Terrace Talk - Liverpool: ‘One of the worst halves I’ve seen. Ever’

Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins fist bump after the match. Picture: Peter Powell

Finished laughing at United yet? Thought so. Karma.

An eventful week began with a good win against Arsenal. It’s odd listening to the commentary on most of our games now, an obvious leaning to the opposition can be irritating.

It’s for us to get used to. Most neutrals just want a decent contest, hence the ludicrous portrayal of Arteta and co as underdogs or even minnows. I never got used to it in the 80’s, so it’s too soon to acclimatise now.

There was some kerfuffle between Klopp and Roy Keane which I won’t dignify with a response. I’m sure it entertained the bored masses, and it didn’t take long for “sloppy” to re-enter the vocabulary.

A few days later and the withering, skeletal league cup was played out between the same opponents – kind of. Congratulations to Arsenal on giving a F*** in the No F***s Cup.

What we learned from a few kids playing was precisely what we’ve learned in all the other seasons: nothing. 

Funny how we still feel obliged to watch it.

Keep the recorded footage just in case you have a recalcitrant child that needs intimidating one day.

At a time of worldwide emergency, the cramming of the fixture list is an absolute scandal. You look at the international and Champions League schedules and wonder what the hell they’re playing at.

Two of our best players already have the virus. These must be the most protected, tested people on the planet and even they’re not safe. How long can football seriously carry on in this fashion?

It’s pointless mentioning the threat to smaller clubs’ existence, clearly no-one in power cares about that, but when danger comes closer to home, they might get the message.

Now I know what other fans will say, “got your league title, have you? Concerned about health all of a sudden, eh?” Good grief. We’ll never shake that off, will we? No point mentioning Liverpool had it won before lockdown. We could have stopped altogether after Bournemouth and let everyone carry on. They still wouldn’t have caught us, but no matter.

Just out of interest, how many Evertonians interested in ‘null and void’ now? Thought so. Their good form continues, and we may well have us some fun playing the doom-mongers in a bizarre, unforeseen role reversal.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, but I’ll admit it’s slightly disconcerting. Like a big-game hunter seeing an elephant come at him with an Uzi. No defence against the unexpected.

They put the Villa game at 7 on a Sunday night, with the spurious premise/promise that it doesn’t matter, “you can’t go, anyway”.

But don’t be surprised if it becomes the new normal, that hideous modern catchall. Even in a crisis, they’re always testing the water and pushing their luck.

There’s a line from Apocalypse Now that I’ll paraphrase; the more they try to make things seem fine, the weirder it gets.

I doubt you’ll get weirder than that first half, one of the worst Liverpool halves I’ve seen. Ever.

There were examples of complacency before now, but it was rampant last night. A few individuals have phoned it in so far this season. Against opposition who’d done their homework, it proved fatal.

Jota had moments, linking well with Robertson, but it was pointless when they’re so weak at the back. Sorry, but Gomez hasn’t got it. He was good against Arsenal in fairness, but too often he’s shoddy and half asleep.

It starts badly, that was Adrian’s fault, but the rest was down to regular players. That may well be Klopp’s problem. 

Who can he spank, without being too lenient with others?

It’d be nice to think they’ve got it out of their system, but lessons supposedly learned after Leeds were soon forgotten. Genuinely great footballers know there’s no respite, no matter how many laurels there’s been. 

You keep at it, total focus with no let-up.

Not on Sunday.