Premier League: Five Talking Points From the Opening Weekend
By Ryan Wrenn
Liverpool Bore
For a fixture that has produced fifteen goals in the last two games, Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Stoke at the Britannia was a surprising dud. Neither team seemed to have the balance – or competence – to do much of anything going forward. Even Philippe Coutinho’s stunning goal from outside the area only came after the Brazilian had practically punted the ball out of the stadium earlier in the second half.
Liverpool’s latest splurge on the transfer market seems like it might produce some unsurprisingly erratic results. Christian Benteke seemed out of sync for much of the game with the creative trio of Adam Lallana, Coutinho and Joseph Ibe behind him. Roberto Firmino looked individually impressive when he came on as a sub, but failed to link up in any meaningful way with his teammates. If any of Liverpool’s new faces impressed, it was Nathaniel Clyne and Joseph Gomez in the fullback positions. The solidity they contribute to the defense might just be what Liverpool needs while the likes of Benteke and Firmino find their footing.