Digging Deeper Into Liverpool’s Disappointing Draw With Everton
With a goalless draw against the crosstown rivals in the books, we take a closer look at what it all means for the Reds.
Well that certainly was not particularly good, and it was at times downright ugly. The Liverpool FC Women had the opportunity to make a statement against their local rivals, and announce themselves as legitimate contenders for a European spot, but the Reds did not take their chances and lost momentum in the second half.
Below, we take a look at some winners and losers on the night, and attempt to disentangle narrative from fact.
Winners
Leanne Kiernan
Kiernan got her second start in two weeks after not starting a match in almost two years. She looked sharp yet again, and was Liverpool’s most consistently dangerous player on the attack. Kiernan battled hard for the ball, and she immediately got it moving forward with her pace. Her ability to carry the ball and draw defenders to her saw her set up a few chances for the Reds, but she was let down by her teammates decision making.
Sophie Roman Haug’s Aerial Ability
Another match, another round of headers won by Sophie Roman Haug. She led all players with 5 aerial duels won, and turned a couple of them into shots on goal. She’s getting into good spots, and led all players with 3 shots on target from 4 total shots, and also had 3 key passes. Unfortunately, none of the chances really troubled the goalkeeper.
Jenna Clark
The tall defender was calm and assured on and off the ball against Everton. She led the team with 7 clearances, along with 2 tackles, 2 interceptions, and a blocked shot. She also was extremely composed in the face of the Everton press, often stepping past a player to carry the ball forward into space before laying off a good pass. She sent in a fantastic cross that led to one of the best chances of the match.
Finishing Ahead of Manchester United
It’s the little things, I guess. Despite the tepid performance, Liverpool take the point and move ahead of Manchester United for the 4th place spot in the WSL table.
Losers
More Injuries
Emma Koivisto was left out of the team entirely, which came as a surprise. Jasmine Matthews had to be withdrawn with what looked to be a hamstring issue, and Ceri Holland seemed to be hobbling after having to step off with an ankle injury in the last few minutes of the match.
People Who Like Fluid Play and Goals
Both sides played with a high intensity, but the frenetic tone to the match was not matched in quality. Liverpool were just plain off with their passing on the day, and even when they did complete the passes, they were often behind or ahead of the intended player, causing them to have to change their angle and take away the next pass. Neither side was able to fashion many real chances in the match either, with Liverpool’s real threat coming late in stoppage time after Everton had two decent chances late in the second half.
From the Manager
“Ceri Holland got a dead leg last week and it was just a knock in the same area. Jasmine Matthews is the worry for me. Jas said she feels like she has torn her hamstring and if that’s the case then it looks like her season will be over.”
-Matt Beard
What Happens Next
Liverpool will have a rare Saturday kickoff next weekend as they host Manchester City at Prenton Park. City are flying high at the moment and are pushing Chelsea for the title.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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