Liverpool looking tired and desperate at St Mary’s

A night on the south coast at in form Southampton, whilst always a difficult trip, seemed a perfect opportunity for Liverpool to redeem themselves for their recent form.

However, a night under the lights at St Mary’s turned into a 35th birthday to forget for James Milner who saw his team struggle to get back into the game after a second minute lob from Danny Ings put Southampton ahead.

Despite dominating possession in the second half and addressing the lethargic attitude shown in the first, Liverpool’s performance was poor all round. Despite dominating possession, they never looked likely to get back in to the game. Accuracy was missing. Certainty was missing. Mentality was missing. Shots on goal were missing.

---

Henderson at centre back:

Before the game, when the line-up was announced, I like many others was initially pleased seeing our captain Jordan Henderson placed at the back as a makeshift centre back pairing for Fabinho.

Whilst both naturally CDMs, our two young centre back options, Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips have both looked shaky or late. In my mind, Rhys seemed too weak for a physical side like Southampton, and Nat seemed too accident-prone.

What did leave me uncertain however, was Jürgen Klopp’s pre-match comments. He himself seemed uncertain of the decision. Unsure if the right choice had been made. This uncertainty from the boss left an apprehensive aftertaste that I struggled to shake. Was his apprehension well-founded? Why was he doing it if he wasn’t sure?

With Klopp’s message before the game still fresh in my mind, I wasn’t surprised to see Liverpool go one – nil down so quickly. Upon reflection, I was right to be nervous about this line-up. Not because Henderson can’t play there, but because everyone else can’t do their job elsewhere.

Having said that, there is a clear argument to be had that lack of confidence at CB could have been to blame for the goal. As noted by pundit Jamie Carragher at half time [Sky Sports] Henderson’s uncertainty in defence meant he called over fellow midfielder Gini Wijnaldum for support with marking despite having plenty of back-up behind him. Moving Wijnaldum away from the middle left Saints talisman Ings with no one behind him. Subsequently Ings had the space to turn and get his looping shot away.

However, that goal was in the 2nd minute, we had another 88 in which to score. Another 88 to use our prowess from last season effectively, but we didn’t. So the blame lay far from Henderson’s door for an error in marking.

For the rest of the game, just as he always does, our chameleon-like captain, filled in positively and did a relatively stable job in a position he’s not used to playing: but Hendo was missed in middle. Something I didn’t think I’d see myself saying when the Liverpool midfield included the ever reliable Gini Wijnaldum, and the much anticipated summer signing, Thiago Alcantara.

---

Illusive Thiago:

Thiago was a shadow of the version of himself he showed at St James’ Park. In the 20 minutes he played verses Newcastle, Thiago was potent and had a clear impact on the team. The 20 minutes shown there were laden with quality. More than he showed in the whole 90 minutes he played at St Mary’s. His quality was especially lacking in the first half. The difficulty faced by Thiago against Southampton seemed similar to that of Timo Werner’s self-confessed struggle at Chelsea; uncertainty over how to adapt to such a physical league. He was continuously knocked off the ball, collapsing softly and played exceptionally passively. Much like the style of play displayed by Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham – and the opposite of the style of play expressed by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool – Thiago frequently turned back on himself, hoping for the back pass or defensive reinforcement, but constantly turned into trouble and allowed himself to be pushed off the ball. His yellow card for dissent in the second minute may go somewhere to explaining his lack of physical retaliation, but his drop-the-shoulder-turn-and-try-to-slow-down-the-pace is just not conducive with Liverpool’s current style of play.

---

Strikers slump in form:

Despite the disappointing performance from Thiago, he does need to be given a chance to adapt and become a ‘Kloppite’. What was more disappointing *yet again* was the poor form of Liverpool’s front three: Mohammed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané.

Over the last two seasons, these three have been on fire and revered worldwide. Yet in the more recent past, all three have been lacking somewhat as if something isn’t quite working as it should be in their usually well-oiled machine. It is seeming that this season it is impossible to have a game where all three are clicking together, or even where all three are firing on all cylinders individually. It is becoming impossible to have a game where one or the other hasn’t been underwhelming, lacklustre. Even before end of last season, something was dropping off and I can’t be sure what it is that’s missing.

---

Last night, Sadio Mané was the most threatening of the three, linking fluidly with Andy Robertson on occasion in the second half. Despite this, he was largely controlled by Kyle Walker-Peters who is flourishing under Ralph Hassenhuttl. Mané was fed the ball multiple times but was uncertain where to play next. This then led to him playing every ball way too close to feet in a tightly congested area meaning that things didn’t progress and possession was often lost.

---

Despite the frustration caused by Mane’s lack of passing into space, more frustrating was perhaps the absence of Mohammed Salah. Salah it would seem is sometimes present, sometimes absent in a game. Last night he chose absent. It is perhaps telling that our biggest away win of the season (7-0 at Crystal Palace) was a game in which Salah didn’t start. A game in which he had to work hard to prove himself when he was substituted on to the field.

---

Although he has garnered a lot of criticism, I still rate Bobby Firmino. He works incredibly hard and does more, just tucked in behind the other two, to create passages of play than people realise. Having said that, his finishing was no where Premier League standard last night. He missed the target multiple times at St Mary’s, both with his head and with his feet, leaving Reds fans frustrated and desperate for the return of injured Diogo Jota.

---

Missing VVD?

When Virgil Van Dijk got injured, I was of course, like many fans, disappointed. However, before now, his absence wasn’t bothering me. I wasn’t sure the plethora of articles on how much he’d be missed were necessary. Fabinho has done a sterling job in defence. However after last nights poor show, I’m starting to realise the impact of his absence.

---

Alexander-Arnold Analysis:

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s wasteful performance on the south coast made me consider the role both him and Andy Robertson had in our performances last season. At first I thought, is it that TAA has been distracted for a few months? Has he got something else is going on? But then I started to think, is it because it’s all always been so easy for him? Have we put him on a pedestal too early and let the confidence go to his head? Is he going to be a one-and-a-half-season-wonder because we, as a fan base, have hyped him up too much?

---

However, upon reflection and stepping away from the emotional rollercoaster a defeat can put you on, I amended my viewpoint.

Trent is desperate for success, desperate to be a Liverpool Legend, I don’t imagine he’s stopped working hard or wanting to prove himself. He’s too competitive to give up. You could see that in his frustration at being substituted. However what can also be seen is that the wing backs are lacking not only lacking confidence but lacking the freedom they’d become so used to over the last few seasons. Was this due to both Virgil Van Dijk and Joe Gomez’s reliability as a centre back pairing? Alexander-Arnold, has, in my opinion, always struggled with physicality in defence. I have said for a long time that his forward threat masks his weakness; his lack of defensive ability; his inability to out-muscle an opposing counter-part on that right hand-side. However, it’s worth considering, why is the forward threat not there to the same extent it has been before? Is the absence of a sturdy out-and-out centre back pair the reason that Liverpool’s “wingmen” are struggling to get forward in quite the same way? Now, Robertson manages this forward threat much more than Alexander-Arnold and has arguably been Liverpool’s best player this season. However, Robertson has always been faster in the sprints and much more physical – not afraid of a crunching tackle – than Alexander-Arnold has ever been. The absence of Van Dijk and Gomez is likely a reason why the two wingers aren’t tallying assists in the same way they had been previously. This however, is it an excuse: something needs to be fixed quickly as VVD and Gomez still have a long while out on the sidelines yet.

---

Disappointing come-back for Ox:

Another disappointing show came from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Although he has been missing from the squad for a while (due to injury) fans have been desperate to see him return to full fitness. He was yet another player that I expected more from when looking at the starting line-up. In the middle he seemed too relaxed, too willing to drift to the right wing and leave others controlling the middle, becoming almost invisible in the against an aggressive Saints team who were determined to ruffle a few feathers. This is a game that is never for the faint hearted, which is something Ox seems to be on occasion. It begs the question, should we have started someone more ‘heavy-metal’, someone like James Milner, someone who isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers themselves? The weakness in the middle showed as Liverpool failed to stand up to Southampton’s first half dominance which clearly knocked our confidence.

---

Return of the Shaq:

The only promising sign for LFC was the return, and notably the early return, of Xherdan Shaqiri. I was pleased that Klopp decided to change things early. He knew they needed a switch up as something wasn’t working. This is a tactic that many managers often lack the bravery to do. Despite Shaqiri not being influential enough to score or assist a goal, his presence was threatening and his return to the first team was pleasing on the eyes for Liverpool fans.

Perhaps the only positive thing to come from a dismal trip to the south coast was the return of Shaqiri, someone who I can but hope gets more game time and grows in confidence as a result. His pairing with Diogo Jota is exciting and the two could make impressive competition for the currently out-of-form front three.