ANOTHER frustrating defensive performance from Liverpool as Sevilla managed to salvage a draw despite The Reds dominating large parts of the game.
Here are contributors from The Anfield Wrap with talking points straight from the ground…
Pre Match: The Return Of Coutinho
Gareth Roberts: Coutinho’s name was cheered when the teams were read out, for those that care about this kinda thing*
*me, tbf
Phil Blundell: I was louder than anyone for that
Ian Ryan: May as well get behind him, won’t help anyone if we give him shit
Kick Off
Gareth Roberts: Emre Can asleep there. Their lad showed more commitment to win it and it stemmed from there.
Ian Ryan: Deffo, Lovren’s had a mare as well.
Josh Sexton: Terrible defending that, these hadn’t had a sniff until that
Paul Senior: Not great
John Gibbons: Understood Cope’s tackling point on the review this week. But that one Can doesn’t make is an absolute disgrace
Josh Sexton: Can’t believe he hasn’t given that
Ste Evans: This all day. So half hearted.
Josh Sexton: Fella behind me can’t work out whether he loves The Reds or hates these pricks.
Gareth Roberts: Advertising Heineken everywhere yet UEFA make the ground dry. Makes sense.
Phil Blundell: What’s he doing there? Imagine Henderson does that
Ian Ryan: Poor start from Emre
Dan Vincent: Lovren doing a Lovren for their goal. Jesus Christ. I’m past baffled at the kip of our CBs and even more baffled there isn’t any in world football that would of improved us. Complete madness.
Phil Blundell: Shouldn’t have got anywhere near them though. Pathetic from Can
Ian Ryan: Lovely goal that
Josh Sexton: Love how loads moaned at Henderson’s first ball there and it ends in that. Get in Reds.
John Gibbons: Haha all round the ground Josh! Great move
Paul Senior: Thought Mane jumps into him tbh
Josh Sexton: Load of noise coming from the back corner of the Upper Main. Those £9 tickets doing bits.
Gareth Roberts: What a move that was, started at right back and should end with Emre scoring. Lovely footie
John Gibbons: Boss that. Gini been boss for both big chances
Really good running and decision making
Ste Evans: Playing some lovely stuff here.
Craig Hannan: Wijnaldum has been really good yeah
Phil Blundell: We’re better than these. It’ll come
Whoever is on ratings, Can is currently on a one
Paul Senior: He got hurt first minute or so, think he’s struggling tbh
Dan Vincent: Bring Chamberlain on for him
Paul Senior: Absolute bae
Johnny Milburn: Melwood dinner ladies’ favourite
Neil Atkinson: Haha
Paul Senior: Less about me John
Craig Hannan: Fucking caught him there
Johnny Milburn: Loved all his you don’t have to worry about me chat — fussy eaters can gtfo
Paul Senior: Reckon he meant that
Johnny Milburn: Mo lad
Josh Sexton: Salah la
Johnny Milburn: Loved him winning that back — deserved the break with deflection
Dan Vincent: MO SALAH MATE.
Josh Sexton: Into that from Albie
He can stay forever if he leathers lads into the main every game
Ian Ryan: Albie there almost taking his leg off
Phil Blundell: Great foul from Salah for the goal by all accounts
Johnny Milburn: Not as bad as it looked in real time
Josh Sexton: This ref is boss with the Sevilla players who are complaining
Ian Ryan: These have gone here
Dan Vincent: Bobby lad. Fuck.
Phil Blundell: That’s about three inches from perfection
A bit like myself
Paul Senior: That’s what she said
John Gibbons: Firmino should get another go because their lad gave away three penalties
Johnny Milburn: Dare I say Moreno looking good
John Gibbons: He’s been boss
Phil Blundell: He’s good. Gonna point my pre season and last season points out to everyone
Dan Vincent: I’m into him. He’s been boss all season to be fair.
Johnny Milburn: Delivery has been almost perfect three-four times — boss for the one-two
He needs to pack in the flying tackle that misses everything — but touch wood (that’s what she said) he’s been excellent
Ian Ryan: His ball before deserved someone on the end of it, the Andy Gray corridor of uncertainty
Phil Blundell: Shoulda scored then too
I don’t half wish Firmino was a proper poacher. He’d scored a million
John Gibbons: Some of our play brilliant
Dan Vincent: Should be about 11-1.
Phil Blundell: Other game 0-0 which is helpful.
Half Time
Gareth Roberts: Good half that. Should be about 4-1 up like. But playing some boss stuff.
Josh Sexton: I reckon we could have had about eight deflected goals
Phil Blundell: My goal is being through after four games here. Won’t lie.
Johnny Milburn: Remember his debut goal v Spurs?
I remember thinking we’d signed a worldie
Phil Blundell: We’ve got the balance here. A full back who can defend and a full back who can attack and the one who can defend has got someone who scares the shit out of other teams
It’s crazy he never played last season innit
Ian Ryan: Really? Looked a great ball in from The Kop end
Phil Blundell: Not ’cause he’s great just cos he’s quick and pace scares teams
Ste Evans: Likewise. I’m right in line with it. Went for pace when I pull back edge of the six was the ball.
Seems to be a bit more composed at the moment Moreno. Still an issue defensively for me but that’s not helped by Mane not being the best at tracking back at times.
Second Half
Josh Sexton: Hahahaha. What a fucking blert their manager is.
Ian Ryan: Deserves that the prick, twice he’s done that
Phil Blundell: Best bit was their lad pushing him down the tunnel
Josh Sexton: Shite that, should have these buried by now
Ian Ryan: How the fuck is this 2-2. Lovely goal tbf but this should be out of sight.
Johnny Milburn: Phil coming on
Ste Evans: He’s been superb for them that 11.
Should be well out of sight by now tho.
Dan Vincent: Coutinho to come on and get the winner…
Feel like I’m picking holes but their second goal was far too easy imo. We’re so easy to get at through the middle.
Josh Sexton: Reckon that’s through not having a proper defensive midfield to shield the defence, be asking too much of Hendo to do what he does plus that
Ian Ryan: Came from a fucking throw in, far too easy imo but a very tidy finish.
Josh Sexton: Firmino playing behind Sturridge here?
Johnny Milburn: Sturridge’s first LFC Champions League game
Johnny Milburn: Gini much improved
Dan Vincent: Lovren la. Chris Wood will have a fucking semi on watching him in the air.
Ian Ryan: He’s been all over the show at times tonight
Full Time
John Gibbons: Unbelievable how bad we were last 10
Coutinho looks miles away
Ian Ryan: Penalty miss will go down as costly but we were sloppy as fuck second half. We’re a shambles at the back, there’s too many individuals in that back line with big errors in their game. Phil way off the pace, maybe to be expected
Dan Vincent: Should of been game over at half time but nevertheless we still get the win if not for more laughable defending. We need to be able to score two goals at home and still see out a win. Onwards to the weekend now, let’s ruin Burnley and get back on track.
Gareth Roberts: We’re our own worst enemy, that’s what’s so hard to take. Sloppy at the back, not ruthless enough upfront. And yet at times playing some fantastic stuff. The other match in the group being a draw is sound though.
John Gibbons: Another game when we’ve looked worse after making subs. Why take Mane off? He’s out for ages
Dan Vincent: The Moscow fans fired a rocket at the ref so might give that game a swerve
Ian Ryan: Big fan of the manager but after four transfer windows and almost two years into the job the defence is no better now than the day he walked through the door. Laughable that we haven’t strengthened that area this summer.
Johnny Milburn: It feels like the three midfielders are too similar in attributes – all six or seven out of 10 at most things.
Would prefer a CM who is nine out of 10 at defensive duties.
One like the three we have and one ‘flair’ midfielder like Phil.
It’s great that they can interchange but lack of specialism can lead to players going missing.
Ian Ryan: Very true but Sevilla had two shots on target tonight and get out with a draw, frustrating as fuck.
Johnny Milburn: Plus — they didn’t have many chances
Minus — our opponents seem to score from nearly every chance
Phil Blundell: Was the equaliser a bad break or did I imagine it?
Ste Evans: The curious case of Gini Wijnaldum. Never has a player been so bipolar. Home and away. Can’t get my head round it.
As others have said we’re our own worse enemy at times. Can be so good and so poor in equal measure.
READ: Liverpool 2 Sevilla 2: Match Ratings
READ: Liverpool 2 Sevilla 2: Jürgen Klopp Should Kop For The Reds’ Soft Underbelly
READ: Liverpool 2 Sevilla 2: Match Review
LISTEN: Liverpool 2 Sevilla 2: The Post-Match Show (SUBSCRIBERS)
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo
Easy with hindsight but around the 70 mark it was clear we’d run our race. Time to bring Milner on (for Gini) to shore things up and keep what we had. But these reds, and the manager, don’t seem to learn lessons.
I have noticed this on quite a few occasions, we seem to peak 20min – 70mins after that we start gassing, understandably. Proactive reinforcements are needed at this mark mainly a midfielder and attacker.
Moments before the Sevilla equalizer I noticed one of our players bent over hands on knees and I said to myself they’re going to score as we had lost that early sharpness, and they did.
I can’t judge this one.
Just looked over it again- it’s bloody genius lads!! Love the notion- and the absences of Connect 4!!(dah.. did I mention the dreaded words! :))
Awaiting The Pink pod but laughing, crying and loving this in the meantime.
Match… ? game of two halves cliche really. Could’ve been 6/7-1 .. but lots done, more to do.
Highlight…? Coutinho is now re-integrated and Kop appreciated. That counts, it really counts. That will matter to all sides in LFC as well as the oppositions in a long year ahead. We walk on with regret but pride too.
Peter
We should have put Sevilla away in the Europa League final first half when we went 1-0 up and had more chances. Again tonight we should have put them away and didn’t.
Barce and Real Madrid put them away when the chance is there. We need to be more clinical mentally.
‘Johnny Milburn: Plus — they didn’t have many chances
Minus — our opponents seem to score from nearly every chance.’
This. Possession football is a waste of time if you can’t defend.