Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Klopp’s lack of quality will hamper title hopes
THIS is why the champions are a dot on Liverpool’s horizon, this is why chatter about a realistic title challenge next season is probably optimistic.
If there was anything of significance to be taken from a match of numbing mediocrity, it was a demonstration of why Liverpool remain slightly unrealistic rivals to Manchester City, the team they vanquished twice – and in style.
Quite simply, the quality shown in those matches, and in the destruction of Roma, does not run deep enough, not deep enough to deal with the inevitable strain of immense Champions League efforts.
One or two notable omissions and absentees are felt too keenly. Those who stepped in from the sidelines mostly had games to forget.
Some joker once nicknamed Earl Barrett the Fireman, because everything he touched went out. That was poor Joe Gomez here.
Georginio Wijnaldum has had some wonderful moments this season, but struggles to make a serious impact too often while Danny Ings is a fraction short of Big Six class.
Blend in unusually bad days for the likes of Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk (right), and you come up with a recipe for this dismal dish.
When Erik Pieters is a viable contender for the man of the match award, you know it has not been a thrill a minute.
No wonder Jurgen Klopp cut a frustrated post-match figure.
It is still highly unlikely Liverpool will slip out of the top four, but it is mathematically possible. Ditto Stoke City’s chances of survival – highly unlikely, but mathematically possible. Their commitment warranted a point here, but it is surely not enough.
As affable as he is, as dexterous on Twitter as he is, there was something about Peter Crouch – whose next birthday stop is his 38th – starting up front that summed up
Stoke’s occasionally farcical season.
Seriously, as good as he has been,
Crouch at this stage of his splendid career is not a Premier
League starter. Not unless you are a team destined for relegation, of course.
And with a litany of dreadful
PROBABLE TEAMS signings, ill-advised contracts and a badly-timed managerial
CFR CLUJ MAN UTD sacking, that is Stoke City.
Gomes Almunia
At least theyBaloleok lSiakgena heading dowBnasisnontghroCwambapbcekll Stoke style, aDadwmsoirnablVeerimnatehleenir endeavour buCotrlhukaardlyClaichtyhing of Bentley Denilson beauty. Had Ryan Shawcross Huddlestone Diaby bundled in Mame Diouf’s late Rose Nasri miscued shot, it would been a Modric Walcott winner scruffyDefnoeougRhostiockby efit the occasion. But as off-colour as they were, it would also have been harsh on Liverpool.
Games kicking off just after midday should be outlawed.
Every player’s urgings and running commentaries were audible most of the time.
It was a shockingly poor game to watch, but slightly more interesting to listen to. As were the views of Klopp and Paul Lambert.
The latter was understandably proud of the performance and of his personal record of six games unbeaten as a manager at Anfield.
Which is nice, but doesn’t matter a jot.
What matters is that Lambert won his first game as Stoke City manager, and has not managed the same feat in 12 successive attempts.
Klopp, if a little downcast, was phlegmatic about the performance.
Probably like most of his players, probably like most of the crowd, he had Rome on his mind.
You could not really blame them.