Darwin Nunez’s incredible score against Bournemouth in the windy conditions on the south coast sent Liverpool into a League Cup quarterfinal.
Bournemouth 1-2 Liverpool
League Cup Fourth Round, Vitality Stadium
November 1, 2023
Goals: Kluivert 64′; Gakpo 31′, Nunez 70′
Klopp goes big – twice
For the first time, Mohamed Salah led the team from the beginning; he is currently in his eighth season and has only tied the League Cup five times since joining the Reds.
Additionally present were Joel Matip, Curtis Jones, and Dominik Szoboszlai, all of whom have occasionally started as the starting left back in league play this season. Kostas Tsimikas, the lone senior left back available, also participated.
It’s obvious that the manager thought the game was crucial to win and even winnable, if we had the talent on the field.
There was a triple substitution around the hour mark, indicating that the plan was more than merely 45 minutes long. It was possible that Mo and company might leave at that point, but Nunez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Alexis Mac Allister took Jones, Harvey Elliott, and Wataru Endo’s place.
Fans may believe that the Reds can win most contests, but with Man City already eliminated, this one this year may be little more significant and winnable.
We are currently rebuilding, so a spring-loaded piece of cutlery wouldn’t hurt. Jurgen hasn’t missed anything unnecessary, and he didn’t want to.
Defensive standouts
We might have appeared ragged, careless, or lacking in defensive cohesion with three of the lineup changes occurring at the back and another in goal.
And although the second half began with us having a few nervous moments trying to pass out in the wind, all in all, it was a great performance, highlighted by a few standout performances from Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez.
The young player handled Antoine Semanyo’s speed and dribbling prowess as well as the movement and efforts to turn made by Dominic Solanke. Furthermore, on multiple occasions, he was the one to break the first line by making a sharp move forward, about ten metres, creating a gap, and selecting a good pass.
This was the rookie’s second test, and this one went rather well, particularly with a crucial late header over his own crossbar.
Gomez, on the other hand, had some excellent defensive moments and was a terrific outlet down the right side in the first half, including a header off the line from a corner at 1-0.
Joel Matip performed admirably in the second half, but we expected no less from him as a senior.
Impressive squad options
in the unspectacular overall performance, most players performed well tactically and technically in the challenging circumstances.
One example would be Endo, who appears more at ease playing in the deepest midfield position. He steps up significantly more than he did even three or four weeks ago in games, recovers possession fast, and makes accurate passes when it’s available.
In his first domestic game since his ban, Jones was similarly industrious with the ball and hardworking, and Cody Gakpo maintained his injury-recovery with another close-range goal.
With Virgil van Dijk and company resting, the defensive options stepped up to the challenge, and all in all, the squad had a really positive practise that demonstrated their ability to be called upon against elite opponents.
Ryan Gravenberch, who only really managed to come on and commit a number of fouls to put the Reds under late pressure, may have been the player who didn’t really tick that box on that particular night, but he has already more than proven he has much to give.
Rotation of roles
Perhaps the more intriguing aspect of the evening was Klopp’s willingness to alter the starting lineups of the seniors and regulars.
For the most part of the first half, Salah, for instance, was primarily in the center-forward zone. In our typical set-up, he alternated between a free-roaming, rotating right side and a diamond midfield.
Elliott and Szoboszlai shared a role, and Szoboszlai was free to move wherever he pleased, including in the middle, high and wide, inside the English child’s body, and connecting Salah’s play.
Later, following the hour mark substitutions, Trent entered central midfield; he didn’t enter from right-back as is customary, but rather he aggressively sat there and played at the base. It meant that we maintained a back four with Gomez in Trent’s customary position, but it also meant that Mac Allister could attack a bit more at times.
Although the choices are fantastic, it’s encouraging to see Klopp test them out during significant but not overly dangerous game situations.
Possibilities for trophies and the need for tenacity
The Reds will anticipate victory in their upcoming Premier League encounter against Lambton Town, which will require a rare journey to Kenilworth Road.
Beyond that, the Reds’ chances of winning the EFL Cup were already slim to none; they will be even lower now that Arsenal and Man United also lost on the same night that we defeated the Cherries.
Newcastle is the “best” remaining team despite the fact that Everton and West Ham could be challenging opponents on certain days.
The only possible issue is that the match in the round of eight will take place between league matches versus United and Arsenal, who will now obviously not play each other in the same midweek game.
Liverpool is still going strong and playing well , keep rolling on Kops
