I must admit to being filled with trepidation before the
match as the previous games against West Ham and Bournemouth left one feeling
deflated.
Since the unfortunate injury to Philippe Coutinho, the
struggle has not been to score or create goals, but keeping goals out. Loris Karius struggling with his form and
pilloried in the media by muppets (Gary and Phil Neville) doing passable
imitations of Statler and Waldorf, although not as funny was dropped
reintroducing Simon Mignolet to the fray with next Monday’s Merseyside Derby on
the horizon. Ragnar Klavan replaced the
injured Matip.
Middlesbrough at the Riverside were expected to be a tough
challenge and started as if they fully intent on causing as much problems to
the heart of Liverpool’s suspect central defence. That said, Sadio Mane had an early chance
heading wide from Jordan Henderson’s cross.
Liverpool began to dominate Boro to such an extent that the
game was being played on the edge of Middlebrough’s area with Klopp’s men
challenged to break down at times 10 outfield players in a compact defensive
unit. Lallana and Divock Origi had shots
blocked and on a rare excursion up field Fabio saw his shot easily saved by
Simon Mignolet.
The incessant Liverpool pressure was bound to pay dividends
with Aitor Karanka’s side stretched to the limit to contain Liverpool’s pace and
movement. What Liverpool miss with the
undoubted talents of Coutinho, they have gained in being more direct with the
pace and power of Origi aligned to the similar threats of Sadio Mane. They now possess
the ability to stretch teams with the occasional long range pass thrown into
the mix and with both player’s ability to run the channels it makes it even
more difficult to track and allied to the neatness of Firmino and Lallana
Liverpool have found another dimension to their game.
The opening goal when it game was brilliant in its
make-up. The transitional play to get
Clyne (disappointing with his first few crosses) rolling down the flank was
rapid with Liverpool recognising the need for width. The England defender on the run whipped a
cross full of pace to the back post where Adam Lallana arriving like a steam
train headed in.
The ex-Southampton man is playing so well as the moment that
his growth as a footballer is on the upward curve with a feeling of he being
the spiritual leader of Klopp’s gegenpressing.
Liverpool were in full tilt and almost went two up just
before the break. Divock Origi sent Mane
through with the forward, stop starting to throw off any accompanying challenge
before seeing his left-footed shot hit the post with Origi’s crashing his
follow-up shot into the side netting.
If Boro thought Liverpool’s intensity would drop off in the
second-half, they would get a sharp awakening with attempts flooding in around
their ears. In the first 5 minutes
Firmino and Mane with two attempts each could easily have put the game to bed. Total dominance in games this season hasn’t
meant victory for the Reds (or in this case lime green), and for that matter
neither has being up goals to the good.
One sensed that this was a game Liverpool had a point to
prove and would not be denied. Fantastic
interchange saw Wijnaldum find the onrushing Lallana, who with one look up rolled
across for Origi to put Liverpool to goals ahead.
Eight minutes later the game was as good as over. Brilliantly intricate play between Mane and
Wijnaldum resulted in Mane being sent through before being mowed down. Referee Jonathan Moss played an excellent advantage
allowing Origi to cross from the right for Lallana to collect his second of the
match and add gloss to resounding victory.
Make no mistake this was among the best results of the season.
While I am not suggesting Ragnar Klavan is the long-term
answer, what is patently obvious is that the Estonian does exactly what it says
on the tin and that is to defend. While
Adam Lallana will rightly take the plaudits, the Estonian captain, who
completed 91 per cent of his passes, went about his business in an unassuming
manner.
Lovren has failed to cement his place and with a leaky
defence Klavan deserves his chance to become a permanent partner to Matip and
would add vital experience to Liverpool’s spine.
Man of the match: Adam Lallana – Was brilliant from start to
finish. Always a gifted technician, the
midfielder has now combined strategically clever play to stamina laden
performances. His opening goal said a
lot about the power injected into his play.
Arriving late he powered through challenges to head in which was
reminiscent of a former Liverpool midfielder recently retired.
With the extreme pace of Origi and Mane ahead of him
stretching opponents he can operate by stealth arriving late on the scene ad
nauseam bothering defences. Origi,
benefiting from a run in the side looks the real deal, with pace, power and
control gives Klopp a different dimension to his attack which although without
Coutinho is still based on pressing is more direct and offers up the chance to
throw in the occasional long ball with a willing runner leader the line. It’s also good to see that Origi scores
‘striker’s goals’ from inside the area.
Ragnar Klavan produced the type of steady performance which
will hopefully see Lucas Leiva’s starts at central-half reduced to that of
cover. Klavan is an old-school defender
who recognises the need to clear his lines and goes about his business quietly.
Teams:
Middlesbrough: 26 Valdes, 17 Barragan, 25 Chambers, 6
Gibson, 2 Fabio, 34 Forshaw, 8 Clayton (Leadbitter – 56 mins), 14 de Roon, 37
Traore, 10 Negredo (Rhodes – 77 mins), 11 Fischer (Downing – 56 mins)
Subs: 5 Bernardo,
7 Leadbitter, 9 Rhodes, 12 Guzan, 19 Downing, 24 Nsue, 35 Nugent
Liverpool: 22
Mignolet, 2 Clyne, 6 Lovren, 17 Klavan, 7 Milner, 20 Lallana (Lucas – 82 mins),
14 Henderson, 5 Wijnaldum (Ejaria – 87 mins), 19 Mane, 27 Origi
(Alexander-Arnold – 90+1’), 11 Firmino
Subs: 1 Karius,
18 Moreno, 21 Lucas, 35 Stewart, 53 Ejaria, 58 Woodburn, 66 Alexander-Arnold
Referee: Jonathan
Moss
Attendance:
32,704
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