It was Roberto Firmino's back heel that told you the swagger was back. The move to play in the Brazilian had also been a thing of beauty, Sadio Mane finding Naby Keita whose long range pass was perfectly weighted. That in itself was an improvement on recent games.
This was Jurgen Klopp hitting all the right notes of his heavy metal football: controlled yet rapid changes of tempo to dislocate the opposition.
Yet it was the back heel that made it and which told you some of the old synchronicity was back. Firmino might have taken the shot himself, though the angle was narrowing, but he sensed something behind him. Or he knew, just knew that Mohamed Salah would be sprinting to join the attack
So, selflessly and instinctively, and while running at speed with no chance to check, he back-heeled the ball directly into Salah's path. Bournemouth had already been on the back foot now but the angles of attack had changed in an instant and they were completely discombobulated.
Now they had the Egyptian bearing down on goal, with a free hit. The conclusion was inevitable. We were two minutes into the second half and Bournemouth could have headed home at that point. Any half time re-organisation, any motivational words from Eddie Howe were lost in the ether at that moment. Three-nil down to a rejuvenated Liverpool, the contest was as good as over.
Not so the league title. That, of course, will ebb and flow, hopefully until May - but with a week off planned in the schedule, otherwise known as the FA Cup fifth round, and warm weather training in Spain, Liverpool can take stock and re-group.
With Trent Alexander Arnold coming on for 14 minutes and Jordan Henderson at least ready for the bench, they will be replenished some more when they come back for their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich.
Some cautionary notes. It is still February and the title race looks as though it will meander, veering one way then the next depending on the latest result. However, on the evidence of this performance, Liverpool aren't about to implode, Jurgen Klopp isn't Kevin Keegan reincarnated and the fight will be to the end.
The run of two wins in five in the Premier League games hasn't yet been decisive, even if they have invited Manchester City back into a head-to-head title race.
No comments:
Post a Comment