LIVERPOOL 2 – 3 AS MONACO
Liverpool: Isak 16’, Wirtz 29’
AS Monaco: Golovin 44’, Biereth 56’, Brunner 88’
Pre-Match
This is the big moment in new head coach Andoni Iraola’s leadership of the Reds as he steps out into the embrace of Anfield and the welcoming fans for the first time. Iraola has experienced Anfield previously as Bournemouth’s head coach but now he gets to feel the passion of the Liverpool faithful as they sing and roar the team on. It must be a very proud moment for himself and the coaching staff who have worked tirelessly to instill the intensity and style into the squad throughout pre-season.
First Half
Before the game starts there is a minute applause in honor of the Liverpool Legend Kevin Keegan and youngster Ifeanyi Ndukwe stands beside the Reds captain Virgil van Dijk whose imposing physical stature is equaled by Ndukwe’s.
Immediately from the first whistle Lewis Koumas is sent racing down the right wing from a Jeremy Frimpong long ball but the attack is short lived as offside is called. Almost directly from that play Monaco forge their own attack down Liverpool’s left and Alisson Becker is forced into a save and giving Monaco a corner which thankfully comes to nothing.
It’s been a fast pace and very positive from the Reds in the opening five minutes and all the players look determined to make this game matter even though a preseason friendly. Virgil shows his calmness by easily ending a Monaco attack, he’s looking ready for the new season already. Not to be outdone, Ndukwe shows off his skills with a turn that leaves a Monaco player on the pitch as well proving he is a human wall with sweet footwork.
Koumas has been working hard and on the twelfth minute mark he puts in a lovely cross to the far post which Gakpo meets with a good header but is saved and then the ref blows for offside. More pressure from Liverpool and it pays of as Alexander Isak scores from some beautiful inter play from the Reds 1-0!
Two minutes later Alisson Becker makes a good stop from a shot that took a slight deflection off the Virgil. Florian Wirtz scores from a goalmouth scramble 2-0! he’s been playing very well and deserves that, but wait, it could be Isak who gets the final touch while prone on the turf. They will have to decide between themselves but like any striker Isak will want to claim it.
Liverpool have looked a side which is well drilled and also fluid in their movement. Gakpo has been an interesting watch and often putting himself in the midfield with good link up play whilst restraining from always doing his default move of cutting inside and looking to shoot. Lots of positive play with intensity from the Reds but then at the end of the first half Virgil makes a challenge inside the eighteen yard box and the ref blows for a penalty. It was soft but Virgil’s tackle looked a little lazy and the decision was correct. Monaco’s Golovin picks himself up after the challenge and takes the spot kick and converts it very confidently 2-1!
Second Half
Iraola makes his first two changes and Georgio Mamardashvili and Wataru Endo come on for Alisson and the very impressive Ndukwe. It doesn’t take long for Endo to make his presence felt with two good headers from aggressive and proactive defending. The game falls into a lull and Anfield is fairly quiet which is to be expected during preseason friendlies but hopefully it picks back up in the way of intensity.
Mamardashvili has his footwork put to the test with Endo giving him a back pass while Monaco’s attackers pressure but he does well and the danger is cleared. The game continues to look disjointed from the Reds and Monaco’s players seem to be gaining in confidence to score another and on the fifty-sixth minute they level thanks to Biereth who found himself in space after some scrappy play from Liverpool. His first effort, a shot from just outside the box is well saved by Mamardashvili but the ball falls kindly for Biereth and it puts the ball into the back of the net after Mamadashvili dives the wrong way.
Iraola makes five more changes with Virgil, Isak, Wirtz, Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch all making way for Rio Ngumoha, Milos Kerkez, Luke Chambers, James McConnell and new signing Victor Munoz. I think we are all excited to see what Munoz will bring and hopefully he gets the chance even with a much changed team on the pitch now. Rio, playing down the right, carries the ball with pace and power towards Monaco’s goal but his pass for an eager Koumas is too heavy and goes out for a goal kick.
If nothing else it lifted the noise in Anfield and got the blood pumping again after a fairly subdued second half from Liverpool so far. Now it’s Munoz’s turn down the left as he shows his pace with the ball as he bursts into the eighteen yard box but his attempted pass is crowded out and cleared by the Monaco defense.
Amongst all the substitutions this writer has realized Trey Nyoni came on and is continuing in the vein of form he has been showing all preseason. He has really put the effort in to prepare for the new season and it’s wonderful to see. It’s all getting very one sided unfortunately but this is a friendly so there’s that to keep in mind.
Iraola makes his final changes with Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa and Calvin Ramsay coming on for Dom, Koumas and Frimpong. The Anfield faithful give a warm welcome to Elliott who in return acknowledges them with both arms held high as he runs onto the pitch. At this point I don’t know who received the armband from Dom but I’m also not sure it’s important. Back to Elliott and he misplaces an easy pass for Rio and shows his frustration which this writer feels is more down to his concerns over impressing Iraola than anything else.
This is how the game has become with the Reds looking less and less in control whilst the Monaco players are enjoying themselves a lot more and they get their wish with Paris Brunner heading in at the near post from a corner on the eighty-eighth minute. It’s 2-3! Both Elliott and Fede were at the near post infront of Brunner but neither managed to get a head to the ball, in fact I’m not sure their feet even left the turf! Terrible defending but to be fair, the defense had lost it’s shape, height and leadership since Virgil and Ndukwe were subbed off.
After a needless and very physical foul by Monaco’s Konate on Endo, who thankfully is okay, the ref dishes out a yellow and soon follows by blowing the final whistle.
Final Thoughts
Liverpool were looking very strong with some delicious inter play and positive intensity throughout the first half. Wirtz impressed as did Isak with both showing a physical side to their game I wasn’t expecting quite yet but the youngsters Koumas and Ndukwe also really shone yet most importantly the starting elven showed real signs that Iraola’s style was sticking. This unfortunately also highlighted how thin our squad is for quality depth (or any depth) and that there is still vital work to be done in the transfer market.