Klopp’s choice of Firmino as the ‘False 9’ again ahead of Benteke suggest the manager’s protestations about Benteke playing a large part of Liverpool’s future, were what they seemed designed to breath life into a dead man walking for the time being.
Norwich started well looking a yard quicker with Liverpool lacking cohesiveness and pace around the field. A couple of cut backs were fortunate to arrive at the feet of Liverpool defenders in the first ten minutes.
In our first foray forward Ibe’s searing pace left newcomer Pinto lagging behind with his cutback just behind Milner. Firmino almost pounced on a long ball lobbing over after pressurising Bassong.
Liverpool took the lead with a lovely move from the left with Moreno’s disguised pass inside to Milner, who in turn found Firmino running off the last man to shoot albeit scuffed left-footed past Rudd.
Milner could and should have made in two after being sent through by Firmino with Norwich playing a high line only to hesitate at the critical before seeing his attempted shot blocked off.
Yet again, the fallibility from corners reared its ugly ahead with Liverpool conceding once again failing to get clear their lines from the first phase and paying the price as the ball return inside the box was brilliant back heeled by Mbokani.
Norwich deservedly took the lead with ex-Evertonian Naismith rubbing salt into the wounds. Instigating the move Naismith waltzed into the area unchallenged on the end of a one-two with Emre Can and Henderson standing still, before smashing the ball into the far corner off the inside off the post with the suspect Mignolet nowhere near the angled drive.
Liverpool from one up switched off and the languid nature of their play allowed Norwich back into the game with even the usually power packed Emre Can lacking urgency. There seems to be a dichotomy in Liverpool’s play match to match in sometimes adopted a pressing game and others sitting back and watching the game drift by.
The sharpness, inventiveness and explosion shown by Ojo and Teixiera against Exeter was missing, but the key factor in this first half was the inability to defend dead ball situations. The embarrassing nature in which Naismith sauntered into the area to score was testament to how limp Liverpool had been during the first-half.
Liverpool at the start of the second-half as with the first lacked quality all over pitch.
Moreno pathetically gave away a needless penalty with two reckless challenges which Hoolahan coolly chipped home. Pure unadulterated negligence.
Liverpool’s full-back’s are a dichotomy. Moreno pours forward giving an attacking option but has defensive weaknesses and Clyne is excellent defender who offers very little quality in offence.
Henderson breaking into the centre of the area found himself all alone brilliantly sweeping home a cross from the right from Clyne which eventually found its man to provide Liverpool a lifeline.
Liverpool wouldn’t have to wait long for the equaliser. Lallana on for Jordon Ibe running down the left crossed superbly on the run into the stride path of Firmino to expertly lift over Declan Rudd to gain parity.
Klopp’s men reverted back to type pressing higher up to inject more urgency with the scent of a win in their nostrils.
Unbelievably, Martin turning blind, saw his back pass intercepted by Milner who fastened on to the ball before shifting it on to his right foot approaching the keeper to slot home.
With the comedic nature of the game Liverpool were never going to see out the game without problems and that’s how it turned out.
Three minutes into injury time with Caulker coming on to bolster the fault lines, a long ball pumped up to the edge area found its way to Bassong who rifled a shot into the corner of the net. Jurgen Klopp was still arguing with the forth official as the ball sped past Mignolet. It was hard to fathom just where the injury time had come from…?
On the resumption Liverpool flew down the other end and after some commotion in the area the ball was headed out inside the area for Adam Lallana to hit a left foot volley into the ground and bouncing up into the corner of the net leaving Rudd at a standstill. Wow!
In the end Klopp’s substitution of Ibe for Lalllana turned the game in Liverppol’s favour, but he’ll be tearing his hear out with the abysmal defending from set pieces which is basically gift wrapping goals for opponents.
Man of the match: Roberto Firmino – scored two goals inside the box which is all you can ask for anyone operating as a striker, even a false 9 at that.
Critical eye: Liverpool only produced the expected quality one would expect once Adam Lallana entered the fray. The lack of intensity is difficult to understand considering Liverpool’s best moments this season have been on the back of games when high pressing has been to the fore.
The quality of defending from set pieces and particularly corners is now at embarrassing level and teams our now targeting us knowing we have a weak underbelly. We need leadership at the back and in midfield because we’re being found wanting time and time again.
Toure is not the answer and once again the Liverpool midfield was overrun and the lax nature in which they stood by and watched Naismith run by to give Norwich the lead was unforgivable.
Moment of the Match: The celebrations after Lallana’s winning goal which finally saw Benteke hit the mark, accidentally knocking off Jurgen’s Klopps glasses in the celebrations.
Teams:
Norwich: 13 Judd, 25 Pinto, 5 Martin, 6 Bassong, 12 Brady, 18 Dorrans, 8 Howson, 22 Redmond (Jarvis – 70 mins), 7 Naismith (Jerome – 82 mins), 14 Hoolahan (Olsson – 70 mins), 9 Mookani
Subs: 1 Ruddy, 10 Jerome, 16 Jarvis, 17 Klose, 21 Mulumbu, 23 Olsson, 32 Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe
Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 2 Clyne, 4 Toure, 17 Sakho, 18 Moreno (Caulker – 90 mins), 14 Henderson (Benteke – 76 mins), 21 Lucas, 23 Can, 7 Milner, 11 Firmino, 33 Ibe (Lallana – 59 mins)
Subs: 9 Benteke, 19 Caulker, 20 Lallana, 24 Allen, 38 Flanagan, 52 Ward, 53 Teixiera
Referee: Lee Mason
Attendance: 27,108
At this moment in time until Klopp can get hold of this squad we are going to struggle defensively so may see a couple more of these crazy goal fests before the end of the season - its fine when we win but if you lose these type of games its a gut wrencher.
ReplyDeleteBefore the game Jurgen Klopp said Liverpool needed to “keep the good things, change the bad things - that’s the challenge for today.” Well it looks like we kept the good things by being able to score 5 goals but didn't change the bad things at all because we now look like we will concede a goal after every set piece - doesn't bode well for the rest of the season
ReplyDeleteIt was the most emphatic of endings that served not just to cloud the familiar deficiencies shown throughout the game but more importantly to allow us all to enjoy the kind of elation and relief that is felt only after a last-minute winner.
ReplyDeleteOur mistakes were countless, the manner of them mindless. Ruthless in attack but toothless in defence, it was a game full of individual errors and bereft of any sense at all. Hopefully lessons are learned from the mistakes.
It was the most emphatic of endings that served not just to cloud the familiar deficiencies shown throughout the game but more importantly to allow us all to enjoy the kind of elation and relief that is felt only after a last-minute winner.
ReplyDeleteOur mistakes were countless, the manner of them mindless. Ruthless in attack but toothless in defence, it was a game full of individual errors and bereft of any sense at all. Hopefully lessons are learned from the mistakes.