Very much a game of two halves and for once it was us that changed tactics at HT and flat-footed the opposition. Good win but lots of things to be concerned about. Martina is becoming a liability, he will not stay focused and in position. Makes you wonder how bad Cedric has become in training?

When we had the momentum and had pulled one back, why oh why did Koeman take off Oriel Romeu when he and Victor were playing brilliantly together and absolutely dominating mid-field? Then to bring on a guy who cannot run with the ball or tackle anybody... exasperating! JWP looks light-weight in this team especially mid-field, what can he do except take decent free kicks?

Classie looked lost today.

4

I agree with SaintBrock's observations. Romeu and Wanyama looked great together. I'm not sure what Clasie is. He looks like a lesser version of Steven Davis. He is a good passer of the ball but he is hopeless at tackling and opposition players easily brush him aside. For long stretches of the game he looks lost. Liverpool were able to run straight through our midfield unopposed until Wanyama came on and stopped them. Whatever Clasie is, he's not a defensive midfielder.

4

I was going to write a report but 'forallthesaints' has said it all.

Martina is improving ad deserves his place.

What a great game apart from the idiots sat behind me who ruined my son and my day out by summoning a steward and accusing my son of being a Liverpool fan in the Saints end. He missed ten minutes protesting his innocence. I think his crime was taking photos of the Liverpool team after they scored their second goal.
Incidentally the Steward was unnecessarily aggresive in asking my son to leave his seat.

What a great game for the Saints fans

2

We got away lightly in the first half. Sturridge and Coutinho treated our midfield with contempt. And what was it with Pelle and his stupid flicks. I counted five times he gave the ball away needlessly. The introduction of Wanyama and Mane changed the game. Victor completely wrenched the midfield from Liverpool, ably supported by Romeu. Mane showed consistently what Long had hinted at in the first half - that the Liverpool centre backs could be beaten for pace. Pelle suddenly remembered what he was out there for. The atmosphere in the final fifteen minutes was one of the best I've ever experienced at St Marys. And fair play to Jurgen Klopp. I can't remember another opposition manager coming onto the pitch to shake every Saints player's hand. Like Ronald here he will be a hero on Merseyside.

2

We were lax in the first half, they were lax in the second.
Long should have had a penalty in the first (you are never going to get it against a "bigger" club). Ref must have saw the replay at halftime and gave us the penalty to even up (both players were tugging shirts). Too bad Mane got stopped but he made up for it in the end. Big difference was Mane and Big Vic coming on. You have to have a big tough enforcer in the middle to scare teams like this bunch, ManCity, Arsenal, etc who run and hide if you stand up to them, and a striker who can pounce on a ball and score in a flash.

Forallsaints-Klopp may have clapped at the end, but in his post match interview he basically said his players were so used to beating Saints, that they got complacent in the second half and Saints played "good".

Anyway, best win of the season for me, just because of who it was against. They thought they had it in the bag so it hurts even more to lose this way. It showed them up for the bunch of bullies with no backbone they are!

Bonus: Koeman jumping around like Klopp- "Would you like some more salt for your wound, sir?"

3

BoondockSaint - I too wondered whether the ref was atoning for his first half error by awarding that second half penalty having reviewed it at HT. Maybe Ron or Sammy went in the ref's room at HT and explained how the rules work? More likely Sammy who was great today on the touchline, he so wanted to put on dover on the Scousers for old times sake.

1

Talk about and game of two halfs. Torn to shreds in the first half but turned it around with a fantastic comeback.

I thought Big Vic was immense and and major factor in the comeback. Great to see Mane firing on all cylinders again. Makes for an interesting season end.

1

Brilliant, who where what or why, haven't a clue!

1

Fortunate that Villa forwards are lacking confidence otherwise we could quite easily have lost 5 - 0.

0

Calling all those Fickle Football supporters. A month ago I wanted Mane and Victor gone, couldn't stand their supposed prima doña attitudes. Today I am of a different view! If you really want to go to the next level then you need 'game changers' in your team and in those two we have two. Both were brilliant yesterday and it is only their attitudes that stops them from being like that every week?! Judging by Mane's reaction at the end of the game I think he will be on his way at the end of the season. Nice while it lasted!!

0