Brendan Rodgers first game in charge of Liverpool ended
with victory, but FC Gomel of Belarus did not make it easy for the Reds.
Despite controlling large chunks of the game and creating many chances, Gomel
struggled to convert anything past Brad Jones in goal. Instead it was Liverpool
who will take a slender lead back to Anfield next Thursday thanks to a 30-yard
belter from Stewart Downing – a sight Liverpool fans will be hoping to see a
lot more of this coming season.
Rodgers went with a stronger line-up than what most fans
had been expecting, but a lack of cohesion meant a deeply frustrating first
half, with Joe Cole being forced off injured the main incident from a Liverpool
point of view. Gomel, on the other hand, created numerous half-chances and was
unfortunate not to go into the break with at least a one goal advantage.
Russian striker Aleksandr Alumona caused center-backs
Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel all sorts of problems with his pace, perseverance
and trickery. The entire back line struggled, with full-backs Glen Johnson and
Jose Enrique looking shaky and short of match sharpness. Aussie keeper Jones
was forced into making a couple of decent saves and needed to claim some
difficult crosses to bail his defenders out. Martin Kelly replaced Johnson had
half-time, which was probably a good idea while both players are attempting to
build up their pre-season stamina and sharpness after joining the squad late
due to England duty.
The going got somewhat easier in the second half as
Liverpool managed to get hold of the ball a bit better and began relaxing in
possession. A hoofed clearance up field was a far too common appearance during
the dismal first half. The central midfield trio of Steven Gerrard, Jay
Spearing and Jordan Henderson lacked proper communication and all three seemed
slightly dumbfounded as to what role in the team they were meant to be playing.
Gerrard would drop deep to collect the ball, Spearing would try over the top
through balls, and Henderson found himself in a box-to-box role, constantly
running back to defend only to work his socks off in an attempt to kick start
an attack.
Lucas replaced Henderson just after the hour mark and
Liverpool immediately looked to have more of a grip on the game. With two
defensive midfielders sitting back and breaking up Gomel attacks, it gave
Gerrard the license to roam the field and not worry about his defensive
responsibilities. This gave the entire team a better balance as Liverpool
looked more likely to score in the final 20 minutes than they had all game.
Rodgers put his faith in new signing Fabio Borini as well
as under-fire England duo Cole and Downing to make something happen in the
final third. Unfortunately Cole’s night was cut short when he pulled up with an
injury in the 23rd minute, with 17-year-old Raheem Sterling coming
on as his replacement.
Borini was the only real bright spark during a dire hour
of football, constantly looking pro-active, hassling the entire Gomel back line
and making positive runs between the defense and the goalkeeper every chance he
got. Downing looked listless prior to his stunning strike. He was often found
out of position, usually in central midfield, and he was apprehensive to taking
his man on – something which should be bread and butter for a winger.
Sterling, despite his tender age, showed great maturity
when performing his defensive duties, and he gave the Gomel right-back a torrid
time with his pace and directness with the ball. He is still a consistent final
ball off from becoming a real first team regular, but at 17 all the signs are
pointing in the right direction.
A pretty abysmal performance, but in fairness to Rodgers
these Europa League and Champions League qualifiers out in an obscure Eastern
European country is something Roy Hodgson struggled with, and something Rafael
Benitez struggled with on a regular basis. It is far too early to judge the
work Rodgers has done with the Liverpool squad, and most fans will expect to
see an entirely different and far more commanding performance at Anfield this
coming Thursday.
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