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Regular readers of Liverpool.com will be familiar with our post-match staple, The Podium.
For those who aren’t, the concept is simple: In each game, we select three things of interest that caught our attention and discuss them. It could be a Liverpool player, the coach, a specific moment or skill, a celebration, the referee (although very rarely), and sometimes even an opposition player.
Now that the whirlwind of 2020 is drawing to a close, we thought about doing something a little different and creating a series of Podium features to highlight, reflect on, and celebrate our favorite calendar year goals, games, and moments.
They could be chosen based on aesthetic beauty, technical difficulty, importance in the context of the game / season, or simply for personal significance; it all depends on the interpretation of the individual writer.
First: Joel Rabinowitz
Gold: Roberto Firmino vs Crystal Palace, Selhurst Park, December 19
The quantity, quality and variety of goals Liverpool scored against Crystal Palace this time around was so staggering that I would consider it one of the best displays of completion I have seen not just in a Premier League match, but in the final point of soccer.
He could easily have chosen the sumptuous shots of Jordan Henderson or Mohamed Salah from outside the box, but for me, the selection of the group was Roberto Firmino’s first of the day, not only because of his appearance, but also because of what he symbolized.
Since Trent Alexander-Arnold dispossessed Eberechi Eze deep in Liverpool’s final third, it took 12 seconds for the ball to end up at the back of the net in a glorious and sweeping move: Alexander-Arnold to Firmino, Firmino to Andy Robertson , Robertson back. to Firmino.
The trade between Firmino and Robertson is one of the best one-on-two you’ll ever see, the Brazilian initially threw the ball to the left wing with the outside of his boot, Robertson then galloping for most of 50 yards or so earlier. not just aimlessly whipping a hopeful cross into the box, but somehow perfectly folding it through a crowd of five The palace players will choose Firmino as they race at full speed.
Firmino’s first touch to take it easy was outrageous, followed by the most challenging of spikes to blatantly throw the ball past Vicente Guaita to the bottom corner in the same way the movement began. If there is one type of goal that sums up Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool in a nutshell, it is these ultra-fast and ultra-precise transitions from back to front, turning a promising attacking situation for the opponent into a goal at the other end in an instant.
It felt huge for Firmino too, after what has been a difficult 2020 at times, and after bagging the latest winner against Tottenham, it was a joy to see him loosen up and play without any weight on his shoulders against Palace. When he’s at that pace, there are few better views in football.
Silver: Curtis Jones vs. Everton, Anfield, January 5
It feels a bit surreal, indeed, that this game took place this calendar year given how radically the world has changed since then. This was when the Coronavirus barely registered in the public consciousness, the closures and social distancing did not exist, and the football stadiums were filled with tens of thousands of people shouting, singing and rejoicing in their favorite community activity without the slightest concern of the world (or face masks).
Jones’ curling iron against Everton in the FA Cup third round was the purest form of joy to be experienced when watching football: a match-winning goal of astonishing quality from a teenager who scored his first goal for his childhood club to knock their local rivals out of the cup. He had absolutely everything.
There was that brief moment of silence as the ball arched and spun into the top corner, Jordan Pickford flailing helplessly in the air, and then the wild explosion of joy and disbelief as he kissed the crossbar so satisfyingly on the way inside. It was also totally deserved, as it sank an Everton team in full force that showed up thinking they had a real shot to win at Anfield for the first time this century, only to be dominated by Adam Lallana and a bunch of kids.
It is also remarkable to remember how far Jones has progressed since then, from an enormously exciting prodigy capable of producing a moment of magic, to the point where he is now a fully established first-team regular midfielder, tactically astute and looking ready to go. be part of the furniture for the foreseeable future.
Bronze: Diogo Jota vs Leicester City, Anfield, November 22
I was extremely excited when Liverpool announced the signing of Diogo Jota almost out of nowhere immediately after the long-awaited arrival of Thiago Alcântara, but I never expected him to come in and have such a huge impact right away, entering the system immediately. so perfectly and even beating the top three forwards multiple times.
We’ve seen all kinds of finals between his nine goals so far, but the header against Leicester, while excellent in its own right, is particularly notable for the extraordinary pace of the game that preceded it. Since James Milner served up the right side, Liverpool held the ball for 90 seconds straight, completing 30 passes with all 10 outfield players touching the ball at least once by the time it ended at the back of the net. .
It’s such an underrated aspect of this Liverpool team, their ability to patiently wear down the opposition’s sides by moving the ball from side to side, waiting for gaps to emerge, and then flipping a switch when the opening presents itself. The pace and precision of Robertson’s delivery is sensational, as is Jota’s move to steal a march over defenders and use the speed of the ball to emphatically propel Kasper Schmeichel.
Hopefully it won’t be long until we see him back, fully recovered from his knee injury and adding to his already abundant and diverse collection of goals.
I just got lost
Fabinho vs Crystal Palace (Anfield, June 24), Mohamed Salah vs Manchester United (Anfield, January 19), Gini Wijnaldum vs Wolves (Anfield, December 6)
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