After their first defeat of the season in the league this weekend, Liverpool, very altered, was again beaten Tuesday by Chelsea (2-0) in the knockout stages of the FA Cup. It would obviously be ridiculous to speak of a crisis for a club which has 22 points ahead of the championship and remains in the Champions League, but the slope is worrying for the Reds.
Beaten in the round of 16 first leg of C1 by Atlético Madrid (1-0), narrowly winner of West Ham (3-2) thanks to two goals offered by the opposing goalkeeper, then successively beaten by the penultimate Watford (3-0) and by Chelsea, we no longer recognize the winning machine which, even in difficulty, always found the solution.
A Liverpool bis without ideas
Tuesday at Stamford Bridge, Jürgen Klopp had certainly revamped his team, with only a backbone of essentials, but the replacements of the holders left at rest were very disappointing. To start with Adrian, faulty on the opening of the score. Just seconds after making an incredible save on a powerful shot from near Willian, the Spanish goalkeeper deflected in his cages a shot from the Brazilian right on him (1-0, 13th).
In attack then, the Japanese winter rookie Takumi Minamino, at a fake new post and the Belgian Divock Origi placed on the left, were transparent. In attack then, the Japanese winter rookie Takumi Minamino, at a fake new post and the Belgian Divock Origi placed on the left, were transparent.
Only 18 years old and the author of a superb performance, Billy Gilmour was voted Man of the Match for Chelsea - Liverpool. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gAYRGg6G5l
- Foot News (@ActuFoot_) March 3, 2020And unlike Liverpool, his replacements were more than up to par, like the boss size performance of the young axial pocket midfielder Billy Gilmour (18 years old, 1.68 m). With his name and physique to play in a Ken Loach film, the Scotsman has shown that behind the Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount or Fikayo Tomori, the Chelsea squad still has a few nuggets in stock.
Do not finish the season in March
While the Reds were expected to react after the break, the Blues controlled the debates and were rewarded with their generous game on a raid punctuated by an unstoppable cross strike from Ross Barkley, Liverpool native, but pure product of Everton (2-0, 64th).
The score is also not flattering, because just before Mount had found the top of the crossbar on a free kick at 20 meters and Pedro (67th) then Giroud (73rd), who found the bar, could have spiked the bill. Saturday, Liverpool will have to straighten the bar against Bournemouth (18th), before defending its continental title in eight days in a return match against Atlético which will be anything but a pleasure, even in its lair of Anfield Road.
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