With Man Utd and Arsenal both winning over the weekend, Liverpool approached the game knowing a win was vitally important to keep the pressure on in our chase for a top four place.
The team selection saw the return of Mamadou Sakho to the starting line-up for the first time since his injury alongside the recently concussed Martin Skrtel. Emre Can re-joined the more experienced pair in the back three for a defensive selection not witnessed since the home victory against Besiktas in the Europa League. Steven Gerrard returned to the squad after a month out injured and Mario Balotelli missed out owing to illness.
We initially pressed hard in the first ten minutes and it was quite impressive but were unable to sustain as the home gained an impressive foothold. Swansea City had the better of the early exchanges but not by too much.
We remained disciplined in defence without offering much in attack as the intensity in our pressing dropped. Swansea increased their territorial advantage and possession, beginning to squeeze the tempo out of Liverpool and our only shot of worth in the opening half hour amounted to little more than Daniel Sturridge's scuffed effort from 20 yards early on.
Simon Mignolet was forced into fine action saving from Bafetimbi Gomis on 31 minutes and Gylfi Sigurdsson on 38 minutes, keeping Liverpool in the game. In between, good football from the home side ended with a shot over from Sigurdsson. Swansea were dangerous and pushed for the opening goal approaching the interval.
Half-time thoughts: We were fortunate to be level but still had not conceded a goal away since the disappointing trip to Old Trafford in mid-December.
Swansea were the better side, controlled the game, and had the better chances. Simon Mignolet was the busier keeper and we were somewhat sloppy in possession and our game play was too slow and lethargic.
 |
| Jordan Henderson does it again |
A cagey first five minutes of the second half was followed by a more enterprising and alert performance from our lads and for ten minutes or so before a brief lull with Raheem Sterling now causing problems for Neil Taylor down our right as Swansea started to misplace a few passes. Sterling's cut back to Philippe Coutinho resulted in a smart save by Lukasz Fabianksi at his near post on 58 minutes.
Steven Gerrard was introduced with around 25 minutes to go as Brendan Rodgers sought inspiration from our club legend. Four minutes later, Liverpool were ahead through a bit of good fortune but a goal had been coming. Jordan Henderson was the beneficiary as a defensive clearance bounced off his shins and into the net after being put through by a clever Sturridge through ball.
Sturridge, showing his full-repertoire outside the box, played in Sterling who clipped his shot over when he should have done better.
The last ten minutes were a little tense as Jefferson Montero brought troubling pace and trickery from the bench against a less than composed Emre Can. Steven Gerrard's experience and composure was useful with his range of passing helping Liverpool to control possession alongside the impressive Joe Allen. Sterling continued to be a reliable and regular out ball on the Liverpool's right.
Liverpool were unlucky not double their lead after a late counter attack saw Sturridge feigning to go left in the area before delicately clipping the ball passed the defender in front of him to clip the post and going wide. We saw out the rest of the game and now have the visit of our hated rivals on Sunday to get us into prime spot for the top four place we are working so hard for.
Full-time thoughts:-
Our control from half time was impressive and was a credit to our manager changing the formation into a diamond to mirror Swansea and gain control of the game.
We had to really fight hard for that win, but again showed we have the character, resilience and determination to win and what a big win this could turn out to be in the context of our season.
Man Utd next in our biggest home game of the season – let’s keep this winning run going.
Man of the match - Simon Mignolet - made two vital saves in the first half to keep us in the game at half-time.
Although, Brendan Rodgers deserves an honourable mention having shown the flexibility and adaptability to change his formation and has imbedded a hard working veneer to his side which makes difficult fixtures away fixtures winnable
In the 13 league games since the calamity of losing at Old Trafford in December, Brendan Rodgers side have won 10 and drawn three and formidably have not conceded a goal in their last six away games equalling the club record set some 43 years ago under the great Bill Shankly.
Swansea: Fabianski, Naughton, Amat, Williams, Taylor, Ki (Dyer 80), Cork, Shelvey, Gomis, Sigurdsson (Emnes 89) Routledge (Montero 73).
Subs Not Used: Britton, Nelson Oliveira, Rangel, Tremmel.
Liverpool: Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Lallana (Johnson 88), Henderson, Allen, Moreno, (Gerrard 64), Sterling, Sturridge, Coutinho.
Subs Not Used: Jones, Toure, Lovren, Lambert, Markovic.
Booked: Henderson, Sterling, Moreno.
Goals: Henderson 68.
Attendance: 20,828
Referee: Roger East (Wiltshire)
Manager's views:-
Rodgers said: "It was a wonderful demonstration of the character and resilience in the team, especially [after] how we played in the first half.
"Any system you play in the game doesn't work unless you have that ability to work, and we just weren't anywhere near it in the first half. But that resilience and character kept us in the game.
"We knew we were going to be better in the second half, we changed the structure of the team a little bit and then I thought in the second half we really dominated the game."
Expanding upon his analysis, the boss added: "People who know me and have watched my teams regularly from when I was a youth coach, my teams have played 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 diamond.
"Everybody talks about fourth but it was the same last year - we want to do the best we can do and I think Manchester City's result at the weekend gives us an opportunity to finish second.
"Our growing maturity, and the run we are on and the confidence it is building, we can take that into the games that are left and see where it takes us."
It’s all about winning, doesn’t matter how especially at this time of the season, but we dug deep. From Mignolet’s first half saves, Brendan adapting and changing the formation, Allen and Henderson in the engine room in the second half and I thought Sturridge played really well in the second-half leading the line. Henderson made his own luck with the goal in a position where as someone said Stevie would have once rampaged.
ReplyDeleteIt was a hard watch but a vital three points. Swansea were the better side in the first half, credit to Gary Monk for being the first manager to figure out how to nullify our 3-4-3 and also credit to Rodgers for his positive reaction. Mignolet was brilliant although his kicking is still atrocious, I thought Sturridge was significantly off the pace myself, around the hour mark I was calling for Sturridge to be hooked and Sterling to be shifted up top.
DeleteI also thought that Lallana was poor in the wing back position at the start of the match, he plays there the same way he plays up top, he’s constantly trying clever turns, Markovic or Ibe (when he returns) offer much more direct and effective options. Lallana looked much better when he moved further forward though. Although bringing on Gerrard and going back to the diamond was a clever move from Rodgers I thought Moreno was unlucky to get hooked, I thought he had been our best player up to that point.
4 points off 2nd place City now with 9 games to go. It’s going to be exciting.
The Red Wolf is on the prowl….and it is not going to be pretty.
DeleteDelighted with the win!!!
ReplyDeleteMigs – clear man of the match as without those two vital saves we would have surely lost this game.
Lets now deal with our rivals first Utd and then Arsenal !!!!
I know its Stevie G’s potential last chance to play versus Utd but I hope our manager sticks to the same side with Joe Allen justifying his place with Lucas close to returning to the side.
The Swansea side put a lot of pressure on Sakho but he came through it well and producing a barnstorming run down the left late on which showed he is not worried by what our opposition supporters say about him. Credit to him for that.
Need our attacking players to have their shooting boots on at the weekend because we are facing (apart from Courtois for Chelski )the best keeper in the country in David De Gea – last time at Old Trafford Sterling missed several chances to beat De Gea to change the whole game.
Lets go for the jugular and put some real pressure on Utd from the offset as their defence is very poor and if we attack it properly will crumble.
Another massive three points and set up nicely for massive game on Sunday now. Woeful first half but very controlled second. I agree with Kop Post in that thought Sturridge improved markedly in second half and was starting to look like his old self, holding ball up well and playing sterling in twice with great through balls. Shame his effort in last minute didn't creep in as he could do with a goal. Fancy him to score on Sunday though...
DeleteJoe Allen was brilliant in second half for me, and is starting to prove he can continue to be an important squad member. Does a lot of important but unspectacular work...
Swansea is always going to be one of our trickier away games as the managers know each other so well but once we rode the storm in the first 30 minutes, I thought we controlled the game well. We didn’t get enough support up to Sturridge in the first half but sorted it out in the second and he looked better.
DeleteApart from Lallana who I’m still not wholly convinced by, the team picks itself at the moment and on the back of 6 clean sheets, we got to feel confident about entertaining that team down the road on Sunday.
I am not sure MU relish playing Liverpool right now. We had the best of game on their ground De Ga was the man, he will not have that luxury come Sunday.
DeleteI hear the Brodge is not playing SG against Man Utd …that is some statement!!!
ReplyDeleteTeam is playing good without him.
DeleteWho told you Gerrard is not playing?
DeleteGuys,
ReplyDeleteJust seen a banner from Scum fans on talksport website that says Sir Matt, Sir Alex, Bill and Bob”. What we have more European trophies than them. We are the team in the UK that everybody compare themselves to.
Let show them today that we are better than them.
We'll set them free from their chains of delusion on Sunday.
DeleteThe rout of the MANUre will be of epic proportions and will be etched in the annals of Anfield folklore for years to come.
:-)
FBJ
Don’t know about Paisley but I doubt that Shankly would have accepted a knighthood even if he’d been offered one. And also, what exactly is the point? Are we meant to be offended in some way?
DeleteI suppose its one way of Manu fans of not having to deal with Busby’s association with Liverpool, they’ve probably airbrushed his Liverpool career out of their official history.
Delete