Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion A Liverpool Perspective
A dreadful first half performance, followed by a much improved second half performance which was enough for a comfortable win in the end. I just hope that Slot’s perseverance with Mac Allister will either pay off or be ended before it costs him. Right now, the midfield combination is really not working, with Gravenberch having to cover far too much ground most of the time and is given little help defensively. The times it makes sense are when one or either full-back is inverting to help out at the base of midfield, then it gives Mac Allister that bit more freedom to get forward and play where he is useful. The problem is that Mac Allister is not adapting his game to circumstance and holding back when there is no cover in midfield to allow him to attack. Right now, it feels like the best thing to do would be to drop him altogether, while Jones is fit and playing well, though it is unlikely he can manage to play every game.
One thing that particularly stood out about about the game were the similarities with the games against Nottingham Forest. Brighton had clearly taken cues from that game and set out to try and bully Liverpool in midfield, just like Forest did. Like the Forest game, Mac Allister did fail the challenge in the first half, but he did come out much stronger in the second half, as did the whole team. Brighton were simply just not as good as Forest and unable to capitalise on the lead they had gained. Where Forest were always a genuine threat on the break, with widemen able to offer an end product, whereas Brighton lacked the same threat from their wingers. In fact, they were very well dealt with by the defence, in the main. I did like that Slot learnt from the defeat by Forest and set out to win the midfield battle in the second half, bringing on Endo once a lead was taken, to help hold onto it.
I know there is a bit of discontent on the Liverpool site with the way Slot chooses to revert to his more controlled way of playing as soon as the team takes the lead, I have even seen someone say it “is not the Liverpool way”. Clearly they have no idea what Liverpool’s success of the 1970s and 1980s was built upon! Back then, Liverpool played an even more controlled and slower way of playing. The ‘Liverpool way’, and in fact the sole reason Liverpool were created, was to win things. Clearly the Anfield crowd appreciate that as well, as they were excellent and created a very good atmosphere for this game, driving the players on. It was great to hear and made the game even more exciting to watch.
I have to also say well done to the referee, who tried to let the game flow as much as possible and allowed a lot more physicality than is usual in the modern era – I really enjoyed that he allowed players to actually tackle and not give a foul because someone brushed past someone else and messed up their new hairdo in the process. Football is so much better when it is a contact sport! Even when we were terrible in the first half, I still found myself really enjoying the match. I really hope he is commended for his performance and asked to continue in this vein. Even more so, I hope the other refs take notice of this and try and follow suit.
Brighton & Hove Albion
I have to admit, I found the hyperbole over their performance in the first half way over the top. The commentators on the stream I watched were talking about how brilliant they were, which I thought was complete nonsense. They created very little, almost everything good came as a result of loose passes in dangerous areas from Liverpool players, giving it away under little or no pressure. If those poor passes had been because of good pressing, then I could understand the hype, but as they were contributing little to force bad passes, it feels odd to give them so much credit. Especially as they were very easily opened up at the back when Liverpool did manage to string any passes together. The one time BHA did manage to put together a good move, they scored from it, which I think fooled the commentators into thinking they were “brilliant”. If they had been as good as was being made out, they would have created much more and could have easily run up a cricket score against a Liverpool team that were, at times, helping them. They were still clearly the better team in the first half, just that it was as much down to Liverpool being poor as it was to anything they were doing well.
Personally, I was a little disappointed with the Seagulls, they had a team at their mercy and yet were unable to really put pressure on them. Tactically they were decent on the ball, constantly overloading wide areas, looking to exploit the gaps left by Mac Allister usually being too busy rolling around pretending to be hurt to even try to get back and help Gravenberch out. They struggled to make the most of the overloads as both Liverpool full-backs had a solid defensive game, a lot of their attacks either broke down or ended with a shot from the edge of the box. They just needed to make that one more pass or hold possession, but they were handing over possession too easily.
That left Welbeck mostly reduced to chances from free-kicks, when he was often in place to receive a ball in the box, where his good touch is likely to have enabled him to take good control of the ball and create a chance or make Liverpool risk giving away a penalty. Once Liverpool improved in the second half, they had little real answer other than hopeful balls to their wingers, in the hope that their pace would make something happen. Once Liverpool took the lead and settled back again, they had a chance to fire back, but all the changes left their side unsettled and disjointed. Instead of looking to build up and overload one wing, it was lacking in any real tactical plan that could be made out, as the players did not seem to know for sure what they were doing due to all the changes. Brighton are just missing that bit of quality to allow them to step up and compete at the next level. They are good on the ball, but the decision making in dangerous areas is poor and their wingers have pace but lack end product.
Liverpool
Kelleher – really needs to work on the accuracy of his longer passes, as he is often closed down and needs to play it further forward when the opposition are pressing well, but you can almost guarantee the ball will go nowhere near a team-mate if kicked more than about 20 yards. That is a major weakness for a team that wants to be able to pass it around at the back under pressure.
Alexander-Arnold – defensively solid, dealt very well with a tricky customer in Mitoma, allowing him very little chance to really attack the box. Unfortunately, his work on the ball was nowhere near the same level. His passing was mostly terrible and his deadball delivery was not at its usual level.
Konate – once again he was playing well defensively before picking up an injury on the stroke of half-time. Losing him would be a big blow, as he has been having an excellent season and showing signs of maturing into a great defender. Just a bit of bad luck, not a pull or strain, as he had so often been prone to in the past, hopefully that is a good sign for the future and that he is over his regular niggly injuries.
van Dijk – he has very much become the leader of this group since taking over the captaincy. Even when not playing at his best, his presence is very important to the team.
Tsimikas – mostly very good, looks like he has now moved ahead of Robertson in the pecking order. However, he did make a major mistake on the Brighton goal, positioning himself to cover an overlapping run, when there was no one outside of the player on the ball, and so failing to close down and put the player on the ball under pressure. That was a lack of awareness as he just ran across, rather than towards the guy about to shoot. It might have made no difference, but putting the player under pressure makes it a more difficult shot to take.
Gravenberch – once again he was left fighting fires, trying to be everywhere at once as he got little help from his partner in midfield in the first half. He is playing well, but he needs a more solid partner alongside him than Mac Allister. Someone to help him in the defensive end.
Mac Allister – in the first half, he was utterly abysmal for almost the full 45 minutes. In between the play acting, complaining, dallying on the ball and allowing it to be taken off him and poor passes, he did show flashes of ability. Unfortunately, it was mostly followed by him taking 6 touches too many and losing the ball, then falling over in the hope of winning a free kick, rolling around on the floor leaving the team a man down until he eventually realised he was not getting a foul and then he would spend the next few minutes complaining. He did improve slightly in the second half, but his performances are becoming a real concern now and he is not offering enough in terms of controlling the play and getting forward to make up for being such a weak link defensively. He was lucky to come out for the second half. I think it is time to accept that it is not going to work playing him in the deeper position and giving him Endo’s minutes, at most, and not in the deep-lying position. In fact, I think I would prefer to see Morton given a chance over Mac Allister playing like this. It is not a lack of effort, at least in my opinion it is not, it is just that he is channelling it in the wrong way.
Szoboszlai – while he is still not at his best on the ball, his work off the ball and defensive responsibility is key to Liverpool’s good form. If he can refind his form, added to his exceptional workrate, then Liverpool will go up a level.
Nunez – he links the play up so well, gets back and helps defend, particularly after the changes had meant Liverpool were essentially playing with four forwards for a short period. He does need some better service though.
Salah – not at his best, but still pops up with a cracking goal when needed. Probably should have scored earlier after breaking through to face the keeper one-on-one though, but who can complain when he wins the match for you?
Gakpo – a good game for Gakpo, he is a constant menace with pace and power on the ball. He lacks Diaz’s skill and trickery, but he is much more direct and that can often be enough.
Gomez – replaced the injured Konate at half-time. He was excellent, very solid defensively and could have added a couple of goals. It is little wonder the Kop were chanting his name at the end. To have played so little football this season and then just step up like that is extremely impressive. While I did say losing Konate would be a big blow, if he continues to play like this, it would be less of a blow and more of a tickle with a feather.
Jones – came on for Mac Allister in 66th minute. Immediately the midfield looked much better for his arrival, despite Szoboszlai going off and being replaced with a forward. Jones, despite having a similar tendency to Mac Allister of wanting too many touches, is much more defensively responsible and better at protecting the ball when under pressure.
Diaz – took Szoboszlai’s place in the 66th minute. Is facing a major battle to keep himself in the team and is showing a real desire and willingness to earn that place. I have been very impressed with him this season and he caused Brighton problems every time he got the ball.
Endo – was brought on in place of Nunez in the 77th minute. In a match like this, with the referee allowing both teams to be physical and make proper challenges for the ball, he was an ideal player to bring on and shore up the midfield once the lead was taken. It was so good to see him getting a few more minutes than usual as well.
Bradley – substituted in for Salah in the 91st minute. Had very little time to do much.
Written by Tris Burke November 05 2024 06:57:25
