He has to start on the left” – Liverpool fans react to Florian Wirtz performance against Real Madrid | OneFootball

Liverpool outclass Real Madrid as Slot’s structure begins to take shape

Liverpool’s 1–0 win over Real Madrid at Anfield felt like more than a narrow Champions League victory. It was a night when structure, purpose and intensity finally merged — the clearest sign yet that Arne Slot’s methods are beginning to take hold. On Anfield Index’s post-match show, Trev Downey, Dave Hendrick and Hari Sethi reflected on a performance that combined control with conviction, and perhaps even hinted at something sustainable.

Wirtz, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai define a balanced midfield

Dave Hendrick was the first to frame the evening’s narrative. “That’s our best performance since Spurs back in April,” he said. “We finally looked like a real football team again.”

His reasoning was clear: balance. With Florian Wirtz starting from the left and drifting inside, Liverpool found attacking rhythm without losing defensive shape. Dominik Szoboszlai’s dynamism and Alexis Mac Allister’s authority at the base created a midfield that could press, protect and play in equal measure.

“When Mac Allister plays well, we play well,” Hendrick added. “He might even be the most important player we have right now. When he’s on his game, we look like an organised group of footballers, not like lads picked up in the park.”

Trev Downey noted how that chemistry allowed Liverpool to connect their lines for the first time in weeks. Szoboszlai’s distribution and energy gave the side a heartbeat, while Wirtz’s positional intelligence stretched Real Madrid’s press. As Hari Sethi put it: “It was the happiest I’ve been watching Liverpool for a very long time. You could actually see a structure that works.”

Photo: IMAGO

Full-backs rediscover their bite as Bradley shines

Much of Liverpool’s aggression came from the flanks. Hendrick called Conor Bradley’s display “his best since that night against Chelsea,” while Sethi praised the young defender’s control against Vinícius Jr. “We’ve talked about him needing to be disciplined,” Sethi said. “Tonight he was just that — strong in the tackle, brave on the ball, and much better in possession.”

On the opposite side, Andy Robertson rolled back the years with a commanding performance that set the tone for the back line. “That’s Robbo’s best performance in maybe three years,” Hendrick observed. “He looked like the player who used to give you eight out of ten every week.”

Behind them, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté provided a foundation that allowed the rest of the team to express themselves. Goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili earned further plaudits, producing a calm, decisive display that had Hendrick predicting a bright future: “If you want the blueprint for what he can become, just look at Courtois. The raw materials are all there.”

Mac Allister strikes as Liverpool’s superiority shows

For all Liverpool’s dominance, they needed a set-piece to translate it into reward. On 59 minutes, Szoboszlai’s curling free-kick was met by a thunderous Mac Allister header that even Thibaut Courtois couldn’t stop.

“It’s unsaveable,” Hendrick said. “It’s so close to Courtois’s head that he’d have had a better chance if he’d just taken it in the face. But that’s Mac — pure conviction, pure timing.”

Sethi saw the goal as a sign that Liverpool’s key figures were finally in sync. “It’s the best we’ve seen Mac Allister look this season,” he said. “He’s turned the corner, and when he does that, the team follows.”

Courtois’s brilliance prevented a more comfortable scoreline, but Liverpool’s control was absolute. They finished with nearly triple Real Madrid’s shots and double their expected goals. Downey pointed out that even amid VAR chaos — including a baffling non-call on Aurélien Tchouaméni’s clear handball — the side stayed composed. “The sense of injustice only seemed to focus them,” he said. “You could feel the crowd feeding off it.”

Crowd unity and Slot’s growing imprint

The Anfield atmosphere had a defiant edge. When former Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold entered for Madrid, the boos were loud, but the subsequent rendition of “Liverpool” and “Steven Gerrard” chants quickly reaffirmed where the focus lay. “That reaction summed it up,” Sethi noted. “The crowd was united, the team was united — everything felt coherent again.”

Hendrick, reflecting on Arne Slot’s tactical evolution, suggested the Dutchman may have found his formula almost by accident. “It hasn’t worked with Wirtz as a number ten,” he said. “But on the left, with last season’s midfield behind him, it clicks. You don’t mess with something that finally works.”

Downey echoed that sentiment. “It’s amazing to think this team still has another gear,” he said. “You can sense belief returning — not blind faith, but something built on substance.”

Liverpool’s 1–0 win over Real Madrid won’t erase the season’s earlier frustrations, but it might serve as the foundation for everything that follows. Hendrick summed it up neatly: “If Mac Allister keeps playing like this, that title might not be gone just yet.”