The final word on Toulouse 3-2 LFC: left-backs, midfield options, and VAR

After Liverpool’s 3-2 loss to Toulouse in their opening Europa League match of the year, there was a lot to reflect on.

As Jurgen Klopp said after the game, even a point “wouldn’t have made the game better” in hindsight.

The players significantly underperformed even though the Reds fielded a rotated squad, and it was perhaps their worst performance of the season.

Paddy: Not at all, nothing at all. How can you defeat a team so handily only to lose there two weeks later? It was a terrible performance, in my opinion on par with the worst under Klopp.

Tom: We didn’t really deserve anything from that game, in my opinion. We played poorly and could have misjudged Toulouse.

We hardly produced anything for ourselves and didn’t seem to have any desire—possibly one of our worst games under Jurgen Klopp.

Sam: There’s not much else to say about Tom and Paddy’s emotions. Liverpool should have lost even though they had the better of the possession. That being said, they ought to have gained something from the encounter.

TomAs I previously stated, I believe we may have overestimated Toulouse.

It’s possible that the guys knew what we were going to go through and decided not to put up as much of a fight as we typically would. This is concerning, particularly in light of the events that transpired in Luton on Sunday. On Sunday, we have to get back on track.

Paddy: Like Tom, I felt that the attitude was completely inappropriate and that it was starting to become a problem.

Like they did at Luton, they assumed they would pull up, go onto the field, and win the game handily. Clearly, that isn’t how this operates, and some of them ought to take a serious look at themselves.

Sam: In my opinion, Liverpool just appeared frank; there wasn’t a lack of effort or drive.

Even though the club’s rhythm is hampered by constant rotation, the Reds had the talent to defeat a Ligue 1 team that was in danger of relegation.

Sam: The players in Toulouse ought to have had no trouble handling the opponents on paper. The team is therefore, theoretically, strong as is when injuries occur.

But the problems arise when you combine Andy Robertson’s absence with Curtis Jones’ and lack a dominant No. 6 player. Liverpool quickly appears to be extremely manageable.

Like Sam, Paddy believes that the personnel are more to blame than the injuries.

Despite his expertise, Wataru Endo hasn’t showed much thus far, and he might have been sent off this evening. In defensive midfield, Alexis Mac Allister is obviously not the solution.

TomThe injuries do appear to be somewhat concerning right now.

With Mac Allister serving a ban for Brentford, along with the absences of Gravenberch, Jones, Thiago, and Stefan Bajcetic, our midfield appears to be rather thin.

Paddy: It’s pretty harsh, and it only strengthens the general opinion that VAR implementation is currently failing.

It appears as though they are scrutinizing each and every goal in search of an excuse to mark it off. The worst thing about it is that it looked like the referee had given the goal at first!

SamIt’s arguable if Mac Allister’s “handball” was a handball at all. Stranger still is the extent to which the VAR disallowed the goal.

In the interval between the incident and Jarell Quansah’s goal, Toulouse even managed to win the ball back.

Joe Gomez, Paddy. As a left-back by trade, Kostas Tsimikas has had his opportunity, and you would think that he would have seized it.

However, I believe that their first-team error reflects poorly on him as a football player—he’s a slacker who is constantly a step behind—and that he hasn’t truly demonstrated anything since 2021/22 to suggest that he’s a long-term possibility.

TomI really do adore Tsimikas, but lately he hasn’t been acting right. Perhaps instead of starting Brentford there, I would consider starting Gomez.

SamDespite his recent underwhelming performances, I would have typically stuck with Tsimikas for games at Anfield.

But I would rather see Gomez there because Bryan Mbeumo and Frank Onyeka of Brentford may cause problems over there.

Although neither is perfect, I personally would have played Luke Chambers on Thursday.