Liverpool Show Best and Worst of 2013/14 Form in Capitulation at Southampton
ST. MARY'S STADIUM, Southampton — Liverpool's 2013/14 title-challenge campaign stands as one of the most memorable in the Premier League era, with Brendan Rodgers' entertaining brand of attack-heavy, Luis Suarez-inspired football sparking the imaginations of the Reds support—and for 45 minutes on Sunday afternoon, Jurgen Klopp's side looked to have recaptured this essence.
Not for the first time this season, Liverpool realised the ambitions of their manager, with Klopp's reputation as one of Europe's most formidable coaches giving supporters hope of tangible success in the near future.
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Going 2-0 ahead before half-time in Sunday's clash away to Southampton—with Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi in full flow in attack—Liverpool showed their ability to dominate, much like Rodgers' side in 2013/14.
But letting their lead slip after the interval, with a brace from Sadio Mane and a long-range strike from Graziano Pelle giving Southampton an unlikely 3-2 victory, Liverpool showed familiar flaws.
At St. Mary's, Liverpool recaptured the enterprising attacking play of 2013/14 but, miserably for a buoyant Klopp, the same lax defensive efforts saw this undermined, providing the Reds with another reality check.
For much of 2013/14, Liverpool were unstoppable going forward, with Suarez, Sturridge, Coutinho and Raheem Sterling forming an overwhelming, free-flowing unit that terrorised Premier League defences, with the Reds scoring 101 goals over 38 games.
The predatory instinct of Sturridge, the persistent exuberance of Sterling, the majestic creativity of Coutinho and the tenacious, world-class attacking play of Suarez gave Rodgers' side the edge over any team.
Most impressive was the way in which they combined, swarming into the final third, interchanging freely and drifting into pockets of space around the opposition's back four; it proved irrepressible for much of the campaign.
While Suarez and Sterling have since departed for a combined total of £124 million, that spirit was clear to see on Sunday, with Sturridge and Coutinho joined by new faces in the attacking line.
With Coutinho dictating from a deep role, cutting inside from the left flank, the pace of Origi and the intelligence and dynamism of Sturridge saw a hapless Southampton back line torn apart, with Ronald Koeman's centre-back pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Jose Fonte struggling to find a balance.
Liverpool made light of Southampton's home advantage in the first half—despite a raucous St. Mary's atmosphere, punctuated with jeers for ex-Saints Lallana and Dejan Lovren—thriving on the counter.
Coutinho's opener stemmed from a moment of pure brilliance from the Brazilian, with the No. 10 driving inside from the left to fire a low, skidding effort beyond Fraser Forster from outside the penalty area, but Sturridge's strike bore the fruits of Liverpool's attacking play.
With Coutinho picking the ball up on the wing, the 23-year-old played a quick pass through to the onrushing Origi, whose pace allowed him to drive to the edge of the box before laying the ball into Sturridge's path, with the striker finishing with aplomb.
Minutes later, Joe Allen could have made it 3-0, but failed to beat Forster from close range after a sumptuous counter-attack that saw Lallana, Origi and Emre Can all exchange swift passes on the break.
Addressing reporters after the game, Koeman recalled December's 6-1 defeat to Liverpool in the League Cup, saying "we were lucky to be only 2-0 down at half-time," but while the Reds humiliated Southampton at St. Mary's in that tie, the Dutchman enjoyed the spoils of this Premier League clash.
In December, Koeman had no answer for the attacking might of Coutinho, Sturridge and Origi, but with his squad fleshing out following a number of injuries and suspensions, he was able to change the game from the substitutes' bench, bringing on Mane and Victor Wanyama in place of Dusan Tadic and Jordy Clasie.
Klopp also made a change at half-time, but while Mane's guile and Wanyama's defensive steel gave Southampton the impetus to mount a comeback, the introduction of Martin Skrtel did the opposite for Liverpool.
Spending 13 weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, Skrtel has witnessed a change in mentality in Klopp's defensive line, with Lovren and Mamadou Sakho fostering a strong partnership at centre-back.
But with Lovren—as Klopp attested after the game—affected by the "emotion of the stadium" on Sunday, having spent much of the first half tussling with the impressive Shane Long as the St. Mary's crowd loomed over him, the 48-year-old saw fit to introduce his long-serving centre-back.
Unfortunately, while Skrtel has outlasted four managers—Rafa Benitez, Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish and Rodgers—at Liverpool, the 31-year-old has endured a stunted development over his nine seasons in red.
Within four minutes of coming on at St. Mary's, Skrtel had conceded a penalty, needlessly hauling Pelle down in the area, and while Simon Mignolet saved Mane's spot-kick, the Slovakian's flaws were continually highlighted as Southampton improved.
Dominated by Pelle in the air, and at odds with the pace of Mane on the ground—stepping out of defence needlessly to leave a disjointed line—Skrtel produced a worryingly poor performance only mitigated by his lengthy spell on the treatment table.
But while this was Skrtel's first appearance for the Reds since December's 3-0 loss to Watford, and he was far from the only culpable party at St. Mary's—Jon Flanagan's muted display and Klopp's questionable tactical work played a big part in the loss—his synonymity with Liverpool's defensive woes is clear.
These same pitfalls were on show throughout 2013/14, with Liverpool's sloppy defensive work often threatening to sabotage the effervescent attacking play of Sturridge, Suarez and Co., as most memorably seen as the Reds' gave up a three-goal lead to draw draw away to Crystal Palace in the penultimate game of the season.
Three of Rodgers' back four that day—Skrtel, Sakho and Flanagan—were in place as Liverpool capitulated at St. Mary's on Sunday, and this should be a major cause for concern for Klopp.
If Klopp is to deliver on his prediction back in October, reported by the Independent's Tom Sheen as saying "if I sit here in four years, I am pretty confident we will have one title," this leaky defence, and the Reds' fragile mentality, will need to be addressed.
At its heart is Skrtel: the common denominator in Liverpool's defensive woes over the past nine seasons and a troubling reminder of their downfall in 2013/14.
While Liverpool showed their attacking prowess once again on Sunday, if Klopp is to bring a Premier League title to Merseyside, the German will need to address his side's problems in the defensive sector.
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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