Strange, unimaginable and surprising, Liverpool

Published: October 04, 2020 at 22.27
Updated: October 04, 2020 at 22.59

The brain tries to understand what is happening. He frantically processes images of Ollie Watkins, Jack Grealish and a handful of Liverpool defenders.

The clock read 75, the score 7-2 for Aston Villa. Imagine if 2020 could be even weirder.

It was as if he felt it, Jürgen Klopp. Anyone who does not habitually study his interviews very carefully may have been fooled by the broad smile. But he probably seemed stuck before the game, a disharmony under the healthy surface.

Liverpool arrived at Villa Park without Sadio Mané and Thiago, infected by the crown, and injured Alisson Becker. Not that the club has never been forced to do without some of its key players before – Adrián, for example, worked diligently on goal last fall. Then it is true that with a much more excited bottom line in front of him.

How they punished Liverpool

Aston Villa, suddenly impressing more on paper than most of the lower half of the chart, is on the move. Maybe it’s the signing of goalkeeper Emi Martinez, maybe it’s Jack Grealish’s extended contract. Little by little, the club has managed to address parts of the team that did not work last season. Finally, surprisingly, Ross Barkley was on loan from Chelsea, a solid reinforcement that went straight to the starting eleven.

And how they punished Liverpool in the first half. In fact, it was amazing to watch.

Another newcomer, Ollie Watkins of Brentford, obviously enjoys Grealish’s company. Already after four minutes, the duo were offered 1-0 when Adrián suffered a concussion and played the ball too far from Joe Gomez’s feet.

Shortly after, Liverpool had been able to get back into the game thanks to a shot by Roberto Firimino (saves Martínez) and a suspicious penalty situation on Mohamed Salah (a somewhat crude John McGinn was acquitted). Instead, the game turned around again, Gomez didn’t keep up and Watkins scored his second goal of the night. It was almost identical to Jack Harrison’s that Liverpool let in at the Leeds premiere.

Unhealthy high line

Villa continued to race between Virgil van Dijk and Gomez, often with successful results. Ross Barkley created triple positions. Grealish, who already had two assists in the 22nd minute, constantly threatened his speed, which was easy because Liverpool were dangerously high on the defensive line.

After just over half an hour, Mohamed Salah’s reduction seemed like the beginning of a regular pick-up and turn for a few minutes. Then McGinn immediately stepped forward and made it 3-1 from a distance, a shot that changed direction when it touched Van Dijk. So there it was for the rest of the night, everything went straight to Aston Villa, everything went to hell for Liverpool.

Although the home team had an unusual number of margins on their side, Liverpool had inflicted it on themselves in many ways. He was lazy and sloppy, especially from midfield with Naby Keita and Fabinho not giving more support to the baseline. That said, of course, it didn’t help that Villa initially only needed to aim and shoot to score goals. Grealish’s first goal, which narrowly rebounded through Fabinho to 6-2, was an example of that. Before the evening was over, Ollie Watkins had scored a hat-trick, Ross Barkley one and Grealish two goals and three assists. Against current champion Liverpool. The last time the club conceded seven goals was 57 years ago.

Longing for the Merseyside derby

It is a crazy season that we have to live until now. In addition to the bleachers without an audience, the headless results take turns. It is difficult to know what is the strangest, Liverpool lost 2-7 to Aston Villa? That Man City fell 2-5 against Leicester and drew against Leeds? Which West Ham in turn defeated Leicester 3-0? So we haven’t even mentioned what happened at Old Trafford early Sunday.

The factors and explanations for this are probably many (that the stands are empty can certainly come into play). The only thing he knows for sure is that Liverpool at this now is not the best in town. That Everton are in the full pot after four contested rounds is a chapter in itself in this crazy tale, and the question is whether they have ever yearned for a Merseyside derby more than they do now.

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Of: Frida fagerlund

Published: October 04, 2020 at 22.27

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