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.
Tottenham Cannot Capitalize
There was no expectation going in that Tottenham were going to get seventeen shots, the fact they got eight is not bad. The problem is they needed to do more with those eight efforts. Alisson only made two saves on the evening. One was on a half chance Harry Kane had created after intercepting a pass from Alisson on the press. The other was a late Dier free kick which defleceted right to the Brazilian keeper. Besides those two efforts, Spurs had three good chances to score in the second half and could not finish on any of the occasions.
Bergwijn Misses His Chance
Tottenham had the first chance of the second half only seconds after the kickoff. As Spurs were pressing following a clearance from the kick, Steven Bergwijn was headed in on the left. Stevie had to battle with Trent Alexander-Arnold for position but managed to step in front and get goal side with the ball.
As Bergwijn turned the corner and went toward goal in the box, he poorly connected on his shot and the ball bounced harmless wide of the far post. It looked like Bergwijn was going for some finesse with the outside of his boot and it just did not happen and the chance to turn the game right at the kickoff of the half was gone.
Bergwijn Misses Again
Steven Bergwijn had one more great chance at about 63 minutes. Kane had played a combination with Heung-Min Son – who scored for Spurs in the first half – and Son played it to Bergwijn as the third man running. Stevie took a great touch and was in the clear. The Dutchman opened his body and used the inside of his boot to go for the far post.
Bergwijn had beaten Alisson but had opened a bit too much and did not have enough curl on the ball as it bounced back harmlessly off the far post. This was the second clear chance in the half and Steven had missed. While Bergwijn defended well and ran his butt off, the two big misses will be what folks remember and had he capitalized on either it would have been a much different game.
Kane Cannot Head Tottenham Top
Harry Kane did have a few half chances on the day, like the one he created off his interception of Alisson. However, there was one chance that Kane had that may make it hard for him to sleep tonight. Just after Bergwijn had clanked the ball off the post, Tottenham had earned a corner.
Son hit a low line drive corner toward the near post. Harry Kane shook free of his defender and rose to meet the ball. Like any good striker Kane was trying to head the ball down to give himself the best chance possible. However, the timing was just a fraction off and instead of heading the ball down and out into the goal, Kane headed the ball nearly straight down and it bounced over the crossbar for a goalkick.
Kane immediately put his hands to his head in disbelief as the third big opportunity of the half for Tottenham had passed by. While Tottenham had a few other opportunities with another corner and that late Dier free kick, ultimately Liverpool made more of the more opportunities and Tottenham came up short in the end.
A good effort by Tottenham, but very disappointing to work that hard defensively only to concede and fall but Spurs sure look dangerous when they have the ball. If that danger could have been capitalized on, Tottenham would have left with at least a point, instead, Liverpool go top and Spurs are left thinking about what might have been.