tight game as I expected but great to get another win.

Showed some real maturity today. Great to see.

Also...we may have our goalkeeper.

Just voted Karius motm for that incredible save alone.
Seems he’s settled in now he’s been voted first choice. Long may it continue.

I am not saying Hendo played particularly badly, but 22% of people put MOTM? Surprised at that

I am not saying Hendo played particularly badly, but 22% of people put MOTM? Surprised at that

I thought his defensive work was exceptional today, picking up loose balls, cleaning up etc, but distribution was a bit too average as usual with his tackling pretty much non existent.

A brilliant save from Karius don't save that it's 1-1 and we have to break them down all over again.  It's fantastic feeling when goal bound shots are saved by our goalie and to top it up a good professional performance.  It seems that Karius has a genuine chance of keeping his first team place.  The timing with Karius has been perfect from the  boss though.  With VVD in our team our defense has gone up notches.

It was a professional performance that required patience as Rafa's team as always are well organised, our Rafa is a master tactician and we waited till the opening came and it did to the right man SALAH. 

Good performances from Hendo so a bit of the player of a couple of seasons ago before all these niggling injuries, OX was good too.  I gave MOTM to Karius as it is refreshing to make that save as it gives us another clean sheet going into the business end of the season.  B
ut realistically could have given it to any of them 3.

Anyone want to know what happened to those shirtless nobs in the Newcastle end?



Dead.

Get the F**k in another 3 points and a clean sheet. Couldn't be happier.

Thought Bobby and Sadio had quiet games today and yet one got a goal and the other got an assist. Try as you may you fuckers, you can't keep our front 3 out of the game.

Onto Porto. Hope it's another W and an easy one at that.

We've seen so many of those games end up 0-0 or 1-1 in the past so it's ace to see us getting stronger and stronger as the season hits the final run in.
Patience was the order of the day today with their back five holding us up well so it took a couple of world class moves to slice them open.
Could've tested their keeper more from distance but we kept our heads and dealt the killer blow when we needed to.
Apart from Karius's class save first half they never really threatened us although in the past they would have equalised in the last five minutes from a shitty deflection off a corner or something with Mignolet flapping in the air.

I think we have earned the right to walk into Old Trafford next week with our heads held high and tw*t them all over the park, don't you?

 

This was a significant win, especially if City do Chelsea tomorrow.Hendo did well after being left out. Think he realises he has to take a bit more risk, look to get it forward that bit quicker. Could be that Klopp in leaving him out, was in effect challenging him to be more positive.

Think Hendo has it in him to combine attacking playmaker with holding when needed. Gerrard thinks Hendo can play more positively higher up when needed. Wouldn't argue with him.

Great to see Rafa back and I hope he keeps them up but he has his work cut out for sure.

Don't think we ever, or needed to, get out of first gear. Comfortable, assured home win.

Mate of mine who went to the match today says they were singing the idiotic sign on song.

This from fans from the North East with the highest unemployment in the country WTF!!!

Bunch of shirtless wankers who don’t deserve a manager like Rafa.

Mate of mine who went to the match today says they were singing the idiotic sign on song.

This from fans from the North East with the highest unemployment in the country WTF!!!

Bunch of shirtless wankers who don’t deserve a manager like Rafa.

It's an outrage.

Mate of mine who went to the match today says they were singing the idiotic sign on song.

This from fans from the North East with the highest unemployment in the country WTF!!!

Bunch of shirtless wankers who don’t deserve a manager like Rafa.

Remember our fans giving stuff to the foodbanks when they went to st james park

It's an outrage.

I'm sure Rafa was actually embarrassed by it. Total disrespect. If it wasn't for Rafa I'd wish they were booted back to the cloggers in the Championship.

Remember our fans giving stuff to the foodbanks when they went to st james park

They seem like a bunch of classless inbreds who deserve the Championship.