Key occasions
Jonathan Wilson was on the Ali Sami Yen this night. Here’s his verdict. Thanks for studying this MBM.
Snippets from Arne Slot’s post-match press convention. “There were a lot of similarities between three months ago and now … we had multiple chances to score … after 10, 15 minutes you expect us to lead and then their first attack leads to a set-piece goal … last time was a penalty, now it was a set-piece goal … you play over two games against each other and now it’s half-time … they are 1-0 up … we can do better … even with the game we played we had enough chances to score goals … next week we play at Anfield and our fans will be so supportive for us … that was the situation for Galatasaray today … it was difficult for us to play in.”
Hopefully we’ll get some quotes from Arne Slot sooner quite than later. In the meantime, right here’s Jonathan Wilson’s match report.
That was yet one more underwhelming Liverpool efficiency. Vulnerable on the again, bordering typically on the shambolic, they’re very lucky that Galatasaray spurned a number of good possibilities and promising conditions. The hosts have been the higher aspect. But there are straws for Liverpool to understand: having restricted the harm to at least one aim, they’ll fancy their possibilities of turning it round at Anfield. And they’ll legitimately really feel sore about their disallowed aim: the ball did brush Ibrahima Konaté on the arm, however then was deflected away from aim by Uğurcan Çakır, earlier than rebounding again off Virgil van Dijk’s heel and in. Having stated all that, although, was Barış Alper Yılmaz actually interfering with play from an offside place for Galatasaray’s disallowed effort? Hmm. Probably finest for Liverpool to conclude that this isn’t the worst consequence from a fairly dangerous evening on the workplace. And they’ll at all times have, er, Istanbul.
FULL TIME: Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool
Liverpool, second finest for essentially the most half, are lucky to get out of Dodge with only a one-goal deficit.
90 min +5: Szoboszlai is booked for flapping a finger in Akgun’s face.
90 min +4: The free kick’s shuttled left to proper and Robertson is compelled to concede a nook. Sallai wanders over to swing it in. It’s half cleared. Jakobs lashes a shot over the bar from the sting of the D. That needs to be that.
90 min +3: Yilmaz – now not limping fairly so clearly – and Torreira are changed by Gundogan and Elmali.
90 min +2: Osimhen outbattles Konate and Gomez down the left and wins a free kick. The hosts aren’t speeding to take it.
90 min +1: Gakpo seems to be for the underside left from distance. A clear strike however at all times extensive left.
90 min: Sanchez is booked for leaving a dangling leg on Gomez, and he’ll miss the second leg. And so may Yilmaz, as a result of he seems to be to have pulled one thing after a long term down the left. There will probably be 4 further minutes.
89 min: Frimpong steals the ball off Jakobs down the precise. Wonderful urgent. He cuts again for Szoboszlai, who crosses for Ekitike. The striker has to hit the goal from eight yards, however heads over.
88 min: Gravenberch is booked for taking a handful of Singo’s shirt.
86 min: Yilmaz skates previous Gomez down the left. He drifts into the field, then rolls backwards for Sara, who lashes a shot into the aspect netting. Half of the stadium thought that was in, and celebrated accordingly. Sara then takes his go away, Boey approaching in his place.
84 min: Osimhen powers his well beyond Frimpong on the left … then does the identical quantity on Konate down the precise. He goals for the underside proper once more. Robertson deflects the shot extensive proper, and Mamardashvili punches the ensuing nook clear.
82 min: According to TNT Sports, the Liverpool aim was disallowed as a result of the ball “hit the arm of Konate and he directly scored”. Meanwhile again within the right here and now, Osimhen skelps a low shot from a good angle on the precise that Mamardashvili does effectively to parry. The ball breaks to Singo, whose effort from the sting of the D is extremely weak.
81 min: Robertson one-twos his approach down the left, Gakpo his wall. Robertson crosses low for Ekitike, however Sanchez will get in the way in which to divert out for a nook. Szoboszlai sends it lengthy, and Gakpo is penalised for yanking on Jakobs’ arm.
79 min: A free kick despatched into the Liverpool field from the left. Torreira flashes a header extensive. That’s one other large miss for the hosts, who will marvel how it’s nonetheless simply 1-0.
78 min: Sallai and Akgun come on for Lang and Lamina.
77 min: Van Dijk challenges Cakir for a excessive ball. It drops to Mac Allister, who can’t poke house. And neither can Van Dijk. The ball squirts over the bar, after which the whistle goes for a mushy foul on the keeper. Now that choice would have been controversial had it gone in and been disallowed.
75 min: Liverpool have been claiming a foul on Van Dijk throughout that melee. They might even have had some extent. But there was a lot nonsense occurring. Potential hand balls, fouls the opposite approach, the lot. Ah effectively, right here all of us are. It would have been fairly the story had Konate scored, too.
73 min: Gakpo comes on for Wirtz, who was totally ineffectual.
NO GOAL! Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool
72 min: A protracted look ahead to VAR. The ball’s adjudged to have hit Konate on the arm, and gone in as a consequence. Having determined Konate was the scorer, it’s dominated out. But did it ping off Van Dijk’s heel? Hmm. It actually wasn’t very clear, both approach. But it’s no aim.
GOAL! Galatasaray 1-1 Liverpool (van Dijk 70)
The ball’s swung into the mixer. It hits Konate, then the again of Van Dijk. The six-yard field is past crowded. The ball dribbles into the web. Nobody celebrates, however the referee factors to the centre circle! However VAR should unpick this rugby-style ruck…
69 min: Mac Allister rolls the ball down the inside-left channel for Szoboszlai, who earns one other Liverpool nook. Szoboszlai takes it himself, and …
68 min: Sara practically splits Liverpool’s defence with a easy move down the center, however Gomez is available to intercept and put an finish to Lang’s ambitions.
66 min: … and now Ekitike barges his approach clear down the inside-left channel, however can’t lob Cakir when one on one! The keeper flaps the ball extensive left, and nothing comes of the next nook. A giant likelihood to swing the momentum goes by.
65 min: That was a really beneficiant offside choice, as a result of I’m not one hundred pc certain Yilmaz was interfering with play. Konate will get away with the dreadful backpass, and the silent-movie pratfall.
NO GOAL! Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool
63 min: Liverpool escape! Yilmaz was offside earlier within the transfer, and Konate will get away with an enormous mistake! That was past farcical. The large man is enduring a complete nightmare.
GOAL! Galatasaray 2-0 Liverpool (Osimhen 62)
Konate passes weakly again in the direction of his personal aim. Lang nips in. He barges down the inside-right channel and dinks into the centre. Konate, dealing with the incorrect approach and falling over, tries to backheel clear however solely manages to farcically tee the ball up for Osimhen, who slams house!
60 min: Yep. Frimpong comes on for Salah, whereas Robertson replaces Kerkez. Salah wanders off with out expression. Journalists within the Ali Sami Yen put together for some sizzling mixed-zone motion.
59 min: Arne Slot is getting ready to ship on Frimpong. This might be fascinating. Salah has accomplished completely nothing. Is he destined for the hook?
57 min: Szoboszlai goals a roller in the direction of the underside proper. Always extensive. He needed to tackle the shot, although. There was no one in inexperienced anyplace close to the Gala field.
56 min: Torreira pushes a move down the left for Bardakcı, of all gamers, to interrupt into the Liverpool field. The Galatasaray captain larrups a shock shot into the aspect netting.
55 min: Van Dijk is booked for clumsily shoving Yilmaz into contact. That’s each of Liverpool’s defenders on Yilmaz’s flank within the referee’s notepad. Danger right here!
54 min: Liverpool sluggish issues down. Then abruptly Mac Allister seems to be lengthy for Salah down the precise. In the previous days, it can be recreation over for Galatasaray. But the legs have gone. Jakobs mops up.
52 min: Konate slaps a easy clearing header straight at Osimhen. And so begins a Galatasaray assault that ends with Lang curling dangerously from the left. Mamardashvili punches clear, stable goalkeeping below stress from Osimhen.
51 min: Liverpool are profitable the territorial recreation proper now. But on the danger of belabouring the purpose, they’ll’t get something going within the last third. Lots of whistling from the house assist, which is one thing.
49 min: Gravenberch has the chance to launch Salah into the field down the precise, however clanks his move straight into the closest pink and yellow shirt. Liverpool look superb in assault till they attain the ultimate third, at which level the cogs start to spin an excessive amount of. Indecision reigns.
47 min: Gomez throws lengthy from the precise. The ball’s solely half cleared, and drops to Mac Allister, 12 yards out. Mac Allister drags his shot extensive left. That’s two large possibilities, and that is significantly better from Liverpool already. But then they began the first half like this, too, and see how that panned out.
46 min: Wirtz steals the ball in midfield and feeds Ekitike down the within left. He shuttles the ball to Szoboszlai, who lotions a shot goalwards with energy. But straight at Cakir. “While Virgil Van Dijk has lost none of his positional intelligence and general skill as a defender, he is half a step slower than he was,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Konaté has to compensate for that, and mostly he succeeds. It’s in the mostlies where he ends up looking silly.”
Liverpool get the sport restarted. No adjustments. Meanwhile right here’s extra from Peter Oh: “Turkish delight is one of my favourite sweet treats. It’s soft, chewy, fragrant, nutty, and that dusting of powdered sugar gives it a classy and attractive appearance. In other words, the opposite of Liverpool’s performance so far. I hope chef Arne Slot can adjust his recipe for better results in the second half.”
Half-time postbag. “Thanks for the Graeme Souness reminder, probably his second greatest European hit after decking Dinamo Bucharest skipper Lica Movila at Anfield in the 1984 EC first leg semi-final” – Peadar de Burca
“Victor Osimhen with 10-15% more focus would genuinely be a Batistuta-level striker. He has so many gifts” – Christopher Faherty
“Since last year, Liverpool under Slot have deteriorated. Not sure why he should continue for another season” – Jeff Sax
“I don’t agree with the blanket criticisms of Konate. He’s got skills on the ball, usually makes the right decisions, and controls his emotions and challenges better than most of his peers” – Peter Oh
“Liverpool ‘are a complete shambles at the back. And not too hot in the midfield or up front either.’ So we are Spurs then?” – Ian Copestake
Half-time studying.
HALF TIME: Galatasaray 1-0 Liverpool
Liverpool have been good for the first 5 minutes. After that, not a lot. Galatasaray might simply be one or two extra objectives forward. Arne Slot has quite a lot of restore work to do throughout this break.
45 min: There will probably be two further first-half minutes.
44 min: Gravenberch spins elegantly into area and feeds Ekitike down the inside-left channel. He stumbles over, and claims to have been fouled by Sanchez, however there wasn’t a lot in it. Had he managed to remain upright, he’d have been making good in the direction of the Cim Bom field.
42 min: Sara’s daisycutter practically deflects into the trail of Osimhen, six yards out. From the ensuing nook, Lang fails to get a header on course. Liverpool really want to listen to the half-time whistle.
41 min: Ekitike has the possibility to assault down the precise, benefiting from a Sanchez slip, however he opts in opposition to first a drive, then a roller. Eventually a cross is floated in the direction of Kerkez, who heads infield for Wirtz, who cushions a weak header straight at Cakir.
39 min: Gravenberch and Van Dijk do the after-you-sir factor within the centre circle, permitting Osimhen to nip in between them and race off with the ball. Nothing comes of the transfer, however that’s Liverpool to a T proper now. They are a whole shambles on the again. And not too sizzling within the midfield or up entrance both.
37 min: Mac Allister stands over a free kick on the left. Instead of sending it into the field, it’s labored extensive proper, the place neither Salah nor Gomez are able to beating the first man.
36 min: … Cakir punches clear. Wirtz has the chance to shoot from the sting of the field, however tries a cute move as a substitute. It doesn’t come off.
35 min: Yilmaz is again up and about. The ensuing free kick is shipped into the mixer by Lang, and simply claimed by Mamardashvili. Liverpool launch a counter, their first assault in a protracted whereas and Szoboszlai wins a nook with a cross from the left. He goes over to take the nook himself, and …
33 min: Kerkez is booked for standing on the again of Yilmaz’s ankle. It’s clumsy greater than malicious, however Yilmaz felt that and requires therapy. On comes the physio.
