Liverpool stormed into the group stages of the Champions League on Tuesday night after blitzing Hoffenheim at Anfield in the first twenty minutes to take an unassailable 3-0 lead before eventually running out 4-2 winners on the night and an aggregate 6-3 win.
It was an impressive start by Liverpool that overwhelmed the Germans, a high tempo pressing game combined with some superb passing and movement put the tie to bed inside the first twenty minutes.
But Hoffenheim helped Liverpool with their tactics, they continued to play with a high defensive line at Anfield, tactical suicide against a Liverpool side with so much pace in attack.
Mane, Salah and Firmino enjoyed the space given to get behind the German’s defence on numerous occasions, Hoffenheim’s tactics certainly helped the game become an entertaining spectacle with their own intentions of attack that caused Liverpool more than a few problems.
But how many teams are going to come to Anfield this season and play with the tactics Hoffenhiem deployed ?
Not many, it doesn’t matter if Liverpool are playing in Europe or in the Premier League, not many teams are going to make the game as open as Hoffenheim did the other night.
Teams will come to Anfield and sit deep like Crystal Palace did last Saturday and try to frustrate Liverpool’s attack and try and hit on the break like we saw many times last season, and apart from Liverpool counter-attacking, Mane and Salah’s pace will be nullified with little space to work in.
Can, Wijnaldum and even Henderson were all pushing forward against Hoffenheim but Liverpool were still vulnerable when they lost possession with too many men forward and it didn’t help with Moreno ignorant to the fact that he is a left-back.
It is a totally different game when teams come and park the bus and Liverpool’s midfield of Can, Wijnaldum and Henderson don’t have the creativity to unlock well disciplined, deep-lying defences.
This is why Liverpool must hold on to Coutinho now because it is too late in the transfer window to find a replacement, he is the only player that can open up packed defences with his ability.
Liverpool will destroy teams that come to Anfield with the same approach as Hoffenheim but don’t expect to see too many being brave enough.
The Kopite View 
Coutinho isn’t even that good at opening up defences hence the reason he takes so many shots from outside the box when getting frustrated. He overplays at times and the weight of his passes aren’t that great. It sounds like you were trying to describe Eriksen instead of Coutinho.
First perceptive comments on the midweek game I’ve heard. All the mainstream media seem to think all games will be like this at Anfield from now on. These are professional paid journalists, they can’t even be bothered to watch how Hoffenheim play their football. Little wonder Klopp doesn’t read what they write.