Liverpool Unbelievably Lose to Southampton

Liverpool came into their league match against Southampton with plenty of momentum.  Perhaps it is true that none of it had come from league matches, but one would have thought the team was flying high by advancing in the Europa League over their old rivals, Manchester United.  The team did come out flying but their wings ended up clipped in the end.

Liverpool was not doing anything with their own possession for the first quarter hour.  Southampton was creating a bit more in the way of problems.  Though he defended well overall, there was a question of whether or not Dejan Lovren gave up a penalty early in the contest.  Ultimately no pen was given and play resumed.

Then in the 13th minute, Lovren was called upon to get a block in on a tight quarters chance for the men in stripes.

The Reds did not cover themselves in glory with their early chances.  Divock Origi hit Daniel Sturridge with a shot that might have had a good chance at scoring in the 16th minute, but only moments later Coutinho would not be denied.

Fed the ball near the left sideline, Coutinho took on one defender and then cut the ball back toward the center of the pitch.  Still a good 25 or more yards from goal, he whipped his right foot around it and banged one off the post and into the net.

No doubt there will be those that claim the keeper should have stopped it.  However, on viewing the replay not only was it a superb placement of the shot, but the defenders in front kind of waved their foot at the ball, which would throw off any goalkeeper.

The offensive floodgates opened a little bit due to Southampton having to push.  Origi created again by taking on defenders with speed and then instead of shooting he left it off in the box for Sturridge.  Sturridge, clearly cognizant of his terrible right footed miss in the midweek game, wanted to keep it on his left.  He did a quick little dance move that might land him a spot on Dancing with the Stars and when the defender moved just enough he sliced his left foot through the ball and into the far netting.

Liverpool should have taken a 3-0 lead in the 26th minute, but Joe Allen could not finish it off.  Give credit to the goalkeeper who made a good reaction save with the kick, but Allen was forced too close to the keeper with the pass, which allowed the keeper to cut off the angle.

Allen thought he got his just desserts in the 33rd minute.  The Welshman somewhat scuffed the ball on the shot following the corner but it found it's way through all the bodies and into the net.  Unfortunately, the linesman raised his flag late and deemed Sakho to have been offside and in a spot that interfered with the goalkeeper.

Everything seemed to be going the Reds' way.  They had won the possession battle at the half, shots, shots on target and even corners.  It was all about to come crashing down though.

In the 49th minute, halftime sub, Martin Skrtel was called for holding onto the attacker's arm and a penalty was given.  Simon Mignolet saved the shot, but the reprieve was short lived.  In the 64th minute, Southampton made Liverpool pay for a careless turnover in midfield.  The Saints charged up field, slid a pass through to Mane who ripped it past Mignolet.

Southampton knotted the game up with a cracking strike from Graziano Pelle in the 83rd minute.  The Saints again capitalized on the suddenly shaky Liverpool defending who failed to clear the initial ball in.

Then the defense just fell apart.  They almost gave the ball away with a weak pass from Can, gave a poor pass back to Mignolet who flubbed the clearance and then Skrtel whiffed on the head ball.  Southampton then finished off the comeback with an 86th minute goal by Mane.

It was an embarassing defeat both due to the defending and the lack of finishing that the Reds were made to rue.  So many chances were wasted, but it seemed insignificant given the 2-0 lead.
Origi shot too close to the goalkeeper, going near post in the 51st resulting in an easy save.  In the 59th minute, Adam Lallana's pass to Emre Can was just deflected enough to get it away from Can's foot for the finish.  Then the maligned Christian Benteke sliced one across the face of goal but wide in the 73rd.

Combine those with all the misses in the first half as well and you get the result that happened.  Questions will rise from the substitutions, especially putting Skrtel on if there was no injury to Lovren but it falls to the players.  They could have easily won four or five to nothing and instead allowed their opponent to take all the points.

For whatever reason, Liverpool cannot seem to concentrate and see things out in the league.  Now they face the potential embarrassment of being passed up by Chelsea, who are only three points back of the Reds despite their own woeful start to the season.

Now Liverpool must face Tottenham, a team with title aspirations, at Anfield on April 2.  Thank goodness it's not on the 1st because Liverpool have played like an April Fool's joke enough as it is.

Random Thoughts:

- Skrtel was just awful.  Given the circumstances of being up 2-0 I suppose I get the idea behind the change.  Skrtel had been out injured so give him 45 minutes with not much pressure.  It completely backfired though.  The centerback was either to blame entirely or at least played a part in two of the goals given up and almost conceded a penalty goal as well.  If this is the way he is going to play - he has made a habit of clutching and grabbing and getting away with it - then personally I'm more than happy to ship him off and take my chances with Lovren.

- Thank goodness I'm not the one getting paid to figure this team out because I can't.  I know Southampton are having a decent season, but how in the world Liverpool can take down teams like United and City and play well against Arsenal etc and then butcher a game they had in hand is just unbelievable.

- My old buddy Adam Lallana disappeared again.  Yes, he had a few good passes in the attacking end but he's just an enigma to me.  If he has the talent to dominate matches like he did a few weeks ago, it boggles the mind that he can be a non-factor so much of the time.

Walk On