The incredible Liverpool team has fallen. Worse, for the second consecutive time. A slump, a bad period? This Tuesday evening, Jürgen Klopp and his men were on the field of Chelsea for the 5th round of the Cup. Three days after the debacle on the grounds of Watford (3-0), the Reds still stumble (2-0). And it's deserved. Willian opened the scoring in the 13th minute, on a hand fault from Adrian, replacing Alison, before Barkley made the break at 64th after a solo rush. A new haircut in England that will not go into Anfield's wardrobe.
After this defeat, the third consecutive away from home if we count that suffered against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League (1-0), can we speak of a crisis beginning? Not far from here. The title of champion of England, thanks to their half historic season, is promised to them. With 22 points ahead of their dolphin Manchester City, there are only 11 to take (in 10 games) for Liverpool to be officially crowned. And then the defeat in the European Cup is far from condemning them. So can we talk about a slump? Perhaps.
Salah and his teammates have really been in decline lately. Since 2020, their victories were less indisputable. We sometimes felt the Reds sluggish, snatching their games from the mind. As against West Ham on February 24, where they were led 2-1, before reversing the situation thanks to a goal from Mané in the last 10 minutes. The defense also reassures less than before, the lost serenity. "We must admit that in the last games we conceded too many goals but in different situations," confided at the end of the match against Chelsea the 52-year-old German coach, in place since 2015.
Towards what end of the season?
Now, gleaning points less from football than from the mind is not necessarily blameworthy, since it reveals a successful team. But we feel that the 2019 European champions are doing more in management for the end of the season. Moreover, with the rhythm of the match imposed by the calendar, the Mersey club had to logically choose its competitions, favoring the championship. This Tuesday, for example, several executives were put to rest: Alison did not play, like Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Firmino, Salah, and Milner entered the game.
After such a first half of the season, and such enthusiasm around this team, it would be a shame for them if the end of the exercise left a taste of unfinished business. Now that the Anfield heroes are eliminated from the national cups, the pace will be more bearable so that they can play two competitions. What to play thoroughly the Champions League? We hope so, because a premature elimination would mean a potentially sealed season in late March for them. Which would tarnish the party a little.
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