LASK 3 – 6 LIVERPOOL
LASK: Ljubičić 63’, Flecker 74’, 78’
Liverpool:
Pre-Match
The match at the weekend looms large over this one, and not just because of the scoreline. Ryan Gravenberch’s red card (now acknowledged as incorrect by the Premier League officiating body) means he’s suspended for Brentford at the weekend, and thus starts this one by default. Virgil Van Dijk getting a rest feels like a good thing, but then again ask me after full time how I feel about it —
given Jérémy Jacquet’s rumored niggle over the international break I did half expect him to take a breather here, but his performances and those of Ronald Araujo make Van Dijk’s time off less stressful than in previous years.
The line-up is one of mild rotation, with both Jeremie Frimpong and Kostas Tsimikas starting in what should be an alright match to see them. Crucially Trey Nyoni gets a start here, and if we sold and didn’t buy in midfield with the expectation that he is our midfield depth, we should see a bit more of him.
Billy Koumas and Florian Wirtz are asked to go again in the same roles, while either Bradley Barcola or Rio Ngumoha will play on the right — personally hoping for Barcola, as Ngumoha has struggled out of position.
Largely in agreement with the manager on the line-up, though injuries and lack of depth have made this line-up always the most likely. Avoiding further injury amidst a crowded schedule has to be almost as important as a win here.
First Half
Well that was just what the doctor ordered. Felt almost like bullying at the end, such was the dearth in quality between the two sides, but Liverpool could really use a dose of this kind of thing. The joy the Reds played with — especially after the first goal opened the floodgates — really reminds you what graft the Premier League is.
Bradley Barcola getting a brace was probably the headline, and the pass from Florian Wirtz for his second (and Liverpool’s third) really was sublime. This sort of output feels really important for Barcola, who has had something of an iffy start to his Liverpool career. Indeed, if Wirtz received a bit less scrutiny, it’s quite possible it would be Barcola’s performances and price tag being discussed. Both of his goals were taken with supreme confidence.
A first goal, too, for Ronald Araujo, who opened the onslaught with his second of two almost identical headed chances from a corner. The set plays are below the standard Dominik Szoboszlai provides, but Kostas Tsimikas is an improvement in delivery from the weekend, where the Reds were very poor.
Liverpool dominated possession and looked extremely threatening, with Wirtz seeming to play further forward than in recent matches, influencing play more dangerously. Against Manchester City he sped up attacks as well during the pre-red card phase of the match, but he did so from the Liverpool half. Funny how getting to work in and around the opposition box instead leads to a dramatic uptick in the attacking threat.
I was mistaken in questioning Rio on the right, as well. Both he and Frimpong gave LASK headaches down the right hand side and on the touchline looking for cutbacks, and Rio himself had a penalty shout in the immediate buildup to the second goal. It would have been a soft penalty, but he did good work to get into those areas regardless.
At times the usually dominant Jacquet seemed to struggle in the first half, getting beaten a few times that luckily came to naught. A quibble, but worth mentioning for fairness I suppose; at present, he picked a good game to be less than his best.
Koumas and especially Ryan Gravenberch were unlucky not to get on the scoresheet in what was a rare first half where 3-0 felt like it flattered the opponents.
Second Half
The second half started as the first left off, with Liverpool piling on the pressure before scoring a fourth when a pinpoint cross from Tsimikas, who managed to keep the ball in play on the end line, found the head of Jeremie Frimpong — who has to be the shortest player on the pitch. The winger has been a handful tonight, pairing well with Rio to make runs in behind.
Andoni Iraola chose to change out both of his centerbacks, with Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez coming on for the Reds just after 60 minutes. On its face this feels a smart change: Jacquet thus allowed 30 minutes of rest that he could probably use. Unfortunately, the change was immediately met with a LASK goal, with the Austrian side finding the right side of Liverpool’s defense a bit too easy to get at. The Reds lasted just 39 seconds with the new personnel on the pitch.
Barcola was able to complete his hat trick a few minutes later, meeting a smart cutback from Frimpong, whose smart run in behind was met with a great ball from Rio: this was a brilliant team goal crowning the kind of runs we saw trouble LASK all game. Billy Koumas was rewarded for his toils over the course of the evening with an onside goal to mark his first Champions League start, making it six on the night for the Reds.
Then it all got a bit messy. The Reds seems less interested in defending, failing to make defensive runs and allowing two more LASK goals that they probably could have prevented. It was a dominant performance marred somewhat by the failure to keep a clean sheet.
Final Thoughts
That was fun and exciting and a bit annoying if we’re being honest: it’s hard to maintain defensive efforts when your side very easily scored six goals, but scoring six and walking out with only a three goal difference is frustrating. I don’t have it in my heart to be truly annoyed, but Van Dijk will be absolutely fuming — including at himself.
A great first half is the headline, with Liverpool almost perfect for the first 45. The opening half was a picture of just what this Liverpool side are capable of: extreme threat, clinical finishing.
