Gerrard scores twice, but the questions still remain

After the thrilling win over Swansea on Boxing Day Brendan Rodgers made one change.   The decision felt strange in its inception as Javi Manquillo had probably his strongest performance of the season helping to contain Swansea’s wingers and impose Liverpool’s pressing game.  It gives rise to the question as to whether Gerrard was chosen to keep the team at optimum performance levels or whether sentiment gave rise to pressure in picking him.

Whether or not it was sentiment drawing the match after a lamentable performance is a glaring opportunity missed in the light of Man United drawing earlier and Arsenal losing.

Steven Gerrard tucked away his two penalty with the all the expertise one would expect of a quality performer and released a few quality long range passes as only he can, but whether Liverpool lost the ability to control the game with Jordan Henderson moving away from the middle to accommodate his re-inclusion is open to question.  Make no mistake this is a catastrophic draw (feels like a loss) throwing away a two-nil lead at home.

On another day Leicester could well have won starting on the front foot with a tempo normally reserved for Brendan Rodgers side.  Within 80 seconds of the start the ball crashed back of the foot of the post from Mahrez’s free-kick which saw Mignolet scrabbling across the goal line.

Leicester continued to make great strides particularly down the left with Schlupp making unremitting progress up against Liverpool’s temporary right-wing back Jordan Henderson.   The wide man roared down the left delivering a low cross for Mahrez to sweep over the bar from 10 yards.

Minutes later Liverpool took the lead against the run of play.  Coutinho, the home team’s best player on the day found Sterling motoring into the area on the left.  The part-time striker saw his cut-back hit Morgan flush in the face as he attempted to block with a sliding tackle.  Gerrard’s penalty nestled in the corner beyond the reach of Hamer.

Without any real domination Liverpool were still creating chances.  Sakho found Moreno on the left who controlled the instantly before rolling into the path of Lallana to feint from shooting on his right before shooting past the post with his left.  

After yet another run from Coutinho, his attempt to flick the ball past the defender hit the hand of Danny Simpson for another penalty award.   Gerrard this time chose the left side leaving Hamer with little chance for his 31 Premiership penalty.

Approaching half-time Henderson spectacularly volleyed just wide of the far post from Gerrard’s corner.

As in the first-half Leicester started the second period at break neck speed with the Liverpool midfield unable to control their speed and aggression.

It was only a matter of time and when it came the goal was stunning.  Substitute Nugent the ex-Liverpool youth academy member not for the first scored against Liverpool.   Vardy expertly chested the ball down into the path of the Nugent for the striker to stunningly volley past Mignolet.

Giving Liverpool little time to settle time and with very little pressure from the Liverpool centre-backs backing off him, Schlupp shot past a flailing Mignolet into the corner of the net to bring the match back to parity.

Chances went begging in both areas with Borini’s goal bound shot hitting Markovic and Markovic’s header from a beautifully crafted Sterling cross headed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Man of the Match: Philippe Coutinho – was at the ahead of most of Liverpool’s creative output, twisting and turning, short passes in and around the area and connecting with Sterling.

Critical eye:  Brendan Rodgers may feel vindicated with his captain scoring two goals, but with Henderson moving back to wing-back we lost the defensive capabilities of Manquillo particularly after his strong performance against Swansea.  Without Henderson patrolling centrally we lost the intensity and his ability to support the front three, especially needing impetus and control after Nugent’s goal, but  the locker was running on empty.

It was an opportunity lost on a day which saw Arsenal lose and Man Utd, Swansea and West Ham drawing.

The question has to be asked did we blow an opportunity to make ground by making one change so as to pacify and gratify the club captain?  My feeling is that there was no convincing reason or argument for making the change and two goals do not hide the fact that we struggled to assert ourselves against a club languishing at the foot of the table.

Liverpool lose intensity with Gerrard playing in a deep lying role because physical he cannot effect games as he once did – he does so now more with passes, crosses and dead-ball situations.  For Gerrard to flourish on the pitch the team needs to be built around him whereas against Swansea it was all about team work at high intensity.

Is it rotation for rotation sake or the fact that there is a belief that allowances have to be made in the belief that we still have a world-class player on our hands (interesting with rumours abound that he will be leaving to move to the MLS at the end of the season).

Kole Toure looked every inch his age.  He was saved twice by his fellow centre-halfs and should be pensioned off at the end of the season.  Sakho is growing in confidence and his self-assurance was never more illustrated striding out of defence and surging into past the half-way line to release Henderson who almost chipped over the keeper to score.

Mignolet was caught out Mahrez free-kick early on and his feeble punch was almost punished with time running out.  Liverpool need a new goalkeeper, but I’m afraid it will not happen in this transfer window.

Teams:

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 23 Can, 4 K Toure, 17 Sakho, 14 Henderson 8 Gerrard, 21 Lucas (Markovic – 72 mins), 18 Moreno (Lambert – 85 mins), 10 Coutinho, 31 Sterling, 20 Lallana – 55 mins)

Subs: 6 Lovren, 9 Lambert, 19 Manquillo, 29 Borini, 50 Markovic, 52 Ward, 54 Ojo

Leicester: 12 Hamer, 17 Simpson, 27 Wasilewski, 5 Morgan, 2 de Laet, 26 Mahrez, 8 James, 4 Drinkwater (Nugent -37 mins), 7 Hammond (Cambiasso – 67 mins), 15 Schlupp, 9 Vardy (Ulloa – 75 mins)

Subs: 16 Lawrence, 18 Moore, 19 Cambiasso, 23 Ulloa, 24 Knockaeart, 31 Smith, 35 Nugent

Referee: Mike Jones

Attendance: 44,720