when was the last time when we took such a chance!

Shit! Ibe! Needed to shoot after the first touch!

Watching this, I'm wondering whether this is a game where our Europa League campaign is starting to affect our Premiership performances. We played well in the first 20 minutes, but after that our intensity dropped. Players who have been playing every game (Firmino, Can, Milner, Clyne, Moreno) look fatigued. In contrast Ibe and Lallana look like they've got the tank full of petrol. I'm worried, because after those 20 minutes we haven't looked like creating anything or even like taking charge of the match again.

Art Morte wrote:Watching this, I'm wondering whether this is a game where our Europa League campaign is starting to affect our Premiership performances.

Welcome to playing in a European competition. Why would it be different from CL, when you have to play Wednesday-Saturday?
It can't be an excuse, it's just something a team has to deal with. You played at home too.

Hapless_Hans wrote:

Art Morte wrote:Watching this, I'm wondering whether this is a game where our Europa League campaign is starting to affect our Premiership performances.

Welcome to playing in a European competition. Why would it be different from CL, when you have to play Wednesday-Saturday?
It can't be an excuse, it's just something a team has to deal with. You played at home too.

I don't mean it as an excuse, just as a fact. Hopefully our bench (hendo and Sturridge!) can make the difference.

I'm saying it now that Emre is having a shocker. Either of Allen or Henderson should replace him asap.

Yeah. But Milner isn't good either. Firmino either. Lallana, Benteke, they're all bad today IMO.

A lucky penalty, but I'll take that. Now need to keep this lead.

lucky sure, but legitimate.

Legitimate sure, but lucky.

Sturridge getting 20 minutes, that's a season-ending injury for sure.

Sturridge is kinda player who can injure his jaws while laughing or tailbone while sitting so might as well play him atleast he will get injure while doing something productive

Scrappy win. 4 points off top 4, 6 off the top. Well done.

Well, it's not a great performance, but the crucial three points

Emre Can can be be so so okay okay I'll I'll stop stop this this confusing, from having a great game against City and that sublime pass for the third goal in that game to being absolutely crap in this game.

Ibe was good in spite of his missed early opportunity, but not many great performances here. Skrtel my man of the match. Really happy to see both Henderson and Sturridge play as well.

Onwards.

Will take that. A win is a win. That was a must win.

I thought Can was MOTM in a pretty shitty performance. I don't know what game you were watching Morty. Emre did a lot of things well.

Very happy with Hendo and Studge getting minutes. With Coutinho and Sakho back soon as well. We'll have our best XI eleven available to play first time this season. Can't wait.

Any win however scrappy is good at this stage imo. Klopp needed it Anfield needed it more.

happy for the win. but our performences are still very inconsistent. but games like that were lost under Rodgers.

Mc wrote:I thought Can was MOTM in a pretty shitty performance. I don't know what game you were watching Morty. Emre did a lot of things well.

Really? Wtf man? He was playing as the deepest lying CM but didn't stamp his authority on the game either in a defensive or offensive sense. He was just lost, looking like unsure between his responsibilities. I'm really starting to think that the less time this guy spends in our own half the better.

That said, he's still young and should learn game intelligence as he gets a bit older. But he's clearly unable to stamp his authority on the game when given this much responsibility in midfield. Watching this game made me realize how much easier Lucas makes Can's job, because that takes away like half of Can's duties and lets him concentrate on his natural strengths that are mostly in the attacking half of the pitch.

I find Can to be pretty meh in general outside of very isolated moments. He's a physical beast and he does have some great plays from time to time...hopefully with age he improves, as of right now though he's not good enough consistently to start for us.

From what both Can and Allen have shown under Klopp I'd start Allen over him, for now. Especially if he can make his performance against Bordeaux the baseline.

Good that we took the chance and won 1-0 because even Arsenal drew the game so it was a brilliant start after the international break for us. The position in the table will give lads a big boost to keep on pushing !

Yes...winning games like these shouldn't be overlooked. Swansea are not in great form but they're another team that seems to step up against better opponents. They drew Chelsea, Everton and Tottenham, beat United and only lost to Arsenal. To get a win there especially while the other top teams are drawing and losing is big, even if it wasn't the most convincing win.

Missing Coutinho showed big time though.

Curtinho wrote:Yes...winning games like these shouldn't be overlooked. Swansea are not in great form but they're another team that seems to step up against better opponents. They drew Chelsea, Everton and Tottenham, beat United and only lost to Arsenal. To get a win there especially while the other top teams are drawing and losing is big, even if it wasn't the most convincing win.

Missing Coutinho showed big time though.

Curtinho wrote:
From what both Can and Allen have shown under Klopp I'd start Allen over him, for now. Especially if he can make his performance against Bordeaux the baseline.

Hope Allen is gone in the summer. He's a bencher and a very average player. This is his 4th season, he's had plenty of time to show us how average he is.

Morty watch that and tell me he had a bad game.

He was clearly MOTM. It's like we're watching different games ffs.

Moreno was MotM, and even though Can did play well in this game in particular he runs way too hot and cold.

Also interesting that you are pushing Can as MotM here and then wishing for Allen to be sold in the same breath given Allen was much, much better against Bordeaux than Can was against Swansea.

Anyway, I hope they both stay and improve. Allen has shown the ability to be a very good, tidy, influential midfielder. His confidence is his biggest issue IMO, but when he's playing with swagger and confidence (which Klopp can definitely instill in him consistently) he's very good.

Also how about that turnaround by Mr. Lovren? Despite all the flak he took he's been good since Klopp took over...like really good.

Allen will be gone in the summer, I'm 100% certain of it. Thankfully.