Today's game was really strange. I thought Spurs were a lot less convincing than they were in either of our games with them last season. Their insistence on using Bentaleb, whom I rate, in a disciplined role against us is just plain weird. You can get away with it against the bottom 10 but top 4 game is more a burnt child dreads the fire than it is learning by doing. They set up like the away side and were going to rely on individual brilliance over cohesion. Pocchettino is a very good manager, one who will do well with the foundations there. But today he found that his foundations were rather basic. Their pressing was more for show than effect. You got the time that we could easily foul our way out of trouble (and we did) because anytime we lost the ball there was never a chance to play the advantage. Sakho struggled especially in the first half but rather than isolate him in possession and Lovren out of possession every Spurs player seemed to be looking to the sidelines for inspiration rather than letting the game call the shots.
We were remarkably composed considering how offbeat we looked against Southampton. Maybe it was a case of just knowing how good we are and simply not caring about the occasion. I honestly don't know, but I'd like to find out. We were in complete control and we knew exactly how to set up the game and it worked a treat.
Balotelli was obviously the main
EVERYTHING in the media's eye but he had a good game, a very solid debut and could've scored 3x if he'd taken his chances. He proved simply by presence how much better Sturridge is as part of a two than as the world's greatest solo act. He is at his most threatening when you don't see him coming. It proved the case in the opening 2-3 minutes. With Spurs caught up in the headlines, they had Balotelli in check but left Sturridge on his own. Sturridge whipped in a great cross which Lloris saved (and for my money that wasn't a "how did he get to it from so close!?" but a "why didn't he come for it in the first place?").
The first goal was a brilliant piece of play and showcased that we were simply more 'intelligent' in our play. I watched it live and I knew exactly what was coming. I didn't know how it'd come off but I saw it from a mile away. Henderson's simple pass to Sturridge was all that was needed. Vertonghen ever faithful to his image will remember the lashing he got in the media for not showing up against us at Anfield. So when the opportunity to rush out and close down Sturridge presented itself he was there sure as daylight. His support came from fellow Belgian Chadli who just got in the way, with Rose unwilling to give up a potential counter-attack for something as archaic as picking up your marker down the flank. In midfield neither Capoue nor Bentaleb covered the landing strip of space left behind by Vertonghen nor thought it worth to chase Jordan Henderson. Henderson spots both Mario and Raheem in the box, crosses it behind the defenders. Kaboul sees Balotelli come from the offside position (Balotelli's movement is actually quite smart as he makes himself known but drops off twice) and signals to Dier to mark Sterling and/or hold the line. Kaboul then drops into his own 6 yard box, Dier doesn't know where his own arse is and Sterling brilliantly slots it away on his own at the far post. It's an outstanding Liverpool goal but if I were on the other side I'd wonder how the hell my team let a 4v1 on the right wing become a 2v3 inside our own box.
Then followed the first blatant new back 4 playing together for the first time moment. Adebayor nearly equalizes as no one is sure whether to back off or step up but the striker swoops it over Mignolet. Worrying but self-inflicted, not threatening. The rest of the game seemed to be us in control and Spurs trying to force a mistake without ever being ready or able to punish when they came forth. Having read my posts in last game's round-table Gerrard nearly set up Balotelli, who really should've scored but then quickly made up for it with a clever backheel to Sturridge that was saved. Balotelli, yet again, was involved in what would no doubt have been the most talked about moment, had it not been for Allen's penalty. He held off Kaboul effortlessly, released Sturridge who forced a panic of miscommunication between Dier and Lloris as the Frenchman booted the ball straight to Balotelli but his open-netted volley went far off goal. That Brendan laughed it off seemed to suggest he wasn't overly bothered.
We continued to dominate before the half. There was one chance that could've been beautiful. When Sterling's pass was cleared to Henderson who found Moreno on the far post volley could've been the stuff of legends. But also showed an added dimension to our attack play. We completely dominated the first half and were almost punished twice for not making the most of our superiority. First there was the Lovren weird bounce that he then toppled to Adebayor, ran after him, tackled and shrugged off.
We nearly
Liverpool of 2009/2010-2012/2013'd when Sakho and Lovren both went for the header against Adebayor, only to lose the duel and set Chadli through. Luckily for us he didn't go to his left and Mignolet made a breathtaking, arguably game changing save. [*Edit: Looking at the numbers this, on the 42nd minute, was Tottenham's first shot on goal in the game].
Our second came almost immediately in the second. Sturridge had a relatively non-threatening ball on the left. Dier had him closed down and would've gotten the job done had Lamela's covering not been of the "Jesus is coming, look busy" kind. If you watch it again instead of closing Sturridge down he comes in with his feet flying first one, then the other as if he's blocking a cross that's never coming. It was another opportunity that Spurs created for themselves. They had a 3v2 against Sturridge and Allen. Instead of boxing them out they go at it like kids, so that before Allen touches the ball Dier, Lamela and (think it's Capoue?) all turn to face Sturridge facing away from goal. Allen turns, Dier unbelievably stupidly throws his hand in vain, catches Allen and the softest but self-inflicted of penalties is given, aided by the fact that Lamela stands square in front of the referee. But on that note kudos to Allen for being cunning enough to take the tumble because let's face it, no one thinks he's devious enough to fake it! Up steps Gerrard and well, he doesn't miss those does he? [No doubt helped immensely by my ritual of closing my eyes, biting my knuckles and squealing like a stuck pig] It's game over at that point and Spurs are in damage control mode rather than vendetta.
After that game goes into auto-pilot. We let them pass it amongst themselves, only pushing up when they start passing with intent. We closed them down easily as Gerrard took it a notch above, pressing up higher than before and more confidently. Sakho and Lovren grew into the game as both of them seemed to realise "hang on a minute, that's not Martin Skrtel/Kolo Toure!" and Gerrard felt less inclined and less responsible to hold their hands. His free reign let them meet the ball more effectively and allowed Gerrard to sway out of the way of Adebayor and Chadli, charged with closing him down.
Then came the third goal. I mean what a fucking goal it was, for so many reasons. It's easily goal of the season contender for us. It had everything you'd want in a memorable goal. It's the new guy. It's the new Tottenham tradition of coming off the bench to set up a Liverpool goal down the left, scored at the far post. It was the fucking
FULL BACK. Moreno had drive, determination and technique to pull it off. It had Balotelli going at their backline shitting themselves that they let him score. It had Moreno outrunning the literally-all-he-has-is-pace winger Townsend. It had the "if I make a slide challenge it makes it look like I'm trying, right?" tackle from Dembele. It's off the frame of the goal a la Flanagan (and how thoroughly enjoyable is it to be able to use that as a phrase!) as Moreno runs over to the traveling fans. Then there was the celebration huddle. Gerrard and Lovren sprinting Rocky & Apollo Creed in Rocky III. Gerrard jumping on the group like an Arbeloa on steroids and Lovren shouting so loud it made the captain deaf for 14 minutes.
IT. WAS. BEAUTIFUL.
It also signaled the end of the game as a contest. We took off Balotelli for Markovic, (squad depth anyone
) and Allen for Can. I thought Allen was very good in the game and played his part really well. A combination of his yellow card and stress free minutes for Can meant his inevitable departure. There were a few chances. Lovren's header from a Gerrard corner. The
amazing dribble from Sterling after Can bulldozed past Dembele and the rest of the Spurs midfield as Sterling went past the entire Tottenham defence before being so shocked at the ease of it that it snapped his concentration and he passed it into Lloris' arms for consolation. Sturridge created 2 chances for himself with amazing footwork. If he finds a way to connect with his right foot like van Persie did in his final Arsenal season, he'll break 40 goals in a season.
This was as close to a complete job as you'd want. We did everything we had to. We finished off a team that media and so-proclaimed experts had tipped to push us for a CL spot with relative ease. We could've conceded twice to individual mistakes and we could've scored six. 0-3 was just as convincing and fair as a 2-6 would've been, only without heading into the international break on a clean sheet with the next game at home. We set up perfectly based on the players we had, what we had on the bench. In addition to those who featured we have Lallana, Coutinho, Lambert and in theory Suso. This was a typical performance from a Brendan Rodgers team in his 100th game as Liverpool manager - the best is yet to come.
All in all there's so much more to say about this game but I'll settle for an old adage that sums up today's game; "Can we play you every week?"
P.S. That guy that's totally past it because the first Liverpool player ever to score in 16 consecutive seasons for the club and is now the club's all time penalty scorer, beating Jan Molby's 42.