Thanks to guest poster @Lordodpendragon for this piece!
1) Liverpool’s attack is the best in the business!
Another brutal home win, another display of attacking masterclass. It was once again a performance that rocked Anfield, after a nervy opening which saw a hint of the Burnley debacle as Lucas had a shot stopped at point-blank range, Firmino skewed one wide after running clear and Coutinho smashed the bar – albeit from an offside position. But the Reds showed our steel and were unfazed by opening misses, and when Sadio Mane headed home to break the deadlock it was business as usual. To say that Watford buckled would be largely unfair on Walter Mazzarri’s side as the Hornets attempted to impose their physicality in midfield while putting pressure on the Liverpool backline by attempting to feed Troy Deeney. But the Liverpool backline, often eyed suspiciously by even our own fans, held firm for most of the game. While Mazzarri’s men did manage to pull one back in the end, there were some notably excellent saves from Karius and some tidy defending from the as Watford upped the pressure in the second half. Up front however, we were scintillating, as the final scoreline clearly shows. The attacking quartet of Adam Lallana, Sadio Mane, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino wee mindboggling. The four were a constant menace to the Watford backline; their movement clever, their instincts sharp and their work-rate excellent. Whenever the ball passed between them, you knew a goal was coming.
2) The strange case of Daniel Sturridge…
Where does Daniel Sturridge find himself fitting in at Liverpool now? It was unthinkable question less than a year ago, when Liverpool were often so desperate to have him fit and in the team. But now that Sturridge is healthy and has been for quite a period of time, considering the injuries that plagued him consistently in the past two years, he finds himself without a solid place in Klopp’s starting eleven, forced onto the bench by the excellence of Liverpool’s front-three . The trio have been running riot in recent games and it would be unfair to drop any of them, despite Sturridge’s availability and brilliant strike-rate for the club. Against Watford, Sturridge was hugely unfortunate not to score, but that won’t help his case for displacing one of his team-mates, for now. The Englishman looked sharp upon his introduction and no doubt remains a key player for the Reds, being the most natural centre-forward at the club. He might have to wait for an injury or suspension to be given a proper run, however.
3) Could this be our year…?
A glance at the current league standings now will leave Liverpool fans relishing in delight, but the fact is Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal and even Tottenham are right behind us. Still, we can’t help but ask the same old question : ‘Could this be our year?’ There’s no need reminding how long it’s been since Liverpool last lifted the league title but from the early signs so far, there are familiar glimpses of our title charge of 2013-2014, when the Reds took the league by storm with a brand of flamboyant attacking football, racking up goals and destroying defences. The situation at the moment bears resemblance and demands optimism about our chances this term. A similar season of excitement like that of our previous run at the title would be welcomed, but certainly with a different ending.