No doubting Lallana’s artistry
FIRST came the step over. Then there was a flick and a feint, a re-adjustment of his feet before the final flourish, a rolled pass that left Aaron Cresswell looking like his pocket had been picked.
It was a balletic movement, one which deserved to be finished off by a goal and so it proved – 30 seconds later, the ball was nestling in West Ham’s net, but if you think the architect of Liverpool’s first goal was one of their swaggering front three, think again.
This was the artistry of Adam Lallana, who before Monday night had only been sighted in the Premier League for 229 minutes this season. Out of sight has meant out of mind for the England international and his inclusion in Liverpool’s XI once again was not a trigger for universal celebration.
Such is the level of tension among supporters, the publication of Klopp’s team selection led to the conclusion, before a ball had been kicked, that Liverpool’s ambitions had been compromised by the inclusion of Lallana.
With Gini Wijnaldum nursing a sore knee and Jordan Henderson’s hamstring still tight, Klopp had no hesitation in turning to Lallana. And why should the manager have had any kind of doubts about putting him in?
A successful title challenge does not come from a manager picking the 11 most popular names each week – at this point of the season it is going to need contributions and cameos from all.
We have reached the time where it does not matter who has been the best team. Liverpool can rightly claim they have been the division’s standouts but what will that matter if their legs begin to wobble when they can see the finish line?
From here, all that matters is finding a way to win and to do that, Klopp is only going to turn to people he can trust. And 30-year-old Lallana is someone in whom the manager retains tremendous faith.
The pair used to be next-door neighbours but the rapport was built on the fact that Lallana quickly showed to Klopp – when he arrived in October 2015 – that he is the kind of high-energy midfielder who could help execute his vision of the game.
It should not be forgotten how influential he was through those first 18 months. When Liverpool qualified for the Champions League for the first time under Klopp in May 2017, Lallana scored eight goals and created another seven to help his team secure fourth place.
Lallana, certainly, seems better equipped for impending battles than Naby Keita, whose season simply has not got off the ground in the manner expected. Once again, he struggled to impose himself on the contest and was at fault for West Ham’s equaliser.
Keita looked the real deal on the opening weekend of the season, when starring in the reverse fixture, which Liverpool won 4-0.
Indeed, many anticipated that it was a performance to signal the changing of the guard and leave Lallana in the shadows.
Such a scenario, however, was never in Klopp’s mind. The only reason he hasn’t been picking Lallana is because injuries have kept holding him back and it is worth a reminder of the ordeal he has been through since the summer of 2017.
There has been a ruptured thigh, a horrible hamstring injury that cost him a place in England’s World Cup squad and a number of other niggling issues – the kind which rule players out for the odd game, but can be a lot more damaging to confidence than anything else.
It would not be wrong to say that Lallana has been left doubting himself, wondering whether he would be able to reclaim the kind of sparkle that made him such a big influence, so Monday night was a huge step in the right direction.
“Adam will have a big part in our season I am really sure and that’s cool,” said Klopp said. “But in training everything is good, when he came on everything was good so far, so now he is ready to take these little steps.”
He was never going to be overloaded and asked to play 90 minutes but the fact he was still running strong before his number was hoisted in the 70th minute on Monday night – firing in a cross from the byline that Lukasz Fabianski need to pluck away from Mohamed Salah – augured well.
Liverpool, be under no illusion, are in their most difficult spell of the campaign.
They are not playing well and the closer they get to the prize that they crave most, the shorter their steps are becoming as they feel Manchester City’s breath on their necks. To fend them off, everyone will need to make their presence felt. Lallana, more than anyone this week, showed he is ready to do so. | Daily Mail