Beard Report: “It Was Just About Getting Through To The Next Round”
Despite a feisty opponent and less than ideal conditions, the Liverpool FC Women advanced past Rugby Borough in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup thanks to two late goals.
The Liverpool FC Women were massive favorites over hosts Rugby Borough on Sunday when the two sides clashed in the fifth round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup. A combination of a feisty and spirited display by the third tier side and Liverpool struggling to compensate for the unusual movement of the ball on the astroturf pitch on a cold and blustery day made for a much tighter affair than expected. The Reds needed late goals from substitutes Marie Höbinger and Mia Enderby to notch the win and secure advancement.
After the match, manager Matt Beard discussed some of the items that made the match a more difficult one than many would have guessed. For Beard, the score was less relevant than just making sure his side went through.
“These are always tricky ties. Especially when you come away from home, on a kind of surface we’re not used to playing on. It’s quite a small pitch as well.”
“We’ve said all week that it wasn’t going to be an easy game so we prepared the players for that. I do feel we were disciplined and professional. It’s like in any game, you can do things better, but the conditions were tough today; it’s freezing cold and the wind, it’s an open place here so it made it difficult for both sides. It was just about getting through to the next round today and I’m pleased that we’ve managed to do that.”
Despite dominating possession, Liverpool struggled to generate many clear looks at goal in the first half. Beard made four changes at the half and changed his side from a 3-5-2 formation to a 4-3-3. The manager said the changes were tactical based on the match rather than planned changes as he attempted to get players with more willingness as ball carriers into the match.
“We didn’t create enough in the first half, I think we had three shots, so we changed the system at half-time. We just felt we wanted ball carriers with Leanne Kiernan, Lucy Parry and Mia Enderby, to cause them a little bit of a different problem. But then also, we wanted two No.10s just in the pockets and Marie and Julia [Bartel] are so good in the pockets on the ball.”
“We just felt that would cause them problems and it did, we created more chances. That was the reason for the changes.”
Beard was also asked if he felt that a moment of magic would be needed to find the breakthrough against the stubborn defensive front of Rugby Union. In his view, there was plenty of quality on the pitch to do the job.
“Yeah, we hit the post in the first half, Leanne Kiernan has hit the underside of the bar just before. We know Herby can do that, she’s a fantastic striker of the ball and it was a fantastic finish.”
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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