After watching highlights and then the full game yesterday, here's some ratings. I know match summaries don't feel complete until I have provided them.
It's quite tempting to go totally overboard when you watch a game like that, in which there was such a crushing dominance it's hard to highlight the best performers, or examine any deficiencies. There is a slight irritation that we seem incapable of keeping a clean sheet, and perhaps we should have scored a few more, but in all honesty you can't complain when you batter the opposition 5-1 at home. Even if it is "only Hull". This was a marvellous, thrilling display.
Karius (5). Hard to score, given how little he had to do. Rooted to the spot as the opposition scored their customary goal from a set-piece, but otherwise unemployed. No idea how good he is or isn't yet.
Clyne (7) Scurried up and down the wing all afternoon, showing plenty of industry and graft. Not as effective offensively as Milner on the other side, but no shame in that.
Matip (7) Assured and dominant on the floor and in the air, it's very early to make a judgement, but I'm already glad he's playing and Sakho isn't.
Klavan (7) Impressive use of the ball, with one or two splendidly incisive passes. Unruffled, but Hull didn't really show much in attack.
Milner (9) One moment when he looked like a right-footed midfielder playing at left-back. For the rest of the 90 minutes, he was imperious; started several attacks, rarely wasted a pass, beat his man time and again, and scored two penalties. Like watching a cross between Nicol and Finnan. Magnificent
Henderson (8) I wasn't too confident about him as the holding midfielder, but he is performing at an impressive level, and looking very much the part. Controlled the centre well, and then launched several attacks from deep. I like it.
Lallana (9) He gives everything he's got. Selfless running and effort, he gobbled up space and sucked up any time Hull thought they had on the ball, and then he used it brilliantly. His Cruyff turns were making space and a creative weapon, and he was a danger from start to finish. Making goals, scoring goals, on this form he is unstoppable.
Wijnaldum (8) Another game of quietly effective industry, guile and effort. He had a couple of decent attempts at goal, and seemed to be making and effort to be more adventurous and attacking, but he also did a lot of the less glamorous work just ahead of Henderson, linking play well and always offering himself for the pass.
Mane (8) Three goals, three assists, non-stop panic in the opposition. His blazing pace, goals and attacking instincts have been the catalyst for much of our devastating attacking play this season, and he showed off more subtle close control and trickery in this game.
Coutinho (9) He was swapping and switching position with Lallana all game, and the more central position and fluid formation seemed very much to his liking. He carried on from where he left off in the game against Derby, making some brilliant passes and attacking runs, before lashing in another Coutinho special from outside the box. Afforded way too much space by Hull he ran the show at times.
Firmino (7) Not as eye-catching as the likes of Mane and Coutinho, he was still influential and some of his control and passing was lovely. Makes so many good runs to open up space too. More goals would be nice though, he hasn't scored in 5 out of 6 Premiership games and that needs to improve.
It's quite tempting to go totally overboard when you watch a game like that, in which there was such a crushing dominance it's hard to highlight the best performers, or examine any deficiencies. There is a slight irritation that we seem incapable of keeping a clean sheet, and perhaps we should have scored a few more, but in all honesty you can't complain when you batter the opposition 5-1 at home. Even if it is "only Hull". This was a marvellous, thrilling display.
Karius (5). Hard to score, given how little he had to do. Rooted to the spot as the opposition scored their customary goal from a set-piece, but otherwise unemployed. No idea how good he is or isn't yet.
Clyne (7) Scurried up and down the wing all afternoon, showing plenty of industry and graft. Not as effective offensively as Milner on the other side, but no shame in that.
Matip (7) Assured and dominant on the floor and in the air, it's very early to make a judgement, but I'm already glad he's playing and Sakho isn't.
Klavan (7) Impressive use of the ball, with one or two splendidly incisive passes. Unruffled, but Hull didn't really show much in attack.
Milner (9) One moment when he looked like a right-footed midfielder playing at left-back. For the rest of the 90 minutes, he was imperious; started several attacks, rarely wasted a pass, beat his man time and again, and scored two penalties. Like watching a cross between Nicol and Finnan. Magnificent
Henderson (8) I wasn't too confident about him as the holding midfielder, but he is performing at an impressive level, and looking very much the part. Controlled the centre well, and then launched several attacks from deep. I like it.
Lallana (9) He gives everything he's got. Selfless running and effort, he gobbled up space and sucked up any time Hull thought they had on the ball, and then he used it brilliantly. His Cruyff turns were making space and a creative weapon, and he was a danger from start to finish. Making goals, scoring goals, on this form he is unstoppable.
Wijnaldum (8) Another game of quietly effective industry, guile and effort. He had a couple of decent attempts at goal, and seemed to be making and effort to be more adventurous and attacking, but he also did a lot of the less glamorous work just ahead of Henderson, linking play well and always offering himself for the pass.
Mane (8) Three goals, three assists, non-stop panic in the opposition. His blazing pace, goals and attacking instincts have been the catalyst for much of our devastating attacking play this season, and he showed off more subtle close control and trickery in this game.
Coutinho (9) He was swapping and switching position with Lallana all game, and the more central position and fluid formation seemed very much to his liking. He carried on from where he left off in the game against Derby, making some brilliant passes and attacking runs, before lashing in another Coutinho special from outside the box. Afforded way too much space by Hull he ran the show at times.
Firmino (7) Not as eye-catching as the likes of Mane and Coutinho, he was still influential and some of his control and passing was lovely. Makes so many good runs to open up space too. More goals would be nice though, he hasn't scored in 5 out of 6 Premiership games and that needs to improve.
