Back To Life, Back To Reality: Liverpool 0 Southampton 1

Selecting four central defenders said it all.  This is a Liverpool team which thrives on its full backs getting forward offering support, overlapping and creating chances.  That this was sawn off from the beginning was hard to fathom with Martin Kelly languishing on the bench, it was if we were lining up to play Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang.

Most disappointing of all was the ineffectual nature of Rodgers team to compete against a Southampton team pressing to such an extent that Mignolet was forced to kick long and eventually being thoroughly outplayed at home. 

Liverpool’s game built on passing and possession was found wanting and whereas hitherto Gerrard was the calming figure, as against Swansea in the second-half and for most of this game he was unable to have any undue influential and was often caught napping on the ball.

Lacking the creative services of the uber-talented Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool finally came to life when Steven Gerrard stinging free-kick from 25 yards was brilliantly turned away by Southampton keeper Artur Boruc.  Daniel Sturridge was then upended by centre-back Dejan Lovren inside the area which Neil Swarbrick unceremoniously waving away penalty appeals.  Moses had Liverpool’s best chance going close having nutmegged Jose Fonte, before seeing his shot saved by the excellent Boruc.

Iago Aspas struggling to impose himself on the game made way for Raheem Sterling at half-time.  With Daniel Sturridge missing the link of Coutinho, the better bet may have been to free Gerrard of the shackles and allow him move into a position of yesteryear (playing behind Torres).  Moving Jordan Henderson back into a central berth and bringing Martin Kelly on at right back could just have ignited Liverpool into using Gerrard as the focal point to instigate our attacks.

Yet, as has happened in most of our second half performances, it transgressed to a level where we hardly had a shot in the second-half.  Southampton were excellent in controlling possession, pressing high up the field and counting attacking at speed with potency.   It came as no surprise to see them take the lead given their control, but Rodgers will be disappointed with the concentration levels and poor defending which led up to the goal.

A corner was unnecessarily given away by Skrtel.  Lovren powered past the struggling Agger heading in from close range.  It was no more than Southampton deserved and barely two minutes later Shaw sluiced through the Liverpool defence where he found the impressive Mignolet in outstanding form, producing a stunning save.  Mignolet also pulled off a last ditch save when he punch away a loose ball as Steven Davis closed in as goal a goal looked imminent.

Lovren wheels away ending Liverpool unbeaten run

The galling fact was that Southampton coasted to victory in the second-half, with Liverpool barely threatening and Brendan Rodgers patently out manoeuvred by Southampton manager Mauricio Pochetti who came and executed a plan which had Rodgers team stalling in neutral for most of the afternoon.

Man of the Match: Simon Mignolet – Kept Liverpool in the game with some tremendous saves and as a shot stopper is second to none.

Critical Eye:  Without Philippe Coutinho we looked one dimensional with no real creativity and with the most in form striker in the league living on scraps, Rodgers couldn’t fathom out a way to change a game drifting inextricably away from us.

Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto are still adapting to the pace and strength need to cope with the English game and as such Rodgers has very little leeway to cover the injuries to Coutinho and Allen – he has obviously miscalculated in terms of their speed of adapting, thinking their technical class would be enough. 

 As I mentioned on a previously blog, it makes very little sense to see a Liverpool squad swarming with five centre-half’s not to mention Wisdom and Kelly who both can play there at a pinch, yet, we cannot provide substantial cover in the centre-midfield area, which is bordering on the criminal.  Liverpool require urgently a robust midfielder capable of dominating and Steven Gerrard’s appearances should be managed in similar vain to those of Frank Lampard, then we could see a more dynamic captain rather than as here, a subdued version.

Really disappointing that the run should end with a damp squib of a performance and Luis Suarez can’t come back quick enough to provide some undoubted class.

Manager’s comments: "We were very subdued. Technically we were not very good and gave away a poor goal. It is one of the few poor days we have had.

 "We just need to recover. We were not so good with the ball and technically nowhere near the level we have been at.

 "Luis Suarez being available is a positive as he has now served his ban and we can bring someone as good as him back."

Team: 22 Mignolet, 4 Toure, 5 Agger (Jose Enrique – 57 min), 17 Sakho, 37 Skrtel (Alberto – 72 min), 8 Gerrard, 9 Aspas (Sterling – 46 min), 12 Moses, 14 Henderson, 21 Lucas, 15 Sturridge

Substitutes: 1 Brad Jones, 3 Jose Enrique, 34 Martin Kelly, 47 Andre Wisdom, 6 Luis Alberto, 31 Raheem Sterling, 33 Jordan Ibe

Referee: Neil Swarbrick

Attendance: 44, 755