Guardiola is increasingly concerned by countering the counter, while Tuchel looks to manage games through midfield But what must cause a tinge of concern is that against the three best sides they have faced – Chelsea, Manchester City and Atlético – and a notably aggressive high-pressing team in Brentford, they have looked uncertain. Liverpool have frequently overwhelmed opponents. It is relatively early in the season and patterns of pressing are perhaps still settling.
Klopp was clearly disappointed in Madrid with the structure of his side.
That it should take Van Dijk a little time to get back up to top form is understandable, but that exacerbates wider issues. The Dutchman, so commanding the season before last, has not quite been at his best since returning from ruptured knee ligaments and was unconvincing also against Ivan Toney in the 3-3 draw at Brentford. Keïta was at fault for both those goals, while Antoine Griezmann slipped by Virgil van Dijk far too easily for the second. “We wanted to control the game in the wrong way, we played in the wrong spaces and obviously gave two cheap goals away.”Īntoine Griezmann scores Atlético Madrid’s second goal during the Champions League game against Liverpool. “We misunderstood that situation completely,” Klopp acknowledged.
When they went 2-0 up inside 13 minutes on Tuesday, the expectation might have been of a stroll but instead they ended up in a dogfight. The answer now seems pretty clear: it was the injuries.Ĭoncerns remain about the depth of the squad, particularly given Salah, Sadio Mané and Naby Keïta are all likely to be involved in the Africa Cup of Nations in January and February (after six years, Joël Matip’s international retirement will presumably hold despite the lure of playing a tournament in his home country), but there are also issues at the back. Mohamed Salah has found an even higher level and the front three look to be clicking again, with the bonus of Diogo Jota.Īs Liverpool faltered last season it was reasonable to ask whether it was just down to the injuries (and the loss of the Anfield factor without fans, and perhaps a slight loss of intensity after ending the 30-year wait for the league) or whether something more fundamental had gone awry. They have won three out of three in what was supposedly a testing Champions League group, scoring 11 goals. Liverpool approach Sunday’s trip to Manchester United as the Premier League’s only unbeaten side.
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