Newcastle United v Liverpool - A Quick Liverpool Perspective
Newcastle United v Liverpool A Liverpool Perspective
A fitting game to start the season, with two of Keegan's teams facing each other and playing out an enjoyable draw. The right result overall, as Liverpool did dominate the play and pushed Newcastle back for long periods, but silly errors and weak defending gave Newcastle their goals. There were some notable signs of improvement over last season, particularly Liverpool being able to keep going and going for the full 90 minutes and eventually score an incredibly late equaliser via the spot. The LFC side clearly still needs improvement, both on the training pitch and transfer market, but the signs are there that this will be a much more watchable team than last season's was.
One thing that has not changed is the quality of the officials, the referee was absolutely abysmal throughout, both teams have reasons to be angry with his bizarre decisions. At least VAR was much less intrusive, that was a big positive, just need some competent officials out on the pitch now!
The biggest issues Iraola has to fix this season are down the centre of the pitch, that is where the two goals Newcastle scored could have easily been stopped, regardless of anything else. Isak is too lightweight in the challenge, he presses half-heartedly and he looked way off the pace. A lot of the blame for his lacklustre performance is being placed on the boos from the Newcastle fans, but he has played this way every time he has pulled on a Liverpool shirt, so I am not sure that is relevant at all. In fact, if anything he looked a little more up for chasing back and pressing, he just failed miserably to have any positive effect.
Szoboszlai and Gravenberch as a pairing have no understanding, Szoboszlai was constantly too far forward, leaving a huge hole behind and never responded when Gravenberch got forward too. Szoboszlai's tackling is powder puff as well, which does not help matters. His Dutch midfield partner is even more of a problem, he can break up play fairly effectively via interceptions and using his body, but then he wants to charge forward with the ball, instead of just making the simple pass forward. Gravenberch's inability to pass accurately and his lack of attacking intelligence means that his forward runs inevitably just end up with the opposition breaking into the space he has left behind him. Space that Szoboszlai should have dropped in to fill, but is far too busy trying to be an attacking hero, rather than a team player. Positional sense would help the team a lot in there.
The biggest issue of all though is the captain. Virgil has been a great player for Liverpool, but he has become increasingly poor over the last year. The question is whether his unwillingness to engage when it is needed, and instead just backing off and off and off continually, is a consequence of his legs going or a lack of confidence. Both Newcastle goals would have been much more difficult to score, or even prevented, if he had simply engaged with the attack, rather than running away. Virgil has to forget the years when his aura alone was enough to make opponents mess up and force them to beat him.
Newcastle United
Newcastle looked like a team for the taking, but Liverpool kept handing them a goal start! They lacked creativity in the build up and surprisingly played counter attacking football, which is not what Jaissle is known for. The set up with Wissa off Osula did not work and they were ridiculously slow to make the desperately needed change of taking off Osula, despite him barely being able to move. In these days of 5 substitutions being allowed, it was crazy not to, at the very latest, replace him at half-time, after 20 minutes of him hobbling around in obvious pain. Especially as it was clear that their midfield was struggling to get hold of the ball, an earlier change could have allowed them to get an extra body in there. It could turn out to be a very expensive error if Osula has caused himself more damage by staying on the pitch.
They look very much a work in progress, but they will need to find some creativity if they are to challenge at the top end of the table, as they will not be able to rely on the opposition handing them simple goals on a plate every week. They should be a much stronger outfit once they bed in their new signings, though they do still look to lack a genuine creative player. Also have to say that they look weak defensively down the right flank, Gakpo got a lot of joy out of Dedic and he will need to improve.
Liverpool
Alisson - oddly never even took goal kicks, which were left to van Dijk to just lump up field. Had very little to do, so difficult to judge his performance, though I do wonder if peak-Alisson would have saved the first shot.
Frimpong - his reading of the game is suspect and he is weak, but he kept going and worked hard for the team. Barnes got very little joy out of him.
Jacquet - looked very good on the ball, but he was not decisive enough defensively at times. Rather than waiting on Alisson or van Dijk to get over, just deal with it and sort it out with them afterwards. For a first Premier League run out though, after a lengthy injury spell, it was a decent performance. There were a couple of times he did look a little leggy and lacking in pace, but that could well be simply tired legs as he works his way to full fitness.
van Dijk - his defending was a huge part of Liverpool's problems last season, this season looks to be more of the same. It is a major headache as there is no obvious replacement within the club's ranks. If he is not going to hold the line and be aggressive with his defending, the pressing game Iraola wants to play will be severely hampered. Both goals came as a consequence of him refusing to close down the man on the ball and instead just backing away. At least try and make them do something under pressure.
Kerkez - he was beaten badly for pace once by Elanga, which he should have done more to prevent using his body, but he did much better for the rest of the game against him. Newcastle did have a spell after their first goal where they tried to put the ball in to the space behind him for Elanga to attack, but they got very little joy out of it. Though a lot of the failing of the tactic was down to their poor accuracy of pass, rather than Kerkez's defending. Going forward his crossing is being heavily criticised, but I would more question the lack of players presenting themselves as an option for the ball in and attacking crosses.
Szoboszlai - on those rare occasions he was in position to defend, he was weak in the tackle, which is a real problem with him. He spent far too much of the game playing right up top almost alongside Isak. He would be far better playing deeper and receiving the ball on the burst to run into those places at speed. He was making himself incredibly easy to mark and leaving too much space in the midfield. He has to learn to drop deep when Gravenberch runs forward and anticipate the most likely event when it happens, which is that Gravenberch will misplace a simple pass and give it to the opposition. He did take the penalty well, but the rest of his performance was poor. He can do much better. So much better.
Wirtz - he needs movement, right now there is little to none in the Liverpool frontline. The few times he had an option, he played it in, but it was normally Isak, who just meekly surrendered the ball. It does not help that he ends up having to drop far too deep to find space, as Szoboszlai was usually in and around where he would want to play.
Gravenberch - if he could just learn to sit deep and play from there, rather than constantly looking to get forward, he would be a much better player, as he showed in Slot's first season in charge at Anfield. Someone really needs to teach him how to pass the ball, as I have never seen a Liverpool player so bad at making a simple pass when on the move with the ball. And if he does find himself in space at the edge of the box at the end of a run, in a central position, take the shot!
Ngumoha - he might well have a ton of potential, but right now his actual is worse than Ben Doak was at Liverpool. At least Doak would drive forward when he received the ball and attack. Ngumoha can have all the space in the world down the flank, but he still just runs inside until he loses the ball. Also, would it hurt to actually make a run every now and again, rather than just standing and waiting for the ball into feet. He may not receive a pass when he makes a run, but he will give the defenders something to think about and move them about to cover. Hall had the deck chair and cigars out until he went off. Right now, Ngumoha is a kid that lacks football intelligence and needs a lot of work on that. However, the good is that he has improved his tracking back markedly. He was non-existent in terms of working back last season, but he got back when needed in this game. Hopefully that is a sign that he can be coached and that potential we keep hearing about is achievable.
Isak - dreadful performance, so weak on the ball and off it. Needs to do more. A lot more.
Gakpo - probably the MOTM. He was Liverpool's chief attacking threat, particularly when he drifted inside off the flank, which is what he had done before scoring the first equaliser. He looked to have the measure of Dedic but his shooting and crossing was mostly off the mark.
Munoz - replaced Ngumoha in the 63rd minute. Was so much more effective than Ngumoha and physically is a number of levels above the youngster. His hustle and bustle gave Hall real problems and led to the award of the spot kick.
Mac Allister - was brought on in the stead of Wirtz in the 63rd minute. It is worrying that a player with his lack of mobility and defensive nous made the defence so much more solid. All that was needed was one player to sit in front of the back four and hold there and he did that. It was one of his most effective performances in a Liverpool shirt. The problem is that he, like the other midfielders, wants to get forward normally, so I am not sure he can be relied upon as the answer to the wide open midfield.
Araujo - took the place of Jacquet in the 70th minute. Looked solid again.
Koumas - subbed on for Gravenberch in the 78th minute. Worked hard and put himself about, but never really got to make his mark on the match.
Discuss rumours and transfers on our Liverpool rumours web page
