One down, thirty-seven to go. I don’t think you could’ve asked for a better performance to open the 2021-22 campaign. Complete domination on the pitch, despite a relatively even distribution of possession. Once we got on the board with that fabulous Diogo Jota goal in the first half, the result was never in doubt for me. Firmino’s goal was clinical and that glorious strike from Mo Salah was the icing on the cake. The Canaries played well, which should’ve been expected from a newly-promoted team. I don’t have the statistics to back it up, but it seems every season you see the new guys snatch a decent result or two early on. Brentford backed that theory up with their two-nil victory over Arsenal on Friday (although it may be debated whether that was more attributable to Arsenal’s lack of quality and ineptitude). Liverpool opening their season on the road was no guaranteed result for the Reds. And with such high expectations riding on this season for Liverpool Football Club, the three-nil victory was the perfect result.
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Another landmark moment on Saturday was seeing fans back in the stand. My initial blog for this season was discussing how much the squad rely on the supporters to help provide an edge against their opponent. While that article was more focused on Anfield being the proverbial “twelfth man” for the squad, having loud and boisterous support from away supporters at Carrow Road can also help boost the squad performance. But equally as important for me was seeing friends pack the pub to watch the season opener with comrades and pints. I can’t tell you the exact numbers watching the match with me at the pub on Saturday afternoon, but it was substantial and magnificent.
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I arrived just before the mid-morning kickoffs to secure a nice table at the London Bridge Pub, home to the Official Liverpool Supporters Club (OLSC) Raleigh. When the lineups were announced, I’ll be the first to admit an eyebrow was raised when I saw the Liverpool midfield three of James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Social media reviews soon thereafter confirmed that I was not alone. It’s not that we don’t trust in Klopp when we see an unexpected lineup. We can all see the quality, and on paper we know that squad depth is going to be needed throughout the season. But in the offseason, fans dream of shiny things the club will achieve with the best players available on the roster. No disrespect intended, that midfield combination was hardly what most supporters envisioned as their preferred starting eleven. You want to see your best players starting on Opening Day. This was the football equivalent of taking your seat on opening night of “Spamalot” on Broadway only to hear the announcement that the role of King Arthur normally played by the outstanding Tim Curry would now be performed by some unknown understudy. Disappointing, but hopefully it will still be a memorable performance and we walk out as satisfied customers. Much like we did following Liverpool’s three-nil victory at Carrow Road on Saturday.
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Normally the consensus preferred midfield for Liverpool would appear to include Fabinho, Thiago, and Jordan Henderson. All three were late arrivals to pre-season with their extended national team runs in Copa America and the Euros respectively, so it was not surprising to see them out of the starting eleven. The last major international tournament to be held was the 2018 World Cup in Russia. As you may recall, England made a go of that competition eventually losing to Croatia in the semifinals. When Liverpool eventually opened the 2018-19 season with a four-nil win over West Ham United, our captain Jordan Henderson was riding the pine next to countryman Adam Lallana. Klopp had started a midfield three of Gini Wijnaldum, Naby Keita (both whose countries failed to qualify for the World Cup), and James Milner (who had already retired from international football). To be fair, that midfield trio should be extremely capable to control the pitch against a weaker squad like West Ham. And they did just that. What was more surprising to me was seeing that Klopp kept the same starting midfield for the next two Premier League matches, a two-nil road victory at Crystal Palace followed by a nervy one-nil home win against Brighton & Hove Albion. It wasn’t until Liverpool faced a perceived “top four” rival away at Leicester City on the first of September when Jordan Henderson eventually replaced Keita in the starting lineup.
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I’m not sure if it took Henderson that long to get back up to speed with the tactics, obtain match fitness, or if simply Klopp was riding the wave of momentum following some good results to start that campaign. Regardless I can see a parallel when comparing the start of that 2018-19 season with this current one. Both times Klopp started the freshest midfield three at his disposal, and they helped contribute to a satisfying and comfortable victory. Then for the second match of the season, Liverpool would face another marginal club that everyone expects them to defeat. Three years ago, it was Crystal Palace. This year it will be Burnley, who finished last season in 17th place, albeit comfortably eleven points above the relegation zone. Still, no one would bet on Burnley to get a result against Liverpool at Anfield, where they will host more than 10,000 fans in a meaningful match for the first time in 528 days. We are headed down a similar path, so why should we expect Klopp to do anything different with his starting lineup against Burnley on Saturday?
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For the last match before the season’s first international break, Liverpool will face a more difficult challenge from title contender Chelsea. Much like three seasons prior when they faced Leicester City before the break, I’d expect to see Klopp start midfielders more amenable to what the masses crave. Henderson, Thiago, and Fabinho should all be match fit, aligned with the gaffer’s vision, and back in sync with each other on the pitch. And after Liverpool win that match to go top of the table, there will be much rejoicing. Until the following weekend when Liverpool fans will collectively hold their breath as their stars return to international duty. But that’s a story for another time.
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Before all of that happens, we must focus on Burnley. It will be a match we should win. It will be a match that we will win. Regardless of who starts in the midfield, they will be good enough to dominate possession and create scoring chances. It will be an early kickoff at 7:30 AM EST, so that likely means I won’t be making it to the pub for this one. But it also means I’ll be sipping on my morning coffee when the lineup gets announced an hour before the ball is kicked. When I see a Liverpool midfield consisting of Milner, Keita, and the Ox, I will be neither surprised nor concerned. And neither should you. Up the Reds!
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YNWA,
Ken Kendra
The opinions expressed in this blog are mine and do not necessarily reflect that of LFC Raleigh or Liverpool Football Club. I am the author of the book “Walking Through The Storm” available on Amazon, Kindle, World Soccer Shop, and other book depository outlets. Follow me on Twitter: @kjkendra11