Liverpool see golden chance to strengthen top four position slip through their fingers

The lunacy of not swelling the ranks in the transfer market came back to bite hard in the first match after the window.  For most of the game we were listless, devoid of ideas and creativity against a willing but very limited West Brom side.

The disappointment etched of the faces of the Liverpool fans was there for all to see and it was even more marked on our faces huddled together among a sea of delirious West Brom fans.   It was hard to take knowing that a win would have taken us onto the coattails of Chelsea before their meeting with Man City and building momentum before next Sunday’s game with Arsenal.

In a game of relatively few chances, Liverpool  through Suarez, had a chance early in the second-half to put the game to bed when the maestro having extricated himself from Lugano’s challenge only to see shot expertly saved by the feet of Ben Foster.

Liverpool never got close to the intensity of the Merseyside Derby and coasted through the first-half never going through the gears and were still in front after 25 minutes.  Sterling, who had a fine game,  strode forward on the right and somehow the ball broke to Suarez, who with very little space manufactured a chipped cross to find his partner Sturridge to tap home for his 14^th Premiership goal of the season. 

Liverpool were looking to close the game out and Sterling’s darting run and shot earned a corner from which Toure almost dug out a second from close range.

Foster's point blank save from Suarez galvanised a West Brom side streering down the barrel of relegation.  Pressing further up the pitch West Brom began to build pressure and it was only a stunning reaction save from Mignolet that denied Gareth McAuley from a header and the Liverpool keeper was seen in action again to hold onto a Chris Brunt free-kick, which from where we were seated looked as if it was angling towards the corner of the net.

 

Kolo Toure's jesture says it all

Then came the moment which which could cost Liverpool dear.  Mignolet inadvisidly, played the ball to Toure, but even so the experienced International defender had the option of passing back to his goalkeeper or Cissokho or clearing his lines, but inexplicably he rolled the ball into the path of Victor Anichebe and the ex-Everton defender needed no invitation slot the ball past Mignolet’s dispearing dive.

Apart from Sturridge seeing an opportunity blocked off by Foster Liverpool had run dry and there seemed very little left in the tank.

The opportunity to leave a statement of intent by pulling four points clear of Everton and nine of Man United was lost and should we lose out on a Champions League place by two or four points the games against Aston Villa and West Brom will be a painful reminder of failure.

Man of Match:  Raheem Sterling – The effervescent youngster is growing in stature with each game.  His searing pace, awareness (especially covering for Jon Flanagan), close control and his ability to hold the ball up in tight situations belies his inexperience.  He was instrumental in the goal, his tenacious vigour creating the fortune to which the ball found its way through to Suarez.

Critical eye:  If Brendan Rodgers didn’t know how hard the run is going to be, he does now.

The game highlighted just how one dimensional Liverpool can be as our game, based around the front four and a counter-attacking style, was not for the first time this season found wanting once the West Brom fight back started.

There was very little on the bench to change things in the last half-hour with the manager seemingly holding out very little trust in Moses, Aspas and Alberto which doesn’t all go well for the future.  The fact that we don’t possess a goal-scoring midfielder is worrying and hopefully in the final third of the season Henderson, Allen and Gerrard can bridge the gap.

Philippe Coutinho struggled with the attentions of the West Brom midfield.  It could’ve been interesting to bring on Victor Moses and play him in a similar role with his physicality and try to break open the defence through his power running as Rodgers often suggested the player has the capability to play in different position across the midfield.

Cissokho’s final ball was poor in the extreme.  He did well on a few occasions to cut through down the left only for his final ball to fail to bypass the first defender and once again positional play was sadly lacking and he owes a debt of gratitude to colleagues for covering.

If we are to secure a Champions League place Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez must stay fit throughout because they are the difference between us and Everton, Spurs and Man United at the moment. 

Team:

Liverpool:  22  Mignolet, 38 Flanagan (Kelly – 74 mins), 20 Cissokho, 8 Gerrard, 37 Skrtel, 4 Kolo Toure, 10 Coutinho (Allen – 74 mins), 14 Henderson, 7 Suarez, 31 Sterling, 15 Sturridge

Substitutes: 1 Jones, 6 Luis Alberto, 9 Iago Aspas, 12 Moses, 24 Allen, 33 Ibe, 34, Kelly

West Brom: 1 Foster, 28 Jones, 6 Ridgewell, 5 Yacob, 23 McAuley, 3 Olsson (Lugano – 41 mins), 38 Berahino (Anichebe – 64 mins), 21 Mulumbu, 20 Vydra (Dorrans – 76 mins), 22 Gera, 11 Brunt

Subsitutes: 2 Reid, 10 Sinclair, 13 Myhill, 14 Lugano, 16 Anichebe, 17 Dorrans, 18 Amalfitano

Referee: Kevin Friend

Attendance: 26, 132