TERRACE TALK: Liverpool - Weak finishing leaves United off the hook

Everyone will say that was a point gained. Everyone can go f… Now now, remember the children. At least they played better than in the last match.

Liverpool were so feeble at Southampton. Klopp should probably have dropped everyone again.

Some say they practically rested themselves in any case. See, the problem is if Liverpool pick their best team AND all play to a high standard AND things go their way, you’ve got yourselves a winning team.

Quite a few clubs will claim that. Matip, Henderson, Mane and Coutinho don’t start and suddenly you’ve got problems.

Everyone sees that, the question is: How do you fix it?

The season wasn’t meant to see a title challenge but once you’re near the top it feels like we needed to take advantage. Grab this isolated chance because it isn’t happening again soon.

Rodgers sensed that. No distractions; just the week off with total rest/focus and stick near as dammit to the same team every week. Not that it did him much good.

Sadly, Chelsea get the same benefits and stay fit to boot. It can’t be coincidence that if games come thick and fast and a few stars go missing, Liverpool stumble.

We looked jaded at Southampton, the shooting was atrocious and everything was so slow. The week’s rest never helped anybody.

It all looked slightly negligent, like a bigger game was looming and there’ll be a second leg anyway. We were bound to struggle eventually etc.

This is when Klopp gets to show what he’s made of. Fans are screaming for reinforcements in the transfer window.

Two weeks to go and the signs are there’ll be no additions. That affects Klopp either way; too cocky, thinking he’ll do it his way without spending — or too weak to challenge his bosses and demand help?

United-Liverpool is important again. For a few years now it’s not mattered to one or both for anything except pride.

The previous day’s results produced an 11-0 result between the teams we wanted to slip and the ones we needed a favour from. That’s not a class gap, it’s a gulf.

Everton helped but I’m counting that as a spiteful stratagem which I haven’t discovered the motive for yet. You go from eagerly checking the TV screen for scores to a groan of disappointment to a flagrantly fraudulent “I never expected anything anyway”.

Sunday saw more attempts to play it cool but as kick-off approached the old nausea arose. Nerves? Or an allergic revulsion? I’ve long since forgotten which. Then you hear about Matip’s ineligibility and Clyne’s missing too, so just shrug. “Do your worst.”

And if that was it, what was everyone worried for? Because it’s them and no matter how good you are or how bad they are, it can still go pear-shaped. In a way, it did. Let them off the hook again.

Our finishing was still dodgy, Wijnaldum especially. De Gea didn’t have to strain himself despite us catching United on the break again and again. It’s been problematic for ages. So many players doing the first thing they thought of. Smarter play all round and this might have been a rout. That feels ungrateful, borne of dropping two late points when we’d have taken the draw after hearing the team. The kid Alexander-Arnold did great, Mignolet too. It was gutsy anyway, and exposed Mourinho and Marouane Fellaini.

There was some thoughtful play with Coutinho but even then no really cool heads in a game that cries out for frostiness. Still, honours even and all that bollards. Keep trying to chill. Swansea next week, with City or Spurs’ turn for a six-pointer.

It’s all an act that’s fooling nobody. The tension’s building.

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