In a week where Roy Hodgson selected his England squad and Premier League managers offered international coaches to injure their players as they saw fit, the England manager decided to replace Luke Shaw with a defender who does everything but defend—Danny Rose. Daniel Sturridge was set to risk the wrath of Hodgson’s hamstring-destroying abilities, until a phantom ‘hip’ injury ruled him out of England’s matches. Fraser Forster may well have decided to avoid Hodgson’s injury-causing training by injuring himself in Southampton’s match against Burnley.
Meanwhile at Liverpool, the feeling of “what might have been?” still lingers large around the club.
On a day where Steven Gerrard could have placed his beloved Liverpool side in pole position for Champions League football, and at a time in the season where Martin Skrtel is needed for the big matches against Arsenal and many others, everything went south.
Liverpool ended up losing a crucial game at home to Manchester United, losing Steven Gerrard to a red card (38 seconds into the second half), and they will also have to play the next three matches without Skrtel after he was charged with violent conduct by the FA for a stamp. Liverpool definitely put their foot in their mouth.
The tactics employed by Louis Van Gaal’s United side were very effective. Manchester United utilized a high-pressure type system that was very reminiscent of Liverpool’s own style. There was an evident disconnect between Liverpool’s midfield and attack. Every time Joe Allen or Jordan Henderson received the ball at midfield, they were pressured swiftly. Liverpool were outmanned in the middle of the park.
The likes of Ander Herrera, Juan Mata, and Michael Carrick overpowered and out-muscled Allen and Henderson, and created a disconnect for Liverpool’s supply. Brendan Rodgers made an intelligent decision to put in the experienced presence of Steven Gerrard. The extra body, as well as Gerrard’s passing and tackling abilities, would definitely have got possession back for Liverpool and perhaps created more chances for the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Raheem Sterling and Sturridge.
Brendan Rodgers made the appropriate move: a change which would have resulted in Liverpool having more of the ball. Having Gerrard, Allen, Henderson and Coutinho to counter the United midfielders in the centre of the park would have changed Liverpool from being the team unable to make a simple pass to owning the ball. Furthermore, they would have outnumbered United four to three in the middle of the park.
If it hadn’t been for Steven Gerrard’s red card and Liverpool had had the ball, there is no way Phil Jones or Chris Smalling would’ve stood a chance against Liverpool’s pacey attackers. Liverpool hadn’t even had much time in the attacking third when Jones had already been booked. Smalling has been the model of inconsistency and mediocrity since entering the Manchester United first team—Liverpool scored their first shot on goal on Sunday, enough to tell you what might have been.
However, Gerrard was sent off, and United did a phenomenal job in pressuring Liverpool into coughing up possession.
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