Trent Alexander-Arnold came through the first Premier League game of the season showing great composure and skill. He is a star on the rise.
Feeling deflated, Reds? I know I am after a very disappointing first season performance against Watford. Despite our fantastic strike force performing as hot as ever, the ongoing defensive woes continue.
I thought this would be as a massive win – a recreation of the 6-1 beauty from last season. Liverpool failed to wheel away with all three points though and now take their defensive baggage back to Merseyside with them.
Woes against Watford
The game got underway and slowly dismantled like a cheap canvas tent. Liverpool conceded their first goal of the season in just eight minutes into the start of their campaign. Extremely poor and desperate defending from Dejan Lovren led to a corner kick for Watford. Surprise, surprise, a goal quickly followed.
Liverpool’s celebrity status of being calamitous at defending set pieces has become widely noticed by other clubs. Preparing for a set piece is dangerous news in itself for the defending team; but with the Reds’ track record of scrambling in the box, it’s easier than ever to net a quick goal.
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A mixed defense
Joel Matip did show some leadership on the pitch at Vicarage Road; putting in the work and scolding the team for allowing the home side to score. However his overall performance wasn’t his best. Both Matip and Lovren did a poor job as our center back; leaving a lot of pressure for Simon Mignolet to deal with.
The holding midfielders went missing for a huge chunk of the game. Captain Jordan Henderson had a very quiet spell and Wijnaldum is due a bunch of criticism. Fans are reeling from his poor performance and the questionable header that led to the final Watford goal.
Two players who did impress me (that weren’t included in the forward three) were Alberto Moreno and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Despite Moreno’s temperamental performances, the Watford clash wasn’t one of them. He made some crucial clearances and for once, was exactly where he should have been.
Across the flanks to his right was youngster Trent Alex. The 18-year-old was a vital asset to the team’s result. Despite a 3-3 draw and only one point in the bag, TAA’s contribution stopped the afternoon being a lot worse.