Fantastic win for LFC today and I have just watched the match.
Suarez was great, Joe Allen had another game, defence was terrific with one exception in Glen Johnson who "daddled" on the ball from time to time and led us to come under more pressure.
Gerrard said in the interview after the game that Brendan Rodgers got his tactics right today and he was very right in that respect.
We dealt well with pressure and instead of trying to keep the ball against Southampton a lot of the time we would play it over top and play it to Suarez and Sturridge and up top who was left up there.
Joe Allen and Henderson alternated in dropping deep alongside Gerrard which was much needed today.
Both had an exceptional work rate. I thought Coutinho had one of his poorer games today and looked a little tired. It was the correct decision to sub him but what surprised me was that we left Raheem Sterling in centrally in more of a attacking mid position replacing Coutinho there. I would have thought Suarez would go central once Sterling came on but he actually did really well.
He worked hard defensively and that is where he has improved so much from last year when he was more naive in his defending. He uses his pace not only to go forward and past people now, but more often to win the ball in 50/50 defensive positions. He has also gotten so much better at shielding the ball and keeping it or moving it around so that anyone pressing him will have a much harder time getting the ball and often you will see him getting freekicks. That is partly down to strength but I think it is also down to Brendan Rodgers individual work with him on the training ground (the shielding) and it is those qualities that is the reason he can be an option on the middle and occasionally at right back this year vs. last year.
I thought Sturridge did a lot of runs in behind today and Southampton kept a high line throughout the game or at least until they got tired with about 15 minutes to go. You could tell he was not happy when he went off, especially after Suarez got a knock but I still think it is the right decision. The penalty Surarez wins in the end for us shows how he keeps going to the end.
There was a situation where he is still pressing and winning the ball in the 80some minute as well and his work rate offensively as well defensively is just out of this world. Brendan Rodgers talked about his massive aerobic capacity vs. a striker like Robin Van Persie who is a very different kind of striker.
Skertel had one of his best games of the season today and Agger really redeemed himself as well and played solid. Skertel won the vast majority of what came through in the middle and that was great to see.
If there was a negative to take from the game today it must have been that some players looked a bit tired. Coutinho looked it, Sturridge at times looked laboured, same with Henderson although he worked hard. I would argue Gerrard although he never got punished with it could have picked up Lallana in the pocket better.
Having said that going to Southampton away and beating them fair and square 3-0 is impressive. We were shutting them down across the pitch because of the effort and hard work put in by the entire LFC team and the great tacitcal decisions of the manager we now are looking nailed on for 4th place if not better.
We are sitting pretty in 2nd place now because of Arsenal's loss today and because City did not play. There is a lot of positives to take and I am happy that we have an international break coming up. That allows Coutinho time off, and show hopefully allow Sterling and Henderson a bit of rest.
I do not expect any of latter two to play entire games for England in the friendly against Denmark and I hope Rodgers request the same for Gerrard, Sturridge and the machine that is Suarez.
Man United next who are going to be dying to redeem themselves after the horror show in the CL vs. Olympiacos. Will be a tough one and I think it will be difficult but barring injuries in the internationals I have changed my tune. I think we can go and win that game as well.
Before the Southamton and United games I thought both would be draws or worse but with the spirit shown today I believe we can do better.
Exciting times ahead. Shame there is not more premier league this weekend but perhaps it is a blessing in disguise.
YNWA,
Stian
Suarez was great, Joe Allen had another game, defence was terrific with one exception in Glen Johnson who "daddled" on the ball from time to time and led us to come under more pressure.
Gerrard said in the interview after the game that Brendan Rodgers got his tactics right today and he was very right in that respect.
We dealt well with pressure and instead of trying to keep the ball against Southampton a lot of the time we would play it over top and play it to Suarez and Sturridge and up top who was left up there.
Joe Allen and Henderson alternated in dropping deep alongside Gerrard which was much needed today.
Both had an exceptional work rate. I thought Coutinho had one of his poorer games today and looked a little tired. It was the correct decision to sub him but what surprised me was that we left Raheem Sterling in centrally in more of a attacking mid position replacing Coutinho there. I would have thought Suarez would go central once Sterling came on but he actually did really well.
He worked hard defensively and that is where he has improved so much from last year when he was more naive in his defending. He uses his pace not only to go forward and past people now, but more often to win the ball in 50/50 defensive positions. He has also gotten so much better at shielding the ball and keeping it or moving it around so that anyone pressing him will have a much harder time getting the ball and often you will see him getting freekicks. That is partly down to strength but I think it is also down to Brendan Rodgers individual work with him on the training ground (the shielding) and it is those qualities that is the reason he can be an option on the middle and occasionally at right back this year vs. last year.
I thought Sturridge did a lot of runs in behind today and Southampton kept a high line throughout the game or at least until they got tired with about 15 minutes to go. You could tell he was not happy when he went off, especially after Suarez got a knock but I still think it is the right decision. The penalty Surarez wins in the end for us shows how he keeps going to the end.
There was a situation where he is still pressing and winning the ball in the 80some minute as well and his work rate offensively as well defensively is just out of this world. Brendan Rodgers talked about his massive aerobic capacity vs. a striker like Robin Van Persie who is a very different kind of striker.
Skertel had one of his best games of the season today and Agger really redeemed himself as well and played solid. Skertel won the vast majority of what came through in the middle and that was great to see.
If there was a negative to take from the game today it must have been that some players looked a bit tired. Coutinho looked it, Sturridge at times looked laboured, same with Henderson although he worked hard. I would argue Gerrard although he never got punished with it could have picked up Lallana in the pocket better.
Having said that going to Southampton away and beating them fair and square 3-0 is impressive. We were shutting them down across the pitch because of the effort and hard work put in by the entire LFC team and the great tacitcal decisions of the manager we now are looking nailed on for 4th place if not better.
We are sitting pretty in 2nd place now because of Arsenal's loss today and because City did not play. There is a lot of positives to take and I am happy that we have an international break coming up. That allows Coutinho time off, and show hopefully allow Sterling and Henderson a bit of rest.
I do not expect any of latter two to play entire games for England in the friendly against Denmark and I hope Rodgers request the same for Gerrard, Sturridge and the machine that is Suarez.
Man United next who are going to be dying to redeem themselves after the horror show in the CL vs. Olympiacos. Will be a tough one and I think it will be difficult but barring injuries in the internationals I have changed my tune. I think we can go and win that game as well.
Before the Southamton and United games I thought both would be draws or worse but with the spirit shown today I believe we can do better.
Exciting times ahead. Shame there is not more premier league this weekend but perhaps it is a blessing in disguise.
YNWA,
Stian
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