Klopp chooses chaos over control – 5 talking points from Aston Villa 3-3 Liverpool v Liverpool FC

Liverpool marked Jurgen Klopp’s last away game in charge, playing out a chaotic 3-3 draw with Aston Villa, with a familiar feeling surrounding their performance.

Aston Villa 3-3 Liverpool

Premier League (37), Villa Park
May 13, 2024

Objectives: Tielemans 12′, Duran 85′ 88′; Martinez OG 2′, Gakpo 23′, Quansah 48′

Liverpool’s lack of control a choice

Some Liverpool fans may fear that a squad overhaul or big-money signing is needed to ensure this team is not involved in games as open as this one in the future.

But that’s missing the fact that the Reds’ sometimes ridiculously aggressive approach comes from a choice made by Jurgen Klopp, one that was perfectly underlined by Youri Tielemans’ goal.

For example, if Alexis Mac Allister was playing for Man City or Arsenal, his job when he took possession in his own half, with a 1-0 lead already secured, would have been to advance the ball safely, in a manner careful so that the opponents. they might eventually be written in their own box.

Instead, the Argentine attempted a pointless killer pass that was intercepted, leading Ollie Watkins to fight Jarell Quansah for a one-on-one he was never going to win and set up an equalizer .

Clearly, ahead of this season, Klopp weighed the risks and rewards of consistently going for the opposition’s jugular and decided it was the best way for his side to pick up points – and he has been proven right to some extent measure based on ranking.

But there’s a strong case that a slightly less full-throttle style could help the Reds find a bit more control, and that’s certainly something Arne Slot will appreciate as he looks to squeeze more out of this team.

The Mac Allister form is gone

It’s not a concern that Klopp might be losing sleep over his imminent departure, but there’s no denying that Alexis Mac Allister’s form has slipped of late.

After becoming arguably the most influential player in the squad around February, the Argentine has struggled to make his mark on matches as often during the match.

As much could be seen from a sloppy performance at Villa Park which saw him play a worrying role in all three goals conceded.

Clearly, there are no major concerns about a player who has looked an absolute steal at £35m for much of the campaign.

But the new manager will be keen to ensure the midfielder produces more consistency during his second season at Anfield.

More to come from Quansah

Given his renowned commitment to improving his game, Quansah is sure to spend a lot of time analyzing the moment that saw him beaten by Watkins for Villa’s equaliser.

But while the youngster is right to feel he could have done better in this situation, the merits of his performance – and indeed the overall magnificent season he enjoyed – should not be overlooked.

Mainly it was another composed display from the 21-year-old, which saw him win three of three tackles and five of his eight duels, and he even added an own goal with a booming header at the other end makes it 3-1.

The fact that Quansah can get even better given the level he’s already playing at is hugely exciting, and the experiences of this campaign, including this madness, will certainly prove useful in that regard.

The Tsimikas face a big decision

It may not be the main takeaway from the last two games, but Kostas Tsimikas’ omission from the squads to face both Tottenham and Aston Villa is certainly worth noting.

As it stands, the Greek is the club’s third-choice left-back behind Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez, and is unable to earn minutes in any other position.

Consequently, while he may have signed a new contract as recently as last summer, you wonder if Tsimikas may see this approaching transfer window as a good time to move on.

At the age of 28, he will certainly be ready to play more often and would leave having achieved his goal of winning medals during his time at Anfield.

His future looks like one to watch once the season ends.

One game left

While many Liverpool fans will focus on the fact that Liverpool blew this one, a third place finish in the Premier League has already been decided in the end regardless of the result tonight.

As such, the only thing that mattered was that Klopp had overseen his penultimate game as Reds boss – and that it was now over.

Now the German will return to Merseyside to prepare a Liverpool team for the weekend game for the final time after an incredible eight-and-a-half years in charge.

An emotional, unforgettable send-off awaits at Anfield, one that supporters should do their best to soak up.