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
Showing posts with label Mario Balotelli. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mario Balotelli. Show all posts
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Liverpool Barely Muster Whimper in Finale
Liverpool FC came into the final day of the 2014-15 Premier League season with little to play for outside of pride. Only a relatively unwanted spot in the Europa League was on the line. However, Liverpool could not even muster the pride to send their captain out with style and barely registered a game played when the full 90 was finished. Only the club's leader, who will travel across the pond to play in MLS after a month off, managed to send himself off with a bit of flare. Steven Gerrard gave his fans one last memory to close out his European career, but the rest of the team let the supporters down.
Liverpool came out with a bit of attack and looked the more likely to score through the first 10 or 15 minutes. Instead, Stoke got a counter attack and struck against a porous Liverpool back line. In truth, Liverpool had their chances. Adam Lallana had at least two that he could have put away and was not awarded a penalty that could have changed the complexion of the game when it was 3-0. Other chances were missed or saved as well. In the end, it did not matter as Liverpool had perhaps the worst first half performance as a team in many a memory.
Supporters can and will heap on Brendan Rodgers. He picked this team, was part of the selection committee that made the transfers and chose the formations. However, over the course of the season, it has become apparent that neither Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp or anyone really was going to make a difference from the sidelines with this club. The loss of both Luis Suarez, to transfer, and Daniel Sturridge, to injury, was more than anyone in the club was going to be able to make up for. Really, Liverpool performed up to the standard they had last season. The results were just different.
People will say that statement is nonsense, but the club scored 99 goals last season and 52 this season. If you remove all of Suarez and Sturridge's goals from last years totals, then the goal totals almost even out over the two years. Unfortunately, that just further proves the club's inability to find goal scoring talent. There is attacking talent in this team, but it woefully underperformed all season and was nowhere close to the teamwide performance needed to replace those lofty numbers put up last season.
Supporters must now look to the future. Sadly for them, the future is very cloudy at the moment. Unless you can bring in a Jurgen Klopp, I think Rodgers will be on the sidelines next season. The problem with that is Rodgers has been an enigma in his time at Anfield. Throw away the first year as that is often a feeling out period. His second year, he almost wins the league and figures out a way to build his squad around its strengths even if it doesn't use his most preferred formation. Third season opens poorly, has a great run of form in the winter months and then hits a brick wall at the end.
Rodgers is a good tactician and knows how to place a squad when it has definitive strengths. For two straight seasons he has gotten his club to perform to top capabilities from Christmas through March. Alas, he has failed to inspire his team to perform in the spring and early fall. He has yet to show that either he or this unnamed transfer committee can choose players capable of actually performing in a Liverpool shirt.
Going forward, whether Rodgers is the manager or not, Liverpool have to settle on a formation. Yes, it is good to be fluid and capable of changing depending on personnel or injuries or an opponent. However, the Reds have used at least three formations, if not more, over the last two seasons alone. Beyond just having versatility, the players have not been allowed to settle into a steady position. Raheem Sterling has played a wingback, an attacking wing and a striker. Emre Can has played a centerback in a back three, a winger on occasion and even less at his natural position in the midfield. Adam Lallana was jockeyed back and forth between winger and wing back. Steven Gerrard ping ponged back and forth between attack and holding roles.
The list goes on and on of players put in several different spots. We were all sold on the depth of this squad prior and during the season. Now at its end, all are left to wonder who, if anyone really deserves to come back. We all know that there isn't enough money available or enough suitors for the current crop of players to make literal wholesale changes. Simon Mingolet will almost surely be the starting keeper going into next year and deservedly so given his form second half of the season. Martin Skrtel, for good or bad will most likely be back next season. Jordan Ibe just signed a new contract and will feature more prominently and Coutinho will have even more responsibility come the new season.
Outside of that, there are nothing but question marks. Rodgers claims that Liverpool will not sell and Sterling will see out his contract. A fine sentiment, but do you really want to receive no fee when the player leaves? Rumors persist on social media that Joe Allen will stay and Lucas will go. While that sentence should be reversed, I do not understand this groundswell of support for Lucas. He cannot stay healthy and provides absolutely nothing in attack. He is a solid defender, but if this club is depending on Lucas and/or Allen, then they will remain in dire straights.
Emre Can was brought in to be a midfielder and should be placed back in that role. He did a serviceable job, but is not and may never be a back line defender. He lacks the speed to play on the wing, lacks the knowledge to play well in the center and lacks the physicality, despite his size, to make the clearances he needs to. Rickie Lambert is all but gone. Mario Balotelli has loads of potential, but even as a personal fan, I understand that business comes first and this club may not be a fit and if someone is willing to spend on the Italian enigma, it would be wise to cash in. Sakho can be a good defender, but looks less comfortable on the ball than a goalkeeper.
Jordan Henderson is relatively young and capable, but isn't that top talent needed to put up performances week in and week out. Adam Lallana may stay or go and sadly, despite his effort and talents shown at Southampton, it may not actually affect the team much in either instance. Sadly, that is the case for much of this squad. Whether they stay or go, may not make much of a difference. It all depends on who the manager brings in.
I am no football genius. I do not know all the inner workings of who is available and who would be the best fit for the Reds. Danny Ings has been mentioned, but could be just another Rickie Lambert. Christian Benteke would be a nice add, but may be a pipe dream. The discouraging thing going into this summer is that Liverpool need the exact same things they needed last offseason, plus more. It will be a long offseason for this club. But, for right or wrong, those that follow the club with their hearts will drink the kool-aid come next season and will always believe. Liverpool have too much history, too much pride and too much support to become one of the also-rans. We've seen teams make turnarounds following one decent to good transfer window. All the fans can do now is hope that Brendan Rodgers, or whoever is in charge, will make good this time and restore Liverpool to some form of glory.
Random thoughts:
- For all their talents and media hype, Coutinho and Raheem Sterling did not do nearly enough this year. Both had single digit goal scoring totals, when the team needed so much more. Both will be good footballers going forward, but either lack the talent to carry a team alone or as a duo or simply need more supporting cast.
- On principle, I applaud BR for sitting Sterling. Some will say it cost Liverpool the game, but given how bad that first half went, I doubt Sterling would've made a dent. Regardless of what his future holds, Sterling should take a long look in the mirror and decide what he wants, not what his agent tells him he wants. Even taking my supporter's hat off, Sterling would be better suited continuing to grow at Liverpool and then even bigger money will be available in a few years time. If he wants less playing time and increased scrutiny that will come by playing at some other clubs, that is his prerogative. However, with the way things have played out over the last few weeks, the player and his agent have done nothing but paint the youngster in a poor light, which will not be viewed well by potential suitors.
- It was not a good year to be a manager on Merseyside. After looking like great tacticians last year, both Rodgers and Roberto Martinez had less than stellar campaigns. While both are still viewed as good coaches, their performances this year may put both in the unemployment line.
- As I mentioned in the blog, I am one of, if not the only Mario Balotelli supporters left. He presents an interesting problem for the club. If you can recoup some of your money, then selling may be a good option. However, there is talent in the man if it can be harnessed. Unfortunately, nobody has managed to do that yet. Also, to get the best out of him, you really need to form the squad around his talents, which would be a double edged sword. If he produces it works out. If he doesn't, then you may have several players in wrong positions again. This season showed that, whether it is Balotelli or even Sturridge, that playing with only one true striker (sometimes none at all) does not befit this club at the moment.
- Thank the maker that Steven Gerrard at least scored a memorable goal in his final Premier League match. It was bad enough to see his team go out with an embarrassing performance, but if he would have been subbed off at the half or done nothing of note, it would not have been fitting.
- The hole that Gerrard will leave will be bigger than just the space he took on the field. In the post match show on NBC, they spoke about the respect Gerrard gave to everyone around the stadium and training ground. From the lunch lady to the parking attendants, Gerrard was held in high regard by everyone at the club. It will be nearly impossible to replace the leadership he brought and the gravitas he carried. Sadly, we may have witnessed the last of a dying breed. In today's age, we may never again see a player spend his entire career, from youth to pro, at one club. Those with the talent are drawn away by more money. Those who stay are often replaced by someone younger. While not on the level of Messi or Ronaldo, Gerrard was a once in a generation player in his own way.
Best wishes to all you Reds supporters during this long offseason. Let us all hope for a much better end to next season. This space will not be completely void during the summer. I may transition to writing about Saint Louis FC or just sports in general. If you wish to keep up with my musings, you may follow me on facebook or twitter: https://twitter.com/TPanula. I post my blogs and YouTube shows on there.
Walk On.
Liverpool came out with a bit of attack and looked the more likely to score through the first 10 or 15 minutes. Instead, Stoke got a counter attack and struck against a porous Liverpool back line. In truth, Liverpool had their chances. Adam Lallana had at least two that he could have put away and was not awarded a penalty that could have changed the complexion of the game when it was 3-0. Other chances were missed or saved as well. In the end, it did not matter as Liverpool had perhaps the worst first half performance as a team in many a memory.
Supporters can and will heap on Brendan Rodgers. He picked this team, was part of the selection committee that made the transfers and chose the formations. However, over the course of the season, it has become apparent that neither Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp or anyone really was going to make a difference from the sidelines with this club. The loss of both Luis Suarez, to transfer, and Daniel Sturridge, to injury, was more than anyone in the club was going to be able to make up for. Really, Liverpool performed up to the standard they had last season. The results were just different.
People will say that statement is nonsense, but the club scored 99 goals last season and 52 this season. If you remove all of Suarez and Sturridge's goals from last years totals, then the goal totals almost even out over the two years. Unfortunately, that just further proves the club's inability to find goal scoring talent. There is attacking talent in this team, but it woefully underperformed all season and was nowhere close to the teamwide performance needed to replace those lofty numbers put up last season.
Supporters must now look to the future. Sadly for them, the future is very cloudy at the moment. Unless you can bring in a Jurgen Klopp, I think Rodgers will be on the sidelines next season. The problem with that is Rodgers has been an enigma in his time at Anfield. Throw away the first year as that is often a feeling out period. His second year, he almost wins the league and figures out a way to build his squad around its strengths even if it doesn't use his most preferred formation. Third season opens poorly, has a great run of form in the winter months and then hits a brick wall at the end.
Rodgers is a good tactician and knows how to place a squad when it has definitive strengths. For two straight seasons he has gotten his club to perform to top capabilities from Christmas through March. Alas, he has failed to inspire his team to perform in the spring and early fall. He has yet to show that either he or this unnamed transfer committee can choose players capable of actually performing in a Liverpool shirt.
Going forward, whether Rodgers is the manager or not, Liverpool have to settle on a formation. Yes, it is good to be fluid and capable of changing depending on personnel or injuries or an opponent. However, the Reds have used at least three formations, if not more, over the last two seasons alone. Beyond just having versatility, the players have not been allowed to settle into a steady position. Raheem Sterling has played a wingback, an attacking wing and a striker. Emre Can has played a centerback in a back three, a winger on occasion and even less at his natural position in the midfield. Adam Lallana was jockeyed back and forth between winger and wing back. Steven Gerrard ping ponged back and forth between attack and holding roles.
The list goes on and on of players put in several different spots. We were all sold on the depth of this squad prior and during the season. Now at its end, all are left to wonder who, if anyone really deserves to come back. We all know that there isn't enough money available or enough suitors for the current crop of players to make literal wholesale changes. Simon Mingolet will almost surely be the starting keeper going into next year and deservedly so given his form second half of the season. Martin Skrtel, for good or bad will most likely be back next season. Jordan Ibe just signed a new contract and will feature more prominently and Coutinho will have even more responsibility come the new season.
Outside of that, there are nothing but question marks. Rodgers claims that Liverpool will not sell and Sterling will see out his contract. A fine sentiment, but do you really want to receive no fee when the player leaves? Rumors persist on social media that Joe Allen will stay and Lucas will go. While that sentence should be reversed, I do not understand this groundswell of support for Lucas. He cannot stay healthy and provides absolutely nothing in attack. He is a solid defender, but if this club is depending on Lucas and/or Allen, then they will remain in dire straights.
Emre Can was brought in to be a midfielder and should be placed back in that role. He did a serviceable job, but is not and may never be a back line defender. He lacks the speed to play on the wing, lacks the knowledge to play well in the center and lacks the physicality, despite his size, to make the clearances he needs to. Rickie Lambert is all but gone. Mario Balotelli has loads of potential, but even as a personal fan, I understand that business comes first and this club may not be a fit and if someone is willing to spend on the Italian enigma, it would be wise to cash in. Sakho can be a good defender, but looks less comfortable on the ball than a goalkeeper.
Jordan Henderson is relatively young and capable, but isn't that top talent needed to put up performances week in and week out. Adam Lallana may stay or go and sadly, despite his effort and talents shown at Southampton, it may not actually affect the team much in either instance. Sadly, that is the case for much of this squad. Whether they stay or go, may not make much of a difference. It all depends on who the manager brings in.
I am no football genius. I do not know all the inner workings of who is available and who would be the best fit for the Reds. Danny Ings has been mentioned, but could be just another Rickie Lambert. Christian Benteke would be a nice add, but may be a pipe dream. The discouraging thing going into this summer is that Liverpool need the exact same things they needed last offseason, plus more. It will be a long offseason for this club. But, for right or wrong, those that follow the club with their hearts will drink the kool-aid come next season and will always believe. Liverpool have too much history, too much pride and too much support to become one of the also-rans. We've seen teams make turnarounds following one decent to good transfer window. All the fans can do now is hope that Brendan Rodgers, or whoever is in charge, will make good this time and restore Liverpool to some form of glory.
Random thoughts:
- For all their talents and media hype, Coutinho and Raheem Sterling did not do nearly enough this year. Both had single digit goal scoring totals, when the team needed so much more. Both will be good footballers going forward, but either lack the talent to carry a team alone or as a duo or simply need more supporting cast.
- On principle, I applaud BR for sitting Sterling. Some will say it cost Liverpool the game, but given how bad that first half went, I doubt Sterling would've made a dent. Regardless of what his future holds, Sterling should take a long look in the mirror and decide what he wants, not what his agent tells him he wants. Even taking my supporter's hat off, Sterling would be better suited continuing to grow at Liverpool and then even bigger money will be available in a few years time. If he wants less playing time and increased scrutiny that will come by playing at some other clubs, that is his prerogative. However, with the way things have played out over the last few weeks, the player and his agent have done nothing but paint the youngster in a poor light, which will not be viewed well by potential suitors.
- It was not a good year to be a manager on Merseyside. After looking like great tacticians last year, both Rodgers and Roberto Martinez had less than stellar campaigns. While both are still viewed as good coaches, their performances this year may put both in the unemployment line.
- As I mentioned in the blog, I am one of, if not the only Mario Balotelli supporters left. He presents an interesting problem for the club. If you can recoup some of your money, then selling may be a good option. However, there is talent in the man if it can be harnessed. Unfortunately, nobody has managed to do that yet. Also, to get the best out of him, you really need to form the squad around his talents, which would be a double edged sword. If he produces it works out. If he doesn't, then you may have several players in wrong positions again. This season showed that, whether it is Balotelli or even Sturridge, that playing with only one true striker (sometimes none at all) does not befit this club at the moment.
- Thank the maker that Steven Gerrard at least scored a memorable goal in his final Premier League match. It was bad enough to see his team go out with an embarrassing performance, but if he would have been subbed off at the half or done nothing of note, it would not have been fitting.
- The hole that Gerrard will leave will be bigger than just the space he took on the field. In the post match show on NBC, they spoke about the respect Gerrard gave to everyone around the stadium and training ground. From the lunch lady to the parking attendants, Gerrard was held in high regard by everyone at the club. It will be nearly impossible to replace the leadership he brought and the gravitas he carried. Sadly, we may have witnessed the last of a dying breed. In today's age, we may never again see a player spend his entire career, from youth to pro, at one club. Those with the talent are drawn away by more money. Those who stay are often replaced by someone younger. While not on the level of Messi or Ronaldo, Gerrard was a once in a generation player in his own way.
Best wishes to all you Reds supporters during this long offseason. Let us all hope for a much better end to next season. This space will not be completely void during the summer. I may transition to writing about Saint Louis FC or just sports in general. If you wish to keep up with my musings, you may follow me on facebook or twitter: https://twitter.com/TPanula. I post my blogs and YouTube shows on there.
Walk On.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Game In Hand Goes To Pot
Let me preface today's blog with the fact that I did not see the entirety of today's match due to another DVR SNAFU (Which did not end up mattering as I saw the entire first half). Liverpool's faint glimmer of hope for Champions League football has been all but dashed. A midweek clash with Hull City, a squad fighting to stay above the relegation zone, seemed to be the good medicine Liverpool would need following a disappointing weekend match against West Brom. Despite manager Brendan Rodgers' claims that the club played well on the weekend and just did not score, the team failed to answer the call in a time when three points are ever so precious.
Again, three points were needed to continue any hope of playing in Europe's top competition in this Tuesday match and Liverpool, again, failed to answer the bell. This club, simply, has been a disappointment this season. Despite glimmers and flashes of what could be, there have been far too many bad performances from the team.
Liverpool did create chances. 12 shots and nine on target are not stats to be scoffed at, but the quality of some of the attempts leaves much to be desired. While the Reds could easily have had two or three goals in the first half - one coming off Mario Balotelli's backheel that went straight at the keeper, one coming off Coutinho's one-timer that went straight at the keeper and one that Jordan Henderson shot straight at the keeper - the bottom line is that the team did not finish their chances. As fans we want to believe that there is talent in this squad, but either it is not being utilized correctly or it is simply not there.
People may blame Mario Balotelli for the loss, and would not be completely incorrect, but in fairness he was in position to make three Hull City attackers offside. Unfortunately, the pass went to the one attacker smart enough to stay onside and nobody defended the ball. Yes, Balotelli played the man offside and shoulders a large bit of blame, but the lack of urgency in attempting to defend that ball was shocking. Premier League defenders should not be standing with their feet in quicksand and watching the ball go over their heads as though they were watching the first rocket blast into outer space.
One can also argue that the lack of urgency in this squad is quite alarming. Fine, you go down by a goal in a late season match, only three days removed from your last match and one on the road. But to see little to no fight after the halftime break is shocking. If not for Simon Mingolet, a goalkeeper many fans were willing to place on the sacrificial altar during the January window, this team would have lost many more than 10 games. The score would have been much worse than 1-0 in today's match as well. Mingolet has been a rare bright spot in the month of April as the team has crumbled around him.
The sad part of all this is we have reached the point where cold, hard, calculated moves must be made. Personally, I really like Brendan Rodgers. But if he has lost the ear of this team and seems unable to pull off the moves to keep Liverpool in the upper echelon, then he must go. Raheem Sterling is a great young talent. However, as good as he is and can be, seven goals is not good enough. I would not advocate selling him, but he has to do more than simply dribble and show speed to be a player deserving of the money he wants. Coutinho is in the same boat. He is a fantastic player, but more must be accomplished. He cannot simply keep the ball on a string and show filthy moves and then blast the ball over the bar. Sadly, despite their lack of truly accomplishing anything this season, those two have been the lone bright spots on this squad (at least in attacking terms).
Again, once the season is finished and every result tabulated, I will go more into depth about what this team needs and who is just not good enough. As supporters, though, we are incredibly disappointed and frustrated right now. Unfortunately, last year seems to be fools gold and we all took a piece. Everyone knew, the loss of one of the top five players in the world in Suarez was going to be a big blow, but we did not know that it would deprive the team of all its scoring. Nobody has stepped up to fill the void and players that were to be counted on in important roles like Daniel Sturridge and Lucas continue to get injured if you look at them the wrong way.
Even taking the supporter hat off, this team has become difficult to watch. The club is slow at the back, ineffective through the midfield and lack cutthroat, clinical finishing in attack. At this moment, we are all at a loss. Anger presents many options and opinions in the heat of the moment, but many are lacking any true thought or consideration. The winds of change are surely stirring inside the Shankly Gates, but for now all the fans can do is hope the season ends on an up-note. It is a sad state of affairs, given the promise going into the year, but that is what they are left with.
Walk On.
Again, three points were needed to continue any hope of playing in Europe's top competition in this Tuesday match and Liverpool, again, failed to answer the bell. This club, simply, has been a disappointment this season. Despite glimmers and flashes of what could be, there have been far too many bad performances from the team.
Liverpool did create chances. 12 shots and nine on target are not stats to be scoffed at, but the quality of some of the attempts leaves much to be desired. While the Reds could easily have had two or three goals in the first half - one coming off Mario Balotelli's backheel that went straight at the keeper, one coming off Coutinho's one-timer that went straight at the keeper and one that Jordan Henderson shot straight at the keeper - the bottom line is that the team did not finish their chances. As fans we want to believe that there is talent in this squad, but either it is not being utilized correctly or it is simply not there.
People may blame Mario Balotelli for the loss, and would not be completely incorrect, but in fairness he was in position to make three Hull City attackers offside. Unfortunately, the pass went to the one attacker smart enough to stay onside and nobody defended the ball. Yes, Balotelli played the man offside and shoulders a large bit of blame, but the lack of urgency in attempting to defend that ball was shocking. Premier League defenders should not be standing with their feet in quicksand and watching the ball go over their heads as though they were watching the first rocket blast into outer space.
One can also argue that the lack of urgency in this squad is quite alarming. Fine, you go down by a goal in a late season match, only three days removed from your last match and one on the road. But to see little to no fight after the halftime break is shocking. If not for Simon Mingolet, a goalkeeper many fans were willing to place on the sacrificial altar during the January window, this team would have lost many more than 10 games. The score would have been much worse than 1-0 in today's match as well. Mingolet has been a rare bright spot in the month of April as the team has crumbled around him.
The sad part of all this is we have reached the point where cold, hard, calculated moves must be made. Personally, I really like Brendan Rodgers. But if he has lost the ear of this team and seems unable to pull off the moves to keep Liverpool in the upper echelon, then he must go. Raheem Sterling is a great young talent. However, as good as he is and can be, seven goals is not good enough. I would not advocate selling him, but he has to do more than simply dribble and show speed to be a player deserving of the money he wants. Coutinho is in the same boat. He is a fantastic player, but more must be accomplished. He cannot simply keep the ball on a string and show filthy moves and then blast the ball over the bar. Sadly, despite their lack of truly accomplishing anything this season, those two have been the lone bright spots on this squad (at least in attacking terms).
Again, once the season is finished and every result tabulated, I will go more into depth about what this team needs and who is just not good enough. As supporters, though, we are incredibly disappointed and frustrated right now. Unfortunately, last year seems to be fools gold and we all took a piece. Everyone knew, the loss of one of the top five players in the world in Suarez was going to be a big blow, but we did not know that it would deprive the team of all its scoring. Nobody has stepped up to fill the void and players that were to be counted on in important roles like Daniel Sturridge and Lucas continue to get injured if you look at them the wrong way.
Even taking the supporter hat off, this team has become difficult to watch. The club is slow at the back, ineffective through the midfield and lack cutthroat, clinical finishing in attack. At this moment, we are all at a loss. Anger presents many options and opinions in the heat of the moment, but many are lacking any true thought or consideration. The winds of change are surely stirring inside the Shankly Gates, but for now all the fans can do is hope the season ends on an up-note. It is a sad state of affairs, given the promise going into the year, but that is what they are left with.
Walk On.
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Champions League All But Gone
Liverpool came into this weekend with much to do. They needed results in pretty much every match, with all three points to come from as many games as possible. Only getting one point against a team like West Brom was not something that favored Liverpool's chances of sneaking into the top four. Unfortunately for the Reds, that is exactly the result they gained in this road match. Draws against Chelsea or even Stoke would've been more stomachable, but now the Reds must walk on with the knowledge that they could not break down a team that has flirted with relegation a few times this season.
Liverpool came out positively, as they usually do before it all goes to pot. Even without Daniel Sturridge, Lucas or Sakho, this was a team filled with enough talent on the ball to be able to do things. And things they did, until the final third. Liverpool were strong on the ball, mixed up the attack fairly well and plunged ahead with speed. Unfortunately, that same bug bit them that has been an issue all season. That bug is a lack of scoring punch.
Daniel Sturridge, for all his talents, has been a non-factor all year because he is either injured or played with a fear of getting injured. Raheem Sterling is a fantastic talent for the future, but a combination of contract disputes, a possible lack of off-field maturity and a simple positional change have limited what he has been able to accomplish this season. Mario Balotelli appears to be a failed experiment, both of his own doing and a lack of support when on the field. There are little to no true striking options coming off the bench, woefully proven by Fabio Borini coming into this match as a sub after having not even been included in the team for several weeks.
Despite the relative negativity of options, the Reds had their chances. Steven Gerrard narrowly missed on a free kick that was literally on the edge of the penalty box, in the first half. Balotelli put one over the bar as did a few other Liverpool attacks. The first half seemed littered with potential chances wasted by putting too much on and under the shot.
If the first half was a half of shots missing over the bar, the second was a half filled with chanced put off the bars. The Reds' best chance - one that probably should've been finished off - was a scramble in the box in the 56th minute. After an early scramble on the left side, Balotelli slid for a shot that was blocked by the defender. Coutinho then put it back in the mixer only to have it saved. The rebound came to Jordan Henderson. While Henderson was granted little time to decide, his shot came too low and was blocked instead of hitting a relatively open net.
Balotelli linked well on a chance for Jordan Ibe in the 63rd minute. Ibe's shot grazed the defender's leg and then crashed off the crossbar. Coutinho just missed one of his trademark long shots as it skimmed off the top netting in the 81st minute. Finally, a fitting end for Liverpool's day was a cross from Gerrard at the death that was narrowly headed wide by Dejan Lovren.
Liverpool had 74% of the possession. They more than doubled the shots taken of their opponent, 22-10. While those stats should be encouraging, they really are not. Despite 22 shots, only 5 were listed as on target, compared to four for West Bromwich Albion. As previously mentioned, Liverpool just did not take care of their opportunities. Give the opponent some credit. West Brom packed it in, often with seven or more players in the box, but Liverpool just did not have that finishing touch as they have not had much of the year. West Brom also had a pretty good record against the Reds in recent times.
The game itself was not a travesty. Liverpool had their chances. Liverpool defended reasonably well, though West Brom could have scored a couple times - one in particular that was too close was the opportunity cleared off the line by Lovren. Interestingly enough, when I awoke today the first thought in my head was what to write if this ended up being a goalless draw. Now I'm kicking myself.
In the grander scheme, this result just further cemented the uncertainty Liverpool will go into the summer with. Regardless of your feelings on him, Brendan Rodgers' job is in increasing jeopardy. Regardless of who the manager is next year, depth at striker is going to be a huge need in the off season. What is there to do about Mario Balotelli? His resale value will be exceedingly low, but if you keep him then he needs to be in a system where he is not the lone striker. His work rate and skills simply do not allow that to be a viable position for him. However, he is no longer the type of talent you can build a system to fit either. The defense has plenty of question marks as well, but I'll save that for the end of the year.
Though the game itself was simply boring, what is crushing about it is that it almost wipes out any chance at the Champions League. Realists will say it was almost impossible to begin with, but there were enough opportunities left for it still to be a reality. Now, there's just too much left to chance even if the Reds were to win out. While Liverpool has a seemingly easy schedule with only Chelsea left as a major obstacle, the teams ahead don't have much on their ledger either. Manchester United finishes off the year with matches against Everton, West Brom, Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Hull. Given their form, Arsenal seems the only likely spot they might drop points. City, meanwhile, end against Tottenham, QPR, Swansea and Southampton. A more slippery slope, perhaps, but still unlikely to produce the kinds of results Liverpool would need.
Liverpool currently sit nine points behind second place Manchester City, with five matches to go. If Liverpool win four of those they gain 12 points. 15 points if they upset Chelsea and won them all. Unfortunately the math just doesn't favor them. Even with all 12 or 15 points, that means that their opponents can only pick up 3-4 points of their remaining games. Sadly, that just isn't going to happen.
Random Thoughts:
- Many will disagree with me, especially given this result, but I still feel Rodgers is a good enough coach to win at Liverpool. I stated in my video blogs that Liverpool needs to put feelers out on Jurgen Klopp. If he is willing to come and not use Liverpool as a bargaining chip, then the time for change may be now. If not Klopp though, I don't see much out there that would really be better. Rodgers' failings have mainly come during the off seasons. He is a great tactitian and makes changes in season to turn things around. He must be better at judging players not in his system though, if he is to really return Liverpool to their previous heights.
- From a personal standpoint, I have come to the conclusion that Sturridge will never be fit enough to fully be counted on by Liverpool. I would not sell him for a pittance, but if you continue to try and build your offense around him, I just don't believe he will give you enough games. Sturridge can still be a valuable piece now and then if you keep him, but significant changes need to be made to the Reds' attack.
Walk On.
Liverpool came out positively, as they usually do before it all goes to pot. Even without Daniel Sturridge, Lucas or Sakho, this was a team filled with enough talent on the ball to be able to do things. And things they did, until the final third. Liverpool were strong on the ball, mixed up the attack fairly well and plunged ahead with speed. Unfortunately, that same bug bit them that has been an issue all season. That bug is a lack of scoring punch.
Daniel Sturridge, for all his talents, has been a non-factor all year because he is either injured or played with a fear of getting injured. Raheem Sterling is a fantastic talent for the future, but a combination of contract disputes, a possible lack of off-field maturity and a simple positional change have limited what he has been able to accomplish this season. Mario Balotelli appears to be a failed experiment, both of his own doing and a lack of support when on the field. There are little to no true striking options coming off the bench, woefully proven by Fabio Borini coming into this match as a sub after having not even been included in the team for several weeks.
Despite the relative negativity of options, the Reds had their chances. Steven Gerrard narrowly missed on a free kick that was literally on the edge of the penalty box, in the first half. Balotelli put one over the bar as did a few other Liverpool attacks. The first half seemed littered with potential chances wasted by putting too much on and under the shot.
If the first half was a half of shots missing over the bar, the second was a half filled with chanced put off the bars. The Reds' best chance - one that probably should've been finished off - was a scramble in the box in the 56th minute. After an early scramble on the left side, Balotelli slid for a shot that was blocked by the defender. Coutinho then put it back in the mixer only to have it saved. The rebound came to Jordan Henderson. While Henderson was granted little time to decide, his shot came too low and was blocked instead of hitting a relatively open net.
Balotelli linked well on a chance for Jordan Ibe in the 63rd minute. Ibe's shot grazed the defender's leg and then crashed off the crossbar. Coutinho just missed one of his trademark long shots as it skimmed off the top netting in the 81st minute. Finally, a fitting end for Liverpool's day was a cross from Gerrard at the death that was narrowly headed wide by Dejan Lovren.
Liverpool had 74% of the possession. They more than doubled the shots taken of their opponent, 22-10. While those stats should be encouraging, they really are not. Despite 22 shots, only 5 were listed as on target, compared to four for West Bromwich Albion. As previously mentioned, Liverpool just did not take care of their opportunities. Give the opponent some credit. West Brom packed it in, often with seven or more players in the box, but Liverpool just did not have that finishing touch as they have not had much of the year. West Brom also had a pretty good record against the Reds in recent times.
The game itself was not a travesty. Liverpool had their chances. Liverpool defended reasonably well, though West Brom could have scored a couple times - one in particular that was too close was the opportunity cleared off the line by Lovren. Interestingly enough, when I awoke today the first thought in my head was what to write if this ended up being a goalless draw. Now I'm kicking myself.
In the grander scheme, this result just further cemented the uncertainty Liverpool will go into the summer with. Regardless of your feelings on him, Brendan Rodgers' job is in increasing jeopardy. Regardless of who the manager is next year, depth at striker is going to be a huge need in the off season. What is there to do about Mario Balotelli? His resale value will be exceedingly low, but if you keep him then he needs to be in a system where he is not the lone striker. His work rate and skills simply do not allow that to be a viable position for him. However, he is no longer the type of talent you can build a system to fit either. The defense has plenty of question marks as well, but I'll save that for the end of the year.
Though the game itself was simply boring, what is crushing about it is that it almost wipes out any chance at the Champions League. Realists will say it was almost impossible to begin with, but there were enough opportunities left for it still to be a reality. Now, there's just too much left to chance even if the Reds were to win out. While Liverpool has a seemingly easy schedule with only Chelsea left as a major obstacle, the teams ahead don't have much on their ledger either. Manchester United finishes off the year with matches against Everton, West Brom, Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Hull. Given their form, Arsenal seems the only likely spot they might drop points. City, meanwhile, end against Tottenham, QPR, Swansea and Southampton. A more slippery slope, perhaps, but still unlikely to produce the kinds of results Liverpool would need.
Liverpool currently sit nine points behind second place Manchester City, with five matches to go. If Liverpool win four of those they gain 12 points. 15 points if they upset Chelsea and won them all. Unfortunately the math just doesn't favor them. Even with all 12 or 15 points, that means that their opponents can only pick up 3-4 points of their remaining games. Sadly, that just isn't going to happen.
Random Thoughts:
- Many will disagree with me, especially given this result, but I still feel Rodgers is a good enough coach to win at Liverpool. I stated in my video blogs that Liverpool needs to put feelers out on Jurgen Klopp. If he is willing to come and not use Liverpool as a bargaining chip, then the time for change may be now. If not Klopp though, I don't see much out there that would really be better. Rodgers' failings have mainly come during the off seasons. He is a great tactitian and makes changes in season to turn things around. He must be better at judging players not in his system though, if he is to really return Liverpool to their previous heights.
- From a personal standpoint, I have come to the conclusion that Sturridge will never be fit enough to fully be counted on by Liverpool. I would not sell him for a pittance, but if you continue to try and build your offense around him, I just don't believe he will give you enough games. Sturridge can still be a valuable piece now and then if you keep him, but significant changes need to be made to the Reds' attack.
Walk On.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
The Season That Got Away?
Hopes ran incredibly high for Liverpool Football Club coming into this season. In reality, it was never going to be easy with lots of new faces and the gaping hole left on the score sheet by the sale of Luis Suarez. However, it was impossible to contain the enthusiasm of the supporters after nearly ending the long drought of a league title the year prior. As the year progressed though, that enthusiasm has turned to exasperation as the Reds' fans have seen their team falter and slip on multiple occasions this year.
Liverpool came out positively in the FA Cup semifinal against Aston Villa. They enjoyed the better of the possession in the first half and pushed forward a decent amount, although the chances weren't always there. Aston Villa did have their own opportunities to go forward as well, though despite the announcers claim that they deserved better, Villa's opportunities came only due to Liverpool's lack of cohesive defending.
Liverpool even took the lead in the match as well. The Reds did not dominate the way they should have, but they made enough of possession for much of the first half. Steven Gerrard's tackle in the midfield led to possession. The ball pinged around the midfield players, including Jordan Henderson and Lazar Markovic, before Raheem Sterling laid it back to Coutinho. Coutinho ran onto the ball, took a shot that was deflected by defender Jores Okore and the ball hit the back of the net.
That was the last good run of form for the club the rest of the afternoon. The goal was created by the hole left by injured Nathan Baker, but Liverpool failed to take advantage again. Okore did settle in after creating the deficit, but Liverpool did little to bother the back line of the Villans. Aston Villa did do plenty to bother Liverpool's back line though.
Christian Benteke, the in-form striker in England, was the man to knot it up. Benteke was left reasonably unmarked in the 36th minute. Villa found him after slicing through Liverpool's defenses and he was not about to miss. The game was tied at the half and many suspected there would be changes to the Liverpool XI and they were right. However those changes proved to change little, if anything about this lackluster performance.
Mario Balotelli was brought on right out of the tunnel for Lazar Markovic, who was invisible during his 45 minutes on the pitch. Balotelli's inclusion, pushed Gerrard back into a defensive role after the captain did nothing in his time spent on the attack. Later in the half, Glen Johnson was subbed in for Joe Allen, in a bit of a head scratcher, since the Liverpool attack was the side of the game that seemed to really be suffering.
The changes, whether tactical or via substitution, did nothing to change the outcome of the game. Aston Villa managed the game winner nine minutes after the half. The Villans once again carved up the Liverpool defense and Fabian Delph took care of his business. Liverpool did try their best to create chances late on in the match, but it was too little too late.
Steven Gerrard had a pair of free kicks that were sent straight at the keeper. Mario Balotelli failed to cleanly settle the ball in the 60th minute, on the edge of the box, that could have led to a solid chance. Gerrard had an excellent chance on a head ball that seemed to be going in only to have it headed away by the defender placed on the back post. Balotelli charged forward quite often, but could do nothing in the end to change the fate of the Reds. Fittingly the match ended with a blast from Dejan Lovren that went about 10 yards off target.
There will be no miraculous ending to Steven Gerrard's chapter of the long story in Liverpool history. The Reds now have no chance at any silverware this season despite making the semifinals of both the league and domestic cups. The chance at European football is also slipping away as Liverpool's league form has faltered at the worst possible moment as well. A season that started with so much promise has melted into an amalgam of despair and anger for all parties involved.
Perhaps this team will prove its detractors wrong. Perhaps they will rally themselves in the league and sneak into the top four before the season's end. Perhaps. More likely is that all dreams of any tangible positives for this season have been dashed like waking from a dream. Time will tell. Regardless, the players on this team have to prove that they belong in a Liverpool shirt because as of right now massive changes could be on the way unless things radically change.
Random Thoughts:
- Gerrard settled into the match late on, but was non-existent for most of it. Say what you will about lack of playing time in recent months or injury or constant shifting of position, Gerrard simply was not the player we have become accustomed to seeing. Fox Sports' Warren Barton put it very well - it is simply time for Gerrard to move on. He does not provide enough in attack and is too slow in defense. Nothing can take away from anyone's memories of his spectacular play over the course of his career and this was not the way anyone hoped he would leave. However, his best days in the Premier League have faded into memory and the move to MLS looks like the best choice to be made each time.
- Linesmen need a refresher in what is offside. Aston Villa, honestly, deserved to win that match but Liverpool were robbed of an equalizer by the incorrect offside call in the 89th minute. Some may argue that the defenders may not have let up a step had the flag not gone up, but as it stands, Mario Balotelli was not offside and ended up slotting the ball into the back of the goal. Unfortunately, it was called offside and the result is a loss.
Walk On
Liverpool came out positively in the FA Cup semifinal against Aston Villa. They enjoyed the better of the possession in the first half and pushed forward a decent amount, although the chances weren't always there. Aston Villa did have their own opportunities to go forward as well, though despite the announcers claim that they deserved better, Villa's opportunities came only due to Liverpool's lack of cohesive defending.
Liverpool even took the lead in the match as well. The Reds did not dominate the way they should have, but they made enough of possession for much of the first half. Steven Gerrard's tackle in the midfield led to possession. The ball pinged around the midfield players, including Jordan Henderson and Lazar Markovic, before Raheem Sterling laid it back to Coutinho. Coutinho ran onto the ball, took a shot that was deflected by defender Jores Okore and the ball hit the back of the net.
That was the last good run of form for the club the rest of the afternoon. The goal was created by the hole left by injured Nathan Baker, but Liverpool failed to take advantage again. Okore did settle in after creating the deficit, but Liverpool did little to bother the back line of the Villans. Aston Villa did do plenty to bother Liverpool's back line though.
Christian Benteke, the in-form striker in England, was the man to knot it up. Benteke was left reasonably unmarked in the 36th minute. Villa found him after slicing through Liverpool's defenses and he was not about to miss. The game was tied at the half and many suspected there would be changes to the Liverpool XI and they were right. However those changes proved to change little, if anything about this lackluster performance.
Mario Balotelli was brought on right out of the tunnel for Lazar Markovic, who was invisible during his 45 minutes on the pitch. Balotelli's inclusion, pushed Gerrard back into a defensive role after the captain did nothing in his time spent on the attack. Later in the half, Glen Johnson was subbed in for Joe Allen, in a bit of a head scratcher, since the Liverpool attack was the side of the game that seemed to really be suffering.
The changes, whether tactical or via substitution, did nothing to change the outcome of the game. Aston Villa managed the game winner nine minutes after the half. The Villans once again carved up the Liverpool defense and Fabian Delph took care of his business. Liverpool did try their best to create chances late on in the match, but it was too little too late.
Steven Gerrard had a pair of free kicks that were sent straight at the keeper. Mario Balotelli failed to cleanly settle the ball in the 60th minute, on the edge of the box, that could have led to a solid chance. Gerrard had an excellent chance on a head ball that seemed to be going in only to have it headed away by the defender placed on the back post. Balotelli charged forward quite often, but could do nothing in the end to change the fate of the Reds. Fittingly the match ended with a blast from Dejan Lovren that went about 10 yards off target.
There will be no miraculous ending to Steven Gerrard's chapter of the long story in Liverpool history. The Reds now have no chance at any silverware this season despite making the semifinals of both the league and domestic cups. The chance at European football is also slipping away as Liverpool's league form has faltered at the worst possible moment as well. A season that started with so much promise has melted into an amalgam of despair and anger for all parties involved.
Perhaps this team will prove its detractors wrong. Perhaps they will rally themselves in the league and sneak into the top four before the season's end. Perhaps. More likely is that all dreams of any tangible positives for this season have been dashed like waking from a dream. Time will tell. Regardless, the players on this team have to prove that they belong in a Liverpool shirt because as of right now massive changes could be on the way unless things radically change.
Random Thoughts:
- Gerrard settled into the match late on, but was non-existent for most of it. Say what you will about lack of playing time in recent months or injury or constant shifting of position, Gerrard simply was not the player we have become accustomed to seeing. Fox Sports' Warren Barton put it very well - it is simply time for Gerrard to move on. He does not provide enough in attack and is too slow in defense. Nothing can take away from anyone's memories of his spectacular play over the course of his career and this was not the way anyone hoped he would leave. However, his best days in the Premier League have faded into memory and the move to MLS looks like the best choice to be made each time.
- Linesmen need a refresher in what is offside. Aston Villa, honestly, deserved to win that match but Liverpool were robbed of an equalizer by the incorrect offside call in the 89th minute. Some may argue that the defenders may not have let up a step had the flag not gone up, but as it stands, Mario Balotelli was not offside and ended up slotting the ball into the back of the goal. Unfortunately, it was called offside and the result is a loss.
Walk On
Sunday, March 8, 2015
The Dangers of the FA Cup
The dangers of the FA Cup reared their head for Liverpool FC in their match against Blackburn Rovers. The Reds are in the midst of a fight for a top four spot in the English Premier League with important fixtures approaching against Arsenal and Manchester United. Now, with a 0-0 draw in the FA Cup quarterfinal, Liverpool are forced to find an open date to have the replay and expend more energy.
The FA Cup is a competition worth winning. It is worth putting energy in to get to the finals. Liverpool are one step away from getting to play in Wembley Stadium, which is something both the players and fans want - not just for the team, but for Steven Gerrard. However, for a club trying so hard to put focus on one thing or the other, the FA Cup has presented Liverpool with almost as many problems as positives.
In the match itself, Blackburn deserves a lot of credit. They came into the fixture with a gameplan and executed it perfectly. It was a gameplan that many of us don't like. Regardless of who you support, most fans of the game don't like when teams focus solely on defense and have 11 players behind the ball. However, when there are 26 spots between two clubs then the gameplan makes sense.
Blackburn did not only play defense. They managed a few attacks up the field in the first half. Simon Mingolet came up with a huge save. Alex Baptiste rose above the defenders, got solid contact from the header and hit the ball toward the upper corner of the goal. Adam Lallana tried to head it away, but was too close to the effort to have sufficient reaction time. Mingolet sprung to his left, stuck out the left pallm and struck the ball away.
Liverpool did not play a poor game, by any means. The Reds held onto the ball fairly well, dealt with the Rovers' chances with efficiency and did create problems in the back end of Blackburn's defense. The problem Liverpool ran up against was that final, critical ball just did not seem to find the mark. Raheem Sterling and Coutinho were sublime in control of the ball. The ball was often attached to their shoelaces so tightly that one could wonder if they had magnets in their boots.
Unfortunately, Blackburn's plan kept them at bay. There were almost always two defenders on the ball. If Liverpool's skill managed to get through the first wave, then there often a third or fourth defender collapsing on the ball as well.
As previously mentioned, credit has to go to Blackburn. They defended how they needed and absorbed the speed and skill of the Liverpool wingers. Let us not forget that they did knock off two Premier League teams to get to this quarterfinal stage as well. Some will point out it was Swansea and Stoke, but the bottom line is that those sides are in the Premier League and Blackburn is a midtable side in the Championship. Even manager, Brendan Rodgers agreed that Blackburn was to be credited.
"You've got to respect the opponent as well," said Rodgers. "We've been on a great run of form, winning games. It's difficult. We've got to go to Blackburn now and win, but we're more than capable of doing that."
All things being equal, Liverpool played a decent game but just could not manage to find that final ball or cross or slip through that last hole to score. It brings up the dangers of playing in a cup competition when you're in a situation such as Liverpool.
If they had no chance of reaching the top four or were solidly in, like Manchester City or Chelsea, the FA Cup would not be presenting any sort of problems. It would simply be a chance at silverware with little other worries from it. Instead, Liverpool are forced to divide resources. They are forced to either rotate the squad more to keep players fresh or use the same squad again and risk either crashing out of the Cup or dropping an important fixture in the league.
These are not excuses if Liverpool fail to get into the top four or win the FA Cup. These are simply the realities of football. Liverpool failed to force the issue, failed to create that little bit of magic and will now have to play the replay. The Reds have the skill to win on the road. The problem now, outside of the obvious extra energy sapped from the legs comes with the scheduling issues.
Apparently, there is some sort of agreement that FA Cup games not be scheduled during Champions League fixtures. Therefore, due to Liverpool's league match against Swansea being on a Monday the only open date falls between the clubs matches with Manchester United and Arsenal unless something else is worked out. That could be the worst case scenario, but it is what it is.
Liverpool have set goals of winning a competition and getting back into the top four. Both are still attainable. Champions League is probably a bigger financial windfall, therefor the league would take a bit of priority. But one match should not determine the rest of the season. Liverpool have proven they are capable of going on the road and getting the job done. The FA Cup is still a winnable competition. The club has the skill to still accomplish both, but they've made it a little harder with two consecutive replays.
Random thoughts:
- I love the comment from Stewart Robson about the official. Basically he said on another day, with another official there may have been as many as four penalties. I agree that none were blatant and needed to be called.
- Liverpool do need to find more ways to get the strikers involved in central areas. The Reds don't have the height to be looking for crosses, but they need to figure a way to get Sturridge and/or Balotelli involved more in the box. Sturridge got himself into a few good places by his own accord and Balotelli was basically a nonfactor. It's great to have the skill and speed of Sterling and Coutinho on the wings but you cannot expect them to create their own shots from those positions every game.
- It's good to see Mingolet playing so much better. He was a bit apprehensive at times when the sun was in his eyes, as any keeper would be. Outside of that, he has rebounded incredibly well after being taken out of the team. Even as a defender of my fellow keepers, I admit that he will likely never enter the upper crust of world goalkeepers but if he keeps up his current form then there may not be a clear replacement that will be available.
Walk On.
The FA Cup is a competition worth winning. It is worth putting energy in to get to the finals. Liverpool are one step away from getting to play in Wembley Stadium, which is something both the players and fans want - not just for the team, but for Steven Gerrard. However, for a club trying so hard to put focus on one thing or the other, the FA Cup has presented Liverpool with almost as many problems as positives.
In the match itself, Blackburn deserves a lot of credit. They came into the fixture with a gameplan and executed it perfectly. It was a gameplan that many of us don't like. Regardless of who you support, most fans of the game don't like when teams focus solely on defense and have 11 players behind the ball. However, when there are 26 spots between two clubs then the gameplan makes sense.
Blackburn did not only play defense. They managed a few attacks up the field in the first half. Simon Mingolet came up with a huge save. Alex Baptiste rose above the defenders, got solid contact from the header and hit the ball toward the upper corner of the goal. Adam Lallana tried to head it away, but was too close to the effort to have sufficient reaction time. Mingolet sprung to his left, stuck out the left pallm and struck the ball away.
Liverpool did not play a poor game, by any means. The Reds held onto the ball fairly well, dealt with the Rovers' chances with efficiency and did create problems in the back end of Blackburn's defense. The problem Liverpool ran up against was that final, critical ball just did not seem to find the mark. Raheem Sterling and Coutinho were sublime in control of the ball. The ball was often attached to their shoelaces so tightly that one could wonder if they had magnets in their boots.
Unfortunately, Blackburn's plan kept them at bay. There were almost always two defenders on the ball. If Liverpool's skill managed to get through the first wave, then there often a third or fourth defender collapsing on the ball as well.
As previously mentioned, credit has to go to Blackburn. They defended how they needed and absorbed the speed and skill of the Liverpool wingers. Let us not forget that they did knock off two Premier League teams to get to this quarterfinal stage as well. Some will point out it was Swansea and Stoke, but the bottom line is that those sides are in the Premier League and Blackburn is a midtable side in the Championship. Even manager, Brendan Rodgers agreed that Blackburn was to be credited.
"You've got to respect the opponent as well," said Rodgers. "We've been on a great run of form, winning games. It's difficult. We've got to go to Blackburn now and win, but we're more than capable of doing that."
All things being equal, Liverpool played a decent game but just could not manage to find that final ball or cross or slip through that last hole to score. It brings up the dangers of playing in a cup competition when you're in a situation such as Liverpool.
If they had no chance of reaching the top four or were solidly in, like Manchester City or Chelsea, the FA Cup would not be presenting any sort of problems. It would simply be a chance at silverware with little other worries from it. Instead, Liverpool are forced to divide resources. They are forced to either rotate the squad more to keep players fresh or use the same squad again and risk either crashing out of the Cup or dropping an important fixture in the league.
These are not excuses if Liverpool fail to get into the top four or win the FA Cup. These are simply the realities of football. Liverpool failed to force the issue, failed to create that little bit of magic and will now have to play the replay. The Reds have the skill to win on the road. The problem now, outside of the obvious extra energy sapped from the legs comes with the scheduling issues.
Apparently, there is some sort of agreement that FA Cup games not be scheduled during Champions League fixtures. Therefore, due to Liverpool's league match against Swansea being on a Monday the only open date falls between the clubs matches with Manchester United and Arsenal unless something else is worked out. That could be the worst case scenario, but it is what it is.
Liverpool have set goals of winning a competition and getting back into the top four. Both are still attainable. Champions League is probably a bigger financial windfall, therefor the league would take a bit of priority. But one match should not determine the rest of the season. Liverpool have proven they are capable of going on the road and getting the job done. The FA Cup is still a winnable competition. The club has the skill to still accomplish both, but they've made it a little harder with two consecutive replays.
Random thoughts:
- I love the comment from Stewart Robson about the official. Basically he said on another day, with another official there may have been as many as four penalties. I agree that none were blatant and needed to be called.
- Liverpool do need to find more ways to get the strikers involved in central areas. The Reds don't have the height to be looking for crosses, but they need to figure a way to get Sturridge and/or Balotelli involved more in the box. Sturridge got himself into a few good places by his own accord and Balotelli was basically a nonfactor. It's great to have the skill and speed of Sterling and Coutinho on the wings but you cannot expect them to create their own shots from those positions every game.
- It's good to see Mingolet playing so much better. He was a bit apprehensive at times when the sun was in his eyes, as any keeper would be. Outside of that, he has rebounded incredibly well after being taken out of the team. Even as a defender of my fellow keepers, I admit that he will likely never enter the upper crust of world goalkeepers but if he keeps up his current form then there may not be a clear replacement that will be available.
Walk On.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Bland Midweek Win Pushes Liverpool Back into Fifth
Liverpool's midweek match against Burnley in the league provided no real surprises. Liverpool managed a relatively easy win over a side struggling to get out of the relegation zone. Burnley had only won four times in 27 matches prior and had not won at Anfield in 41 years. Therefor, the mountain for them to climb was always going to be a difficult one and the Liverpool players made it even steeper by coming out and doing their jobs.
It was by no means a perfect game. The Reds failed to convert on chances that they may have if clicking on all cylinders, but ultimately it did not matter too much. Daniel Sturridge had a pretty good game. Obviously his form has had peaks and valleys since his return, but he remains a key for the squad to get into the top four by the end of the season. Sturridge scored a very good goal. Jordan Henderson sent in a beautiful cross from the right wing and Sturridge slipped between two defenders to nod in the second goal of the game. However, he failed to score on a breakaway and turned away from a cross that may have led to a goal as well.
Sturridge's game continues to evolve as he regains his fitness. When he is at his best, he continues to be a catalyst for good things for Liverpool. The only downside to his current form is, at times, he seems to be bitten by the Balotelli bug. There are brief times where the effort appears to not be there. There are times he shrinks back from challenges and does not go full boar the way he had last season. This is forgivable given the several injuries he accrued before finally settling back in the team this year, but one can only hope that once he feels 100% confident that he will attack without holding back.
This was one of those games where there really wasn't a whole lot to glean from it. Liverpool won, which they were expected to do. They held onto the ball for the majority of the game, which they were expected to do. They limited the chances of their opponent, which given Burnley's goal differential of minus 20 before the match, didn't seem like too tall of an order.
Things were not negative coming out of this game though, despite the lack of enthusiasm from yours truly. Liverpool could have had more goals and should have, but other than that they did what they needed to do. They needed to win to stay within reach of the top four and did so, not knowing how the results of other matches were going. They got the victory without really expending a lot of energy as well, which is a definite plus given the 120 minutes they poured into their match against Besiktas and the emotion it took to get a victory over Manchester City only 3 days later. In addition to that, they got another clean sheet, which is something they struggled to do at the beginning of the year but are now getting in regularity.
As a team, nothing spectacular came from the match but as individuals there were several top notch performances. Coutinho continues to show that when his head is in the game, he is a game changer. He has speed, touch, shiftiness, an eye for the pass and an ability to score. The fact that Liverpool locked him up for several more years is a definite plus. Emre Can continues to show improvement and versatility. He is solid enough to use as part of the back three, but has shown the talent going forward and on the ball that he will be a very useful talent in the midfield in the years to come. Some have even gone as far to say that he will be the one to step into Steven Gerrard's shoes. I think those shoes are too big for Can to fill alone, but he definitely seems capable of making that void not as wide.
Joe Allen has also become quite the player in the recent weeks. He hasn't done anything flashy or put his name on the score sheet, but that is the point. Many fans, pundits and even myself often questioned why he was even in the squad, let alone the starting XI. Allen was weak on the ball, failed to win challenges and made poor decisions in his passing game in the first half of the season. But he has stepped up in a huge way since Gerrard's injury. By no means has the Welshman played like Gerrard, but he hasn't made mistakes and that's what you look for from a player of his quality. He doesn't need to make the flashy passes or fancy moves. He doesn't need to make pinpoint crosses or even stay on the ball long. He needs to be a linchpin in the midfield and an extra defender when needed and he has done just that.
Then there is Jordan Henderson. Henderson had plenty of scrutiny brought upon him with the penalty kick controversy a few weeks ago. He wasn't given a totally fair shake due to many assuming he will automatically be made captain once Gerrard comes to America. He did himself no favors by not playing particularly well either. However, the past few games he has really stepped up his game and not just due to the fact he has scored. Henderson has grown over the past couple weeks and dealt with adversity very well. He shrugged off the Europa League nonsense and came up huge for his team. Henderson scored an incredible goal in a big match against City that would have been the goal of the month or week, if not for Coutinho's strike. Then he scored a cracker of a shot against Burnley and dropped a cross right onto Sturridge's head for the insurance tally. Henderson might not be the captain in future years and will definitely never be the next Gerrard, but as long as he's the best Jordan Henderson he can be then he has justified his place in this club.
The bottom line is that Liverpool continue to win. Win pretty, win ugly, with with style or just get the job done. They did that today. It won't go down in the annals of Anfield as an historic or memorable match, but it didn't need to be. Over the course of a season, there are so many matches that it's impossible to show flair and style every single time. Even the super-clubs like Barcelona or Bayern Munich can't accomplish that. In the end, as long as the club continues to win then it doesn't matter how it was accomplished. Just continue to win and the rest will take care of itself.
Walk On
It was by no means a perfect game. The Reds failed to convert on chances that they may have if clicking on all cylinders, but ultimately it did not matter too much. Daniel Sturridge had a pretty good game. Obviously his form has had peaks and valleys since his return, but he remains a key for the squad to get into the top four by the end of the season. Sturridge scored a very good goal. Jordan Henderson sent in a beautiful cross from the right wing and Sturridge slipped between two defenders to nod in the second goal of the game. However, he failed to score on a breakaway and turned away from a cross that may have led to a goal as well.
Sturridge's game continues to evolve as he regains his fitness. When he is at his best, he continues to be a catalyst for good things for Liverpool. The only downside to his current form is, at times, he seems to be bitten by the Balotelli bug. There are brief times where the effort appears to not be there. There are times he shrinks back from challenges and does not go full boar the way he had last season. This is forgivable given the several injuries he accrued before finally settling back in the team this year, but one can only hope that once he feels 100% confident that he will attack without holding back.
This was one of those games where there really wasn't a whole lot to glean from it. Liverpool won, which they were expected to do. They held onto the ball for the majority of the game, which they were expected to do. They limited the chances of their opponent, which given Burnley's goal differential of minus 20 before the match, didn't seem like too tall of an order.
Things were not negative coming out of this game though, despite the lack of enthusiasm from yours truly. Liverpool could have had more goals and should have, but other than that they did what they needed to do. They needed to win to stay within reach of the top four and did so, not knowing how the results of other matches were going. They got the victory without really expending a lot of energy as well, which is a definite plus given the 120 minutes they poured into their match against Besiktas and the emotion it took to get a victory over Manchester City only 3 days later. In addition to that, they got another clean sheet, which is something they struggled to do at the beginning of the year but are now getting in regularity.
As a team, nothing spectacular came from the match but as individuals there were several top notch performances. Coutinho continues to show that when his head is in the game, he is a game changer. He has speed, touch, shiftiness, an eye for the pass and an ability to score. The fact that Liverpool locked him up for several more years is a definite plus. Emre Can continues to show improvement and versatility. He is solid enough to use as part of the back three, but has shown the talent going forward and on the ball that he will be a very useful talent in the midfield in the years to come. Some have even gone as far to say that he will be the one to step into Steven Gerrard's shoes. I think those shoes are too big for Can to fill alone, but he definitely seems capable of making that void not as wide.
Joe Allen has also become quite the player in the recent weeks. He hasn't done anything flashy or put his name on the score sheet, but that is the point. Many fans, pundits and even myself often questioned why he was even in the squad, let alone the starting XI. Allen was weak on the ball, failed to win challenges and made poor decisions in his passing game in the first half of the season. But he has stepped up in a huge way since Gerrard's injury. By no means has the Welshman played like Gerrard, but he hasn't made mistakes and that's what you look for from a player of his quality. He doesn't need to make the flashy passes or fancy moves. He doesn't need to make pinpoint crosses or even stay on the ball long. He needs to be a linchpin in the midfield and an extra defender when needed and he has done just that.
Then there is Jordan Henderson. Henderson had plenty of scrutiny brought upon him with the penalty kick controversy a few weeks ago. He wasn't given a totally fair shake due to many assuming he will automatically be made captain once Gerrard comes to America. He did himself no favors by not playing particularly well either. However, the past few games he has really stepped up his game and not just due to the fact he has scored. Henderson has grown over the past couple weeks and dealt with adversity very well. He shrugged off the Europa League nonsense and came up huge for his team. Henderson scored an incredible goal in a big match against City that would have been the goal of the month or week, if not for Coutinho's strike. Then he scored a cracker of a shot against Burnley and dropped a cross right onto Sturridge's head for the insurance tally. Henderson might not be the captain in future years and will definitely never be the next Gerrard, but as long as he's the best Jordan Henderson he can be then he has justified his place in this club.
The bottom line is that Liverpool continue to win. Win pretty, win ugly, with with style or just get the job done. They did that today. It won't go down in the annals of Anfield as an historic or memorable match, but it didn't need to be. Over the course of a season, there are so many matches that it's impossible to show flair and style every single time. Even the super-clubs like Barcelona or Bayern Munich can't accomplish that. In the end, as long as the club continues to win then it doesn't matter how it was accomplished. Just continue to win and the rest will take care of itself.
Walk On
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Liverpool Falter and Deservedly Bow Out of Europe
Liverpool came into the road leg of their Europa League matchup with Besiktas seemingly in control of their own destiny. Despite a relatively slim lead of only 1-0, from the controversial Mario Balotelli penalty kick at Anfield, all the power was in Liverpool's hands. They had a slight margin for error with the one goal lead. They had momentum coming off a huge win over the weekend over Southampton, where they dominated most of the game. All Liverpool had to do was score one goal and they would force the Turkish side to score three goals to win, due to the away goal rule.
Liverpool could not accomplish such a feat. The Reds came out in the first half and both squads probed at each other. Neither really had great chances in the first fifteen to twenty minutes, but the flow of the game was what would be expected given the circumstances. Liverpool did what they set out to do, according to Brendan Rodgers' prematch statements. They held up the ball, knocked it around and did their best to absorb the match until the initial wave washed over Istanbul. It worked.
You can disagree with the tactics or want to see Liverpool come out flying right from the opening whistle, but it worked...in the first half. Liverpool held to their game plan in the opening 45 minutes and took the energy out of Besiktas. Liverpool dominated possession and sprung several attacks from the 20th minute until halftime. Honestly, Liverpool should have been 1-0 up at the half. Daniel Sturridge has regressed after his firecracker start returning from injury.
Sturridge did not complete a run toward the goal line, where he would have had a chance at a Raheem Sterling cross. Instead he planted himself on the penalty spot where even a chip cross would have been difficult to complete. Sturridge was sprung on a semi-breakaway in the 28th minute, but was not at fault for failing to score there - the awful pitch at Besiktas' temporary home would not allow for any true rolls or bounces. Sturridge was also given a great through ball by Balotelli in the 33rd minute, but instead of striking it first or second time, he tried to dribble around two or three defenders.
Sturridge has some excuse, though it is not much of one given his status in the team. This match was really the first game since returning from injury that he was asked to go all 90 minutes and then some. It was clear as the match wore on that Sturridge's fitness is not up to his own standards. He is by no means out of shape, but is appearing more like a man that has not played for half a season rather than one of the feared strikers in the Premier League.
Regardless of Sturridge's failings in the first half or disappearing in the second, the entire team is at fault in the second half. Blame for that has to be with the manager. Long has this blog been a safe haven for Brendan Rodgers, whether during the difficult times at the start of the season or when every choice made by the boss was pure gold. However Rodgers failed his team in the second half. Liverpool came out and once they saw the pressure that Besiktas was going to throw at them, they capitulated. Liverpool sat back and tried to defend for 45 minutes, which is something that almost no team can do, especially one that is not known for being the most stout at the back end.
Perhaps it was a tactical decision made in the locker room at the break. Perhaps it was merely tired legs taking over for the Reds' midfield and defenders. Perhaps the players thought the Turkish side were going to roll over after the wave of attack that Liverpool had thrust upon them to end half number one. Whatever the reasoning, Rodgers needed to change something. Well before Liverpool conceded the equalizing goal, you could sense what was coming.
Liverpool did not look like a side that were simply defending and repelling each Besiktas attack with ease. This was a team that was under constant duress and flailing balls away just to catch a breath. If the choice to defend was tactically made, Rodgers should have seen it was not effective and undone it. If it was the case of the players thinking their opponent would not have the energy to pounce on them, then Rodgers needed to plant the seed either from the sideline or at the half that the match was not anywhere near over.
Instead, Liverpool did nothing with possession, gave the ball away constantly, backed away from attacks with speed and ultimately let up the tying goal. Tolgay-Ali Arslan capitalized on the mistouch from Demba Ba and ripped one that split the defenders and curled away from a diving Simon Mingolet. The Reds finally mustered up a bit of possession and looked more in control of the game following the equalizer, but really did not threaten. It became more of cat and mouse game with both sides seeking to not make the mistake that would cost the game rather than actually trying to seize it.
Rodgers continued to make slightly odd decisions in his substitutions as well. While nobody can fault the idea of taking Balotelli off to keep the team at 11 men, given his earlier yellow card, it seemed odd given that Liverpool seemed to be playing for penalties and Balotelli is the best on the squad that was in Turkey. Jodan Ibe came off for Javier Manquillo in a decision that was odd given Ibe's youth and thus potentially more stamina and the fact that Manquillo is more defensive minded and, again, Liverpool were seeking penalties. Finally Rickie Lambert came on, which is fine, but took off Daniel Sturridge who you would think would be needed to take penalties. Some will argue you don't want to waste all his energy on this match with Manchester City coming up, but once you've played 105 minutes, what danger does it really pose?
Liverpool failed to really threaten in the extra time. Both sides looked completely spent and the match went to the dreaded penalty shootout. It was tied 4-4 after all eight kickers had hit the back of the net. There was still a sense of dread about the entire process from a Liverpool perspective though. Even though all four kickers converted, there did not seem to be the coolness and calm with which Besiktas took their kicks. That sense of foreboding was proved correct when Dejan Lovren stepped to the spot as Liverpool's fifth penalty taker.
Lovren actually had a decent match up to that point. He was not going to be man of the match candidate, but he was solid given the amount of playing time he has had in recent weeks. He was strong on the man and strong in the air. If his feet would not fail him so often, he would be a very good defender. But a goalscorer he is not. Lovren should not have been in that situation. It is hard to understand including him in your top five penalty takers, even with all the injuries on the squad. It is even harder to understand why he would be placed last, when you know all the pressure put on that kicker if it actually gets to that point.
The even more puzzling quandary is why Raheem Sterling had not kicked. You can take all the penalties in practice you want, and perhaps practice statistics are why Lovren was in, but your top players have to be your top performers. In hockey, top players often want to be left off the shootout because they don't like it or feel they don't do well in it. Perhaps that was the case young Sterling made and left himself off the top five list. Whatever the reason, Rodgers has to have number 31 on that top five list. Injuries or not, Gerrard or not, Balotelli or not, Sturridge or not, I have a hard time believing that Raheem Sterling would not be one of those penalty takers.
Ultimately Liverpool got what they deserved. They shrank from the occasion and bowed out of all European competition with a whimper. Brendan Rodgers is a fine manager and deserves all the credit in the world for helping Liverpool turn things around. He still has a lot to learn about competing in Europe however. The danger now is that Liverpool cannot let this performance seep in. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. All that awaits at the end of this week's tunnel is the goliath, Manchester City. Whether City take their revenge for a poor European showing of their own or continue to slip back remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, Liverpool have to rebound quickly. Liverpool can keep City on their heels, but it will take much better than they showed on this night.
Random Thoughts:
- I hate penalty shootouts
- Mario Balotelli had a hell of a first half. He set up the potential Sturridge goal, drew important fouls, got under the skin of several defenders and held up the ball nicely when needed. It would be interesting to see if he still exited the game had he not received a yellow card. The shot near the end of the first half, left much to be desired however.
- Daniel Sturridge needs a rest. Unfortunately for him, it won't come soon as I cannot see him not playing significant minutes against Manchester City. Perhaps a respite against Burnley midweek, but the rest of the squad's fitness may determine that as well.
- I hate penalty shootouts
- Liverpool's passing was just horrendous. Normally I fully understand when players are gassed or put in poor positions etc, but it was just inexcusable. From the second half on, the passes at the back were too weak, the passes in the midfield were off the mark and everything was just bad. Hopefully that is not a reoccurring issue as it will lead to bad things in the future.
- I hate to pile on BR, but the decision to not even include Coutinho on the bench may have cost him. Replacing Balotelli with Coutinho would have been much more attacking minded than Lallana proved to be. Lallana is a very good attacking player, but he was obviously given instructions to help solidify the midfield, where Coutinho knows nothing but attack.
- Did I say how much I hate penalty shootouts?
- Some people may point to the number of important players out. Yes it is not good for the team to not have Coutinho, Gerrard, Lucas, Markovic, Sakho and Henderson, but the team was still set up in a positive manner. They had the strike tandem of Balo and Sturridge, which I still believe could work. Allen has stepped up his game the past few weeks and Ibe continued to show talent beyond his years. Toure and Lovren were the question marks and within the confines of 90 minutes they were fine. Something just lacked and I would hope that even in the recesses of their minds, the players would not use the absences as an excuse.
Walk On
Liverpool could not accomplish such a feat. The Reds came out in the first half and both squads probed at each other. Neither really had great chances in the first fifteen to twenty minutes, but the flow of the game was what would be expected given the circumstances. Liverpool did what they set out to do, according to Brendan Rodgers' prematch statements. They held up the ball, knocked it around and did their best to absorb the match until the initial wave washed over Istanbul. It worked.
You can disagree with the tactics or want to see Liverpool come out flying right from the opening whistle, but it worked...in the first half. Liverpool held to their game plan in the opening 45 minutes and took the energy out of Besiktas. Liverpool dominated possession and sprung several attacks from the 20th minute until halftime. Honestly, Liverpool should have been 1-0 up at the half. Daniel Sturridge has regressed after his firecracker start returning from injury.
Sturridge did not complete a run toward the goal line, where he would have had a chance at a Raheem Sterling cross. Instead he planted himself on the penalty spot where even a chip cross would have been difficult to complete. Sturridge was sprung on a semi-breakaway in the 28th minute, but was not at fault for failing to score there - the awful pitch at Besiktas' temporary home would not allow for any true rolls or bounces. Sturridge was also given a great through ball by Balotelli in the 33rd minute, but instead of striking it first or second time, he tried to dribble around two or three defenders.
Sturridge has some excuse, though it is not much of one given his status in the team. This match was really the first game since returning from injury that he was asked to go all 90 minutes and then some. It was clear as the match wore on that Sturridge's fitness is not up to his own standards. He is by no means out of shape, but is appearing more like a man that has not played for half a season rather than one of the feared strikers in the Premier League.
Regardless of Sturridge's failings in the first half or disappearing in the second, the entire team is at fault in the second half. Blame for that has to be with the manager. Long has this blog been a safe haven for Brendan Rodgers, whether during the difficult times at the start of the season or when every choice made by the boss was pure gold. However Rodgers failed his team in the second half. Liverpool came out and once they saw the pressure that Besiktas was going to throw at them, they capitulated. Liverpool sat back and tried to defend for 45 minutes, which is something that almost no team can do, especially one that is not known for being the most stout at the back end.
Perhaps it was a tactical decision made in the locker room at the break. Perhaps it was merely tired legs taking over for the Reds' midfield and defenders. Perhaps the players thought the Turkish side were going to roll over after the wave of attack that Liverpool had thrust upon them to end half number one. Whatever the reasoning, Rodgers needed to change something. Well before Liverpool conceded the equalizing goal, you could sense what was coming.
Liverpool did not look like a side that were simply defending and repelling each Besiktas attack with ease. This was a team that was under constant duress and flailing balls away just to catch a breath. If the choice to defend was tactically made, Rodgers should have seen it was not effective and undone it. If it was the case of the players thinking their opponent would not have the energy to pounce on them, then Rodgers needed to plant the seed either from the sideline or at the half that the match was not anywhere near over.
Instead, Liverpool did nothing with possession, gave the ball away constantly, backed away from attacks with speed and ultimately let up the tying goal. Tolgay-Ali Arslan capitalized on the mistouch from Demba Ba and ripped one that split the defenders and curled away from a diving Simon Mingolet. The Reds finally mustered up a bit of possession and looked more in control of the game following the equalizer, but really did not threaten. It became more of cat and mouse game with both sides seeking to not make the mistake that would cost the game rather than actually trying to seize it.
Rodgers continued to make slightly odd decisions in his substitutions as well. While nobody can fault the idea of taking Balotelli off to keep the team at 11 men, given his earlier yellow card, it seemed odd given that Liverpool seemed to be playing for penalties and Balotelli is the best on the squad that was in Turkey. Jodan Ibe came off for Javier Manquillo in a decision that was odd given Ibe's youth and thus potentially more stamina and the fact that Manquillo is more defensive minded and, again, Liverpool were seeking penalties. Finally Rickie Lambert came on, which is fine, but took off Daniel Sturridge who you would think would be needed to take penalties. Some will argue you don't want to waste all his energy on this match with Manchester City coming up, but once you've played 105 minutes, what danger does it really pose?
Liverpool failed to really threaten in the extra time. Both sides looked completely spent and the match went to the dreaded penalty shootout. It was tied 4-4 after all eight kickers had hit the back of the net. There was still a sense of dread about the entire process from a Liverpool perspective though. Even though all four kickers converted, there did not seem to be the coolness and calm with which Besiktas took their kicks. That sense of foreboding was proved correct when Dejan Lovren stepped to the spot as Liverpool's fifth penalty taker.
Lovren actually had a decent match up to that point. He was not going to be man of the match candidate, but he was solid given the amount of playing time he has had in recent weeks. He was strong on the man and strong in the air. If his feet would not fail him so often, he would be a very good defender. But a goalscorer he is not. Lovren should not have been in that situation. It is hard to understand including him in your top five penalty takers, even with all the injuries on the squad. It is even harder to understand why he would be placed last, when you know all the pressure put on that kicker if it actually gets to that point.
The even more puzzling quandary is why Raheem Sterling had not kicked. You can take all the penalties in practice you want, and perhaps practice statistics are why Lovren was in, but your top players have to be your top performers. In hockey, top players often want to be left off the shootout because they don't like it or feel they don't do well in it. Perhaps that was the case young Sterling made and left himself off the top five list. Whatever the reason, Rodgers has to have number 31 on that top five list. Injuries or not, Gerrard or not, Balotelli or not, Sturridge or not, I have a hard time believing that Raheem Sterling would not be one of those penalty takers.
Ultimately Liverpool got what they deserved. They shrank from the occasion and bowed out of all European competition with a whimper. Brendan Rodgers is a fine manager and deserves all the credit in the world for helping Liverpool turn things around. He still has a lot to learn about competing in Europe however. The danger now is that Liverpool cannot let this performance seep in. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. All that awaits at the end of this week's tunnel is the goliath, Manchester City. Whether City take their revenge for a poor European showing of their own or continue to slip back remains to be seen. One thing is for certain, Liverpool have to rebound quickly. Liverpool can keep City on their heels, but it will take much better than they showed on this night.
Random Thoughts:
- I hate penalty shootouts
- Mario Balotelli had a hell of a first half. He set up the potential Sturridge goal, drew important fouls, got under the skin of several defenders and held up the ball nicely when needed. It would be interesting to see if he still exited the game had he not received a yellow card. The shot near the end of the first half, left much to be desired however.
- Daniel Sturridge needs a rest. Unfortunately for him, it won't come soon as I cannot see him not playing significant minutes against Manchester City. Perhaps a respite against Burnley midweek, but the rest of the squad's fitness may determine that as well.
- I hate penalty shootouts
- Liverpool's passing was just horrendous. Normally I fully understand when players are gassed or put in poor positions etc, but it was just inexcusable. From the second half on, the passes at the back were too weak, the passes in the midfield were off the mark and everything was just bad. Hopefully that is not a reoccurring issue as it will lead to bad things in the future.
- I hate to pile on BR, but the decision to not even include Coutinho on the bench may have cost him. Replacing Balotelli with Coutinho would have been much more attacking minded than Lallana proved to be. Lallana is a very good attacking player, but he was obviously given instructions to help solidify the midfield, where Coutinho knows nothing but attack.
- Did I say how much I hate penalty shootouts?
- Some people may point to the number of important players out. Yes it is not good for the team to not have Coutinho, Gerrard, Lucas, Markovic, Sakho and Henderson, but the team was still set up in a positive manner. They had the strike tandem of Balo and Sturridge, which I still believe could work. Allen has stepped up his game the past few weeks and Ibe continued to show talent beyond his years. Toure and Lovren were the question marks and within the confines of 90 minutes they were fine. Something just lacked and I would hope that even in the recesses of their minds, the players would not use the absences as an excuse.
Walk On
Friday, February 20, 2015
Liverpool Victorious Amid Potential Controversy
There are several issues that emerged from what should've been just a nice victory for the team. I'll try to address each while trying not to have an article that is magazine length. Before we get to the 400 pound gorilla in the room, let's focus on the actual match first. Clearly, from the title, you can discern that Liverpool were victorious in their first match in the Europa League tournament.
From the start, everything seemed to be going in Liverpool's favor. They were drawn to have the opening game of two legs at home. They were drawn against Besiktas, who are top of the Turkish league, but Liverpool have had an outstanding record against Turkish teams, especially at Anfield. The Reds have also had all the momentum in recent weeks.
Brendan Rodgers put out a very solid team, with very few changes from the previous weekend. Jordan Ibe was in play instead of Lazar Markovic due to Markovic's astonishing four game European ban. The Reds came out and dominated the opening of the match, stringing together solid passes and working the ball up the field against a Besiktas formation that was clearly set up to play defense and counter. Liverpool did a good job of holding the ball for the first portion of the first half, but when the chances weren't really coming in droves, the Turkish side began gaining confidence. Liverpool were very lucky not to concede as their counterparts had fantastic goal scoring opportunities, including one that forced a miraculous save from Simon Mingolet in the 32nd minute.
Liverpool had their moments in the second half, both offensively - in a positive manner - and defensively - in a negative fashion. As another example of manager's choices that continue to pay off, Rodgers put out even more offense in an attempt to win a game that was scoreless until the 85th minute. Mario Balotelli, Raheem Sterling and Dejan Lovren all came in as attacking minded subs. People will say Lovren is a defender, but the choice to insert him was still attacking minded because it allowed Emre Can to be pushed forward into a more positive midfield role.
Then came the controversy. Liverpool gained their win when Jordan Ibe made a brilliant run up the right wing and sliced into the box. Ibe was taken down and the Reds were awarded a penalty kick. Mario Balotelli slotted home the spot kick into the bottom left corner and that was all she wrote about the actual game. Liverpool had an opportunity for a second goal late in the contest, but the ball did not find its intended target and Besiktas were able to escape Anfield down only a goal heading home.
However, instead of being able to focus on a victorious night at Anfield and setting themselves up for a potential run at a European trophy, Liverpool fans are being forced into a silly controversy and having to choose sides when they should be uniting. By now everyone has seen the incident, so I won't waste space describing it in detail. With little to no actual detail coming out of any players' mouths, fans are left to speculate. Was Jordan Henderson intending to take the kick? Was Daniel Sturridge asking Henderson to take the kick or was he asking Henderson to tell Balotelli to let Sturridge take the kick?
The bottom line, for me, is it doesn't matter. Henderson is a fine player and is growing into the role that Rodgers wants him to play as team captain. Henderson is not and never will be Steven Gerrard. That does not mean that he cannot be a decent captain. No two captains are exactly alike in either playing style or team management. Regardless of who wears the armband though, Henderson would not be my top choice to take a penalty. There were two to four players on the pitch I would've chosen to take the penalty before Jordan Henderson. There are plenty of football captains around the world who are not the designated penalty taker as well. So Balotelli taking the kick and converting should not be a big deal.
Was Sturridge telling Henderson the captain should take the kick or making a case for himself? Neither option really changes anything either. Plenty of people argue over kick taking chances. Usually it is done on free kicks, when it is a little less contentious but there are no ill effects going forward. It was disheartening to see the trio part with some discord and Sturridge seemed a little churlish when congratulating the goal scorer. However, one should hope that the actual players left their discord on the pitch and will be fine going forward.
The other discouraging thing out of that was Steven Gerrard's comments. While Gerrard has earned the right, as both a club legend and team captain, to speak his mind and give whatever answers to a media member's question he chooses, what Gerrard actually did was pour gasoline on the fire. There is a section of both the media and general public that will latch onto anything negative regarding Mario Balotelli and Gerrard saying his actions were in poor taste did nothing to assuage those people's feelings.
Despite my relative youth, I see things through old school eyes most times. You should respect authority, when warranted and should conduct yourself in a certain manner. Did Balotelli do this in the grand sense? Probably not. However, I do not feel he showed anyone up. He was not completely disrespectful in his actions. He would not have done the same thing to Steven Gerrard, but I don't feel he was disrespecting the captaincy of Jordan Henderson by his actions either. Balotelli is egotistical and forthright.
Many of the talents in the game are, whether we agree with it or not. Whether Henderson was the "designated penalty taker" or not, players like Luis Suarez or Gareth Bale or Diego Costa would have all done the same thing no matter who had the armband. Liverpool fans will all take their sides and voice their opinions. Yet, they should all still support Balotelli and the rest of the players regardless. Fans should want Balotelli to be returning to form because that means there are more options and more talent to be put on the pitch. Fans should want there to be harmony in the dressing room because the better the team gets along, the more they can easily connect on the pitch.
Another issue that popped up during this game was more of an overall question and it was posed by the broadcasters on Fox's showing of the game. It was an intriguing question that fans, pundits and the manager himself could all have vastly differing views on. The question was, with Liverpool still alive in several competitions, where do you focus your energies? You have an opportunity at English silverware in the FA Cup. You have an opportunity to still push into the top four in the league. You also have a chance to get a Champions League spot as well as a European trophy if you go all out in the Europa League.
So the big question now - with no clear answer - is where do you put your full energies. All contest deserve a full effort from the starting XI and looking for a result. Nobody is saying that you want to lose a competition, however all have merits. Sometimes that is not the case. The Capital One Cup is often looked at as a competition that teams do not mind bowing out of.
Liverpool are deep enough that they could conceivably stay in and look to win all of their goals still ahead. The problem becomes whether you wear out your players. Liverpool's success has come from sticking with a fairly consistent starting XI, with a change here or there. Do you keep all those players playing in all competitions and hope for the best when your team has had such injury problems? Or do you change it up, use your depth and focus your main starting players on one competition. If that is your option, which do you place more value on?
On the surface, the Europa League generally falls lowest on the totem pole. On the surface, the league would be the highest priority and then the FA Cup. However, things are not always as they appear on the surface. The Fox broadcast made a point and it makes sense. This weekend's match against Southampton may provide the answer. Southampton are currently in fourth in the table and four points above Liverpool. Though there are also two other teams above the Reds, the outcome of that match might make it easier to focus on a certain competition.
If Liverpool lose, then they are further away from the top four and have lost to one of their main competitors. That result would make it easier to focus on the tournaments. A win over Southampton keeps Liverpool at least three points from the top four and possibly only one point away from a Champions League slot. It definitely is an intriguing question that will come to bear if the team can keep their form.
Random thoughts:
- Steven Gerrard is a legend and I hold him in high regard. However, in this instance, I feel he would've been better suited in taking a page from Brendan Rodgers' book in how to answer the penalty question.
- It always amazes me how quickly certain sectors of the public lash out. As soon as anyone suggests Balotelli has stood up to Henderson, it makes Henderson a bad choice as captain. As I said in the main article, Henderson is not and never will be on the level of Gerrard. But the man is only 24. Not all captains are fully ready to lead their team to the fullest right from the get go. Henderson may yet grow into a quality skipper for the Reds.
- To answer my own question regarding the competitions, unless Liverpool get smacked against Southampton, I feel the league still comes first. Cup competitions all come down to the draw. If you get a favorable draw, then you can put your best foot forward. If not, then nothing is certain in tournament formats even if you have the better squad on paper. Focus on steadily moving toward a top four spot with plenty of games left in the league and see how each draw goes in the Europa and FA.
- I hate to feel so strongly about a player just now getting their first big game action, since so many look good in spurts and then fall off. But right now, Jordan Ibe looks like the real deal. He has speed very close to Raheem Sterling and a body more like Sturridge and great footskills. He also has shown himself to not shrink from the occasion. He takes players on like a veteran or like a player who does not know any different at the very least. If he continues to improve, then his future with the Reds could and should be extremely bright.
- I was glad to see smiles on the faces of Balotelli and his teammates in training today. Regardless of how you feel about him, Liverpool are a more dangerous team if he is in form, if he has a good relationship with his teammates and if there is no rift going forward. There is never complete harmony in a locker room, but there cannot be an actual rift and expect there to be success.
Walk On.
From the start, everything seemed to be going in Liverpool's favor. They were drawn to have the opening game of two legs at home. They were drawn against Besiktas, who are top of the Turkish league, but Liverpool have had an outstanding record against Turkish teams, especially at Anfield. The Reds have also had all the momentum in recent weeks.
Brendan Rodgers put out a very solid team, with very few changes from the previous weekend. Jordan Ibe was in play instead of Lazar Markovic due to Markovic's astonishing four game European ban. The Reds came out and dominated the opening of the match, stringing together solid passes and working the ball up the field against a Besiktas formation that was clearly set up to play defense and counter. Liverpool did a good job of holding the ball for the first portion of the first half, but when the chances weren't really coming in droves, the Turkish side began gaining confidence. Liverpool were very lucky not to concede as their counterparts had fantastic goal scoring opportunities, including one that forced a miraculous save from Simon Mingolet in the 32nd minute.
Liverpool had their moments in the second half, both offensively - in a positive manner - and defensively - in a negative fashion. As another example of manager's choices that continue to pay off, Rodgers put out even more offense in an attempt to win a game that was scoreless until the 85th minute. Mario Balotelli, Raheem Sterling and Dejan Lovren all came in as attacking minded subs. People will say Lovren is a defender, but the choice to insert him was still attacking minded because it allowed Emre Can to be pushed forward into a more positive midfield role.
Then came the controversy. Liverpool gained their win when Jordan Ibe made a brilliant run up the right wing and sliced into the box. Ibe was taken down and the Reds were awarded a penalty kick. Mario Balotelli slotted home the spot kick into the bottom left corner and that was all she wrote about the actual game. Liverpool had an opportunity for a second goal late in the contest, but the ball did not find its intended target and Besiktas were able to escape Anfield down only a goal heading home.
However, instead of being able to focus on a victorious night at Anfield and setting themselves up for a potential run at a European trophy, Liverpool fans are being forced into a silly controversy and having to choose sides when they should be uniting. By now everyone has seen the incident, so I won't waste space describing it in detail. With little to no actual detail coming out of any players' mouths, fans are left to speculate. Was Jordan Henderson intending to take the kick? Was Daniel Sturridge asking Henderson to take the kick or was he asking Henderson to tell Balotelli to let Sturridge take the kick?
The bottom line, for me, is it doesn't matter. Henderson is a fine player and is growing into the role that Rodgers wants him to play as team captain. Henderson is not and never will be Steven Gerrard. That does not mean that he cannot be a decent captain. No two captains are exactly alike in either playing style or team management. Regardless of who wears the armband though, Henderson would not be my top choice to take a penalty. There were two to four players on the pitch I would've chosen to take the penalty before Jordan Henderson. There are plenty of football captains around the world who are not the designated penalty taker as well. So Balotelli taking the kick and converting should not be a big deal.
Was Sturridge telling Henderson the captain should take the kick or making a case for himself? Neither option really changes anything either. Plenty of people argue over kick taking chances. Usually it is done on free kicks, when it is a little less contentious but there are no ill effects going forward. It was disheartening to see the trio part with some discord and Sturridge seemed a little churlish when congratulating the goal scorer. However, one should hope that the actual players left their discord on the pitch and will be fine going forward.
The other discouraging thing out of that was Steven Gerrard's comments. While Gerrard has earned the right, as both a club legend and team captain, to speak his mind and give whatever answers to a media member's question he chooses, what Gerrard actually did was pour gasoline on the fire. There is a section of both the media and general public that will latch onto anything negative regarding Mario Balotelli and Gerrard saying his actions were in poor taste did nothing to assuage those people's feelings.
Despite my relative youth, I see things through old school eyes most times. You should respect authority, when warranted and should conduct yourself in a certain manner. Did Balotelli do this in the grand sense? Probably not. However, I do not feel he showed anyone up. He was not completely disrespectful in his actions. He would not have done the same thing to Steven Gerrard, but I don't feel he was disrespecting the captaincy of Jordan Henderson by his actions either. Balotelli is egotistical and forthright.
Many of the talents in the game are, whether we agree with it or not. Whether Henderson was the "designated penalty taker" or not, players like Luis Suarez or Gareth Bale or Diego Costa would have all done the same thing no matter who had the armband. Liverpool fans will all take their sides and voice their opinions. Yet, they should all still support Balotelli and the rest of the players regardless. Fans should want Balotelli to be returning to form because that means there are more options and more talent to be put on the pitch. Fans should want there to be harmony in the dressing room because the better the team gets along, the more they can easily connect on the pitch.
Another issue that popped up during this game was more of an overall question and it was posed by the broadcasters on Fox's showing of the game. It was an intriguing question that fans, pundits and the manager himself could all have vastly differing views on. The question was, with Liverpool still alive in several competitions, where do you focus your energies? You have an opportunity at English silverware in the FA Cup. You have an opportunity to still push into the top four in the league. You also have a chance to get a Champions League spot as well as a European trophy if you go all out in the Europa League.
So the big question now - with no clear answer - is where do you put your full energies. All contest deserve a full effort from the starting XI and looking for a result. Nobody is saying that you want to lose a competition, however all have merits. Sometimes that is not the case. The Capital One Cup is often looked at as a competition that teams do not mind bowing out of.
Liverpool are deep enough that they could conceivably stay in and look to win all of their goals still ahead. The problem becomes whether you wear out your players. Liverpool's success has come from sticking with a fairly consistent starting XI, with a change here or there. Do you keep all those players playing in all competitions and hope for the best when your team has had such injury problems? Or do you change it up, use your depth and focus your main starting players on one competition. If that is your option, which do you place more value on?
On the surface, the Europa League generally falls lowest on the totem pole. On the surface, the league would be the highest priority and then the FA Cup. However, things are not always as they appear on the surface. The Fox broadcast made a point and it makes sense. This weekend's match against Southampton may provide the answer. Southampton are currently in fourth in the table and four points above Liverpool. Though there are also two other teams above the Reds, the outcome of that match might make it easier to focus on a certain competition.
If Liverpool lose, then they are further away from the top four and have lost to one of their main competitors. That result would make it easier to focus on the tournaments. A win over Southampton keeps Liverpool at least three points from the top four and possibly only one point away from a Champions League slot. It definitely is an intriguing question that will come to bear if the team can keep their form.
Random thoughts:
- Steven Gerrard is a legend and I hold him in high regard. However, in this instance, I feel he would've been better suited in taking a page from Brendan Rodgers' book in how to answer the penalty question.
- It always amazes me how quickly certain sectors of the public lash out. As soon as anyone suggests Balotelli has stood up to Henderson, it makes Henderson a bad choice as captain. As I said in the main article, Henderson is not and never will be on the level of Gerrard. But the man is only 24. Not all captains are fully ready to lead their team to the fullest right from the get go. Henderson may yet grow into a quality skipper for the Reds.
- To answer my own question regarding the competitions, unless Liverpool get smacked against Southampton, I feel the league still comes first. Cup competitions all come down to the draw. If you get a favorable draw, then you can put your best foot forward. If not, then nothing is certain in tournament formats even if you have the better squad on paper. Focus on steadily moving toward a top four spot with plenty of games left in the league and see how each draw goes in the Europa and FA.
- I hate to feel so strongly about a player just now getting their first big game action, since so many look good in spurts and then fall off. But right now, Jordan Ibe looks like the real deal. He has speed very close to Raheem Sterling and a body more like Sturridge and great footskills. He also has shown himself to not shrink from the occasion. He takes players on like a veteran or like a player who does not know any different at the very least. If he continues to improve, then his future with the Reds could and should be extremely bright.
- I was glad to see smiles on the faces of Balotelli and his teammates in training today. Regardless of how you feel about him, Liverpool are a more dangerous team if he is in form, if he has a good relationship with his teammates and if there is no rift going forward. There is never complete harmony in a locker room, but there cannot be an actual rift and expect there to be success.
Walk On.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Liverpool Into The FA Quarterfinals
It wasn't the prettiest of matches at all times, but the dream of silverware is still alive for Liverpool FC. It wasn't the best of starts, falling behind to Crystal Palace on the road, but the Reds managed to get enough right to pull out a win. Several old problems began to creep back into the squad, but they managed to overcome them instead of allowing those problems to dictate the match.
Liverpool came into this FA Cup tie flying. No, they haven't played on the level of Real Madrid or Barcelona, but very few in the world can or have. Liverpool played like Liverpool though and ultimately, as long as that happens, the result is all that matters. LFC didn't have the most rousing of starts to this cup match. They conceded an early goal, only 15 minutes into the game on a bit of uninspiring defense. The ball popped up into the box and Simon Mingolet punched it, while colliding with one of the Eagles. No foul was called, rightly, and Frazier Campbell managed to bang home the loose ball.
While there was no clear blame to any one person on the goal, the blame can be shared by all. No one marked the follow up player and the defense was shaky as a whole for much of the first half. Despite the retro-grade defending, Liverpool managed to dominate possession as they have in many of their recent matches. Unfortunately for the Reds, Crystal Palace began packing it in following their go-ahead score. Liverpool pressed and the Eagles just slammed in more bodies.
Brendan Rodgers then made the changes. Seeking to capitalize on the good form from the weekend match, Rodgers inserted Mario Balotelli for Lazar Markovic straight away following halftime. While it was not surprising to see the Italian come on, it was a bit surprising to see Markovic come off since he had not really done anything wrong and one could argue Liverpool needed his speed on the flanks. But, as has been the case in the new year, Rodgers' decisions paid off.
Jordan Henderson, given the captain's armband following the disappointing news of Steven Gerrard's leg injury, played a very inspired second half. Henderson smartly set up the tying goal with a nice cross to Daniel Sturridge who continued to show his worth to the club by neatly finishing off the one-time strike. While the ball did deflect off the goalkeeper, it would've taken a Herculean effort to keep out.
Then it was Balo-time. Mario Balotelli took on the defense and drew an important foul in a very dangerous area, just outside the penalty box. Full of new-found confidence, Balotelli was not about to let anyone not named Steven Gerrard tell him he was not taking the free kick. Balotelli smashed his shot right where it needed to be and while the goalkeeper managed to get a piece of it, Adam Lallana made an intelligent run and knocked home the rebound. Not to give all credit to Balotelli, the wall did a masterful job of spacing out the defenders and moving at the perfect time for Mario's shot to glide through the vacated space in the wall.
Balotelli continued his turnaround by doing what he does best, when not on the ball. Balotelli was an instigator. Many will say this is not an important role in the game - something I would agree with on principle - however, it does exist and when Mario is in the right frame of mind he gives his team an advantage in this area. Balotelli is always in the mix. Opposing teams know his short temper and try to set the fuse. When the striker is not in form and not in the right mind, it is a detriment to his club. When he is in the right frame, as he was on this night, he is a benefit. He attracts so much attention that if he is able to stand up and just smile, he sets off his opponent and frustrates them.
But let us not focus too much on Balotelli just for a couple good games. The team as a whole did what they needed to do. Emre Can had his moments of defensive lapses, but he still continues to do just enough right and allow an escape valve for the back three. Simon Mingolet was not challenged often, but you continue to see confidence that was simply not there earlier in the season. Sakho always has moments that make you cringe when he is on the ball but he continues to thwart offenses. Coutinho had a better match than he did on the weekend. Joe Allen, well...Joe Allen did not make many mistakes. Allen continues to be a questionable start, but as long as he fills in and makes no mistakes then you cannot fault the position too much.
This is the team supporters were expecting at the beginning of the season. Seeing how players have actually performed, winning the league title or even contending was always going to be a long shot no matter how strong a fan you are. However, these sorts of matches are what fans still expected from their club. It is exactly what they did not get at the beginning of the year. Earlier in the season, Liverpool would have shrunk from the occasion. They would've failed to score despite their possession and chances. They would've conceded another goal on a corner or set-piece. They would have been knocked out of the FA Cup.
It took a lot longer than anyone expected, rightly or wrongly. The pieces have now begun to gel and this squad is playing like a team that Liverpool fans can be proud of. It wasn't the best of matches and Liverpool did not dominate from start to finish, but as mentioned they won. In the end that's all that matters. They have turned the tide and are now winning matches even when they do not play to their full capabilities. That is Liverpool football.
Random Thoughts:
- I'm somewhat confused as to what Fox Sports plan was. They put this live match on Fox Sports Plus, which I do not subscribe to and many probably do not either. Thus I had to watch the match on Fox Sports En Vivo and listen to the audio through my computer. I did manage to time it up pretty well though. Kudos to me.
- I think all LFC fans are holding their breathe regarding Raheem Sterling. It is being reported as a minor foot injury, but having already lost Gerrard for at least a month LFC cannot afford to lose such an important player for long, especially given their turnaround.
- Despite the fact that I'm a fan of the player, I still concede that Balotelli makes poor plays. He has had a decent turnaround in the last two matches but he should be kept as far away from defensive corner kicks as possible. I'm all for placing more responsibility on players and saying "This is how we do things here" but he's just too much of a liability despite his size advantage.
- Can deserves all the praise he is getting, but he is terrible in the air. He is young but his timing on headers is just awful.
- Speaking of Can, I was surprised he was still in the back three. It had been suggested that he would join Henderson in the midfield and Lovren would start in the backline. Obviously Rodgers' lineup worked, but if given the opportunity it would be nice to see Can back in a more comfortable midfield role. We shall see.
Walk On.
Liverpool came into this FA Cup tie flying. No, they haven't played on the level of Real Madrid or Barcelona, but very few in the world can or have. Liverpool played like Liverpool though and ultimately, as long as that happens, the result is all that matters. LFC didn't have the most rousing of starts to this cup match. They conceded an early goal, only 15 minutes into the game on a bit of uninspiring defense. The ball popped up into the box and Simon Mingolet punched it, while colliding with one of the Eagles. No foul was called, rightly, and Frazier Campbell managed to bang home the loose ball.
While there was no clear blame to any one person on the goal, the blame can be shared by all. No one marked the follow up player and the defense was shaky as a whole for much of the first half. Despite the retro-grade defending, Liverpool managed to dominate possession as they have in many of their recent matches. Unfortunately for the Reds, Crystal Palace began packing it in following their go-ahead score. Liverpool pressed and the Eagles just slammed in more bodies.
Brendan Rodgers then made the changes. Seeking to capitalize on the good form from the weekend match, Rodgers inserted Mario Balotelli for Lazar Markovic straight away following halftime. While it was not surprising to see the Italian come on, it was a bit surprising to see Markovic come off since he had not really done anything wrong and one could argue Liverpool needed his speed on the flanks. But, as has been the case in the new year, Rodgers' decisions paid off.
Jordan Henderson, given the captain's armband following the disappointing news of Steven Gerrard's leg injury, played a very inspired second half. Henderson smartly set up the tying goal with a nice cross to Daniel Sturridge who continued to show his worth to the club by neatly finishing off the one-time strike. While the ball did deflect off the goalkeeper, it would've taken a Herculean effort to keep out.
Then it was Balo-time. Mario Balotelli took on the defense and drew an important foul in a very dangerous area, just outside the penalty box. Full of new-found confidence, Balotelli was not about to let anyone not named Steven Gerrard tell him he was not taking the free kick. Balotelli smashed his shot right where it needed to be and while the goalkeeper managed to get a piece of it, Adam Lallana made an intelligent run and knocked home the rebound. Not to give all credit to Balotelli, the wall did a masterful job of spacing out the defenders and moving at the perfect time for Mario's shot to glide through the vacated space in the wall.
Balotelli continued his turnaround by doing what he does best, when not on the ball. Balotelli was an instigator. Many will say this is not an important role in the game - something I would agree with on principle - however, it does exist and when Mario is in the right frame of mind he gives his team an advantage in this area. Balotelli is always in the mix. Opposing teams know his short temper and try to set the fuse. When the striker is not in form and not in the right mind, it is a detriment to his club. When he is in the right frame, as he was on this night, he is a benefit. He attracts so much attention that if he is able to stand up and just smile, he sets off his opponent and frustrates them.
But let us not focus too much on Balotelli just for a couple good games. The team as a whole did what they needed to do. Emre Can had his moments of defensive lapses, but he still continues to do just enough right and allow an escape valve for the back three. Simon Mingolet was not challenged often, but you continue to see confidence that was simply not there earlier in the season. Sakho always has moments that make you cringe when he is on the ball but he continues to thwart offenses. Coutinho had a better match than he did on the weekend. Joe Allen, well...Joe Allen did not make many mistakes. Allen continues to be a questionable start, but as long as he fills in and makes no mistakes then you cannot fault the position too much.
This is the team supporters were expecting at the beginning of the season. Seeing how players have actually performed, winning the league title or even contending was always going to be a long shot no matter how strong a fan you are. However, these sorts of matches are what fans still expected from their club. It is exactly what they did not get at the beginning of the year. Earlier in the season, Liverpool would have shrunk from the occasion. They would've failed to score despite their possession and chances. They would've conceded another goal on a corner or set-piece. They would have been knocked out of the FA Cup.
It took a lot longer than anyone expected, rightly or wrongly. The pieces have now begun to gel and this squad is playing like a team that Liverpool fans can be proud of. It wasn't the best of matches and Liverpool did not dominate from start to finish, but as mentioned they won. In the end that's all that matters. They have turned the tide and are now winning matches even when they do not play to their full capabilities. That is Liverpool football.
Random Thoughts:
- I'm somewhat confused as to what Fox Sports plan was. They put this live match on Fox Sports Plus, which I do not subscribe to and many probably do not either. Thus I had to watch the match on Fox Sports En Vivo and listen to the audio through my computer. I did manage to time it up pretty well though. Kudos to me.
- I think all LFC fans are holding their breathe regarding Raheem Sterling. It is being reported as a minor foot injury, but having already lost Gerrard for at least a month LFC cannot afford to lose such an important player for long, especially given their turnaround.
- Despite the fact that I'm a fan of the player, I still concede that Balotelli makes poor plays. He has had a decent turnaround in the last two matches but he should be kept as far away from defensive corner kicks as possible. I'm all for placing more responsibility on players and saying "This is how we do things here" but he's just too much of a liability despite his size advantage.
- Can deserves all the praise he is getting, but he is terrible in the air. He is young but his timing on headers is just awful.
- Speaking of Can, I was surprised he was still in the back three. It had been suggested that he would join Henderson in the midfield and Lovren would start in the backline. Obviously Rodgers' lineup worked, but if given the opportunity it would be nice to see Can back in a more comfortable midfield role. We shall see.
Walk On.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Everything Coming Up Gold For Brendan Rodgers
Things looked like they may be taking a turn for the worse from a Liverpool perspective following the most recent Merseyside Derby. The matchup with Everton over the weekend was about as flat a performance as could be found in recent weeks or months. It was such a poor performance that it forced one to wonder if Liverpool was reverting to it's early season form. Their manager, their captain and their supporters would not allow this.
Liverpool came out with a solid attacking lineup with the right number of changes to spark the club back into form. Raheem Sterling was surprisingly given the night off. Sterling definitely deserved the time off given his run of games and placing the team on his back, however it was a bit of a surprise given the importance of the match. Liverpool had a chance to climb within three points of the fourth spot for at least the night. They were also pitted against a team directly above them in the table. Conversely, Tottenham had an opportunity to put themselves into the third spot in the table and go seven points clear of Liverpool. Clearly it was a huge game for both sides, thus making it a bit surprising that Sterling was not even available as a sub. Clearly, it worked out.
Daniel Sturridge was given his first start since returning from injury and he did what he has done ever since his return - he gave the Reds a huge spark. Sturridge almost banged one in with an outside left boot early in the match that was slapped away by Hugo Lloris. Sturridge was also joined by Jordan Ibe and Coutinho in the attack. While Coutinho did not do anything overly special during this match, he still strikes enough fear into defenders to cause them worry anytime he is on the ball. Ibe was the one who impressed the most of the wingers though.
Admittedly, I wondered if it was a mistake to recall Ibe from his loan spell so early but the young attacker has shown his value in his short stint back with the club. Ibe, full of youthful exuberance, bolted down the wings with pace and took on defenders at will to start the match. With the exception of a few balls that could have been placed in better spots, Ibe made good passing choices and created the potential for scoring chances, even if it did not ultimately come off. While it is still too early to say for sure how the young player will turn out, he is definitely showing that he has the skill to remain in Liverpool's plans and form a formidable attacking partnership with Sturridge, Sterling and/or whoever else the Reds use in attack.
Another positive Ibe has shown, so far, is his ability to play multiple positions. He has the shooting ability to perhaps be a striker, if called upon. He has the pace to be an attacking winger in Liverpool's current three up top. He also proved today that he can help out in defense, which opens up the possibility should he be needed as part of the midfield. His youth and versatility are just what Liverpool need at this moment. Should he be thrust into a long-term starting role yet? Probably not. He needs time to acclimate to the Premier League game, but he has shown that he definitely deserves the minutes he is bound to get going forward.
Refocusing on the match itself, it was not all smiles and sunshine the entire 90 minutes. The commentary team made several references to the quietness of the Anfield crowd and that it was most likely due to the strength of the Tottenham attack. Harry Kane continues to prove, if only for this season, he is one of the premier attackers in the English Premier League. Kane spurred on his team - no pun intended - and they responded in kind following his early equalizing goal.
From an outsider's perspective, this was an intensely enjoyable game to watch. Perhaps not as much if you support either team, but just from the pure football/soccer aspect of the game it was an entertaining game. Both teams had great strings of possession. Both teams created chances, both squads squandered opportunities, both keepers made great saves, both teams defended well and both teams made mistakes. It was like watching a top notch prize fight with boxers who went on all out attack.
Daniel Sturridge helped set up the first goal by drawing the defense towards him, which allowed Lazar Markovic to slip through a gap towards the left and then slide it past Lloris. As a member of the keeper's union, I rarely say this, but Lloris should have stopped the shot. He failed to get both hands extended toward the ball, allowing a slight bobble to hop over his bottom hand. Nevertheless, it was a good offensive play all-around and well finished by the Serbian international.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, their defense was not up to the task 11 minutes later when Kane equalized. While they marked well during the flow of play, Liverpool's bane continued to cause them problems as the defense looked a bit foolish on both Spurs' tallies. Kane looked to be offside on the second goal, but that is up to the official to call. Liverpool were guilty on this play, as are too many professional sides, but I grow tired of players making calls for the officials. Play until the whistle is blown and then make your case when the danger is averted. Yes, Tottenham had players offside but Liverpool looked just as foolish as their entire backline was standing around as the Spurs pounced on the rebound.
You cannot take credit away from the Spurs though. Liverpool may have had their own faults on each goal, but credit goes to the Spurs for answering almost every jab, cross and hook. Spurs are a much better team than Liverpool saw at the beginning of the season and deserving of their place in the table, but Liverpool are a better team as well. Their players are playing better and their manager is managing better.
Brendan Rodgers has looked like a man lost at times during this year. There have been times when even the most loyal supporter of the man and team have been forced to question his team selection, his tactics and in the larger sense, whether he is the man to lead this club going forward. Rodgers took this all in stride, ever confident that his way would prove itself. Though the season is far from over and things can still turn back the other way, Rodgers' way has proven itself. It has taken the return of players from injury and a few odd tweaks that we may not all agree with, but you cannot argue with the results.
Liverpool's last defeat was a cup match against table leading Chelsea, on the road by a tight score of 1-0. The last match Liverpool lost in the league was way back on December 14 to Manchester United. Though the scoreline was embarrassing, that match may have actually been the turning point in terms of style of play. Since that match, LFC have rattled off six clean sheets. Finishing may still be a bit of a sticking point, but everything seems to be coming up gold for Rodgers the way it did last season.
This is further exemplified by the match winning goal. Rodgers made some interesting substitution choices prior to the goal. Instead of bringing on Adam Lallana early, he took off captain Steven Gerrard for the rarely seen of late, Dejan Lovren. This pushed Emre Can out of his back three duties and put him in a more comfortable midfield spot. Then, instead of taking off Ibe or Coutinho and gone with Lallana in a more possession minded attack, Rodgers put Lallana in Markovic' spot and left the speedy Coutinho and Ibe to strike up the wings. Finally, instead of trying out a strike partnership of Mario Balotelli and Sturridge, which had created chances earlier in the year, Rodgers went with a bit of caution, not wanting to overuse his star forward.
All of these decisions paid dividends. Lovren, while by no means challenged to a full extent, made no critical errors and presented Liverpool with the height and aerial ability the team needed at such a critical time in the match. Lallana gave Liverpool fresh legs and enough pace and skill from the wing to cause problems while leaving no defensive liabilities. Finally, and from a personal perspective most importantly, Mario Balotelli scored. Not only did the Italian enigma score, but he scored the match winner. He did what a striker is supposed to do - get into those critical areas behind the defense and finish it off when presented the chance. Balotelli capped this off by being smart, yet irritating to the opponent and throwing a few players off their game. He also managed a critical clearance in the final minutes as well.
Rodgers' celebration and jubilant reaction to Balotelli's goal further exemplified how much even the manager wanted that for the player. Call it luck, call it a belief, call it having a good eye for certain decisions or call it what you will, the bottom line is that the vast majority of choices made by the Red's boss are coming off and that spells good things. While success always boils down to the form of the players, Rodgers' success in his decision making had a big role in Liverpool almost winning a championship last season. Perhaps now, if things hold form, his successes will lead to more on-field success for the club and more Champions League football. For now, fans should just be happy with this massive result against Spurs and look forward to more exciting football to come.
Random Thoughts:
- Mario Balotelli really can do no right. The man scored his first Premier League goal for the club, his first in almost three years and a match winner. Yet, the color commentator on the NBCSports broadcast felt the need to point out that not celebrating and smiling will just further cement Balotelli as a villain among the fans.
- On a personal level, it was a huge joy to see Super Mario get the kind of goal he did. Yes, I would've liked to see a smash from outside the box rip into the upper 90. However, to come back into the team, after not even being a selection and then get into a good position and score the game winner is huge. No, it does not excuse him from his past mistakes and no I'm not crazy enough to think this will be the start of a huge run of goals but he had to get at least one. Maybe Balo will still be gone come the summer, but as a supporter of the player, it was a joy to see him finally score a league goal for Liverpool
- Phil Neville, the color commentator for NBCSports seemed to come off as pro-Tottenham at times. His explanation of Martin Skrtel's yellow card was farcical. Even during the replays he kept saying you could see the clip of the Spurs' calf, which you could not.
- I did not think the official had a bad game - though many on Twitter did - however the penalty not given to Daniel Sturridge looked like more of a penalty than the one actually called. The announcers said it was a good challenge, but even if you get the ball you cannot scissor the attacker on the follow through.
- It was great to see Gerrard pop one in on the PK, but the camera angle made it look a lot closer than it was. The fact that Lloris got a touch did not help matters. Ah well, it went in.
Walk On.
Liverpool came out with a solid attacking lineup with the right number of changes to spark the club back into form. Raheem Sterling was surprisingly given the night off. Sterling definitely deserved the time off given his run of games and placing the team on his back, however it was a bit of a surprise given the importance of the match. Liverpool had a chance to climb within three points of the fourth spot for at least the night. They were also pitted against a team directly above them in the table. Conversely, Tottenham had an opportunity to put themselves into the third spot in the table and go seven points clear of Liverpool. Clearly it was a huge game for both sides, thus making it a bit surprising that Sterling was not even available as a sub. Clearly, it worked out.
Daniel Sturridge was given his first start since returning from injury and he did what he has done ever since his return - he gave the Reds a huge spark. Sturridge almost banged one in with an outside left boot early in the match that was slapped away by Hugo Lloris. Sturridge was also joined by Jordan Ibe and Coutinho in the attack. While Coutinho did not do anything overly special during this match, he still strikes enough fear into defenders to cause them worry anytime he is on the ball. Ibe was the one who impressed the most of the wingers though.
Admittedly, I wondered if it was a mistake to recall Ibe from his loan spell so early but the young attacker has shown his value in his short stint back with the club. Ibe, full of youthful exuberance, bolted down the wings with pace and took on defenders at will to start the match. With the exception of a few balls that could have been placed in better spots, Ibe made good passing choices and created the potential for scoring chances, even if it did not ultimately come off. While it is still too early to say for sure how the young player will turn out, he is definitely showing that he has the skill to remain in Liverpool's plans and form a formidable attacking partnership with Sturridge, Sterling and/or whoever else the Reds use in attack.
Another positive Ibe has shown, so far, is his ability to play multiple positions. He has the shooting ability to perhaps be a striker, if called upon. He has the pace to be an attacking winger in Liverpool's current three up top. He also proved today that he can help out in defense, which opens up the possibility should he be needed as part of the midfield. His youth and versatility are just what Liverpool need at this moment. Should he be thrust into a long-term starting role yet? Probably not. He needs time to acclimate to the Premier League game, but he has shown that he definitely deserves the minutes he is bound to get going forward.
Refocusing on the match itself, it was not all smiles and sunshine the entire 90 minutes. The commentary team made several references to the quietness of the Anfield crowd and that it was most likely due to the strength of the Tottenham attack. Harry Kane continues to prove, if only for this season, he is one of the premier attackers in the English Premier League. Kane spurred on his team - no pun intended - and they responded in kind following his early equalizing goal.
From an outsider's perspective, this was an intensely enjoyable game to watch. Perhaps not as much if you support either team, but just from the pure football/soccer aspect of the game it was an entertaining game. Both teams had great strings of possession. Both teams created chances, both squads squandered opportunities, both keepers made great saves, both teams defended well and both teams made mistakes. It was like watching a top notch prize fight with boxers who went on all out attack.
Daniel Sturridge helped set up the first goal by drawing the defense towards him, which allowed Lazar Markovic to slip through a gap towards the left and then slide it past Lloris. As a member of the keeper's union, I rarely say this, but Lloris should have stopped the shot. He failed to get both hands extended toward the ball, allowing a slight bobble to hop over his bottom hand. Nevertheless, it was a good offensive play all-around and well finished by the Serbian international.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, their defense was not up to the task 11 minutes later when Kane equalized. While they marked well during the flow of play, Liverpool's bane continued to cause them problems as the defense looked a bit foolish on both Spurs' tallies. Kane looked to be offside on the second goal, but that is up to the official to call. Liverpool were guilty on this play, as are too many professional sides, but I grow tired of players making calls for the officials. Play until the whistle is blown and then make your case when the danger is averted. Yes, Tottenham had players offside but Liverpool looked just as foolish as their entire backline was standing around as the Spurs pounced on the rebound.
You cannot take credit away from the Spurs though. Liverpool may have had their own faults on each goal, but credit goes to the Spurs for answering almost every jab, cross and hook. Spurs are a much better team than Liverpool saw at the beginning of the season and deserving of their place in the table, but Liverpool are a better team as well. Their players are playing better and their manager is managing better.
Brendan Rodgers has looked like a man lost at times during this year. There have been times when even the most loyal supporter of the man and team have been forced to question his team selection, his tactics and in the larger sense, whether he is the man to lead this club going forward. Rodgers took this all in stride, ever confident that his way would prove itself. Though the season is far from over and things can still turn back the other way, Rodgers' way has proven itself. It has taken the return of players from injury and a few odd tweaks that we may not all agree with, but you cannot argue with the results.
Liverpool's last defeat was a cup match against table leading Chelsea, on the road by a tight score of 1-0. The last match Liverpool lost in the league was way back on December 14 to Manchester United. Though the scoreline was embarrassing, that match may have actually been the turning point in terms of style of play. Since that match, LFC have rattled off six clean sheets. Finishing may still be a bit of a sticking point, but everything seems to be coming up gold for Rodgers the way it did last season.
This is further exemplified by the match winning goal. Rodgers made some interesting substitution choices prior to the goal. Instead of bringing on Adam Lallana early, he took off captain Steven Gerrard for the rarely seen of late, Dejan Lovren. This pushed Emre Can out of his back three duties and put him in a more comfortable midfield spot. Then, instead of taking off Ibe or Coutinho and gone with Lallana in a more possession minded attack, Rodgers put Lallana in Markovic' spot and left the speedy Coutinho and Ibe to strike up the wings. Finally, instead of trying out a strike partnership of Mario Balotelli and Sturridge, which had created chances earlier in the year, Rodgers went with a bit of caution, not wanting to overuse his star forward.
All of these decisions paid dividends. Lovren, while by no means challenged to a full extent, made no critical errors and presented Liverpool with the height and aerial ability the team needed at such a critical time in the match. Lallana gave Liverpool fresh legs and enough pace and skill from the wing to cause problems while leaving no defensive liabilities. Finally, and from a personal perspective most importantly, Mario Balotelli scored. Not only did the Italian enigma score, but he scored the match winner. He did what a striker is supposed to do - get into those critical areas behind the defense and finish it off when presented the chance. Balotelli capped this off by being smart, yet irritating to the opponent and throwing a few players off their game. He also managed a critical clearance in the final minutes as well.
Rodgers' celebration and jubilant reaction to Balotelli's goal further exemplified how much even the manager wanted that for the player. Call it luck, call it a belief, call it having a good eye for certain decisions or call it what you will, the bottom line is that the vast majority of choices made by the Red's boss are coming off and that spells good things. While success always boils down to the form of the players, Rodgers' success in his decision making had a big role in Liverpool almost winning a championship last season. Perhaps now, if things hold form, his successes will lead to more on-field success for the club and more Champions League football. For now, fans should just be happy with this massive result against Spurs and look forward to more exciting football to come.
Random Thoughts:
- Mario Balotelli really can do no right. The man scored his first Premier League goal for the club, his first in almost three years and a match winner. Yet, the color commentator on the NBCSports broadcast felt the need to point out that not celebrating and smiling will just further cement Balotelli as a villain among the fans.
- On a personal level, it was a huge joy to see Super Mario get the kind of goal he did. Yes, I would've liked to see a smash from outside the box rip into the upper 90. However, to come back into the team, after not even being a selection and then get into a good position and score the game winner is huge. No, it does not excuse him from his past mistakes and no I'm not crazy enough to think this will be the start of a huge run of goals but he had to get at least one. Maybe Balo will still be gone come the summer, but as a supporter of the player, it was a joy to see him finally score a league goal for Liverpool
- Phil Neville, the color commentator for NBCSports seemed to come off as pro-Tottenham at times. His explanation of Martin Skrtel's yellow card was farcical. Even during the replays he kept saying you could see the clip of the Spurs' calf, which you could not.
- I did not think the official had a bad game - though many on Twitter did - however the penalty not given to Daniel Sturridge looked like more of a penalty than the one actually called. The announcers said it was a good challenge, but even if you get the ball you cannot scissor the attacker on the follow through.
- It was great to see Gerrard pop one in on the PK, but the camera angle made it look a lot closer than it was. The fact that Lloris got a touch did not help matters. Ah well, it went in.
Walk On.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Liverpool Lack the Quality to Defeat Chelsea
Before we get into the bulk of this, let me preface this blog by saying that I missed much of the match. Sometimes life takes precedence. Having said that, on to the game. Liverpool did what they needed to do for a decent portion of this game with one of their rivals, Chelsea. The Blues are one of the best teams in the world and showed it at the end of the extra time.
It can be hard for Liverpool supporters to stomach, especially those that have friends who support the Blues, but this season they have shown themselves to be one of the best in the world. It is a good showing for the Reds in that they have put themselves in a position to challenge Chelsea. The Liverpool from the beginning of the season would not have even reached extra time in this sort of matchup. In fact, the contest may have been decided long before had the Reds played the way they were at the start of the season. However, there really is no silver lining. Regardless of any positivity in terms of progress, the simple fact is that at the end of extra time, Liverpool were dreadful.
Liverpool had their chances during the game. They put 15 balls toward the goal and 4 on target. Thibault Courtois made a few really good saves, but Liverpool just lack that critical finisher, regardless of the amount of potential talent they have on the field. The second half of extra time was a prime example of this. As mentioned, Chelsea is one of the top 5 clubs in the world right now, but Liverpool just don't have the ability to break down a defense at the moment. Even with great talents like Raheem Sterling and Phillipe Coutinho, world class players like Gerrard, or decent players like Jordan Henderson they simply cannot consistently slice through a defense the way they did last season.
They have moments of brilliance. The passing to set up Coutinho's chance that was kicked away by Coutinho was clinical. We've seen glimpses of that throughout the year. Simply not enough though. The imminent return of Daniel Sturridge will improve things. If he returns to even part of the form he had last season, he immediately improves the club's ability to score. It is just frustrating that even though we see glimpses, there is still a huge disparity from what the club performed like last season and the big difference has basically been two players missing.
The extra time was extremely disappointing from a tactical standpoint. The Reds looked decent enough until the goal. After that, they really fell apart. They had a few opportunities, but really nothing that troubled the Chelsea goalkeeper. Again, all credit to the Blues. They won the game. However, the disparity in positive possession was quite astounding in the last 15 minutes. Liverpool looked lost. They blindly booted the ball around the pitch or headed the ball aimlessly up field with not inclination of where it might go. The Blues, on the other side, were cool and calm and knocked the ball around with ease. The Reds looked clueless when presented with opportunities on goal. They sailed several balls well over the goal, not even troubling the defense or goalkeeper.
From a Liverpool perspective, it was simply not good enough. Liverpool scored a quality goal at Anfield and had small windows of quality play. But in the grand scheme, over two full matches and two full periods of extra time, they just simply did not do enough to earn the wins. That is something that has to be rectified if Liverpool hope to return to the true upper echelon.
Despite the huge disappointment of not gaining a finals appearance in the league cup, Liverpool can still accomplish good things this season. They have fixed enough of their problems to make a good run at a top four spot. They still have an opportunity to reach Wembly with a good performance against Bolton and a reasonably favorable draw against Crystal Palace. Good things can still come from the rest of this season, but for one match they simply were not good enough. Walk on.
Personal thoughts:
- Blogs are, by nature, somewhat personal. I usually try to separate my deeper feelings from the blog, but I'm going to let a few out here.
- I am a big Brendan Rodgers fan. Most people, from what I've read, hated the reality series Being Liverpool. I loved it. I was really drawn to Rodgers' philosophy and feelings regarding the importance of the supporters and work ethic. However, sometimes he is clearly off his rocker. In the post match interview, he said Liverpool were the better side over the two days and were denied by Courtois. Courtois was the reason Chelsea drew in the first game, but to say you were the better team for two contests when you really weren't isn't reality. I understand trying to set a positive notion in the mind of the team, but some of his attempts to do so are completely from left field.
- Mario Balotelli is lost. I am one of the few, if only, supporters of Super Mario. Having part of my family be Italian makes me bias in that instance and I've seen the man's talent. But right now, even I have to admit he is terrible and just appears lost. I feel bad for him because I do think he wants to perform at Liverpool and wants to play well. However, you can see in his performance that he shoots when he should pass and passes when he should shoot and seems incapable of making the right decision. I hope he turns it around, if for no other reason than I own a Balotelli jersey, but the experiment may be a failure even for this dedicated supporter.
- Sterling and Coutinho have oodles of talent, but they are maddening. Similarly to Balotelli, but on a much smaller scale they like to shoot when they should pass and pass when they should shoot. When challenged by defenders that are actually world class, they seem to shrink. They still attempt to challenge them, but they get way too close to the defenders and often give it away. This is fine for early in matches because you want to test your opposition. When you are in extra time, with a finals appearance on the line, you simply must retain the ball. Too much carelessness. They are young though, so plenty of time to still learn it. Just frustrating for the moment.
- Jose Mourinho is one of the best managers in the world of club football, but he makes statements that make Rodgers look like a lyrical genius. I completely understand sticking up for your team, but to simply ignore anything negative any of his players ever does, from diving to stomping, and yet whine about every single thing that does not go your way is aggravating at best.
- Whether it's FIFA or the FA, if they want to retain credibility they must suspend Diego Costa. Taking all bias out of it, he may have gotten away with the stomps during the match but you cannot allow a player to deliberately stomp on an opponent and not be punished. It would not matter to me if it was a Liverpool player that was the offender in such an instance. Those things cannot be allowed in the game and regardless of who does it, they should be suspended.
15 chances, 4 on target.
BR says they were better side?
It can be hard for Liverpool supporters to stomach, especially those that have friends who support the Blues, but this season they have shown themselves to be one of the best in the world. It is a good showing for the Reds in that they have put themselves in a position to challenge Chelsea. The Liverpool from the beginning of the season would not have even reached extra time in this sort of matchup. In fact, the contest may have been decided long before had the Reds played the way they were at the start of the season. However, there really is no silver lining. Regardless of any positivity in terms of progress, the simple fact is that at the end of extra time, Liverpool were dreadful.
Liverpool had their chances during the game. They put 15 balls toward the goal and 4 on target. Thibault Courtois made a few really good saves, but Liverpool just lack that critical finisher, regardless of the amount of potential talent they have on the field. The second half of extra time was a prime example of this. As mentioned, Chelsea is one of the top 5 clubs in the world right now, but Liverpool just don't have the ability to break down a defense at the moment. Even with great talents like Raheem Sterling and Phillipe Coutinho, world class players like Gerrard, or decent players like Jordan Henderson they simply cannot consistently slice through a defense the way they did last season.
They have moments of brilliance. The passing to set up Coutinho's chance that was kicked away by Coutinho was clinical. We've seen glimpses of that throughout the year. Simply not enough though. The imminent return of Daniel Sturridge will improve things. If he returns to even part of the form he had last season, he immediately improves the club's ability to score. It is just frustrating that even though we see glimpses, there is still a huge disparity from what the club performed like last season and the big difference has basically been two players missing.
The extra time was extremely disappointing from a tactical standpoint. The Reds looked decent enough until the goal. After that, they really fell apart. They had a few opportunities, but really nothing that troubled the Chelsea goalkeeper. Again, all credit to the Blues. They won the game. However, the disparity in positive possession was quite astounding in the last 15 minutes. Liverpool looked lost. They blindly booted the ball around the pitch or headed the ball aimlessly up field with not inclination of where it might go. The Blues, on the other side, were cool and calm and knocked the ball around with ease. The Reds looked clueless when presented with opportunities on goal. They sailed several balls well over the goal, not even troubling the defense or goalkeeper.
From a Liverpool perspective, it was simply not good enough. Liverpool scored a quality goal at Anfield and had small windows of quality play. But in the grand scheme, over two full matches and two full periods of extra time, they just simply did not do enough to earn the wins. That is something that has to be rectified if Liverpool hope to return to the true upper echelon.
Despite the huge disappointment of not gaining a finals appearance in the league cup, Liverpool can still accomplish good things this season. They have fixed enough of their problems to make a good run at a top four spot. They still have an opportunity to reach Wembly with a good performance against Bolton and a reasonably favorable draw against Crystal Palace. Good things can still come from the rest of this season, but for one match they simply were not good enough. Walk on.
Personal thoughts:
- Blogs are, by nature, somewhat personal. I usually try to separate my deeper feelings from the blog, but I'm going to let a few out here.
- I am a big Brendan Rodgers fan. Most people, from what I've read, hated the reality series Being Liverpool. I loved it. I was really drawn to Rodgers' philosophy and feelings regarding the importance of the supporters and work ethic. However, sometimes he is clearly off his rocker. In the post match interview, he said Liverpool were the better side over the two days and were denied by Courtois. Courtois was the reason Chelsea drew in the first game, but to say you were the better team for two contests when you really weren't isn't reality. I understand trying to set a positive notion in the mind of the team, but some of his attempts to do so are completely from left field.
- Mario Balotelli is lost. I am one of the few, if only, supporters of Super Mario. Having part of my family be Italian makes me bias in that instance and I've seen the man's talent. But right now, even I have to admit he is terrible and just appears lost. I feel bad for him because I do think he wants to perform at Liverpool and wants to play well. However, you can see in his performance that he shoots when he should pass and passes when he should shoot and seems incapable of making the right decision. I hope he turns it around, if for no other reason than I own a Balotelli jersey, but the experiment may be a failure even for this dedicated supporter.
- Sterling and Coutinho have oodles of talent, but they are maddening. Similarly to Balotelli, but on a much smaller scale they like to shoot when they should pass and pass when they should shoot. When challenged by defenders that are actually world class, they seem to shrink. They still attempt to challenge them, but they get way too close to the defenders and often give it away. This is fine for early in matches because you want to test your opposition. When you are in extra time, with a finals appearance on the line, you simply must retain the ball. Too much carelessness. They are young though, so plenty of time to still learn it. Just frustrating for the moment.
- Jose Mourinho is one of the best managers in the world of club football, but he makes statements that make Rodgers look like a lyrical genius. I completely understand sticking up for your team, but to simply ignore anything negative any of his players ever does, from diving to stomping, and yet whine about every single thing that does not go your way is aggravating at best.
- Whether it's FIFA or the FA, if they want to retain credibility they must suspend Diego Costa. Taking all bias out of it, he may have gotten away with the stomps during the match but you cannot allow a player to deliberately stomp on an opponent and not be punished. It would not matter to me if it was a Liverpool player that was the offender in such an instance. Those things cannot be allowed in the game and regardless of who does it, they should be suspended.
15 chances, 4 on target.
BR says they were better side?
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