I'm glad we got top 4 for the sole reason that the Allison header vs WBA will forever remain iconic! (Even though a draw vs WBA would have been enough for us to get top 4 )
Will have to check the stats but Fabinho when he was alongside a senior CB was very good. But when we had to play alongside someone who was less experienced, I think he was quite average.
It was the second time he went back there that he got caught out. I think after playing CM for a few then being asked to go back he really didn't have the same mental attitude to it. (IMO)
It coincided with some woeful passing and wasted possession in front of them as well. Bottom line is that they all stuck together and got the job done, let the summer be all about Harry Kane as we march on as one
Having to play different roles / positions in a short space of time, and adapting to the new responsibilities s challenging. He went from having to worry about the middle of the park, able to be proactive and win the ball to then going into defence, being a bit more conservative, worrying about his partner, worrying about offside traps etc.
although he won’t admit to it, Klopp would have learnt a lot.from this. All good managers do. Next time when he is faced with this situation he’ll know exactly what to do.
This guy took a lot of stick during our awful run (some of it was unwarranted IMO) but he was another crucial player in our last 10 games. He and Fabinho in midfield are a joy to watch. Now imagine him next season with a proper back line behind him ....
sometimes people over complicate or overthink matters and they try to be too clever for their own good. Was it Shankly who said football was a simple game? The simplest solutions are usually the best.
It would have been criminal if that goal was to no avail, as it is it'll go down as one of the greatest last-ditch goals ever. We've had a few of them, of course - but the fact that it was the keeper, and after the hardships he's had, make it a special moment.
Ironically, I think that's what you've been doing in the last few posts. No offence, but it's easy for us to be wise after the event, and at the time Klopp followed a very logical course. He used his trusted and experienced players to try and plug the gap rather than throw in novices. Although Phillips has done well enough under the circumstances, it's clear - despite the eventual success - that Rhys is nowhere near ready for this level of football. Klopp would know far more about this at the time than we would have, and his decision making was perfectly understandable. There was no fundamental error made, it was just a gamble that didn't quite come off (further injuries complicated things even more), and luckily the later one just about did. Incidentally, I think the experience will have done Williams the world of good, but he still has a way to go. He's really young for that position and needs another couple of years learning, at least.
Tbf, he looked good at the beginning of the season, up until his injury. But he definitely was poor when the team was, no doubt about that. He seems to be getting the hang of the PL now and has looked more like the player we expected. I hope he keeps it up, because we're going to need it. Oh, and he's stopped kicking people so much now.
Yeah in fairness he was half fit and imo it was only 5? Games ago that he looked fitter and more able. He was struggling to get around.
I think it's almost the fact that Fabinho is back in the midfield, and that partnership has flourished. I think they won 7/8 games when both started in midfield - the one game they didn't win was the draw vs Everton which we were robbed.
Anyways, I never like to wish the summer (such as it is) away, but I'm looking forward to next season again now. Could do without the bloody Euros though.
Me too. I'm incredibly confident going into the new season. We finished 3rd when we were at our weakest! Imagine us with our first choice centre backs!
Apparentlly Klopp and his team really like what they see in Rhys. He was chucked in the deep end this season through necessity and made his mistakes of course, but him and Phillips have to be applauded for that run-in. A loan spell for Rhys seems inevitable, he won't be seeing the first eleven any time soon.
Big respect to Nat and Rhys. They came into the cauldron and did their best and put their bodies on the line! There's a picture of them after the game and they're bloodied and got stitches. They played their part in keep us competitive and in the top 4. Great contribution. With that said, neither are close to the first XI or should be in contention next season.
Out of curiosity, how many clean sheets did we keep with Nat and Rhys as our centre backs and how many goals did we concede?
Yeah. I haven't written him off, but he's not ready yet. If he's first 11 material in a couple of years he'll have done well. How many CBs are at our level at 20? Virgil didn't even make it to Celtic until he was almost 23, and even then he was still a way off top level.
