Liverpool 2-0 Rangers: *Bumper* Post-Match Analysis

Dead ball magic

Paul Tomkins, Andrew Beasley, Daniel Rhodes and other TTT regulars will give their thoughts on the match for 24 hours after the game, so the article received via email is unlikely to be the final version. There's post-match statistics and videos too.

Post-Match Thoughts

Paul Tomkins

Quite how Liverpool hadn't scored more than two by the time Rangers had a couple of late efforts was baffling, but the new formation and the fresher, faster legs mostly made mincemeat of the visitors, before easing off the gas later on.

It's bizarre to see a 40-year-old keeper make so many saves, and a couple of them were surprisingly agile.

Darwin Núñez constantly found time and space, and hit some good efforts (without any being quite in the corners), as Luis Díaz buzzed around.

Diogo Jota seemed uncatchable, in a new role as a no.10 behind a front three, in a 4-2-1-3 formation that, for this game at least, worked particularly well, especially in protecting the right-side of the pitch while allowing attacking rotation.

I published a piece today about the need to bring the average age down a bit (and add more speed), but it still wasn't a young Liverpool side.

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However, the older players were limited almost exclusively to deeper, patrolling positions, and the added running power of Núñez, Jota and Díaz allowed Mo Salah, the elder statesman of the attack, to find a bit more space.

Núñez creates space and wreaks havoc. He clearly hasn't "relaxed" after the big-money move, but the intensity of his play makes things happen. Once he's a little more settled he'll surely start finishing with a bit more composure, given the number of chances that fall his way from his pace, power and movement.

The second half of my comments and those of the others follow for subscribers only.