Reds On A Roll
By Greg McKay
Liverpool comfortably defeated Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, maintaining their five point cushion atop the English Premier League. Following a (to put it lightly) comfortable result for Manchester City against Watford the day before and Liverpool’s midweek loss to Napoli in the Champions League, it was critical for the Reds to get back to winning ways.
More than the immediate result, though, Liverpool showed why they look like a team that could keep the top spot until the end of the season. First, whereas last campaign Liverpool were a team that at times lacked a “Plan B”, on Saturday they were able to score in ways that suggest they have been hard at work on finding alternatives that do not involve a Jordan Pickford howler or Divock Origi miracle.
Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold hammered home a free kick after Mo Salah rolled the ball into his path and Firminho, a player who more often provides willing runner and set up man, was able to find a pocket of space to nod home from another set piece. Both goals point to a team that is spending time on the training pitch to find ways of scoring when teams are keeping Mane and Salah subdued as Chelsea did on Sunday.
On the other end of the pitch, one of the best defenders, if not players, on the planet, Virgil van Dijk looked as impressive as ever against one of the Premier League’s most in-form strikers in Tammy Abraham. Though Abraham got free on a couple occasions, it looked like a man against boys each time a Chelsea player came up against van Dijk.
While sterner tests no doubt lurk in the league, it is hard to remember a defender who is so exceptional in every area of the game. Van Dijk is strong in the tackle, reads the game well and is able to play out of the back. Most importantly, having a player of van Dijk’s quality in 1v1 situations frees up outside backs Andrew Robertson and Alexander-Arnold to get forward. Both players were relentless in attacking Chelsea in wide areas, causing headaches for the hosts defensively.
In midfield, Liverpool looked exquisitely balanced with Fabinho, Henderson and Wijnaldum. It is an industrious midfield, not in the sense of one that lacks the ability to play with more complexity, but because it is most effective for the team. The use of flair is reserved for when its necessary and simplicity more often favored by the midfield three.
While pundits and commentators are left blushing by the intricate passing and delightful balls that are often played by Manchester City’s midfield, Liverpool’s midfield three do the job that gets the team results.
Keeping possession and getting it to the front three in dangerous positions or out wide to surging fullbacks is as effective for Liverpool as the intricate possession played by some of the more glamorous midfields of recent years. This is not the Real Madrid midfield that feature Kroos and Modric pulling the strings or the Barcelona group with Xavi and Iniesta first showing the world the meaning of “tiki-taka” but it is every bit as effective and was a big part of the reason Liverpool lifted the Champions League crown last year and look like they will be difficult to keep their hands off the EPL trophy this year.
But for all the success Liverpool have had recently, fifteen on the trot in the EPL going back to last season, history is littered with English teams that have shot out of the gate only to be brought back to earth trophyless in May – just ask the 2016-2017 Manchester City squad that also won their first six games by an even better goal difference but ultimately finished third place. The real test for Liverpool will be how they respond when points are inevitably dropped and a talented City squad are likely still breathing down their neck.