Where do you even start trying to sum up the mayhem we witnessed here? The penalty shoot out was just nuts, one of the most bizarre things I can remember in all my years of going to Anfield. None of us could have predicted how that was going to unfold, especially after ‘Boro missed their first kick of the shoot out. What went before it was sadly easier to predict though, as we’ve it all before.
It feels like every time we play a lower league side in the cups the game follows a similar pattern; we go ahead, then just meander through the game not doing a great deal and allowing the opposition to hang around and slowly grow in confidence. Then they either equalise or have us right under the cosh until we eventually scrape through with a huge sigh of relief. Northampton, Reading, Mansfield, Notts County, Oldham and Bournemouth all followed a similar pattern, and those are just off the top of my head; there are probably others.
This wasn’t actually THAT bad all things considered, and I can draw several positives from the game, or at least certain aspects of it. There were a couple of things that pissed me off though, namely the way we threw away the lead right at the death for the second home game in succession, and the fact that Raheem Sterling played for two hours in a fucking league cup tie a few days before a Merseyside derby. His selection makes a mockery of the decision to rest him against Villa a couple of weeks ago. What’s that all about?
If Brendan trusted the other players more then he wouldn’t have even entertained the idea of playing Sterling in this one. It’s easy to see why he doesn’t trust them though isn’t it? Rickie Lambert is having a really tough time unfortunately, Markovic is faring little better and even Balotelli is still finding his feet and isn’t the kind of player Rodgers can hang his hat on just yet. Lallana looked sharper at the weekend but “is still in pre-season” according to his manager, so the conclusion I’d draw is that he picked Sterling because he didn’t believe we could win without him. The sad thing is he’s probably right.
Sterling’s inclusion aside, the rest of the line up made perfect sense, although I would have found room for Suso myself. More on him shortly. Generally though, players who needed games were included and those who you’d want to rest were rested. The inclusion of Jordan Rossiter in midfield was most welcome, he could easily have been handed his debut a year ago but circumstances always seemed to conspire against him (injury, international call ups and tough draws in the cups).
Still, here he was, making his first appearance at just 17 years old. And what a start he made too, side footing in from 30 yards after Lambert’s effort had rebounded into his path. The keeper made a right hash of it and should have saved it really, but it was still a composed finish as he kept his shot down and ensured he hit the target when he could easily have leathered it miles over the bar.
He played well and I can barely remember him doing anything wrong. He wasn’t particularly eye catching and certainly played within himself, but as one of the holding players in a 4-2-3-1 that was his job. Both he and Lucas (who had a fine game) performed their roles well and recycled the ball quickly to the forward players, but it just wasn’t really clicking up front. Sterling and Lallana were both looking sharp but most of Lallana’s work was out wide on the left and not in areas that were going to hurt Boro.
Lambert was not in the game at all though, his touch and passing were not at the level we’ve seen when he was playing for Southampton or England and it’s looking as though it’s all a bit too much for him at the moment. Having been granted his dream move he’s desperately trying to convince people - perhaps even himself - that he belongs here and this is not just about sentiment. He probably wants it too much as he doesn’t seem to be relaxed or confident, and the longer he goes without a goal the worse I fear it’s going to get.
I just felt bad for the fella, we can all relate to just how much this means to him and how much he wants to do well, but he was a passenger and when he was eventually substituted it almost felt like an act of kindness. Hopefully something goes his way soon and he can rediscover some form as this is becoming painful to watch.
Speaking of painful to watch, how about our set-piece defending eh? It feels like we let goals in from set-pieces every week. I know we probably don’t, but it feels like we do. Two things stand out about Boro’s equaliser. Firstly, Sakho caused it by playing an under hit pass and then handling the cross. He does this kind of thing too often and it does my fucking head in because in between these lapses he often looks the part.
Secondly, the defending of the set-piece wasn’t good at all was it? Lambert seemed to duck underneath it, Enrique went with his foot instead of his head and it was all too easy for the Boro player to nod it past Mignolet. It was just really irritating, not so much that we’d conceded but more to do with the fact we hadn’t built on the early goal and made the game safe before they got the goal. Last season we could get away with things like this because we were so lethal in attack, but now these defensive errors are killing us because we’re a bit, dare I say, toothless.
It almost got worse when a pass by their number 10 took four of our players out and a midfield runner burst through and hit the post. We were wobbling now and nothing was really happening in attack, despite the occasional flash from Sterling and the constant industry of Lallana. Balotelli came on for Lambert and had more shots in two minutes than Rickie had managed in 70. Rodgers also took Rossiter off and sent on Jordan Williams for a surprise debut.
He wouldn’t have been high on a list of under 21 players who I’d have given a chance of being involved in this game, but he did well, basically just picking up the fetching and carrying job Rossiter had been doing. For him to have been called up for this game suggests he must have been really impressing Rodgers in training, so he’s one to keep an eye on in future.
The last thing I wanted was extra time though. 90 minutes of listening to ‘Boro fans singing about scouse unemployment and Gerrard slipping over was bad enough, but to top it off I’d been breathing in some inconsiderate twat’s match farts since early in the first half. I’d had enough, but now I had to sit through another half an hour of it. Fucks sake Liverpool.
The introduction of Suso for the disappointing (and ridiculously shot shy) Markovic raised my spirits slightly though. I love Suso, he’s ace. He’s one of my favourite players actually. It saddens and baffles me that Brendan doesn’t seem to want him, as I love watching the little fella and in a few years he could be one hell of a player. He’s just never really had a chance with us and we don’t seem to know where to play him. I don’t think he’s a good fit wide in a front three, but he’s got so much ability on the ball that I’d like to see him used centrally.
I realise it’s difficult due to all the other players we have, but right now Allen and Coutinho are injured so I’d give Suso a chance either in the midfield three with Gerrard and Henderson, or on the left of the diamond if that’s how we’re playing. I even texted a couple of mates at half time in extra time, saying “Grim this, but Suso to get the winner”. It looked like he had too, we began that final period of extra time really well and were piling forward and creating chances.
Suso’s goal was a tidy right foot finish after great play by Enrique and Lallana on the left. Boro had nothing left and it looked like we might even get another as we were suddenly looking more dangerous than we had done at any point during the previous 105 minutes. Suso nearly bagged a second but the keeper made a good save, and as time ticked away you could see we were just looking to see the game out and not over commit.
I’d suggest that what happened last week against Ludogorets was foremost in Sterling’s thoughts when he gave that ball away. Last week he ran forward and was dispossessed, resulting in a goal that should have been avoided. This time he had the option to carry it forward but instead checked and attempted to pass the ball back to Sakho, clearly thinking about doing the sensible thing. Unfortunately he picked out former Red Danny Ayala, who turned and played a pass through Sakho’s legs (second time in three games he’s been megged like that with a through ball) and Kolo Toure did the rest, racing over on the cover and needlessly clattering the onrushing forward.
It marred an otherwise solid display from Toure. Some of his clearances were a little on the alehouse side, but if he doesn’t give that pen away I’d probably be saying what a good game he’d had. Like Sakho though, that one costly error ruins everything good that went before or came after.
Patrick Bamford was the player brought down for the pen and he picked himself up to bury it in the bottom corner. His celebration pissed me off, far too cocky but then he’s on loan from Chelsea so what do you expect? Prick, I’ve got his card marked.
With all the momentum with them going into the shoot out things didn’t look good for us, but when it comes to penalties it’s foolish to ever bet against us. Balotelli converted to set us on our way and Bamford’s cockiness turned to despair when his kick was saved by Mignolet. Everyone else then scored until it came to kick number five; the decisive one that would have sent us through. Up stepped Sterling, probably to the surprise of everyone inside Anfield.
I wouldn’t normally have a great deal of confidence in him as a penalty taker (he’s not always the cleanest striker of a ball) but in this case I definitely wasn’t backing him to score. His head was cabbaged after the mistake at the end of the game and I’d have preferred to see someone else taking that one. To be fair it wasn’t the worst penalty in the world, but it was at a comfortable height for any keeper who guessed the right way, and unfortunately the Boro keeper did just that.
Now it was up for grabs again and with sudden death I’m always expecting it to be over any time the team who’s up first converts their kick. We had that advantage, and every time one of our lads buried theirs I was just waiting for Mignolet to make the winning save. And every time he failed to do so.
They say there’s no pressure on keepers during shoot outs, but it depends really. I mean, in total Mignolet faced 16 penalties in this game. There has to be some pressure to save a few, surely? As it was, 14 of them went in. He only stopped one, which was basically straight at him. Is that acceptable? I guess it depends on the quality of penalties (and many of Boro’s were top drawer), but generally I’d be hoping for a better strike rate than that from my keeper.
Lucas was too judging from his reaction. When he stepped up for a second time and once again buried his kick, you could see him more or less yelling “NOW FUCKING SAVE ONE YOU, SOFT LAD! WE CAN’T KEEP DOING THIS ALL FUCKING NIGHT!!”
But on it went, and my big fear now was that Sterling might have to step up again. Thankfully it didn’t quite get to him, he’ll have been the happiest man in the stadium when the Boro lad put his wide as he was due up next. The players didn’t know what to do, they started running towards Mignolet and then seemed to realise “hang on, he only saved one”. Mignolet himself was stood there looking all sheepish too. He took a hell of a pen himself though, proper keeper’s pen that. Four step run up and then twat it as hard and low as possible.
Star man is a toss up between Enrique and Lallana. It would have been Sterling until that late blunder, but I’ll probably go with Enrique. He wasn’t faultless by any means, but he created the second goal, he defended well against a really quick and powerful opponent and he came through two hours with flying colours, which deserves credit considering how long he’s been out for.
The whole thing was mad though wasn’t it? It was hard to take in what was actually happening. It reached a point when every time Boro converted a pen there was an audible sigh around the stadium. It was like nothing else I’ve ever experienced, and the shoot out alone made me glad I’d attended this one.
I’ll remember this game for years to come. It’s one to tell the grandkids about and when I’m telling the story of this one I expect I’ll have hopefully forgotten all about the the smalltime smog monsters chanting about Gerrard and those rancid match farts from some stealth bomber in the Main Stand.
Team: Mignolet; Manquillo, Toure, Sakho, Enrique; Lucas, Rossiter (Williams); Markovic (Suso), Sterling, Lallana; Lambert (Balotelli):
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