Before saying anything about the game, one should set the overarching context for LFC. Coming off a 0-5 hammering at City, it was vital to shake off any sense of trauma and get some points on the board. LFC had to do this against a team that brought back bad memories for Pool and which is, despite some depletions, still a strong La Liga outfit. Moreover, LFC had been absent from the UCL for three years (and few in their squad have much UCL experience, with the exception of new signing Oxlade-Chamberlain), while Sevilla is a seasoned practitioner, especially when their unprecedented Europa League success is taken into account.
In this context, the outcome of the game was a mild success for Pool. Even after a conceding a silly opener early in the game, which, in light of the trauma of the last league game might have torched nerves and deflated confidence, they attacked in a way that suggested genuine will and self-belief. It was Klopp-vintage LFC attacking football - relentless and remorseless. Well, it would have been really remorseless had they put the game out of reach by half-time, which they were capable of doing. Moreno's sparkling performance, which perhaps for him came with some personal vindication after how many blamed him for Pool's capitulation in the Europa League final against the same opposition a year ago, is also indicative of Klopp's ability to improve players, even those that have been long written off (oh how one wishes that would rub off soon on the centerbacks).
But it also turns out that the game was a Klopp-vintage LFC performance in another manner, this time not in a positive way: conceding a late goal when leading and in firm control. Psychologically, for fans at least, it's one of those cases where at ten minutes in, one goal down and with the memory of a five-goal surrender painfully fresh, you would have taken a draw at the end. Being dominant and having Sevilla on the ropes, only to once again blow it because of a not-especially mesmerising goal (and thankfully Sevilla put a late chance wide with the goal gaping) feels somewhat like a letdown. That the goals were down to the usual culprits - individual error (for the first one) and a collective lapse of concentration (for the second) - won't do much to dispel the gloom.
It increasingly seems like Pool's form towards the end of the last season - where they scored fewer goals but were also much tighter defensive - was an aberration. That's not necessarily a bad thing: I thought that those outcomes flattered Pool somewhat, as they were certainly weaker in attack but defensively seemed to be getting away with more. Moreover, they were frequently up against teams with much less to play for.
Having said all that, I think it's still too early to pass judgment on how the next few months will turn out. There is a possibility that the relatively tough early games have helped Klopp iron out his team a little more and perhaps motivated them better after the recent mixed results. It also has to be noted that LFC are still playing without Coutinho. We can't really be sure till October. In the meantime, next up is Burnley, the kind of physical, well-organised side that typically thrives against Pool. It may not be platform for bouncing back from the City game that fans hope for.
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