Tottenham 4, Liverpool 1: First Thoughts

Tottenham 4: Kane 5’ 56’, Son 12’, Alli 45+3,
Liverpool 1: Salah 24’

• Pre-Match Thought: A bit of a concern as Georginio Wijnaldum is not even in the 18 today with a “knee problem.” That doesn’t sound too cool. Other than that it’s a strong line-up, and hopefully James Milner continues his sparkling form from midweek. This will be a big three points, if Liverpool can pull off the result. But on the flip side failure to win will mean that the Reds are starting to lose touching distance with the Top 4. No pressure, lads.
• Goal. Oof. Not the start we wanted today. Kane is played just onside by Joe Gomez and finishes an easy chance when Joel Matip and Dejan Lovren are caught flat-footed.
• Goal. Holy shit. Liverpool are shredded to pieces after the very first attack of any note. Lovren goes for a header around midfield and misses—badly. Kane has all the space to run into, and lays the ball on a silver platter for Son. Simon Mignolet probably should have done better, but it’s hard to assign too much blame when he was hung out to dry like that.
• Moments later Son nearly makes it three, burning Matip for pace and banging a volley off the underside of the cross bar. This could get ugly if we don’t adjust, and fast.
• GOAL! Jordan Henderson and Mohamed Salah create a goal out of practically nothing. Harry Kane is dispossessed around midfield, and the captain fires a long pass into the path of Salah, who banks in a weak shot off the far post to pull one back.
• Son is played through again, easily beating Lovren who is once again caught ball watching. Thankfully he can only direct a weak shot into the feet of Mignolet.
• A half-hour gone and Klopp makes what appears to be a tactical substitution with Dejan Lovren making way for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Though, Lovren being injured would at least give the defender some cover in a game where he did not cover himself in glory. Ox appears to have taken up Philippe Coutinho’s spot on the left wing, Phil has moved back into the midfield, and Can appears to have moved to right back.
• Goal. As if Liverpool were not struggling enough with Tottenham’s pace, they had to give up a goal off a second ball on a set piece. Matip heads the ball to clear it, but it only goes as far as the top of the box, onto the feet of Dele Alli, who scores with the last kick of the half.
• Halftime Thought: Wow, just when I was going to write about how Liverpool were lucky to still be in this that happened. Klopp made the correct move taking Lovren—who was having an absolute howler—off, but Spurs still look incredibly dangerous each and every time they venture forward.
• Well, most of the team has played like hot garbage this afternoon, OxChamFamBlud has at least provided an exciting outlet down the left. We’re not asking for much, Ox, just like a hat trick in the second half? Cool?
• Ten minutes gone in the second half and I can’t say I like the response. This does not look like a team capable of clawing one, let alone two goals...fuck...
• Goal. Set piece fuckery strikes again. Waffles comes for a punch and misses. Roberto Firmino does well to block Vertonghen’s shot (as Migs was picking himself back up), but the rebound falls to Kane who slots it.
• When things aren’t going your way, they’re not going your way. Coutinho finally gets a bit of space to unleash a left-footed effort from the top of the box but Lloris is up to the challenge, tipping the effort onto the bar for the save.
• Oh thank Fowler. Son comes off in the sixty-ninth minute after terrorizing our defense for all sixty-nine minutes.
• After his first shot was saved, Coutinho now seems to be interested only in taking shots from distance, completely ignoring the still-bright Ox down the flank. Gotta think about that YouTube highlight package for Barca, yo.
• Daniel Sturridge comes on for Bobby Firmino, who has been mostly dogshit today.
• To all the Gini skeptics out there, this should be a good example of how important he is in the midfield. He helps clog the middle, and probably would have helped to prevent some of these devastating counters we experienced today. Although, maybe not because it honestly could have been six today.
• Marko Grujic replaces Emre Can, who, like the rest of the side (spare Ox and Salah), failed to show up.
• Salah appears to have been fouled in the box, but who fucking cares?
• Final Whistle Thought: That was really bad. 4-1 quite flatters Liverpool. We’re now in 9th with a -2 goal differential. And I’m completely out of scotch. Tonight just keeps getting worse.

We'll be back shortly to take an in-depth look at everything that happened in today's game with the full recap. Until then, let us know your take on the ups and downs of the match in the comments, and if you haven't already, join the community on the Liverpool Offside, where we'll have full coverage and lively in-game discussion for every match this season.