SEAN ROGERS and Ben Johnson join Neil Atkinson to talk about Liverpool’s hard fought 1-0 win over Leicester City. They go through Klopp’s approach to the game and how it differed to previous encounters, they look at how Henderson and Can functioned and how Liverpool kept Mahrez out of the game.
On the agenda –
Manager’s selection and approach against Leicester
– Faced them up with a fluid 442, but with a few important tweaks.
– Liverpool clearly more direct than usual.
– The Red’s winning most of the important battles.
What worked well?
– Henderson and Emre Can covering tons of grass with lots of interchange.
– Targeting, controlling and dominating the wide areas
– Henderson given the responsibility of holding everything together and keeping Liverpool on the offensive.
Shutting Leicester down
– Mahrez singled out for special detail.
– Allowing Fuchs and Albrighton the ball in certain areas.
– On reflection, Leicester less dangerous than it felt during the game?
Going direct
– The contrast between Origi and Benteke, both effective in their own way.
– Liverpool’s midfield adapting quickly to the enforced change.
Coutinho and Firmino
– Coutinho’s impatience returned.
– Whole team shooting too quickly but Coutinho biggest culprit.
– 17 shots first half. Only three on target. Ends up 25 and only 4.
– Firmino such a strange game and strange player.
– Firmino looks like he could unpick a the tightest of defences, yet often so wasteful?
Liverpool’s reaction to going a goal up.
– Manager not changing it is interesting.
– Was is another case of letting the players on the pitch learn for themselves?
– Often Sean says “you don’t want to go to bed not knowing” about subs. This was almost the opposite. He left them to fight.
– Lovren, possibly his best game for Liverpool.
Going forward?
– Decision to go toe to toe with Leicester interesting.
– Despite narrow difference in scoreline, the performance was worthy of merit.
– Not beautiful football but effective against a solid back four.
– Games about to come thick and fast, what next?
