Liverpool vs Norwich Player Ratings by Stephen Ward and Jason Kennedy
And we’re back and flying out of the gate… quite a way to start the season
Alisson – 7
Woody – Bad giveaway blah. Great save blah blah. Get healthy, big man!! Non contact injuries are always scary and LFC need him back soon. Obvi. Mignolet’s golden opportunity goes to a dude who’s still looking for an apartment. Hope Simon is enjoying the canals.
Jason – Migs has been cackling and rocking back and forth like a mad man since the injury… timing is a bitch for all involved.
Trent – 7.5
W – 7 – Teemu “Finnish Naismith” Pukki gave him a few problems down that side but he was mostly up to it. Ball to big Div was dropped on a dime. Good start for the Scouser in the team.
J – 8 – amazing ball for the Origi header. Already ahead of Robbo on assists which I am sure leads to banter in the locker room. His mural courtesy of The Anfield Wrap rates an 11.
Virgil – 8
W – Solid as a rock, as per usual. Great to see him use his formidable aerial prowess for the forces of goals.
J – 8 – Colossus. Amazing header for the goal. Clearly playing for the Golden Boot and Ballon d’Or. I think Alan Partridge calls him “The Dutch Harry Maguire”
Gomez – 8
W – 8 – Really good defensively. Beautiful ball out of the back to start the buildup to the Salah goal. Matip was great last year and it’s comforting to have him, but Klopp seems to have sent the message that Joe is first choice. And so he should be. The VVD/Gomez pairing will be critical if Alisson misses significant time.
J – 8 – I was sort of surprised to see him get the start ahead of Joel “Pillows for Feet” Matip but JoGo was great. Degsey was playing Lallana in ping pong. No word on who won (need to check Instagram)
Robbo – 7.25
W – 7 – The angriest man after yesterday has to be Mignolet, but the wee Scots lad will have a little fire in his belly after going one down to TAA in the assist battle. Robbo will score soon. Imagine being at Anfield for that. We all dream of a team of Robertsons.
J – 7.5 – Robbo was the standard Flying Scotsman we’ve come to love and adore.
Fabinho – 7.25
W – 7 -Didn’t do much because there wasn’t much for him to do. He shines in the big ones against the most dangerous opponents. Yesterday he was looking around for a Messi to tackle but couldn’t find one.
J – 7.5 – Fabinhino – 7.5. – Solid as per usual. Maybe better in first half (as was most of the squad). Wife’s Instagram game still a 9
Gini – 7
W – 7 – He was a bit quiet like his fellow mids, but it’s not their fault that there wasn’t much of a battle in midfield.
J – 7 – I know Woody was terribly disappointed not to have Naby in the starting line-up. Gini’s song rates a 10 as its got a good beat and you can dance/jump around to it.
Hendo – 7.5
W – 7 It’s like if the Beatles chose Ringo as their captain. He’s not the best drummer in the band, but he does a perfectly fine job playing the drums. Hendo is a good glue guy and a good player. But it will be fun to see Naby Keita on the pitch soon.
J – 8 – I give him an 8 for that nutmeg in the first half alone. After Fabinho ran into him like bull in a China shop, he dusted himself off and we caught a glimpse of his sweet new Champions League trophy tattoo.
Origi – 8
W – 8 – Links up with Robbo repeatedly down the left. Casually nods home from about the penalty spot. So Lukaku goes to Inter for 72 million pounds, Iwobe to Everton for 40, and big Div is valued at 25? Um, ok. People are morons. Fortunately Jurgen Klopp is the anti-moron.
J – 8 – A large guy – especially when you see him up there with Mo and Bobby. Looks like Karl “The Mailman” Malone and delivers like him as well.
Bobby – 8
W – 8 – Robbed of a goal on that lovely spinning volley. Could have scored a couple of others. Looked like he was having the most fun on the pitch. But then, it would be pretty damned fun to be Bobby Firmino.
J – 8 – as the esteemed Joe Maxon says, “Always be yourself unless you can be Bobby Firmino, then be Bobby Firmino.” This is a fine maxim. That save prevented us from enjoying a Bobby celebration which would have enriched us all.
Salah 8.25 – MOTM
W – 8 – He’s gonna score a ton this season. His finish was clinical and he was moving like a man with intentions.
J – 8.5 – A three season wonder.
SUBS
Adrian – 7
W – 7 – He played the ball more and better than I would have expected. It looks like a good signing, but let’s hope he doesn’t have to fill in for long.
J – 7- I was hoping that we’d just let VVD play in goal after Alisson went down.
Mane – 8
W – 8- Divock looked dangerous down the left, but then we bring on Sadio and show them what danger really is. Sadio Mane playing football an amazing sight. He’s like Scarlett Johansson on Oscar night.
J- 8 – Mane – 8 – pace, pace, pace! He’s fast isn’t he?
Milly – 8 – is it possible he and Shaq are in some body building contest? Is it the tea? The Ribena?
Honorable mention men of the match:
Norwich’s keeper. We could’ve had 8. If that dude is English then England should sell Pickford to the Faroe Islands, if they’ll have him.
Praneet for picking up the Carlsberg tab. Congrats on the promotion.
Own Goal – as long as its in our favor, rates a 10.