It's not something any Liverpool supporter wants to think about, but right now Liverpool are winning in the same way Manchester United was winning earlier in the season. The wins aren't pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but at this stage of the season three points is really all that matters. Liverpool dominated most of the play in the opening 45, but failed to make a notch on the scoreboard. Roberto Firmino blasted one off the post in the 25th minute after faking out two defenders. Firmino was very solid in the first half, but just could not add to his league goal tally, which only sits at one currently. Firmino was also denied with a spectacular save by Vito Mannone off his header in the 36th.
Liverpool had 66% of the possession in the first half, but couldn't break down the Sunderland defense. As the game moved along, the Blackcats came close to countering as well. The back four switched off for a moment and former Red, Fabio Borini almost poached a goal in the 33rd. Sunderland also wasted a dangerous free kick when Adam Johnson skied it from just outside the box after a foolish challenge from Sakho.
Whether by skill or pure luck, Benteke took advantage of an early miscue by the Sunderland defenders and Liverpool scored only seconds into the second half. The pass seemed to go through several bodies without taking a solid touch only to find the Belgian alone in the box behind everyone as he slotted it just past the keeper. After that, there was very little to speak of for either team, both positively or negatively. Liverpool were extremely clumsy in the 77th minute and almost conceded. A poor Firmino clearance almost led to a goal. Late substitute, Jordan Ibe, butchered a chance in the 88th minute that would have sealed the game by smashing the shot over the bar. Then Benteke did the same as he shot into the goaltender in the 92nd.
Ultimately the three points were earned and the team moved up to seventh and within five points of a Champions League spot. They also tied themselves on points with hated rival, Manchester United. Much like their rivals, the wins have not been visually pleasing to the fans but they all count the same at the end of the year. The interesting thing to view has been the different trajectories of the teams. Despite being equal on points, United is in crisis and might fire their manager while Liverpool are on more of a slow, steady rise and are being praised for falling in line with Jurgen Klopp.
One of the things that remains a concern is the lack of goals. Liverpool are currently the only team in the top ten that are not on the positive side of goal differential. Liverpool's main problem seems to be they win games by one goal and then lose by multiple goals. As well as the Red's defense can play at times, they need to figure out a way to score more frequently. The defense is not good enough to win all the games for the team, so more goals are an absolute must. The same is said for the Red Devils. It's not an enviable position for Liverpool fans to be in - to be compared to anything from Manchester - but when the Champions League and even the top of the league is still within at least a dream, then the Reds will take it.
Random Thoughts:
- I'd like to thank either NBC Sports or ATT Uverse for saying the game started at 2pm. I turned it on a minute after 2 and the game was already 16 minutes in. At least nothing major happened.
- The sport is one of inconsistency, but the Brazilians of Liverpool need to find a way to do more in every game. While Firmino had a pretty decent showing, Coutinho was almost nonexistent.
- Say what you will about the tackle, but many Reds' fans had to be worried when Sakho looked to be injured. Skrtel is already nursing an injury and Sakho, himself, only recently returned from injury. With only Kolo Toure in central defense left, any further injury might force Emre Can back into the uncomfortable role of defender.
Walk On
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Liverpool's Boxing Day Match Ends In Victory
Merry Christmas to all the Reds fans out there. Hopefully you all had a wonderful holiday spent with family, friends or perhaps some alone time if you had too much of the prior two. On to the point - Liverpool. The Reds came out very nicely against the league leaders, Leicester City.
Outside of a quick chance in the first two minutes, a header from Jamie Vardy about halfway through the first half and a huge save from Simon Mingolet against Mahrez late in the half, it was mostly Liverpool in the attacking third. Liverpool looked like a classic LFC squad playing against what Leicester would normally be thought of as. It was pure dominance by the team in Christmas red. Unfortunately for the Kop and for fans around the world, Liverpool could not find the back of the net in the opening half.
They had plenty of opportunities. Divock Origi was extremely lively in the striker role. Coutinho was causing loads of problems in a roaming role when on attack. There were lots of good runs and pushes toward goal. Yet, again, Liverpool could not find paydirt. Their best chances included a header from Sakho, a shot from Origi that almost snuck past Kasper Schmeichel on the near side and another on the far side that just skimmed wide.
The big question would be whether Liverpool would rue their missed chances to poach a goal against the team that was top of the table. Unfortunately for the Reds, their best attacker couldn't make it through the entire half. Origi, though very inconsistent game to game, looked the most likely man to score out of the entire 22 on the pitch. He picked up an apparent injury and could not finish the half, ceding his position to Christian Benteke who has been out of form and out of the lineup.
Liverpool continued their offensive play in the second half as well. With the scoreline being what it was, Leicester pushed forward into a few more counters, but it was still mostly Liverpool in possession and in the offensive third. Then, with a little under half an hour left in the game, Liverpool finally found a little gold.
Benteke managed to find a bit of space toward the top of the box and was found with the cross. The big Belgian had to stretch to reach the ball, but got the perfect amount of touch with his right foot to slide it past the defenders and beat the keeper. Anfield rose to life with that tally and though Liverpool stayed on the attack, it was now on the much maligned Liverpool defense and goalkeeper to keep the three points.
The team would need them as the Foxes started knocking on the doorstep. Mingolet managed a top notch save in the 74th minute, only to struggle on a couple ensuing set pieces. Sakho was in perfect position, whether by design or luck, and saved a potential goal, allowing Mingolet to claim it off his thigh in the 82nd minute. The Liverpool defenders held off mad scrambles toward the end of regulation and in fact went the full 90 without conceding.
Liverpool almost butchered the game in stoppage time however. The Leicester keeper was joining the attack and not only did Benteke fail to score on an empty net - allowing the block from a defender - but Leicester almost created a score at the death. In the end, it was an incredibly hard earned three points and Liverpool were the deserving victors. They changed their own formation to force Leicester into unfamiliar situations, they had tons of energy and performed every facet of the game well enough to get the win. While the Boxing Day match was a bit too much of a boxing match toward the end of the game, it was still a good performance by the Reds and a good way to cap off the holiday.
Random Thoughts:
- Christian Benteke is quickly becoming Mario Balotelli without the attitude and distraction. You can tell the talent is there, but it is quite incomplete right now. While the missed goal in stoppage time was the cherry on top, Benteke is simply an enigma right now. Coming into the year everyone said Origi was the incomplete forward and Benteke was already more of a finished product. Based on performance and the clear opinion of the manager, that situation seems to be reversed right now.
- The Brazilian duo of Coutinho and Firmino are also a bit maddening. Coutinho was fantastic in the first half only to disappear, aside from his near goal skimming off the top netting, in the second half. Firmino has flashes, brief glimpses but little more. Much like Benteke, you can tell the skill is there but he still struggles to adjust to the English game.
- Outside of one or two minor mistakes, Dejan Lovren had a very good game. He will likely never shake his current status with many Liverpool fans but his performance against the Foxes was exactly what many expected from him when he signed.
Walk On
Outside of a quick chance in the first two minutes, a header from Jamie Vardy about halfway through the first half and a huge save from Simon Mingolet against Mahrez late in the half, it was mostly Liverpool in the attacking third. Liverpool looked like a classic LFC squad playing against what Leicester would normally be thought of as. It was pure dominance by the team in Christmas red. Unfortunately for the Kop and for fans around the world, Liverpool could not find the back of the net in the opening half.
They had plenty of opportunities. Divock Origi was extremely lively in the striker role. Coutinho was causing loads of problems in a roaming role when on attack. There were lots of good runs and pushes toward goal. Yet, again, Liverpool could not find paydirt. Their best chances included a header from Sakho, a shot from Origi that almost snuck past Kasper Schmeichel on the near side and another on the far side that just skimmed wide.
The big question would be whether Liverpool would rue their missed chances to poach a goal against the team that was top of the table. Unfortunately for the Reds, their best attacker couldn't make it through the entire half. Origi, though very inconsistent game to game, looked the most likely man to score out of the entire 22 on the pitch. He picked up an apparent injury and could not finish the half, ceding his position to Christian Benteke who has been out of form and out of the lineup.
Liverpool continued their offensive play in the second half as well. With the scoreline being what it was, Leicester pushed forward into a few more counters, but it was still mostly Liverpool in possession and in the offensive third. Then, with a little under half an hour left in the game, Liverpool finally found a little gold.
Benteke managed to find a bit of space toward the top of the box and was found with the cross. The big Belgian had to stretch to reach the ball, but got the perfect amount of touch with his right foot to slide it past the defenders and beat the keeper. Anfield rose to life with that tally and though Liverpool stayed on the attack, it was now on the much maligned Liverpool defense and goalkeeper to keep the three points.
The team would need them as the Foxes started knocking on the doorstep. Mingolet managed a top notch save in the 74th minute, only to struggle on a couple ensuing set pieces. Sakho was in perfect position, whether by design or luck, and saved a potential goal, allowing Mingolet to claim it off his thigh in the 82nd minute. The Liverpool defenders held off mad scrambles toward the end of regulation and in fact went the full 90 without conceding.
Liverpool almost butchered the game in stoppage time however. The Leicester keeper was joining the attack and not only did Benteke fail to score on an empty net - allowing the block from a defender - but Leicester almost created a score at the death. In the end, it was an incredibly hard earned three points and Liverpool were the deserving victors. They changed their own formation to force Leicester into unfamiliar situations, they had tons of energy and performed every facet of the game well enough to get the win. While the Boxing Day match was a bit too much of a boxing match toward the end of the game, it was still a good performance by the Reds and a good way to cap off the holiday.
Random Thoughts:
- Christian Benteke is quickly becoming Mario Balotelli without the attitude and distraction. You can tell the talent is there, but it is quite incomplete right now. While the missed goal in stoppage time was the cherry on top, Benteke is simply an enigma right now. Coming into the year everyone said Origi was the incomplete forward and Benteke was already more of a finished product. Based on performance and the clear opinion of the manager, that situation seems to be reversed right now.
- The Brazilian duo of Coutinho and Firmino are also a bit maddening. Coutinho was fantastic in the first half only to disappear, aside from his near goal skimming off the top netting, in the second half. Firmino has flashes, brief glimpses but little more. Much like Benteke, you can tell the skill is there but he still struggles to adjust to the English game.
- Outside of one or two minor mistakes, Dejan Lovren had a very good game. He will likely never shake his current status with many Liverpool fans but his performance against the Foxes was exactly what many expected from him when he signed.
Walk On
Sunday, December 20, 2015
The Force Is Not Strong With Liverpool Against Watford
My apologies for the title, but after a game like that one has to try and pick up their spirits. You know the day is not going to go well when the club allow a goal such as the one given up in the first few minutes. Rarely, in this writer's eyes, is the goalkeeper truly to blame for a goal but Adam Bogdan was at fault for the opening goal of the contest.
It appeared as though Bogdan overjumped in his attempt to claim the ball and had to adjust the position of his hands. He spilled the ball and while a case could be made that it was kicked from his grasp, you still expect a Premier League goalkeeper to be able to handle that sort of ball. Bogdan again looked panicked in the 34th minute when he wildly attempted to punch a ball that he could have easily claimed it. That original play did solidify two things, however. Firstly, Liverpool may be the worst they've ever been in the last three seasons at set pieces.
Whether corner kicks or free kicks, the Reds seem completely inept and unable to defend. Fans, quite rightly, shake in their boots every time because it's as though you can sense the goal will be conceded. Even when they do not concede, they never really look very confident during the transaction.
Secondly, unless a transfer can be made in the January window, perhaps the question of whether Bogdan should start over Simon Mingolet is now put to rest. It was by no means a majority, but there were growing rumbles that Bogdan should be given a look instead of Mingolet. He was given that chance and botched it almost from the start. Bogdan was a hero in the penalty shoot out in the league cup, but those competitions are probably where his talents are best served.
The Reds tried to do something positive. They had a blast from Nathaniel Clyne blocked in the ninth minute and then an opportunity again in the 11th. Despite any of that, Liverpool never really looked settled into the game. Understandably, they may have been complacent due to the fact that the club had not lost to Watford in the league in this century.
But the players needed to realize the position of their opponent in the table, not necessarily only focus on the name of the team. The Hornets currently sit in seventh, but have been as high as fifth at times this season and Liverpool treated them as though they were a team from the relegation zone. Liverpool never seemed interested or ready to match the energy and the physicality of their exuberant foes.
Liverpool just seemed completely unaware for the majority of the fixture. That point was nevermore evident than in the 38th minute. Adam Lallana was driving at the defender with Jordan Henderson streaking up the wing. Instead of easily finding his teammate, Lallana had a poor touch and took it right into the defender. No attack was gained at all
The game, as a whole, also showed what has been evident from the entire league this season but has now reared its head for Liverpool - there is absolutely no team this season that is very good. No disrespect to Leicester City, because they have earned their top spot, but when they are the top team in the league you can tell that nobody else is playing up to standard.
Teams like Manchester City, Arsenal, Everton, Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool have just never gotten into a role for a long stretch. Liverpool can blow City out of the stadium and then drop games to Newcastle or Watford. The same has been true of all the "big clubs." There is absolutely nothing wrong with smaller clubs doing well or bigger ones struggling, but as far as the Reds are concerned, they had better figure out who they are and what they're truly capable of. If they do not, it will be another wasted season resting on the laurels of a coaching change as an excuse.
Random Thoughts:
- I believe Jurgen Klopp is doing the best he can, but these lineups without a true strikr are just not working with any consistency. No, Christian Benteke and Divock Origi have not lived up to expectation but they have to be given the opportunity. Granted, we do not see what these players do in training, but strikers have to be given the chance to produce.
- Can we please not start Adam Lallana? Just once? The man is talented, but he is completely lost right now. He provides nothing offensively or defensively outside of a rare moment or two. I see no reason why Lallana cannot sit on the bench while Firmino stays in his position and either Benteke or Origi play up front. The trio of Firmino, Coutinho and a true striker can't be any worse than a trio of nothing but wingers.
- Klopp's honeymoon is over. Not with the fans, but with the players. The German may be unwilling to change much in January, but he will have to make big changes to the club to fit how he wants to play. The current group of Reds don't seem to be able to do it right now.
Walk On
It appeared as though Bogdan overjumped in his attempt to claim the ball and had to adjust the position of his hands. He spilled the ball and while a case could be made that it was kicked from his grasp, you still expect a Premier League goalkeeper to be able to handle that sort of ball. Bogdan again looked panicked in the 34th minute when he wildly attempted to punch a ball that he could have easily claimed it. That original play did solidify two things, however. Firstly, Liverpool may be the worst they've ever been in the last three seasons at set pieces.
Whether corner kicks or free kicks, the Reds seem completely inept and unable to defend. Fans, quite rightly, shake in their boots every time because it's as though you can sense the goal will be conceded. Even when they do not concede, they never really look very confident during the transaction.
Secondly, unless a transfer can be made in the January window, perhaps the question of whether Bogdan should start over Simon Mingolet is now put to rest. It was by no means a majority, but there were growing rumbles that Bogdan should be given a look instead of Mingolet. He was given that chance and botched it almost from the start. Bogdan was a hero in the penalty shoot out in the league cup, but those competitions are probably where his talents are best served.
The Reds tried to do something positive. They had a blast from Nathaniel Clyne blocked in the ninth minute and then an opportunity again in the 11th. Despite any of that, Liverpool never really looked settled into the game. Understandably, they may have been complacent due to the fact that the club had not lost to Watford in the league in this century.
But the players needed to realize the position of their opponent in the table, not necessarily only focus on the name of the team. The Hornets currently sit in seventh, but have been as high as fifth at times this season and Liverpool treated them as though they were a team from the relegation zone. Liverpool never seemed interested or ready to match the energy and the physicality of their exuberant foes.
Liverpool just seemed completely unaware for the majority of the fixture. That point was nevermore evident than in the 38th minute. Adam Lallana was driving at the defender with Jordan Henderson streaking up the wing. Instead of easily finding his teammate, Lallana had a poor touch and took it right into the defender. No attack was gained at all
The game, as a whole, also showed what has been evident from the entire league this season but has now reared its head for Liverpool - there is absolutely no team this season that is very good. No disrespect to Leicester City, because they have earned their top spot, but when they are the top team in the league you can tell that nobody else is playing up to standard.
Teams like Manchester City, Arsenal, Everton, Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool have just never gotten into a role for a long stretch. Liverpool can blow City out of the stadium and then drop games to Newcastle or Watford. The same has been true of all the "big clubs." There is absolutely nothing wrong with smaller clubs doing well or bigger ones struggling, but as far as the Reds are concerned, they had better figure out who they are and what they're truly capable of. If they do not, it will be another wasted season resting on the laurels of a coaching change as an excuse.
Random Thoughts:
- I believe Jurgen Klopp is doing the best he can, but these lineups without a true strikr are just not working with any consistency. No, Christian Benteke and Divock Origi have not lived up to expectation but they have to be given the opportunity. Granted, we do not see what these players do in training, but strikers have to be given the chance to produce.
- Can we please not start Adam Lallana? Just once? The man is talented, but he is completely lost right now. He provides nothing offensively or defensively outside of a rare moment or two. I see no reason why Lallana cannot sit on the bench while Firmino stays in his position and either Benteke or Origi play up front. The trio of Firmino, Coutinho and a true striker can't be any worse than a trio of nothing but wingers.
- Klopp's honeymoon is over. Not with the fans, but with the players. The German may be unwilling to change much in January, but he will have to make big changes to the club to fit how he wants to play. The current group of Reds don't seem to be able to do it right now.
Walk On
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Liverpool Deserve Better, but Settle for a Point Against West Brom
Liverpool came in waves. They looked like scoring early in the game, pushing so many numbers forward at the West Brom defense. However they were unable to connect on the final ball that would've put them ahead. West Brom came back for a few moments and while they didn't truly create a scoring chance, they did enough to at least threaten. After gaining their composure, the Reds charged forward again and were rewarded.
After several close calls and missed passes, the Reds finally hit on all cylinders for a goal in the 21st minute. Coutinho, who was very good all half with the exception of his finishing, sent in a great cross to the far side of the box. Jordan Henderson finished off a header from Lallana that saw the captain in a bit of space in the area where all he had to do was get a good foot on it. Henderson did just that and put his team up by a goal. Sadly, for as good as Liverpool looked in attack, the lead did not last all that long.
Whether under Brendan Rodgers or Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have struggled on set pieces including corner kicks. Just such a play was where they were made to pay. Simon Mignolet came after the ball but missed on a wild, swinging punch. Despite the bevy of red shirts in the box, the follow-up shot found it's way through and Liverpool shockingly found themselves level. Even removing the sting of the goalkeeping mistake, it was a punch to the throat for Liverpool and their fans because West Brom really hadn't done enough to deserve to be on level footing.
Almost rubbing salt in the wound, West Brom looked like they had gone up by a goal on the stroke of halftime. Liverpool looked clueless on the set piece once again. They allowed three, if not four, attackers to get in behind them. Despite the fact that it was correctly ruled offside in the end, did not alleviate the fact the Reds appeared to be rooted into the field when the ball was struck. It was a rather disappointing way to end a fairly positive 45 minutes of play but only being level seemed much better as well.
The second half played out very similarly to the first. Liverpool came out with good energy and possession. Again, they looked more than capable of scoring within the first five to 10 minutes. Benteke barely missed a goal from a header in the 51st minute that would have really put a strangle on the momentum. The same could be said of Dejan Lovren's chance only minutes later. It was deflected out for a corner, but was just begging to be taken and claim the game for Liverpool.
Much the same way as the first half went, though, West Brom found themselves poaching something from the clutches of nothing. Again, coming off a set piece corner, Liverpool just looked lost and allowed Olsson to knick one in after his tally was wiped off the board with the offside call at the break. Similarly to the first half, it wasn't just disappointing to see the ball hit the back of the net but to also see it come from nothing. Liverpool were in charge of the match only to see it slip from there fingers, if only momentarily.
The Reds seemed to gain confidence on the pitch after a nasty injury to Lovren. Lallana had an opportunity to score in the 80th minute that was smartly saved, but should have been finished off as well. Benteke butchered a head ball chance a minute later. In the end though, luck favored Liverpool - at least in the grand sense.
Liverpool avoided disaster when Rondon mucked up a glorious chance in the 88th minute, spraying a shot wide when all he had was Mignolet to worry about. Moments later Henderson smashed an opportunity right at the goalkeeper and Jordan Ibe blasted one just wide after that. But then Liverpool were favored by fortune in the 97th. Origi, who came on puzzlingly for the injured Lovren, took advantage of the advantage given by the official. His shot was deflected off a defender into the back of the net and gained Liverpool the point they deserved.
While Liverpool probably should have gotten all three points, they deserved the one. The old adage says sometimes it is better to be lucky than good and that was true on this night. It was a mixture of relief, due to Liverpool almost losing to both Newcastle and West Brom, and the feeling of getting what was owed. Liverpool can't rely on that luck every match, but they'll take it for this one.
Random Thoughts:
- Overall, Adam Lallana had a pretty decent game. I still wonder what he has over the heads of Liverpool's managers. Whether Rodgers or Klopp, they continue to use Lallana in a starting role when he seems to do little on the field to deserve it. Granted, we are not there for daily training but it just doesn't seem like he produces enough to have that spot.
- Mignolet deserves some blame for the first West Brom goal, but not nearly the amount he will be given. I admit I am biased, being a keeper that also struggled on corner kicks, but people do not realize how difficult a skill it is to rightly judge the flight of a ball and connect with it when there are so many bodies in the box. There is constant chatter to get a new keeper, but Mingolet is one of the best pure shot stoppers around. Unless they can get someone who is a 100% upgrade, it would be foolish to seek out someone who is simply a little bit better at handling corner kicks.
- I am still a supporter of Brendan Rodgers, but those are the kind of games his teams would probably have lost. Jurgen Klopp has definitely instilled a huge amount of belief and energy in this LFC squad.
Walk On
After several close calls and missed passes, the Reds finally hit on all cylinders for a goal in the 21st minute. Coutinho, who was very good all half with the exception of his finishing, sent in a great cross to the far side of the box. Jordan Henderson finished off a header from Lallana that saw the captain in a bit of space in the area where all he had to do was get a good foot on it. Henderson did just that and put his team up by a goal. Sadly, for as good as Liverpool looked in attack, the lead did not last all that long.
Whether under Brendan Rodgers or Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool have struggled on set pieces including corner kicks. Just such a play was where they were made to pay. Simon Mignolet came after the ball but missed on a wild, swinging punch. Despite the bevy of red shirts in the box, the follow-up shot found it's way through and Liverpool shockingly found themselves level. Even removing the sting of the goalkeeping mistake, it was a punch to the throat for Liverpool and their fans because West Brom really hadn't done enough to deserve to be on level footing.
Almost rubbing salt in the wound, West Brom looked like they had gone up by a goal on the stroke of halftime. Liverpool looked clueless on the set piece once again. They allowed three, if not four, attackers to get in behind them. Despite the fact that it was correctly ruled offside in the end, did not alleviate the fact the Reds appeared to be rooted into the field when the ball was struck. It was a rather disappointing way to end a fairly positive 45 minutes of play but only being level seemed much better as well.
The second half played out very similarly to the first. Liverpool came out with good energy and possession. Again, they looked more than capable of scoring within the first five to 10 minutes. Benteke barely missed a goal from a header in the 51st minute that would have really put a strangle on the momentum. The same could be said of Dejan Lovren's chance only minutes later. It was deflected out for a corner, but was just begging to be taken and claim the game for Liverpool.
Much the same way as the first half went, though, West Brom found themselves poaching something from the clutches of nothing. Again, coming off a set piece corner, Liverpool just looked lost and allowed Olsson to knick one in after his tally was wiped off the board with the offside call at the break. Similarly to the first half, it wasn't just disappointing to see the ball hit the back of the net but to also see it come from nothing. Liverpool were in charge of the match only to see it slip from there fingers, if only momentarily.
The Reds seemed to gain confidence on the pitch after a nasty injury to Lovren. Lallana had an opportunity to score in the 80th minute that was smartly saved, but should have been finished off as well. Benteke butchered a head ball chance a minute later. In the end though, luck favored Liverpool - at least in the grand sense.
Liverpool avoided disaster when Rondon mucked up a glorious chance in the 88th minute, spraying a shot wide when all he had was Mignolet to worry about. Moments later Henderson smashed an opportunity right at the goalkeeper and Jordan Ibe blasted one just wide after that. But then Liverpool were favored by fortune in the 97th. Origi, who came on puzzlingly for the injured Lovren, took advantage of the advantage given by the official. His shot was deflected off a defender into the back of the net and gained Liverpool the point they deserved.
While Liverpool probably should have gotten all three points, they deserved the one. The old adage says sometimes it is better to be lucky than good and that was true on this night. It was a mixture of relief, due to Liverpool almost losing to both Newcastle and West Brom, and the feeling of getting what was owed. Liverpool can't rely on that luck every match, but they'll take it for this one.
Random Thoughts:
- Overall, Adam Lallana had a pretty decent game. I still wonder what he has over the heads of Liverpool's managers. Whether Rodgers or Klopp, they continue to use Lallana in a starting role when he seems to do little on the field to deserve it. Granted, we are not there for daily training but it just doesn't seem like he produces enough to have that spot.
- Mignolet deserves some blame for the first West Brom goal, but not nearly the amount he will be given. I admit I am biased, being a keeper that also struggled on corner kicks, but people do not realize how difficult a skill it is to rightly judge the flight of a ball and connect with it when there are so many bodies in the box. There is constant chatter to get a new keeper, but Mingolet is one of the best pure shot stoppers around. Unless they can get someone who is a 100% upgrade, it would be foolish to seek out someone who is simply a little bit better at handling corner kicks.
- I am still a supporter of Brendan Rodgers, but those are the kind of games his teams would probably have lost. Jurgen Klopp has definitely instilled a huge amount of belief and energy in this LFC squad.
Walk On
Thursday, December 10, 2015
LFC's Bland Draw Little More Than A Training Match
Welcome back to me. I was down in Orange Beach, Alabama broadcasting the NAIA Women's Soccer Championships. I missed out on a great Liverpool performance and one that, well, was not so great. Alas, that is probably what this team is. Fans were hoping for the best of LFC in their last Europa League group match but got a little bit of both sides of Liverpool instead. The Reds were in Switzerland to take on Sion. Both teams were very lackluster in the opening 45.
Liverpool pushed forward a few times and Divock Origi might have scored on the opening chance if he went for a header instead of lunging to get a foot on it. Outside of that, there was very little to speak of other than decent tactics. The second half seemed poised to be a little more entertaining with Sion needing to be more positive, given that their spot in the second round was in doubt if Liverpool scored and other results held. However, the chances for either side were few and far between.
Liverpool had a very good build up in the 54th minute only to have Firmino push it too far in front and lose possession - something he was guilty of for much of the game. Liverpool had another chance in the 70th minute where Origi got in behind enough to force the goalkeeper out. The keeper did get his right hand to the ball just enough to knock it away from the Belgian and Liverpool were unable to get enough support up to help finish it off. Sadly for the Reds, that was one of the last chances they would see.
One of the biggest bright spots, on a night where there wasn't a lot to discuss, was left back, Brad Smith. He set up the Origi chance early in the contest and nearly connected with his teammate again in the 84th minute. He was decent defensively and very good going forward. It might be nothing more than a good performance or he could be a player to watch for in the near future. If nothing else, the Australian definitely looks like he will be a physical force.
In the end, this game was little more than a training exercise. It was not completely worthless. You get valuable game time for younger players and players, such as Jordan Henderson, who are returning from injury. These are valuable in the sense that you're going against experienced players. Regardless of their talent level, Sion provides an opponent that isn't yourself. Training ground exercises and scrimmages can only do so much. Even academy and reserve games only prove so much. So, despite many fans' opinion that Europa League is a waste of time, it does provide valuable experience for players and valuable looks for the manager and staff.
On the flip side of that coin, Jurgen Klopp will eventually have to start prioritizing certain fixtures over the others. To this point, he has mainly used as strong a team as he possibly could in each game, while still being sensitive to potential injury issues. As the season progresses and Klopp gets his first taste of how busy English football gets during the holidays, he will need to learn that yes, you want to win every game but some are still more important than others.
This Europa season looks interesting going forward. Liverpool topped their group so are in a decent position if they choose to put full effort into the competition. That said, there are several name clubs that made the drop from Champions League to Europa. It could make for some interesting match ups in the knockout stage.
Random Thoughts:
- Firmino is a good example of several things. He is extremely frustrating. He shows you just enough to get excited and then completely disappears. He is also an example of what is wrong with modern football philosophy and the reaction of the fans. So often, players are not given time to grow. There are several players in the world that are just unable to perform on the biggest stages on the biggest clubs. Chicharito seems to be one of those. There are so many, though, that are given up on because they don't live up to expectations set by fans based on performances in different leagues. Scoring a ton of goals for a midtable team in Germany doesn't automatically transfer over to England because there is a different style within the leagues. But fans, and some managers, don't want to give the player time to grow or aren't allowed the give the player time because their job security doesn't allow it. Some players just need a season to learn and then can show what they truly will be in that setting.
- Not related to this game, but I've come to the realization that Liverpool have to give up on Daniel Sturridge. If they want to hold on to him as a sub or to use in a rotation or even to drive competition in the future for starting spots then fine. But they simply cannot believe he will ever be healthy for an entire season anymore and need to find a player that can start in his stead. This may not happen in the January window, but the combination of Sturridge's injuries and the inability of the wing players to be consistent forces Liverpool to again seek out a striker.
Walk On
Liverpool pushed forward a few times and Divock Origi might have scored on the opening chance if he went for a header instead of lunging to get a foot on it. Outside of that, there was very little to speak of other than decent tactics. The second half seemed poised to be a little more entertaining with Sion needing to be more positive, given that their spot in the second round was in doubt if Liverpool scored and other results held. However, the chances for either side were few and far between.
Liverpool had a very good build up in the 54th minute only to have Firmino push it too far in front and lose possession - something he was guilty of for much of the game. Liverpool had another chance in the 70th minute where Origi got in behind enough to force the goalkeeper out. The keeper did get his right hand to the ball just enough to knock it away from the Belgian and Liverpool were unable to get enough support up to help finish it off. Sadly for the Reds, that was one of the last chances they would see.
One of the biggest bright spots, on a night where there wasn't a lot to discuss, was left back, Brad Smith. He set up the Origi chance early in the contest and nearly connected with his teammate again in the 84th minute. He was decent defensively and very good going forward. It might be nothing more than a good performance or he could be a player to watch for in the near future. If nothing else, the Australian definitely looks like he will be a physical force.
In the end, this game was little more than a training exercise. It was not completely worthless. You get valuable game time for younger players and players, such as Jordan Henderson, who are returning from injury. These are valuable in the sense that you're going against experienced players. Regardless of their talent level, Sion provides an opponent that isn't yourself. Training ground exercises and scrimmages can only do so much. Even academy and reserve games only prove so much. So, despite many fans' opinion that Europa League is a waste of time, it does provide valuable experience for players and valuable looks for the manager and staff.
On the flip side of that coin, Jurgen Klopp will eventually have to start prioritizing certain fixtures over the others. To this point, he has mainly used as strong a team as he possibly could in each game, while still being sensitive to potential injury issues. As the season progresses and Klopp gets his first taste of how busy English football gets during the holidays, he will need to learn that yes, you want to win every game but some are still more important than others.
This Europa season looks interesting going forward. Liverpool topped their group so are in a decent position if they choose to put full effort into the competition. That said, there are several name clubs that made the drop from Champions League to Europa. It could make for some interesting match ups in the knockout stage.
Random Thoughts:
- Firmino is a good example of several things. He is extremely frustrating. He shows you just enough to get excited and then completely disappears. He is also an example of what is wrong with modern football philosophy and the reaction of the fans. So often, players are not given time to grow. There are several players in the world that are just unable to perform on the biggest stages on the biggest clubs. Chicharito seems to be one of those. There are so many, though, that are given up on because they don't live up to expectations set by fans based on performances in different leagues. Scoring a ton of goals for a midtable team in Germany doesn't automatically transfer over to England because there is a different style within the leagues. But fans, and some managers, don't want to give the player time to grow or aren't allowed the give the player time because their job security doesn't allow it. Some players just need a season to learn and then can show what they truly will be in that setting.
- Not related to this game, but I've come to the realization that Liverpool have to give up on Daniel Sturridge. If they want to hold on to him as a sub or to use in a rotation or even to drive competition in the future for starting spots then fine. But they simply cannot believe he will ever be healthy for an entire season anymore and need to find a player that can start in his stead. This may not happen in the January window, but the combination of Sturridge's injuries and the inability of the wing players to be consistent forces Liverpool to again seek out a striker.
Walk On
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Liverpool Feast and Advance in Europa
On this Thanksgiving holiday in America, it is usual to pig out on food and watch football. It isn't as usual to watch the kind of football you actually use your feet. Such was the case on this day as the Europa League provided a rare occasion to look forward to. Liverpool were in action, at home, against Bordeaux. With plenty to be thankful for, given recent league results, Liverpool fans and players may have had a bit of a food coma. Ok, enough of the holiday puns.
To open up the game, the Reds looked solid going forward but just weren't on point in terms of placing the ball on target. Following the opening five minutes there were way too many Bordeaux chances. Bordeaux pushed forward and kept challenging the back line of Liverpool, despite not creating too much to trouble Simon Mignolet. Liverpool then countered a few times. Christian Benteke missed a good chance in 21st minute with a walloping volley.
Despite the miss, Liverpool seemed to rebound a bit after that. In the 29th minute, Benetke scored but was called offside. However, the crowd reaction was amazing. Perhaps the mics were just turned up, but it was an impressive explosion of sound from the faithful. Alas, for them, the elation would not last long. In addition to the offside call, the French side took a 1-0 lead only minutes later after a rare call for possessing the ball too long on Mignolet.
The Reds, in typical fashion from what they have shown under Jurgen Klopp, kept plugging away. They were rewarded when Liverpool were the beneficiary of a somewhat weak penalty call and James Milner smartly finished it off. Liverpool then finally got on the positive side of the ledger in the 45th minute with an absolute blast from Benteke. It was a fitting finish to the half for the striker and the team as he was rewarded for his hard work.
Liverpool came out with just as much energy in the second half. After a bit of an inauspicious start, with some fouls against, Liverpool found their footing and pushed forward. Another weak foul call, this time against the Reds(at least the official was consistent), denied Benteke his second goal and Liverpool's third. Following that converted but not counted chance, the Reds seemed to pour toward the goal at will.
Ultimately it came to nothing as neither team would score in the final 45 minutes. Liverpool looked capable but could not find that final ball. Bordeaux looked dangerous in the final moments, after Liverpool had made a few changes, but they could not convert. It was an interesting turn of events given the situation. Liverpool didn't really pack it in, despite having a spot in the knockout round wrapped up. Bordeaux didn't get caught on the counter despite needing to open up the game to keep any hope of advancing alive.
In the end, it was a nice win for Liverpool and a nice break in the norms of the day for their fans in America. It wasn't a spotless result. There were plenty of missed chances. The game could have easily seen two or more Reds' goals, but two sufficed. Liverpool allowed too many opportunities despite getting the win. That kind of performance may not result in something positive against higher quality teams. Nevertheless it was a victory. There were no injuries (in terms of the players who played on the field). Benteke continued to look like he may be well worth the price paid. Plenty to still improve on, but plenty to be thankful for.
Random Thoughts:
- Really? Another Daniel Sturridge injury? I feel for him as a person, but as a player he must be made of the thinnest possible glass you can find. Hopefully it is just something that needs a day or two rest, but just the idea is ridiculous at this stage.
- Fans will be fans. I live in a city where the running joke is everyone is trying to beat the traffic by leaving early even though they all leave at the same time so they get stuck anyway. That said, I do think the Klopp comments had something to do with the crowd reaction. As mentioned, rarely have I heard a reaction like that and the goal did not even stand. Could have been the audio, but the crowd at Anfield seemed to have extra juice.
Walk On
To open up the game, the Reds looked solid going forward but just weren't on point in terms of placing the ball on target. Following the opening five minutes there were way too many Bordeaux chances. Bordeaux pushed forward and kept challenging the back line of Liverpool, despite not creating too much to trouble Simon Mignolet. Liverpool then countered a few times. Christian Benteke missed a good chance in 21st minute with a walloping volley.
Despite the miss, Liverpool seemed to rebound a bit after that. In the 29th minute, Benetke scored but was called offside. However, the crowd reaction was amazing. Perhaps the mics were just turned up, but it was an impressive explosion of sound from the faithful. Alas, for them, the elation would not last long. In addition to the offside call, the French side took a 1-0 lead only minutes later after a rare call for possessing the ball too long on Mignolet.
The Reds, in typical fashion from what they have shown under Jurgen Klopp, kept plugging away. They were rewarded when Liverpool were the beneficiary of a somewhat weak penalty call and James Milner smartly finished it off. Liverpool then finally got on the positive side of the ledger in the 45th minute with an absolute blast from Benteke. It was a fitting finish to the half for the striker and the team as he was rewarded for his hard work.
Liverpool came out with just as much energy in the second half. After a bit of an inauspicious start, with some fouls against, Liverpool found their footing and pushed forward. Another weak foul call, this time against the Reds(at least the official was consistent), denied Benteke his second goal and Liverpool's third. Following that converted but not counted chance, the Reds seemed to pour toward the goal at will.
Ultimately it came to nothing as neither team would score in the final 45 minutes. Liverpool looked capable but could not find that final ball. Bordeaux looked dangerous in the final moments, after Liverpool had made a few changes, but they could not convert. It was an interesting turn of events given the situation. Liverpool didn't really pack it in, despite having a spot in the knockout round wrapped up. Bordeaux didn't get caught on the counter despite needing to open up the game to keep any hope of advancing alive.
In the end, it was a nice win for Liverpool and a nice break in the norms of the day for their fans in America. It wasn't a spotless result. There were plenty of missed chances. The game could have easily seen two or more Reds' goals, but two sufficed. Liverpool allowed too many opportunities despite getting the win. That kind of performance may not result in something positive against higher quality teams. Nevertheless it was a victory. There were no injuries (in terms of the players who played on the field). Benteke continued to look like he may be well worth the price paid. Plenty to still improve on, but plenty to be thankful for.
Random Thoughts:
- Really? Another Daniel Sturridge injury? I feel for him as a person, but as a player he must be made of the thinnest possible glass you can find. Hopefully it is just something that needs a day or two rest, but just the idea is ridiculous at this stage.
- Fans will be fans. I live in a city where the running joke is everyone is trying to beat the traffic by leaving early even though they all leave at the same time so they get stuck anyway. That said, I do think the Klopp comments had something to do with the crowd reaction. As mentioned, rarely have I heard a reaction like that and the goal did not even stand. Could have been the audio, but the crowd at Anfield seemed to have extra juice.
Walk On
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Liverpool Stun Manchester City and Their Own Supporters
Let's be honest here. Even the most ardent supporter of Liverpool FC had to be worried about facing Manchester City at the Etihad. People can be positive all they want, but in many heart of hearts people had to know defeat was immanent. People would have been right to believe that. Still no Christian Benteke or Daniel Sturridge to start. Dejan Lovren was in for the injured Sakho. Also, Liverpool had not won at City since 2008. A draw would be a spectacular result.
How little we know. Yes, there will be those that thump their chests and say they knew the result that happened was always what would come forth but few (if any) would have predicted what would transpire. Liverpool came out to a very aggressive start and took the game to their hosts. Apart from an early Sergio Aguero run into the box, City had little in the way of attack in the opening 10 minutes.
Despite their early pressure, Liverpool didn't trouble Joe Hart much but still came out of those same 10 minutes with the lead. Yes, it came off an own goal. Yes, Mangala probably should have sorted his feet out better. However, Liverpool created the goal with tenacious backtracking by Coutinho and then a good slotted ball for Firmino. Firmino's ball may not have been the greatest cross, but he put it into a dangerous area and was rewarded.
Those are the things that have to happen for a team such as the Reds. They don't have the best player in the league at every position. Some would say none of their starters are the best player in the league at that position. Regardless of all that conjecture, they came out as a team to start. They defended together, moved across field together and pushed forward together. It was something not seen in quite some time from this Reds' squad.
The second goal was definitely something to excite the fans. It was extremely reminiscent of the type of goals scored in Luis Suarez' final season with Liverpool. In the 23rd minute, the Brazilian connection that supporters have been hoping for since the summer finally came to fruition. Firmino took a bouncing ball over to the right, slotted it back across the box toward the penalty spot and it was neatly finished off by Coutinho as he went through the wickets of Hart.
The Reds just seemed to get better with each opportunity. The lead up to the third goal included at least five passes. Several of the passes came on the edge of the box, including a cheeky backheel by Emre Can that was fielded by Coutinho who then just tapped it to Firmino, who was standing in a more advantageous position. To top it all off, all of that happened in the first half hour and it could have been a fourth in the 35th minute when Firmino was robbed by a sprawling Hart and then shaved the post a minute later.
Unfortunately for the Reds, the first half couldn't be all roses and sunshine. Liverpool got a tiny bit careless with the ball in the 44th minute and the turnover led directly to an Aguero cracker of a goal. Simon Mingolet, who was rarely challenged had no shot to save the smash. City continued their turnaround in the opening minutes of the second half as well, pushing forward right out of the gate. It was not to be their night though.
City could have and should have brought the score to 3-2 in the 64th minute after James Milner's backpass was intercepted by Raheem Sterling who then played a ball for Aguero. The following shot was delayed just a moment which allowed Mingolet to scramble back and make a great save. Then Liverpool crushed all hope of the home fans when Martin Skrtel struck one sweetly off the shoelaces in the 81st minute.
Liverpool fans will soak up this victory and all the good feelings and bragging rights that come with it. Once that is done, the questions will now arise. Football is a fickle sport, but which Liverpool is the real one? Are we more likely to see the LFC seen in a defeat to Crystal Palace or the one on the field for the victory over Manchester City? Can Liverpool really contend for a top four spot or was this just one good performance a flash in the pan? Only the players and manager can tell the answers now. Clearly fans don't know, because so many did not expect this result in the first place.
Random Thoughts:
- You have to hope for the best but expect the worst in regards to Coutinho's potential injury. Liverpool just can't seem to keep anyone healthy the last few years. Just when the team seemed poised to have a solid scoring partnership, it seems the way things turn out for the Reds to have it dashed by another injury.
- It was surprising to see Firmino in the forward slot with no Benteke or Sturridge, given the focus on the latter two training prior to the match.
- Liverpool obviously had a few players out on international duty, but I think the extra week of nothing but training had to help. As mentioned at the end of the article, only the players know if this was a one-off or the start of the true Liverpool but they need to hold onto whatever mentality they used to win this contest. It will come in handy when the games start flying at you during the holidays.
- How sweet was it that Sterling was kept so quiet in this game? Yes, he has lived up to much of the potential seen in him. He is going to be a great player despite what any of us fans wished or thought. Nevertheless, for one night, it was the kind of performance or lack thereof that Liverpool fans take extra pleasure from. It was the cherry on top.
Walk On
How little we know. Yes, there will be those that thump their chests and say they knew the result that happened was always what would come forth but few (if any) would have predicted what would transpire. Liverpool came out to a very aggressive start and took the game to their hosts. Apart from an early Sergio Aguero run into the box, City had little in the way of attack in the opening 10 minutes.
Despite their early pressure, Liverpool didn't trouble Joe Hart much but still came out of those same 10 minutes with the lead. Yes, it came off an own goal. Yes, Mangala probably should have sorted his feet out better. However, Liverpool created the goal with tenacious backtracking by Coutinho and then a good slotted ball for Firmino. Firmino's ball may not have been the greatest cross, but he put it into a dangerous area and was rewarded.
Those are the things that have to happen for a team such as the Reds. They don't have the best player in the league at every position. Some would say none of their starters are the best player in the league at that position. Regardless of all that conjecture, they came out as a team to start. They defended together, moved across field together and pushed forward together. It was something not seen in quite some time from this Reds' squad.
The second goal was definitely something to excite the fans. It was extremely reminiscent of the type of goals scored in Luis Suarez' final season with Liverpool. In the 23rd minute, the Brazilian connection that supporters have been hoping for since the summer finally came to fruition. Firmino took a bouncing ball over to the right, slotted it back across the box toward the penalty spot and it was neatly finished off by Coutinho as he went through the wickets of Hart.
The Reds just seemed to get better with each opportunity. The lead up to the third goal included at least five passes. Several of the passes came on the edge of the box, including a cheeky backheel by Emre Can that was fielded by Coutinho who then just tapped it to Firmino, who was standing in a more advantageous position. To top it all off, all of that happened in the first half hour and it could have been a fourth in the 35th minute when Firmino was robbed by a sprawling Hart and then shaved the post a minute later.
Unfortunately for the Reds, the first half couldn't be all roses and sunshine. Liverpool got a tiny bit careless with the ball in the 44th minute and the turnover led directly to an Aguero cracker of a goal. Simon Mingolet, who was rarely challenged had no shot to save the smash. City continued their turnaround in the opening minutes of the second half as well, pushing forward right out of the gate. It was not to be their night though.
City could have and should have brought the score to 3-2 in the 64th minute after James Milner's backpass was intercepted by Raheem Sterling who then played a ball for Aguero. The following shot was delayed just a moment which allowed Mingolet to scramble back and make a great save. Then Liverpool crushed all hope of the home fans when Martin Skrtel struck one sweetly off the shoelaces in the 81st minute.
Liverpool fans will soak up this victory and all the good feelings and bragging rights that come with it. Once that is done, the questions will now arise. Football is a fickle sport, but which Liverpool is the real one? Are we more likely to see the LFC seen in a defeat to Crystal Palace or the one on the field for the victory over Manchester City? Can Liverpool really contend for a top four spot or was this just one good performance a flash in the pan? Only the players and manager can tell the answers now. Clearly fans don't know, because so many did not expect this result in the first place.
Random Thoughts:
- You have to hope for the best but expect the worst in regards to Coutinho's potential injury. Liverpool just can't seem to keep anyone healthy the last few years. Just when the team seemed poised to have a solid scoring partnership, it seems the way things turn out for the Reds to have it dashed by another injury.
- It was surprising to see Firmino in the forward slot with no Benteke or Sturridge, given the focus on the latter two training prior to the match.
- Liverpool obviously had a few players out on international duty, but I think the extra week of nothing but training had to help. As mentioned at the end of the article, only the players know if this was a one-off or the start of the true Liverpool but they need to hold onto whatever mentality they used to win this contest. It will come in handy when the games start flying at you during the holidays.
- How sweet was it that Sterling was kept so quiet in this game? Yes, he has lived up to much of the potential seen in him. He is going to be a great player despite what any of us fans wished or thought. Nevertheless, for one night, it was the kind of performance or lack thereof that Liverpool fans take extra pleasure from. It was the cherry on top.
Walk On
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Klopp Drops First Game
Don't let the headline fool you. There is little blame to be had by the Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, here. If any blame would be on him, it would be the lack of team rotation after naming a strong squad for the midweek Europa contest against Rubin Kazan. However, it is understandable, despite the perception of that competition, at this point if Klopp believes they can get something out of that tournament then that's the decisions you have to make.
That said, supporters were right to expect better than they got on Sunday. Unfortunately they would not get it. Crystal Palace has been a large thorn in the side of the Reds recently, but they had only won twice previously at Anfield. You can make that three now. Palace came out flying right out of the gate. Alan Pardew's squad were listed as a 4-4-2, but played much closer to a 4-2-4 to start the game.
Throwing caution to the wind, they threw all their efforts into the attack and were rewarded for it. Yannick Bolasie put the Eagles up in the 21st minute after a poor clearance by Emre Can. For his part, there wasn't a ton different Can could have done differently, but it is still expected for a professional to be able to handle it better. Instead of booting it straight up the field, it sliced back across the box and then Bolasie made the Reds pay.
Following the goal, Liverpool seemed to wake up a bit. They had good possession, made decent passes and were sparked on by the Anfield crowd. All the work would pay off in the end, literally, when Coutinho put one in just before the half. In the 42nd minute, the Brazilian finished off what was a solid play begun by Jordan Ibe. Ibe took on his defender on the right wing, got the ball into the box and made a good cross. The ball was flicked by Adam Lallana, just taking it out of the path of Chrisitan Benteke but set up a strong finish for Coutinho.
The only disappointing thing about the goal, despite it being the only one of the contest, is it continually gives people hope about Coutinho. The man is immensely talented, but has not found that form and consistency that makes you really know he will be a constant performer and one to be feared by other squads. As things stand right now, he is incredibly dangerous in possession but only scores enough to give that glimmer of hope that each time might be the one to spring him into stardom.
The second half would prove to be one of frustration. Liverpool, by the end of the contest, had 2/3 of the possession but could make nothing of it. They had the ball in the box several times. They had several corner kick opportunities (14 in total). They should have been able to do something due to the fact that Palace didn't set up shop. Instead nothing came of it.
This has been a problem under Brendan Rodgers and continues under Klopp. Choose what players you like and which you don't. At the moment it doesn't matter because none perform with any consistency to really make you believe there will be any breakout this season. There are far too many passes in close quarters instead of taking a chance to get one in. Then, to counter that, players will try to shoot from 30 yards or more when the chances of scoring from that distance are minimal at best.
The strange thing about this game is that if it ended in a draw, there wasn't a ton to be negative about. Yes there was the large number of possession without enough true chances, but it was something you could live with if you get at least a point. When you don't get that point, everything becomes magnified and looks a lot worse. Such was the case against Crystal Palace when long-time Liverpool fan, Scott Dann finished off a goal off a corner kick.
Dann was afforded two opportunities, further proving Liverpool's lack of set piece marking and defensive deficiencies. That simply cannot happen. It's one thing for Dann to win the initial headball, but then to get another crack after Simon Mingolet's save is a combination of luck on Dann's part and lack of defensive closure on Liverpool's.
In the end, it's a blip on the screen for Liverpool. There was no way this team was going to go undefeated this season under Klopp. This result was going to happen eventually. What's disappointing is the performances of the individuals. The lack of that true finisher that you know will step up in those key moments is really starting to haunt this Liverpool squad. We keep saying maybe when this happens or if that happens. Right now it's looking like having a healthy Daniel Sturridge will never happen. Someone else has to step into that role and quickly.
Random Thoughts:
- I mentioned everyone has the players they like and some they don't. Adam Lallana is that player for me. I want to like him because you can tell there is skill in there, but he simply doesn't do ANYTHING. He has a few stepovers and some speed and then nothing. It's gotten to the point that I cringe everytime I see his name in the team sheet even though there isn't a clear replacement.
- I fully expect Klopp to recall as many loans as he can. Personally, I have no problem putting out strong teams for the Europa League, but eventually it will come back to haunt the team in the long run if they don't have enough players to make a decent rotation (especially with the busy Christmas schedule approaching).
That said, supporters were right to expect better than they got on Sunday. Unfortunately they would not get it. Crystal Palace has been a large thorn in the side of the Reds recently, but they had only won twice previously at Anfield. You can make that three now. Palace came out flying right out of the gate. Alan Pardew's squad were listed as a 4-4-2, but played much closer to a 4-2-4 to start the game.
Throwing caution to the wind, they threw all their efforts into the attack and were rewarded for it. Yannick Bolasie put the Eagles up in the 21st minute after a poor clearance by Emre Can. For his part, there wasn't a ton different Can could have done differently, but it is still expected for a professional to be able to handle it better. Instead of booting it straight up the field, it sliced back across the box and then Bolasie made the Reds pay.
Following the goal, Liverpool seemed to wake up a bit. They had good possession, made decent passes and were sparked on by the Anfield crowd. All the work would pay off in the end, literally, when Coutinho put one in just before the half. In the 42nd minute, the Brazilian finished off what was a solid play begun by Jordan Ibe. Ibe took on his defender on the right wing, got the ball into the box and made a good cross. The ball was flicked by Adam Lallana, just taking it out of the path of Chrisitan Benteke but set up a strong finish for Coutinho.
The only disappointing thing about the goal, despite it being the only one of the contest, is it continually gives people hope about Coutinho. The man is immensely talented, but has not found that form and consistency that makes you really know he will be a constant performer and one to be feared by other squads. As things stand right now, he is incredibly dangerous in possession but only scores enough to give that glimmer of hope that each time might be the one to spring him into stardom.
The second half would prove to be one of frustration. Liverpool, by the end of the contest, had 2/3 of the possession but could make nothing of it. They had the ball in the box several times. They had several corner kick opportunities (14 in total). They should have been able to do something due to the fact that Palace didn't set up shop. Instead nothing came of it.
This has been a problem under Brendan Rodgers and continues under Klopp. Choose what players you like and which you don't. At the moment it doesn't matter because none perform with any consistency to really make you believe there will be any breakout this season. There are far too many passes in close quarters instead of taking a chance to get one in. Then, to counter that, players will try to shoot from 30 yards or more when the chances of scoring from that distance are minimal at best.
The strange thing about this game is that if it ended in a draw, there wasn't a ton to be negative about. Yes there was the large number of possession without enough true chances, but it was something you could live with if you get at least a point. When you don't get that point, everything becomes magnified and looks a lot worse. Such was the case against Crystal Palace when long-time Liverpool fan, Scott Dann finished off a goal off a corner kick.
Dann was afforded two opportunities, further proving Liverpool's lack of set piece marking and defensive deficiencies. That simply cannot happen. It's one thing for Dann to win the initial headball, but then to get another crack after Simon Mingolet's save is a combination of luck on Dann's part and lack of defensive closure on Liverpool's.
In the end, it's a blip on the screen for Liverpool. There was no way this team was going to go undefeated this season under Klopp. This result was going to happen eventually. What's disappointing is the performances of the individuals. The lack of that true finisher that you know will step up in those key moments is really starting to haunt this Liverpool squad. We keep saying maybe when this happens or if that happens. Right now it's looking like having a healthy Daniel Sturridge will never happen. Someone else has to step into that role and quickly.
Random Thoughts:
- I mentioned everyone has the players they like and some they don't. Adam Lallana is that player for me. I want to like him because you can tell there is skill in there, but he simply doesn't do ANYTHING. He has a few stepovers and some speed and then nothing. It's gotten to the point that I cringe everytime I see his name in the team sheet even though there isn't a clear replacement.
- I fully expect Klopp to recall as many loans as he can. Personally, I have no problem putting out strong teams for the Europa League, but eventually it will come back to haunt the team in the long run if they don't have enough players to make a decent rotation (especially with the busy Christmas schedule approaching).
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Liverpool Rally Behind the "Normal One"...Bye Bye "Special One"?
It was an improbable result to imagine a few months ago. Chelsea were flying high as champions of the Premier League and Liverpool were still struggling to deal with injuries and get new signings to gel within the squad. My, how things have changed. Liverpool have struggled to find the results but they still looked like a team with plenty in front of them. Chelsea on the other hand have appeared to be a shell of a team despite the majority of last year's championship squad still being in place.
The match got off to a rough start for the Reds and a dream start for Chelsea. Ramires was fed a line drive cross from the right in the fourth minute and he smartly finished it off with the head. Simon Mingolet had no chance and the defenders, though ball watching yet again, were left relatively powerless even if they were in perfect position. As mentioned, it was a dream start for Ramires, who had just signed a new contract, a dream start for the Blues and a perfect start for Jose Mourinho.
Chelsea almost doubled their advantage two minutes later after a free kick led to a header on the near side that sliced across the face of goal. Martin Skrtel was tightly marking John Terry and almost surely prevented a goal. Then Mourinho became Mourinho. Despite all his talents as a manager and skills for providing wins for whichever club he is managing, Mourinho can't help but slide into defensive shells when he thinks it is beneficial. You can't argue completely with his tactics as he has won so much, but it does not provide beautiful football when his teams often have so much skill.
Although Liverpool never looked disinterested, they just seemed to lack that spark, as we have seen so many times, unfortunately, regardless of who the manager is. But, seemingly from nowhere, the Reds would get that spark. Coutinho, known mainly for his right foot, created a large area of space just outside the box as he cut the ball back to his left as the halftime break was approaching. Whether it was intentional or not, there was not a ton of power on the shot but it was placed to perfection. Asmir Begovic, the Blues' goalkeeper was left with no chance at all as the shot came from near the center of the pitch and was slotted neatly into the left hand side of the net.
Immediately after the goal was scored, the camera cut to Mourinho, who was headed down the walkway to the dressing room. Whether he was already down there and came back to see the goal or the goal forced his departure is unknown, but a sweet sight for the Liverpool supporters. It almost seemed a bit of foreshadowing, for the result of the contest and for the possible future of the Chelsea manager.
Nothing would be for sure for most of the second half. The game went almost 30 minutes with little from either side to make one believe this would not be another game where Liverpool would fail to score more than a goal and another contest where Chelsea would not take full points. That all changed in the 74th minute. Fulfilling a Liverpool penchant for scoring goals in bunches after a long dry spell, Coutinho knocked home his second of the contest. Starting from a nothing play, a long ball from midfield, Christian Benteke nodded it down. The ball went just by a teammate, but came right to the Brazilian and he made sure to put it to bed. Getting a deflection off the defender helped the ball in, but the right footer may have been destined for a goal no matter what.
The icing on the cake came nine minutes later. The Chelsea defense went to sleep and Benteke made them pay. The summer signing, despite injuries, still proving he is a capable scorer took the ball after an Adam Lallana stepover. The big striker took a couple dribbles at the reeling defenders, tucked the ball away and that was all she wrote. Chelsea had chances before and after that, including a little chip attempt that Mingolet scrambled back to parry away, but there was always a hint this would be the result from that reaction at the half.
These are teams that are not headed in polar opposite directions, being as neither is where they want to be. However, Liverpool are on the edge, peeking in at the top four now. Chelsea, on the other hand, are dangling over that relegation zone. Few gave Liverpool much of a chance, given their lack of scoring and playing at Stamford Bridge, but those are the games that show why you go out and play and not let the pundits decide. There are still a myriad of things to alter and get better with for the Reds, but few victories taste as sweet as one over Chelsea and the players and their manager earned it.
Random Thoughts:
- Being a fan of a team that sings "Manchester is full of s***" leaves little room to take a moral stand. However, it seemed like all of Chelsea's songs had to do with spiteful things, like Steven Gerrard and never winning again etc. Made the final result a little bit sweeter with their silence.
- Oh how I look forward to a day when Liverpool has two healthy strikers. I'm no tactical genius and will never claim to be a coach. That said, this team just seems set up to play with two strikers and Coutinho tucked in behind. You have to have everyone healthy, which seems impossible of late, and it creates problems with who to play in midfield but if it is beneficial to the team then that's all anyone can ask for.
- Mourinho proved how much of a clown he can be as he refused to say anything to the postmatch reporter. He kept saying he had nothing to say and looking at the man like he was an idiot for doing his job. The egotist may feel better for not speaking, but he has done himself no favors.
- I never root for anyone to lose their job, no matter how much I dislike them. Even so, to paraphrase a certain dark lord of the Sith - This will be a day long remembered. Liverpool may have seen to the end of Mourinho and perhaps caused the relegation of Chelsea.
- That last one was a bit harsh, but when you have family members who root for Chelsea, it's ok to have a little dig ;)
Walk On
The match got off to a rough start for the Reds and a dream start for Chelsea. Ramires was fed a line drive cross from the right in the fourth minute and he smartly finished it off with the head. Simon Mingolet had no chance and the defenders, though ball watching yet again, were left relatively powerless even if they were in perfect position. As mentioned, it was a dream start for Ramires, who had just signed a new contract, a dream start for the Blues and a perfect start for Jose Mourinho.
Chelsea almost doubled their advantage two minutes later after a free kick led to a header on the near side that sliced across the face of goal. Martin Skrtel was tightly marking John Terry and almost surely prevented a goal. Then Mourinho became Mourinho. Despite all his talents as a manager and skills for providing wins for whichever club he is managing, Mourinho can't help but slide into defensive shells when he thinks it is beneficial. You can't argue completely with his tactics as he has won so much, but it does not provide beautiful football when his teams often have so much skill.
Although Liverpool never looked disinterested, they just seemed to lack that spark, as we have seen so many times, unfortunately, regardless of who the manager is. But, seemingly from nowhere, the Reds would get that spark. Coutinho, known mainly for his right foot, created a large area of space just outside the box as he cut the ball back to his left as the halftime break was approaching. Whether it was intentional or not, there was not a ton of power on the shot but it was placed to perfection. Asmir Begovic, the Blues' goalkeeper was left with no chance at all as the shot came from near the center of the pitch and was slotted neatly into the left hand side of the net.
Immediately after the goal was scored, the camera cut to Mourinho, who was headed down the walkway to the dressing room. Whether he was already down there and came back to see the goal or the goal forced his departure is unknown, but a sweet sight for the Liverpool supporters. It almost seemed a bit of foreshadowing, for the result of the contest and for the possible future of the Chelsea manager.
Nothing would be for sure for most of the second half. The game went almost 30 minutes with little from either side to make one believe this would not be another game where Liverpool would fail to score more than a goal and another contest where Chelsea would not take full points. That all changed in the 74th minute. Fulfilling a Liverpool penchant for scoring goals in bunches after a long dry spell, Coutinho knocked home his second of the contest. Starting from a nothing play, a long ball from midfield, Christian Benteke nodded it down. The ball went just by a teammate, but came right to the Brazilian and he made sure to put it to bed. Getting a deflection off the defender helped the ball in, but the right footer may have been destined for a goal no matter what.
The icing on the cake came nine minutes later. The Chelsea defense went to sleep and Benteke made them pay. The summer signing, despite injuries, still proving he is a capable scorer took the ball after an Adam Lallana stepover. The big striker took a couple dribbles at the reeling defenders, tucked the ball away and that was all she wrote. Chelsea had chances before and after that, including a little chip attempt that Mingolet scrambled back to parry away, but there was always a hint this would be the result from that reaction at the half.
These are teams that are not headed in polar opposite directions, being as neither is where they want to be. However, Liverpool are on the edge, peeking in at the top four now. Chelsea, on the other hand, are dangling over that relegation zone. Few gave Liverpool much of a chance, given their lack of scoring and playing at Stamford Bridge, but those are the games that show why you go out and play and not let the pundits decide. There are still a myriad of things to alter and get better with for the Reds, but few victories taste as sweet as one over Chelsea and the players and their manager earned it.
Random Thoughts:
- Being a fan of a team that sings "Manchester is full of s***" leaves little room to take a moral stand. However, it seemed like all of Chelsea's songs had to do with spiteful things, like Steven Gerrard and never winning again etc. Made the final result a little bit sweeter with their silence.
- Oh how I look forward to a day when Liverpool has two healthy strikers. I'm no tactical genius and will never claim to be a coach. That said, this team just seems set up to play with two strikers and Coutinho tucked in behind. You have to have everyone healthy, which seems impossible of late, and it creates problems with who to play in midfield but if it is beneficial to the team then that's all anyone can ask for.
- Mourinho proved how much of a clown he can be as he refused to say anything to the postmatch reporter. He kept saying he had nothing to say and looking at the man like he was an idiot for doing his job. The egotist may feel better for not speaking, but he has done himself no favors.
- I never root for anyone to lose their job, no matter how much I dislike them. Even so, to paraphrase a certain dark lord of the Sith - This will be a day long remembered. Liverpool may have seen to the end of Mourinho and perhaps caused the relegation of Chelsea.
- That last one was a bit harsh, but when you have family members who root for Chelsea, it's ok to have a little dig ;)
Walk On
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Liverpool Only Manage One Goal Again In Cup Win
Ah the Capital One Cup - you provide such divisiveness. Purists, like the current Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, still see the benefit of trying to put everything you can (within reason) into cup competitions. Others say they aren't worth it and it would actually be better for a team to be eliminated so they can concentrate on the league. None are fully right or wrong. Both have valid arguments.
What is interesting is despite his claims of still being acclimated to English culture and not valuing this competition, Klopp actually fielded the first "Cup squad" Liverpool have probably put forth this season. Despite the lack of experience, Liverpool had that youthful exhuberance and created some decent chances. Roberto Firmino began to show flashes of what has been expected of him by the Kop and featured heavily in the opening goal of the match, which was smartly finished off by Nathaniel Clyne.
What made the goal even better - besides the obvious fact that it put the team ahead - was it was the kind of goal Liverpool have conceded so often. It was on a run of play, Clyne snuck in behind the defender who was appealing for offside and all he had to do was tuck it in. No easy task, but supporters have had to see that same goal so many times but against them, it was nice to see the Reds take advantage.
As is their way, Bournemouth put a lot into attack and were no slouch. Adam Bogdan had to deny three chances from Junior Stanislas alone. Nevertheless, the Reds held a slim possession advantage as the first 45 came to a close. Things never quite end up easy for Liverpool though.
Right out of the gate, Bournemouth created a chance that was narrowly missed. Shaun MacDonald won a header and the defense was caught ball watching. The ball barely slid wide of the post and MacDonald probably should've been awarded a penalty kick for his shirt almost being removed by the Liverpool defender.
On the flip side, Liverpool should have been up by two in the 58th minute. Good pressure from the midfield led to a turnover and Firmino raced into the box. Under light pressure, he fired a shot that beat the keeper but was always curling away from the left post as the shot came from the right. Firmino really should have done better and it was one of those chances that the club could've rued at the end of the contest.
The possession continued to favor the Reds as the gas slowly went out of Bournemouth. Liverpool didn't create a ton of chances but they were still relatively lively on the ball. Joao Teixeira almost scored after Joe Allen earned a free kick in the 80th minute, however it was neatly saved.
Bogdan was almost lulled to sleep for the second half only to see a toe ball from Matt Ritchie almost sneak in the near post. The secondary keeper was wise to it though and quickly got down to save it. In the end that was enough to hold on for a night of firsts. It was Bogdan's first win in regulation time. It was Klopp's first win with the club. Clyne's first goal with the team ended up being the game winner.
Much like the tournament itself, there were good aspects and bad. Getting the bad over with first, Liverpool again failed to score more than one goal. Liverpool have only scored more than once in one game all season, a 3-2 win over Aston Villa. Despite the good play from Firmino, Teixeira, Jordan Ibe and several others, they aren't getting statistical production from their scorers. Eventually the players you expect to produce need to start producing.
On the good side, fans got to see a lot of the young talent they had been clamoring for. Teixeira looked very comfortable on the ball and like Ibe and Raheem Sterling before him, has a chance to be a special player if brought up correctly. As mentioned, the goal Liverpool scored was from the run of play instead of a set piece. And what is more, the club won. Not convincingly or spectacularly, but at least the cloud of Klopp's first win has evaporated.
Going forward, it falls on each person to decide what matters to them. Are Liverpool still in that phase where a win is a win, no matter how or who they come against? Or is showing glimpses and flashes of good play with little to show for it not quite enough. Despite what most pundits will tell you, there is no real answer. Each person has their own view of it.
The bottom line is Liverpool are still alive. Think what you will of the Capital One Cup, but LFC have made the quarterfinals for the fifth time in the last decade. They're still alive after spectacular crashes from the competition by Chelsea and Arsenal the day before. They're still alive in a competition that can provide great experience for the squad players. They still have a chance for silverware, regardless of the prestige.
Random Thoughts:
- It would be nice not to have to watch these matches on virus laden streams in the US. Even if I had BeInSports, which I don't, the match wasn't shown live.
- Though most vocal fans hate him, I thought Dejan Lovren had a good game. He was solid in the back and only made one clear mistake in the second half that was quickly cleaned up by Clyne.
- Divock Origi was more lively on the ball but clearly has more developing to do. The sad thing is he may not be what was advertised, but he is still young enough to change any negative perception he has earned of late.
- Brendan Rodgers was more animated than many Premier League managers when his team scored, but Klopp takes it to another level. He really is a football man and turns into a fan when the ball hits the net, despite his position. It's refreshing to see.
Walk On
What is interesting is despite his claims of still being acclimated to English culture and not valuing this competition, Klopp actually fielded the first "Cup squad" Liverpool have probably put forth this season. Despite the lack of experience, Liverpool had that youthful exhuberance and created some decent chances. Roberto Firmino began to show flashes of what has been expected of him by the Kop and featured heavily in the opening goal of the match, which was smartly finished off by Nathaniel Clyne.
What made the goal even better - besides the obvious fact that it put the team ahead - was it was the kind of goal Liverpool have conceded so often. It was on a run of play, Clyne snuck in behind the defender who was appealing for offside and all he had to do was tuck it in. No easy task, but supporters have had to see that same goal so many times but against them, it was nice to see the Reds take advantage.
As is their way, Bournemouth put a lot into attack and were no slouch. Adam Bogdan had to deny three chances from Junior Stanislas alone. Nevertheless, the Reds held a slim possession advantage as the first 45 came to a close. Things never quite end up easy for Liverpool though.
Right out of the gate, Bournemouth created a chance that was narrowly missed. Shaun MacDonald won a header and the defense was caught ball watching. The ball barely slid wide of the post and MacDonald probably should've been awarded a penalty kick for his shirt almost being removed by the Liverpool defender.
On the flip side, Liverpool should have been up by two in the 58th minute. Good pressure from the midfield led to a turnover and Firmino raced into the box. Under light pressure, he fired a shot that beat the keeper but was always curling away from the left post as the shot came from the right. Firmino really should have done better and it was one of those chances that the club could've rued at the end of the contest.
The possession continued to favor the Reds as the gas slowly went out of Bournemouth. Liverpool didn't create a ton of chances but they were still relatively lively on the ball. Joao Teixeira almost scored after Joe Allen earned a free kick in the 80th minute, however it was neatly saved.
Bogdan was almost lulled to sleep for the second half only to see a toe ball from Matt Ritchie almost sneak in the near post. The secondary keeper was wise to it though and quickly got down to save it. In the end that was enough to hold on for a night of firsts. It was Bogdan's first win in regulation time. It was Klopp's first win with the club. Clyne's first goal with the team ended up being the game winner.
Much like the tournament itself, there were good aspects and bad. Getting the bad over with first, Liverpool again failed to score more than one goal. Liverpool have only scored more than once in one game all season, a 3-2 win over Aston Villa. Despite the good play from Firmino, Teixeira, Jordan Ibe and several others, they aren't getting statistical production from their scorers. Eventually the players you expect to produce need to start producing.
On the good side, fans got to see a lot of the young talent they had been clamoring for. Teixeira looked very comfortable on the ball and like Ibe and Raheem Sterling before him, has a chance to be a special player if brought up correctly. As mentioned, the goal Liverpool scored was from the run of play instead of a set piece. And what is more, the club won. Not convincingly or spectacularly, but at least the cloud of Klopp's first win has evaporated.
Going forward, it falls on each person to decide what matters to them. Are Liverpool still in that phase where a win is a win, no matter how or who they come against? Or is showing glimpses and flashes of good play with little to show for it not quite enough. Despite what most pundits will tell you, there is no real answer. Each person has their own view of it.
The bottom line is Liverpool are still alive. Think what you will of the Capital One Cup, but LFC have made the quarterfinals for the fifth time in the last decade. They're still alive after spectacular crashes from the competition by Chelsea and Arsenal the day before. They're still alive in a competition that can provide great experience for the squad players. They still have a chance for silverware, regardless of the prestige.
Random Thoughts:
- It would be nice not to have to watch these matches on virus laden streams in the US. Even if I had BeInSports, which I don't, the match wasn't shown live.
- Though most vocal fans hate him, I thought Dejan Lovren had a good game. He was solid in the back and only made one clear mistake in the second half that was quickly cleaned up by Clyne.
- Divock Origi was more lively on the ball but clearly has more developing to do. The sad thing is he may not be what was advertised, but he is still young enough to change any negative perception he has earned of late.
- Brendan Rodgers was more animated than many Premier League managers when his team scored, but Klopp takes it to another level. He really is a football man and turns into a fan when the ball hits the net, despite his position. It's refreshing to see.
Walk On
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Liverpool Snatches a Draw From the Jaws of Victory
It was always going to be a tough task - turning around Liverpool FC. There were those, like myself, that had consumed the kool-aid and believed the signings were good and the team just wasn't playing up to snuff. Then there were those, that while overly negative at times, probably had a better grasp on what the truth of this team really was. Liverpool, for all their successes in years past, for all the money they've spent and for as close to a title they came just a few seasons ago, really aren't one of the big boys at the moment.
As has been the case the last few weeks, regardless of who was the manager, Liverpool managed to create a few chances but they simply don't have the ability to finish right now. In his midweek meetings with the press, Jurgen Klopp even acknowledged his players seem to be experiencing a bit of anxiety in the attacking end. The team has a lot of skill on the ball, but there just isn't that true threat on goal. Granted, much of that, at the moment, is due to injuries. Christian Benteke did not start the match against Southampton even though he was fit enough to be in the squad and Daniel Sturridge continues to prove that he may be the Derrick Rose of the Premier League - boatloads of talent that is rarely on the field.
Divock Origi has the ability to develop into a top class player, but he is far from the finished product right now. He has done his best in the last couple matches featured in a starting role, but just appears more suited to the role being asked of Adam Lallana than the main striker. Whether from a forced perspective or simply wanting a change of pace, Klopp wisely put on the big Belgian after the half.
Almost immediately, Benteke had an impact. Only two minutes into the second 45, Lallana played a ball through to the left. Benteke ran onto it and almost slid it back across to the Englishman, with Coutinho waiting even further along if it slipped through. Alas, it only went for a corner, but Liverpool used that energy to keep up the pressure and earn two more corners immediately after. The second half also served as a wake-up call for the Anfield faithful.
The glow of Klopp's arrival perhaps wearing off just a bit, the first half saw the Red's supporters a bit quiet and apprehensive like they were in the final few weeks of Brendan Rodgers' reign. In the second frame, they were more lively even breaking out a brief rendition of some songs during the 52nd minute. Despite the good vibes, the apprehension remained on the field.
Liverpool still looked decent when in attack mode, but like a baseball hitter gripping the bat too tightly, they were just pressing too much. Alberto Moreno blasted one across the face of goal with too much pace in the 56th minute and then ripped one 20 feet over the bar a minute later. Moreno did make up for those miscues with an absolutely perfectly timed tackle in the box when Southampton seemed to have a breakaway in the 60th minute.
Firmino came on for Lallana in the 67th minute and then the game entered a rather dull period. The squads traded trips up the field and then back with little to show. As things seemed determined to settle into another goalless draw, James Milner took the ball up the right side in the 78th minute and lofted one into the box. It seemed too far out for much to come of it, but Benteke got full power behind the header and placed it right into the upper 90 for Liverpool's first goal. It was a top notch goal and one that fans will hope gives Benteke the lift to further goals coming.
Unfortunately, the good feelings were short lived. The bane of Liverpool, no matter who they have in the back four, has been set pieces and a long free kick was their undoing in this match. Unable to clear the initial attempt, Gaston Ramirez headed it back across the goal for Mane to finish off past a lunging Milner and Simon Mingolet. While there was little blame for any one player, it just had that stomach turning feel of Liverpool snatching a draw from the jaws of victory.
The bottom line is that this team remains disappointing. Southampton is a good side, but Liverpool needed to find a way to win. Other than a bit more optimism in the stands and a bit more effort shown on the field, there has been no difference in the results of Rodgers and Klopp. That's no knock against the new manager, just the truth. It's a bit of a harsher reality for those of us that drank the aforementioned kool-aid, because we're coming to the realization that the players simply aren't good enough.
Injuries have played a huge role in results but nobody has outperformed themselves simply because they have a new manager. Coutinho seems to have actually regressed a step since the change. There is definitely a more positive vibe with Klopp in charge, but it just hasn't translated onto the field and into goals. Klopp seems to have shored up the defense overall, but they've also conceded a goal in two of the three games the German has been in charge. In the end it's just more proof that the turnaround may be farther away than any of us envisioned and definitely farther away than we had hoped.
Random Thoughts:
- I was glad to see Liverpool legend, Stevie Nicol actually agreed with me about Adam Lallana, since it had seemed I was alone in the thoughts that he's just not that great. He has technical ability unmatched by many in the game. However, he cannot score and doesn't seem to do a great job of setting anyone else up to score either. He would be a nice change of pace player off the bench, but as a starter he just isn't getting it done.
- I'm eager to see what new and creative ways people come up with to put this result on Simon Mingolet. I understand it's the trait of typical lazy fans who have no concept of how to play the position, but I always get a tickle out of their insane need to blame goalkeepers for any goal.
- I keep hoping for the day when Liverpool will have two healthy strikers. Perhaps I'm old fashioned or perhaps I'm too stuck in the old American style but I just think you need two true strikers. Benteke is a strong man, but especially in the Premier League, if you don't have the second layer of attackers capable of providing quick support, then a holding striker just isn't going to create enough offense.
Walk On
As has been the case the last few weeks, regardless of who was the manager, Liverpool managed to create a few chances but they simply don't have the ability to finish right now. In his midweek meetings with the press, Jurgen Klopp even acknowledged his players seem to be experiencing a bit of anxiety in the attacking end. The team has a lot of skill on the ball, but there just isn't that true threat on goal. Granted, much of that, at the moment, is due to injuries. Christian Benteke did not start the match against Southampton even though he was fit enough to be in the squad and Daniel Sturridge continues to prove that he may be the Derrick Rose of the Premier League - boatloads of talent that is rarely on the field.
Divock Origi has the ability to develop into a top class player, but he is far from the finished product right now. He has done his best in the last couple matches featured in a starting role, but just appears more suited to the role being asked of Adam Lallana than the main striker. Whether from a forced perspective or simply wanting a change of pace, Klopp wisely put on the big Belgian after the half.
Almost immediately, Benteke had an impact. Only two minutes into the second 45, Lallana played a ball through to the left. Benteke ran onto it and almost slid it back across to the Englishman, with Coutinho waiting even further along if it slipped through. Alas, it only went for a corner, but Liverpool used that energy to keep up the pressure and earn two more corners immediately after. The second half also served as a wake-up call for the Anfield faithful.
The glow of Klopp's arrival perhaps wearing off just a bit, the first half saw the Red's supporters a bit quiet and apprehensive like they were in the final few weeks of Brendan Rodgers' reign. In the second frame, they were more lively even breaking out a brief rendition of some songs during the 52nd minute. Despite the good vibes, the apprehension remained on the field.
Liverpool still looked decent when in attack mode, but like a baseball hitter gripping the bat too tightly, they were just pressing too much. Alberto Moreno blasted one across the face of goal with too much pace in the 56th minute and then ripped one 20 feet over the bar a minute later. Moreno did make up for those miscues with an absolutely perfectly timed tackle in the box when Southampton seemed to have a breakaway in the 60th minute.
Firmino came on for Lallana in the 67th minute and then the game entered a rather dull period. The squads traded trips up the field and then back with little to show. As things seemed determined to settle into another goalless draw, James Milner took the ball up the right side in the 78th minute and lofted one into the box. It seemed too far out for much to come of it, but Benteke got full power behind the header and placed it right into the upper 90 for Liverpool's first goal. It was a top notch goal and one that fans will hope gives Benteke the lift to further goals coming.
Unfortunately, the good feelings were short lived. The bane of Liverpool, no matter who they have in the back four, has been set pieces and a long free kick was their undoing in this match. Unable to clear the initial attempt, Gaston Ramirez headed it back across the goal for Mane to finish off past a lunging Milner and Simon Mingolet. While there was little blame for any one player, it just had that stomach turning feel of Liverpool snatching a draw from the jaws of victory.
The bottom line is that this team remains disappointing. Southampton is a good side, but Liverpool needed to find a way to win. Other than a bit more optimism in the stands and a bit more effort shown on the field, there has been no difference in the results of Rodgers and Klopp. That's no knock against the new manager, just the truth. It's a bit of a harsher reality for those of us that drank the aforementioned kool-aid, because we're coming to the realization that the players simply aren't good enough.
Injuries have played a huge role in results but nobody has outperformed themselves simply because they have a new manager. Coutinho seems to have actually regressed a step since the change. There is definitely a more positive vibe with Klopp in charge, but it just hasn't translated onto the field and into goals. Klopp seems to have shored up the defense overall, but they've also conceded a goal in two of the three games the German has been in charge. In the end it's just more proof that the turnaround may be farther away than any of us envisioned and definitely farther away than we had hoped.
Random Thoughts:
- I was glad to see Liverpool legend, Stevie Nicol actually agreed with me about Adam Lallana, since it had seemed I was alone in the thoughts that he's just not that great. He has technical ability unmatched by many in the game. However, he cannot score and doesn't seem to do a great job of setting anyone else up to score either. He would be a nice change of pace player off the bench, but as a starter he just isn't getting it done.
- I'm eager to see what new and creative ways people come up with to put this result on Simon Mingolet. I understand it's the trait of typical lazy fans who have no concept of how to play the position, but I always get a tickle out of their insane need to blame goalkeepers for any goal.
- I keep hoping for the day when Liverpool will have two healthy strikers. Perhaps I'm old fashioned or perhaps I'm too stuck in the old American style but I just think you need two true strikers. Benteke is a strong man, but especially in the Premier League, if you don't have the second layer of attackers capable of providing quick support, then a holding striker just isn't going to create enough offense.
Walk On
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Klopp's Crew Keep Clean Sheet in Debut
It was the opening game of a new era. It was the first game of the Jurgen Klopp era. People wanted a quick turnaround, but none was to be had and it was unrealistic to hope for. Managerial changes can spur (no pun intended) change, but players are players. They can't be changed overnight. Nevertheless, Liverpool could have and should have scored in the 10th minute as Divock Origi's flick went off the crossbar and the rebound bounced too many ways for a clean rebound to be had.
Liverpool had their chances after that, and looked a bit more positive than in the last few weeks, but it was mostly Tottenham after the first 15 minutes. Simon Mingolet was forced to make a huge save in the 28th minute as Adam Lallana and Emre Can failed to fully get back, leaving the left wing open. Tottenham continued to build pressure, but the Reds managed to defend fairly well, constantly talking which, admittedly, was something a bit lacking under Brendan Rodgers. Liverpool managed to counter with a chance of their own in the 33rd minute, but still could not quite conjure enough to truly trouble the Spurs. Spurs then rebounded with more chances of their own. Harry Kane failed to put one in, hitting it off Mingolet's left leg and then Sakho with a block on the rebound opportunity.
The first 45 minutes of the Klopp era weren't really all that different, but really about what should have been expected. Liverpool came out with a lot of energy, but it wasn't really concentrated in one area. The players could clearly be seen wanting to perform well for their new manager, but not knowing exactly how other than to run. There was no momentous occasion to celebrate the change, but given the starting lineup Liverpool had to go with, it was no more than should've been expected. Still, you can't say that a scoreless draw at the half was not progress given the chances afforded to the opposition.
For the first 15 minutes of the second half, both teams seemed content to allow their opponent into the penalty area and then attempt to defend. Sure, you can claim it worked since it was still scoreless heading into the last half hour, but it's a dangerous way to play. The game calmed into somewhat of a lull during the 60th minutes. Both sides had an opportunity toward the box, or two, but nothing overtly dangerous. Liverpool's best chance was an appeal for penalty by Lallana in the 67th minute that went unheeded by the official.
Liverpool built up some very good pressure in the 70th minute, but could find no shots. Unfortunately for them, all their pressure only led to a counter attack for Harry Kane that was fortunately blocked before fully going toward goal. Joe Allen came on in the 81st minute, which was a bit confusing since Allen does not strike anyone as an attacking player, but came on in an attacking position. Jordan Ibe would have seemed a better fit, but perhaps Klopp wanted more possession or more defending up-field.
The substitution didn't seem to spark much either. Nothing to do with Allen really, but almost immediately after the switch, Spurs had another strong attack from Kane that was neatly parried away by Mingolet. Ibe did come onto the field moments later for Coutinho, who seemed to be laboring. That would be the last thing the Reds need at this point, considering that their entire lineup of forwards to be counted on was on the injury list for this weekend.
Most of the second half, as mentioned was relatively dull, but that made any chance for either side that much more intense. Can had a rip toward goal in the 90th minute that just skimmed a foot or so wide and that put the hearts of Liverpool fans in their throats as they were hoping for something miraculous. LFC supporters also had their hopes raised as Milner was awarded a free kick just outside the box with only minutes to go. Alas, the kick was wasted by Moreno and that would be all she wrote.
It was a rather uninspiring game, if you take all the pageantry and hype surrounding Klopp out of the occasion. It was much the same as we have seen all season, but it did have just a twinge of a better feel to it. Liverpool managed a bit more energy than some of the lethargic performances of late weeks. They had some good offensive chances, which is important given all the injuries the team had. A squad missing Daniel Sturridge, Christian Benteke and Danny Ings was always going to struggle to score (they've struggled even with those players). However, creating some chances knowing those players weren't even available as subs was a positive. A draw is much better than a loss, but this game proved what Klopp had already said in his press conference. He is not a miracle worker and it will be a process.
Random Thoughts:
- What kind of luck do Liverpool have if not bad luck? We all knew Benteke was unlikely and Ings is finished for the year, but to wake up and find Sturridge out with a swollen knee is extremely disheartening.
- People want to lump this all on Rodgers, but let us not forget that so many people were ready to give up on loan-outs like Lazar Markovic and more than willing to rid themselves of Ricki Lambert and Mario Balotelli. Now, given injuries, the Liverpool squad are very thin at positions they seemed deep in at the year's start. It's just the way things happen. To blame Rodgers is just piling on the hate.
- Mingolet continues to irritate people who want him out. He's not quite decisive enough on set pieces, but I still contend he's one of the league's best shot stoppers and am not sure exactly who his detractors want to bring in that will clearly be better.
Walk On
Liverpool had their chances after that, and looked a bit more positive than in the last few weeks, but it was mostly Tottenham after the first 15 minutes. Simon Mingolet was forced to make a huge save in the 28th minute as Adam Lallana and Emre Can failed to fully get back, leaving the left wing open. Tottenham continued to build pressure, but the Reds managed to defend fairly well, constantly talking which, admittedly, was something a bit lacking under Brendan Rodgers. Liverpool managed to counter with a chance of their own in the 33rd minute, but still could not quite conjure enough to truly trouble the Spurs. Spurs then rebounded with more chances of their own. Harry Kane failed to put one in, hitting it off Mingolet's left leg and then Sakho with a block on the rebound opportunity.
The first 45 minutes of the Klopp era weren't really all that different, but really about what should have been expected. Liverpool came out with a lot of energy, but it wasn't really concentrated in one area. The players could clearly be seen wanting to perform well for their new manager, but not knowing exactly how other than to run. There was no momentous occasion to celebrate the change, but given the starting lineup Liverpool had to go with, it was no more than should've been expected. Still, you can't say that a scoreless draw at the half was not progress given the chances afforded to the opposition.
For the first 15 minutes of the second half, both teams seemed content to allow their opponent into the penalty area and then attempt to defend. Sure, you can claim it worked since it was still scoreless heading into the last half hour, but it's a dangerous way to play. The game calmed into somewhat of a lull during the 60th minutes. Both sides had an opportunity toward the box, or two, but nothing overtly dangerous. Liverpool's best chance was an appeal for penalty by Lallana in the 67th minute that went unheeded by the official.
Liverpool built up some very good pressure in the 70th minute, but could find no shots. Unfortunately for them, all their pressure only led to a counter attack for Harry Kane that was fortunately blocked before fully going toward goal. Joe Allen came on in the 81st minute, which was a bit confusing since Allen does not strike anyone as an attacking player, but came on in an attacking position. Jordan Ibe would have seemed a better fit, but perhaps Klopp wanted more possession or more defending up-field.
The substitution didn't seem to spark much either. Nothing to do with Allen really, but almost immediately after the switch, Spurs had another strong attack from Kane that was neatly parried away by Mingolet. Ibe did come onto the field moments later for Coutinho, who seemed to be laboring. That would be the last thing the Reds need at this point, considering that their entire lineup of forwards to be counted on was on the injury list for this weekend.
Most of the second half, as mentioned was relatively dull, but that made any chance for either side that much more intense. Can had a rip toward goal in the 90th minute that just skimmed a foot or so wide and that put the hearts of Liverpool fans in their throats as they were hoping for something miraculous. LFC supporters also had their hopes raised as Milner was awarded a free kick just outside the box with only minutes to go. Alas, the kick was wasted by Moreno and that would be all she wrote.
It was a rather uninspiring game, if you take all the pageantry and hype surrounding Klopp out of the occasion. It was much the same as we have seen all season, but it did have just a twinge of a better feel to it. Liverpool managed a bit more energy than some of the lethargic performances of late weeks. They had some good offensive chances, which is important given all the injuries the team had. A squad missing Daniel Sturridge, Christian Benteke and Danny Ings was always going to struggle to score (they've struggled even with those players). However, creating some chances knowing those players weren't even available as subs was a positive. A draw is much better than a loss, but this game proved what Klopp had already said in his press conference. He is not a miracle worker and it will be a process.
Random Thoughts:
- What kind of luck do Liverpool have if not bad luck? We all knew Benteke was unlikely and Ings is finished for the year, but to wake up and find Sturridge out with a swollen knee is extremely disheartening.
- People want to lump this all on Rodgers, but let us not forget that so many people were ready to give up on loan-outs like Lazar Markovic and more than willing to rid themselves of Ricki Lambert and Mario Balotelli. Now, given injuries, the Liverpool squad are very thin at positions they seemed deep in at the year's start. It's just the way things happen. To blame Rodgers is just piling on the hate.
- Mingolet continues to irritate people who want him out. He's not quite decisive enough on set pieces, but I still contend he's one of the league's best shot stoppers and am not sure exactly who his detractors want to bring in that will clearly be better.
Walk On
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Bland Derby Draw Dooms Rodgers
Rivalry matchups usually need little build up. There is enough history between Liverpool and Everton to just discuss the match itself. Afterall, this match was the 193rd league derby. However, there was a lot of build up. Everton were higher in the league table than their rivals going into a derby for the first time in years. Liverpool and their manager Brendan Rodgers were under fire again following another lackluster midweek draw in the Europa League. Little outside the three points would quench Liverpool fans thirst for blood and even that might not be enough for long.
Liverpool looked good on the ball in the early going. Danny Ings had a blast just over the bar in the 14th minute. Great passing as LFC worked the give and go to almost finished off a chance by James Milner in the 26 min. Then against the flow of momentum Naismith looked to have a sure goal off the header in the 28 min, but Simon Mingolet flicked out his left hand and made a top notch save. The Belgian forced to make another save two minutes later from James McCarthy, this time stretching to his right. Just when it seemed this match was destined to go goalless into half, if not the entire game, Ings came up with a smart header that Tim Howard had no chance to stop.
The goal came on Liverpool's 7th corner kick of the half. The Reds were, somewhat surprisingly, dominant on set pieces and finally made Everton pay for it. The good feelings would not last long for the men in red, however. Instead of going into the dressing room up a goal and feeling good about their performance, it was all dashed in a flash. A poor clearance by Emre Can fell right to Romalu Lukaku and the Everton striker, who had not scored at Goodison Park since March, buried it in the back of the net.
In a game that Liverpool really needed to win, they would not get started off on the right foot after the break. Mingolet was called into action early in the second half, diving to his left to stop a pinged cross that would've connected with Gerard Deulofeu on the top of the six yard area. After the early chances for Everton, the game became mostly a lull with Everton still gaining the better chances. In the 66th min, Ross Barkley had a crack at goal that just sliced wide. Liverpool was fortunate in the 70th min as Lukaku blasted a right footer right at the Reds' keeper.
The first chance for Liverpool didn't come until the 72nd minute from a quick shot by Coutinho that was punched away by Howard. Then in the 89th min Can may have saved the game as Liverpool couldn't clear and the German stepped in front of Lukaku's blast. Liverpool pressed forward a few times, but never really threatened at the end of the game. Another in a long line of contests where the club started reasonably well, scored first and then could not see the result out. Liverpool again failed to score more than one goal, something they've done in all but one match this year. They looked like a team that was fearful their performances would cost their manager their job.
Unfortunately for them and for Brendan Rodgers, that sentence would prove to be too true. Hours after the match, the owners involved in the Fenway Sports Group decided to remove the Irishman from his post and move forward with a new man for the rest of the season. Rodgers time at Anfield was a huge roller coaster ride. He quickly built a side capable of performing with the big boys of the Premier League and should have won the league in his second season if not for a few bad plays and mishaps.
Sadly for the manager and fans, nothing seemed to go right after that year. The international break will give the club extra time to fill the position. Fans will no doubt be looking toward high profile names such as Jurgen Klopp or Carlo Ancelotti, but the next signing to be the boss will send a clear message from the men in ownership. There have been rumblings that the top men want someone who won't be too forceful or demanding and willing to bring up youth instead of demanding the top players in the world. Another up and coming coach behind the bench at Anfield will signal that this ownership group is more interested in being in control than winning. At this point, given the apparent mentality of the team on the field, a change had to be made. As fans, the people can now only hope that the next decision moves this historic club forward.
Random Thoughts:
- If I have time, I will write a full blog giving thoughts on the removal of Brendan Rodgers.
- Now that a new manager will be coming in, this point may be mute. Nevertheless, the experiment of Emre Can at centerback needs to end. The player is extremely talented, but has to be in the midfield or on the bench. Two high profile mistakes have ended up in the back of the net and he just looks a shambles in defense at times.
- Simon Mingolet continued to prove detractors wrong. I love reading how Liverpool need a different goalkeeper when the idea is fairly ridiculous. For whatever reason, people who haven't played the position, more so than any other position in any other sport, blame the position when they don't have any clue the decision making, positioning and split second reactions that go into it. Mingolet's decision making can be faulted on set pieces and incoming balls, but he's one of the better pure shot stoppers in the league. As with any position, if you can secure an upgrade then fine but there aren't as many out there as people wish to believe.
Walk On
Liverpool looked good on the ball in the early going. Danny Ings had a blast just over the bar in the 14th minute. Great passing as LFC worked the give and go to almost finished off a chance by James Milner in the 26 min. Then against the flow of momentum Naismith looked to have a sure goal off the header in the 28 min, but Simon Mingolet flicked out his left hand and made a top notch save. The Belgian forced to make another save two minutes later from James McCarthy, this time stretching to his right. Just when it seemed this match was destined to go goalless into half, if not the entire game, Ings came up with a smart header that Tim Howard had no chance to stop.
The goal came on Liverpool's 7th corner kick of the half. The Reds were, somewhat surprisingly, dominant on set pieces and finally made Everton pay for it. The good feelings would not last long for the men in red, however. Instead of going into the dressing room up a goal and feeling good about their performance, it was all dashed in a flash. A poor clearance by Emre Can fell right to Romalu Lukaku and the Everton striker, who had not scored at Goodison Park since March, buried it in the back of the net.
In a game that Liverpool really needed to win, they would not get started off on the right foot after the break. Mingolet was called into action early in the second half, diving to his left to stop a pinged cross that would've connected with Gerard Deulofeu on the top of the six yard area. After the early chances for Everton, the game became mostly a lull with Everton still gaining the better chances. In the 66th min, Ross Barkley had a crack at goal that just sliced wide. Liverpool was fortunate in the 70th min as Lukaku blasted a right footer right at the Reds' keeper.
The first chance for Liverpool didn't come until the 72nd minute from a quick shot by Coutinho that was punched away by Howard. Then in the 89th min Can may have saved the game as Liverpool couldn't clear and the German stepped in front of Lukaku's blast. Liverpool pressed forward a few times, but never really threatened at the end of the game. Another in a long line of contests where the club started reasonably well, scored first and then could not see the result out. Liverpool again failed to score more than one goal, something they've done in all but one match this year. They looked like a team that was fearful their performances would cost their manager their job.
Unfortunately for them and for Brendan Rodgers, that sentence would prove to be too true. Hours after the match, the owners involved in the Fenway Sports Group decided to remove the Irishman from his post and move forward with a new man for the rest of the season. Rodgers time at Anfield was a huge roller coaster ride. He quickly built a side capable of performing with the big boys of the Premier League and should have won the league in his second season if not for a few bad plays and mishaps.
Sadly for the manager and fans, nothing seemed to go right after that year. The international break will give the club extra time to fill the position. Fans will no doubt be looking toward high profile names such as Jurgen Klopp or Carlo Ancelotti, but the next signing to be the boss will send a clear message from the men in ownership. There have been rumblings that the top men want someone who won't be too forceful or demanding and willing to bring up youth instead of demanding the top players in the world. Another up and coming coach behind the bench at Anfield will signal that this ownership group is more interested in being in control than winning. At this point, given the apparent mentality of the team on the field, a change had to be made. As fans, the people can now only hope that the next decision moves this historic club forward.
Random Thoughts:
- If I have time, I will write a full blog giving thoughts on the removal of Brendan Rodgers.
- Now that a new manager will be coming in, this point may be mute. Nevertheless, the experiment of Emre Can at centerback needs to end. The player is extremely talented, but has to be in the midfield or on the bench. Two high profile mistakes have ended up in the back of the net and he just looks a shambles in defense at times.
- Simon Mingolet continued to prove detractors wrong. I love reading how Liverpool need a different goalkeeper when the idea is fairly ridiculous. For whatever reason, people who haven't played the position, more so than any other position in any other sport, blame the position when they don't have any clue the decision making, positioning and split second reactions that go into it. Mingolet's decision making can be faulted on set pieces and incoming balls, but he's one of the better pure shot stoppers in the league. As with any position, if you can secure an upgrade then fine but there aren't as many out there as people wish to believe.
Walk On
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Liverpool Hang On by Fingernails
On a week that had pretty much been a nightmare for Liverpool and their manager, Brendan Rodgers, there was a big need of a bright spot. The team, fans and manager got what they needed with about as good a start as they could hope. Liverpool scored while some people may have been still searching for their seats and did so in fine fashion. James Milner had a crack at goal in the 2nd minute that found the net against one of his former clubs. Coutinho set up the goal with a nice bit of play from the left side, sliding it into the middle for Milner who had a soft first touch before banging it home. Liverpool continued the attack and looked sharp in the opening minutes.
Emre Can had a good flick in the 5th minute right but was right at goalkeeper Brad Guzan. As tends to happen though, not everything could run smoothly. Aston Villa almost equalized with a sharp header from Rudy Gestede in the 7th min. Liverpool would dominate until 22nd minute when a mistake by Can almost cost them. Gestede smashed it wide after being set up perfectly from Can, when the defender should have cleared it away but ended up knocking it back into the middle.
The disappointing thing about the first half was it was an embodiment of how the season has gone. Liverpool looked sharp against opposition that they should beat, but could not fully take charge of the game. Despite the fantastic start and the energizing shot in the arm for the team and for Anfield, the rest of the half pretty much petered out. Liverpool dominated possession, but could not create any more true chances. Sure there were forays at goal, but nothing that really troubled Guzan or the Villa faithful.
The second half provided an opportunity to change all that and Liverpool almost took advantage. in the 52nd minute, Milner almost struck again. His charge forward led to a hard shot that the defender just deflected wide. Nathaniel Clyne was right there on the doorstep but a sliding defender denied the Reds their second goal of the contest. Nevertheless it was a positive start to the second 45 minutes. Moments later a handball led to another chance.
Coutinho tried to be a bit cheeky and went low with the shot, which in actuality is more difficult to handle for most goalkeepers. Unfortunately for Liverpool, Guzan was quick to smother. The fortunes would finally favor the home side just before the 60th minute. Milner continued to shine wearing the Captain's armband, settling the ball smartly with the chest and flicking it over the Villa backline. Daniel Sturridge, still struggling to regain full fitness, looked in top form as he absolutely ripped it into the side netting with his preferred left foot. It only took eight matches, but at last Liverpool had scored two goals in a contest.
The glad tidings and good feelings would not last long to the chagrin of many. Gestede was inexplicably left to run through the area and finished off a cross from the right hand side. Even more inexplicably, Can was the man in charge of following Gestede and when the Villain slid by him, Can put his arms up as to blame others for his faults. A disheartening defensive showing from a side, that while has always had its share of problems, looked very solid with so many clean sheets to begin the year.
Then, as quickly as things turned sour, Daniel Sturridge waved his magic wand and soothed the wails of the Kopites. Right in front of Anfield's famed supporter section, less than a minute following the goal conceded, the Reds struck again to put the advantage back to two. Sturridge took the ball on the edge of the area, put it into the box for Coutinho, took the one touch on his weaker right foot and slid it into that same side netting. Top notch football and something the fans of Liverpool have been hoping to see for a long time but were robbed of due to a terrible string of injuries.
The fans were again made to sweat though as the roller coaster continued. The Liverpool defense again looked a shamble. This time Sakho was caught ball watching along with the rest of the backline and Gestede made them pay. The Aston Villa striker flew threw the air and clattered Sakho out of the way in order to head it into the back of the net. Again, tragic defending and again no chance for Mingolet to make a save.
Coutinho almost answered a few minutes later. The Brazilian took a sweet strike from a free kick and just peeled it over the wall. Guzan had to stretch fully to his right and paw it away, keeping the margin at one goal. The game never seemed to calm down either. The ball kept pinging back and forth between the teams. Sturridge almost had his hat-trick twice, once not generating power and the second forcing a great save by Guzan. Ings had a chance that he blasted right into a defender. Villa, for their part, kept charging up field as well despite the holes it would leave at the back.
In the end, it wouldn't matter as the final whistle eventually came with Liverpool still on top by a goal, which was their only goal when the opening whistle rang. It was never fully comfortable but a win and three points cannot be discounted. The disappointing thing is that nothing can ever fully go right for this club. The Reds finally crack the score sheet more than once and then the defense loses the ability to watch anything other than the ball. Nevertheless, it was positive to see Daniel Sturridge return to scoring form and for the club to get a much needed victory.
There will be a very vocal section that will actually be disappointed with the win because they wanted a poor performance to be the final nail in the manager's coffin, but I simply cannot side with them. Brendan Rodgers' time at Anfield may come to a close sooner rather than later, but to root against your team due to your own frustrations with the manager is too much. This is still a team in the works and trying to figure things out. It is incredibly understandable how frustrating that is for a fan base still used to knowing how the team would perform and who would be on the field.
Rodgers is still not off the hook, but the noose is not quite over his neck yet either. For all its potential defensive failings, this team seems to be settling into the 3-5-2. You or I can complain about its positives and negatives all we want, but the fact is that with the personnel at Liverpool's disposal right now, that is the best formation at the moment. Things might change if/when Jordan Henderson can return. The formation may get tweaked for cup matches or European games, but overall it fits this squad best even if certain players are not in their comfort zone. Now that a quality win was gained, Liverpool have to capitalize and put a string together. As with anything with this club though, that is easier said than done.
Random Thoughts:
- As someone who lifts weights and no longer looks like someone who plays soccer, it was still odd to see Adama Traore come onto the field. That man is jacked.
- Personally, I'm a big fan of Emre Can. I think he's extremely talented and could be a good Liverpool player for years to come. I feel for him though because he is versatile enough to be played at the back even though that is clearly not his best position. He looked so much more comfortable early in the season when he was in the defensive midfield, but the team is better when he is in the back three. It's just sad that is the case because he is so clearly not a central defender.
- Piggy backing off that, it's sad to see Joe Gomez not on the field. Gomez did nothing wrong really, but like Can is a victim of circumstance. Alberto Moreno fits in better as a winger due to his speed and offensive ability and thus Gomez is simply the odd man out (though some could perhaps make a case that he could play in the back three instead of Can).
- It's hard not to love Danny Ings. He's not full of flair and boatloads of technical ability. He's just an old-school style player that never gives up on a play. He's as willing to tack back 60 yards as he is to make a run into the box for an attempt on goal. The sport could use more players like him and Liverpool are lucky to have him. While nowhere near the ability, he is similar to Anthony Martial in that nobody probably expected him to produce to the ability he has so far but it is a pleasant surprise.
- As I mentioned in the main article, I just can't abide the fans that want their team to lose so that a manager will get fired or there will be changes in personnel. Far be it for me to tell anyone how to root for their own team, but that just isn't my style. For me, you cheer for the team through thick and thin and hope that things will turn out in the end.
Walk On
Emre Can had a good flick in the 5th minute right but was right at goalkeeper Brad Guzan. As tends to happen though, not everything could run smoothly. Aston Villa almost equalized with a sharp header from Rudy Gestede in the 7th min. Liverpool would dominate until 22nd minute when a mistake by Can almost cost them. Gestede smashed it wide after being set up perfectly from Can, when the defender should have cleared it away but ended up knocking it back into the middle.
The disappointing thing about the first half was it was an embodiment of how the season has gone. Liverpool looked sharp against opposition that they should beat, but could not fully take charge of the game. Despite the fantastic start and the energizing shot in the arm for the team and for Anfield, the rest of the half pretty much petered out. Liverpool dominated possession, but could not create any more true chances. Sure there were forays at goal, but nothing that really troubled Guzan or the Villa faithful.
The second half provided an opportunity to change all that and Liverpool almost took advantage. in the 52nd minute, Milner almost struck again. His charge forward led to a hard shot that the defender just deflected wide. Nathaniel Clyne was right there on the doorstep but a sliding defender denied the Reds their second goal of the contest. Nevertheless it was a positive start to the second 45 minutes. Moments later a handball led to another chance.
Coutinho tried to be a bit cheeky and went low with the shot, which in actuality is more difficult to handle for most goalkeepers. Unfortunately for Liverpool, Guzan was quick to smother. The fortunes would finally favor the home side just before the 60th minute. Milner continued to shine wearing the Captain's armband, settling the ball smartly with the chest and flicking it over the Villa backline. Daniel Sturridge, still struggling to regain full fitness, looked in top form as he absolutely ripped it into the side netting with his preferred left foot. It only took eight matches, but at last Liverpool had scored two goals in a contest.
The glad tidings and good feelings would not last long to the chagrin of many. Gestede was inexplicably left to run through the area and finished off a cross from the right hand side. Even more inexplicably, Can was the man in charge of following Gestede and when the Villain slid by him, Can put his arms up as to blame others for his faults. A disheartening defensive showing from a side, that while has always had its share of problems, looked very solid with so many clean sheets to begin the year.
Then, as quickly as things turned sour, Daniel Sturridge waved his magic wand and soothed the wails of the Kopites. Right in front of Anfield's famed supporter section, less than a minute following the goal conceded, the Reds struck again to put the advantage back to two. Sturridge took the ball on the edge of the area, put it into the box for Coutinho, took the one touch on his weaker right foot and slid it into that same side netting. Top notch football and something the fans of Liverpool have been hoping to see for a long time but were robbed of due to a terrible string of injuries.
The fans were again made to sweat though as the roller coaster continued. The Liverpool defense again looked a shamble. This time Sakho was caught ball watching along with the rest of the backline and Gestede made them pay. The Aston Villa striker flew threw the air and clattered Sakho out of the way in order to head it into the back of the net. Again, tragic defending and again no chance for Mingolet to make a save.
Coutinho almost answered a few minutes later. The Brazilian took a sweet strike from a free kick and just peeled it over the wall. Guzan had to stretch fully to his right and paw it away, keeping the margin at one goal. The game never seemed to calm down either. The ball kept pinging back and forth between the teams. Sturridge almost had his hat-trick twice, once not generating power and the second forcing a great save by Guzan. Ings had a chance that he blasted right into a defender. Villa, for their part, kept charging up field as well despite the holes it would leave at the back.
In the end, it wouldn't matter as the final whistle eventually came with Liverpool still on top by a goal, which was their only goal when the opening whistle rang. It was never fully comfortable but a win and three points cannot be discounted. The disappointing thing is that nothing can ever fully go right for this club. The Reds finally crack the score sheet more than once and then the defense loses the ability to watch anything other than the ball. Nevertheless, it was positive to see Daniel Sturridge return to scoring form and for the club to get a much needed victory.
There will be a very vocal section that will actually be disappointed with the win because they wanted a poor performance to be the final nail in the manager's coffin, but I simply cannot side with them. Brendan Rodgers' time at Anfield may come to a close sooner rather than later, but to root against your team due to your own frustrations with the manager is too much. This is still a team in the works and trying to figure things out. It is incredibly understandable how frustrating that is for a fan base still used to knowing how the team would perform and who would be on the field.
Rodgers is still not off the hook, but the noose is not quite over his neck yet either. For all its potential defensive failings, this team seems to be settling into the 3-5-2. You or I can complain about its positives and negatives all we want, but the fact is that with the personnel at Liverpool's disposal right now, that is the best formation at the moment. Things might change if/when Jordan Henderson can return. The formation may get tweaked for cup matches or European games, but overall it fits this squad best even if certain players are not in their comfort zone. Now that a quality win was gained, Liverpool have to capitalize and put a string together. As with anything with this club though, that is easier said than done.
Random Thoughts:
- As someone who lifts weights and no longer looks like someone who plays soccer, it was still odd to see Adama Traore come onto the field. That man is jacked.
- Personally, I'm a big fan of Emre Can. I think he's extremely talented and could be a good Liverpool player for years to come. I feel for him though because he is versatile enough to be played at the back even though that is clearly not his best position. He looked so much more comfortable early in the season when he was in the defensive midfield, but the team is better when he is in the back three. It's just sad that is the case because he is so clearly not a central defender.
- Piggy backing off that, it's sad to see Joe Gomez not on the field. Gomez did nothing wrong really, but like Can is a victim of circumstance. Alberto Moreno fits in better as a winger due to his speed and offensive ability and thus Gomez is simply the odd man out (though some could perhaps make a case that he could play in the back three instead of Can).
- It's hard not to love Danny Ings. He's not full of flair and boatloads of technical ability. He's just an old-school style player that never gives up on a play. He's as willing to tack back 60 yards as he is to make a run into the box for an attempt on goal. The sport could use more players like him and Liverpool are lucky to have him. While nowhere near the ability, he is similar to Anthony Martial in that nobody probably expected him to produce to the ability he has so far but it is a pleasant surprise.
- As I mentioned in the main article, I just can't abide the fans that want their team to lose so that a manager will get fired or there will be changes in personnel. Far be it for me to tell anyone how to root for their own team, but that just isn't my style. For me, you cheer for the team through thick and thin and hope that things will turn out in the end.
Walk On
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Bogdon Saves the Day
The Capital One Cup often seems like the proverbial red-headed step-child when it comes to footballing tournaments in England. It is fraught with landmines and is a no-win scenario for many teams. Most fans don't care enough about it, unless you reach the semifinals. However, if you lose or underperform, then there is hell to pay. It's a scenario for larger teams that is hard to deal with. It's hard to get up to play the lesser sides, not only due to prestige but also due to the lack of preparation. There is less time and less film available for study.
That said, it was a bad day with a good result for the men in red. Liverpool came out with a strong side on the field and looked to smash this game to pieces in the early going. The Reds seemed to create a quality scoring opportunity just about every minute for the opening five and about every two minutes thereafter. Danny Ings was a man possessed as he seems determined to make his case for a starting spot on the weekends in league matches (He may get his opportunity anyway due to an apparent Benteke injury earlier this week).
Ings was flying around the field with reckless abandon, going after headballs, launching shots from distance and creating havoc in the box. He was rewarded with a solid headball goal in the 23rd minute. It seemed that he was willing Liverpool to what could have been an easy win. Instead, things took a turn for the worse.
Liverpool conceded only 11 minutes later. Derek Asamoah connected and stuck the ball in the back of the net to even the score at one and that was all that Carlisle United would need. Liverpool created chances late on in the first half, but the second half was nothing but frustration. The Reds were forced, by a combination of stout defense and pure frustration, to settle for long shots or driving the ball down to the endline and looking for crosses with a sea of blue in the area. Liverpool dominated the possession but could not crack the wall.
Going back to the earlier point of these matches being a no-win scenario, the offensive frustration can be looked at in two ways. One: it was extremely disappointing to fail to score a second goal again. Liverpool have failed to score more than one in every match this year. Two: it is extremely difficult, no matter the level of opposition, to score when the opponent is literally placing all 10 field players within five yards of the penalty area. Liverpool did all they could really, but Carlisle did everything they could, short of just placing everyone on the goal line, to keep the ball out.
Extra energy had to be wasted as Coutinho came in as a sub and the game went to extra time. More bad luck for Liverpool as Dejan Lovren went up for a header late in the second extra period and came down awkwardly on his right ankle. The defender had to be stretchered off with what appears to have been a broken ankle. Many fans may not miss his presence (myself not among them), but it is never good to see someone on the team you support taken off in such a manner.
So, the contest went to penalties and hearts sank among the Anfield faithful and those watching around the world. The pendulum of momentum seemed to be on David's side and you could sense it would not favor the Goliath in red. But, things never turn out quite as expected whether good or bad. Adam Bogdan, who got his first start for Liverpool and was rarely tested throughout the match, came up huge for his club.
The young goalkeeper seemed to have foresight when it came to each shot. Bogdan stopped the first shot, guessed correctly on the second and fourth and stopped the third and final shot from Carlisle. Liverpool, much to the worry of fans, looked a bit shaky. The first two shots were taken coolly. Then Lallana was stopped and Coutinho as well. However, the team ultimately scored enough and Bogdan was up to his task and Liverpool will carry on to the round of 16 in the Capital One Cup.
Things are still not all well at Anfield. Injuries are playing a part, but there is still not enough solidity in terms of a formation. The attack seems to have found a purpose, but still cannot find its way in terms of finishing. Brendan Rodgers' seat is red hot at this point, despite FSG claiming they still back the Irishman. A win on the weekend could go a long way to help matters, but fans will not be soothed so easily. Liverpool, regardless of where you choose to put any blame, still have a lot of work to do.
Random Thoughts:
- I was tuned into the social media feeds during the game. For the love of all that is holy, people need to come up with better arguments to fire the manager. If you don't like his team selection or formation or transfer signings then fine. But every time a goal is conceded everyone screams "Sack the manager!" We've all played the game at some level and I don't remember a time at any point in my career where anything a manger said really made a huge difference in my performance for good or ill. Maybe I just didn't have great coaches. I readily concede that Rodgers' time at Liverpool may be short, but there are so many other things to pick from rather than a goal conceded. Last time I checked, managers aren't allowed on the pitch.
- Today's game was more evidence that Liverpool have to go with a two striker setup. Fine, they did not have Sturridge or Benteke available. But you have to start picking a formation and setting the players up in it. That is my biggest frustration with Rodgers at this point. He is more than willing to play players out of position, but he doesn't seem to want to stick to a formation and force the players into said formation.
Walk On
That said, it was a bad day with a good result for the men in red. Liverpool came out with a strong side on the field and looked to smash this game to pieces in the early going. The Reds seemed to create a quality scoring opportunity just about every minute for the opening five and about every two minutes thereafter. Danny Ings was a man possessed as he seems determined to make his case for a starting spot on the weekends in league matches (He may get his opportunity anyway due to an apparent Benteke injury earlier this week).
Ings was flying around the field with reckless abandon, going after headballs, launching shots from distance and creating havoc in the box. He was rewarded with a solid headball goal in the 23rd minute. It seemed that he was willing Liverpool to what could have been an easy win. Instead, things took a turn for the worse.
Liverpool conceded only 11 minutes later. Derek Asamoah connected and stuck the ball in the back of the net to even the score at one and that was all that Carlisle United would need. Liverpool created chances late on in the first half, but the second half was nothing but frustration. The Reds were forced, by a combination of stout defense and pure frustration, to settle for long shots or driving the ball down to the endline and looking for crosses with a sea of blue in the area. Liverpool dominated the possession but could not crack the wall.
Going back to the earlier point of these matches being a no-win scenario, the offensive frustration can be looked at in two ways. One: it was extremely disappointing to fail to score a second goal again. Liverpool have failed to score more than one in every match this year. Two: it is extremely difficult, no matter the level of opposition, to score when the opponent is literally placing all 10 field players within five yards of the penalty area. Liverpool did all they could really, but Carlisle did everything they could, short of just placing everyone on the goal line, to keep the ball out.
Extra energy had to be wasted as Coutinho came in as a sub and the game went to extra time. More bad luck for Liverpool as Dejan Lovren went up for a header late in the second extra period and came down awkwardly on his right ankle. The defender had to be stretchered off with what appears to have been a broken ankle. Many fans may not miss his presence (myself not among them), but it is never good to see someone on the team you support taken off in such a manner.
So, the contest went to penalties and hearts sank among the Anfield faithful and those watching around the world. The pendulum of momentum seemed to be on David's side and you could sense it would not favor the Goliath in red. But, things never turn out quite as expected whether good or bad. Adam Bogdan, who got his first start for Liverpool and was rarely tested throughout the match, came up huge for his club.
The young goalkeeper seemed to have foresight when it came to each shot. Bogdan stopped the first shot, guessed correctly on the second and fourth and stopped the third and final shot from Carlisle. Liverpool, much to the worry of fans, looked a bit shaky. The first two shots were taken coolly. Then Lallana was stopped and Coutinho as well. However, the team ultimately scored enough and Bogdan was up to his task and Liverpool will carry on to the round of 16 in the Capital One Cup.
Things are still not all well at Anfield. Injuries are playing a part, but there is still not enough solidity in terms of a formation. The attack seems to have found a purpose, but still cannot find its way in terms of finishing. Brendan Rodgers' seat is red hot at this point, despite FSG claiming they still back the Irishman. A win on the weekend could go a long way to help matters, but fans will not be soothed so easily. Liverpool, regardless of where you choose to put any blame, still have a lot of work to do.
Random Thoughts:
- I was tuned into the social media feeds during the game. For the love of all that is holy, people need to come up with better arguments to fire the manager. If you don't like his team selection or formation or transfer signings then fine. But every time a goal is conceded everyone screams "Sack the manager!" We've all played the game at some level and I don't remember a time at any point in my career where anything a manger said really made a huge difference in my performance for good or ill. Maybe I just didn't have great coaches. I readily concede that Rodgers' time at Liverpool may be short, but there are so many other things to pick from rather than a goal conceded. Last time I checked, managers aren't allowed on the pitch.
- Today's game was more evidence that Liverpool have to go with a two striker setup. Fine, they did not have Sturridge or Benteke available. But you have to start picking a formation and setting the players up in it. That is my biggest frustration with Rodgers at this point. He is more than willing to play players out of position, but he doesn't seem to want to stick to a formation and force the players into said formation.
Walk On
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Point Gained Still Disappointing
Liverpool saw two returns on this Sunday matchup. It saw the return of the Reds to Anfield after a few weeks of road contests. More importantly, however, the supporters saw the return of Daniel Sturridge to the pitch as his team took on Norwich City. It was his first visit to an actual field of play since April 4 and a welcome one. While Liverpool failed to strike while the iron was hot in the first ten minutes of the match, you could clearly see the difference both in the team shape and playing style.
The attacks built slowly, but looked good from a Reds side that has again struggled with scoring. Alberto Moreno showed a bit of skill along the endline in the 18th minute, but James Milner needed to do better shooting it right into the defender. Later in the 25th minute, the rust began to show. Sturridge would have done better to let the wide ball from Moreno go through to Coutinho.
Despite the decent offensive showings, albeit brief, Anfield seemed a bit quiet and on edge. Sturridge again showed rust in the 34th minute. A turnover led to him alone on the right side of the area but his shot to the near post was saved by John Ruddy. Liverpool continued to build on each attack and looked a tiny bit better with the next. Benteke almost put one on the foot of Milner with good one and two touch passing in the box in the 38th minute, but the end result just wasn't quite there.
The second half began interestingly, but not in a good way. Christian Benteke started the half on the bench, with the commentators claiming he had tightness in his hamstring. While Liverpool were wise to rest him, given their recent injury history, it was disappointing to see the partnership between Benteke and Sturridge not allowed to grow. The disappointment didn't last long though.
Danny Ings, the Benteke sub, chested down a long ball from Moreno in the 49th minute. Ings then cooly slipped the ball past the keeper, who was mere feet away from the striker, to score the first goal of the game and Ings' first goal of the season.
Norwich score off a corner kick. Mingolet got a punch on it, but not enough to clear and then a deft touch from Russel Martin put it just over the sprawling keeper as he retreated to his position in the 62nd minute. Only minutes later, the Canaries of Norwich almost took the lead. A lack of interest from the defenders allowed a run down the right side. The cross was met by Matt Jarvis and only a kick save from Mingolet kept the score level.
Sadly, things would not improve for the home side, despite plenty of chances created. In the 78th minute, Coutinho was the beneficiary of a two-on-one break. However, the Brazilian was too indecisive, took the ball too close to the goalkeeper and again Ruddy made the save. Yet another chance went by the wayside when Ings could not control with his left in the 82 min. The final buildup led to nothing in the 91st minute. One touch passing landed the ball to Coutinho, but again the final touch was not there as the shot from the outside of the right foot went awry.
When looked at with a cool head, there were plenty of positives to take from the match. Daniel Sturridge had glimpses of returning to form, if not fitness. Liverpool created more chances in this contest than they had in many recent games combined. A return to the back three and more of a two striker setup with Coutinho tucked behind seemed to spark Liverpool's attack. Outside of the punch not getting far enough away, Mingolet continued to establish himself as a reliable keeper, making several stops that kept the game to at least a result.
All that said, it was an incredibly disappointing result when it comes to the standings. As positive a person as I try to be, the moral victories are simply not enough for this club anymore. A point against a promoted team, despite how well they played, is not good enough. For whatever reason, Anfield is no longer one of the most difficult places to play when it should be at the top of the list. Many will blame Brendan Rodgers again, but in this contest it all falls to the players. None of the managers decisions really impacted the game negatively. It was simply a matter of the men on the field not doing enough individually or collectively to get all three points.
The chances that were presented have to be taken. Injuries and players not quite up to fitness are not excuses. Players like Coutinho, Sturridge, Benteke and several others have to start producing. Whether you wish to blame Rodgers or agree that this one is on the players, the bottom line is that the noose around Rodgers' neck is beginning to tighten. I believe he has found a formation that will work for this particular squad, but wins have to come now. The players have to start producing. This is a team that should be competing for the top four with how inconsistently everyone in the league has played. They need to start now or changes will be made, despite FSG's claims the manager is safe.
Random Thoughts:
- The insertion of Sakho into the team seemed to embolden the centerback pairing. Both Sakho and Skrtel regularly went "out of position" to track players.
- James Milner had a pretty bad game. The effort was there, undeniably, but the quality was just very off for a player of his caliber.
- Roberto Firmino showed a few flashes of what we had hoped he would be, but his development is taking much longer than expected. That said, as good as fans believe Coutinho is and will be, he took a few seasons to really click with this squad.
- Can we please just have a healthy squad? Jordan Henderson returns to training only to break his foot. We finally have the striker partnership we've been waiting for with Sturridge and Benteke only to see Benteke leave at the half with a dreaded hamstring injury. It has to be hard for any manager to try and balance attacking football with constant worry of injury with this club.
- Everyone has their players that they just can't get behind. For me, despite how much I want to like him and know he is talented, I just can't get behind Adam Lallana. I would have much prefered to see Divock Origi come into the game. It just doesn't seem like, for all his ball skills, he ever puts a stamp on any game.
Walk On
The attacks built slowly, but looked good from a Reds side that has again struggled with scoring. Alberto Moreno showed a bit of skill along the endline in the 18th minute, but James Milner needed to do better shooting it right into the defender. Later in the 25th minute, the rust began to show. Sturridge would have done better to let the wide ball from Moreno go through to Coutinho.
Despite the decent offensive showings, albeit brief, Anfield seemed a bit quiet and on edge. Sturridge again showed rust in the 34th minute. A turnover led to him alone on the right side of the area but his shot to the near post was saved by John Ruddy. Liverpool continued to build on each attack and looked a tiny bit better with the next. Benteke almost put one on the foot of Milner with good one and two touch passing in the box in the 38th minute, but the end result just wasn't quite there.
The second half began interestingly, but not in a good way. Christian Benteke started the half on the bench, with the commentators claiming he had tightness in his hamstring. While Liverpool were wise to rest him, given their recent injury history, it was disappointing to see the partnership between Benteke and Sturridge not allowed to grow. The disappointment didn't last long though.
Danny Ings, the Benteke sub, chested down a long ball from Moreno in the 49th minute. Ings then cooly slipped the ball past the keeper, who was mere feet away from the striker, to score the first goal of the game and Ings' first goal of the season.
Norwich score off a corner kick. Mingolet got a punch on it, but not enough to clear and then a deft touch from Russel Martin put it just over the sprawling keeper as he retreated to his position in the 62nd minute. Only minutes later, the Canaries of Norwich almost took the lead. A lack of interest from the defenders allowed a run down the right side. The cross was met by Matt Jarvis and only a kick save from Mingolet kept the score level.
Sadly, things would not improve for the home side, despite plenty of chances created. In the 78th minute, Coutinho was the beneficiary of a two-on-one break. However, the Brazilian was too indecisive, took the ball too close to the goalkeeper and again Ruddy made the save. Yet another chance went by the wayside when Ings could not control with his left in the 82 min. The final buildup led to nothing in the 91st minute. One touch passing landed the ball to Coutinho, but again the final touch was not there as the shot from the outside of the right foot went awry.
When looked at with a cool head, there were plenty of positives to take from the match. Daniel Sturridge had glimpses of returning to form, if not fitness. Liverpool created more chances in this contest than they had in many recent games combined. A return to the back three and more of a two striker setup with Coutinho tucked behind seemed to spark Liverpool's attack. Outside of the punch not getting far enough away, Mingolet continued to establish himself as a reliable keeper, making several stops that kept the game to at least a result.
All that said, it was an incredibly disappointing result when it comes to the standings. As positive a person as I try to be, the moral victories are simply not enough for this club anymore. A point against a promoted team, despite how well they played, is not good enough. For whatever reason, Anfield is no longer one of the most difficult places to play when it should be at the top of the list. Many will blame Brendan Rodgers again, but in this contest it all falls to the players. None of the managers decisions really impacted the game negatively. It was simply a matter of the men on the field not doing enough individually or collectively to get all three points.
The chances that were presented have to be taken. Injuries and players not quite up to fitness are not excuses. Players like Coutinho, Sturridge, Benteke and several others have to start producing. Whether you wish to blame Rodgers or agree that this one is on the players, the bottom line is that the noose around Rodgers' neck is beginning to tighten. I believe he has found a formation that will work for this particular squad, but wins have to come now. The players have to start producing. This is a team that should be competing for the top four with how inconsistently everyone in the league has played. They need to start now or changes will be made, despite FSG's claims the manager is safe.
Random Thoughts:
- The insertion of Sakho into the team seemed to embolden the centerback pairing. Both Sakho and Skrtel regularly went "out of position" to track players.
- James Milner had a pretty bad game. The effort was there, undeniably, but the quality was just very off for a player of his caliber.
- Roberto Firmino showed a few flashes of what we had hoped he would be, but his development is taking much longer than expected. That said, as good as fans believe Coutinho is and will be, he took a few seasons to really click with this squad.
- Can we please just have a healthy squad? Jordan Henderson returns to training only to break his foot. We finally have the striker partnership we've been waiting for with Sturridge and Benteke only to see Benteke leave at the half with a dreaded hamstring injury. It has to be hard for any manager to try and balance attacking football with constant worry of injury with this club.
- Everyone has their players that they just can't get behind. For me, despite how much I want to like him and know he is talented, I just can't get behind Adam Lallana. I would have much prefered to see Divock Origi come into the game. It just doesn't seem like, for all his ball skills, he ever puts a stamp on any game.
Walk On
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Liverpool Fail to Hold Lead, Settle for Europa Draw
Today began the potentially long and winding road of the Europa League for Liverpool FC. It is always a competition mired in controversy for fans in regards to how important it is and where to place it in importance for a long season full of league games and cup competitions. Lots of new faces saw the field for Liverpool on this day. Jordan Rossiter and Divock Origi saw their first starts of the year. The evening would start as a back and forth contest between Liverpool and the French side, Bordeaux. Coutinho rolled one just wide in the fifth minute to begin the Reds' attack.
However, moments later, a long ball over the top fooled the shaky Liverpool defense and almost got chipped over a sliding Simon Mingolet in the 11th minute. That chance began a poor run of form for the Reds that saw a yellow card given to Kolo Toure, a hesitant punch from Mingolet and an injury from said punch on Toure. Liverpool again let up a long ball into the box and Wahbi Khazri almost curled one into the top corner, but saw it sail just wide.
There were decent offensive moments for this Reds side. Even though it was called offside, Divock Origi looked very positive on the ball, just skimming one wide in the 26th minute. The positivity was short lived as Kolo Toure succumbed to his knock from Mingolet in the 28th minute, after making several solid clearances. Due to the unexpected injury, Brendan Rodgers was forced to put in Pedro Chirivella and place Emre Can back in his less comfortable spot of last season, right back. The makeshift Liverpool back line, which also saw young Joe Gomez move to center back, actually seemed to gel relatively quickly. In attack Origi again looked smart, leading defenders away in the 36th minute, but Lallana's pass to Coutinho was too close to the defender and led to nothing. Diego Rolan had several first half chances.
Lallana continued his poor form as he dribbled right into the defense and waited too long, giving away possession in an attempt to draw a foul which never came. Poor defending again popped up toward the end of the half. Khazri was allowed to slice right to the center of the field and only a poor shot right at the keeper kept the score level. As the teams traded trips up the field, Liverpool almost poached one before the break. Coutinho rang one off the woodwork, as he is want to do, but again the Brazilian looked like the most likely to score for this Reds side.
Despite the chances, it was a disappointing half again for the Reds as they failed to really put their stamp on the contest. The second 45 opened up much the same as the first half. Liverpool failed to come out of the gates strong for the second game in a row, but managed to keep it from costing them. Lallana almost turned his fortunes around with a great spin move in the 59th minute, but fired it too close to the goalkeeper. Liverpool then failed to do anything with the following corner.
A few chances were given up in between, but Lallana's chance seemed to slowly simmer the Liverpool attack as they began to build things, even if at a snails pace from that time through about ten minutes later. Finally, the maligned Adam Lallana came through after that buildup. The winger, received a pass from Alberto Moreno on the left side of the box, took it in and nutmegged the defender and coolly slotted it past the goalkeeper to the far side netting.
Danny Ings came into the contest for Origi roughly midway through the half. Ings almost made an instant impact as he was set up very similarly to Lallana and almost scored a mirror goal to Liverpool's first. Unfortunately for Ings, the angle was just a bit too narrow and that allowed Cedric Carrasso to get down and palm it away. The game calmed down a little bit following those chances, save for a few nervy moments near the Liverpool goal.
Unfortunately for the Reds, contests last 90 minutes not 80. After a late sub, taking Rossiter off, Liverpool took their foot off the gas just enough. A difficult ball to handle in the box ultimately led to a goal for Bordeaux in the 81st minute. Liverpool failed to clear the ball when it popped into the air. That allowed the French side to control the ball, juggle it a few times and then have it slide loose to Bordeaux's sub Jussie who ripped it past Mingolet. Cameron Brannagan could not really be blamed for the goal, but it did not look good on the young player to have a goal come so quickly after his insertion into the contest. Liverpool's defense continued to allow pressure for the next few minutes, seemingly unwilling to deal with any ball that went into the center of the pitch.
The game opened as wide as possible following that. Moreno had a blast toward goal directed right at the keeper. Bordeaux sent several balls close to goal that Mingolet had to get fists to. The French team also took advantage of several Liverpool turnovers to drive down field, but the finishes just were not there. Liverpool's passing looked sharp when in attack, but like their counterparts the final one was just quite there. In the end, the pressure did not crack the Liverpool defense, despite the continual backing in at the death. A valuable point was gained by the Reds and valuable experience was gained by young players and players who may need it come the dog days of a long season. As has become typical with this team, there were many disappointing moments and missed opportunities. Plenty of work remains if this is to become a team that can contend for anything, but it was a positive result and any momentum that is not negative is a good thing right now.
Random Thoughts:
- Jordan Rossiter looked decent in his starting debut. He struggled with fitness toward the end, which can be expected of someone yet to play a full 90 minutes in top competition. He did not overly impress skill wise, but I liked his intensity in challenges. Also, it's good to see someone who has come through the academy system. It's always nice to see players be brought up instead of always having to shell out money to bring them in from other teams.
- On American TV, analyst Alexi Lalas was unimpressed with Divock Origi. I slightly disagree. When on the ball he was very positive and created a few chances. He did not light the world on fire, but as time goes on it becomes more and more apparent that none of the players in the Liverpool squad are suited to play as a lone striker, so it was just as much a problem of system as anything Origi did or did not do. That said, he did disappear for stretches and needs to work at interjecting himself into the game more.
- Emre Can is a confusing player to view. There are times he uses his quickness and long stride to track down or keep up with some of the fastest players on the field. There are other times he looks labored in his movements and can appear lazy, even if this is far from true. Perhaps I over analyze his running mechanics. He is, nevertheless, a versatile player that is very valuable in the sorts of situations that pop up from time to time such as Toure's injury.
- I am of two schools of thought when it comes to Europa. I fully understand and support the need to get valuable playing time and European experience for young players and the underutilized squad. On the flip side, while top four in the league is still achievable, it would be nice to just say go for it and prove that Liverpool are still a team to contend with and go for some silverware. That said, it is understandable that the league is still the priority at this early stage.
- Despite the goal and a few flashes of attack, Liverpool continue to prove that they are unable to play with a top three that utilizes a lone striker. When Daniel Sturridge regains fitness, they must play with a top two of Benteke and Sturridge with Coutinho tucked in behind. If that means that players like Firmino or Lallana's playing time suffer as a result, so be it.
Walk On.
However, moments later, a long ball over the top fooled the shaky Liverpool defense and almost got chipped over a sliding Simon Mingolet in the 11th minute. That chance began a poor run of form for the Reds that saw a yellow card given to Kolo Toure, a hesitant punch from Mingolet and an injury from said punch on Toure. Liverpool again let up a long ball into the box and Wahbi Khazri almost curled one into the top corner, but saw it sail just wide.
There were decent offensive moments for this Reds side. Even though it was called offside, Divock Origi looked very positive on the ball, just skimming one wide in the 26th minute. The positivity was short lived as Kolo Toure succumbed to his knock from Mingolet in the 28th minute, after making several solid clearances. Due to the unexpected injury, Brendan Rodgers was forced to put in Pedro Chirivella and place Emre Can back in his less comfortable spot of last season, right back. The makeshift Liverpool back line, which also saw young Joe Gomez move to center back, actually seemed to gel relatively quickly. In attack Origi again looked smart, leading defenders away in the 36th minute, but Lallana's pass to Coutinho was too close to the defender and led to nothing. Diego Rolan had several first half chances.
Lallana continued his poor form as he dribbled right into the defense and waited too long, giving away possession in an attempt to draw a foul which never came. Poor defending again popped up toward the end of the half. Khazri was allowed to slice right to the center of the field and only a poor shot right at the keeper kept the score level. As the teams traded trips up the field, Liverpool almost poached one before the break. Coutinho rang one off the woodwork, as he is want to do, but again the Brazilian looked like the most likely to score for this Reds side.
Despite the chances, it was a disappointing half again for the Reds as they failed to really put their stamp on the contest. The second 45 opened up much the same as the first half. Liverpool failed to come out of the gates strong for the second game in a row, but managed to keep it from costing them. Lallana almost turned his fortunes around with a great spin move in the 59th minute, but fired it too close to the goalkeeper. Liverpool then failed to do anything with the following corner.
A few chances were given up in between, but Lallana's chance seemed to slowly simmer the Liverpool attack as they began to build things, even if at a snails pace from that time through about ten minutes later. Finally, the maligned Adam Lallana came through after that buildup. The winger, received a pass from Alberto Moreno on the left side of the box, took it in and nutmegged the defender and coolly slotted it past the goalkeeper to the far side netting.
Danny Ings came into the contest for Origi roughly midway through the half. Ings almost made an instant impact as he was set up very similarly to Lallana and almost scored a mirror goal to Liverpool's first. Unfortunately for Ings, the angle was just a bit too narrow and that allowed Cedric Carrasso to get down and palm it away. The game calmed down a little bit following those chances, save for a few nervy moments near the Liverpool goal.
Unfortunately for the Reds, contests last 90 minutes not 80. After a late sub, taking Rossiter off, Liverpool took their foot off the gas just enough. A difficult ball to handle in the box ultimately led to a goal for Bordeaux in the 81st minute. Liverpool failed to clear the ball when it popped into the air. That allowed the French side to control the ball, juggle it a few times and then have it slide loose to Bordeaux's sub Jussie who ripped it past Mingolet. Cameron Brannagan could not really be blamed for the goal, but it did not look good on the young player to have a goal come so quickly after his insertion into the contest. Liverpool's defense continued to allow pressure for the next few minutes, seemingly unwilling to deal with any ball that went into the center of the pitch.
The game opened as wide as possible following that. Moreno had a blast toward goal directed right at the keeper. Bordeaux sent several balls close to goal that Mingolet had to get fists to. The French team also took advantage of several Liverpool turnovers to drive down field, but the finishes just were not there. Liverpool's passing looked sharp when in attack, but like their counterparts the final one was just quite there. In the end, the pressure did not crack the Liverpool defense, despite the continual backing in at the death. A valuable point was gained by the Reds and valuable experience was gained by young players and players who may need it come the dog days of a long season. As has become typical with this team, there were many disappointing moments and missed opportunities. Plenty of work remains if this is to become a team that can contend for anything, but it was a positive result and any momentum that is not negative is a good thing right now.
Random Thoughts:
- Jordan Rossiter looked decent in his starting debut. He struggled with fitness toward the end, which can be expected of someone yet to play a full 90 minutes in top competition. He did not overly impress skill wise, but I liked his intensity in challenges. Also, it's good to see someone who has come through the academy system. It's always nice to see players be brought up instead of always having to shell out money to bring them in from other teams.
- On American TV, analyst Alexi Lalas was unimpressed with Divock Origi. I slightly disagree. When on the ball he was very positive and created a few chances. He did not light the world on fire, but as time goes on it becomes more and more apparent that none of the players in the Liverpool squad are suited to play as a lone striker, so it was just as much a problem of system as anything Origi did or did not do. That said, he did disappear for stretches and needs to work at interjecting himself into the game more.
- Emre Can is a confusing player to view. There are times he uses his quickness and long stride to track down or keep up with some of the fastest players on the field. There are other times he looks labored in his movements and can appear lazy, even if this is far from true. Perhaps I over analyze his running mechanics. He is, nevertheless, a versatile player that is very valuable in the sorts of situations that pop up from time to time such as Toure's injury.
- I am of two schools of thought when it comes to Europa. I fully understand and support the need to get valuable playing time and European experience for young players and the underutilized squad. On the flip side, while top four in the league is still achievable, it would be nice to just say go for it and prove that Liverpool are still a team to contend with and go for some silverware. That said, it is understandable that the league is still the priority at this early stage.
- Despite the goal and a few flashes of attack, Liverpool continue to prove that they are unable to play with a top three that utilizes a lone striker. When Daniel Sturridge regains fitness, they must play with a top two of Benteke and Sturridge with Coutinho tucked in behind. If that means that players like Firmino or Lallana's playing time suffer as a result, so be it.
Walk On.
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