Liverpool’s lack of control a choice

Certain Liverpool supporters may be concerned that a significant investment in a high-priced acquisition or a complete revision of the roster will be necessary to guarantee that this team no longer finds itself in games as unpredictable as the current one in the future.

However, to do so is to overlook the fact that Jurgen Klopp made a decision that led to the Reds’ occasionally absurdly combative style, which was exemplified by Youri Tielemans’s goal.

For instance, had Alexis Mac Allister been a member of Manchester City or Arsenal, his responsibility upon gaining possession just inside his own half with a 1-0 lead would have been to cautiously advance the ball so that the opposing team could be confined to their own territory.

 

 Mac Allister form has fallen away

Conversely, the Argentine attempted a pointless deadly pass that was intercepted, setting up Jarell Quansah for a one-on-one that Ollie Watkins set up for an equalizer and one that Quansah was never going to win.

Evidently, prior to this season, Klopp assessed the benefits and drawbacks of relentlessly pursuing the opposition’s jugular and determined that it would be the most effective method for his squad to accumulate points. The league table has partially validated this assessment.

However, there is a strong argument that the Reds could gain a little more control with a slightly less full-throttle approach; Arne Slot will undoubtedly value this as he attempts to extract more out of this squad.

It is not a matter that Klopp will likely be preoccupied with in light of his impending departure; however, Alexis Mac Allister’s recent decline in form cannot be denied.

After establishing himself as arguably the most influential member of the squad in February, the Argentine has encountered greater difficulty in establishing his presence in matches as frequently in the remaining matches.

This was evident from his sloppy outing at Villa Park, where he was responsible for all three goals conceded, which was cause for concern.

Evidently, there are no significant concerns regarding a player who, for substantial portions of the season, appeared to be an unequivocal steal at £35 million.

The new manager, however, will be eager to see the midfielder perform at his peak more consistently throughout his second season at Anfield.

More to come from Quansah

Given his renowned commitment to perfecting his game, Quansah is sure to spend plenty of time analysing the moment that saw him beaten by Watkins for Villa’s equaliser.

But while the youngster is right to feel that he could have done better in that situation, the upsides of his performance – and indeed the magnificent season as a whole he has enjoyed – should not be forgotten.

In the main, this was another composed showing from the 21-year-old that saw him win three out of three tackles and five of his eight duels, and he even added a goal of his own with a booming header at the other end to make it 3-1.

That Quansah can get even better given the level he is already playing at is hugely exciting, and the experiences of this campaign, including this madness, are sure to prove helpful in that regard.

 

Tsimikas facing big decision

It may not be the main takeaway from the last two games, but Kostas Tsimikas‘ omission from the squads to face both Tottenham and Aston Villa is surely noteworthy.

As things stand, the Greek is the club’s third-choice left-back behind Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez, and isn’t capable of picking up minutes in any other position, either.

Consequently, while he may have signed a new contract just last summer, you wonder if Tsimikas may see this coming transfer window as a good time to move on.

At the age of 28, he will surely be ready to play more frequently, and would leave having achieved his aim of picking up winner’s medals during his stay at Anfield.

His future looks like one to keep an eye on once the season comes to its conclusion.

 

One more game to go

While many Liverpool fans’ focus will be on the fact that Liverpool threw this one away, a third-placed finish in the Premier League was ultimately already settled on no matter the result tonight.

As such, the only thing that mattered was the fact that Klopp was overseeing his penultimate game as Reds boss – and that it is now over.

Now, the German will head back to Merseyside to prepare a Liverpool team for the weekend’s fixture for the final time after an incredible eight-and-a-half years in charge.

An emotional, unforgettable Anfield send-off awaits, one that supporters should do all they can to soak up.