Starting line-up: (4-4-2)
Reina
Skrtel Carragher Agger Enrique
Henderson Lucas Adam Downing
Suarez Carroll
Skrtel Carragher Agger Enrique
Henderson Lucas Adam Downing
Suarez Carroll
LFC Player of the game: None deserved!
Insights:
This was the worst loss under King Kenny as a LFC manager ever! LFC has not beaten Tottenham for the past two seasons and not even most optimistic LFC fans predicted LFC can get a victory at White Hart Lane. Losing is acceptable but losing 4-0 really is a humiliation. Had LFC used the right tactics and starting the right players, LFC sure should not have suffered from such a poor start, allowing Tottenham to score early to gain the momentum. LFC team grew frustrated for Tottenham’s domination right from the kick-off and thereby made silly fouls which resulted in the send-off of both Adam and Skrtel. This season, King Kenny seems to be so determined to adopt 4-4-2 to build the team around striker duo Suarez and Carroll that he simply ignored whether 4-4-2 can be effective against big teams in away games. King was also so desperate to prove his cult in the transfer market by giving majority of playing time to new players like Downing, Adam and Henderson instead of the more experienced and established Maxi and Kuyt, hoping that they can adapt and improve quickly to prove their value. Although Downing, Adam and Henderson are decent players, the likes of proven internationals like Kuyt, Maxi and the departed Meireles and Aqualini are considered by many with superior quality. The decisive factor of this game was the difference in class between Tottenham’s MF and LFC’s MF. In the middle, Parker and Modric easily dominated Lucas and Adam. I believe we can never match up with their CMF with only 2 CMF especially without Gerrard being 100% and starting. We should have played 3 CMF and with Henderson or Spearing starting alongside Adam and Lucas to help neutralize Parker and Modric and force them to play with only 1 FW up-front. Tottenham clearly has an edge in the wing as well. Bale toying with CB Skrtel (who is really a CB) on the left wing as Kelly and Johnson were both nursing with injury. King should have played Flanagan instead, but may be King feels more pressure this season for playing this teenager. It’s disappointing to see our only natural winger Downing having trouble facing the high flying Tottenham RB Walker too. The situation got even worse with King’s stubborn on starting Henderson on the right wing even if Henderson clearly struggles in this role. If King was willing to play 4-5-1 and start more experienced Kuyt, Maxi and Bellamy, LFC could have a better result. Spur’s MF Modric, Parker, Van Der Vaart, Bale and Lennon have the creativity, speed and skills that we are lacking of. Sometimes I wonder if King kept Meireles and Aqualini in the side and started both of them along with Lucas, Gerrard and Kuyt, we may have better chance to match-up with Tottenham. It’s hardly a secret King prefers local English players, may be due to his success with English based players in his glory days with Liverpool in 80’s and Blackburn in the 90’s.
Although LFC could have provided a more competitive contest to the rejuvenated Tottenham after their impressive signings during the summer, Tottenham has clearly shown they are superior in quality at the moment. The arrivals of GK Friedel, DMF Parker and CF Adebayor have all improved their weakness areas, even if they all may only be considered to be short-term solutions. Other than Suarez, Reina and may be Gerrard
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