John Aldridge reacts to Liverpool’s FA Cup win over Barnsley and Dominik Szoboszlai’s performance in the first half of his weekly ECHO column
Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai(Image: Getty Images)
Barnsley did well against Liverpool. They made things difficult. They lined up in a system they know we struggle against, but didn’t quite have the clientele to get something from the game.
But they had a good go and defended really well. They did well attacking, too. The 4-1 scoreline flattered Liverpool.
It took something we don’t do a lot to get the better of them – a long-range shot. We try to walk it in. We’ve all seen the slow, sideways passing when trying to break through a packed defence, it’s frustrating.
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But Dominik Szoboszlai’s goal got us underway. We need to have a pop from distance more often. It was a fantastic goal and he’s well capable of that. As are Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch. I don’t understand why we don’t shoot from long-range more often.
We should do it more. The players have the quality and it boosts the crowd. But after his goal, comes the mistake that lets Barnsley back into it. Szoboszlai made a mess of it. It’s kamikaze.
You don’t do that in your own six-yard box. I’ve never seen that in 60 years of going to Anfield. He’ll never do that again. Even in midfield, you don’t do that, never mind your own six-yard box.
It’s a bad moment but he’s still probably our best player. I’ve seen people say he was being disrespectful. I think there is a better word for it than that.
It’s a mental mistake and he’ll learn from it. He knows himself. You want the ground to swallow you up when you make a mistake like that.
It was a mad moment. I don’t know what was going on in his head. You don’t do that against anyone. But he’ll learn from his mistake.
Fantastic Frimpong
Jeremie Frimpong has been in great form since returning from injury. He deserved his goal against Barnsley.
Like Szoboszlai’s finish, it was another great strike. He has a goal and three assists now since coming back into the side. It has been a great spell for him. He provides something different to our other players. He is electric, he is just so fast.
Pace is something we need in the team. We’ve missed Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak is obviously out at the moment. Diaz left last summer but Frimpong certainly provides it.
I’d just like to see us do more from crosses. His final ball can be hit and miss but he’s still putting it into an area and we’re not making the most of it.
A lot of crosses go to the back stick but no-one is there. As a striker, you start your run at the back and go from back post to near post.
You don’t go near post unless you know the ball is going there. That is something we are all all taught and something the players will all know. So why aren’t we doing more from crosses? We put great balls into the box but there was no-one attacking them.
It took the substitutions for us to really clinch the victory. It was a big bonus to see Florian Wirtz and Ekitike both get a goal and an assist.
That relationship is blossoming really nicely. It bodes well for the future.
Up for the Cup
Arne Slot knew last year that he made the wrong decision with his selection against Plymouth. It was different against Palace this year where his hand was forced more.
This is the FA Cup though. We have great history in it and we have to take this competition very seriously.
I understand the concern last year. We had a lot of games, we were going for the title.
But we’re out of the title-race now. We’re just going for the Champions League places. Winning the Champions League is going to be tough too, so we need to go for the FA Cup big time.
