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
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