Month: September 2016

Liverpool vs Leicester

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Reds Host Reigning Champions Leicester In First Home Game of the Season

After the agony of waiting during the international break, the Premier League is finally back for another thrilling round of action. Liverpool will unveil their newly renovated main stand for the first time against Leicester City in what should be an exciting game of football.

Liverpool

Team News

The Reds will be without Ragnar Klaven and Emre Can through respective knee and ankle injuries, whilst the trio of Loris Karius, Joe Gomez and Sheyi Ojo continue to be sidelined. Encouragingly, Karius has resumed training, but the game against the Foxes will likely come too soon for him to make his debut. Despite receiving a knock for Senegal over the international break, Sadio Mane trained normally and is expected to start out wide. Mamadou Sakho meanwhile appears to be fit, but Jurgen Klopp’s relationship the player is well documented to be shaky at best. However Klopp hinted this week that Sakho could feature this season as Klopp, in his own words, “is not silly enough to forget good performances.” It is clear though that he’ll need to get his fitness up, perhaps in cup games and the Premier League 2 with the u23s before he can be considered for a regular starting spot.

Lineup

liverpool-vs-leicester

Simon Mignolet will almost certainly retain his place for now, at least until Karius has had more time to train after his absence through a broken hand. The back four should also remain unchanged, although Alberto Moreno is an outside chance of starting in place of James Milner at left back. Can’s injury will see Jordan Henderson continue in a holding role, ahead of Georginio Wijnaldum and Adam Lallana. The front three are more difficult to predict, although after a grueling international break for Philippe Coutinho it is not unreasonable to think that he may be rested. If this happens then Daniel Sturridge will lead the line, supported by Roberto Firmino and Mane, with Coutinho likely to feature from the bench. However if Klopp deems him to be fit and ready to start the game then he could replace Wijnaldum in a 4-2-3-1 with Coutinho, Firmino, Mane and Sturridge ahead of Henderson and Lallana. Divock Origi is another player who will be in the mix as a potential starter, if not, expect to see him subbed on at some point for one of the tiring international stars.

Leicester

Team News

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri will be free to select almost anyone from his squad for the game at Anfield. The only absences will be Jefferey Schlupp and Nampalys Mendy, who are a week or so away from returning from respective ankle and muscle injuries. Kasper Schmeichel has returned from a minor hernia operation, but despite being fit, it’s unclear whether he will feature against the Reds or not.

Lineup

leicester

Despite returning from an operation, as previously stated, Schmeichel will likely start, although Ron-Robert Zieler is an excellent replacement if Ranieri decides to give the Dane some extra time off to recover. The back four of Danny Simpson, Robert Huth, Wes Morgan and Christian Fuchs will almost certainly remain unchanged, likewise Marc Albrighton, Daniel Amartey, Danny Drinkwater and the dangerous Riyad Mahrez should also retain their places in the starting lineup. Andy King and Demarai Gray are also options in the midfield that Ranieri could opt to start. Shinji Okazaki could also start after playing behind the ever-present Jamie Vardy against Swansea City. However, it is equally possible that speedster Ahmed Musa could return to the starting lineup, whilst club-record signing Islam Slimani could also start alongside Vardy. After little time to prepare for the game and train with his new teammates though, he is unlikely to start, but will be a dangerous option from the bench.

Analysis

Liverpool have had some mixed results this season, but will be looking to buck the trend of previous seasons by returning from the international break raring to go. The players and fans alike will be hoping for a win at Anfield after having waited three rounds to finally host a home game. Leicester, as they displayed last season will not be an easy game though, and the Reds will have to be close to their best to take three points from the game. Liverpool will hope that the speed of Mane will be able to link up effectively with the skill of Firmino and Sturridge, leading to a few goals and a win. The brunt of the pressure and expectation will however fall on the shoulders of the defence and midfield who need to step up their game against a dangerous Leicester outfit. The key battle will naturally be how well Huth and Morgan can deal with Liverpool’s potent trio, some assistance from the likes of Fuchs, Simpson and Drinkwater will certainly be necessary. If Liverpool are going to win though, a good performance from the defence and midfield is imperative.

Leicester will be hungry to prove to their fans and to the Premier League in general that they are not ‘one season wonders’ by getting a positive result at Anfield. After a disappointing loss to Hull, they were able to battle to a draw against Arsenal and sneak a win away at Swansea. Despite improving, the games against Arsenal and Swansea were far from impressive, but a good performance against the Reds will serve them well in their attempt to kick-start their season. The likes of Okazaki and Mahrez will be looking to exploit the Reds’ backline to feed Vardy, whilst Drinkwater and Amartey will attempt to impose themselves against an arguably weaker Liverpool midfield. The key battle will of course be if Milner can keep Mahrez quiet, and if Lovren and Matip are able to track Vardy’s penetrating runs.

Prediction

This game will be one of the most intriguing and difficult to predict matches of the round. Both teams naturally like to counter attack, however it is likely that Leicester will allow Liverpool plenty of possession at home, absorbing pressure for long stretches of the game until Liverpool overextend. If they can win the ball back in these kinds of situations, Liverpool’s midfield and defence will be hard pressed to deal with the Foxes’ danger men in Mahrez and Vardy. However I am predicting a 2-1 win for the Reds in their firs home game of the season, with goals coming from Sturridge and Mane.

YNWA

 

 

Cieren O’Dea for Red Or Dead – Liverpool FC Football Blog – on 09/09/2016.

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Tottenham 1 – 1 Liverpool

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Reds Held to a Draw at White Hart Lane

In what was billed as the game of the round, Liverpool drew with Tottenham. If asked before the game, most Liverpool fans would’ve been pleased with walking away with a point. Those same fans could be forgiven after the game for being a bit disappointed that after dominating for long stretches of the game Liverpool were unable to seal a victory.

Player Ratings

Simon Mignolet – 7: Unlike the mid-week game against Burton Albion, Mignolet faced a busy afternoon. A handful of good saves throughout kept Liverpool’s lead intact including some confident efforts defending set-pieces, and one brilliant save to deny Toby Alderweireld. He will however have felt disappointed to be beaten at the near post by Danny Rose, but was well within his rights to rush forward and put pressure on the ball, having been short-changed by his defenders.

Nathaniel Clyne – 6: This was an improvement for Clyne from his display at Burnley, but was still arguably at fault for Tottenham’s equaliser. Apart from that he generally provided stability in defence alongside Matip and overlapped well on Mane’s flank. One can’t help but wonder though, with Mane causing havoc against every team he’s faced, would a more attacking-minded fullback be better able to take advantage of the space he creates and transform Liverpool’s right flank into one of the most potent in the league.

Joel Matip – 8: A very solid Premier League debut from Matip, powerful and dominant in the air as expected.  His willingness to venture forward deep into the opposition half was on display again which, given the right service, could be a useful outlet in the future. Had a couple of chances to score from corners and hit the bar from a Milner cross, Liverpool now finally have a consistent threat to aim for from set-pieces; expect the big centre-back to get on the score sheet a few times this season.

Dejan Lovren – 7: Came under criticism for being bullied off the ball by Harry Kane a couple of times, but overall he dealt with the dangerous striker competently for most of the game. This was evidenced by Mauricio Pochettino being forced to sub-off Kane after being unable to influence the game. Lovren was also able to deal with Vincent Janssen comfortably, regularly winning the ball in the air and on the ground. Arguably could’ve done better in the air for Spurs’ goal and was also booked for foolishly kicking the ball away.

James Milner – 7: Was a surprise candidate for penalty-taker, but he expertly sent the otherwise flawless Michel Vorm the wrong way to tuck the ball away in the bottom-left corner. Another solid performance in an unfamiliar role for Milner, demonstrating the ability to defend well whilst providing another attacking outlet down the left flank. He was however another player who could’ve done better for Tottenham’s equaliser, misjudging the flight of the ball in the build up. However, occasional minor errors are to be expected from a player who is not a defender by nature being forced to play left-back.

Jordan Henderson – 7: Finally some signs of life from the Liverpool captain, although it wasn’t the swashbuckling display most were hoping for, it was by far his best performance of the season. He showed far greater composure in his holding role, contributing soundly with his defensive duties. However despite improvement in his own game, his performance as captain was still questionable. As a unit, Liverpool failed to recover after seeing their second goal disallowed, and a vocal, inspiring leader could’ve potentially stopped the rot that led to Spurs’ eventual equaliser.

Adam Lallana – 6: A highly energetic display from Lallana, but not a particularly productive one. A regular problem are for the midfielder, Lallana slowed down counter attacks and turned the ball over by being caught in possession after taking some unnecessary touches. Was unfortunate however to not get his name on the scoreboard after being harshly ruled offside following a delayed pass from Wijnaldum. An interesting stat to come out of the game was the 12.5 kilometres covered by Lallana during the game was the most distance covered by anyone in the Premier League this season.

Georginio Wijnaldum – 5: Another disappointing game for the former Newcastle midfielder. Opted to take the safe option with simple passes and reserved positioning, rather than taking chances and venturing forward to offer another attacking option. There were some minor signs of improvement though, a couple of decent shots and a near-assist for Lallana, but ironically Wijnaldum took too many unnecessary touches and released Lallana too late, meaning the goal was ruled out for offside.

Sadio Mane – 7: This was probably Mane’s worst game so far for Liverpool, and given the fact that he was still quite good, it shows how inspired a signing he’s been. Far more dangerous in the first half, he was able to find space regularly and would’ve scored a couple of goals if not for a brilliant performance by Michel Vorm. As the second half wore on, he became less effective, found less space and generally was unable to link up with Origi. Hopefully this is a partnership that will improve in the future.

Philippe Coutinho – 6: A frustrating afternoon for the Brazilian in a game that he arguably should have been rested after being in doubt through injury. He could’ve scored twice, and despite being denied by some brilliant saves, he undoubtedly should’ve done a lot better with the chances that were presented to him. Faded badly as the game went on, further suggesting he may not have been ready to return to action.

Roberto Firmino – 8 (Man of the Match): An understated, but not unnoticed performance from Firmino. He was involved in just about every attack when Liverpool were able to break, and produced some clever movement to draw the penalty from Erik Lamela, which Milner converted. He also spearheaded Liverpool’s pressing game and drifted into space, providing the Reds with a highly effective outlet in the final third.

Subs

Divock Origi – 6: Failed to influence the game at all as his supporting players were unable to pick him out. Disappointing cameo, but not entirely his fault.

Daniel Sturridge – N/A: Many were mystified when they discovered that Sturridge wouldn’t be starting the match, and this confusion was compounded when he didn’t feature until the 88th minute. Unsurprisingly this was not nearly enough time for Sturridge to make an impact, much less win the game for the Reds.

Kevin Stewart – N/A: Also had no time to influence the game, but it is interesting to note that he has appeared regularly off the bench this season. Klopp clearly sees Stewart as having a role to play this season and possibly beyond.

Manager

Jurgen Klopp – 7: A good day overall for the manager. He was able to mastermind a dominate performance and get a sound performance out of an out of form midfield. Liverpool were able to regularly put pressure on Tottenham’s midfield pair and break on the counter after reclaiming the ball. His decision to start Firmino up top paid dividends, but he was unable to effectively implement Origi when he came on, and bizarrely waited until the 88th minute to bring on Sturridge.

Talking Points

One Costly Mistake

Liverpool fans are by now all but used to games like these. A dominant performance undone by one of two series of errors that lead to a draw or loss. This is a mentality issue that needs to be stamped out if the Reds are ever to win the Premier League or another Champions League. To an extent, this issue has been lessened in frequency but is still present. When looking at the top European clubs and even the tops clubs in the league, teams like Juventus and Chelsea, it is rare to see them give up leads or concede soft goals. Of course Liverpool’s style of play leaves them more open to these dangers, but in simple defensive situations it is clear that Liverpool player’s panic more and are more nervy in general than players from the aforementioned clubs.

Reds Rue Missed Chances

Similarly Liverpool fans have become accustomed to seeing their team dominate in attack and create many chances, but fail to convert them regularly. Coutinho will bear much of the blame after this particular game, but he is not alone in his guilt. It is a problem that has been present for years, and again can only be attributed to mentality problems. It simply cannot be a coincidence that Liverpool have to be outstanding in attack and convert most of their chances to win games, whereas opposition teams can convert one of their very few chances in a game to win or draw.

First of Three Tough Games

The first hurdle has been cleared, and whilst it wasn’t ideal, taking home one point from White Hart Lane is nothing to be sniffed at. However, after this result and the loss to Burnley, Liverpool’s next game against Leicester in the first home fixture of the season, becomes crucial. Anything less than a win has to be seen as two or three points dropped as it is imperative for Liverpool to stay within striking distance of early front-runners Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United. This game precedes an away game against Chelsea, which will be an incredibly difficult fixture to walk away with any points at all. Hopefully Liverpool will return from the international break with a relatively bill of health in order to give them the best chance of emerging from the next two games in a good position.

YNWA

 

Cieren O’Dea for Red Or Dead – Liverpool FC Football Blog – on 02/09/2016.

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