Liverpool ‘almost disrespected Real Madrid’ with their approach to Tuesday’s 5-2 hammering in the Champions League last-16 at Anfield, former Premier League midfielder Jamie O’Hara tells talkSPORT (21 February, 11.15pm).
Perhaps, with the benefit of hindsight, this might have been the ideal night for Jurgen Klopp to trade in his ‘heavy metal football’ for something a little more mellow.
We’re not saying ‘park the bus’, a la Mourinho. But maybe a little more conservatism, a little more cover, may have come in handy against a Real Madrid side boasting arguably the greatest playmaker of last decade, a Brazilian superstar in Vinicius Jr and Ballon D’Or winner Karim Benzema.
In the end, 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic looked like, well, exactly what he was; an inexperienced boy up against the eternal master that is Luka Modric. Trent Alexander-Arnold, vulnerable at the best of times, was hung out to try one-v-one against the irrepressible Vinicius Jr.
And if Fabinho resembles like a shadow of his once-colossal self against the likes of Brighton and Brentford, he was always likely to find the going tough once the reigning European champions smelled blood.
Liverpool lose 5-2 to Real Madrid as Vinicius and Benzema shine at Anfield
“That’s almost unacceptable. When you play against a team like Real Madrid, you know exactly what you’re coming up against,” O’Hara argues.
“And Liverpool almost disrespected Real Madrid, thinking they can rock up, play this expansive football when they haven’t been in great form, when they’ve lost legs at the back, and expect they can just roll Real Madrid over.
“And Real Madrid will have been rubbing their hands together thinking; ‘Liverpool are bombing forward, leaving gaps all over the park, we’re winning the ball back and, bang, we’re through ‘em’.”
It really was that simple, at times. Between the 21st and the 67th minute, Real Madrid went from 2-0 down to 5-2 up; Vinicius netting twice (one following a rare Alisson Becker howler) before Karim Benzema strolled in a couple, an Eder Militao header sandwiched in between.
“I really think everything was pretty obvious tonight. I think we gave all five goals away,” Klopp sighs. “And that means we could have done better.
“I think the first half was, besides the two goals we conceded, the best we’ve played for probably the whole season. I liked it a lot. OK, the second goal, we cannot defend better because it is a slapstick (moment from Alisson). The first goal we conceded we have to defend better. There were enough players around, nobody puts a foot in and stuff like this.
“It is a world-class moment from Vinicius as well, but I think it is obvious we can defend it better.”
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