Stephen Warnock was full of praise for Paris Saint-Germain as they eliminated Liverpool from the Champions League on Tuesday night.
PSG repeated the 2-0 scoreline from the first leg, but the final score at Anfield wasn’t a fair reflection on the match overall as the Reds valiantly sought a way back into the tie, only to be picked off by two Ousmane Dembele goals in the final 20 minutes.
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With the game at 0-0 on the night, the home side were initially awarded a penalty for a foul by Willian Pacho on Alexis Mac Allister, only for the referee to overturn his original decision after consulting the pitchside VAR monitor.
Warnock lauds ‘superb’ PSG
Warnock admitted that PSG had to ride their luck at times tonight but were full value for their progression to the semi-finals across the two games against Liverpool.
The former Reds defender said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “Liverpool threw everything at Paris Saint-Germain. Yes, PSG have ridden their luck at times, but this is the level that every European team is aspiring to get to. This team is at a different level. They are superb.”
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Ruthless PSG rode their luck before punishing Liverpool
Arne Slot’s side did enough tonight to keep PSG honest for most of the game, but few (if any) teams in world football have an attacking arsenal as lethal as that of the Champions League holders, as they demonstrated ruthlessly in the final quarter of the game.
The French outfit dug in when they needed to for the first 20 minutes of the second half before responding to the controversial VAR decision by turning the screw through Dembele’s brace.
It’s hard to escape the reality that a 4-0 aggregate defeat isn’t a good look for Liverpool, but whereas we we were totally outclassed last week, we could have no complaints about the Reds’ desire or attitude tonight, and losing to the European champions is no disgrace.
Sadly, we couldn’t find that crucial goal to alter the mood of the tie when were on top after half-time, and once PSG broke the deadlock on the night, there was no way back for the Merseysiders.
Ultimately, the sheer ruthlessness of Luis Enrique’s side in both penalty boxes made the difference at Anfield, and they will take some stopping if they’re to be denied back-to-back Champions League triumphs.
PSG are indeed a very good side but it does help if you are playing against an Arne Slot ‘coached’ team. I defy anyone to describe what Liverpool’s style is. We have lost our identity under Slot and that is unforgiveable. The inability to play simple 5 yard passes week in week out, baffling tactics and substitutions that also make no sense. To think FSG expect us to pay even more to watch this rubbish!
As good as PSG are, questions must now be asked where Liverpool football club are heading under slot , who was given 450 million last summer to close the gap on the best teams in Europe. That gap hasn’t been closed it’s got far wider.
When you watch PSG two things stand out, one, they are well coached, with and without the ball, they know how to defend, when to press ect, without the right gameplan from the coach, you won’t get anywhere. Second, they have great individuals, but they are a team that work their socks off all over the pitch.
Under slot we lack everything that make PSG so successful. We are not well coached, we are not a team, we have individuals stars that look lost under this manager. We wouldn’t win the Europa league under slot.
The story of the season and again tonight, too many square pegs in round holes, the wrong team selection, yet again. Salah and Rio should have started. Slot inherited a team from klopp, he has slowly turned that team into a bunch of strangers that are poor without the ball and are toothless with it. Slot has failed to mould the new players into a system that is effective, we are further away from winning the premier league next season than we were before klopp arrived. Ten steps backwards after spending 450 million at any other big football club and you should be getting the sack. If slot isn’t replaced then FSG should be kicked out.