Blog by dedlfc (David Douglas)
Sunderland
0 Liverpool 1 (Benteke after 46 mins)
Pre-match
News: Our last
team selection of 2015 only involved one change with Klopp selecting Benteke
for the injured Origi from the side that defeated Leicester 1-0 on Saturday. The
main question was how were we going to set up either as a 4-4-2 with Firmino and Benteke up top, or
would we leave Big Ben alone up top. Ibe and Teixeira are the only attacking
options off the bench, which might not bode well if the lads are chasing a goal
late on.
A long
range effort by Nathaniel Clyne and a horrible first touch and harmless dribble
by Firmino after an interception and pass from his international teammate
Coutinho - the touch was so poor it was
comical and also a sign that Firmino needs another game like against Man City
earlier in the season where he looked an outstanding talent but hopefully he
will get better in the second half of the season.
Defoe
shot tipped wide by Mignolet after our players continually back off from him
allowing a free shot at goal for a clinical striker – not a highly recommended
thing to do!!
Coutinho
did gets a chance to show his Brazilian genius at taking free kicks but the
chance goes over – it seems that Gerrard’s tips in training have so far not
worked with Coutinho as yet.
Benteke then
picks up a needless and senseless yellow card for sticking his boot out while
the keeper was punting the ball. Good thing we have another striker to come in
if he picks up a suspension. Oh wait.
Firmino
almost has his moment of redemption, banging a cracking long-range shot off the
post. Mannone makes a great save to palm the well-hit strike onto the post and
deny Firmino with his fantastic effort.
Injury
prone Sunderland’s Jack Rodwell again then pulls up injured after about 30 mins
– reminding us that its not just us with our woes at trying to get Sturridge
fit and able to play because this player was seen as one of England’s brightest
hopes several years ago but like Sturridge seems to forever having injury
setbacks.
Yesterday
our former striker Borini claimed he would love to score against us – his wish
was nearly granted when he shot wide late on in the first half
Firmino is
again on target, this time with his head, after some sustained pressure from us. Another
chance that with Firmino being confident would have buried.
Half-time
thoughts:
In general we are controlling the game without a
real end product with Sunderland sitting back playing predictably deep, we are playing
too many misplaced passes and wrong decisions being made in the attacking third
of the pitch- we again despite having three potential number tens on the pitch
are good
going forward without the expected creativity, and a couple shaky moments at
the back. Not our best half, but far from our worst. Firmino, other than his
first effort, has looked lively and likely to score, so far accounting for 2 of
our 3 shots on frame. If we can get some coolness in the second half, then we should
have no problem getting all three points.
The vital
breakthrough goal arrives!! Not even 30 seconds into the half and Benteke is played in on goal from
a nifty back heel from Lallana, and a niftier dummy from Firmino. The big
Belgian calmly converts, and the traveling Kop is singing, TRA-LA-LA-LA-LA.
Klopp doesn't even celebrate. Like a boss who expected the goal !!! The last
Premier League goal of 2015 and also the fastest this season in the second half
with the goal coming 22 seconds into the half.
We then
struggle for the next 15 minutes to gain and retain possession – we are
starting to look like we will need a second goal to put this game to bed
despite playing such a poor side.
Lucas on
for Henderson. It looks like our captain has re-injured his heel sadly.
Hopefully it's just a precaution, but it's us, so probably will now be out
until the end of February !!!
Looks
like Coutinho has gotten the shooting but not passing bug again. He's unleashed
several efforts from outside the box tonight, mostly when he had other options
around him, and none really tested the keeper.
Throughout
the rest of the second half we kept giving away too many set pieces which
caused several nervy moments for Mignolet and co.
Ibe a
late substitute for Coutinho then misses a great chance to settle our nerves
with a chance that looked easier to score than to miss.
We soon
after proceed to play Benteke through for a one on one – he shows no finesse by
trying to dip a shoulder or dink it over the keeper and instead tries to place
the ball low which the keeper easily saves – like the previous game against
Leicester we get away with Benteke’s lack of confidence when he has to think
what to do with an opportunity and his instinctive finish early in the second
half wins the game for us – 0-1.
Full time
thoughts: A good
but fruitless first half lead to an early goal in the second, followed by 44
minutes plus stoppage time of hanging on. We managed to survive a litany of set
pieces and dangerous counters to wrap up all three points on the road. Not a
great performance by any stretch, but it was just enough against a manager and
a type of team we've struggled against in recent years.
Hopefully
our manager Mr Klopp has players in mind in January to improve the quality of
the squad all-round as some of these players are not good enough long term for
us.
Lallana
to not score any goals at all this season despite his assist today is not good
enough in my opinion when you pay £25 million for a player over a year ago he
should by now be producing more consistent performances – the standard he is
producing is not really acceptable.
Coutinho has
had a total of 10 shots in the last two games (1 shot saved, 2 shots blocked
and 7 off target – for our most talented player that is not good enough – he needs
to get back to trying to create chances for others and then taking a shot as
more of a surprise element as he is starting to become very predictable – comes
in from the left and then shoots – when it would make us more unpredictable to
play against if he tried the occasional pass instead of shooting.
Lovren
and Sakho despite looking dodgy again on occasions again have another clean
sheet which makes it 5 in 7 appearances together. Time to seriously think about
leaving Skrtel out when he returns from injury. They both faced a lot of aerial
threats and handled it well.
Special
mention to Mignolet for obtaining his 16 clean sheet of 2015 – which is the
most in the Premier League – may not be the answer long term but deserves
credit for this achievement.
We go
into 2016 level on points with Man Utd in 7th place only 5 points
off 4th place and 9 points off the leaders and the press continue to
think Man Utd are in the title race – so with a couple of quality signings what
is to say we cannot be title contenders!!
Man of the Match – Christian Benteke
Wins the
match for us for the second game in a row – but needs to work on his movement
as mentioned previously and also needs to work on his clinical finishing as he
should now have at least three more goals this season (vs Arsenal one on one –
tap-in missed), (vs Leicester through on goal with just defender to beat on the
line – missed) and now (vs Sunderland one on one – missed) – the good thing
about Big Ben is that he will again get into that position and hopefully not
let it phase him like all good strikers. Still not pleased by his general play
but goals win matches and in such a poor game he gets my vote for getting us
the vital win.
Sunderland XI: Mannone, Jones, Coates (Yedlin),
Brown, Van Aanholt, Cattermole, M'Vila, Rodwell (Watmore), Johnson (Lens),
Borini, Defoe
Sunderland subs: Pantilimon, Graham, Toivonen,
Beadling
Liverpool XI: Mignolet, Clyne, Lovren, Sakho,
Moreno, Can, Henderson (Lucas), Lallana, Firmino (Toure), Coutinho (Ibe),
Benteke
Liverpool subs: Bogdan, Smith, Teixeira, Randall
Manager’s comments:-
"We
were the better team and you could see that the pressure on both teams was
big," he told Sky Sports 1. "A little bit more for Sunderland because
of the intensity of the last weeks and months.
"You
could help yourself if you got an early goal, we didn't but we did not do too
bad in situations against a very good defending team. They were only defending
so that makes it pretty hard for us because you don't get space and you always
have to go again and slow down the game.
"Then
we made the goal after half-time and we controlled something like the game.
"They
were waiting for set-plays, they are difficult to defend but we did it. We
could have got made a second or third one, we didn't, we had to wait until the
final whistle."
We got three points and that’s the end game. That we should have had another is another debate in terms of our finishing.
ReplyDeleteA part from the flurry of goals on Herr Klopp’s arrival there is a substantial lack of goals in this team and that’s why Christian Benteke has to play. This is a one in two goal man in the Premier League and right now we can’t turn our nose up at his prowess in front of goal. He may missed another sitter, but he was there when it mattered to score the all-important winner.
Klopp will have to fathom out why Adam Lallana is not scoring when at Southampton he was a thorn in many a side. Philip Coutinho’s goals have become intermittent and Firmino should have scored from a header and was unlucky from a spectacular shot which was superbly pushed against the post.
Worryingly, Jordan Henderson looked to have aggravated his foot injury and Jordon Ibe seemed to be playing his own game on when he came on as it if trying to prove a point. His final ball on a couple of occasions and choice to shoot on another was poor when the teams need to kill the game was more important that the individual. He learn under JK that the team ethic is more important than the individual.
That being said, Southampton were unbelievably poor and a part from a few long shots which Mignolet dealt with comfortably and they were never at the races and must be odds on to go down unless ‘Big Sam’ extricates something after the January window.
With regards that same window Klopp must be tempted to buy to bolster a team who are there or there abouts and in a topsy turvy season anything is possible:
• Should JK buy a striker to sure up an injury ravage frontline?
• Should he bring in a dominant midfielder to partner Emre Can?
• Does JK bring in another centre-half with Sktrtel injured or does he rely on Sakho and Lovren getting us through and the pondering Kolo Toure to provide support?
• Does he bring in a goalkeeper half-way through the season?
• Does he bring in a winger because we are desperate short and given Christian Benteke’s strengths a winger that can actually cross the ball would be invaluable
Things to ponder…