A fun, if somewhat frustrating, opening day out that my wallet is still recovering from.
As utterly mad as it now is, the average points to win the PL over the last 5 years has been 93. Such has been the outer-Worldly standards City and L’pool have raised the bar to. In fact, over the past 5 years, they are the only two sides to remotely come close to that points total or higher. (L’pool three times. City twice.). For perspective, the
ONLY other side to top 80 points the last 5 years was Arsenal last season on 84! The average # of wins from the last 5 PL winning seasons is 30.
So, for the purposes of this, the season’s win target is 30. With a points target of 93.
Title Countdown:
0 wins down/ 30 to go.
1 point down/ 92 to go.
Current unbeaten PL run:
P 12 W 7 D 5 F 28 A 15 CS: 4
We ironically started this brilliant run down at Chelsea last April with a proper grim, if terrifically well earned through sheer hard graft, 0-0 draw. That one yesterday was the furthest thing from that and must have been a belter game of football for neutrals to watch. Two top teams just going at each other hammer and tongs. The amount of players on both sides with the ability to break lines with final third passes was ridiculous.
It was a mixed day from a L’pool point of view with many positives but still a lot to work on. Which is sound and as it should be when you’re effectively still in pre-season the first 3 or 4 games. They’ll be some serious hard graft out up at Kirkby whilst he can theses next three weeks with no mid-week games before the two-game-a-week period starts. Not least on the balance and shape which still isn’t quite right. Particularly on the left hand side where AndyRobbo is still getting left on an island he shouldn’t be. Been two years now and was happening well before any system tweak. The protection Gini and Sadio used to give him is non-existent right now unless Curtis is in there so that needs a lot of hard graft to get right. Sterling had probably his best ever game against us and was the best player on the park along with Enzo Fernandes. They thrived down the right and that needs boxing.
But the one thing you don’t want to lose is the risks we take and the brilliant attacking play from it. That first half-hour in particular showed exactly why they can be a serious threat to win it all. Chelsea couldn’t cope with the suffocating press which resulted in by far and away the best goal of the opening weekend scored anywhere. A proper counter where L’pool where outstanding in every phase. The ball out to Salah from Mac Allister, who had a really good game BTW as the deep lying playmaker,l/ attacking 8, was exquisite. Mo’s touch, run and then 30-yard sideways, cross-field ball to Diaz was sublime. And the late arriving Lucho added the coup de gras with the finish. Pure football at its very, very best.
If Mo’s second counts from a wonderful ball from Trent having inverted inside counts, that game is done. But football at this level is about the finest of fine margins and when it gets chalked off, followed by some comical defending to let Chelsea back in, the momentum totally flips for the next half-hour with Chelsea dominating the play. And then the last 15 goes back to being an all out attack fest with glorious chances both ways.
I’d be remiss to not mention the continually woeful Anthony Taylor and VAR. Well done both for setting a really high bar out of the gate for complete ineptitude. Just how that wasn’t a penalty when your hand stops a goal you’d have to ask him?
What was that about fine margins …..
A really solid point in the end at a really tough place to go. With some major positives interspersed with the negatives we know we need to work on on the training ground with help in recruitment the next few weeks or so.
Few individual mentions-
Alisson is Alisson. Best n the World bar none.
I thought Konate and van Dijk were excellent throughout. The latter in particular was really pleasing to see returning to his dominating best. That armband will do wonders for him. Telling yer.
Love the two new guys. Mac Allister is an absolute Rolls Royce of a footballer. Playing across two positions all game and doing superb at both. Big Dom was a workaholic pest both ends and will look even better when there’s more strength and solidity behind him.
And Doak, Jones and Elliott in particular did there chances no harm when they came on and the game flipped again away from Chelsea’s middle period domination.
All in all, a satisfactory opener from a belter day out in that there London in some gloriously hot weather at times. And trains home running on time which was a nice opening day bonus haha.
L’pool are a work in progress with a lot more to do before Sep. 1. But there was enough positives ob show yesterday to suggest when we get it right across the board, we aren’t half going to be some team to deal with again.
Roll on Bournemouth and what should be more progress to that end another week on.
UTR!
FTT!!!!!
NEW: Liverpool were offered the chance to sign Enzo Fernandez for £15m last summer. Not having a good summer again after indications at the club. @_pauljoyce