Visualized: Liverpool 2-0 Porto
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Match data from WhoScored, except average position from the SofaScore app.
I love European football.
Because, unlike the vast majority of the Premier League, European sides do not set up to specifically deny Liverpool opportunities to press.
And then matches like this happen.
As Beasley says, that's an egregious amount of tackles and ball recoveries for a side that had that much possession. 64% possession is about what Liverpool averaged against Southampton (67%), Fulham (63%), and Everton (59%) over the last month or so.
Those matches did not look like this one, even if the results were mostly similar (*glares at Merseyside Derby*).
More importantly, it's probably not coincidence that both of Liverpool's goals came from winning the ball back in midfield.
Fabinho presses the Porto attack, and while Danilo tries to tackle him, Milner – even though he's at left-back, is there to pick up the pieces, immediately looking long for Mané and going, allowing Liverpool to run at Porto before Porto can regroup.
Mané does the right thing up against two defenders, Firmino somehow finds space in the box for the layoff, and Keïta's shot is at least going to be on-target before the deflection, but this very much starts in midfield and in transition.
Similar goes for Liverpool's second, as Mané's tackled in the final third but Henderson's forward to back him up, spreading play to Keïta, who finds Firmino once again in a pocket of space, returned to Henderson who's now joined the attack.
So, we can highlight individual performances. Firmino was heavily involved in both goals, and not for the first time over the last month, having scored four and assisted three in his last six games.
Porto's system – with three deeper center-backs, one a right-back by trade – and Oliver Torres rather than Hector Herrera – probably gave Firmino a bit too much space to operate.
The average position map kind of lies – being an average position map – but there also aren't many Porto players near Firmino's position.
When Firmino plays this well, it is very, very hard to stop Liverpool. Salah and Mané get the attacking headlines, van Dijk and Alisson the defensive, but I'm still tempted to argue that no player is as essential to Jürgen Klopp's style of play as Roberto Firmino.
But there's also Naby Keïta, leading the side in tackles, almost top in ball recoveries, an opening goal within five minutes no matter the heavy deflection, and so much running. So, so much running, compared to what Liverpool's midfield has looked like with Milner and Wijnaldum in advanced positions.
There's also Jordan Henderson, again in a more advanced position, complementing Keïta, and similarly all-around everywhere, highlighted by his role in Liverpool's second goal, both in ball recovery and hockey assist.
There's Alisson, saving two clear-cut chances from Moussa Marega in two minutes, less than five minutes after Liverpool scored its second. The game is very, very different had Porto made it 2-1 in the 30th or 31st minute.
There's Fabinho, stood tall in the center circle shouting YOU WILL NOT PASS.
There's Virgil van Dijk, the best defender in Europe, and Dejan Lovren partnering him, uncertain early on having just returned from injury, but increasingly comfortable as the match progressed.
There's Trent Alexander-Arnold, another assist from a wide position, even if it wasn't a cross, and there's James Milner on the other flank, deputizing at left-back even though he hadn't played that position in ages, because he's James Milner and will do a job at any position.
Aside from finishing one or two more chances (*glares at Mo Salah's form*), it's pretty much all you could have hoped for. And it all sets up Liverpool nicely for the second leg. Because Liverpool again won a European match at Anfield.
The last time Liverpool lost European match at Anfield was October 2014, 0-3 to Real Madrid under Brendan Rodgers. Klopp's still yet to lose one, winning 14 and drawing four in the Champions League and Europa League.
We've seen clean sheets in 11 of those 18 games. We've seen two or more goals in 13 of those 18 games, with three or more in nine of them.
We've seen Liverpool in the Europa League final, then the Champions League final, and now putting themselves in position to qualify for this season's semi-finals.
European nights are assuredly back at Anfield. And Liverpool are back amongst European's elite.
Match data from WhoScored, except average position from the SofaScore app.
I love European football.
Because, unlike the vast majority of the Premier League, European sides do not set up to specifically deny Liverpool opportunities to press.
And then matches like this happen.
For a team who had 64% possession, them’s some big Reds numbers. pic.twitter.com/8Rlv1KIzLg
— Andrew Beasley (@BassTunedToRed) April 9, 2019
As Beasley says, that's an egregious amount of tackles and ball recoveries for a side that had that much possession. 64% possession is about what Liverpool averaged against Southampton (67%), Fulham (63%), and Everton (59%) over the last month or so.
Those matches did not look like this one, even if the results were mostly similar (*glares at Merseyside Derby*).
More importantly, it's probably not coincidence that both of Liverpool's goals came from winning the ball back in midfield.
Fabinho presses the Porto attack, and while Danilo tries to tackle him, Milner – even though he's at left-back, is there to pick up the pieces, immediately looking long for Mané and going, allowing Liverpool to run at Porto before Porto can regroup.
Mané does the right thing up against two defenders, Firmino somehow finds space in the box for the layoff, and Keïta's shot is at least going to be on-target before the deflection, but this very much starts in midfield and in transition.
Similar goes for Liverpool's second, as Mané's tackled in the final third but Henderson's forward to back him up, spreading play to Keïta, who finds Firmino once again in a pocket of space, returned to Henderson who's now joined the attack.
So, we can highlight individual performances. Firmino was heavily involved in both goals, and not for the first time over the last month, having scored four and assisted three in his last six games.
Porto's system – with three deeper center-backs, one a right-back by trade – and Oliver Torres rather than Hector Herrera – probably gave Firmino a bit too much space to operate.
The average position map kind of lies – being an average position map – but there also aren't many Porto players near Firmino's position.
When Firmino plays this well, it is very, very hard to stop Liverpool. Salah and Mané get the attacking headlines, van Dijk and Alisson the defensive, but I'm still tempted to argue that no player is as essential to Jürgen Klopp's style of play as Roberto Firmino.
But there's also Naby Keïta, leading the side in tackles, almost top in ball recoveries, an opening goal within five minutes no matter the heavy deflection, and so much running. So, so much running, compared to what Liverpool's midfield has looked like with Milner and Wijnaldum in advanced positions.
There's also Jordan Henderson, again in a more advanced position, complementing Keïta, and similarly all-around everywhere, highlighted by his role in Liverpool's second goal, both in ball recovery and hockey assist.
There's Alisson, saving two clear-cut chances from Moussa Marega in two minutes, less than five minutes after Liverpool scored its second. The game is very, very different had Porto made it 2-1 in the 30th or 31st minute.
There's Fabinho, stood tall in the center circle shouting YOU WILL NOT PASS.
There's Virgil van Dijk, the best defender in Europe, and Dejan Lovren partnering him, uncertain early on having just returned from injury, but increasingly comfortable as the match progressed.
There's Trent Alexander-Arnold, another assist from a wide position, even if it wasn't a cross, and there's James Milner on the other flank, deputizing at left-back even though he hadn't played that position in ages, because he's James Milner and will do a job at any position.
Aside from finishing one or two more chances (*glares at Mo Salah's form*), it's pretty much all you could have hoped for. And it all sets up Liverpool nicely for the second leg. Because Liverpool again won a European match at Anfield.
The last time Liverpool lost European match at Anfield was October 2014, 0-3 to Real Madrid under Brendan Rodgers. Klopp's still yet to lose one, winning 14 and drawing four in the Champions League and Europa League.
We've seen clean sheets in 11 of those 18 games. We've seen two or more goals in 13 of those 18 games, with three or more in nine of them.
We've seen Liverpool in the Europa League final, then the Champions League final, and now putting themselves in position to qualify for this season's semi-finals.
European nights are assuredly back at Anfield. And Liverpool are back amongst European's elite.
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