Liverpool despatched out an announcement of intent with their 2-1 win over an in-form Chelsea staff on Sunday, however one pundit was vital of the Reds’ general efficiency.
Arne Slot’s facet needed to be resolute in getting over the road on a day when the guests had extra pictures (12 to 9) and possession (57%) however nonetheless returned to west London overwhelmed for the primary time since August.
Though it felt just like the standout results of the Dutchman’s reign to this point by way of the calibre of opposition that Liverpool slayed, Steve Nicol was left feeling short-changed by the style by which his former membership secured the three factors.
Nicol unimpressed with Liverpool
The 62-year-old informed ESPN FC: “They’ve handed the check by way of the outcome, however I’m not so positive they’ve handed the check by way of the efficiency. If I’m a Chelsea participant, I’m going house considering, ‘How did we not get one thing out of that sport?’
“The truth that Chelsea had extra passes, extra possession, extra pictures, tells you that this wasn’t as spectacular as I had hoped for. The truth is, I wasn’t impressed. I don’t take pleasure in Liverpool taking part in at house at Anfield towards anyone and sitting again and attempting to play counterattacking soccer, as a result of that’s what it was.
“Perhaps we simply must get used to a special sort of Liverpool, as a result of underneath Klopp, notably at house, that is our place and we’re squeezing the life out of anyone who needs to return to our subject and attempt to play. This positively was the other.
“The result’s nice, the result’s good, and you may’t complain about three factors, however I’m sorry – the efficiency for me wasn’t notably nice.”
The result’s every part!
Regardless of Nicol insisting that he ‘can’t complain’ about Liverpool successful, he actually did an excellent job of that in his evaluation of the outcome.
We agree that it was on no account the kind of imperious efficiency which’ll go down in long-term folklore, but it surely was one by which the Reds nonetheless exhibited many qualities usually proven by groups contending for the Premier League title.
They confirmed the larger high quality within the remaining third, most notably for Curtis Jones’ successful objective, whereas Chelsea by no means actually examined Caoimhin Kelleher regardless of bossing the shot rely.
Even serial champions in Manchester Metropolis have days the place their general ranges are properly beneath the requirements they’re able to reaching, but they present sufficient grit, dedication and resolve to return away victorious (or, in yesterday’s case, a dollop of luck from a massively contentious refereeing resolution).
There’s multiple technique to pores and skin a cat. In fact we’d all like to see Liverpool taking part in groups off the park and racking up enormous scorelines each week, however that merely doesn’t occur. Even once we received the title in 2019/20, there have been loads of video games the place we nearly did sufficient to say three factors.
Certain, there’s room for enchancment performance-wise for the Reds, but it surely’s invariably higher to win with a 6/10 show than draw or lose regardless of dominating in each facet besides the scoreboard.
