Chelsea loss highlights Liverpool's lack of depth: Chelsea 2 Liverpool 1

Top of the league on Christmas Day and behind Everton in fifth place just four days later.  While it’s not the end of the world, it certainly feels like a kick in the teeth.  Liverpool played well enough to have beaten Man City and although outplayed by Chelsea in the first-half, certainly played well enough to put more than a frown on Jose Mourinho’s forehead.

Even the most objective fan could not fail to see that at least two out of the three key decisions which Howard Webb had to make went against us. 

The first a blatant over the top tackle by Samuel Eto’o in the opening minute, in which he raked his studs down the shin of Jordan Henderson, unbelievably was not worthy of a caution.  The second with Liverpool 2-1 down and pressing for equaliser saw Eto’o again mow down Suarez with the ball nowhere in sight and with Howard Webb very much on the scene, the World Cup Final referee again looked the other way.

Liverpool started brilliantly, scoring in the third minute.  Coutinho’s free-kick from Eto’o’s foul, found the head of Suarez whose flicked header struck Ivanovic and fell in the path of Skrtel who gratefully stabbed the ball home.

Chelsea immediately moved into another gear and stayed there until half-time.  A gear which to be fair we were not familiar and with Eden Hazard tormenting Daniel Agger at left-back as if knew there was no difference between he and Aly Cissokho.  Glen Johnson had cause to kick the ball off the line after Hazard’s shot was palmed into Skrtel by Mignolet.  

Liverpool’s midfield were floundering in the wake of Chelsea’s move into overdrive with Willian and Oscar working superbly with Hazard and Eto’o. Lampard silently ghosted into the danger zone unleashing a superb drive which Mignolet expertly tipped over the bar, just one of a few Chelsea chances.

The breach was finally broken on 18 minutes when Willian found his Brazilian team mate Oscar who drove towards the area.  His attempted pass rebounded into the path of Hazard who in devastating fashion curled the ball into the net leaving Mignolet floundering.

It was only a matter of time before Chelsea took the lead with Liverpool on the back foot, but when the goal came it was disappointing in all areas.  First, Coutinho failed to track the run of Azpilicueta, second, Skrtel having sight of Eto’o lost him in a split second allowing the striker to get off a scuffed shot and finally for the second game in succession, Mignolet was found wanting, pushing Eto’o’s tepid shot in the corner of the net.

 

Eto'o grabs the winner

Sterling who had another fine game pulled the ball back, which Ashley Cole could only inadvertently knock the ball into the path of Joe Allen, whose first time shot was well saved by Cech.

Liverpool showed tremendous character in the second-half, almost snatching an equaliser when Jordan Henderson, as is his penchant these days produced a beautifully flighted ball into the area for Sakho to head against the bar.  Almost immediately, Chelsea broke down the other end of the pitch and Mignolet pulled off a tremendous stop with Eto’o bearing down on him.

Apart from Suarez two penalty appeals and a volley by the same player and speculative long range effort by Johnson, Chelsea comfortably held on to condemn Liverpool to a second successive defeat.

Man of the match:  Raheem Sterling – Never stopped running, providing an outlet on the right and covered Glen Johnson in behind him.

Critical eye: It seemed one game too far for us over the festive period, collecting what looked like long-term injuries to the influential Sakho and Allen respectively.

We have more than enough cover at centre-back, but midfield is and has been a concern.  Without club captain, Steven Gerrard who is on the verge of a return, we are down to 2 centre midfielders and I have said previously one hopes that with the January transfer window upon the Liverpool brains trust already have their business in order.

The youngsters on the bench, Smith and Rossiter, said it all in terms of the lack of experienced depth and quality in the squad.  Smith replaced Allen, but we needed a quality replacement and with Victor Moses unavailable Rodgers had very little choice.  In saying that his choice of Smith to replace Allen when he had Luis Alberto sitting on the bench made very little sense.

Mourinho talked before the game of Liverpool being title contenders because of we are not in Europe. Chelsea have a squad which contains enough depth and quality to compete for trophies on all fronts, whereas a few injuries have knocked us off our equilibrium because in a bid to balance the books with no European football the board dictated that Rodgers truncate the squad.

Philippe Coutinho impressive in many aspects in the last two games, failed again to find the key pass in the last third from open play.  He looks to force the issue rather than being patient and too many of his passes were cut out and as such he squandered possession too easily.

We need quality in the team to provide service to Luis Suárez in big games, it’s no coincidence that in the last two games he has been more of a provider than in a position to score goals. We also need prolific scoring midfielders particularly if we are playing one striker up top.

 
The next game against Hull is at home and is a must win game because the season could easily unravel with Arsenal now 6 points ahead of us and Man United and Spurs on our coat tails.

Teams:

Liverpool:  22 Mignolet, 2 Johnson (Iago Apas – 83 mins), 5 Agger, 21 Lucas, 37 Skrtel, 17 Sakho (Kolo Touré – 90 mins), 24 Allen (Smith 60 mins), 14 Henderson, 7 Suárez, 31 Sterling, 10 Coutinho

Substitutes: 1 Jones, 4 Kolo Touré, 6 Luis Alberto, 9 Iago Aspas, 20 Cissokho, 44 Smith, 46 Rossiter

Chelsea: 1 Cech, 1 Ivanovich (Cole – 30 mins), 28 Azpilicueta, 8 Lampard (Mikel – 45 mins), 24 Cahill, 26 Terry, 17 Hazard, 4 David Luiz, 29 Eto’o (Torres - 87 mins), 11 Oscar, 22 Willian

Substitutes: 23 Schwarzer, 3 Cole, 5 Essien, 9 Torres, 10 Mata, 12 Mikel, 14 Schürrle

Referee: Howard Webb

Attendance: 41, 614