Player ratings: Midtjylland 1-1 Liverpool
Our Champions League group comes to a close then and we finish as group winners but last night made for some painful viewing. Let’s see how a much changed team got on.
Kelleher (7) – Another promising display from the young Irishman with one great save second half and good distribution throughout. Conceded the penalty with a clumsy challenge however.
TAA (6) – An unusually subdued Trent, didn’t get forward as much as we’re used to seeing. Probably conscious of the young players around him. Good to see him fit though and fulfilled a boyhood dream by captaining the club for the first time.
Williams (6) – A tale of two halves for Williams as he looked assured when next to Fabinho but all at sea once Billy the bombscare came on but more on him later. Showed some nice passing from the back but still very raw.
Fabinho (8) – Brilliant first half from Fabinho including yet another superb goal line clearance after Kelleher was beaten by a header at the far post. I know he only played 45 minutes but it was a superb 45 and once he went off, the team fell to bits so on that basis, Fabinho is this week’s McMOTM.
Tsimikas (6) – Ok so he’s no Robbo. Not even close but he looks a useful, if erratic, squad player. Overhit most of his crosses and Midtjylland were getting in behind him too easily but he had some good moments as well. It’s difficult for someone who never plays to be brilliant when they do come into the team but his chances of game time might improve if he could stay fit! Went off injured after hyperextending his knee second half.
Clarkson (7) – He was in with a shout for McMOTM but that second half was just appalling by the whole team. Looked good first half though, nest and tidy passing, not really physically developed enough yet to be playing men’s football but wasn’t scared of the physical aspect and did well to clear the ball off the line before the penalty was subsequently awarded. Promising start for the youngster though.
Keita (5) – Yet another disappointing display from Naby. You’re thinking ok, here’s a game against lesser opposition and you’re surrounded by squad players and inexperience so go take this game by the scruff of the neck and show you’re at a different level and can challenge Hendo and Gini for their spot. He did none of that however. Just minced about the pitch, struggling to get involved. I’d make the excuse that he’s just back from injury but when is he not?
Minamino (6.5) – You can’t fault the lad’s attitude, he’s full of endeavour. He can’t get a break though, could easily have had a goal and an assist last night, after having his late goal very harshly ruled out for an alleged handball by Sadio and did well to pick out Jota, only for his close range effort to be well saved. More promising display from Mini though.
Salah (7) – Scored one of the luckiest goals you’ll see with less than 60 seconds on the clock. After looking like he was going to run clear, the defender gets there and makes the tackle but the ball rebounds off his own leg, sending Salah clear again. As he approaches the keeper, there is a challenge from another defender and the ball bounces off Salah’s foot mid-stride, somehow goes through the keeper and into the net. Didn’t even celebrate as you could see he wasn’t sure if it was an own goal or not. Still, it all happened because of his relentlessness so kudos for that. Should have had an assist as well after superbly playing Origi in, only for the Belgian to make a mess of it.
Origi (4) – Speaking of said Belgian, his Liverpool career is over. Another like Keita who instead of taking the opportunity to thrust himself back into the manager’s plans, he was so passive in everything he did. I’d forgotten he was playing in the first 20 minutes before he popped up and did something crap to remind me he was out there. I couldn’t figure out where he was meant to be playing either as his positioning was all over the place. Had to take a touch and score when played in by Salah. Tried to take it first time which was a ridiculous decision in the circumstances. Looks lower on quality and motivation with every performance.
Jota (6) – Far from his best performance as he struggled to impose himself on the game. Had two good scoring opportunities though and will be disappointed not to have got on the scoresheet, the form he’s been in. Dribbling, first touch all a little off but did make some nice passes.
Subs:
Koumetio (4) – Ok, this comes with the caveat that I know he’s only 18… but… I’ve seen this kid play twice and both times he’s been a complete bombscare. Everything I don’t like in a defender – clumsy, nervy, overplays, panics… What was he doing when he headed the ball straight down to one of their player feet in the box. Seemed harder to do that than clear it. The second he came on, nerves swept through the team, we lost the grip on the game and never got it back. I hope this kid develops into a fine player but he shouldn’t be anywhere near the first team right now.
Robertson (6) – The last player in the squad Klopp would have wanted to have to bring on last night, as Robbo’s relentless season continues. He helped shore up our left side a bit but couldn’t make his mark going forward.
Henderson (7) – Did make some difference to the midfield battle but by the time he came on, we were thoroughly on the back foot with Midtjylland chasing the win. Scored an extra point for a brilliant and in all probability, goal saving block near the end.
Firmino (5) – Barely remember him getting a touch.
Mane (N/A) – Only on for a few minutes but almost set up the winner, if not for bloody VAR.
Klopp-watch (2) – How do you go from a 10 on Sunday to a 2 on Wednesday. By being mental that’s how. I expected one of Fabinho or Matip to start and if he’d taken Fabinho off at halftime and brought Matip on, I could’ve understood that. Or just play the kids!! We’d already qualified, nobody really cared about last night’s result but to effectively sabotage the result with the substitution of Fabinho, just accept that the gamble backfired but the result didn’t really matter anyway. Don’t go chasing the game by throwing all the big guns on, on a freezing cold night and against an opposition that had been leaving their foot in all night. Bizarre decisions from the manager last night.
Summary
What a strangely frustrating game for a dead rubber. If Klopp had just played the kids last night and we’d lost, I don’t think anyone would’ve cared too much but by the end I was watching through the slits of my fingers. Not because we were hanging on against a second rate side, more just looking at all the players on the pitch we couldn’t afford an injury to.
Thankfully it will be a very different Liverpool side that travels to Fulham on Sunday and I fully expect normal service to resume and it could be another good chance to chip away at our goal difference deficit, still somewhat skewed by the Villa game. Anyway whatever else, it has to be better than last night. Walk on troops.
Recent Comments