Liverpool FC – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly – Gameweek 13
The Eagles are beaten in a scrappy win, but winning ugly is never a sin. The Reds remain on top of the pile, Despite an ex-Gunner being senile. A current and former player come to blows, in the end it’s all just egos. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, another week reviewed at the World’s favourite football club Liverpool F.C.
The Good
The win over Crystal Palace on Saturday. The Reds’ perennial bogey team on their perennial bogey ground was overcome after Sadio Mané’s 49th minute opener was matched by Wilfried Zaha on 82 minutes. Roberto Firmino secured the three point when he struck a late winner through a crowded penalty box.
Liverpool’s late performances are becoming the norm for Jürgen Klopp’s side. Mané’s goal along with his effort against Aston Villa and James Milner’s against Leicester are demonstrating just how resilient this team is right now. The so-called Kloppage time has replaced Fergie time as reference to snatching victories from the jaws of almost certain draw. A sign of things to come?
The visitors were made to work for their victory as is always the case at Selhurst Park. Had Zaha kept his cool in the dying minutes, this part could have easily become a moan under the “Bad”. Fortunately, the Eagles number 11 showed why his stint at Manchester United was such a short one, ballooning his shot over the bar as the proverbial Fat Lady limbered up in the wings.
As they say, the record books will only record the result and Klopp’s boys deserve credit for sticking to their task. Just a shame Divock Origi felt the need to writhe in “agony” (much to the manager’s annoyance) as full time beckoned. Oh Divock… oh Divock… you pillock!
Sadio Mane has scored 8 #PL goals against Crystal Palace – more than against any other opponent#CRYLIV pic.twitter.com/JI6xJY7YiG
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 23, 2019
The Bad
The fact that the team remains unbeaten after 13 games. A third of the season to be (almost) precise. Usually I don’t bother looking at the table for the first 10 fixtures and even after that, they’re still top. A great achievement. This despite the mumbling of ex-players in charity dressed as punditry.
Still, we all know that no trophies are given out in November, so there’s still a way to go. Is the eight and nine point gap over Cities Leicester and Manchester respectively enough? I doubt it. Will Liverpool finish the season unbeaten? I doubt that too. Should Liverpool be “Given the title now”? According to ex-Gunner and clueless pundit Paul Merson? Definitely not! Simply because a VAR decision goes in their favour. I liked Paul Merson as a player, but his punditry skills still need (a LOT of) honing. Sour grapes? You bet!
There’s still the festive period to go, in addition to the now customary January Sale, when Liverpool give away more points than Harrods do bargains. This title race isn’t over yet by a very long chalk. There are twists and turns to come. I only hope that the team can continue to win. Even with Dejan Lovren in the side.
You could put Paul Merson’s football knowledge inside a monkey nut and it’d still rattle. What a fucking nobhead. #CRYLIV
— 🔴 (@Guggsey) November 23, 2019
The Ugly
The disagreement (lets call it that) between former Liverpool attacker Raheem Sterling and Joe Gomez. The unsavoury event took place at England’s St. George’s Park Training complex when Sterling arrived and started to vent at the Reds defender. In what one can only conclude was a continuation of the spat between the two during the match at Anfield last week.
Fortunately, according to Sky Sports, captain Jordan Henderson was able to mediate situation over the phone and bring peace. Manager Gareth Southgate was told of the incident by Gomez afterwards, with a plea not to send the City player home. The result was Sterling being left out of the game against Montenegro.
Notwithstanding the furore, I think Southgate has handled the matter well. Sending Sterling home would have been perhaps harsh, considering he was correct enough to apologise as reports suggest. However, this kind of thing although probably more common than we realise, should not be tolerated and the action taken was fair in the circumstances in my view. The apology was likely what saved Sterling’s bacon I imagine.
In all truth, Sterling should be grateful he hadn’t tangled with ex-Manyoo hard man and all round nutcase Roy Keane
https://twitter.com/footballl1fe/status/1195636709305802753?s=21
Next up, Liverpool host Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday, before another flock of birds, the Seagulls of Brighton and Hove Albion, come to Anfield for gameweek 14. Interesting times ahead.
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