Liverpool fans expected a response after a poor run of games, and my goodness they got it.
The Reds tore through Spurs with ruthless precision, Sadio Mane’s two goals in three minutes securing a long-awaited victory, Liverpool’s first in the league for 2017.
It has been reported that Jordan Henderson called the squad together and the lads had a heart-to-heart self-imposed intervention of sorts.
It worked a charm and the players seemed to be playing with the flowing verve of the early stages of the season. Which begs the question: Why didn’t this happen sooner?
Another questions that arose soon after the victory: Is this another false dawn? A solitary victory among a multitude of losses?
It’s worth mentioning that Spurs manager Pochettino, for all his know how and tactical awareness, got it horribly wrong against Klopp. He played into the Reds game plan. But you cannot blame him for doing so, he just wanted to stay true to his style and his philosophy which had served him well this season.
Well, Reds the world over thank him for doing so, from the bottom of their hearts.
All the big teams play with confidence and believe that they will win. Shackles of safety are thrown to the wind. And that, people, is why Liverpool have an outstanding statistics file against the big teams. It’s the one’s that come to park the bus where they tend to drop a point or three.
Leicester City next up is exactly the type of game that should worry Klopp and his team. As wretched as their form has been this season, they play the type of football that has gotten the better of all of Ze German’s attempts to overcome it in recent weeks. Add to that the fear of the fall, and the wounded foxes may yet be able to pull a surprise win.
Luckily for Klopp, his attacking quartet of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino , Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana are all on the pitch at the same time after a long while which kinda helps the attacking aspects which have lacked in spark for over a month. Dropping Emre Can and allowing Gini Wijnaldum to play with more freedom had paid dividends in the last game. The dutch midfielder has given Jordan Henderson his boots back, meaning we saw more forward passing from him, one resulting in the opening goal for the much missed and recently returned Senegalese winger Mane.
There is no use even talking about the Liverpool defence because [bar this game] it is largely non-existent. Thanks to the attacking prowess of the front four, our defence had far less to do than in other games, which was a welcomed change. Attack is the best form of defence is a mantra that Liverpool need to live by till the end of the season. “Matip +3” will need to work extra hard to instil more confidence in those in front of them, and mainly, the one man behind.
Henderson has said the Reds are ready to play every game like its their last. With so many top team clashes in the coming weeks and with the Reds having enough time for recovery between games from now till the end of the season, they have run out of excuses.
Time to stand up and be counted.
