The first part of John Aldridge's ECHO column assesses Saturday's 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur
It was another step in the right direction for Liverpool on Saturday as they made it six games unbeaten with a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. That might be the main takeaway from another positive result for Arne Slot but you have to say the final few minutes bordered on comical at times.
Look, it's three points, Arne Slot and his players are up to fifth and closing in on the top four with two very winnable games against Wolves and Leeds at home next, but it was concerning how little they were able to dominate, despite playing so long against 10 and then against nine.
It happened at Newcastle back in August too. When Anthony Gordon got sent off, it allowed Liverpool to go 2-0 up at St James' Park but they never dominated and allowed the hosts back into the game that night, securing a victory with a dramatic, 100th-minute winner via teenager Rio Ngumoha.
And it nearly happened again on Saturday. Despite having the man advantage for so long, they were not able to control the way Slot would have liked and had Spurs not been reduced to nine after Cristian Romero's kick on Ibrahima Konate, Thomas Frank's men might have earned a battling point that would have felt like a win for them.
Liverpool seem to start so many games slowly nowadays. There's little movement up front, there's a lack of pace and the build up at the back is so slow and ponderous at times that it makes it easy for the opposition to defend. We know players like Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez have moved on and as a result it looks like it has taken a lot of pace out of the team, even more so when there is no Mohamed Salah to call on.
Perhaps a lot of our expectations come from having a Jurgen Klopp style to watch for so long? Back then it was quick and crazy and at times chaotic, but it's what we got used to and what made Liverpool a very successful team during that period. This is different.
Of course, it is what helped the team win the Premier League last time out but now, the Reds look like they have few ideas in the final third. It's gone from being manic to more of a slow-burn. The pressing and the speed isn't there up top right now.
Slot's players have had real trouble defending leads this season. Four times already they have let a two-goal advantage slip - against Bournemouth, Newcastle, Atletico Madrid and Leeds United - and they looked in real danger of doing it again against Spurs, who were huffing and puffing with 10 and then nine.
It would have been ludicrous had Liverpool not won that given how long they had more players for. We're just not seeing a team that knows how to dominate a game at the moment, despite what is now a decent unbeaten run of six games across all competitions.
The thing that really frightened me most is how blind panic set in whenever Spurs had a corner. There seemed to be a real fear that set in and we know Liverpool have been poor at defending set-pieces this season and it looks as though the players are aware of that too because they all panicked. It's unbelievable.
If you look at the Spurs goal, it was ridiculous from Liverpool's perspective. Whoever is coaching these set-pieces needs to spend some more time on it with these players because they look so scared at the moment. Why the panic? Just go and attack the ball.
If you look at Liverpool teams of the past, they always had the likes of Graeme Souness or Ron Yates or Phil Thompson; players who would have led during those moments. You have to wonder if they have the same leadership there now? And I think Alisson Becker can take some more responsibility too to let his team-mates know that the six-yard box is his to defend, he can come and claim or punch. Just get rid.
The last 10 minutes against Spurs, I have to say, was a bit of a joke. But, like everyone else, I was delighted to see the three points return home with the team. Now they have to keep the heat on the teams above them with two fixtures that, on paper, look very winnable.
Merry Christmas all
As this is the final ECHO column before Christmas, I just want to wish everyone all the very best for the holiday season ahead, even you Evertonians!
Your support for this column is greatly appreciated and after a year of huge changes at Liverpool, let's hope for a successful second half of the campaign for Arne Slot and his players.