There's a lot to be said about World class footballers. Particularly World class footballers in complete sync with one another. L'pool have two. One who is a continued highly coveted want from envious eyes in Catalonia. The other who I'd argue isn't just the best striker in England. He's as good a player as anyone in this league ..... When he's healthy. Which is the biggest and most frustrating Catch-22 any football club anywhere has to deal with.
First Phil, who was back to completely taking the **** giving us a great glimpse into next season as he sat a good 10/15 yards behind Lallana, alongside Gini, as the middle two of the diamond yesterday. (LOVE when we go to that BTW. Yeah, it narrows the pitch and leaves your FB's exposed. But the payoff is with so many top quality players the middle, not many opponents can live or cover them all. But you need the top calibre player ahead of them as a focal point. Which we finally had yesterday but we'll get to him next.) Coutinho deeper opens up SO much more options. When he has so much more of the field ahead of him, with the time to spot everything, he's an even more devastating prospect. Either playmaking and dissecting the opposition defence from deep. Or striding forward to blamm one in himself. Two defensive midfielders from West 'Am yesterday played right into that. They couldn't get near him and he completely ran the show. Which he struggles to do when he's stuck out the left. His best game of the year and then some yesterday. What made it SO boss from him deep was his two goals. Far from being less of a threat deeper, he's arguably MORE of one with the whole pitch in front of him. Subtle changes to formation and positions. All part of Klopp's adapting and learning process for these games against these sides we can't' beat as the narrative continues to (falsely) go for next year. As regards the little magicians future in this parish ..... Sorry Barca. Not for a GOOD few years yet lads. However much € you throw our or his way.
And then there's Daniel. Oh Danny boy. How You elicit the strongest of love and the deepest of bad frustration.
Seriously, you see him back to his best like yesterday and it just makes your heart sink as much it palpitates it. NO doubt in my mind if we'd had Daniel Sturridge healthy over the full course of the season like Chelsea have had Costa, he'd be top scorer the league and we'd be either Champions or neck and neck now going into the last games. He's THAT big a difference maker. Luis Suarez is a phenomenal player and revered legend here. Many match going Reds will tell you Sturridge is every bit as technically gifted a footballer with arguably a better touch than Suarez. THAT'S how good he is. Sanchez to Arsenal. Ibrahimovic this year at Utd. Hazard and Costa to the newly crowned Champions. The BBC in Madrid. Messi, Ronaldo, Neymour at Barca. A fully fit Daniel Sturridge is as important and vital a difference maker to his side as any of those. The difference in having an actual top echelon forward who knows what his doing, receiving the ball, manipulating the whole play around him, shifting into space, and having the 100% self-belief to know he's better than any of the opposition players and will score and dominate a game was marked from Origi who's still a shadow of that man. And it showed in the difference in Phil's game. He was looking for Sturridge every ball and it was like the telepathic understanding of '13/'14 was back. The link up for the goal was a thing of beauty. The way Sturridge is off, then bends his run back to stay on, still holding the space, then having the pace to burst clear and the composure and ability to toy with Adrian, after being put through by a sumptuous ball from Coutinho who had the time with everything ahead of him to weigh the off-side up and know just when to release it when Sturridge had come back on then started his break again was a thing of aesthetic beauty. What's also been super pleasing of late is the outright love Sturridge been receiving from the crowd which frustratingly hasn't always been there to our detriment. Our end went nuts when he came on against Watford. And again yesterday everyone was bouncing when it was announced he was starting. But Daniels genius comes with a MASSIVE price of course ..... His health. The conundrum now is do we think he's finally gonna' hold up over a season with all the massive positives you get from that? Or is it a risk not worth taking if he does break down again? Another reminder to a manager who's never done anything other than gush about him in the main and who patently loves him next week against Middlesbrough to just how good a footballer he is and that becomes one of the biggest decisions of our summer.
Yesterday was boss. Yeah, West Ham kindly decided to take the day off. But the intensity the Reds are best with was back. The movement and flair was back. Flooding the box with that many players that you can't cover them all was back. Goals were back in all out attacking domination. The woodwork struck three times (Gini's goal would have topped Cans at Watford for Goal of the season had the bar not intervened) on top of 20 some shots with double figures on target and some wonderful saves from Adrian was back. With, particularly second half when instead of sitting on the 1, L'pool deciding 'We're THAT much better than this ***** and we're gonna' show it!' was back. The L'pool of the first quarter of the season were back. L'pool got their swagger back!
I was more worried about Middlesbrough than West Ham before yesterday. Now I'm only concerned with hoping City mess up third. The top 4 is done. A terrific haul of 76 points and still nowhere near the finished article. The progression of this side into something very special in two short years under Kloppo is a **** of a fun ride watching among the frustrating times as it develops.
As for the Olympic Stadium ..... WTF is that? Seriously, WTF is THAT?!!!!! Stood the upper tier you were left expecting an athletics meet. That far away from not only the pitch, but the lower section of your own fans. It was like they were in another ground. Massive sections the middle tier just covered off empty There's NO way West Ham are EVER getting a home advantage there. There's just nottin'. Utter ***** ground to play football. Because it's an ATHLETICS stadium wanting to be a football stadium and failing BADLY. The walk to it from the station is ******* miles from anything. Particularly after when they divert you around the houses. You'd be ****** midweek for the last train home. Joke of a place. I think I've been closer the pitch when we've been stuck up the far top corner at Barcelona. Honest to God. And it doesn't retain an atmosphere at all. Horrible, horrible place to watch a game of footie.
1 down, 1 more to go at a rocking Anfield next Sunday. Come on WBA and Watford. Spare us the qualifier and the holidays and cash badly needed for the groups!
Up the Swashbuckling, Swaggering Reds! It's nice to FINALLY have you back lads!
