Liverpool 2, Brighton 1: Settling Back In

By: Noel | September 21st, 2011

Liverpool 2 Craig Bellamy 7′, Dirk Kuyt 81′
Brighton 1 Ashley Barnes (pen) 90′

Liverpool came out firing, looking to put doubts to rest in the wake of Sunday’s shambolic visit to White Hart Lane—or, for the players who had been left out against Tottenham, perhaps attempting to show the manager that they were more deserving of starting roles. Whatever the motivation, the opening minutes appeared a kind of mirror image of the weekend, with Brighton filling Liverpool’s former role as the side that could barely get close enough to the ball to send a panicked clearance into touch.

Dirk Kuyt and Maxi returned to the starting eleven to take up the more advanced roles in a loose 4-2-2-2 formation while Bellamy and Suarez operated as a central striking pair, each taking turns to drop back or wide to link play in a constantly shifting attack that looked more like the Liverpool that ended last season on such a high than the painfully static outfit on display in recent weeks. Meanwhile at the back, Sebastian Coates sprinkled a handful of nervy moments amongst mostly solid play in his full debut while Jamie Carragher slotted in at left center half—a roll he has taken on occasion under Kenny Dalglish reflecting the premium Liverpool’s current manager places on having the left-sided center back be comfortable playing with his left foot.

Despite the strong start, however, it wasn’t a performance without its problems, with Liverpool unable to convert a string of chances that could have seen them head into the half up four or five to nil. Their profligacy in front of goal, a long-running theme, meant that sooner or later Brighton’s self belief seemed sure to grow. And indeed it did, with the freshly promoted Championship side showing why many consider them a solid bet to take the step up to the Premier League this season. Meanwhile, many of Liverpool’s key players appeared to tire as the match wore along, their movement in possession and pressure in defence noticeably dropping.

All of which added up to a match that Liverpool will feel simultaneously unlucky not to have taken by a comfortable margin and exceptionally lucky not to have at least been taken to extra time in.

Still, from Martin Kelly returning from injury to block a sure goal at the end of the first as Brighton’s game began to grow to Steven Gerrard’s return for the final twenty-five minutes providing glimpses of the sort of player some thought they would never see again, it’s hard to be too pessimistic about Liverpool’s day on the whole. For all that there was a troublesome inconsistency to their play, at the very least they once again appeared a side with a pulse—and a desire to play pass and move football that kept the ball on the pitch.

That change in approach, however, provided no little cause to wonder where this Liverpool had disappeared to in recent weeks—or perhaps why players who are at best not currently capable of playing this brand of football have been locked into the first eleven ahead of those who can. In short, it was was one more bit of proof—as though any were needed—that the oft mentioned argument that new players need time to settle is a cheap dodge and completely irrelevant when it comes to current Liverpool players who may or may not need that time to adjust.

Luis Suarez rather obviously didn’t take time to settle after arriving in January, and though he was given a well deserved rest against Brighton, new left back Jose Enrique has looked Liverpool’s best player in the early going. Meanwhile Craig Bellamy has made an impact from the first minute he stepped (back) on the pitch in red while the club still has settled, proven workhorses like Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez available for selection, plus the capable if vanilla Jay Spearing. Spearing may never hit the heights that Charlie Adam sometimes does, but judging from his record over the past Premier League season it seems clear that against high-pressure opponents he’s more than willing to put in the work defensively while engaging in a quick, short passing game to aid possession.

Watching Dirk Kuyt run tirelessly on the right, his defensive efforts of clear bennefit to Martin Kelly’s game and a lung bursting run from one end of the pitch to the other to score the winning goal showing his clear benefit in attack. Watching Maxi Rodriguez pass and move around the final third, playing an integral role in keeping the attack alive so that Luis Suarez could put Craig Bellamy in on goal for Liverpool’s first before Bellamy and Maxi combined to set up the second. Watching Bellamy himself buzz around constantly, a feisty companion for Liverpool’s at times temperamental Uruguayan.

Watching all of that, it becomes hard not to wonder yet again why players taking time to settle should be an issue in the first place when such obvious alternatives exist. Andy Carroll, Charlie Adam, and Jordan Henderson may very well need time to adjust, yet any argument on that front is entirely immaterial when options are available who either don’t seem to or who long ago got that settling out of the way.

None of which is to say those new arrivals are horrible, or wastes of money, or utter failures. They just aren’t the best options currently at hand. One day they might be; right now they aren’t.

Sometimes, at the end of the day, a win may just be a win—and good enough in and of itself for it. To an extent, a potentially tricky early round League Cup match qualifies as just this sort of win. Still, here, all of the questions left in the wake of Sunday’s game against Tottenham remain, and even in victory the inconsistency shown—especially in front of goal—in what was a much more pleasing performance remains a massive worry. New worries about whether visibly tired players like Suarez, Lucas, and Jamie Carragher will be able to turn in strong performances on Saturday against Wolves have to be a new, short-term concern now, too. And this success against a Championship side—even a very good Championship side—certainly doesn’t mean that Liverpool are once again set to take on all comers and storm to the top of the league.

What it does mean, however, is that after a rough couple of weeks at least things aren’t any worse. And even if it doesn’t offer any assurances of long-term solutions, at least it was nice to see the squad settle back into the pass and move of last season’s Liverpool under Kenny Dalglish for one day.

Some Related Liverpool Posts:

Category: League Cup, Match Recaps, Team News

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Suarez from the car park...

Highlight for me:
Gerrard with a gilt edged hoof to clear-->Bellamy lurking out on the left-->Maxi streaming forwards-->Kuyt with a typical Kuyt finish. Just cos Gerrard was in it but he did start it all off.
1st half was good too.

Note that other than Reina, the only players from the weekend were Carra (to marshall the youngsters), Lucas as anchor and Suarez to ensure penetration/result (bench for Saturday and will Carroll play instead v Wolves?).

KK's early games appear to have been used to bed in the newbies which is predominantly young players. Get them in there, feel part of the club and get over that 'debut' moment and find out what you're really like.

That was ok until the last 2 league games when it rather came apart. Stoke wasn't a cause for concern even if it showed up Hendo's rabbit in headlights moment, but Spurs obviously was car crash stuff.

So what's next for Saturday? Well surely Carra has to be rested? Send him on a 10k run Friday night just to be sure.

- Skyrtel and Coates centre? Gulp.
- Enrique and Kelly (showed his class again last night, reads the game so well).
- Adam and Hendo? (rest Lucas, read book on how to defend)
- Downing and Kuyt?
- Bellamy and Carroll?

Gerrard, Maxi on the bench aswell as Suarez who can be used if we're going nowhere at 60mins. Shouldn't be necessary, but wouldn't surprise me if all 3 came on.

Tough on Spearing. Lots more head scratching in how we haven't got enough full backs and no obvious Gerrard replacement yet.
JPR

Johnny. Leave it to you to point out that Stevie G. started that move with a golden hoof from the back out to the lurking Bellamy on the left wing. Didn't notice it at the time, but certainly remember it after reading your post. Not sure what the analysis of that tells me. Great to have Gerrard back? Sure. Hoofing can work? Maybe?? But only by a Stevie G. 50 yard pinpoint accurate pass(?) to the crafty and speedy lurking Bellers.

I actually enjoyed watching JC especially in the first half. Marshalled the boys, marked his guy and always was positioned and ready to move off his guy and pick up the ball or stop another attacker causing trouble. Don't blame him for the PK. He was cleaning up wee Jay's mess and got skinned. He accepted much responsibility at the back, willingly and well. But, I may be in the minority here. So, back off boys. I've read the other posts.

We'll see what KK has in store for Saturday. I'm guessing Carra's in. Just guessing! We'll see if some of the boy's who looked good (1st half) and got a game will also get a run out Saturday. My head's still got some cobwebs to clean out after the carcrash. But, always hoping for a convincing and carpeted display of well stroked balls and most importantly, 3 points.
Tom Foolery

Nope. well stroked balls are more important than 3 points.

Always.
JPR

Not if you are Kenny Dalglish. 3 points is always trumps.
Suarez from the car park...

fnar fnar..
NotTooXabi

Considering dropping early league points vs crashing out early in the cups:

As Henderson, Carroll, Adam slog their way through the early stages of the League campaign, Mr. Dependables navigate through the 'tricky' League Cup and early round FA Cup fixtures. Come January, we're in the hunt for trophies. We've hung around the Top 4 and are within striking distance. A couple of 'spark' plug purchases come in and game is truly on.

If 3 months from now the squad is settled, chomping at the bit for domestic hardware (and European football), and in the running for a CL berth...would KD's team selection make a bit more sense?

Mind you, I was shit at both checkers and chess. Crosswords? Not too Xabi.
poorscouserbobby

I'm tracking, while finishing 5th is an improvement (slight) over last year, a piece of Hardware does lots to satiate players and fans alike. In a "reloading" season, improving on all fronts challenge for the FA Cup, the top 4 and come away with the Carling Cup and/or FA cup, all while building up to tangle in the title tilt in 2012-2013? Not too Xabi indeed. Your logic is as wise as yoda is short.
paul

The heading is wrong. It should be Brighton 1 - Liverpool 2.
Ed

Oh come on Sue, now you're just being pedantic.
JPR

Pedantic? I can't even find it in the dictionary.
DJ-Chutfield

pe·dan·tic/pəˈdantik/Adjective: Being an annoying twat-muffin
JPR

That's the James Lee Duncan definition.
Latortillablanca

be honest, how many of you started cheering "hay-yah, hay-yah, my boyfriend's back!" when captain fantastic took his bow...

Noel, i wholeheartedly agree with, "(players)...may very well need time to adjust, yet any argument on that front is entirely immaterial when options are available who either don’t seem to or who long ago got that settling out of the way."

im still not budging on the idea that for whatever reason players in pro sports either slot right in or take time settling into new teams, and for as fantastic as suarez and enrique have done, i think we're doing a disservice to adam, hendo and carroll to suggest the latter, because then the only realistic explanation for their shite play is that they in fact are pieces of shite, and thats jus not cricket.

but, considering we do have players who are gelled and are professionals and can get the job done just sitting on the bench, it is totally fair to suggest the 'settling in' can be done on the training pitch and off the substitutes bench, rather than from the first minute of every match... i dont think neone's taking downing, enrique or suarez off anytime soon, but i got nothing against playing maxi (another example of a player who took time to mesh into the side), the fiery welshman, and spearing. kuyt shud be a shaquille-o'neal-slam-dunk starter, dunno what else this guy has to do to prove to kenny that he's every bit as indespensible as stevie, carra, reina and lucas...

hard to be frustrated with a win, but i do take exception with the coaches for playin carra & lucas a full 90 and not finding a way to give jonathanjoseph shelvey a few minutes...

then again, maybe the carling cup is our top priority this year??
Tom Foolery

Jonathanjoseph Shelvey...brilliant.
Mike

I've never been wordy, and won't be, but Adam and Hendo are bench at best for right now. Bellamy is a mofo, a fighter and gets the nod in front of Andy at least for now. I want experience, I want kuyt, Stevie and maxi damnit.
PDubz18

Craig Bellamy was about 3 inches from teaching Cristiano Ronaldo and Wesley Sneijder a thing or two about striking a ball.
poorscouserbobby

By FOWLER! what a hit that was. It's a game of inches and Bellers was 2.5 inches away from ripping a hole in the net.
Ryan

I had some business to take care of which made me miss the second half, but with that one half in mind, seeing the stats from this game, and looking back on the past few weeks of Liverpool-dom, here are some of my thoughts about our current player situaton:

1.) I take back what I've said previously about Bellamy. Getting him on the free was an excellent piece of business. He is great back up starter to rest others or to cover for injuries. I'd very much appreciate seeing Rodriguez, Kuyt, Suarez, Gerrard, and Bellamy take care of all the goals this season.

2.) I believe Kuyt needs to be starting over Carroll. I do not understand how his form in the second half of last season doesn't guarantee a starting position. It baffles me. I do have faith in Dalglish as our manager and I wouldn't want anyone else, but his team selections have been messing with me (i'm talking about our EPL lineups). What teams have ever been successful with 5 new players to the starting lineup (just referring to Adam, Flanagan, Carroll, Henderson, Enrique)? Hell, I've always thought it was a rule of thumb that you never change more than 3 players each week (tactical changes, not injuries/suspensions) if you want to keep any sort of consistency.

3.) If Henderson is in anyway shape or form a consideration for ANY starting lineup this season, then Spearing should be considered just as much. Honestly, I don't think "settling in" is as much of an argument as some of us have been making it out to be. And even so, I fully support giving the new players time to make their impacts. But I do see Henderson as the "new kid" at school, and new kids are supposed to cover some shit shifts until they prove themselves. Benching Kuyt for Henderson or Carroll is stupid to me. I understand that someone like Carragher doesn't "deserve" to start even if his performances suck just cause he's Mr Liverpool, but I think past performances should make players much heavier stones to move out of the team selection--they just won't be impossible stones to move. I would be willing to see a few bad results with our old guns before considering the new players. It's disappointing that we are possibly going to have to see this process in reverse, with the new players taking the bench for the trusted oldies.

For example, let's say that the results so far this season are the same, but imagine if the none of the starting lineups included Adam, Downing, Enrique, Carroll, or Henderson. Goddamn, you better believe that Kuyt, Rodriguez, Lucas, Carragher, and Spearing would be burned at the stake. Some people have tried to vaporize our new players for their performances, but most of us calm folk are not giving in to such frustrations because "they need time to settle". Minus Spearing, every one of those players I listed have reputations and respect, and while some might be humble, they all have egos when it boils down to it. Pretty sure a Manchester United hattrick hero and champions league final scorer, a 30 year old who went on a scoring spree in our most uplifting moment last season, a tough old veteran game-saving defending red bleeding scouser...and Jamie Carragher, could all manage to have a chunk taken out of their pride by being benched for a new player with no reputation. Instead, we've chosen to put the blame on our new and eager players, who are just trying to do their best to succeed at Liverpool, all of which did not decide their high price tags whatsoever.
Suarez from the car park...

You manic depressive bastard.
Antonio

Nothing to cheer about beating a non BPL team with most of the 1st eleven player. Kenny should consider giving more time for Adam & Henderson, to settle into the team instead of throwing them straight to the 1st team. The like of Kuyt & Maxi still have many to give for the team. Bellamy may still worthful than Carroll.

Liverpool use to have more energy & fitness to compensate for lack skillful & pacy players, but if players begin to show tireness toward end of the game, then it become very vulnerable.

Still think Liverpool lack of skillful player, the like of Nasir, Silva, Nani, Frebagas that can take on defender as a result creating space for teammates.
Red2death

That'd be Luis Suarez. And Maxi Rodriguez ain't half bad either (when he gets to play).
Latortillablanca

another skillful wide player, for sure. and maxi is the perfect squad player, but surely damien's got his eye on someone that provides a step up in quality and about 10 years back in age from mr. rodriguez. kuyt/hendo are fairly similar in the sense that their games are all about industry and laying it on the line - we need a twinkle toed wonderkind in the mix for that right sided berth. thats why im asking santa for one of Hazard or Lucas (sao paulo) for christmas. or any one of the dopeass, young ass wingers comin up in the bundesliga.
Thomas Hoppe

Liverpool have been linked to Gaston Ramirez recently. He is a 20 year old Uruguayan, from Penarol not Nacional.
Red2death

Perhaps. Someone to cover for a season or two, since it won't be long before Raheem Sterling knocks on the door...
Latortillablanca

i like the optimism and the player, but until he proves otherwise sterling remains a massive question mark.. is he british iniesta or SWP?
Sandro

The match seemed to follow the same trend as many of those already played this season. We dominated the first half playing some quality football and should've put the game to bed. The opposition was then allowed back into the match by our failure to capitalise.

I also question the wisdom of Kuyt and Maxi being selected for this match and Henderson and Carroll being selected for the one of the weekend. Despite that, good performances - Spearing really impressed me.
LFC for life

Once again Carragher shows what a liability he is. He is a shadow of the great player he was, and should not be playing for liverpool anymore. Most of the goals conceded by liverpool this season are as a direct result of his recklessness. Why did we not also try and buy Cahill or Dann, as Agger is very injury prone, and i'mstill not fully convinced with Skrtel?
Carragher is just getting play time based on his 'legend' status...do LFC a favour and drop him.
Latortillablanca

someone enjoys their haterade a bit much, me thnks...

ill take a one-legged, oxygen tank wheelin carra over scotty the scouser, sorry. but we do need to find a way to work him out of the lineup and not lose our defensive organization during games like these. the fact that we rely so much on carra is an indictment on the rest of our cbs rather than on carra. respect ur elders.
Andy

Agree, but to be fair that penalty was on Jay Spearing.
Andy

Although Spearing was generally impressive.
Russell

How did Coates play? Unfortunately I couldn't see the game, but I did hear that he had some missed clearance that almost led to a goal. Anything else good or bad?
Sandro

he just played an aimless chip which went to a Brighton player who almost scored. Apart from that he looked quality, dare I say it better than Jamie?
Alex Chiang

As noted in the article, Coates had a decent game with a few scary moments. I think he's still trying to figure out his partnership with Carra and how physical the Premier League is.
kenny

Is Suarez handing Gerrard the captain band? I didn't watch the game... Was he captain(I don't think so it was probably Carragher or Reina but I'll still clarify)
Alex Chiang

Carra was captain -- Suarez took the armband from him and brought it to Gerrard as he was subbed off for him.
Latortillablanca

i wonder if he also washed his socks for him postgame...
Red2death

I thought we'd brought in a very good fitness coach, didn't we?

The boys definitely looked tired and not up to the pace expected in the premier league. Contrast with Chelsea, who I think pressed harder and covered more ground with ten men in extra time than we did with eleven at the beginning of matches either on Sunday or today.
Noel

You do have to remember that many of those who looked tired have some extenuating circumstances: Jamie Carragher's legs are going a bit at the best of times (assuming they were there to begin with) and three games in seven days was always going to be a huge ask; Lucas and Suarez were at the Copa America; and Maxi (and even to an extent Kuyt) haven't been getting many minutes, which always hurts match fitness.

But it is worrisome regardless.
Red2death

Yup. I hope it improves. If we're going to be in Europe, which is the bare minimum for this club, then midweek matches are the norm. And if we're going to be stocked with seasoned internationals, which is also par for the club, then we'll also have to expect our boys to perform right after a summer of World Cup, Euro, Copa America - every other year there's something big. In addition, for the past year or so we've actually been doing very well with injuries. We've haven't had six, seven simultaneous casualties to deal with, majority of our defence decimated and the squad spread out paper thin. Our biggest crisis was having to give Flanno and Robinson early call-ups, which is nothing compared to the incredible luck we used to have under Rafa, or what other teams currently face now.

Anyway, it might be a bit much to expect our guys to be the fittest squad in arguably the fittest league in the world. Then again, it's Liverpool... expectations are high... If we lose it's because the other side is better and we went down fighting, not because we got tired and couldn't keep up...
Latortillablanca

just need a bigger squad, rotation is wat keeps teams fresh that go deep in the cups, and that will have to include lucas and the CBs sooner rather than later. to be fair, i think we're stocked at forward, cm and fb positions, now we need another top winger, improved competition at cdm and probably 2 more stud CBs to replace agger and allow carra to be eased out of the lineup a la hyppia (although hopefully we allow him to retire a red, and not have to slog off to scunthorpe cuz 'he's got something left in the tank')
Geoff Twentyman

I think we were mindful of not having euro football this year, but its funny how a couple of injuries can make your squad look lightweight!