He returned to negative assessments after Liverpool’s goalless draw at home with Chelsea with familiar flaws affecting the Reds.
Jurgen Klopp’s men were able to break through to an instantly forgettable point only on Saturday afternoon, in a game in which there was terribly little entertainment.
Liverpool’s task of getting into the top four has now become even more difficult as boring performances and results continue to appear.
Here’s how the media reacted to the last dismal performance of the “reds”.
A step back after the victory over Wolves in the middle of the week…
Richard Jolly of the Independent had to admit that Klopp’s thousandth game in management was not a classic:
“It turned out that a thousand clubs are not among the players that Chelsea signed during the Todd Pain era.
“But since Jurgen Klopp spent 1,000 games in management, and Mikhail Mudrik became the last debutant of Chelsea, it was an illustration of how the two dominant forces of recent years are fighting.
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“In the bitter cold of the harsh midwinter of these clubs, it wasn’t a very good game; definitely not by the standards they set in the past, or compared to some of their epic duels.”
James Nalton from This Is Anfield wasn’t thrilled with what he saw either:
“Previous incarnations of Liverpool entertained fans throughout the game with their high-pressing, high-line and intense game.
“The current Liverpool have gone for something safer, and in their attempts to be more compact and difficult to break, they have sacrificed some of that excitement on the edge of the seat.
“It’s not heavy metal football anymore. Although there have been quick passes from time to time, Liverpool are also struggling to be a team that breaks opponents by owning the ball.
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“Hopefully, once they get out of this rut, they can start releasing heavy metal again.”
Andy Hunter of The Guardian said a draw was all both teams deserved that day:
Liverpool and Chelsea played out an even goalless draw at Anfield, which demonstrated why both languish in the middle of the table and are struggling to realize their ambitions in the Champions League.
“Kai Havertz had an early goal that was ruled out by VAR, but otherwise there were few incidents and very little quality demonstrated by both the hosts and Graham Potter’s visitors.
“The usual bets in the match were lowered: Liverpool and Chelsea are 10 points behind the Champions League qualification and occupy ninth and tenth places, respectively.
“The positions in the championship flattered both teams, in particular, on the basis of a really terrible first half, when four minutes of added time at subzero temperatures passed for a cruel joke.
Chelsea played with great control and composure, but that was only compared to Liverpool’s sloppy and aimless performance.
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“The game got the score it deserved.”
Cody Gakpo slowly started his life at Anfield…
Nalton focused on the Dutchman’s disappointment in the afternoon, who is still waiting for his first goal for Liverpool:
“The new Liverpool player had several opportunities to strike at goal, but after showing some tension and impatience, he seized his chances.
“The first moment looked like a good moment, as Salah gave the ball into the penalty area from the flank. Gakpo incorrectly assumed the shape of the body, leaned back and struck the stands.
“It would be unfair to call his second shot a good chance, but nevertheless his execution of the shot from outside the penalty area can still be judged. He had time to level the shot and blast it to the end of Anfield Road.
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“The strength he gets in the punches is encouraging. A little more composure and attention to his technique, and these shots can bother goalkeepers wherever they are hit.”
Tom Blow from the Mirror also thought that Gakpo was not easy:
“A lot was expected from Gakpo after his transfer from PSV Eindhoven for 45 million pounds at the beginning of the window.
“After all, this is one of the stars of the World Cup in Qatar, who scored nine goals and gave 12 assists in the first half of the Eredivisie campaign.
“Nevertheless, Gakpo’s record at Liverpool — no goals or assists in four games — is starting to worry some critics.
“His performance against Chelsea was also not a reason to shout, and the pressure can become unbearable if he does not score sooner rather than later.
“For Gakpo’s sake, he needs to open the Reds’ account against Brighton next Sunday.”
Liverpool’s top four hopes Really Look Bleak…
Jolly said it’s hard to see any team in the Champions League next season:
“Regardless of whether it was in decline or transition, Liverpool and Chelsea started from ninth and tenth place, both ended up nine points behind the top four and played a game more.
“The recent Champions League winners have less and less chance of getting into next season’s tournament.”
Finally, BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty said it would take a lot of effort from here to finish in the top four:
“The quality of this game was reflected in the subdued atmosphere at Anfield, when the final whistle was met with almost complete silence, except for very moderate applause.
Liverpool have earned a reputation for themselves and based their success under manager Jurgen Klopp not only on world-class talent, but also on a searing intensity that has caused teams to simply deflate.
“They currently look like a shadow of this team in every way, admittedly devoid of attacking talents like Luis Diaz, Diogo Hota and Roberto Firmino, and Chelsea had very few worries and goalkeeper Kepa didn’t have a serious job.
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“Klopp’s team are now nine points behind the Champions League places and it is clear that they need to find that missing spark — and quickly — if they want to get closer to the top four.”
