LFC 20/21 – The Good, The Bad The Ugly – Gameweek 25
A win at last comes in Leipzig, but the league form will make you sick. So many rumours abound as claims the Reds are in meltdown. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Another week reviewed at the world’s favourite football club Liverpool F.C.
The Good
Despite the seemingly impenetrable doom and gloom around the club, Liverpool secured an impressive 0-3 victory on the road in the Champions League against an in-form RB Leipzig side.
In view of the current dip in form, many were beginning to write Jürgen Klopp’s and his side off for this fixture, which now puts them in the driving seat for a place in the quarterfinals of this season’s competition.
“A lot of people probably expected us to slip again because of the situation”
Goals from Mo Salah and Sadio Mané on 53 and 58 minutes respectively, put the game safely beyond their hosts. In a game that was played in Budapest due to COVID-19 travelling restrictions, the performance was more like the Liverpool we’ve come to know up to now.
To be fair, Liverpool were gifted both goals due to sloppy play by Leipzig. That said, the scorers played with a sharpness which has been absent thus far this year.
As things stand, they are odds-on to make it through to the last-eight and thoroughly deserved on this evidence. This is the team’s last chance for glory this season. This winter of discontent has seen them crash out of every other competition.
Just as we thought the Reds were getting themselves together…
FT: RB Leipzig 0-2 Liverpool.
Goals; @MoSalah & Sadio Mane.
Fantastic win for the Reds. Well played. Two away goals. In a strong position for the second leg.#LFC #RBLLFC #UCL pic.twitter.com/C1hleZmMqd
— LFC Photo (@LFCphoto) February 16, 2021
The Bad
A calamitous display against Everton in the derby match. The Reds were worthy losers against a hungry Everton side. The Blues secured their first win at Anfield since 1999 and looked good value for the 0-2 score line.
“Liverpool used to be horrible to play against. Now everybody wants to play against them. They are an easy touch.”
Former Reds captain Graeme Souness echoed the view of many watching Liverpool fans “Liverpool used to be horrible to play against. Now everybody wants to play against them” lamented the former tough-tackling midfielder.
This was a game in which Liverpool (again) conceded early on, only to chase the game for the remainder of the match. The loss leaves the team with their fourth successive home defeat. The worst run for almost 100 years – 1923 to be precise.
To make matters worse, captain Jordan Henderson left the field after half an hour having sustained a groin problem – 12 weeks out apparently. Oh joy of joys! This, in addition to the continued poor performances of Thiago in midfield and the once famed front three returning to hibernation, doesn’t look good for the Reds. That’s as far as I’m going to go now. Enough already…
📊 Liverpool have now lost as many PL games (4) at Anfield in the last 31 days as in Jurgen Klopp's first 100 home matches in charge pic.twitter.com/mnXZVQZg95
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) February 20, 2021
The Ugly
There have been reports of unrest in the Liverpool camp. First, claims have been made of a fight between Andy Robertson and Alisson after the Leicester game something that has been denied by the Scot as he jokingly added “I love how I was the one who ended up with the burst lip.”
Also this week, German publication Bild has claimed that Klopp’s will likely leave the club in 2022 in order to take over the national team. There seems no end to the stuff flying around at the moment.
Needless to say, there doesn’t seem to be any (reliable) quoted comments about this, one can only conclude it’s nothing more than simple hearsay. Or, bollocks if you want the technical term.
Next Up
We have a trip to Sheffield United on Sunday, followed by a visit from Chelsea the following Thursday. Two very tricky fixtures for different reasons. How will we be discussing the outcomes of those games?
Will Klopp get his nose broken after being cheeky to one of the dinner ladies at the training ground? Hopefully things won’t come to that.
While you’re here…
The latest book from the The Good, The Bad and The Ugly weekly is out now. Relive this historic season. Available for purchase on Amazon, or directly from The LFC File. Click here to secure your copy. Either as an eBook (€5) or as a physical paperback (€8).
