Liverpool's defense had been a bright spot in the opening three games of the season. They had looked reasonably formidable. They were cohesive as a back four at the very least and making smart decisions. Those of you who pay attention to sentence structure will notice that all those statements were in past tense.
After three weeks of doing their best to erase the mistakes of the past two seasons, last year in particular, the Liverpool defense fell apart. No one will say this team was a brick wall defensively to open the year, but they looked solid and the two wing backs had drawn praise by many, including in this space. With the exception, perhaps, of Nathaniel Clyne, all of the defenders were to blame for the team's poor start.
West Ham scored just three minutes into the contest as Liverpool had apparently gotten too used to playing Monday night games and not shaken off the cobwebs. The youngster, Gomez, failed to clear the ball from his side and allowed a cross into the box. Martin Skrtel got a head to the initial cross, but did not put enough on it to relieve the pressure. The defense then just sort of stopped and ball watched as the ball pinged around and ended up in the back of the net of the foot of Manuel Lanzini.
Similarly, in the 29th minute, more horrid defending cost Liverpool again. Dejan Lovren had been stout and courageous in his first three games back in a starting role this year. Within the span of about 30 seconds he completely dashed any good will he managed to accrue during those previous games. Lovren unwisely chose not to knock the ball over the touchline on the near side when he had a West Ham attacker right on his back. Then the Croatian compounded his mistake by fumblingly trying to handle the ball. He succeeded in playing the ball right to the opponent and the Reds' keeper, Simon Mingolet was given no chance for a save for a second time in a row.
Offensively, the Liverpool squad looked shaky as well. Credit has to go to West Ham for their efforts to close down space and not allow passing lanes. However, despite the fact he hit the post earlier in the contest, Liverpool's offensive impotence was exemplified by Firmino slotting the ball over the end line with pace instead of playing a soft pass into the path of Clyne. In his defense, Firmino is still getting used to his new squad, but it was still a pass that needed to be connected on given Liverpool's lack of chances overall.
After the half, the questions continued for Liverpool. The announcers on the match figured Liverpool would change tactics to be more offensive minded. Interestingly enough, the only change was Alberto Moreno in for Emre Can, a decision that perhaps added a little speed but really did not change any of what ailed the squad. If anything, Liverpool risked the potential of giving up more goals by going to a back three, regardless of the fact that Clyne stayed on and Moreno was in a defensive winger position.
Then the day went from bad to worse. Coutinho, who had picked up a silly yellow card right before the half, was given his second in the 53rd minute of the contest. Though on replay, the sliding challenge looked like it should not even been a foul, let alone a card, the fact remained that the Brazilian should have been smarter and not put himself in that position. So, down two goals and only 10 men on the field, things looked extremely bleak for the home team.
Danny Ings came on in the 60th minute and Liverpool seemed to play a tiny bit better down a man. James Milner was afforded a great opportunity to score in the 62nd minute, only to see it slice through the defense but comfortably wide of the post. Moments later, Ings made a driving run up the right and cut into the middle. Unfortunately, it petered out as Benteke put the return pass too close to the keeper.
The offensive push hit a lull for much of the latter stages of the second half for Liverpool. They seemed as though they might get a bit of a bump as West Ham were put to 10 men after a straight red card for studs up. Instead, little fight was put into the match from that point on. The coffin lid was sealed tightly shut with a final nail coming in the 92nd minute as the visitors made it 3-0 and won at the Anfield for the first time ever in the Premier League and the first time overall since the 60's.
It was a dreadful day overall for the boys in red. From the opening whistle, things did not seem to go their way by their own design. Their tactics, masterfully employed against Arsenal, were turned against them on this day. Liverpool were allowed to possess all day long, but given no space with which to work. Once the opening goal was scored, Liverpool had little chance. West Ham packed it in behind the ball and closed down the space.
For all the positives that seemed to have been gained over the opening three matches, whether the defending of Lovren or the apparent upgrade in skill offensively, one game effectively set this club back to the doldrums of last season. The defending was horrid. The midfield lacked creativity. The forward line was nonexistent. A long season lays ahead and West Ham have already proven they have the will to knock off the top teams, proven by a 2-0 win in the opening match against Arsenal.
For Liverpool though, questions must be answered. Can the team consistently give service to Chritian Benteke. Though the young striker has looked brilliant at times, when no service was available, he looked more like Mario Balotelli in a Liverpool shirt than the Benteke of the previous few contests. Coutinho cannot be the only man capable of taking on defenders or this team will not achieve its goals. Coutinho, though supremely skilled is still a work in progress and is not ready to be the only man on the team. The defending simply cannot be that bad. The back line will never be the strongest link in this squad, but they cannot make the kinds of mistakes made in this match or scores like today's will be a regular thing.
Those who have read this column regularly know that rarely a negative spin is put on things and by no means is the sky falling. Teams lose. Liverpool was never going to go undefeated. West Ham deserve a lot of credit for the game they played. For those that wear the red however, it stings when the first game you lose is not the one most people would have predicted when looking at the schedule. It doesn't get any easier for Liverpool either. A week off and then a trip to the devil's den, Old Trafford to play Manchester United September 12. A lot of football remains, but Liverpool must learn from their mistakes instead of constantly repeating them to be successful.
Random Thoughts:
- I was as excited about the addition of Roberto Firmino as any, but for now he may not be a starter for this team. While I understand that Jordan Ibe is still growing as a player as well, the team seems to have done better with him as a starter and using Firmino as a sub than the other way around. The Brazilian will acclimate quicker than most, due to playing in Germany, but the English game is hard to step right into.
- Not to keep harping on the defense, but really, how do you go from three straight clean sheets to allowing three goals?
- I know I gave a bit of a jab to Balotelli in the article, but I wish him well with AC Milan as he has been loaned out. There is no buyback clause, so if he does well we could see him in a Liverpool shirt again and I would be very happy for it. His fans have dwindled down to a few, but I am still among them. The man is very talented, but just cannot get his head wrapped around all the things that come with being that talented i.e. workrate and not doing silly things off the field.
- It was good to see Danny Ings get a bit of time. He is a bit small, but if that is the kind of work he's willing to put in every game then I hope we see more of him. I would also like to see Divock Origi get a game or two just to see what is there.
Walk on
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Monday, August 24, 2015
Liverpool and Arsenal Excite Despite Score
Another Monday matchup for Liverpool. This time it promised to have a bit more intrigue. Traveling to the Emirates to face an old rival in Arsenal was poised to be the first real test of undefeated Liverpool. It would prove to be just that, though the away side came out with a firm belief that they could perhaps take all three points.
Both sides traded chances in the first five minutes. Benteke continued to be a revelation for the Reds as he strode up the right side and cut it back toward the spot. Coutinho hit a strong right footer and was unlucky to hit the crossbar. To counter that, only moments later, Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey was unlucky not to score in the 9th minute as offside was called, unnecessarily. It would prove to be a rough opening 20 minutes or so for the officials. They failed to call a foul on Liverpool in the 21st minute, which led to Benteke striding toward the box and then no foul was given on the follow through clip. Francis Coquelin did get the ball originally, but came through Benteke's legs just a bit.
With the exception of a two or three minute spell in which Arsenal put on a master class of passing, Liverpool really controlled most of the game and had more true chances. James Milner almost scored in the 25th minute. Benteke continued to impress with his strength and skill. The new Liverpool frontman showcased himself in a run through the defense in the 30th minute only to fail to connect on a short pass to Coutinho. Roberto Firmino, on the other hand has been a bit slower to gel into his new side. The youngster chose not to shoot in the 37th minute and gave the ball away, perhaps wanting to find favor with teammates instead of taking a chance himself.
Despite all the chances, Liverpool just could not find the back of the net. Petr Cech made an unbelievable save on Benteke towards the end of the half. Even the Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers thought it was a sure goal only to have the longtime Chelsea keeper dive at the perfect moment to get a hand on it and keep the Gunners level. A minute later Cech kicked away a chance off the following corner after Firmino found the loose ball and took a blast. 45th minute, Coutinho had a great bit of skill to fake out the defender and then a fingernail save by Cech and the woodwoork kept the Brazilian off the scoresheet again.
The first 5 minutes of the second half belonged to Liverpool, but Arsenal began to find a bit of possession in 51 min. Possession and passing culminated with a near goal from Alexis Sanchez as he kissed one off the left post in the 61st minute. The pendulum continued to swing the other way as Arsenal dominated the chances and possession. After several buildups with no chances for Arsenal, Simon Mingolet was forced to make a top notch save. The Belgian dove to his right to stop a diving chance from a sprawled Oliver Giroud in the 70th minute. Only a minute later, Mingolet was called into action again.
What looked like an innocuous shot when it came off the foot of Ramsey, curled toward the back post and Mingolet stretched to his left and made the grab. Mingolet made another huge save in the 83rd minute when the shot deflected off Dejan Lovren. Moments later, good defending on the part of Skrtel almost resulted in an own goal as the ball just skimmed wide. Arsenal continued to put on the pressure, but Liverpool managed to keep the dam from breaking. There were cracks and leaks, but no goals conceded for the third game in a row.
Liverpool did manage to create a pulse pounding chance late on as the late sub, Alberto Moreno, used his boatloads of pace to counter the Gunners after a Sanchez turnover. Unfortunately for the Reds, Moreno tried to go all the way into the box instead of laying it through to Benteke. A draw was a fair result for both squads when all the variables are considered. Liverpool dominated the first half and could easily have been up 2-0. Arsenal dominated the second half and only a big save from Mingolet kept them off the sheet. The officials messed up another offside call, again benefiting Liverpool, but they also did not call several fouls that could have impacted the match for either side.
Fans of both squads will be disappointed in the lack of goals, but a draw was a fair result for both and a good result for Liverpool. The defense, while never going to be a strong point for this squad, has looked much improved and been a pleasant surprise so far. When a win is on the table a draw can be looked at with disdain, but if you told most Liverpool supporters they would leave the Emirates with a point, most would not balk. The Reds would dearly loved to get all nine points from the first three games, but cannot complain too much when many pundits would probably have predicted only six points at best and more likely to have only four. In the end, though a win was not to be had on this day, Liverpool has played a little better each game. If they can continue that trend, good things will be on the table for the rest of the year.
Random Thoughts:
- Lucas may have been exhausted, but putting Jordan Rossiter into such an important game was a bit alarming. I'm all for giving players a chance, but when three points were still on the line against a team you're competing with for top four it was a gamble.
- As I said at the end of the primary article, Liverpool played much better in my opinion than they did in both wins in prior weeks. It would have just been nice to poach all three points and perhaps those extra two points may have been deserved given the fact that Liverpool out-chanced Arsenal even with only 1/3 the possession.
- Again, perhaps it has to do with fitness, but despite the fact Moreno almost created a late chance I was surprised to see Coutinho come off in such a tight contest.
- Speaking of Moreno, I have to give credit to Rodgers' choice of Joseph Gomez. I thought Moreno, while not stellar defensively, got a raw deal last season when he did not play that poorly. I was hoping he would get a chance to take the left spot in a back four this year, but Gomez has really shined up to this point.
- Skrtel and Lovren will probably never be the first choice center pairing for most Liverpool fans. They have played very well this year, even with a couple breakdowns here and there. Their main problem, outside a lack of pace, is they are the same player. They go hard into challenges, which creates problems with some referees especially when they go over the top. They get caught flat footed at times and do a lot of tugging and pulling.
- Credit goes to Arsenal for making the adjustments, but it was a bit disappointing that Liverpool created so much havoc but could not take advantage of the poor defending and constant giveaways by Arsenal's patchwork center pairing.
Walk On
Both sides traded chances in the first five minutes. Benteke continued to be a revelation for the Reds as he strode up the right side and cut it back toward the spot. Coutinho hit a strong right footer and was unlucky to hit the crossbar. To counter that, only moments later, Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey was unlucky not to score in the 9th minute as offside was called, unnecessarily. It would prove to be a rough opening 20 minutes or so for the officials. They failed to call a foul on Liverpool in the 21st minute, which led to Benteke striding toward the box and then no foul was given on the follow through clip. Francis Coquelin did get the ball originally, but came through Benteke's legs just a bit.
With the exception of a two or three minute spell in which Arsenal put on a master class of passing, Liverpool really controlled most of the game and had more true chances. James Milner almost scored in the 25th minute. Benteke continued to impress with his strength and skill. The new Liverpool frontman showcased himself in a run through the defense in the 30th minute only to fail to connect on a short pass to Coutinho. Roberto Firmino, on the other hand has been a bit slower to gel into his new side. The youngster chose not to shoot in the 37th minute and gave the ball away, perhaps wanting to find favor with teammates instead of taking a chance himself.
Despite all the chances, Liverpool just could not find the back of the net. Petr Cech made an unbelievable save on Benteke towards the end of the half. Even the Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers thought it was a sure goal only to have the longtime Chelsea keeper dive at the perfect moment to get a hand on it and keep the Gunners level. A minute later Cech kicked away a chance off the following corner after Firmino found the loose ball and took a blast. 45th minute, Coutinho had a great bit of skill to fake out the defender and then a fingernail save by Cech and the woodwoork kept the Brazilian off the scoresheet again.
The first 5 minutes of the second half belonged to Liverpool, but Arsenal began to find a bit of possession in 51 min. Possession and passing culminated with a near goal from Alexis Sanchez as he kissed one off the left post in the 61st minute. The pendulum continued to swing the other way as Arsenal dominated the chances and possession. After several buildups with no chances for Arsenal, Simon Mingolet was forced to make a top notch save. The Belgian dove to his right to stop a diving chance from a sprawled Oliver Giroud in the 70th minute. Only a minute later, Mingolet was called into action again.
What looked like an innocuous shot when it came off the foot of Ramsey, curled toward the back post and Mingolet stretched to his left and made the grab. Mingolet made another huge save in the 83rd minute when the shot deflected off Dejan Lovren. Moments later, good defending on the part of Skrtel almost resulted in an own goal as the ball just skimmed wide. Arsenal continued to put on the pressure, but Liverpool managed to keep the dam from breaking. There were cracks and leaks, but no goals conceded for the third game in a row.
Liverpool did manage to create a pulse pounding chance late on as the late sub, Alberto Moreno, used his boatloads of pace to counter the Gunners after a Sanchez turnover. Unfortunately for the Reds, Moreno tried to go all the way into the box instead of laying it through to Benteke. A draw was a fair result for both squads when all the variables are considered. Liverpool dominated the first half and could easily have been up 2-0. Arsenal dominated the second half and only a big save from Mingolet kept them off the sheet. The officials messed up another offside call, again benefiting Liverpool, but they also did not call several fouls that could have impacted the match for either side.
Fans of both squads will be disappointed in the lack of goals, but a draw was a fair result for both and a good result for Liverpool. The defense, while never going to be a strong point for this squad, has looked much improved and been a pleasant surprise so far. When a win is on the table a draw can be looked at with disdain, but if you told most Liverpool supporters they would leave the Emirates with a point, most would not balk. The Reds would dearly loved to get all nine points from the first three games, but cannot complain too much when many pundits would probably have predicted only six points at best and more likely to have only four. In the end, though a win was not to be had on this day, Liverpool has played a little better each game. If they can continue that trend, good things will be on the table for the rest of the year.
Random Thoughts:
- Lucas may have been exhausted, but putting Jordan Rossiter into such an important game was a bit alarming. I'm all for giving players a chance, but when three points were still on the line against a team you're competing with for top four it was a gamble.
- As I said at the end of the primary article, Liverpool played much better in my opinion than they did in both wins in prior weeks. It would have just been nice to poach all three points and perhaps those extra two points may have been deserved given the fact that Liverpool out-chanced Arsenal even with only 1/3 the possession.
- Again, perhaps it has to do with fitness, but despite the fact Moreno almost created a late chance I was surprised to see Coutinho come off in such a tight contest.
- Speaking of Moreno, I have to give credit to Rodgers' choice of Joseph Gomez. I thought Moreno, while not stellar defensively, got a raw deal last season when he did not play that poorly. I was hoping he would get a chance to take the left spot in a back four this year, but Gomez has really shined up to this point.
- Skrtel and Lovren will probably never be the first choice center pairing for most Liverpool fans. They have played very well this year, even with a couple breakdowns here and there. Their main problem, outside a lack of pace, is they are the same player. They go hard into challenges, which creates problems with some referees especially when they go over the top. They get caught flat footed at times and do a lot of tugging and pulling.
- Credit goes to Arsenal for making the adjustments, but it was a bit disappointing that Liverpool created so much havoc but could not take advantage of the poor defending and constant giveaways by Arsenal's patchwork center pairing.
Walk On
Monday, August 17, 2015
Liverpool Not Sparkling but Winning Still
Liverpool came into this match with quite a bit on the line, given how the rest of the league has shaped up. Though the team was far from spectacular in their regular season opener, they gained all three points. Three points from the home opener would see them tied atop the league, with only goal differential separating them from the very top. However it was a no-win scenario as well. Facing a team fresh up from the Championship, a win is expected and not applauded. A loss would bring nothing but disdain from the fan base, no matter how well the team played. Such is the way of sport.
As far as the game went, it was a rather inauspicious beginning for the Reds. Bournemouth almost scored in the fifth minute. The visitors scored on a header only to see it disallowed by a questionable foul call. The Cherries would continue to put on pressure for the next five minutes or more. Liverpool's defending looked soft for the first 15 minutes before the entire team finally settled into the contest.
Despite the slow start, the home squad would put themselves in the lead. In the 26th minute, Liverpool struck with a goal for Christian Benteke. The play started from a poorly taken corner. Henderson received the pass back and played a beautiful ball over the pressing back line. Coutinho was in an offside position and attempted to play the ball but the flag never went up despite a mandate from the league to call offside more strictly. Even surrounded in controversy, it was an important goal to get the season going for the big striker. The broadcast team even mentioned the long string of goalless games for Peter Crouch and that was the last thing the Reds could afford, given their lack of goals last season.
LFC came alive a bit after the goal as Henderson almost smashed one in one time off Milner's free kick in the 29th min. Liverpool also began controlling the ball more. Coutinho almost knocked one in in the final few minutes of the first half as well, to cap off a relatively productive first 45.
The second half started similarly for both teams, though the dominance on the ball was shorter lived for Bournemouth. They created a quality chance that was right at Simon Mingolet in the first five minutes of the second half. Then Liverpool found their game a bit again, though still not definitively in command. Beneteke again showed glimpses of what might be. In the 54th minute he did well to keep a ball in bounds and then took it past the same defender twice. Jordan Ibe's cross was almost backheeled in by James Milner, but the touch wasn't quite enough.
Mat Ritchie almost smoked one in for the Cherries in the 59th minute that just clipped the post. More chances in the 63rd minute. Liverpool went quite for about 15 minutes until a decent cross almost found Benteke in the 72nd minute and then Coutinho's one time crack was blocked by a sliding defender. Coutinho had another blast about a minute later, but was disappointed in himself as the shot only came as a result of a poor touch.
The sides went back and forth like a boxing match, but little was truly created by either team. Benteke should have had two goals, but in the 90th minute his chance came off the wrong spot of the foot and hit the ground before going off the crossbar. In the end though, the result held up for Liverpool and all six points were gained through two games to open the season.
Looking at the grand picture, there is still a lot left to be desired from the Reds. Bournemouth were really the more active team with and without the ball, they just lacked that spark to really take over the game. Outside of the few chances mentioned in the article, Liverpool were again unable to create up to their abilities. Other than a few good runs, Adam Lallana continued to be little more than another body trampling the blades of grass. Also, despite their decent individual performances, the Liverpool midfield failed to dominate in a fashion that will be needed for the big fixtures later in the season.
However, all that said, there were positives to take as well. Coutinho looks more and more like a star in the making. Once the chances created start to hit the back of the net routinely as most believe they will, he will be the man to stop on this team. Benteke started to show the style of play that will make him worth the money spent in the summer. It is taking a bit to gel, but Benteke had no game time with his new club in the preseason so that is to be expected. Speaking of time to gel, this team is still coming together and getting points. There seems to be a difference in this year's team than last. Last season, fans were shocked by the lack of goals, simply due to the sharp drop off from the year prior. This season expectations are wisely tempered, but while this team will come nowhere close to the explosion of 2013-14, you can see more fluidity and creativity than last season's squad.
Fans love goals and want to see attacking football, especially at home. However, it was only two years ago in the season the Reds almost ended the year with silverware, that the team opened up with three straight unimpressive 1-0 wins. No, they have not impressed in two matches but they got six points. Let us not forget Manchester United of last season. For almost the entire year, United failed to really shine and look like a top four squad, but they got the results they needed. If Liverpool are planting a similar seed right now, that can only bode well for later results.
Walk On
Random Thoughts:
- I try to keep most overtly biased opinions clear of my writing but it is no secret that I have a lot of disdain for Glen Johnson. Thus it is even more pleasing that Nathaniel Clyne is looking much better in the 2 kit than Johnson. Clyne seems better defensively and does not give you that feeling of dread that a mistimed pass will result in a turnover every time he goes forward.
- Personally, I was surprised that Coutinho came out in the 81st minute instead of Lallana. Coutinho did not appear to be laboring that much.
- On a similar note, I have nothing against Lallana personally. As a fan, I want to see him succeed. He has the talent and footskills to be a threat. It just seems like he doesn't do it often enough to deserve the starting nod.
- That said, Roberto Firmino may have shown why he is not yet starting. He, much like his Brazilian teammate, is not yet ready to put in the defensive effort necessary to be successful in the Premier League. Coutinho figured it out though, so Reds fans can be confident that Firmino will learn the English game quickly and see more playing time as a result. If he cannot, then it will be another failed signing but I do not see reason to believe that yet.
- IF Liverpool continue to win with the one striker system, then I wonder what will happen when Daniel Sturridge returns. Benteke looks like he will have to be the man up top. Can Sturridge slide into Lallana's spot? Will he play Coutinho's middle position and slide the Brazilian a bit more wide? It's not a terrible problem to have, but it would be nice for Brendan Rodgers to not have to do much tinkering this season.
As far as the game went, it was a rather inauspicious beginning for the Reds. Bournemouth almost scored in the fifth minute. The visitors scored on a header only to see it disallowed by a questionable foul call. The Cherries would continue to put on pressure for the next five minutes or more. Liverpool's defending looked soft for the first 15 minutes before the entire team finally settled into the contest.
Despite the slow start, the home squad would put themselves in the lead. In the 26th minute, Liverpool struck with a goal for Christian Benteke. The play started from a poorly taken corner. Henderson received the pass back and played a beautiful ball over the pressing back line. Coutinho was in an offside position and attempted to play the ball but the flag never went up despite a mandate from the league to call offside more strictly. Even surrounded in controversy, it was an important goal to get the season going for the big striker. The broadcast team even mentioned the long string of goalless games for Peter Crouch and that was the last thing the Reds could afford, given their lack of goals last season.
LFC came alive a bit after the goal as Henderson almost smashed one in one time off Milner's free kick in the 29th min. Liverpool also began controlling the ball more. Coutinho almost knocked one in in the final few minutes of the first half as well, to cap off a relatively productive first 45.
The second half started similarly for both teams, though the dominance on the ball was shorter lived for Bournemouth. They created a quality chance that was right at Simon Mingolet in the first five minutes of the second half. Then Liverpool found their game a bit again, though still not definitively in command. Beneteke again showed glimpses of what might be. In the 54th minute he did well to keep a ball in bounds and then took it past the same defender twice. Jordan Ibe's cross was almost backheeled in by James Milner, but the touch wasn't quite enough.
Mat Ritchie almost smoked one in for the Cherries in the 59th minute that just clipped the post. More chances in the 63rd minute. Liverpool went quite for about 15 minutes until a decent cross almost found Benteke in the 72nd minute and then Coutinho's one time crack was blocked by a sliding defender. Coutinho had another blast about a minute later, but was disappointed in himself as the shot only came as a result of a poor touch.
The sides went back and forth like a boxing match, but little was truly created by either team. Benteke should have had two goals, but in the 90th minute his chance came off the wrong spot of the foot and hit the ground before going off the crossbar. In the end though, the result held up for Liverpool and all six points were gained through two games to open the season.
Looking at the grand picture, there is still a lot left to be desired from the Reds. Bournemouth were really the more active team with and without the ball, they just lacked that spark to really take over the game. Outside of the few chances mentioned in the article, Liverpool were again unable to create up to their abilities. Other than a few good runs, Adam Lallana continued to be little more than another body trampling the blades of grass. Also, despite their decent individual performances, the Liverpool midfield failed to dominate in a fashion that will be needed for the big fixtures later in the season.
However, all that said, there were positives to take as well. Coutinho looks more and more like a star in the making. Once the chances created start to hit the back of the net routinely as most believe they will, he will be the man to stop on this team. Benteke started to show the style of play that will make him worth the money spent in the summer. It is taking a bit to gel, but Benteke had no game time with his new club in the preseason so that is to be expected. Speaking of time to gel, this team is still coming together and getting points. There seems to be a difference in this year's team than last. Last season, fans were shocked by the lack of goals, simply due to the sharp drop off from the year prior. This season expectations are wisely tempered, but while this team will come nowhere close to the explosion of 2013-14, you can see more fluidity and creativity than last season's squad.
Fans love goals and want to see attacking football, especially at home. However, it was only two years ago in the season the Reds almost ended the year with silverware, that the team opened up with three straight unimpressive 1-0 wins. No, they have not impressed in two matches but they got six points. Let us not forget Manchester United of last season. For almost the entire year, United failed to really shine and look like a top four squad, but they got the results they needed. If Liverpool are planting a similar seed right now, that can only bode well for later results.
Walk On
Random Thoughts:
- I try to keep most overtly biased opinions clear of my writing but it is no secret that I have a lot of disdain for Glen Johnson. Thus it is even more pleasing that Nathaniel Clyne is looking much better in the 2 kit than Johnson. Clyne seems better defensively and does not give you that feeling of dread that a mistimed pass will result in a turnover every time he goes forward.
- Personally, I was surprised that Coutinho came out in the 81st minute instead of Lallana. Coutinho did not appear to be laboring that much.
- On a similar note, I have nothing against Lallana personally. As a fan, I want to see him succeed. He has the talent and footskills to be a threat. It just seems like he doesn't do it often enough to deserve the starting nod.
- That said, Roberto Firmino may have shown why he is not yet starting. He, much like his Brazilian teammate, is not yet ready to put in the defensive effort necessary to be successful in the Premier League. Coutinho figured it out though, so Reds fans can be confident that Firmino will learn the English game quickly and see more playing time as a result. If he cannot, then it will be another failed signing but I do not see reason to believe that yet.
- IF Liverpool continue to win with the one striker system, then I wonder what will happen when Daniel Sturridge returns. Benteke looks like he will have to be the man up top. Can Sturridge slide into Lallana's spot? Will he play Coutinho's middle position and slide the Brazilian a bit more wide? It's not a terrible problem to have, but it would be nice for Brendan Rodgers to not have to do much tinkering this season.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Liverpool Open Blandly
Hello and welcome to another season of Liverpool football. The beginning of a season is always an exciting time. Your prospects for a great season will never be higher, unless you raise the trophy at the end. Hope springs eternal and fans are abuzz about how each new signing will affect the team for good or bad. That same emotion was going through myself and all Liverpool supporters prior to the season's opening contest against Stoke City.
Then came the game. There is still hope for the season. There are still things to be looking forward to. However, as individual games go, it was about as bland as it could get. Both squads threw a few attacks forward here or there, but to little effect. Simon Mingolet was pressured more out of the two goalkeepers in the first half, but more often than not it was due to his own defenders' bunggling attempts at back passes.
Liverpool came out in the opening moments of the contest looking very bright and positive. The passes were crisp and connected well. It really looked like they would strike early and put the ghosts of last season's loss at the Britannia behind them. However, shots were placed right into defenders and you could see that even with the upgrade in talent, the players are still feeling each other out.
That was also the theme for most of this contest for both sides. As mentioned, there was the brief foray into the attacking areas for both the Livebirds and the Potters. Much of the contest was spent in the midfield though, with both teams stringing together decent attacking pushes only to see it peter out with an errant pass (more often than not, directly to the opposition). A lot of it can be chalked up to an opening season game coming earlier in the calendar than usual and summer signings still finding their bearings within each club.
Both squads saw good moments from their higher profile additions. Christian Benteke moved around very well and was strong on the ball, though he will have to find better shooting angles as the season progresses or he may be the most blocked striker in the league. Similarly, Ibrahim Afellay looked very positive for Stoke as well. He was fearless in attack and more than willing to take on the Liverpool defense. Ultimately though, he was unable to create enough for his team to score.
For the Reds, if you look at each individual, nothing overly poor stood out. Dejan Lovren still seems to be finding his sea legs, but was strong in his challenges. He, like just about every Liverpool centerback, will just never be anyone the supporters are comfortable with having the ball at their feet. The same can be said of Skrtel. The man plays hard and goes into every challenge hard. But he makes a lot of mistakes and against higher competition, Liverpool often pay for it. The back four as a whole looked more solid than in seasons past, however the youth of Gomez will create some holes for other teams to exploit as more film is seen on him.
Jordan Ibe continued to impress, though nothing he did ended up on the score sheet. While, in all honesty, his skill set is quite different to Raheem Sterling, Ibe looks more in control and comfortable. Sterling, for all his talents, always looked just a bit reckless like a runaway train. Ibe keeps the ball closer, seems to be wiser in the challenges he takes on and has better physical attributes in terms of size. For all we know, Sterling may turn out to be the promised wunderkind, but for now, LFC seem to have made the smart choice.
James Milner was a bit of a disappointment as he seemed to disappear for long stretches in the match, but he was never going to light the world on fire. He was brought in to help solidify the midfield and that's not always going to mean flying forward. Similarly, Firmino was a bit lackluster in his first action in a Liverpool shirt, but in his defense, he missed some of the preseason tour with the club and has not had much time to gel with his new team or surroundings.
Despite the overall negative spin put on some of what transpired during the game, the big thing is the result and Liverpool got what they had to get - three points. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't flashy. It may have put some to sleep at stages of the game. But, as the broadcasters said in the postmatch commentary - weeks from now, nobody will care. All that will matter is the club won and got a good spring board to start the year.
Given the difficult schedule, chalk full of road matches, to start the season, three points were needed despite claims that a draw would have been sufficient. A match against Bournemouth could potentially iron out a few more kinks before the big boys arrive across the pitch, but again results are more important to start the year than true form. Look at Manchester United last season. They were not great in individual games, but did enough to get results and are now back in Champions League. Similarly, Liverpool got off to a good start, in terms of results, two years ago and gained a top four position because of it. Conversely, a poor start to last season doomed them come the following May.
As fans we always want the beautiful game. We want scoring and flowing football. We marvel at the Brazils and Hollands of the world. But when it comes to the grind of a club season, all that matters are the results. If it meant winning the league, supporters would take ugly win after ugly win. Until the talents can gel, that is what Liverpool must focus on. Get the win. The how is unimportant.
Walk On
Random Thoughts:
- I like Adam Lallana the person (from what I can see from afar) and I like his talents. However, he cannot be the long term starter. A front three of Benteke, Firmino and Coutinho is much more of a threat for the rest of the season. As long as this is just a short period to allow the Brazilian to adjust, then fine.
- Speaking of Lallana, why in the world is he always up front? Maybe I completely misread his skills, but he seems better suited toward a more midfield role than Coutinho does. Although the true lineup had Coutinho further forward, I was not pleased at all when a proposed lineup had Lallana as part of the attacking trio and Coutinho in basically a wingback role.
- This team will not score nearly as many goals. They may not win nearly as many games. However, despite the blandness of this particular contest, I saw brief glimpses of the kind of football that made the team so fun to watch in their second place finish two seasons ago. A healthy Sturridge, if there is such a thing, could really give this team a ton of attacking options and looks for the opposition.
- It was nice to see the team get the win, but also to see Brendan Rodgers get a bit of positive buzz. For good or bad, I seem doomed to be a supporter of his until the day he is no longer the boss of Liverpool. Thus, I am always glad for him and the club when good things come, whether by luck or design.
- Lastly, some may wonder how I could not mention Coutinho's goal in the article proper. Well, chalk that up to first game jitters for me too. That and being too lazy to find a good place to slip in a paragraph about it. That said, it was a fantastic goal but in a sad way what we have come to expect from him. He is one of those players who drives fans crazy because he will blast shots into defenders or five yards over goal time after time. Then, he will strike it sweetly like he did on the goal against Stoke and you see all the talent and promise meld together. If he ever finds a bit more consistency, he could be one of the best in the league.
Then came the game. There is still hope for the season. There are still things to be looking forward to. However, as individual games go, it was about as bland as it could get. Both squads threw a few attacks forward here or there, but to little effect. Simon Mingolet was pressured more out of the two goalkeepers in the first half, but more often than not it was due to his own defenders' bunggling attempts at back passes.
Liverpool came out in the opening moments of the contest looking very bright and positive. The passes were crisp and connected well. It really looked like they would strike early and put the ghosts of last season's loss at the Britannia behind them. However, shots were placed right into defenders and you could see that even with the upgrade in talent, the players are still feeling each other out.
That was also the theme for most of this contest for both sides. As mentioned, there was the brief foray into the attacking areas for both the Livebirds and the Potters. Much of the contest was spent in the midfield though, with both teams stringing together decent attacking pushes only to see it peter out with an errant pass (more often than not, directly to the opposition). A lot of it can be chalked up to an opening season game coming earlier in the calendar than usual and summer signings still finding their bearings within each club.
Both squads saw good moments from their higher profile additions. Christian Benteke moved around very well and was strong on the ball, though he will have to find better shooting angles as the season progresses or he may be the most blocked striker in the league. Similarly, Ibrahim Afellay looked very positive for Stoke as well. He was fearless in attack and more than willing to take on the Liverpool defense. Ultimately though, he was unable to create enough for his team to score.
For the Reds, if you look at each individual, nothing overly poor stood out. Dejan Lovren still seems to be finding his sea legs, but was strong in his challenges. He, like just about every Liverpool centerback, will just never be anyone the supporters are comfortable with having the ball at their feet. The same can be said of Skrtel. The man plays hard and goes into every challenge hard. But he makes a lot of mistakes and against higher competition, Liverpool often pay for it. The back four as a whole looked more solid than in seasons past, however the youth of Gomez will create some holes for other teams to exploit as more film is seen on him.
Jordan Ibe continued to impress, though nothing he did ended up on the score sheet. While, in all honesty, his skill set is quite different to Raheem Sterling, Ibe looks more in control and comfortable. Sterling, for all his talents, always looked just a bit reckless like a runaway train. Ibe keeps the ball closer, seems to be wiser in the challenges he takes on and has better physical attributes in terms of size. For all we know, Sterling may turn out to be the promised wunderkind, but for now, LFC seem to have made the smart choice.
James Milner was a bit of a disappointment as he seemed to disappear for long stretches in the match, but he was never going to light the world on fire. He was brought in to help solidify the midfield and that's not always going to mean flying forward. Similarly, Firmino was a bit lackluster in his first action in a Liverpool shirt, but in his defense, he missed some of the preseason tour with the club and has not had much time to gel with his new team or surroundings.
Despite the overall negative spin put on some of what transpired during the game, the big thing is the result and Liverpool got what they had to get - three points. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't flashy. It may have put some to sleep at stages of the game. But, as the broadcasters said in the postmatch commentary - weeks from now, nobody will care. All that will matter is the club won and got a good spring board to start the year.
Given the difficult schedule, chalk full of road matches, to start the season, three points were needed despite claims that a draw would have been sufficient. A match against Bournemouth could potentially iron out a few more kinks before the big boys arrive across the pitch, but again results are more important to start the year than true form. Look at Manchester United last season. They were not great in individual games, but did enough to get results and are now back in Champions League. Similarly, Liverpool got off to a good start, in terms of results, two years ago and gained a top four position because of it. Conversely, a poor start to last season doomed them come the following May.
As fans we always want the beautiful game. We want scoring and flowing football. We marvel at the Brazils and Hollands of the world. But when it comes to the grind of a club season, all that matters are the results. If it meant winning the league, supporters would take ugly win after ugly win. Until the talents can gel, that is what Liverpool must focus on. Get the win. The how is unimportant.
Walk On
Random Thoughts:
- I like Adam Lallana the person (from what I can see from afar) and I like his talents. However, he cannot be the long term starter. A front three of Benteke, Firmino and Coutinho is much more of a threat for the rest of the season. As long as this is just a short period to allow the Brazilian to adjust, then fine.
- Speaking of Lallana, why in the world is he always up front? Maybe I completely misread his skills, but he seems better suited toward a more midfield role than Coutinho does. Although the true lineup had Coutinho further forward, I was not pleased at all when a proposed lineup had Lallana as part of the attacking trio and Coutinho in basically a wingback role.
- This team will not score nearly as many goals. They may not win nearly as many games. However, despite the blandness of this particular contest, I saw brief glimpses of the kind of football that made the team so fun to watch in their second place finish two seasons ago. A healthy Sturridge, if there is such a thing, could really give this team a ton of attacking options and looks for the opposition.
- It was nice to see the team get the win, but also to see Brendan Rodgers get a bit of positive buzz. For good or bad, I seem doomed to be a supporter of his until the day he is no longer the boss of Liverpool. Thus, I am always glad for him and the club when good things come, whether by luck or design.
- Lastly, some may wonder how I could not mention Coutinho's goal in the article proper. Well, chalk that up to first game jitters for me too. That and being too lazy to find a good place to slip in a paragraph about it. That said, it was a fantastic goal but in a sad way what we have come to expect from him. He is one of those players who drives fans crazy because he will blast shots into defenders or five yards over goal time after time. Then, he will strike it sweetly like he did on the goal against Stoke and you see all the talent and promise meld together. If he ever finds a bit more consistency, he could be one of the best in the league.
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