Liverpool was withdrawn from the pillar to publish Wednesday evening, but he was inexplicably released against Paris Saint-Germain.
The first stage of their last battle could have been more unilateral, PSG dominating the competition throughout their surprisingly lethargic visitors. Liverpool could not manage the speed and intensity of their hosts, based on fortune rather than on skills.
But Lady Luck was shining on the Arne slot and his players when they took victory to death in the face of relentless pressure, Harvey Elliott rising from the bench to offer Reds a crucial advantage before the second stage next Tuesday.
They placed a firm foot in the quarter -finals, but a display similar to Anfield could produce a less pink result. Equality is still far from Won and Liverpool must make significant improvements if they reserve their place in the last eight.
Here are three modifications that the reds must make to the return leg.
Luis Enrique had specified his ambitions before Wednesday’s meeting: “Liverpool can create a danger without the ball. Maybe they don’t need the ball as much as we are. We will try to impose our game while keeping possession.”
Spanish was right. PSG finished with 70% possession on Wednesday evening, quickly passing from slow has allegro When the opportunity arose. Enrique had praised the “three hunting planes in attack” of Liverpool before kick -off, but it was his triumvirate before which caused Carnage, the midfielder and the defense of the French part ordered to serve them as much as possible.
Liverpool’s inability to maintain possession was an important problem in Paris. They found themselves adopting a more direct approach in order to bypass the high press of PSG, but rather offered the ball quickly to their grateful hosts. This must change in Anfield.
We would expect Liverpool to gain more territory in the return match in front of the local crowd, but with an advantage to a goal, they can afford to be more measured in possession, which removes the stitching from procedures in animated moments.
Liverpool must better manage the ball if they should avoid a return to the second stage, their technicians through the field needing to embark on the plate.
The substitutions of the location had a significant impact in the French capital. Of course, Elliott will steal the headlines while he produced the decisive strike with one of the three keys, but the other participants of Mid-Game de Liverpool had an impact.
Wataru Endo entered the equation with just over ten minutes to play, producing a typical performance of Wataru Endo while he was fighting tirelessly to protect his defense. But the previous arrival of Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones had already helped Liverpool to limit the assault on PSG.
Jones arrived in place of Luis Diaz and quickly offered Andy Robertson an essential defensive support against the Ousmane Dembele, in exchange, in Dreure Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The midfielder helped stabilize the flow on the left side of Liverpool.
Not only did Nunez provided assistance to the efforts of the last blow of Elliott, but he offered Liverpool a voluntary runner behind High Line of PSG. He only appreciated 12 keys, but Marquinhos and Willian Pacho annoyed with his direct approach, offering them more difficult driving than against the unusually useless Diogo Jota.
While Liverpool hopes to benefit from greater possession in Anfield, Jones and Nunez could still prove intelligent introductions – in particular the old threat counterattack from PSG.
The European evenings of Anfield have written many legends during history in charge of Liverpool trophy in continental competitions, the Reds needing to rely on this tradition against PSG. The first step was the time to suffer, the second is the time to shine.
A noisy crowd of Anfield will welcome Liverpool next Tuesday and the leaders of the Premier League must exploit the power of their 12th man.
Faced with adversity, the Reds withdrew in their shell against PSG, not corresponding to the intensity of their hosts. They fell into a weak defensive block, which has difficulty implementing their pressing game bar an encouraging spell in the first ten minutes.
Liverpool must speed up the tempo next week when it is not on the ball, feeding on the buzz of home support. They must force PSG in errors at the top of the field, hunt the cowardly bullets and simply avoid sitting and looking at the pretty patterns in front of them. Otherwise, they could be in trouble.
