Liverpool is in chaos! Liverpool was completely outplayed by Napoli, giving up 3 first-half goals as they ended up losing 4-1 to the Serie A side.
The high-intensity, high-paced Liverpool of the past few seasons is on life support. Napoli carved open Liverpool’s high-pressing defensive system and teared the Liverpool defense and midfield a new one. I’ve never seen such a lazy, slow, and unbothered performance by a Jurgen Klopp Liverpool side.
These players were either unfit/unprepared for the game, or they didn’t care about the result.
Whatever the reason, it’s still a massive indictment on this team. They lacked the hunger that’s needed to win a Champions League game, which is inexcusable.
And Liverpool’s problems came at them almost immediately as, only 46 seconds into the first-half, Napoli’s Giovanni di Lorenzo chipped the ball over Liverpool’s high line for Victor Osimhen to chase. Osimhen astonishingly beat Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, and Alisson, who sprinted out of his goal, to the ball…only to hit the post with his shot.
As I said, little did I or the Napoli fans cheering on their side realize that Osimhen’s near miss would foreshadow a night of a plethora of chances.
As, only four minutes later, James Milner handballed the ball in the penalty box, giving Piotr Zieliński the chance to put Napoli 1-0 up from the penalty spot, which he did with ease. The penalty went low and hard to Alisson’s right, giving the Brazilian keeper no chance of saving it.
Napoli almost scored on another penalty only ten minutes later as this time it was Virgil Van Dijk fouling Osimhen as the Napoli forward deftly knocked the ball just out of Van Dijk’s reach, causing the Dutch defender to collide into him. However, Alisson bailed out his center-back as he saved the ensuing penalty from Osimhen.
Already, only fifteen minutes into the game, Liverpool should have been down 3-0.
And it didn’t get any better for Liverpool as they should have been down 4-0 on the 30′ mark as Victor Osimhen stole the ball from Joe Gomez, who was the last defender before Alisson, squared it to a wide open Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but his shot was blocked off the line by a back tracking Van Dijk.
This near-goal really signified what I was saying about a lack of desire and passion from Liverpool today. Joe Gomez would never, ever have gotten stripped of the ball if his heart was really in this game. To be honest, I’m not sure how much longer the English born center-back has left at Liverpool.
Van Dijk, Joel Matip (who replaced him during halftime), and Ibrahima Konate are better than he is and Jurgen Klopp knows it as Gomez is a fourth-choice option when every player is healthy. Don’t be surprised to see him go next summer.
Anyway, back to the game, Napoli finally got their second goal through André Zambo Anguissa. Another long ball was played over Liverpool’s defense (which was a trend all night), which Anguissa picked up just before Joe Gomez could recover over to that side. He played a lovely one-two with Zieliński to go in on goal and calmly slide a shot past Alisson.
Again, just blatant defensive ineptness and breakdowns on this goal as Gomez, Fabinho (Zieliński’s man) and Harvey Elliott (Anguissa’s man) all lost their concentration and the man they should have been tracking.
Still, if you thought that Liverpool’s defense couldn’t get any worse in that game, you’d be wrong as the third Napoli goal just before halftime was, arguably, the worst of the bunch.
Kvaratskhelia, with the ball at his feet, drove down the right side of Liverpool’s defense, knocked the ball past a lazy Trent Alexander-Arnold, outmuscled Joe Gomez (yes, he’s at fault for another goal) to get a cross across the face of goal, which Giovanni Simone tapped home for the 3-0 lead.
This one is just plain pathetic defending from Liverpool. TAA legitimately gave up running once the ball was knocked past him, while Gomez was bullied IN HIS OWN BOX by a winger. Unless said winger is Adama Traore, how can you play as center-back and get BULLIED by a winger!?!
He’s not good enough for this level of football, and I’m starting to have my doubts about TAA too.
Sure, he’s the greatest offensive fullback in the Premier League today, but his defensive awareness and one-vs-one defending skills are atrocious. He’s been at fault for at least 5-7 goals this season and was at fault for the Vinicius’ Champions League winning goal for Real Madrid against Liverpool last season.
TAA’s either really low on confidence or he’s finally getting found out at the top level. I hope it’s the former…for his sake.
Nevertheless, Liverpool went into halftime down by three goals…and came out of the break giving up a fourth.
Yes, only 80 seconds into the second half, another long ball is played over Liverpool’s highline, which fell to Simone as he then squared the ball into Liverpool’s box.
Van Dijk was too slow tracking back, while TAA widely committed to a sliding block (that he missed) on Zieliński ensuring shot. Allison, who was probably the only Liverpool player to play well, initially saved the low shot by diving down and scraping the ball as it was spinning behind him.
Unfortunately for Alisson, Zieliński was the first to the rebound as he dinked the ball over the sprawled keeper to make it 4-0 in only the 46′.
I said the third goal is probably the worst of the bunch, but this one isn’t much better. Van Dijk ran like he had two anchors attached to his feet, while TAA overcommitted to the block and was unable to get up quick enough for the rebound. Just shocking defense.
Nonetheless, Luis Diaz was able to get Liverpool on the score board a few minutes later with a beautiful curling shot, which was all set up by Andy Robertson stealing the ball from midfield. I would also say that Diaz played very well today for Liverpool as he nearly scored from another curling shot on the edge of the box in the 50′ and from a flashing header in the 60′.
Aside from those chances, Napoli successfully set up shop behind the ball and kept Liverpool at bay for the rest of the game.
I predicted that this group, Group A, was going to be a “Group of Death” as Liverpool’s other group members, Napoli, Ajax, and Rangers, all would be fighting for the second-place entry spot into the Round of 16. I didn’t realize that I needed to include Liverpool into that fight.
That’s how bad Liverpool were today.
And, with Ajax crushing Rangers 3-0 today, Liverpool better get their heads into this group stage fight or else Napoli and Ajax will be the ones progressing into the Round of 16, leaving Liverpool either have a Europa League consolation place (finishing 3rd) or being knocked out of Europe entirely (finishing 4th).
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