Liverpool Leverages Chances While Tottenham Cannot Capitalize in Loss
By Aaron Coe
In a game where Tottenham Hotspur could not capitalize on clear chances Liverpool succeeded through their volume approach in Spurs 1-2 loss at Anfield.
Tottenham Hotspur have been able to use strong defending and some clinical attacking to scrape points over the last few weeks in the Premier League. However, after Tottenham could not capitalize on clear cut chances on one end of the pitch, the chances provided too many for Spurs on the other, as Liverpool scored at the death on a set piece to take all three points.
Too Many Chances Conceded
As we predicted could happen, Tottenham set up a bit differently today in a 4-4-2 formation to cut down on the space on the flanks. For he most part, having extra bodies to support Ben Davies and Serge Aurier on the wings against the constant threat of overlapping backs held up and kept Liverpool to half chances and of course set pieces.
The thing with half chances is if you enough of them you might be get lucky. This is what happened for Liverpool on the first goal of the match. Liverpool did have a nice little give and go with teenager Curtis Jones combining with Mohamed Salah. However, once Jones got the ball in the box the next moments were the kinds of bounces that are easy to overlook, but ultimately critical in the season.
Jones was double teamed in the box and Serge Aurier was able to nick the ball away. However, that touch ended up going right to Mo Salah. Liverpool tend to always play with numbers and when that happens, it can help you make your own luck. As Salah controlled the ball near the top of the box and shot, the ball deflected up off Toby Alderweireld and looped into the far corner with Lloris stunned.
Interestingly, it was not an own goal, as Lloris had clearly been done in by the deflection. The initial shot was on-target but would have been easily covered. The opportunity was not clear cut, the chance and finish were a bit lucky, but if you take eight shots in a half and seven are on target your chances of catching a break go up.
Liverpool got a further nine shots off in the second half, but less than half were on goal, as Tottenham did well to block a handful of shots and limit the real looks on target. However, with nine fouls committed and conceding seven corners, 16 set pieces is just too many to allow Liverpool.
Robertson hung the corner and basically dropped it head height right on the penalty spot. Firmino attacked the ball and hit it exactly right as it sailed in for the winner right as the clock was reaching 90 minutes. Heartbreak for Tottenham, but it would not have happened had Tottenham been clinical on the other end.