It was a chance to celebrate the legendary Liverpool careers of Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson. It was an opportunity to cement Champions League qualification and end the year on somewhat of a high note. In the end, it was a pattern we’ve seen play out all too often this season where Liverpool start off decently but struggle to take their chances. The Reds did go up a goal with another record-breaking assist by Mohamed Salah, but then conceded just minutes later. The rest of the match followed
a similar pattern of losing control of proceedings, having opportunities but failing to take them, and ultimately staggering to another unaspiring draw.
Below, we take a look at some winners and losers on the night, and attempt to disentangle narrative from fact.
Winners
Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson
In the end, it really doesn’t matter what Mo or Robbo did on the pitch today. They put on their kits for Liverpool one more time to close out their historic careers for the storied club. The players were part of a squad that has won at least one of every single trophy possible.
For the day, Mo and Robbo still managed to show off the class that they have had for so long. Robbo showed composure in the back when needed, and delivered some very nice crosses into the box. He didn’t get an assist today, meaning he finishes with 69 assists for his Liverpool career. Nice.
Mo drilled the post with a free kick and came close to scoring several other times. He finally managed to get a magic moment, delivering a classic outside of the boot assist for Curtis Jones. It was Mo’s 93rd assist for the Reds, sending him to the top of the record book for Liverpool as he surpassed Steven Gerrard.
Curtis Jones
The Scouser made the late run into the box to tap home the Salah cross in the second half. CuJo put in another solid all around performance as a right back, connecting on 4 of 5 long balls and completing 92% of his passes as well as leading the team with 4 clearances.
Alisson Becker
It was great to see Ali out there after missing two months of matches. He didn’t have a ton to do, but he did make a sensational save from close range to keep Brentford from taking a lead late in the first half. It was also nice to have Alisson’s comfort on the ball and distribution from the goalkeeper spot.
Losers
Alexis Mac Allister
The Argentine yet again looked off the pace, frequently walking around as play went past him. From being such a key cog for much of his time with the club to becoming a liability this season has been one of the biggest disappointments.
Finishing on a Positive Note
All the pieces were there to make this a day to celebrate. Mo was motivated and the Reds were on the front foot early. Rather than feed off of the energy, the Reds played their usual plodding style and struggled to put away their good chances. The match followed an all-too-familiar pattern of disjointed attacking play and leaving big gaps in midfield and defense, showing no growth over the course of the season. It finished with yet another frustrating draw rather than a celebratory send off.
The New Kit
The print is a nice enough replica of the famous Candy kit, but the overall effect looks childish. The stripes on the sleeves are comically wide, the jerseys themselves look like an oversized t-shirt, and the mismatch of the red on the jersey and the shorts is distracting.
Dissecting the Narrative
Liverpool managed to back into the Champions League last season despite not winning any of their four matches in May. The squad showed little growth in patterns of play, and stories of unrest in the dressing room will leave many with a bad taste in their mouths. The result certainly will not quell the tide of supporters calling for a change at head coach.
What Happens Next
Liverpool will head into the offseason under a shadow of uncertainty. There are questions galore around the future of Arne Slot, the futures of Ibrahima Konaté and Curtis Jones amongst others, and who will be the player to step in and replace legend Mohamed Salah as the right sided attacker.
