Liverpool scrape through on penalties by the skin of their teeth

On a night of nervy play and anxiety Liverpool unbelievably scrapped through to the 4^th round after for the most part being outplayed by a bright and vibrant Middlesbrough side led by the superb Tomlin who strutted around Anfield as if he played in the stadium every week.   Brendan Rodgers will certainly have learnt a lot about the mentality of his players in winning an amazing and sensational penalty shoot-out 14-13.

After the disappointing loss away at West Ham, Brendan Rodgers made seven changes welcoming back Kolo Toure and giving life-long Red Rickie Lambert the honour of captaining the side.   In the absence of Steven Gerrard (rested) and Joe Allen and Jordan Henderson (injured), the seventeen year old Jordan Rossiter called the “new Steven Gerrard” by none other than Robbie Fowler was handed his debut.

Middlesbrough started well with former Liverpool player Daniel Ayala rising well from a corner to head straight at Simon Mignolet.  Almost immediately, from a long through ball Middlesboro goalkeeper Blackman made a hash of a straight forward slide and pick-up after a misunderstanding with his defender.  The goalkeeper in a bid to make a mends blocked Lambert’s shot only to see the youngest player on the pitch Rossiter with remarkable composure and technique side foot the ball from 20 yards into the corner of the net.  Blackman will be disappointed by his initial decision in rushing out and embarrassed by his decision to try and kick away the shot.

What a fantastic start to Rossiter’s Anfield career, hopefully the first of many.  Like Gerrard, Rossiter fires of his short passes and like Gerrard shows for the ball in tight areas. But unlike Gerrard is not backward in coming forward in barking out his orders.

Very noticeable in the first twenty minutes was Liverpool’s attempt to press high up the pitch and move the ball with a quicker tempo on a pitch made slicker by the persistent rain.  It made a change from the lethargy which had so marked the last two losses.  Even with the difference in personnel we lacked stability and leadership throughout the spine of the team looking lightweight in midfield, less assured in the centre of defence and in failing to cater for Lambert’s attributes only highlighted his lack of pace in leading the line.

Liverpool’s weakness from corners reared its ugly head again with Kike left unmarked shooting over and then Tomlin controlling Rossiter’s defensive header to volley superbly only for Mignolet to palm away a late swerving ball.  Middlesborough were impressing in their forays in the final third with the pace of Adomah, the hold-up play of Garcia Martinez and the quality in behind of Tomlin causing consternation in between the lines.

Tomkins fired off an early warning shot in the second-half cutting in front the left, before evading the tackle and firing his shot wide of the target.

Liverpool had claims for a penalty with Toure balked by Omeruo as the defender lined up a header from a corner.

The simple facts are we just cannot defend and after 62 minutes from a free-kick given for a handball against the hapless Sakho.  Adam Reach breezed into the area almost unnoticed heading home from close range.  It was nothing more than Boro deserved.

After 70 minutes Liverpool hadn’t created one clear cut chance of any note which is already becoming a trait and looked horribly one dimensional in struggling to get in behind and resorted to straight balls through the middle with the full-backs unable to provide the width so important to Brendan Rodgers style of play.

Clayton produced a powerful drive after being found by the impressive Tomlin which Mignolet could only palm away a few yards with Martinez bearing down on goal, fortunately Toure produced a last ditched tackle to clear his lines.   Boro with their intensity, pace and confidence looked more Liverpool than Liverpool.

Tomlin the night’s most effective player by some distance produced an imperious piece of skill late on with a fantastic reverse pass finding Clayton who hit the outside of the post which an angled shot.  It was the last real chance before extra-time.

After a non-eventful first half of extra-time Jose Enrique fired in a shot which Blackman pushed for Sterling to curl in a shot which the goalkeeper parried behind for a corner.

Liverpool were at last showing some quality following Suso’s introduction and finally got their heads in front when the mercurial Spaniard drilled home after some fine link up play by Lallana and Enrique.

With the final whistle beckoning Sterling inexplicably gave the ball away, Kolo Toure showing unbelievable naivety for such an experienced defender upended Bamford instead of shepherded out the Boro substitute. 

Bamford was coolness personified from the spot which we should have guessed was a sign of things to come.

Teams:

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 4 K Toure, 3 Jose Enrique, 17 Sakho, 19 Manquillo, 46 Rossiter (Williams – 79 mins), 20 Lallana, 21 Lucas, 50 Markovic (Fernandex Saez – 98 mins), 31 Sterling, 9 Lambert (Balotelli – 74 mins)

Substitutes: 1 Jones, 18 Moreno, 29 Borini, 30 Fernandez Saez, 37 Skrtel, 45 Balotelli, 49 Williams

Middlesbrough: 46 Blackman, 22 Omeruo, 3 Friend, 4 Ayala, 5 Fredericks, 7 Leadbitter (Bamford – 112 mins), 27 Adomah, 8 Clayton, 20 Reach, 10 Tomlin (Vossen – 112 mins), 9 Garcia Martinez (Wildschut – 76 mins)

Substitutes: 6 Gibson, 13 Konstantopoulos, 17 Husband, 21 Vossen, 23 Bamford, 24 Nsue Lopez, 33 Wildschut

Referee: Mike Jones

Attendance:  41, 857