Liverpool vs Tottenham
Goals:
Firmino 16'
Moura 70'
Alderweireld OG 90'
And you thought Liverpool's last match was lucky. Good lord the season's gonna kill us all.
It is very hard to talk about the football match when things like this happen.
In a lot of ways, we've been here before. Liverpool are decent for most of the first half and open the scoring early, Firmino's wonderful header from Robertson's even more wonderful cross. But Liverpool don't get a second despite a handful of half-chances, and Liverpool's only shot on-target is that Firmino goal. They're once again up against a deep defense, with Spurs switching to a back three to both contain Liverpool and because they've barely got any available central midfielders.
And Liverpool increasingly fumble and frustrate. And Spurs improve, because Spurs are not Fulham or Burnley or Everton or Leicester or West Ham, especially after Spurs switch to 4-4-2 at halftime. Now it's Liverpool increasingly pushed back, the fullbacks far less of an outlet with Eriksen and Rose on the wings and Tripper and Vertonghen solidly behind.
We get angrier at Liverpool's midfield's inability to create, especially when paired with increasingly less destroying, not even doing what they're there to and at least keep possession. We get angrier at the lack of substitutions, Fabinho still on the bench, Keïta and Shaqiri seemingly not even in plans.
And an equalizer feels coming. Liverpool are doing *enough* – Van Dijk constantly heading away, Robertson's crucial block on Eriksen's rebound after Alisson saves Kane's wide angle shot, Matip thankfully scrambling Eriksen's cross behind rather than into his own net – but we're rightfully nervous.
Then it comes. Sure, Harry Kane's barely fouled and takes the free kick with the ball still rolling, Trippier's damned close to offside, and Eriksen mis-hits his pass inside but it somehow falls perfectly for Lucas Moura. Multiple bad and unfortunate things needed to happen for Spurs to equalize. But Spurs equalized. Just as Leicester and West Ham did in those maybe costly draws, just like Fulham did two weeks ago.
Thankfully, we got what we got two weeks ago. Which did not feel like happening until it somehow happened.
Fabinho finally comes on, as does Origi. Liverpool push and press and both van Dijk and Firmino should have scored from the same corner and Origi's free kick is deflected barely wide and Mané's almost but not quite found by van Dijk with a long clearance. It is actually better, spurred into action by Spurs' goal.
There should have been a winner here. And it should have comes from Tottenham. Liverpool, full bore for a second goal, are leaving themselves wide open. Tottenham break when Liverpool lose possession in the final third and it's Rose to Kane to Son to Sissoko, two on one against just Virgil van Dijk. But van Dijk's angles are perfect because van Dijk's almost always perfect, baiting Sissoko into a shot when unable to release Son, ballooned over. To make matters seem more lost, Dele Alli's curling an effort just off-target two minutes later.
This is the way the world ends. With a draw at best and maybe a loss and there's no way City are dropping points in two matches let alone one.
Until Liverpool get a corner, and Robertson corrals the clearance and Alexander-Arnold whips a cross to Salah at the back post. Header saved, but saved onto Alderweireld, rolling past and under Lloris just before 90:00 hits the clock.
Pandemonium. Which, I certainly do not hesitate to add, is more than deserved after the way this fixture ended last season.
And we live to see another day. Liverpool remain two points ahead of City, albeit having played one more match, as we go into April. The season lives on to kill us on another day.
And it's thanks to yet another late winner. 3-2 Paris St-Germain, 1-0 Everton, 4-2 Palace (which somehow became 4-3), and now 2-1 Tottenham. All winners in the 90th minute or later. Not to mention 1-1 Chelsea in the 89th minute or 2-1 Fulham in the 82nd minute or maybe necessary two-goal cushions at Palace and in both matches against Burnley.
Are they flukes if they're multiples?
So no matter the sometimes sloppiness and more times of frustration. No matter the same again, almost punished again. No matter the struggles in attack or the odd mistake in defense, or the questionable decisions with both line-ups and substitutions.
This is a team that does not give up. And that's by far the most important quality at this stage of the season. That might well be the only quality worth mentioning at this stage of the season.
Six matches left.
Firmino 16'
Moura 70'
Alderweireld OG 90'
And you thought Liverpool's last match was lucky. Good lord the season's gonna kill us all.
It is very hard to talk about the football match when things like this happen.
In a lot of ways, we've been here before. Liverpool are decent for most of the first half and open the scoring early, Firmino's wonderful header from Robertson's even more wonderful cross. But Liverpool don't get a second despite a handful of half-chances, and Liverpool's only shot on-target is that Firmino goal. They're once again up against a deep defense, with Spurs switching to a back three to both contain Liverpool and because they've barely got any available central midfielders.
And Liverpool increasingly fumble and frustrate. And Spurs improve, because Spurs are not Fulham or Burnley or Everton or Leicester or West Ham, especially after Spurs switch to 4-4-2 at halftime. Now it's Liverpool increasingly pushed back, the fullbacks far less of an outlet with Eriksen and Rose on the wings and Tripper and Vertonghen solidly behind.
We get angrier at Liverpool's midfield's inability to create, especially when paired with increasingly less destroying, not even doing what they're there to and at least keep possession. We get angrier at the lack of substitutions, Fabinho still on the bench, Keïta and Shaqiri seemingly not even in plans.
And an equalizer feels coming. Liverpool are doing *enough* – Van Dijk constantly heading away, Robertson's crucial block on Eriksen's rebound after Alisson saves Kane's wide angle shot, Matip thankfully scrambling Eriksen's cross behind rather than into his own net – but we're rightfully nervous. Then it comes. Sure, Harry Kane's barely fouled and takes the free kick with the ball still rolling, Trippier's damned close to offside, and Eriksen mis-hits his pass inside but it somehow falls perfectly for Lucas Moura. Multiple bad and unfortunate things needed to happen for Spurs to equalize. But Spurs equalized. Just as Leicester and West Ham did in those maybe costly draws, just like Fulham did two weeks ago.
Thankfully, we got what we got two weeks ago. Which did not feel like happening until it somehow happened.
Fabinho finally comes on, as does Origi. Liverpool push and press and both van Dijk and Firmino should have scored from the same corner and Origi's free kick is deflected barely wide and Mané's almost but not quite found by van Dijk with a long clearance. It is actually better, spurred into action by Spurs' goal.
There should have been a winner here. And it should have comes from Tottenham. Liverpool, full bore for a second goal, are leaving themselves wide open. Tottenham break when Liverpool lose possession in the final third and it's Rose to Kane to Son to Sissoko, two on one against just Virgil van Dijk. But van Dijk's angles are perfect because van Dijk's almost always perfect, baiting Sissoko into a shot when unable to release Son, ballooned over. To make matters seem more lost, Dele Alli's curling an effort just off-target two minutes later.
This is the way the world ends. With a draw at best and maybe a loss and there's no way City are dropping points in two matches let alone one.
Until Liverpool get a corner, and Robertson corrals the clearance and Alexander-Arnold whips a cross to Salah at the back post. Header saved, but saved onto Alderweireld, rolling past and under Lloris just before 90:00 hits the clock.
Pandemonium. Which, I certainly do not hesitate to add, is more than deserved after the way this fixture ended last season.
And we live to see another day. Liverpool remain two points ahead of City, albeit having played one more match, as we go into April. The season lives on to kill us on another day.
And it's thanks to yet another late winner. 3-2 Paris St-Germain, 1-0 Everton, 4-2 Palace (which somehow became 4-3), and now 2-1 Tottenham. All winners in the 90th minute or later. Not to mention 1-1 Chelsea in the 89th minute or 2-1 Fulham in the 82nd minute or maybe necessary two-goal cushions at Palace and in both matches against Burnley.
Are they flukes if they're multiples?
So no matter the sometimes sloppiness and more times of frustration. No matter the same again, almost punished again. No matter the struggles in attack or the odd mistake in defense, or the questionable decisions with both line-ups and substitutions.
This is a team that does not give up. And that's by far the most important quality at this stage of the season. That might well be the only quality worth mentioning at this stage of the season.
Six matches left.
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