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

Liverpool marked Jurgen Klopp‘s final away game in charge by playing out a chaotic 3-3 draw with Aston Villa, with a familiar feeling around their performance.

Aston Villa 3-3 Liverpool

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

Goals: 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 required to ensure this team is no longer involved in games quite as open as this one going forward.

But that is to miss the fact that the Reds’ sometimes ludicrously aggressive approach comes from a choice made by Jurgen Klopp, one which was perfectly underlined by Youri Tielemans’ goal.

For example, had Alexis Mac Allister been playing for Man City or Arsenal, his job when picking up possession just inside his own half with a 1-0 lead already secured would have been to safely progress the ball in a careful manner so that the opposition might ultimately be penned in their own box.

Instead, the Argentine tried a needless killer pass that was intercepted, resulting in Ollie Watkins standing up Jarell Quansah for a one-on-one he was never going to win and setting up an equaliser.

Clearly, ahead of this season, Klopp weighed up the risks and rewards of constantly going for the opposition jugular and decided it was the best way for his team to pick up points – and he has been proven right to some extent on the basis of the league table.

But there is a strong case that a slightly less full-throttle style might help the Reds find a little more control, and that is surely something Arne Slot will prize as he looks to squeeze more out of this squad.

Mac Allister form has fallen away

It is not a concern that Klopp is likely to lose sleep over given his imminent departure, but there is no denying that Alexis Mac Allister‘s form has fallen away of late.

Having emerged as arguably the most influential player in the squad around February, the Argentine has struggled to stamp his mark on matches quite as frequently during the run-in.

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

Clearly, there are no major concerns over a player who has for large parts of the campaign looked like an absolute steal at £35 million.

But the new manager will be keen to ensure the midfielder more consistently shows his best during his second season at Anfield.

More to come from Quansah

Given his renowned commitment to perfecting his game, Quansah is sure to spend plenty of time analysing the moment that saw him beaten by Watkins for Villa’s equaliser.

But while the youngster is right to feel that he could have done better in that situation, the upsides of his performance – and indeed the magnificent season as a whole he has enjoyed – should not be forgotten.

In the main, this was another composed showing from the 21-year-old that saw him win three out of three tackles and five of his eight duels, and he even added a goal of his own with a booming header at the other end to make it 3-1.

That Quansah can get even better given the level he is already playing at is hugely exciting, and the experiences of this campaign, including this madness, are sure to prove helpful in that regard.

Tsimikas facing 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 surely noteworthy.

As things stand, the Greek is the club’s third-choice left-back behind Andy Robertson and Joe Gomez, and isn’t capable of picking up minutes in any other position, either.

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

At the age of 28, he will surely be ready to play more frequently, and would leave having achieved his aim of picking up winner’s medals during his stay at Anfield.

His future looks like one to keep an eye on once the season comes to its conclusion.

One more game to go

While many Liverpool fans’ focus will be on the fact that Liverpool threw this one away, a third-placed finish in the Premier League was ultimately already settled on no matter the result tonight.

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

Now, the German will head back to Merseyside to prepare a Liverpool team for the weekend’s fixture for the final time after an incredible eight-and-a-half years in charge.

An emotional, unforgettable Anfield send-off awaits, one that supporters should do all they can to soak up.