| Match report
Another game at Anfield and
another loss. Once more, I am not sure how it happened and at
least we did score this time and ran Liverpool close, but a
substitute's goal late in the game won it for them, which on the
balance of the way the ball was running was about the right score,
but with a little more fortune, we might have come home with
something more than a 2-3 defeat ... but that is always unlikely
when we travel to Liverpool.
Mauricio Pochettino stuck with
the same starting eleven that began against Arsenal, despite that
only being four days ago. Liverpool made changes to their line-up
from the Merseyside derby, one which was enforced, with Sterling
missing with a foot injury, allowing Sturridge to return for his
first match since December.
Liverpool kicked off attacking the Kop and the early stages saw both
sides trying to get forward. When Lamela gave the ball away,
it was quickly moved to Sturridge, but his final pass was far too
far ahead of Coutinho in the box. Spurs moved the ball well to get
Lamela going forward and his pass found Rose, but his shot was
rushed and nearer the corner flag than the goal. Kane went down
under challenge from Mignolet, who didn't touch the ball, but
neither did Harry.
Spurs were loose with their passing again, when Mason gave it to
Sturridge on the halfway line, but he reached the penalty area
before shooting low across Lloris, but not out of his reach. Rose's
foul on Ibe in the tenth minute, gave Liverpool a free kick five
yards outside the penalty area. From it, Gerrard lined it up, but
his shot curled a foot over the bar at the top corner of the net.
The Reds had another chance when Sakho put Moreno away on the left,
but his low cross was volleyed way too
high by Markovic. Hugo Lloris was called upon to make a sharp stop
when Ibe got past Rose on the dead-ball line, pulled the ball back
and it was laid into Sturridge's path by Markovic and his first time
shot was beaten out by Lloris and cleared away by Dier.
Tottenham were not getting much time on the ball Until Bentaleb
played in Eriksen, who slipped the ball right to Kane. He tried to
take the ball past two defenders and the ball came out to Lamela,
who slid it back and then it went on to Mason, who unleashed a low
shot that Mignolet just about got behind. When the ball was kicked
forward, Ibe got the ball in a challenge with Vertonghen and
Markovic had the ball fall to him in space and he moved forward
before hitting a bobbling low shot that Lloris could only get a palm
to as it went beyond him into the bottom corner of the net. So, 15
minutes in and Spurs were behind.
Vertonghen went on a rampaging run that ended with the ball being
played to Eriksen in the left hand side of the box, but Can dived in
to block the Dane's low drive. The corner didn't amount to anything
and then another soon after was played in by Eriksen to Dembele
short. He played it back to Lamela, whose low cross flicked at goal
by Kane, with it taking a deflection for another corner.
Looking composed in possession, they almost blew it when Bentaleb
played the ball back beyond Dier and set Sturridge through. Eric
made the ground up and got a challenge in that saw the Liverpool man
shoot over the top, much to the Spurs fans' relief.
Harry Kane tried a 23rd minute effort from the halfway line when a
Spurs tackle took the ball towards him, but it was way off
target. Mason was the first player in the book for a foul on
Markovic, but just before that Henderson did a tackle just as bad on
Dembele, so it's funny how referees see things.
And it's funny how Harry Kane keeps knocking the goals in. A well
worked move involving Lamela, who played a one-two with Eriksen and
then reversed a pass to Kane, who let the ball run between his legs
and left Sakho on his arse, giving him time to drill a low shot
under the keeper in the 26th minute.
And its funny how away players get penalised harshly, when Ibe and
Eriksen locked arms, it was the Spurs man who was given a yellow
card.
Spurs moved the ball well when they broke and Dembele had a shot
stopped before Eriksen put minute shot from just inside the
Liverpool half when the ball broke to him, in a cross that Skrtel
headed away. Spurs were getting free-kicks given against them for
50-50 challenges and Liverpool were making the most of the ball when
on it. So were Tottenham and when Vertonghen brought the ball out
and continued his run, Kane's cross was behind him and Dembele and
not long enough for Lamela. When Liverpool intercepted a ball in the
middle of the park, they played it forward to Markovic swiftly, with
Lloris coming to the edge of his box, but the winger could not get
the ball down to make the most of Hugo's position.
Tottenham were guilty of trying to thread the ball through an eye of
a needle with the Liverpool defence packing in front of them and
when one move broke down, the play moved to the Spurs end and Ibe
cut inside to fire in a shot from outside the area that Hugo could
only block out with his forearms and Jan tidied up by nodding the
loose ball back to him. Surprisingly, Skrtel got a booking for going
through the back of Harry Kane very late. From the free-kick, Spurs
took it quickly and Mason slipped it through for Kane, whose shot
was blocked by the goalie, but he was given offside, although later
I saw that TV pictures showed him onside.
Bentaleb was not having a great time, having passed straight to
Liverpool players a couple of times and then coming back inside to
get tackled, when there were two players outside him to his right.
Dembele on the other hand was winning the ball and when Sakho tried
to get too clever on the touchline, Mousa took the ball away and the
Liverpool defender grabbed his leg with both hands to stop him
getting away. While not the last man, it was cynical and
professional. But Dowd only pulled out a yellow card.
Just before the break, Ibe got away on the Liverpool right and
crossed into the six yard box, but Vertonghen was there to clear,
but it hit Mason standing next to him and fell to Sturridge, who
fashioned a back-heel that bounced out off the post. Lloris looked
to have it covered and it was a great piece of invention from the
England striker, but luck was in his favour by providing him with
the opportunity.
It had been an open and attacking half of football and one in which
both sides had also conceded possession. Would the second half be
the same and would Spurs tire after the players had all played a
shift against Arsenal at the weekend ? Or would Liverpool get caught
pushing too many men forward ?
The second half started slowly and Spurs looked for a pass that
would open up the Liverpool defence on their 18 yard line, but were
crowded out. A foul throw was given against Walker, when Ibe had
done the same in the same place in the first 45 minutes. Consistency
? ... No chance !
The second half started slowly and Spurs were looking to thread the
ball through the eye of a needle of the Liverpool defence, as they
packed in front of every Spurs attack. When Sturridge moved
into the box, Dowd took an age to give a penalty when Rose
challenged him ... but that is the rule when we play at Anfield. The
Gerrard took it and scored ... as is the rule when we play at
Anfield.
So, 2-1 down when it looked like Spurs were reasonably comfortable.
It looked along road back, but when Gerrard was penalised for a late
tackle on Kane 25 yards out, it looked like Eriksen might rescue
things again. He lined it up and struck a fine effort on target.
Mignolet could only parry it to his right and Kane was there to play
the ball back across goal, where Mousa Dembele put the ball into the
net with his stomach, as Can couldn't clear. 2-2 and while the
Liverpool players claimed they had been robbed with Dembele being
offside, the ref ran back to the centre circle.
Gerrard had to limp off with a pulled hamstring and Sturridge wanted
another penalty when Dier slid in, but Eric played the ball first
and off for a corner. Dowd was still tallying up the yellow cards,
as he put Walker in the book for pushing Can down. He ignored the
arm thrown by the German midfielder.
The game was in a stagnant phase, with substitutions made and both
teams failing to pick a final pass, but when Ibe slipped a pass
through to Lallana in the box, his low ball across the face of the
goal found substitute Balotelli knocking the ball home from close
range. His first goal in over two years in the Premier League ...
why is it always us !!
With just over five minutes, it was asking too much for Spurs to
come back again. Their moves forward were picked off by Liverpool,
as Dowd booked everyone in a white shirt that went near a Liverpool
player. There were few bad tackles in the game, yet there were nine
bookings ... one of which wasn't Lallana pulling back Rose 40 yards
off the ball !! Dowd just had a laugh with him about it. Six of them
were for Spurs ... one of which was against Kane when Skrtel mouthed
off at him and he replied !! Seeing as how Skrtel has already been
booked, there was little chance Dowd would show him yellow again on
his home ground.
Anyway, four minutes of added time came and went, with Liverpool
eating up as much time as possible over every dead ball, such was
their desperation to win. Spurs didn't help themselves with some
poor distribution in the final moments, but perhaps that was down to
tiredness.
There was little in the match other than a couple of mistakes.
Liverpool were lucky in taking the chances that presented themselves
and Spurs can count themselves as unlucky that little bounced their
way.
There wasn't quite the tempo to Tottenham's game, while Liverpool,
with home advantage should be playing with more impetus. They were
not as penetrating as you would have thought a side like Liverpool
should be. Ibe was a problem all game, but Sturridge only showed
flashes and players like Henderson and Gerrard looked like they were
running in treacle a lot of the time. Coutinho was another who
flattered to deceive and Markovic scored, but did little more.
Enough I suppose if you are a Liverpool fan.
Tottenham suffered by giving the ball away too much and not closing
players down when they got into the box. Sturridge could have been
challenged before the foul for the penalty and Ibe's ball to Lallana
saw the midfielder running through into space, which might not have
happened on another day. Give that much time and space and you might
suffer.
Kirk Hammerton |
