Sunday, 17 August 2014

LIVERPOOL vs. SOUTHAMPTON
2-1
Sunday 17th August 2014

When the draw was made this game stood out as having the potential to be the tie of the opening weekend. Not only are they the two overachieving teams of last season, but Liverpool and Southampton have been in almost constant negotiations ever since the final day of the 2013/14 league in May. Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren have all moved to the north-west, and this was Southampton's opportunity to prove that, despite losing their manager to Spurs, and a quite extraordinary exodus of their top players, they could still cause the big teams trouble. 



Liverpool came away with spoils after a late strike by Daniel Sturridge won it, with goals coming from Raheem Sterling in the first half, and the Saints' equaliser via Nathaniel Clyne early in the second. It was a performance to be proud of for the side from the south coast, though, as new manager Ronald Koeman nearly inspired Southampton to a surprise victory at Anfield. 

THE SYSTEMS

Both sides turned out in very fluid 4-3-3 formations which changed shape throughout the game, according to match scenario, pressure and possession. Liverpool's was particularly interesting, as Brendan Rodgers' confidence in his midfield three of Gerrard, Lucas and Henderson shone through in their positional play. In possession, captain Steven Gerrard would roam the field, finding space in deep areas to provide options for the back four to pass into while also joining the attack when opportunity allowed. The fluidity was best on show, though, when Liverpool moved forward as a team. 

The front three of Coutinho, Sterling and Sturridge all played relatively free roles and gave trouble to the Southampton back line by switching marker and running an incredible range of angles. On top of this, Liverpool always committed an additional player from their midfield three, which demanded impressive discipline from the remaining two. When Henderson stepped forward, Gerrard and Lucas held back, when Gerrard moved up, Henderson retreated, and so on. With wide threats constantly posed by Glen Johnson and new signing Javier Manquillo, Rodgers had obviously made it clear that the holding pair needed to be able to provide adequate cover for the defence, should the Saints have broken free. 
In the early exchanges Southampton were given two clear warnings that the Liverpool forwards were always looking to get in behind, with Sturridge almost finding Sterling in the 7th minute, and Gerrard coming within inches of picking out Sturridge in the 9th. Southampton's notorious pressing game from last year was not in effect, and it showed. With very little pressure on the ball around the halfway line they were hoping that they could build fast counters around the pace of Ward-Prowse and new boy Dušan Tadić. But this meant that the Liverpool playmakers always had time to pick their pass, and, as expected, Henderson set up Sterling with an immaculate through ball on the 23 minute mark. 

The Southampton system was not dissimilar, but, perhaps because of the recent coming together of the squad and manager, for the opening 45 minutes they simply were not as well drilled. The midfield three were often over committed in attack and the forward thinking full back pairing of Clyne and Bertrand were often caught out by the ever chopping and changing Liverpool front four. Likewise, while the excellent Victor Wanyama showed the discipline to hold his position in front of the back line, his midfield cohorts Schneiderlin and Davis were too often pressing forward and not willing, or not fit enough, to get back in time with the Merseyside team's attacking onrush. That all seemed to change after the break as, in the second period, the holes tightened up and Wanyama was supported more fiercely by Davis in the middle of the park. After Clyne's goal, set up by a beautiful backheel from the exciting Tadić, Liverpool became guilty of over-committing themselves and, for long spells in the second half, the Saints looked the more likely to nick it. Joe Allen replaced Lucas and holes began to appear in the Liverpool midfield before both teams switched to a 4-4-2 with Shane Long replacing Tadić and Lambert making his Liverpool debut in place of Coutinho, who saw little of the ball once Wanyama began to man mark him. This was telling as Lambert's physicality forced Southampton deeper when challenging for aerial balls, and it was this that allowed Sturridge to stay onside and finish the game in the 79th minute with a simple close range finish. 

THE MOMENT

Southampton gave a performance full of grit and determination and were unlucky to come away from Anfield empty handed, and no player deserved a point or three for his performance more than the fantastic Victor Wanyama. He drew far too much praise from the commentary team to be today's Unsung Hero, but his challenge on Steven Gerrard in the 37th minute after Forster had gambled on leaving his box and given the ball straight to the Liverpool legend, couldn't be left unmentioned. 



With Liverpool already a goal to the good and Southampton's lines stretched in search of an equaliser, gifting Gerrard a goal on the verge of halftime could have signaled the end of the game as a contest. Instead this perfectly timed challenge was the start of an attacking move from the away side, and allowed them to go in at the break with the game still within touching distance. 

UNSUNG HERO
Not an easy choice in this game by any stretch but, for pure positional awareness and defensive discipline, Liverpool's holding midfielder Lucas is today's Unsung Hero. 



While some Liverpool fans took to Twitter to lament his starting berth in the side, Lucas went about his business confidently and quietly and allowed Gerrard and Henderson to take turns moving into the attacking third of the pitch. He also worked hard to cover for Glen Johnson when the full back charged forward, taking up excellent positions that forced Southampton counters to slow, and giving the Reds time to regroup at the back. Having been replaced after an hour by Joe Allen, Lucas was missed in the final thirty minutes and the gaps that opened up in his place could have allowed Southampton, on another day, to snatch the points.

By Robbie Brown

NEXT TIME
That wraps up the first full weekend of League fixtures with only Chelsea and Burnley left to play tomorrow. We are now looking forward to next week's clash between Everton and Arsenal on Saturday evening in the forthcoming edition of Unsung Analysis. 


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