Blog by dedlfc (David Douglas)
Pre match thoughtsAside from Adam Bogdan and Christian Benteke, Jürgen Klopp runs out a side that wouldn’t look out of place in a reserves match. Plus Jose Enrique, who hasn’t seen action with the first team in more than a year playing him at centre back which was a puzzling decision. Interesting to see Teixeira and Sinclair finally get further chances to impress our manager Klopp to try to persuade him they can be relied upon to perform for us long-term.
On the worst pitch many of these Liverpool players will have seen since they were children, the early intent is obvious: get the ball to the wings and then get it in to Benteke quickly. This tactic was not bringing much rewards at the initial part of the match.
Liverpool can’t fashion anything coherent, though, and the first good chance falls to Exeter as Enrique is embarrassed for pace, allowing a low cross that Tom Nichols redirects past Bogdan. The rest of Liverpool’s defence has gone missing trying to cover the attack. Poor defending and Enrique showing how unfit he really was.
Benteke is kicked in the back of the leg in the area and it looks like there might be a penalty awarded but the ball falls to Sinclar, who fires home before the referee has to make a decision - it was a very instinctive calm finish for Sinclair (this was the perfect riposte to not being picked at all by Klopp despite us running low on quality finishers at the club).
While a few of the kids, notably Ryan Kent on the right wing, look lively, the same can’t be said for Jose Enrique, who spends most of the first half being run past by whichever Exeter player takes the ball down Liverpool’s left. Benteke isn’t doing much better as the starting eleven’s one first team regular. Brannagan has produced several long balls which has shown his potential and his central midfield partner Kevin Stewart has been neat and tidy in possession and has been tigerish in the tackle when required.
Exeter 2-1 up just before halftime - Lee Holmes curls a corner straight into the net! Bogdan tries to tip it over but gets air (trying to and the ball flies in. That’s embarrassing for the ‘keeper and with him doing this a second time in his games he has shown a lack of quality and hopefully we can now focus on getting a higher level quality of keeper.
Halftime thoughts
A terrible pitch but our kids have largely acquitted themselves well. It’s the veteran trio of Enrique, Benteke, and Bogdan who have let the side down, and it wouldn’t be a shock to see the two outfield players at least replaced in short order. Bogdan has looked perplexed and out of his depth and hopefully this is his last ever performance as his standard of keeping has been found wanting yet again.
Benteke finally provides some attacking thrust five minutes into the second half, finding a hole in the Exeter defence and powering a header goalwards after a fantastic piece of skill by Brannagan with a perfect cross, but it’s saved well by Exeter keeper Bobby Olejnik.
After our early chance to pull level, nothing much happens as the increasingly choppy pitch and the clear unfamiliarity of many of our players leaves things stalemated - we then bring on our secret weapon Ojo to provide some further spark on the wings for Sinclair.
Within a minute of coming on Ojo staying wide whilst Smith underlaps. Ojo's low cross is blocked but falls to the left back, who cooly finishes to pull us level 2-2.
The game starts to get rough with us trying to avoid having to play another gane this month as our match chedule was already tight, and we seem to have a penalty shout when Ojo is fouled, but the ref hasn’t had his whistle out all night and it’s not a huge surprise to see him wave play on.
Full-time thoughts
In the end it’s a draw. Some will call it the worst possible result for Liverpool as we now face six games in 18 days, but the reality is it will just give the kids who were run out tonight—though possibly not a disappointing first team player like Benteke—another chance at Anfield.
I understand why our manager gave the captaincy to Benteke as we hoped he would use the game as a spur to create havoc against the lower league side.
Man of Match - Cameron Brannagan
The under 21 skipper showed glimpses of his class throughout with several outstanding lon range and short range passes that dictated play at times.
Special mentions for Teixiera for showing his excellent footwork in the first half, Ilori who apart from one mistake didn't do himself any harm - just tired through lack of proper match play. Bradley Smith for the calm finish to equalise the game and his constant probing wide on the left. Jerome Sinclair for his composure in front of goal to get our first goal of the game
Bogdan needs to now be consigned to the history books as a LFC player as he is not anything but a complete hindrance to the team - hopefully we can get a keeper in this January transfer window as all LFC fans do not feel comfortable with Bogdan as the back up to Mignolet.
Again need more from Benteke and when the perfect chance comes along he needs to be clinical. It was disappointing to see at times Sinclair running around but Benteke just standing awaiting a bus or for the perfect ball to be played upto him.
Exeter City (4-4-2):
Olejnik; Ribeiro(Davies 66mins), Brown, Moore-Taylor,
Woodman; Nicholls, Noble(Oakley 62), Tillson, Holmes
(Grant 84); Reid, Nichols.
Subs not used: McAllister, Morrison, Hoskins, Hamon.
Goal: Nichols 9, Holmes 45.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1):
Bogdan; Randall, Ilori (Maguire 78), Enrique, Smith;
Brannagan, Stewart; Kent(Chirivella 57) Teixeira,
Sinclair(Ojo 71); Benteke.
Subs not used: Fulton, Lallana, Lucas, Masterson.
Goal: Sinclair 12, Smith 73.
Referee: Stuart Atwell.
Attendance: 8,298.
Manager's thoughts:-
Klopp stated "It's obvious what we have to learn in the future. We have to be
more robust. It was a difficult pitch. Exeter did really well. Maybe
they know which part of the pitch you can play football. It was really
difficult for us today. On one-on-one situations they were more robust
than our guys. "The first goal was unlucky for us - it was their first attack. I won't say anything about the second goal - they showed it live on the BBC. I can't believe we have to play another game now. You want it like this, so we will be there."
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