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GRAMLive it up for a few weeks and all team members can play defense. That Liverpool’s campaign looks long-lasting so soon does not bode well. Neither did captain Jordan Henderson’s early replacement at halftime, Gini Wijnaldum his replacement. Liverpool had better leave their Melwood headquarters soon, as the medical facilities at the new Kirkby training site can presumably accommodate additional treatment tables.
The only consolation, and it is scant, is that Liverpool is not alone with its growing list of casualties. Klopp and others predicted this, of course. There has been no choice but to accept the schedule, otherwise they will appear rude or ungrateful. Owners unwilling to give up UEFA cash are also likely to tell them to keep quiet, as these matches have been crammed into the calendar like canned sardines.
This stadium and these fanless games are hollow enough to experience, but on a European night? Truly discouraging. With each passing week, it seems that we are seeing players take undue risk to complete a quota. It’s no wonder the cliché of “taking every game as it comes” has long since disappeared. Klopp is planning three or four games ahead and probably had both the trip to Manchester City in 12 days and this game in mind with his initial team selection. Still, he couldn’t help but watch their numbers dwindle.
Before Fabinho’s departure, Klopp had made concessions on the schedule by leaving out his three forwards, although as the first half passed without a shot at the Danish goal it seemed a matter of time before one or all were introduced.
Divock Origi, Taki Minamino, Diogo Jota and Xherdan Shaqiri were given the opportunity to form an understanding, and it is not surprising that they have struggled as they have probably never played much together in training, let alone in a senior game. .
Midtjylland quickly realized that the badge on the jersey did not correspond much to the quality of the home performance. The visitors should have led after three minutes when a 40-yard pass from Alexander Scholz dissected Liverpool’s defense, sending Anders Dreyer one-on-one with Alisson. Fortunately for Liverpool, the Brazilian is rarely easily beaten and blocks the shot.
The 2019 Champions League winners were disjointed. The step did not penetrate, the touches were unsteady, and aside from Shaqiri’s occasional spark, the imagination absent. Even the much vaunted ‘battle of the throw-ins’ was proving to be a disappointment. After all, this was the ‘Thomas Gronnemark derby’, Liverpool and Midtjylland benefiting from the experience of the same Danish chucker.
The first serve went to Midtjylland in the sixth minute, but Joel Andersson took it lamely when he played safe after threatening a missile launch in the six-yard box.
Just as Klopp was calling Salah and Mane from the bench, Liverpool scored. Shaqiri’s clever pass selected overlapping Alexander-Arnold, and found Jota for the Portuguese international’s third for his new club.
Anyway, they introduced the veteran forwards, and Liverpool were looking for a second that would undoubtedly have secured the game and avoided a nervous finish. In truth, the Danes were creating shortly after their initial explosion, but found new momentum in the final stages and reserve Evander was inches from the tie in the 77th minute.
Firmino, finally introduced in the 81st minute, should have doubled the lead with two minutes remaining, coming from very close. That almost proved costly when Dreyer scored his night by missing another ideal opportunity, finding the set net after showing cunning to make room in the penalty area.
Paulino’s foul on Salah gave the Egyptian a chance to finish off the Danes in injury time as they scored a penalty to give Liverpool six of six points.
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