Wayward Passing

[Liverpool 0 – 0 Fulham].

What can I tell you about this game that you don’t already know?

That at long stretches it felt like it did last season? It’s true. The lack of urgency at times can be very Slot-like, and Anfield gave that its just rewards by being dead silent for minutes at a time. It’s quite the shock to observe that. I can’t imagine being at Anfield and being able to whisper quietly to the person next to you, and yet I imagine that’s exactly what it was like today.

It takes a rather special kind of under-performance to achieve that.

Or that some of our players look like shadows of themselves? Do you even recognize Ryan Gravenberch anymore? Macca was a huge improvement once he came on, which wouldn’t be such a shocker except that Macca has been struggling himself. And it wasn’t enough to pull the team out of the doldrums. Florian Wirtz, too, continues to frustrate. You can see what he has, ever so often he pulls off something that reminds you why he’s considered a generational talent in Germany, but then he gives the ball away or overcooks a pass and you wonder why the magic comes in such limited supply, and never in the right moment. Neither of our flanks are working right quite yet, either, and although individually Araujo and Munoz are absolute gems, they clearly need time to bond.

The challenge on the left is even bigger. 

But maybe the most pressing issue is passing in the final third. Sure, Fulham came to play more than mere spectators, their press was effective, and they earned their first point, but in so many cases, they were made to look like champs by wayward passes from pretty much everyone in red. When a couple of passes did find Isak, dangerous opportunities arose almost instantly, but so many other opportunities were wasted. And I don’t know about you, but in several moments I found myself shouting (or perhaps loudly whispering) “shoot already!” as everyone in our squad (again, barring Isak) seemed scared of the idea of attempting to score.

Bernd Leno will be sending flowers to the Liverpool dressing room presently.

It’s a strange tale so far, this opening to the season. On one hand, I like the changes Iraola has brought, and Liverpool can feel more like itself at times. On the other hand, there is still a lingering mentality of caution that, while it has likely saved us from actually losing so far, feels wrong in the larger context – and is likely to have also cost us a couple of wins. What keeps coming up, though, is the midfield, and that is especially frustrating, because it really does feel like if we could have Grav and Macca of a couple of seasons ago, and Wirtz back to his Bundesliga best, the Mighty Reds would indeed be unstoppable. Their body language repeatedly suggests it’s a matter of confidence.

Quite the headache for the man on the sidelines.

Then again, that’s why he’s there.