Things never seem to slow down in English football when you progress in competitions outside of the league. Such is the case for many teams, including Liverpool FC. Due to the hectic schedule created by the FA Cup, the entire league had midweek fixtures. Liverpool were faced with the task of taking on league title hopeful, Leicester City. Both teams came out looking to take the game by the scruff, but it would not go according to plan for either.
Liverpool wasted a great chance in the 15th minute, mere moments after conceding an opportunity to the Foxes that resulted in a good save by Simon Mignolet.. Then, the Reds went down the field, and got it into the box. Unfortunately, Roberto Firmino tried to lay the ball back for Lallana on a header and instead gave it right to the defense. Playing against a team ahead of you in the table, you must convert those chances.
Mignolet came up huge again with a spectacular save on Mahrez in the 35 minute. The ball came in from about 25 yards out and was labled for the upper corner with a curler. Liverpool squandered another chance in the 40th minute when Alberto Moreno skied a shot in the instead of crossing it back across the box. It was the type of decision that you applaud for taking initiative and criticize for being selfish when there were better options, all at once.
It was the kind of half that makes for pundit's dreams. There were enough positives for either side so that whoever is on the individual team's side, they could point to this or that as being something to build on for the second half or at least the next game. There was also enough done wrong, i.e. poor defending and lax defensive shape leading to breaks down the field, that national pundits could point out everything either team had done wrong. Case in point, the NBC studio crew said Leicester had won the half when people in red saw Liverpool control a bit more of the possession. At 0-0 though, neither side was fully right or wrong.
The second half opened up quite similarly. Both squads bombed up the pitch with hopefulness and purpose. Neither could really do much with the ball in the final third however. It was not until the 60th minute that there was a breakthrough. After Liverpool had gotten the ball into the box, Emre Can relinquished possession when surrounded by three defenders. The Foxes just ripped a long ball up the right side for Jamie Vardy and he made Liverpool pay. The up and coming striker took the ball on the bounce and just blasted a shot first-time from about 25 yards out and into the net.
Many will blame Mignolet or the defending, but it was a quality goal, brilliantly taken and any goalkeeper in the same situation would have been in the same spot on the field. It was up to the players on the Liverpool side to attempt an equalizer from then on, while not conceding another. Alas, that was not in the cards.
While the second goal was again expertly taken by Vardy, the defending was surely to blame. Sakho failed to judge the ball on the first attempt and then failed to head it clear of the attacking players. Then the Leicester strike force was given yards of space as the Liverpool defenders dropped off, which allowed them to pick out Vardy in the box. Dejan Lovren had a moment where he fell asleep and by the time he turned around all he could do was tokenly lunge at the attempt. There was no savior on that play however as Vardy slotted it past Lovren and over the diving Mignolet.
Liverpool's attack petered out following the first goal and all but disappeared after the second. The apathy could be seen in full force on a corner kick in the 76th minute. The kick itself was decent, but there was absolutely no movement toward the ball at all. There was no one attacking and no one with the fortitude to put forth some effort. Liverpool did not just lay down and die. Nathaniel Clyne had a shot that would have surely scored in the 80th minute if not for a good block on the six yard line, but there just wasn't enough of it to make a difference.
Leicester are having a magical season, very similar to what Liverpool experienced the year Luis Suarez almost led them to the title. They are currently a feel good story and everything that is right with the sport. However, despite their top notch play and deserved place in the table, it still stings for a club like Liverpool to be so out-classed by a team that was in the relegation zone just last season. There have been far worse losses in the past and this season, but this one really showed how far the club has fallen and how much work will be needed in the off-season to turn things around. There is undoubtedly enough talent for Jurgen Klopp to work with so that he does not need an entirely new starting XI in one summer, but the overhaul will be wide spread and much needed.
Random Thoughts:
- I'm pleased Liverpool did not allow themselves to be held to ransom by Shaktar. You can catch my thoughts in this video, which included some other soccer topics - https://youtu.be/3WUvQ2_eNBw
- I will never root for any club over Liverpool, but I am pulling for Leicester. Similarly to how everyone expected the bottom to drop out when Liverpool were challenging a couple years ago, everyone keeps expecting the bubble to burst for the Foxes. Maybe it eventually will, but they are still a pretty good story and play some pretty entertaining football.
- While I do truly believe my statement that the entire team does not need to be replaced in one summer transfer window, I don't know who I would say is safe. Perhaps Coutinho or maybe Firmino, simply because of his price and the fact he was just bought, but outside of those I don't know if there is any player that I would be shocked to see sold or would empathize with if a replacement was purchased.
Walk On
Showing posts with label Leicester City Wolves FC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leicester City Wolves FC. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
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
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Transition to 2015 a Bit Rough
Well if the note that Liverpool ended on was a high one, then 2015 was a bit sharp on the scale. It was just a bit off and a bit grating to the ear. Liverpool by no means played a bad game. There were glimpses and flashes of the team we saw against Swansea City. Yet, overall, it just wasn't the type of match the supporters would've expected after such a strong showing.
Leicester came out with the energy and passion you would've expected to see from the Reds. Liverpool was immediately thrown onto their heels and the Reds defended decently despite a sure goal being turned away by the Kop's woodwork on an early free kick by Riyad Mahrez. Once the game calmed down a bit, Liverpool took things into their hands. They pressed the attack and spread the field nicely with the speed and fluidity up front with the trio of Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana and Coutinho.
Liverpool had their opportunities to score from the run of play, though rarely really tested backup keeper Ben Hamer. It was not until a more than fortunate penalty was given for a handball that actually hit the defender in the head that Liverpool was able to hit the net. More possession and attack yielded no result until another handball in the box gave Liverpool their second goal and Steven Gerrard his.
Normal fans would think the game was in hand and Liverpool seemed to be coasting to another victory. An early injury in the second half to Lallana may have actually cost Liverpool the game or at least raised questions about the lineup going forward. While Lallana would not have really figured into either goal actually scored by the Foxes, it was more what it did to Liverpool. Despite the uproar that a new goalkeeper is needed in the January window, Simon Mingolet played a solid match and nothing could be done about either goal.
The first goal for Leicester was an absolute sparkler from the top of the box. Nicely settled down and left for the Evertonian David Nugent to spank past the defender and past the outstretched hands of Mingolet. The Belgian keeper was screened but would not have had a chance even if he wasn't. With a score of 2-1, one could understand the Foxes being deserving of a tally given their hard work and unfortunate luck with the first penalty against them. However, they were not satisfied and Liverpool did not get their weight back on the toes. Less than two full minutes later, Leicester evened the game. Jefferey Schlupp took a good one time pass with a couple knocks and slotted it into the left netting with a solid left footed shot from the top of the arc.
While there were defensive lapses earlier in the play that led to the Foxes first goal, the second lay squarely on the backline and defending in general. A lackadaisical Raheem Sterling failed to account for Schlupp behind him, allowing the initial pass. Then Kolo Toure and Emre Can failed to close down on the shot before power could be put into it. The uninitiated will say Mingolet's attempt at the ball was poor and even the keeper himself may feel he could've put more power into the dive. However, any goalkeeper has no choice but to think Can is going to block that shot and then when it slides through the wickets, the goalkeeper has next to no time to react. Tie game. Done and dusted as they say.
Liverpool created more chances once they caught their breath. Two good chances came to the much debated Fabio Borini, one that seemed a tap in that the Italian striker managed to put a yard or two over the bar. Jordan Henderson whipped a strong shot toward goal as well, but ultimately well wide.
While my previous article focused on the positives to end 2014, this one will no doubt come off decidedly more negative. It is not for lack of effort. You can still see how the current formation benefits this team the most. However the questions raised in my previous blog and in this game will have great bearing on where this teams heads in 2015.
The defending is still awful. Brendan Rodgers is a proud man and a shrewd tactition, but his refusal to even entertain the idea of hiring a defensive coach may cost him his job. With no true goal scoring threat on this team, the constant glut of chances and goals given up along with the lack of clean sheets simply cannot be sustained by a winning club. Emre Can has done a fine job in a position that is not truly his own, however for the second straight contest he stumbled and looked foolish on a ball that drifted over his head. Mamadou Sakho has proven himself to be a very good positional defender, but looks like a recreational league player at times when the ball is at his feet. Kolo Toure and Martin Skrtel are essentially the same player. They are solid defenders when at their best, but often slip to ground or grab their opponents at inopportune times.
The offense is still stagnant. Despite the breath of fresh air that was the Swansea match, the offense still struggles to actually score from the run of play. One could argue that Liverpool was outscored 2-0 or 2-1 given that both goals coming off penalties that in other matches may not have been called. Yes, the Reds created offense and Sterling and Coutinho are deadly with the ball on their shoestrings at times. However when you see that Liverpool had 18 total attempts and 6 on target, one really struggles to remember a good save from Hamer. The attempts on target were not usually effective and the quality chances were mostly missed.
Rounding back to the thought that Lallana's injury costing Liverpool, you could just see the change in the team. Fabio Borini is a decent player and would probably start for several clubs across the world. However due to the reaction from Rodgers toward the player and Borini's need to prove he can play at Liverpool, #29 simply tries too hard. A calm, composed player with the backing of his manager would have been more likely to slot home the game winner. Instead Borini simply charged around to show his effort and then banged his goal over the bar. The injury placed in a player who is trying too hard and also changed the dynamic of the team.
While the attacking triangle of Sterling, Lallana and Coutinho is a bit fluid it is almost always Sterling at the top. Sterling was forced deeper due to Borini's inclusion and there was a sudden lack of creativity from the midfield. This cannot be blamed on Borini or Sterling's positions alone, but there was a decided drop off in the mental stability of this team when the team sheet changed. The same can be said of Rickie Lambert's inclusion for Alberto Moreno. The entire team shape was altered and though Lambert set up a potential chance for Borini, Liverpool just did not strike fear into the defense the way they had.
Taking a disappointing draw result away, these questions still have to be dealt with by the team because once Daniel Sturridge is healthy, there are going to be alterations to the squad. Whether by an addition in the January window or simply the return of Sturridge, by the end of January the starting XI is not going to be the same as it has been the last two or three games. Liverpool must accept this and find a way to threaten the goal no matter who is on the pitch. The positives, though few, that can be taken from the game are that Liverpool threaten anyone and everyone with the 3-4-2-1 and an attacking triangle of Sterling, Lallana and Coutinho. The team showed good spirit even after the equalizer, when earlier in the season we would've seen a go-ahead goal from the Foxes.
It comes as little consolation in the moment, but Liverpool at least gained points. Not only on the pitch, but with Arsenal getting blanked they gain ground on the Gunners and stay right behind West Ham, who also drew. Liverpool now has 9 days off from Premier League action and can rest a few legs. Whether Rodgers chooses to do so is another matter, after stating he is determined to bring silverware to Anfield. Ultimately, if the game is viewed in a microcosm, then it is simply a disappointing draw. When viewed on the larger scale it harkens back to past problems and raises new ones.
The Reds are fortunate in that their next two opponents aren't flying high at the moment and Liverpool has already handled lower level squads. Leicester wasn't flying high either and stole a point at Anfield though, so nothing can be taken for granted. Perhaps now that the busy holiday period is done the Reds can settle down, figure things out and play good football. Walk on.
Leicester came out with the energy and passion you would've expected to see from the Reds. Liverpool was immediately thrown onto their heels and the Reds defended decently despite a sure goal being turned away by the Kop's woodwork on an early free kick by Riyad Mahrez. Once the game calmed down a bit, Liverpool took things into their hands. They pressed the attack and spread the field nicely with the speed and fluidity up front with the trio of Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana and Coutinho.
Liverpool had their opportunities to score from the run of play, though rarely really tested backup keeper Ben Hamer. It was not until a more than fortunate penalty was given for a handball that actually hit the defender in the head that Liverpool was able to hit the net. More possession and attack yielded no result until another handball in the box gave Liverpool their second goal and Steven Gerrard his.
Normal fans would think the game was in hand and Liverpool seemed to be coasting to another victory. An early injury in the second half to Lallana may have actually cost Liverpool the game or at least raised questions about the lineup going forward. While Lallana would not have really figured into either goal actually scored by the Foxes, it was more what it did to Liverpool. Despite the uproar that a new goalkeeper is needed in the January window, Simon Mingolet played a solid match and nothing could be done about either goal.
The first goal for Leicester was an absolute sparkler from the top of the box. Nicely settled down and left for the Evertonian David Nugent to spank past the defender and past the outstretched hands of Mingolet. The Belgian keeper was screened but would not have had a chance even if he wasn't. With a score of 2-1, one could understand the Foxes being deserving of a tally given their hard work and unfortunate luck with the first penalty against them. However, they were not satisfied and Liverpool did not get their weight back on the toes. Less than two full minutes later, Leicester evened the game. Jefferey Schlupp took a good one time pass with a couple knocks and slotted it into the left netting with a solid left footed shot from the top of the arc.
While there were defensive lapses earlier in the play that led to the Foxes first goal, the second lay squarely on the backline and defending in general. A lackadaisical Raheem Sterling failed to account for Schlupp behind him, allowing the initial pass. Then Kolo Toure and Emre Can failed to close down on the shot before power could be put into it. The uninitiated will say Mingolet's attempt at the ball was poor and even the keeper himself may feel he could've put more power into the dive. However, any goalkeeper has no choice but to think Can is going to block that shot and then when it slides through the wickets, the goalkeeper has next to no time to react. Tie game. Done and dusted as they say.
Liverpool created more chances once they caught their breath. Two good chances came to the much debated Fabio Borini, one that seemed a tap in that the Italian striker managed to put a yard or two over the bar. Jordan Henderson whipped a strong shot toward goal as well, but ultimately well wide.
While my previous article focused on the positives to end 2014, this one will no doubt come off decidedly more negative. It is not for lack of effort. You can still see how the current formation benefits this team the most. However the questions raised in my previous blog and in this game will have great bearing on where this teams heads in 2015.
The defending is still awful. Brendan Rodgers is a proud man and a shrewd tactition, but his refusal to even entertain the idea of hiring a defensive coach may cost him his job. With no true goal scoring threat on this team, the constant glut of chances and goals given up along with the lack of clean sheets simply cannot be sustained by a winning club. Emre Can has done a fine job in a position that is not truly his own, however for the second straight contest he stumbled and looked foolish on a ball that drifted over his head. Mamadou Sakho has proven himself to be a very good positional defender, but looks like a recreational league player at times when the ball is at his feet. Kolo Toure and Martin Skrtel are essentially the same player. They are solid defenders when at their best, but often slip to ground or grab their opponents at inopportune times.
The offense is still stagnant. Despite the breath of fresh air that was the Swansea match, the offense still struggles to actually score from the run of play. One could argue that Liverpool was outscored 2-0 or 2-1 given that both goals coming off penalties that in other matches may not have been called. Yes, the Reds created offense and Sterling and Coutinho are deadly with the ball on their shoestrings at times. However when you see that Liverpool had 18 total attempts and 6 on target, one really struggles to remember a good save from Hamer. The attempts on target were not usually effective and the quality chances were mostly missed.
Rounding back to the thought that Lallana's injury costing Liverpool, you could just see the change in the team. Fabio Borini is a decent player and would probably start for several clubs across the world. However due to the reaction from Rodgers toward the player and Borini's need to prove he can play at Liverpool, #29 simply tries too hard. A calm, composed player with the backing of his manager would have been more likely to slot home the game winner. Instead Borini simply charged around to show his effort and then banged his goal over the bar. The injury placed in a player who is trying too hard and also changed the dynamic of the team.
While the attacking triangle of Sterling, Lallana and Coutinho is a bit fluid it is almost always Sterling at the top. Sterling was forced deeper due to Borini's inclusion and there was a sudden lack of creativity from the midfield. This cannot be blamed on Borini or Sterling's positions alone, but there was a decided drop off in the mental stability of this team when the team sheet changed. The same can be said of Rickie Lambert's inclusion for Alberto Moreno. The entire team shape was altered and though Lambert set up a potential chance for Borini, Liverpool just did not strike fear into the defense the way they had.
Taking a disappointing draw result away, these questions still have to be dealt with by the team because once Daniel Sturridge is healthy, there are going to be alterations to the squad. Whether by an addition in the January window or simply the return of Sturridge, by the end of January the starting XI is not going to be the same as it has been the last two or three games. Liverpool must accept this and find a way to threaten the goal no matter who is on the pitch. The positives, though few, that can be taken from the game are that Liverpool threaten anyone and everyone with the 3-4-2-1 and an attacking triangle of Sterling, Lallana and Coutinho. The team showed good spirit even after the equalizer, when earlier in the season we would've seen a go-ahead goal from the Foxes.
It comes as little consolation in the moment, but Liverpool at least gained points. Not only on the pitch, but with Arsenal getting blanked they gain ground on the Gunners and stay right behind West Ham, who also drew. Liverpool now has 9 days off from Premier League action and can rest a few legs. Whether Rodgers chooses to do so is another matter, after stating he is determined to bring silverware to Anfield. Ultimately, if the game is viewed in a microcosm, then it is simply a disappointing draw. When viewed on the larger scale it harkens back to past problems and raises new ones.
The Reds are fortunate in that their next two opponents aren't flying high at the moment and Liverpool has already handled lower level squads. Leicester wasn't flying high either and stole a point at Anfield though, so nothing can be taken for granted. Perhaps now that the busy holiday period is done the Reds can settle down, figure things out and play good football. Walk on.
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