What a match though. The players to a man were brilliant. Lots here have given special mentions to a few players and I agree with every one. However, I'd like to give a shout out to Dawson. Probably didn't expect to play at all today, comes on unexpectedly at 22 mins - against debatably the best attacking side in the league / europe / world(?) - and he was superb IMO. Well done the lad.
Pub I was in was electric, must have been incredible in the stadium today, sounded great, well done to all attendees. Be awesome to make the London Stadium a fortress, make teams afraid to come to ours again like the old days.
Love this side, love this management team, love football atm!
I think Creswell was quite lucky to stay on, not because of intent but simply how it looked, both feet of the ground and high. I think it was accidental due to slipping but nevertheless it took a bit of courage from the VAR guy to not award it. It would not have got rescinded in my view had it been given.
I think had it been on Benrhama or Bowen we would have expected him to the player to go where as with Jota's we would have said he wasn't looking at him there was no intent nor power, that it was probably a yellow but a red would have been harsh, Jota's had less intention than Creswell who although not intending to go that high or with both feet did go in very strong.
The Fornals and Zouma interview, obviously English is not Fornals first langauge. But saying "Alisson obviously does not want to kill himself" was an interesting choice of words.
Also, can they all stop using the phrase "I've seen them given", it just gives more momentum to accepting incorrect decisions due to them preiously being awarded, often incorrectly.
I don't want the game to go back to the 60's, but so many challenges are now classed as fouls that would never have been given even 10/15 years ago, or yellows that used to just be fouls, reds that used to be yellows etc. And it's aided by saying "i've seen them given" as it keeps people thinking towards being harsh, slowing down play with stoppages, and giving incentive to diving and 'playing for the foul'.
Fornals was outstanding again. That little header where he laid it off first time on the turn to Benrahma was so difficult to execute but he did it perfectly and Antonio should've finished off the move. A bit worried that that was the type of thing Antonio messed up a lot a couple of seasons ago.
I thought Benrahma had his best game in ages today. Completely had the beating of TAA. I thought he put in some decent crosses that we should've had people getting on the end of. Good sign after a couple of pretty poor performances.
Bowen had another game with a couple frustrating moments and some really superb ones. If he and Benrahma just iron out some of the inconsistencies we'll step up another level.
Zouma - massive. Cresswell as well. Johnson contained Mane pretty well and Dawson made some big blocks and dealt well with crosses. Rice and Soucek did the usual.
What a performance. Even first half when they had more control, they were never able to play how they play.
And we did what I've wanted to see Moyes do against these "big" teams, we took them on with confidence.
I actually was going to take off the captaincy from Salah. I couldnt decide who and then it slipped my mind. I totally admire your stance Mrs Grey (with Salah and TAA)
(TAA got the 2nd assist as he was in the box and he magically directed it to Origi )
Wow! What a game, what a performance, what an atmosphere. A bit concerned in the first half as we sat so deep but we absorbed the pressure without allowing them too many clear opportunities. The two banks of four were very compressed so there was no space 'between the lines' which undoes most defences when Salah and co get in that space. Our first goal showed how much Moyes sussed Liverpool out at defending corners and was a fair goal. Alisson flapped at the ball, simple. The equalise, although a great strike, was born of a Salah dive, no question. We came out in the second half and took it to them. The run by Bowen was amazing, he appeared to have most of the Liverpool team in pursuit, but stayed ahead, stayed calm and fed the excellent Fornals in to score. Then another corner where Alisson was nowhere to be seen and Zouma scored his first for the club. We are now in a state of ecstasy but know Liverpool will come back and they did with a good Origi goal and a decent opportunity for Mane but we saw it through. To confirm how good the performance was Klopp then comes out, and like all the so called 'top' managers do, found excuses to lose being a foul on the keeper and a red card not given. This papered over the cracks of the Liverpool performance. Alisson was poor for all three goals and van Dijk aside they defended poorly. Anyone who tells you that you can't get an atmosphere at the London Stadium have once and for all been put in their place. That was the best atmosphere I have ever experienced in sixty years of attending football matches. To have nigh on 60,000 fans on their feet singing, clapping and stomping was an amazing thing to be part of and the noise was phenomenal.
I think I need the international break to calm down.
Obviously I'm not complaining, but why were Fornals and Bowen on corner duty for the two goals rather than Cresswell? Mind you, it worked out rather well, didn't it.
I thought our corners today had Kevin Nolan's trademark all over them . He used to harass keepers and generally make a pest of himself back in the olden days.
Obviously I'm not complaining, but why were Fornals and Bowen on corner duty for the two goals rather than Cresswell? Mind you, it worked out rather well, didn't it.
I mentioned this during the game, and I think Antonio confirmed in his MOTD interview. Antonio said we identified a weakness and wanted to put the ball on top of the keeper, and keep van Dijk away from it.
Usually, Bowen takes corners on the right (in-swinger) and Cresswell takes them on the left (out-swinger). If the plan is to put them on top of the keeper then an in-swinging corner is the way to do it. I think Fornals took them purely because we had a tactic that required the right footer.
Or as Ashley Williams would put it, we had a game plan and we executed it.
Also, can they all stop using the phrase "I've seen them given", it just gives more momentum to accepting incorrect decisions due to them preiously being awarded, often incorrectly.
I agree completely. The other thing that drives me mad is when a player gets bought/sold for a ludicrous fee and people say “If *insert player name* was sold for £60m, then *player name* must be worth £100”. In the same vein, there’s been some bargain transfers but no one ever says “Coufal was bought for £5m therefore TAA must be worth £15m”
Obviously I'm not complaining, but why were Fornals and Bowen on corner duty for the two goals rather than Cresswell? Mind you, it worked out rather well, didn't it.
Or as Ashley Williams would put it, we had a game plan and we executed it.
A couple of things I noticed watching the highlights. Following Fornals goal Benrahma goes for a knee slide and ends up face planting 😁 and Cresswell and Zouma have their own celebration at the other end of the pitch 😍
Comments
Pub I was in was electric, must have been incredible in the stadium today, sounded great, well done to all attendees. Be awesome to make the London Stadium a fortress, make teams afraid to come to ours again like the old days.
Love this side, love this management team, love football atm!
I think had it been on Benrhama or Bowen we would have expected him to the player to go where as with Jota's we would have said he wasn't looking at him there was no intent nor power, that it was probably a yellow but a red would have been harsh, Jota's had less intention than Creswell who although not intending to go that high or with both feet did go in very strong.
I think we had a bit of luck there.
Somebody just kill me.
I don't want the game to go back to the 60's, but so many challenges are now classed as fouls that would never have been given even 10/15 years ago, or yellows that used to just be fouls, reds that used to be yellows etc. And it's aided by saying "i've seen them given" as it keeps people thinking towards being harsh, slowing down play with stoppages, and giving incentive to diving and 'playing for the foul'.
I thought Benrahma had his best game in ages today. Completely had the beating of TAA. I thought he put in some decent crosses that we should've had people getting on the end of. Good sign after a couple of pretty poor performances.
Bowen had another game with a couple frustrating moments and some really superb ones. If he and Benrahma just iron out some of the inconsistencies we'll step up another level.
Zouma - massive. Cresswell as well. Johnson contained Mane pretty well and Dawson made some big blocks and dealt well with crosses. Rice and Soucek did the usual.
What a performance. Even first half when they had more control, they were never able to play how they play.
And we did what I've wanted to see Moyes do against these "big" teams, we took them on with confidence.
(TAA got the 2nd assist as he was in the box and he magically directed it to Origi )
We came out in the second half and took it to them. The run by Bowen was amazing, he appeared to have most of the Liverpool team in pursuit, but stayed ahead, stayed calm and fed the excellent Fornals in to score. Then another corner where Alisson was nowhere to be seen and Zouma scored his first for the club. We are now in a state of ecstasy but know Liverpool will come back and they did with a good Origi goal and a decent opportunity for Mane but we saw it through.
To confirm how good the performance was Klopp then comes out, and like all the so called 'top' managers do, found excuses to lose being a foul on the keeper and a red card not given. This papered over the cracks of the Liverpool performance. Alisson was poor for all three goals and van Dijk aside they defended poorly.
Anyone who tells you that you can't get an atmosphere at the London Stadium have once and for all been put in their place. That was the best atmosphere I have ever experienced in sixty years of attending football matches. To have nigh on 60,000 fans on their feet singing, clapping and stomping was an amazing thing to be part of and the noise was phenomenal.
I think I need the international break to calm down.
COYI
Usually, Bowen takes corners on the right (in-swinger) and Cresswell takes them on the left (out-swinger). If the plan is to put them on top of the keeper then an in-swinging corner is the way to do it. I think Fornals took them purely because we had a tactic that required the right footer.
Or as Ashley Williams would put it, we had a game plan and we executed it.
Ashley Williamsevery second rate pundit would put it, we had a game plan and we executed it.Fixed it for ya.
You got beat fair and square mate, show some class.