Visualized: Liverpool 3-0 Middlesbrough

Previous Match Infographics: West Ham (a), Bournemouth (a), Sunderland (h), Southampton (a), Watford (h), Crystal Palace (a), West Brom (h), United (h), Swansea (a), Hull (h), Chelsea (a), Leicester (h), Tottenham (a), Burnley (a), Arsenal (a)

All match data from Stats Zone and Who Scored.


(Nota Bene: Here's the formation diagram usually included in match reviews.)

Everything's better again!

Well, kind of.

Liverpool should be quite pleased with that performance, especially the second half. Three well-worked and well-taken goals, against a side that had conceded just seven through seven home matches prior to this match. A side that had conceded three in a match just once this season. Eight of Boro's last nine games had seen no more than two goals combined between the two sides.

All three of Liverpool's goals saw seven of 11 Liverpool players involved. All three came from the right flank: two crosses, one high and one low, and one centered inside-the-box pass from Lallana – exactly the type of goals Liverpool tried and failed to create against a similarly deep West Ham defense, even if more of Liverpool's attacks came from the opposite flank in that fixture. All three goals were clear-cut chances, against a defense that's allowed fewer clear-cut chances than all but Chelsea, Southampton, Tottenham, and United. This was the first time Liverpool scored more than one clear-cut chance since walloping Watford 6-1, and that's the only other match where Liverpool's scored three or more clear-cut chances.

Adam Lallana deserves absolutely every plaudit he's received but I was just as impressed with Divock Origi's overall performance. Multiple-goal league cup matches and the miracle against Dortmund aside, that might well have been Origi's best all-around game since joining the club.

Origi's now scored five in his last five appearances, but he hasn't really been involved in the build-up to any of Liverpool's other goals. That certainly wasn't the case yesterday. Mané's movement was the highlight of Liverpool's one-touch pass pass pass crucial second, but Origi's flick for Mané to find that space was something special, following it up by quickly getting into the box to score. And his low cross for Lallana's second was his first assist of the season, and only his second league assist for Liverpool. Yesterday saw the first time he's created multiple chances since returning to the line-up as well his first clear-cut chance of the season. Hell, I think it's the first clear-cut chance he's created since Klopp became manager; I'm pretty sure the only other one came when assisting Lallana's goal in the 1-1 draw against Sion in last season's Europa League.

But, once again, Liverpool's shooting still left something to be desired. The first half was especially difficult, struggling to find space in the final third and create against a packed defense aside from the opening. 15 shots in total – still below Liverpool's average – and just four on-target. In the last three matches, Liverpool have taken 43 shots but and put just ten on-target (23.3%). And, somehow, they've scored eight goals!

Liverpool's shooting accuracy – failing to break 30% in the last five league matches after surpassing that mark in ten of the previous 11 – will undoubtedly improve. I truly hope it's before Liverpool's red-hot conversion rate regresses to the mean.

And, once again, Roberto Firmino struggled mightily. Sure, it's less of an issue when we get matches like that from Origi, Lallana, and even Mané – who didn't display the end product we've become accustomed to but was heavily involved in all three goals. Firmino did look more threatening when playing on the right flank in the second half. But he wasn't involved in any of Liverpool's goals. As against Bournemouth, he created just one chance, after failing to do so against West Ham. As against both Bournemouth and West Ham, he failed to put any of his shots (two, three, two respectively) on-target. This dip in form, whether due to having to play from the flanks or missing Coutinho or simply off-color since returning a minor injury or all of the above, remains worrisome.

Meanwhile, Boro's defense may be incredibly stingy, but Boro's attack is often incredibly bad. Middlesbrough take the fewest shots per game in the league, Middlesbrough have scored the fewest goals in the league. Middlesbrough's attack isn't Bournemouth's or West Ham's, let alone even better opposition.

Credit where due, Liverpool didn't give them any real opportunities, despite a comparatively almost reasonable amount of possession from the home side. Liverpool allowed Boro just two second-half shots, both from well outside the box and both after Liverpool scored its second: Fabio's free kick into the wall and Clayton from long range nowhere near the goal.

Simon Mignolet did what he had to, especially in the first half with the game still in the balance: fairly routine saves on Fabio and Gibson, a more impressive but still should-be-saving-it chance at his near post from Fischer, and two well-held claims from Boro corners. Gibson's header could have been spilled, and Negredo was on hand for an easy tap-in rebound. Fischer's blast could have gone in. Neither should have, but we've seen similar before, from both of Liverpool's keepers, and it would have led to a different game. But neither did.

Still, that was a bad attack. Only Southampton and Sunderland – two of Liverpool's three other league clean sheets – offered less, and not much less.

So there are a lot of positives to take away, most notably arresting the slide and restoring the Era of Good Feelings. Really good goals, three of them. Impressive, increasing, smothering control of a match on a ground where Liverpool have historically disappointed. Top scorers in the league, back up to second place.

But there's a lot more to improve and a lot tougher tests to face – starting next Monday – before everything truly is better again.

Liverpool at Middlesbrough 12.14.16

2:45pm ET, live in the US on NBC Sports Live Extra

Last four head-to-head:
2-2 Liverpool aet (h; League Cup) 09.23.14
0-2 Boro (a) 02.28.09
2-1 Liverpool (h) 08.23.08
3-2 Liverpool (h) 02.23.08

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 2-2 West Ham (h); 3-4 Bournemouth (a); 2-0 Leeds (h)
Boro: 0-1 Southampton (a); 1-0 Hull (h); 2-2 Leicester (a)

Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Mané 7; Coutinho, Firmino, Milner 5; Lallana 4; Can, Origi 3; Lovren 2; Henderson, Matip, Wijnaldum 1
Boro: Negredo, Stuani 3; Gaston 2; Ayala, de Roon, Downing, Gibson 1

Referee: Jon Moss

Guess at a line-up:
Karius
Clyne Matip Klavan Milner
Lallana Henderson Wijnaldum
Mané Origi Firmino

I am not enamored with the prospect of another Liverpool game so soon after Sunday.

The injury crisis hasn't eased. Coutinho's still out for a few more weeks. Sturridge is still out for *shrug macro*. Can will miss this match with the minor knee injury that kept him out of the last match, Lovren will probably miss this match with the hamstring complaint which saw him removed at halftime in the last match.

Just as importantly, I suspect the crisis of faith hasn't eased either. At least mine hasn't.

Liverpool haven't been good in the last two matches. One point from six seems slightly unfair, but did Liverpool really deserve to win either of those matches? Liverpool didn't do enough to win either of those matches. And blame falls on both the often and rightfully scapegoated defense as well as the previously potent attack.

And Liverpool, with an increasingly diminished squad while still one of the hardest working teams in the league, have used just one substitute in each their last two matches, both basically out of necessity. Fatigue seems likely to set in early this festive season. And there aren't many potential changes possible in tomorrow's XI.

I'll continue banging the "Origi shouldn't start" drum for two reasons. Most importantly, I'm still fairly certain that Liverpool are a more cohesive side with Firmino as the spearhead, even if we've pretty much only seen it this season when Coutinho also plays. He is more influential, the attack combines more often and more effectively, Liverpool create better chances, Liverpool press more fervently. A secondary consideration is it gives Liverpool at least one potentially game-changing option off the bench. You know, unlike in the last two matches.

But with Can, Coutinho, and Sturridge all absent, there aren't many ways to make this work. If Can were available, Wijnaldum could more up to the left wing. If Sturridge were available, it's a like for like change. Both of those will probably be options before Coutinho's back. Woodburn's still too young to start matches, Ojo's not fully fit after a long absence.

The one possibility is playing Moreno as a left-sided forward. We know defense certainly isn't his strong suit. He is, however, quick and creative and he'd actually give Liverpool width on the left, something they've desperate lacked with Milner and Firmino manning that flank in the last two matches (look at both Liverpool's average position/passing network as well as West Ham's tackles and interceptions from Sunday). But I mean, Moreno? Ha. *inserts hilarious picture of Moreno on a hoverboard*

So we're hoping that Liverpool have learned something from the last two setbacks, that Klopp's both identified and found remedies for the underlying problems. Because otherwise, it's same as. The same midfield three, the same back four which finished Sunday's match, and yes, the same goalkeeper.

Karius, for better or for worse, will keep his place. And I'm indifferent on this front. It makes sense to take a low-on-confidence keeper out of the firing line, but we've got two years of precedent for Mignolet actually being bad compared to two sometimes shaky months from a keeper five years younger in a new team in a new league. I'm far less angry at Karius 48 hours after the fact than I was on Sunday; his positioning should have been better on Payet's free kick, but the wall should have been as well, and there was little he could do about the second.

While Middlesbrough might not seen the most threatening opponents, they'll certainly present problems. Like Liverpool, they never stop running. They don't score often, but they don't concede often either. They've kept just one clean sheet in the last five matches, 1-0 over really really not good Hull, but only one match during that stretch saw more than a goal for each side since: a 2-2 draw at Leicester. Otherwise, 1-1, 0-1, 1-0, 0-1.

Boro have also been better away from home, similarly stingy but more capable of counter-attacking, holding Arsenal, City, and Leicester to impressive draws. But you'd suspect they'll have more opponents to counter at home against the likes of Liverpool than most other sides. And, while it's been awhile, Liverpool haven't done well in their last few trips to Teesside, winless in the last seven trips, the most recent in 2008-09.

Their probable XI tomorrow is 4-5-1 – Valdes; Barragan, Chambers, Gibson, Fabio; Traore, de Roon, Clayton, Forshaw, Downing; Negredo. Negredo's still questionable to return, missing Saturday's match with a hamstring problem, while both Gaston Ramirez and George Friend remain absent. If Negredo's unavailable, it'll probably be Jordan Rhodes up front, but Stuani and Viktor Fischer are also options.

Negredo's an effective striker who can score in any possible manner. Adama Traore's a massive threat on the counter, fast as hell even if often without end product. Middlesbrough love to cross – something Liverpool's struggled with at times – most often through Stewart Downing, who you might be familiar with. Both Clayton and Forshaw are underrated, dynamic English midfielders capable of getting into the box but also more than willing to shoot from distance.

And, of course, I'll worry about the handful of ex-Liverpool players. Downing on the left flank, Antonio Barragan at right back, and Daniel Ayala at center-back, although the latter is unlikely to start. It'd be very Liverpool to see one of those players come back to haunt.

So here we are. Predominantly fearing we could see Liverpool's hole dug deeper. Hopefully, that's my natural and never-ending pessimism. Because I'm certain that Klopp will have hammered into the side that it's much more an opportunity to right the recent wrongs. But I'm less than convinced the side will be able to so soon.

Visualized: Liverpool 2-2 West Ham

Previous Match Infographics: Bournemouth (a), Sunderland (h), Southampton (a), Watford (h), Crystal Palace (a), West Brom (h), United (h), Swansea (a), Hull (h), Chelsea (a), Leicester (h), Tottenham (a), Burnley (a), Arsenal (a)

All match data from Stats Zone and Who Scored.


A draw is better than Liverpool earned from this fixture last season. A draw is certainly better than what Liverpool did last week. But, for the second week in a row, Liverpool lost a lead and for the third or fourth week in a row, Liverpool weren't good enough at either end of the pitch.

And, 24 hours later, I'm still angriest at Liverpool's attack.



Yes, yes "sample size." Which is a more-than-valid point. But we saw a lot of similar good things recur over the first 12 matches, and we've seen a lot of similar bad things in the last three.

Liverpool are shooting and scoring at roughly the same rate since Coutinho's injury. Liverpool's shot totals, aside from Bournemouth, have been decent, and Liverpool's shot location has been heavily Danger Zone. All good, right? But then you get to Liverpool's shot accuracy and clear-cut chances, which have fallen off a cliff. And you also remember that the last three matches were against Sunderland (20th), Bournemouth (12th), and West Ham (17th).

Liverpool have put just six shots on-target in last two games. And they've scored from five of them! Liverpool simply aren't putting enough shots on-target – damn you, finishing pixie – and Liverpool's chances haven't been as good and Liverpool have missed a few of the actually good chances they've created – Origi's early clear-cut chance at Bournemouth, two Matip set play opportunities and Firmino's poke wide against West Ham, most notably.

Liverpool's four clear-cut chances since Coutinho's injury were a late penalty against Sunderland, Origi's missed sitter at Bournemouth, Mané's goal at Bournemouth, and Randolph's error against West Ham.

Liverpool's five goals in the last two games were Mané's goal at Bournemouth, Boruc's error and Origi's no-angle shot at Bournemouth, Can's excellent shot from distance, Lallana's finish after a good move against West Ham, and Randolph's error for Origi. Two obvious goalkeeper errors, one where Boruc got caught in no man's land – similar to Karius against Antonio yesterday – one rarely repeatable strike from distance, and one competent attacking move.

Liverpool have needed opposition help to get the five goals they've scored in the last two matches. Liverpool probably won't get that help against better opponents.

And when Liverpool's attack isn't working, Liverpool's already rickety and error-prone defense is even more exposed. It took just two unfortunate moments yesterday: not the best positioning from Karius and not the best wall from Liverpool's defenders on a very good free kick from Payet, and an unfortunate deflection which set Antonio up perfectly.

Bournemouth was even more a cluster of insanity: a daft penalty, the entire side stupidly open for the second, the recurring defending-the-second-phase-of-a-set-play problem for the third, and a goalkeeper error for the fourth.

What stands out to me is that Bournemouth and West Ham combined for 19 shots. And, combined, Bournemouth and West Ham created just eight chances. None of Bournemouth four clear-cut chances were set up by a Bournemouth player. Neither of West Ham's goals were assisted: there's Payet's (savable) free kick, and the deflected long ball for Antonio. West Ham had three other unassisted shots from picking up possession, whether a half-cleared corner (Lanzini blocked in the sixth) or too much space for the opposition after Liverpool failed to win possession in the middle of the pitch (Cresswell off-target the 36th).

Based on XG2 - For every SOT Mignolet faced ~23% chance of becoming a goal. Karius ~32% chance. EPL mean is 28%. #mcstats

— Ste Mc (@SteMc74) December 12, 2016

Liverpool's system has a clear tendency to concede a lower quantity of higher quality chances. It's a major component of the Karius Krisis. https://t.co/yj05zUOswr

— Michael Caley (@MC_of_A) December 12, 2016

It might help Karius play better if Liverpool weren't giving up the highest xG per shot in the league by a fairly wide margin.

— Mike L. Goodman (@TheM_L_G) December 12, 2016

Liverpool's system often leaves Liverpool vulnerable. This is the cost of Liverpool's high-pressing, high-possession, attack attack attack system, which isn't helped by Liverpool's predilection for set play foibles, inconsistent defending, and erratic goalkeeping. For the first 12 or 13 matches, it mostly worked. And there was still a bit of bad luck in yesterday's concessions: needing a free kick taker with Payet's quality then a horrific deflection to wrong-foot Matip and set up Antonio. Otherwise, Liverpool were rarely troubled, whether through Antonio's pace or by long balls to Carroll.

The bigger story seems that if Liverpool aren't shooting and scoring at the rates they were earlier in the season, Liverpool are far more likely to be punished.

Prior to this last three-game stretch, Liverpool were without Coutinho for one of the first 12 matches. Against Leicester, which finished a thorough 4-1 victory. We against got at least one moment of incredibly bad Liverpool defending leading to a very dumb and unnecessary concession to get Leicester back into the match, but it didn't matter.

Leicester truly weren't good that day, easily picked apart and offering little in attack, but I'm tempted to think the one and only difference was Daniel Sturridge v Divock Origi. Sturridge was involved in three of Liverpool's five goals: winning possession in the center circle on the first, an assist on the second, a hockey assist on the third. He put four of his five shots on-target. His movement, more varied than Origi's and also more focused on dropping deep and pulling to the right, created more space for Firmino to come inside from the left.

That day, Firmino scored twice, put one other shot on-target, and created four chances. Yesterday, Firmino put two shots off-target, had another blocked, and failed to create a single chance. There's probably a bit of injury rust in Firmino's disappointing performances in the last two games, but I'm also fairly sure he'd play better with Sturridge as the spearhead.

But Daniel Sturridge isn't available, and not for the first time. And Origi, with four goals in the last four games, clearly isn't the only problem. It also doesn't seem entirely fair to focus on a 21-year-old striker getting his first sustained run in the side for the last six months. But, other than the goals, he's simply not contributing enough, and he seems the most solvable problem with Liverpool's squad presently as threadbare as it's become. Maybe I'm an abused puppy at this point, but the defense might just be what it is. The attack has been and can be a lot better than we've seen against the last three bottom-half sides.

Despite the brilliance shown in the first three months, Liverpool suddenly find themselves in a very tenuous position. Every single one of us would've chopped off fingers for 31 points from 15 games before the start of the season, but Liverpool's last few matches have made a wobble feel like a free fall.

Three weeks ago, Liverpool were joint-top of the table. Now, they're six points behind Chelsea. The four-point gap ahead of fifth-place Tottenham and seven-point gap ahead of six-place Manchester United could easily narrow if Liverpool's form remains as its been during the fast and furious festive season.

There's still a lot of time to arrest the slide and save the season. But they'll have to do it soon. And I'm not entirely sure how they're going to do so.

Liverpool 2-2 West Ham

Goals:
Lallana 5'
Payet 28'
Antonio 39'
Origi 48'

The West Ham curse lives on, in slightly diminished form.

The Liverpool defensive curse lives on, because Liverpool's self-destructive tendencies live on.

It's more points dropped from a winning position and more shooting yourself in the foot coupled with a bit of bad luck. At home, against a side in the relegation zone missing two starting defenders who'd lost their last two matches by a 9-2 margin.

It all looked so very different after five minutes. Liverpool win possession from Randolph's hopeful punt, Origi brilliantly flicks to Firmino out wide while holding off a defender, Firmino finds Mané cutting from right to left. And Mané out wide on the left somehow gets in a weaker foot cross to Lallana open eight yards from goal, right-footed control, left-footed finish. Woof. Pace and fluidity personified, poetry in motion.

Pity that'd pretty much be Liverpool's only good attacking move of the match.

The problem with players constantly looking to interchange, who haven't played with each other that often – Origi still young and raw, Firmino and Lallana are recently back from injury, the former not used to being on the left even if that position's mostly in theory – is it's great when it comes off, but more often than not, it's going to lead to misplaced passes and a disjointed attack.

And, when that's combined with Liverpool's soul-killing predilection for defensive eccentricity, West Ham responds to Liverpool's early goal and we get today.

The sad thing is that Liverpool probably go unpunished most days against most sides. Absolutely, blame Karius' position on Payet's free kick equalizer, as well as the fact he gets a hand to the ball and it still goes in, but you still need a player like Payet to arrow it around the wall and in from 30 yards. 11 minutes later, West Ham are ahead from a hopeful long ball, and you're welcome to blame Karius getting caught in no-man's land and Matip getting wrong-footed, but that only happens because that hopeful long ball deflected perfectly for Antonio off Henderson's head.

Did West Ham even have any other reasonable chances to score besides those two goals? Yes, Liverpool allow way too many goals from the paltry amount of shots conceded. But Liverpool's defensive mishaps and mistakes blind us to how poor Liverpool's attack has been without Coutinho. Shot accuracy's down, shot totals are down, and chance quality is down, and that's as big a reason for Liverpool's failure in the last two matches as the defense that's been this defense all season long.

If Liverpool's attack is even 50% of what we saw before Coutinho (and Sturridge) was injured, Liverpool wins today. 3-2, 4-2, whatever.

Yes, Liverpool were better in the second half. A bit more cohesive in attack and assuredly more secure at the back. But Liverpool only equalized thanks to a massive goalkeeper mistake, Randolph dropping Mané's cross directly to Origi, a mistake far worse than anything Karius did today. That was Liverpool's only clear-cut chance of the match. Liverpool's only other shot on-target was Henderson from long, long range, wonderfully saved by Randolph. Liverpool had almost 45 full minutes at 2-2 and Liverpool took just eight shots: Henderson from distance on-target, three shots off-target, four shots blocked. That's a pitiful amount considering Liverpool's time of possession and touches in the penalty box, and Liverpool's proclivity for crosses against West Ham's walking refrigerators (© Anton) certainly didn't help.

Liverpool's defense isn't good. We know this. 20 goals against in 15 games, constant and consistent calamities, etc. But Liverpool's defense was what Liverpool's defense has been all season. Good at denying shots but somehow bad at denying goals, and it's not all Karius' or Lovren's or Lucas' fault (although Liverpool's defense did look better after Klavan strangely replaced Lovren at halftime, I guess due to injury).

Liverpool have scored five goals in the last two games and taken just one point. So I understand wanting to blame a defense which conceded six. But three of those five goals had a lot to do with the opposition keeper: Boruc for the first two at Bournemouth, Randolph today. Can's third at Bournemouth was a shot he's missing nine times out of ten. Lallana's goal was Liverpool one move that demonstrated the quality that Liverpool aspire to.

You aren't getting most of those goals against better opposition.

There's no easy fix. Coutinho's out for three more weeks if not more. Who knows when Sturridge will be back. Mané's going to the African Cup of Nations next month. Liverpool's outfield substitutes today were Klavan, Lucas, Moreno, Alexander-Arnold, Ejaria, and Woodburn; ain't a lot you can do with that. I'm tempted to push Firmino central and drop Origi – despite the four goals in four games – because Firmino's been irrelevant on the left in the last two games and Origi still struggles to link up with others with any consistency, but I'm also just angry and reactionary at the moment. What are the options? Moreno at left-wing? Wijnaldum left when Can's back from his minor knee issue?

All Liverpool can do is what we said following last week's setback: heads down, keep working, respond. Hope players get fit, try to buy in January. But the necessary response now looks like a lot harder than we initially thought.

Liverpool v West Ham 12.11.16

11:30am ET, live in the US on NBC Sports

Last four head-to-head:
1-2 West Ham aet (a; FA Cup) 02.09.16
0-0 (h; FA Cup) 01.30.16
0-2 West Ham (a) 01.02.16
0-3 West Ham (h) 08.29.16

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 3-4 Bournemouth (a); 2-0 Leeds (h); 2-0 Sunderland (h)
West Ham: 1-5 Arsenal (h); 1-4 United (a); 1-1 United (a)

Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Mané 7; Coutinho, Firmino, Milner 5; Can, Lallana 3; Lovren, Origi 2; Henderson, Matip, WIjnaldum 1
West Ham: Antonio 6; Lanzini 3; Carroll, Collins, Payet, Reid, D Sakho 1

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Guess at a line-up:
Karius
Clyne Matip Lovren Milner
Lallana Henderson Can
Mané Firmino Wijnaldum

Time for a response.

Lallana's coming back into the side. Who makes way? Wijnaldum or Can, a like-for-like change? Emre Can has been more impressive than Wijnaldum lately, adding some much-needed goals to his all-around hustle, but Wijnaldum's frequently an important link player, and one who's noticeably better at Anfield.

I think I'd rather that it's Origi left out. Bear with me. Yes, I know he's scored in each of the last three games. He's gotten his chance due to injuries and he's taken it. But Liverpool have still looked better with Firmino up front, although I'm not entirely sure how much that has also been down to Coutinho. And Firmino, often one of Liverpool's best players so far this season, was irrelevant at Bournemouth when deployed on the left. Wijnaldum seems capable of playing in Coutinho's role, coming inside to create but also a goal threat. He wasn't especially impressive in that role against Leeds, but that was his first time doing so, and it was with a changed attack.

I also suspect Origi could be even more important as an option off the bench. You remember what Liverpool's options were against Bournemouth, yes? They weren't entirely helpful when Liverpool needed to change the game.

Otherwise, same as. Except, thankfully, Joël Matip's back. Our savior.

As much as Liverpool need to respond to last week's set back, West Ham need even more of a response, to more than just last week.

It has been a baffling season to forget so far. West Ham are winless in their last six matches, their last five in the league, and sit just one point outside the relegation zone. They could be in the relegation zone by kickoff if Hull win or Sunderland draw in today's matches. They lost their last two matches, albeit one in the League Cup, by a 9-2 margin. They haven't kept a clean sheet since the middle of October.

How the hell did this happen? West Ham were one of last season's surprises, taking points off of every side that finished ahead of them, beating most of those, and were especially potent away from home.

There's the second season syndrome cliché. Injuries are also a good place to start, with West Ham missing multiple strikers and center-backs throughout the season. It's gotten slightly better recently, but Collins, Byram, Diafra Sakho, and Töre will be absent, while Kouyate's doubtful. Dimitri Payet's diminishing form upon his return from an impressive Euros is another factor. And a switch to the Olympic Stadium certainly hasn't helped.

It's been an almost perfect storm of bad. Which, for some reason, often bodes as poorly for Liverpool as it does for their opponents.

West Ham remain a side more than capable of hurting Liverpool. Counter-attacks, set plays, and crosses – all potential recipes for disaster. Their top scorer, Michail Antonio, has scored all six of his goals from headers. Andy Carroll's healthy again.

And regardless of form, West Ham have been more than capable of hurting Liverpool in the past. They've been a bête noire recently, with Liverpool winless in the last four meetings. Even Klopp couldn't stop the bum rush; last season's 0-2 loss at West Ham was arguably Liverpool's worst performance of the season after Klopp took over. Last season's 0-3 loss at Anfield was arguably Liverpool's worst performance of the season period.

Both league losses came in the same manner. West Ham tore at Liverpool from the opening whistle, West Ham scored within ten minutes, West Ham scored from crosses, and Liverpool were never able to get back into the game.

The likely XI is Randolph; Arbeloa, Reid, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Obiang, Noble; Antonio, Lanzini, Payet; Carroll. Eight of those players started in the 0-3 loss at Anfield last August. Six started in the 0-2 loss at the Boleyn Ground in January, with Payet and Obiang also coming on as substitutes.

Antonio could also play at right-back, with Ayew, Fletcher, or Feghouli in attack, or at wing-back. West Ham had been playing three at the back for the last few weeks, but it's not really possible if both Kouyate and Collins remain absent. Arbeloa was absolutely the weak link against Arsenal, but in his defense – and I'm still prone to defend him – he did unexpectedly come off the bench, hadn't played in two months, and his entrance forced a change in systems. Still, he'll be targeted, and his inclusion could be an argument for Firmino on the left.

So, considering form and venue and Liverpool's righteous and rightful fury with last weekend's result, you'd expect a smashing. Don't expect anything. We know what Liverpool are capable of, but Liverpool will still need to prove it, and West Ham are still capable of denying it.

Once again, we're counting on Liverpool to respond to setbacks and react accordingly, to do what they failed to do in previous seasons, to demonstrate they're both better and more consistent that what we've seen in the past, and to prove they're deserving of being in the top four and title races.

Visualized: Liverpool 3-4 Bournemouth

Previous Match Infographics: Sunderland (h), Southampton (a), Watford (h), Crystal Palace (a), West Brom (h), United (h), Swansea (a), Hull (h), Chelsea (a), Leicester (h), Tottenham (a), Burnley (a), Arsenal (a)

All match data from Stats Zone and Who Scored.


Here's a list of all the matches where Liverpool have drawn or lost from a 2-0 lead since 2004-05.

Klopp
• 3-4 Bournemouth (a) 2016-17
• 2-2 Newcastle (h) 2015-16
• 2-3 Southampton (a) 2015-16
• 2-2 Sunderland (h) 2015-16

Rodgers
• 2-2 Leicester (h) 2014-15
• 3-3 Palace (a) 2013-14
• 2-2 Arsenal (a) 2012-13
• 2-2 Everton (a) 2012-13

Dalglish
• 2-3 QPR (a) 2011-12

Benitez
• 4-4 Chelsea CL (a) 2008-09

Sure, it's the first time it's happened this season – and we've seen much, much more good than bad this season – but that's four times in the last 28 league matches. Four times in the last 12 league matches that Liverpool have failed to win. That's seven more points that Liverpool should have had last season – and seven more points would've seen Liverpool finish fourth – to go along with three that would've seen Liverpool keep pace with Chelsea this season.

Liverpool giving away a 2-0 lead happened four times in Rodgers' three-and-a-little-more seasons, with Liverpool at least drawing all four, once in Dalglish's season-and-a-half, and once in Benitez's six seasons, in the Champions League with Liverpool chasing an away goal deficit.

Liverpool's football has been a lot more fun this season than in any other but two of those other 12 seasons, but this is not a good trend.

There's probably some recency bias involved, but this seemed the first of the four matches where Liverpool truly deserved to drop points. Sunderland and Newcastle were both flukes (as much as you can call something that's happened multiple times "flukes"). Southampton and Liverpool were more evenly matched, but Liverpool's "good" first half was far better than yesterday's, Liverpool probably should have been further ahead than 2-0, and Liverpool's defense collapsed even more at St Mary's after Lovren went off at halftime and all but helped hand Southampton the win (hi Skrtel, how's Turkey?).

Yesterday, Liverpool weren't especially impressive even in the first half. Sure, they pressed exceedingly well, completely pinning Bournemouth back, but their possession didn't lead to many chances, taking just five shots. Both of Liverpool's goals came from long passes and pace rather than well-worked moves and were absolutely helped by Boruc's goal-keeping. Shot accuracy wasn't great – just three on-target, all three goals – Firmino did little out wide, etc, etc.

And the second half was a completely different story. Again, scads of Liverpool possession, but still too few shots, coupled with a lot more chances for Bournemouth, mainly through counter-attacks and set plays and especially in the final 30 minutes. Ten of Bournemouth's 12 shots came after Can gave Liverpool a 3-1 lead. Seven of those ten shots were on-target.

This was the first time that Liverpool were out-shot in a match this season.

But, despite Bournemouth being honestly good, especially in the second half but even in the first, there's still more than a bit of Liverpool shooting itself in the foot.

I still can't get over Bournemouth's second goal. You're two goals up with 15 minutes to play. You've seen off one Bournemouth attempt at getting back in the game, responding to Wilson's penalty with a Can's excellent strike, and seen the last ten minutes pass with just one frightening incident, Fraser's effort saved by Karius after a left-wing cross.

Then, this happens.



Eight Liverpool players – everyone bar the center-backs and Karius – in Bournemouth's half (Henderson's just behind Can, barely out of the picture, and pushes both further forward and to the right after this), with six in the final third. Both full-backs are incredibly far forward (Clyne's basically in the penalty box). Again, you're two goals up with just 15 minutes to play. Why.



So when Origi cheaply loses possession, basically passing straight to Wilshere, we've got a problem. Everyone's on the back foot.



Hey, Dejan. Maybe watch Callum Wilson. Also, why is Milner running in-field?



And Liverpool still *nearly* dealt with it. Lucas is on the ground because he's slipped after missing an interception by inches. Similar goes for Henderson, directly in front of Fraser. If Wilson's pass is any closer to either of those players, Liverpool almost certainly deals with the situation, and there's a good chance (at least a far better chance) that Liverpool holds onto the victory.

From there, the still all-too-familiar collapse, nerves and tilt and failure, while Bournemouth recovered belief. Failing to deal with the second phase after a half-cleared set play for the third, similar after a long throw coupled with Karius' error for the fourth – both boned-headed concessions we've seen before, in this season and last.

Liverpool have gotten to where they are this season with full-throttle go-for-the-throat football, but there's a time and place for everything. In retrospect, the time before Bournemouth's second was a time for safety. They don't do it often, but Klopp's Liverpool can do safety.

Also, this is important.

Bournemouth had 4 "big chances"

Bournemouth created 0 "big chances"

— StatsAndSwearwords (@StatsSwearwords) December 4, 2016

Every single one of Bournemouth's big chances came from something Liverpool did or didn't do. Wilson's penalty. Afobe out-muscling Lovren in an aerial duel from a bouncing ball hoofed out by Boruc, then dancing around Lucas before being denied by Karius from point-blank range. Ake's first rebound when Karius' spilled Cook's shot followed by the winning goal.

That's why Bournemouth took 12 shots despite just five key passes while Liverpool had 10 shots from nine key passes. The opposition doesn't need your help, Liverpool.

So, yeah, all the "THE SKY IS FALLING" is understandable. The hand-wringing over Liverpool's defense without Matip and Liverpool's attack without Coutinho is understandable. The fears about Karius' goal-keeping are understandable (I'll make excuses here: he made two good saves, was probably unsighted for Bournemouth's second, and Cook's blast which led to Ake's rebound was both hard-hit and moving).

But even after all the complaining above, I'll still plead for a bit of calm. Even if they've happened too often under Klopp, games like this do happen. Bournemouth does deserve more than a bit of credit. If Milner's corner goes two centimeters further in the 73rd minute, it's 4-1, game over. Origi was a foot away from scoring a Liverpool winner just before Ake scored Bournemouth's. It's the first time this season Liverpool took fewer points from the same fixture than they did last season. It's Liverpool's second loss of the season after a 15-match unbeaten streak. Liverpool still have more points from 14 games than they did in 2013-14.

I didn't enjoy the comparison, but it was pointed out to me last night that this looked an awful lot like what Liverpool did to Borussia Dortmund at Anfield last season. Dortmund turned out okay.

Sure, there are more than a few signs that should cause worry. But, so far this season, Liverpool have exceeded expectations. And so far this season, Liverpool have learned from every set back.

Liverpool 3-4 Bournemouth

Goals:
Mané 20'
Origi 22'
Wilson 56' [pen]
Can 64'
Fraser 76'
Cook 79'
Ake 90+3'

Beyond embarrassing.

The easy way out – and I'm incredibly tempted to take it – is blame everything on Matip's absence. Two consecutive clean sheets in the league, just nine goals conceded in his 11 starts, 10W-3D in his 13 starts in all competitions, and then this happens. Liverpool have now conceded nine goals in the three league games where he hasn't played.

But that's still no excuse. Not with 2-0 and 3-1 leads. Not even with Coutinho and Sturridge also missing and Mané forced off through injury in the 69th minute and Lallana only fit enough to come off the bench and any other excuse you can possibly come up with.

That was an utter, complete, full team collapse in the second half.

Matip's absence didn't lead to a complete lack of control in the second half or Liverpool's inability to create chances or take shots, whether playing for possession or the counter-attack. Matip's absence didn't lead to Lovren's weak clearing header and Milner's foul for a penalty. It didn't lead to Origi's giveaway or Bournemouth's impressive counter for the second, Fraser's cross and Cook's control and finish for the third, or Karius spilling for Ake's fourth. Liverpool's defense is without a doubt worse without him, especially when defending set plays – hello second and third goals conceded – but Liverpool should still be able to protect a two-goal lead.

And, unlike in almost every other game this season but all too much like too many games last season, Liverpool couldn't and Liverpool didn't.

The first half was good enough. Liverpool pressed well, Liverpool played out from the back well, Liverpool kept possession well. Liverpool didn't create as much as we're used to, but Liverpool still created two big chances and took two chances when they presented themselves, through the pace of Mané and Origi and with a bit of help from Boruc, stuck in no man's land when Can's ball over the top found Mané for the first, beaten by Origi when he came storming out for the second.

That should have been enough. Liverpool should have continued to control proceedings, preventing counters. If not, at least keep it tight and soak up pressure and potentially extend the lead on counter-attacks.

To be fair, Bournemouth had other ideas.

We were warned. Bournemouth is a well-managed, talented side which – most importantly – will never give up. They will attack, they will have spells of dominance. They had those against Arsenal last week as well, but couldn't take their chances. That certainly wasn't an issue today, with eight shots on-target from 12 in total leading to four goals.

Bournemouth deserve praise as much as Liverpool deserve blame. Bournemouth didn't give up at any point. To resort to banal cliché, Bournemouth simply wanted it more. Bournemouth's expected goal difference was the best any opponent's had against Liverpool this season. They did well to limit Liverpool in the first half despite the scoreline, their subs made a massive difference – especially compared to Liverpool's inability to change things thanks to an under-strength bench – and switching the back four at 1-3 (Ake moving to left-back, Smith to right-back) made a massive difference. I was especially impressed with Ryan Fraser, only coming on due to injury to Junior Stanislaus, who won the first penalty, scored Bournemouth's second, and played the assist for the third.

But I can't help but focus on blaming Liverpool. Liverpool made a 22-year-old substitute winger look like the second coming of Lionel Messi. Liverpool responded to the stuttering second half start and conceding a penalty with a lovely goal from Emre Can after good work from Mané and then Liverpool proceeded to throw it all away again rather than shutting up shop.

Maybe Liverpool simply can't shut up shop. That's why Liverpool attack attack attack, determined to simply score more than their opponents. But I still don't think that's entirely the case. We've seen clean sheets without Matip before, if not in the league this season. We've seen Klopp's Liverpool throttle the life out of a team trying to respond – see Dortmund and more than a few others last season. We've seen Liverpool do this, but we've seen Liverpool not do this more often.

Today, nerves and errors multiplied exponentially. Today, the set play demons came back, the goalkeeper howlers came back, the clear "holy hell we're boned get me out of here" came back and permeated throughout the side. Today, all the evil returned with a vengeance. It's not the first time that's happened and while we can always hope, it probably won't be the last.

Every single one of us would've bit your hand off for third place and 30 points from 14 games at the start of the season. Liverpool have issues at the moment: in defense, in confidence, with injuries, but Liverpool are still better than this and games like this happen far less often than they did last season.

It's next to impossible to do after a performance like that, but – just like after Burnley – Liverpool have to pick themselves up, learn from today's multiple failures, and move forward. Injuries be damned, increasingly busy festive season be damned. There's no other option.

Liverpool at Bournemouth 12.04.16

8:30am ET, live in the US on NBC Sports

Last four head-to-head:
2-1 Liverpool (a) 04.17.16
1-0 Liverpool (h; League Cup) 10.28.15
1-0 Liverpool (h) 08.17.15
3-1 Liverpool (a; League Cup) 12.17.14

Last three matches:
Liverpool: 2-0 Leeds (h); 2-0 Sunderland (h); 0-0 Southampton (a)
Bournemouth: 1-3 Arsenal (a); 1-0 Stoke (a); 1-2 Sunderland (h)

Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Mané 6; Coutinho, Firmino, Milner 5; Lallana 3; Can, Lovren 2; Henderson, Matip, Origi, WIjnaldum 1
Bournemouth: Wilson 4; Stanislas 3; Gosling, King 2; Ake, S Cook, Daniels, A Smith 1

Referee: Bobby Madley

Guess at a line-up:
Karius
Clyne Matip Lovren Milner
Wijnaldum Henderson Can
Mané Origi Firmino

Do Liverpool risk either or both of the two crucial players who've been injured but returned to training this week?

Whether Firmino or Lallana make the XI is even more important given Coutinho's lengthy absence. But I'm not sure if that makes Liverpool more or less likely to play it safe, as they've become that much more crucial over the next couple of months, not just for tomorrow's match.

So, the line-up guess is completely predicated on their inclusion. Maybe both play and either Firmino starts on the left with Origi central or Origi drops to the bench with Wijnaldum wide left, as he was against Leeds. We're definitely going to see Wijnaldum in Coutinho's position at times over the next six weeks. If neither play, it's a bit trickier: maybe Milner shifts into midfield with Moreno at left-back, maybe Ejaria or Woodburn or even Moreno is used in attack, maybe Stewart comes into midfield. The cupboard's beginning to look a bit threadbare, as Daniel Sturridge remains absent with a lingering calf problem.

My best guess is Firmino, who missed less time with a less serious injury, plays but Lallana's protected. But, as usual, it's no more than a guess, and both starting is probably just as likely.

Regardless of who plays, Bournemouth presents a more than viable threat, even if they sit 12th with half as many points as Liverpool, even if they've won just once in their last five matches.

Bournemouth have been a bit of everything so far this season. They've lost three of their last four, the lone win a narrow 1-0 over Stoke. They're one of just two sides to score six in a Premier League match this season, along with Liverpool. They conceded three against United and Arsenal and four against Manchester City but also held both Everton and Tottenham scoreless. The last loss, at Arsenal, was a lot closer than the scoreline suggests, Bournemouth missing multiple chances at both 1-1 and 2-1 before Alexis secured the victory in injury time.

Most dangerous is Bournemouth's ability on counter-attack. They've multiple attackers who can cause Liverpool problems, from top scorer Callum Wilson to Stanislas, King, Afobe, Gradel, and some dude named Jordon Ibe on the flanks to even Jack Wilshere, who's increasingly not too far off from actually looking like Jack Wilshere.

For better or for worse, Bournemouth probably won't play like Southampton or Sunderland. Bournemouth's games, even the low-scoring ones, have been much more open. They'll challenge Liverpool. Liverpool will probably have a bit more defending to do than in other recent games, and I'm curious (read: nervous, terrified, not excited) to see how they cope. And that challenge might but won't necessarily make it easier for Liverpool to find space to play in attack.

Surman and Lewis Cook are the only Bournemouth players assuredly out, but Stanislas, Daniels, and Boruc are all slight doubts. My best guess at an XI is Federici; Francis, Cook, Ake, B Smith; Gosling, Arter; King, Wilshere, Stanislas; Wilson. Brad Smith, despite his Liverpool past, is most likely to drop out if Charlie Francis is anywhere near fit, his start against Arsenal his only appearance so far this season. Afobe, Ibe, Gradel, and Adam Smith – usually a right-back but started as a right-winger against Arsenal – are other options in attack.

Each of Liverpool's matches against Bournemouth last season were tight games. Tight games which Liverpool held on to win, but tight games none the less: 1-0 at home under Rodgers, 1-0 in the league cup in one of Klopp's early matches, and 2-1 at Bournemouth with the much-changed Liverpool side we saw with the focus on the Europa League.

And that could and probably should be the story of tomorrow's match. Bournemouth will make Liverpool work for it. Eddie Howe's an excellent manager and they've got some talented players. But if Liverpool do what Liverpool should – as they've usually done this season, no matter the strength of the XI – Liverpool's class should win out.