Terrace Talk: We're learning that concentration can't be taught

Minds were elsewhere. Wasn’t everyone’s?

You ask for professionalism, some even demand it in their quaintly brattish fashion, but Liverpool are in the European Cup semis for the first time in 10 years; it’s bound to be distracting.

There was a moment in the first-half at West Brom when van Dijk collapsed. The collective intake of breath could have sucked the ball into our net.

There were changes in defence, but Klopp left the main man in. He also kept two of the forwards, including the one who never stops scoring and holds our fate in his hands.

Accuse Klopp of many things (and I have) but ‘predictable’ isn’t one of them. I’d claim he was reckless but you can tell Salah’s just as invested in that Golden Boot race as Kane.

After the late collapse, it was hard not to sympathise with Jurgen’s flounce, even if the stuff about grass was pretty bizarre.

Weren’t there signs outside, saying it was West Bromwich Albion Football Club? That’s a bit of a clue that it’s their ground and can do what they like.

Up to a point, obviously. Stuart Atwell didn’t deem any of their physical excesses worthy of a card. Even the stomach punching was hunky dory by him.

This is a wretched referee, has been for years. He seems like some bigwig’s nephew, though wanting to be a referee seems a ridiculously low bar to set unless you actually relish spoiling people’s afternoons.

You have to admire his and the league’s persistence, if nothing (absolutely nothing) else.

It was a curious day. Albion seemed resigned to their fate and Liverpool got so much time on the ball they inevitably became complacent and lazy. The home side fought their way back despite themselves.

Even van Dijk was messing around by the end but Gomez was worse and he’s been guilty of numerous lapses this season. If he was looking to impress Klopp and snag a move into central defence, that’s the kind of slack display that’ll knock it right on the head.

You can moan about the manager’s coaching culpability all you like but concentration can’t be taught. That must initially come from you. Still, there’s always England.

As for Moreno, nothing we didn’t already know but handy to get confirmation he won’t even be a passable understudy to Robertson.

Nothing for him here now but Enrique-style Instagram infamy; coming to a safari park near you…

It shouldn’t be too damaging but Chelsea have suddenly woken up and the Reds are going to be a little distracted over the next two weeks.

That’s Liverpool in a nutshell, though. Bestest football team in the world ever ever ever? Three wins and one defeat because Sadio got sent off.

Worst team in the league? No wins and knocked out of the FA Cup. I knew all that efficiency against Bournemouth was a hoax, silly of me to jinx it really.

Now for the big one. They’ve a couple of ex-City players who’ll no doubt be cheered from the sidelines.

It’s understandable. We wouldn’t want City winning it if they’d knocked us out. You’ll hear people, usually ex-internationals or tabloid journalists, blathering on about patriotism but nobody’s fooled. We’re on our own and always have been.

There’ll be a lot of noise again but judging by what Roma can summon up at their place they probably won’t be too fazed by it.

The three home goals against City were crucial but so was the clean sheet. We’ve been defending well recently so this wasn’t a good time to go giddy at the back again.

It’s pretty much happened once a month this season so hopefully Saturday was just draining it out of our system.

You hear so much from fans about how important finishing fourth is. Well, this week is why you do it.

Klopp said he wanted to write new chapters in our history. Get scribbling.