6 months ago
119 
Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images
With a draw with West Ham in the books, we take a closer look at what it all means for the Reds as they limp towards the end of the Jürgen Klopp era.
Stick a fork in Liverpool, they’re done. It’s a trite, meaningless, throwaway line but then it’s hard to find a whole lot more really to say about a Liverpool side that largely appear to have taken their mid-week defeat at Everton to heart and, with the title out of reach, can’t find it within themselves to send out departing manager Jürgen Klopp on a high note.
We’re all still here, though, watching the slow-motion funeral procession that Liverpool’s 2023-24 season has become, so we might as well try to dig a little deeper into it...
Dissecting the Narrative
The first half saw West Ham setting up passive and defensive, and despite often sloppy passing and lethargic running Liverpool were the better side in a game that it has to be said carried something of an air of not especially mattering. But as has too often been the case for the Reds it was the opposition who open the scoring late in the first half. Closing out the Jürgen Klopp era with (at least) one more sucker punch against the run of play late in the first half? That’s narrative!
The second half then saw Liverpool up the tempo a little as they often have, eventually earning a 2-1 lead thanks to that. Only, as has often been their undoing, they quickly dialled back the effort and looked to nurse that narrow margin only to be punished for it with a goal that West Ham—who created just 0.6 xG to Liverpool’s 2.25 on the night—probably didn’t entirely deserve on the run of play that felt utterly inevitable when it happened. Narrative!
As awful as April has been for Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp as their always hopeful and highly unlikely quadruple challenge has collapsed entirely, there’s a dark humour in watching them play into some of their worst stereotypes even now that it probably doesn’t matter.
Winners and Losers
The Left: Ryan Gravenberch was probably Liverpool’s standout on the day, and the entire left-side trio with Luis Diaz and Andy Robertson were the Reds’ best and most consistent threat. Moreover, even when things weren’t coming off, they looked like they cared. Like they were determined to do what they could for the fans and their departing manager. It’s just a shame you couldn’t say the same about most of the rest of the team.
Cody Gakpo: Nobody in red encapsulated the game, the performances, and the result quite like Gakpo. He looked languid and lnksidasical for most of it. He might have been trying but he rarely looked much like he was. He scored a goal (or rather forced an own goal) but was hilariously fortunate in doing so, his effort from all of eight yards out that looked headed to the corner flag taking a wild deflection to briefly put Liverpool ahead. Like Liverpool, with their aforementioned 2.25xG to 0.6, you could argue there was a good result hiding in there somewhere, but on an instinctual, emotional level it can’t feel anything but a loss.
Premier League Officiating: Given how things have gone in recent weeks it’s hard to get too worked up over the latest officiating howler, but Anthony Taylor served up the most bizarre and—to appearances—inexcusable piece of officiating the Reds have been on the end of since their wrongly ruled-out goal against Tottenham early in the season and reminded everyone of the dire state of English officiating.
Late in the second half with Liverpool pushing weakly for a winner, Gakpo fouled Alphonse Areola as they both jumped for a ball in the penalty area. As the goalkeeper had possession, Taylor signaled advantage and the penalty area cleared. Areola then dropped the ball as though play has been stopped, looked down, and started fixing his socks.
Play, though, hadn’t been stopped and so Gakpo, having moved well up the pitch, closed back on the ball only for Taylor to blow the play dead for no apparent reason before coming over to the goalkeeper and whispering something in his ear. Areola then fell to the pitch as though he was injured—an injury, one might speculate, that would have justified play being blown dead. Which it hadn’t been. The Aristocrats!
What Happens Next
There are now just three games left in the Jürgen Klopp era at Liverpool—Tottenham next Sunday, then Aston Villa, and finally Wolves. On the strength of the last two, one could forgive Klopp if he decided he might as well cut out a little early and head to a beach somewhere.
