Written by kirsikka
*** Warning: This may descend into a polemic about PL football officials. If you don’t want to read that, then skip what’s below ***
AFCB had never won at Anfield in nine meetings, with the last ending 9-0. Could the nine goals on the ninth attempt have broken the hoodoo?
AI pulled a surprise, preferring to keep the industry of Anthony in the starting XI despite his struggles last week. Meanwhile, Semenyo’s impressive cameo earned him a starting spot at the expense of Brooks. AS making an argument for players not needing preseason matches at all!
Onto the match. A first-minute offside call after Anthony finished off a long ball was a sign of intent. We didn’t let up and kept pushing up against them, Billing like lightning on some sloppy control and Semenyo fired in the goal after Solanke lost it. Midas touch stuff from AI with that selection?
The old set piece weaknesses showed their head again. Just in the first half:
1 – Free header from a corner for Van Dijk after Zabarnyi lost him which hit the woodwork
2 – Another free header for Van Dijk after Zabarnyi lost him again, this time it went wide.
3 – Guess what? Yet another free header, this time for Konate after Semenyo lost him.
There was no sign that we’ve resolved the problems of last season as Liverpool really should have scored one of those. Whilst I understand if we give away fewer set pieces we’ll concede less, we still look really poor in the way we set up and the way individuals do their jobs within that.
It has to be our coaching as the above players only joined in January, long after the weakness manifested. The fact that with over £100m spent we haven’t paid to bring in a specialist set piece coach with expert knowledge seems criminal. I railed about many a time last season. Looks like you might need to get ready to be bored with more of the same from me this season.
Early on the high press was causing them all sorts of trouble. Anthony nearly stole in again only to be completely taken out by Alisson who was lucky to escape with a yellow. I wonder what would have happened at the other end…
I asked last week if the reffing would be completely different for our defenders against Liverpool compared to the leniency West Ham enjoyed at Dean Court where they were allowed to roughhouse us without fear of yellow cards. It’s the new directions for refs, right?
I feared it would be completely different if we did anything physical away against one of the special clubs, and so it turned out. Semenyo was booked for the first defensive foul early on and then Anthony was booked for his first foul (a free kick from which they scored). Neither challenge was especially bad in the context of seven days ago. However, the ref was sending the message that, as expected, the new rules are there to help the big clubs in yet another way. So tiresome, and will prove over the season another reason to dislike life in the PL. I miss the Championship already.
As the half went on, the energy seemed to drain from the press and we looked far less effective. We didn’t have the same effervescence in the press. This is where we needed a leader on the pitch to gee people up. If nobody today was ready to do it, are they leaving a space for someone else to fill when injuries start to clear? Somebody may regret being so passive when watching from the sidelines in future weeks.
The equaliser came from the lack of a fit sitting midfielder. A Liverpool player broke the lines near the area and Rothwell was wandering around in the middle, nowhere near covering the run a player more naturally suited to that position may have sniffed out. This forced Kerkez up to close the ball, opening up the space out wide for the cross to come in from which they scored. Would also like to see it again so I could see where JA, since MK was so isolated.
Then the penalty. Again Rothwell not in his natural position and makes a clumsy challenge in a pointless area. Naturally, the ref couldn’t give it fast enough. (Note: still no Premier League penalty for AFCB nearing 50 games now…) Neto was unlucky on the pen, although the ref did rush to take the opportunity to book him. No consistency with last week again. I’ll keep mentioning it because if we don’t, who will? Definitely not the media or the pundits.
We can’t really blame Rothwell for the goal last week and the first two today, it isn’t his game to play that role, but that’s three goals conceded in two games you could probably put at least partially at his feet. Or, more accurately, at the feet of not having a fit midfielder to play the role.
Second half it was a tough fifteen minutes before the ref gave a softish red card for Gary McAllister, who understandably mistimed a challenge having slowed down given his age. It’s a strange one as I can see why the ref gave it but I’d be annoyed if it was given against us. I could be wrong, but I think that’s the first time we’ve ever got a debatable decision against Liverpool go our way, compared with the many, many, many they’ve been given down the years.
Given the opening into the game this gave us, it was disappointing to concede almost immediately after. Yet more poor defending from Zabarnyi who let his man wander away from him to follow up on a saved shot.
It was still an opportunity for AI to show us what he’s made of. Unleash the hounds and chase the game with a numerical advantage.
I’ll be honest, we huffed and puffed a bit but didn’t look all that effective. Moore and Kluivert are among those missing good chances.
Still worth bearing in mind that these aren’t the games upon which our season will be decided. There were a few incipient signs of some interesting patterns out there but still a lot of work to be done.
Man of the match against Liverpool
Neto
Semenyo
Kerkez
Zabarnyi
Senesi
Someone else
Semenyo – Anthony mocked his PL goal last season in a recent AFCBtv video for being a scuffed shot. Today’s was as clean a strike as you could hope for. Brilliant riposte! When he got his head of steam up, he seemed to scare the Liverpool defenders, who struggled to cope. Not sure about his crossing which is why I’d still like to see him tried in a central role.
Senesi – Mostly strong defensively and put himself about well.
Traore – Cameo sub that could be argued was as impactful as Semenyo last week. Looked out best player during those minutes and was very unlucky not to score, denied by an excellent save. Will that get him a start next week?
Room For Improvement
Solanke – Workhorse he may be but nothing was sticking with him again this week, similar to much of last week.
Zabarnyi – His defending on corners was shocking and the third goal was him not keeping track of his man. Mepham played well last season so IZ shouldn’t assume his Football Manager wonderkid status means he can’t be dropped.
Anthony – Caught offside more than once when he could see right along the line. Unlike Semenyo, he didn’t offer a threat apart from when the press was in full effect. Surprised to see him start the first two games, and still not sure why he has either.
AI Watch
First things first. The reffing protection the Liverpool players got today was absolutely ridiculous compared to what was allowed to slide last week. It makes a mockery of the game. I’m happy to go with more robust challenges being allowed, as long as it’s consistent. It clearly isn’t. Not even remotely.
Sadly, it isn’t really a surprise this is the way the refs are going to do it either. We’ve already seen how they use VAR to protect the big clubs, this is going to be another route. It’s stuff like this that annoys me so much. We can’t do much about the way the big clubs have engineered the league and competitions to slant in their favour through prize money, but the refs should be a neutral force. They simply aren’t.
No doubt glowing red spittled flecked Liverpool supporting faces will be ranting at this point about the red card. One decision against you compared with every other 50-50… no, make that 40-60… in a game doesn’t even things up. In fact, make that one decision in 13 PL fixtures.
Onto AI and the match. We came out to take the game to them and gave them a scare. The encouragement I’m taking is that if we’d have had a fit midfielder to play the role into which we forced Rothwell then it would have been a much more interesting day. As it is, the paucity of resources was shown by the desperate measure of pushing Senesi into that position in a last throw of the dice.
The sad fact is, even with ten men Liverpool still looked far more likely to score. It wasn’t that impressive. It felt like we deflated after the equaliser and never got it back. On pitch leadership is desperately needed along with a way to get in the player’s heads mid-match from AI. The latter was something GON did well at times last season so they are a group that can respond to the right words.
More of that early snapping and bite and we’ll cause a lot of teams problems this season. More of what followed the equaliser and we’ll struggle. Far too early to draw too many conclusions but the most important things we need to work on in the coming days are set piece defending, keeping up the intensity, and the physios getting some players fit.
Overall? A bit flat. Started like an exciting chaos engine but finished like a shareware game.
BilbaoCherry said…
AFCB not clinical enough in either box. At least two Liverpool goals are Bournemouth mistakes. One of the Billing and Kieffer chances should’ve gone in.
Solid performance for the most part, but still a lot of room for improvement.
Another Rothwell mistake costing points; he’s a good player, but needs to play the 8 position.
Hoping Adams will be fit soon.
Aarons is a top signing. – To join the conversation, click here.
Gary McAllister retired 20+ years ago
Totally agree with your assessment of ref – you left out the penalty that wasn’t given at 1 – 0 that looked less soft than the one they gave to Liverpool- maybe solanke and the team needed to be more animated and louder at the ref and risk a yellow…