Sunday, 15 January 2017

Soutrhampton throw away opportinities to put the tie out of reach

I thought I’d wait to report on our Capital One Semi-Final first leg against Southampton.  Getting beat is one thing, but getting beat without so much of a whimper is another.  It’s hard to take.

Southampton were excellent pressing and harrying at every turn.

Emre Can struggled.  The German International’s display was poor and a benchmark for lack of intensity throughout the 90 minutes.  His willingness to slow the game and have as many touches as possible killed any assemblance of fluidity Liverpool were looking to instil in their play.  If Can struggled, Lucas laboured and found wanting on more than one occasion failing to live with the pace of Long and the trickery of Redmond.

After being talked up his manager earlier in the week Daniel Sturridge will not have enjoyed his evening.  Given a rare start, he was literally schooled by Virgil Van Dijk given barely a sniff throughout the 90 minutes, but do be fair experienced little service.

We enjoyed a bright start and plenty of possession (69 percent) in the first ten minutes without looking likely to break through, Southampton were happy, as many teams are against Liverpool at the moment, to sit back and invite the reds to breakdown a well organised defence.

Barely testing the home defence let alone their goal, the only chance of any note came on 17 minutes when Can’s chip to the back post found Lallana to nod back into the path of Firmino whose volley was pushed over with a flourish by goalkeeper Forster.

Southampton manager Claude Puel’s game plan was not only to stifle Liverpool’s offence, but speedily counter.  Tadic broke behind the left-side of the defence to cut the ball back for Redmond whose shot was superbly blocked by Karius.

Southampton were soon in front.  Klavan’s miskick found its way through to Jay Rodriguez who expertly found Redmond to shoot past Karius.

Liverpool were still dominating possession, but Southampton were looked the most likely to score.  Just before half-time they should have made in two.  Tadic’s cross found its way to Redmond and from the centre of the box he shot straight at Karius who flashily pawed the ball away when either side of the goal would have seen the lead extende
Jurgen Klopp is normally able to get a reaction from his players at half-time, but for the second-match in succession, possession maybe nine tenths of the law, but the slow build-up negated any attempts to get us back into the game.

If anything, Southampton could and should have had the tie wrapped up.  Nathan Redmond through on goal chipped the ball over the advancing Karius and against the bar.  Liverpool were at stages all over the place.

Against Plymouth and Southampton opportunities went begging for players to claim places, but worryingly, Klopp will want to right the malaise running through his side as against Southampton an experienced side lacked the ability to right itself.

With the possibly season defining game against United up next the intensity and fires of early games will be required to stem a resurgent United.

Teams

Southampton: 1 Forster, 2 Soares, 3 Yoshida, 17 van Dijk, 21 Bertrand, 4 Clasie (Holberg – 73 mins), 14 Romeu, 8 Davis (Ward-Prowse – 82 mins), 22 Redmond, 9 Rodriguez (Lond – 82 mins), 11 Tadic

Subs: 7 Long, 16 Ward-Prowse, 23 Stephens, 38 McQueen, 39 Sims, 41 Lewis

Liverpool: 1 Karius 2, Clyne, 6 Lovren, 17 Klavan, 7 Milner, 5 Wijnaldum (Coutinho – 61 mins), 21 Lucas, 23 Can,  20 Lallana, 15 Sturridge, 11 Firmino (Origi – 83 mins)

Subs: 10 Coutinho, 12 Gomez, 18 Moreno, 22 Mignolet, 27 Origi, 35 Stewart, 58 Woodburn

Referee: Neil Swarbrick

Attendance: 31,480

No comments:

Post a Comment