Pre-match thoughts:
With the expected changes
in the team – I really
was not sure what to expect from the team put out by our manager. Although I
thought Firmino would have made the starting line up to give him more
confidence.
We just want to see a
performance from the B teamers to put pressure on the so-called first teamers – if they
could look threatening and dynamic in front of goal all the better for us
moving forward.
The captain's arm band looks great on Sakho
hopefully it gives him confidence to perform well despite him being snubbed for
a player not as good as him.
We start the game with three centre backs with our
manager reverting to the formation that served him well for parts of last
season.
Very encouraging start to the game and also very
good to see Alberto Moreno back playing as a conventional left back.
Coutinho with a chance at the top of the box! He just
pulls the effort just wide, but we look better in the opening couple of minutes.
Can tries to do his best Benteke scissor kick
impression, but Benteke he sure isn't and hits it weakly right at the keeper.
A defensive lapse then nearly helps the hosts break
the deadlock on the counter attack we look dangerous going forward...and
dangerous going backward as per usual.
Bordeaux have had the better of the chances so far
in this segment of the game.
Good linkup and run by Moreno and Origi. Unfortunately
Origi was offside. He missed the target by hitting his shot wide as well even
though he should have scored.
Toure then gets injured just before halftime clashing
for an aerial ball with Mignolet hitting Mignolet’s knee with his thigh and
then trying to run off the injury but failing to do so.
With Toure coming off after failing to recover from the injury this gave us a chance to give
our young Spanish defensive midfielder Pedro Chirivella a debut run out.
Can now reluctantly moves to the back line under
our manager’s instructions, Chirivella to the middle. Toure had been caught out
several times for pace, so maybe this isn't the worst thing that could have
happened.
The best chance of the first half comes on the stroke
of halftime when Coutinho strikes the post again for the umpteenth time in this
season – he is going to be given back his old nickname the Carpenter because he
is good at woodwork!
Half-time thoughts: The teams enter the dressing
rooms all square at nil-nil. It wasn't a bad first half from us, but we are
slightly lucky to be on level terms. Bordeaux had the better chances, with
several through balls catching out Gomez and Can especially.
Coutinho provided the best chances for us, his
first shot narrowly pulled wide, and his second blistering shot coming back off
the woodwork. Rossiter looking pretty good in the center of the park, but he's
been rash with a couple tackles and needs to be careful if he doesn't want to
pick up a booking or two.
Good opening few minutes of possession to start the
half for Liverpool. Leads to nothing, but still, passes to each other! Keeping
the ball! It’s a very good habit to start! Well done!
Free bullet header by Bordeaux off a corner at the
near post and we are definitely living dangerously. If they get a result
tonight, it'll be the result of a good deal of luck. A few minutes later
Bordeaux miss a point blank chance.
Lallana finally gets his goal! He's been dangerous
several times so far tonight. Makes a brilliant turn, a beats a couple of
defenders in the box, and puts it away in the far corner with aplomb! Very
classy finish and goes to show what he has in his locker. Against all odds (and
the run of play) we are in front!
 | |
| Lallana scores a vital away goal vs Bordeaux |
Ings replaces Origi, who has been largely isolated
throughout the night on an even worse scale than Benteke has been so far this
season.
Ings nearly makes an instant impact with a great
first touch to put himself through on goal. Unfortunately the shot wasn't
enough to beat the Bordeaux keeper. It’s
a miss we would go on to rue as up the other end the panic of our two other
defenders alongside Sakho caused an equaliser.
We conceded in the 80th minute, because of
hesistancy by Gomez and a poor header by Can . A good bit of trickery left both
defenders completely befuddled, and now we're level at 1-1.
 |
| Jussie equalises vs Liverpool |
Despite the pressure in the last ten minutes Sakho
led his troops to a respectable draw but we are just disappointed after looking
like we had secured the vital three points, we couldn’t come home from France
with the confidence boosting win.
Man of the Match – Mamadou Sakho
First game of the season and did not put a foot
wrong – showed our manager with the added maturity of being captain that he is
a reliable defender, won all his aerial battles and was very tidy in
possession. He needs to be reinstated to the first team straightaway as he is
our best defender.
Full-time thoughts: Despite the low scoreline, it
certainly wasn't a boring affair tonight. Lots of attacking play from both
sides, and the draw is probably a fair result. Great return to action from Lallana who grew into the game as time went on
and his goal was well deserved. Coutinho deserved more from his effort from
range, but showed some good link up play in and around the box with Lallana. It
must be said, a decent showing from the youngsters, especially midfielders Rossiter,
Chirivella and Brannagan who can each be proud of their first performances in
Europe as LFC players. Ibe and Origi did not make a big enough impact on this
game and need to get better.
BORDEAUX (4-4-2): Carrasso: Gajic (Guilbert
86mins), Pablo, Pallios, Poundje: Saviet, Chantome, Khazri (Jussie 69mins),
Maurice-Belay: Crivelli, Rolan
Unused subs: Prior (GK), Traore, Kiesse
Thelin, Poko, Juisse, Yambere, Guilbert
Goals: Jussie 81 mins
Booked: Chantome
LIVERPOOL (4-2-3-1): Mignolet: Gomez, Toure (Chirivella 27mins), Sakho, Moreno: Rossiter
(Branagan 76mins), Can: Ibe, Coutinho, Lallana: Origi (Ings 73mins).
Unused subs: Bogdan (GK), Firmino, Randall,
Cleary
Goals: Lallana 65 mins
Booked: Toure
Referee: Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain)
Att: 35,328
Goalscorer
Lallana’s post match comments
Before the match we might have taken a
point, but we're disappointed. They scored with five or 10 minutes to go.
"A couple of the young lads did
really well, Pedro Chirivella when he came on and Jordan Rossiter were
brilliant.
"It's a positive performance. We've
lost our last two Premier League games and need to get back to winning ways
now.
"We've got a tough game on Sunday
against Norwich, so we need another good performance and have to make sure we
win.
"It's a point away from home. We
need to win our next game in the league and in this competition and then things
will look much better."
Our manager’s comments
“I was more satifisfied and encouraged
by the performance. We had so many young
players in the team.
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