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
Showing posts with label Mane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mane. Show all posts
Sunday, March 20, 2016
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
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