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We’re 10 games into the 2016-2017 Premier League season, and the contenders are beginning to distance themselves from the pretenders. Some of the big name clubs are exactly where we expected them, others are still trying to find their form. Liverpool is somewhere in between–Coach Jurgen Klopp, took over at Anfield towards the end of last season. In the short time, he was unable to implement his style of play nor find the players that would fit this system best. Now, with a full transfer window on the market and plenty of time on the training pitch, the team Klopp wants Liverpool to be is taking shape. The question isn’t “is Liverpool good this year?” It’s “How good is Liverpool this year?”
Enter Crystal Palace FC, perennial underachievers, destined for another mid table finish. After forking over the big bucks to capture striker Christian Benteke, many pundits saw the move as a sign that Palace were ready for a big year. Per usual, the season has offered mixed results, three wins and fives losses, even with Benteke playing well.
So, what would happen when these two faced each other on Sunday afternoon? The most exciting match of the season, thus far. A back and forth barn burner, featuring lovely individual skill, team play and a few bone headed mistakes, which in the end led to a Liverpool victory over Crystal Palace.
The Reds are Legit
Four goals from four different players showed that Liverpool have the firepower to keep up with anyone in the league. Goals from Emre Can, Roberto Fermion, Joel Matip and Dojan Lovren prove the versatility of Klopp’s lineup choice, and that’s not even counting the Brazilian maestro Philippe Coutinho or captain Jordan Henderson, who did not find the net. Multiple players can hurt you and in different ways.
The Reds now sit tied atop the table with over two-thirds of the season remaining. Scoring four goals a game is going to keep them near the top. The only question now is, will the defense be able to keep up with the attacking mindset? The most skilled players on the team are attackers and the entire style of Klopp is based on throwing players forward, this will certainly be difficult.
This is Peak Premiere League
If NBC Sports wanted a way to advertise their TV rights, they could just turn this game into a 30 second commercial. If casual soccer fans or someone that has never watched the Premier League saw this match, they would find them tuning back in soon. Excitement, energy, creativity, big names and even bigger goals, provided the perfect example of world class soccer that has made European soccer so captivating to the world. This was not a boring 0-0 draw, but a back and forth thriller with six balls finding the back of the net. The U.S. is just now getting exposed to the magic of the game on the world stage. More games like this will certainly bolster the game’s appeal in the states.
Player of the Game: Coutinho
The 24-year-old Brazilian was a force moving forward, dime perfect passes and threading the needle to set up his teammates. Coutinho didn’t need to score to have his presence felt, two assists off two corners to Lovren and Matip was his contribution in the win. His influence was felt in dozens of other attacking plays. Coutinho’s skill on the ball and delicate movement will continue to give nightmares to opposing defenses, as he leads this multi-faceted Liverpool attack.
What does it mean for Crystal Palace?
While a disappointing result, Palace can certainly take away several positives. Palace was able to apply constant pressure on the shaky Liverpool defense. Benteke looked dangerous against his former team even without finding the net, though he certainly had a strong argument for a penalty in the second half. They were able to capitalize on mistakes –there were several– from the Reds backline, as James McCarthur was able to tie the game 1-1 early on. They will have to continue this trend even if they want to keep up with more talented squads. Certainly, giving up four goals a game isn’t sustainable. Shaky set piece defending was exposed on Saturday, but that is certainly fixable. But despite the set pieces, the Liverpool attack for the most part had freedom to play its style. Palace came out more disciplined in the second half down 3-2 with a very good chance of grabbing a point in this back-and-forth game.
Currently sitting at 12th in the table, with just 11 points, this isn’t necessarily a disaster at this point in the season. Improvements can certainly be made, and players can be acquired in January. A respectable season is still within grasps. The schedule going forward should be a solid test for the strength of Crystal Palace, with a mix of top clubs and bottom dwellers. A few good performances could spark a move up the table. Benteke will need to be at the center of all organizational plans going forward. Finding the right set of pieces that can work with him and getting him the ball will be a must.
What does it mean for Liverpool?
Tied atop the table with 23 points and only one loss, this is where Liverpool believes they can stay, after several lack luster years out of the top four. Can the Reds keep up with the rest of the pack? With this high flying offense, certainly. With no European match ups to deal with, all focus can be narrowed to the regular season, which is a benefit that other leaders such as, Arsenal and Manchester City do not have.
Another strong point that Liverpool has going for them is that their success isn’t overly reliant on one superstar. Coutinho, Henderson and Firmino are certainly great, but the success of the team is not only credited to them. A wealth of players have been able to score consistently and Klopp has created a system that is being taken up by the entire team. If a player was to go down, the team wouldn’t stumble to far. The same might not be able to be said for other teams. If Sergio Aguero or Kevin De Bruyne went down with an injury, Manchester City would certainly take a blow, the same for Arsenal with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, no one on the team has more than four goals. Fortunately or unfortunately, Liverpool is without a superstar. Some cautious of Liverpool’s title chances, would criticize them for not having someone to turn to in a time of need, especially in the clutch situations. These pessimists won’t have to look to far back to teams that relied to heavily on Steven Gerrard or Fernando Torres, in which both players faltered late in the season. But this team is multidimensional, that won’t crack with the loss of player, nor deal with drama that usually accompanies a star. Opposing teams won’t be able to pin point one player that has to be shut down to slow Liverpool.
As three teams sit at the top of the table, the Premiere League is setting up to be a wild ride as we head towards the middle of the season.
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