Here are your Liverpool morning headlines for Wednesday, March 15.
Serious Liverpool problem comes to light
There was a time when an opposition player dribbling past Virgil van Dijk was a seismic event. Newcastle’s Mikel Merino did so in March 2018 but it wasn’t until August of the following year that it occurred again, with Nicolas Pepe writing his name into history, writes Andrew Beasley.
Part of the success was down to the Dutchman’s imperious defending in this period, and the same was often true for the team. There were many games in which he didn’t need to attempt a tackle, so did not leave himself open to being dribbled past in a statistical sense.
Even though those days are sadly gone, Van Dijk isn’t beaten by an opponent that often. He has been dribbled past six times this season when 11 Premier League centre-backs are in double figures. But it occurred twice in 19 minutes at Bournemouth on Saturday and proved particularly costly.
For the first, former Red Dominic Solanke got past him in the centre-circle and fed the ball to the impressive Dango Ouattara. He in turn dribbled past Alisson Becker, though that took the Cherries’ winger to an acute angle and his shot found the side netting.
Ouattara made better use of the ball in the 28th minute, though, dribbling by van Dijk and cutting the ball back to Philip Billing, who scored the only goal of the game. Bournemouth had just five shots in total but two were Opta-defined big chances and both saw one of their players carry the ball past Liverpool’s number four in the build-up.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
Jurgen Klopp x-rated message might not be enough vs Real Madrid
“I said to the boys before the game, I would actually say it’s impossible. But because it’s you, I say we have a chance.”
After witnessing his Liverpool side pull off the greatest of comebacks when defeating Barcelona 4-0 at Anfield in the Champions League semi-finals back in 2019, Jurgen Klopp famously made his pre-match dressing room message to his squad public knowledge after the final whistle.
Having lost 3-0 at Camp Nou, braces from Divock Origi and Gini Wijnaldum would send the Reds onto Madrid for the Champions League final. There they would beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 to become champions of Europe for the sixth time, before going on to win every major honour on offer to them in the years that followed. But you already know all that.
“I watched in my life so many football games and I never, I can’t remember a lot like this,” Klopp told BT Sport four years ago. “You play against maybe the best team in the world. It’s not allowed to concede and you have to score.
“Winning is already difficult, but winning with a clean sheet. I don’t know how the boys did it. It was incredible, how we defended.
“It’s 10 past 10. Most the children are probably in bed but these boys are f*****g mentality giants. It’s unbelievable, it’s unbelievable. Fine me, if you want! I am not native, I don’t have better words for it.
“It’s unbelievable. They are mentality giants. It’s just not possible.”
Four years on and Liverpool are facing Spanish giants again, though this time it’s Real Madrid. Reigning champions of Europe, having beaten Klopp’s men in last year’s final, they are also champions of the world, even if not the obvious ‘best team in the world’.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
READ NEXT:
Full Liverpool squad available to face Real Madrid with two new players ruled out
Liverpool 'send scouts' to Argentina as transfer interest in Boca Juniors midfielder emerges
- Predicted Liverpool line-up vs Real Madrid as captain changes and new-look midfield named
- Jurgen Klopp reveals 'absolutely bad' new Liverpool midfield injury blow for Real Madrid
- Real Madrid vs Liverpool channel, worldwide live streams and kick-off time
