Three Other Moments That Missed for Tottenham at Liverpool

While Tottenham Hotspur had three really clear-cut chances at the goal, those were not the only moments where the ball did not bounce Spurs way.

There were a couple of times during the Tottenham Liverpool match where the ball bouncing a bit differently could have turned misses into moments for Tottenham. After Tottenham scored to tie the match the game was a bit different as Spurs offered more threat in attack but could not make the half-chances count.

Free Kick Flop

The first opportunity was at 36 minutes as Spurs had a free kick in a decent position. After seeing improvement over the last few weeks and some close calls with free kicks it seemed like Tottenham was on the path to making something happen with set pieces. It is hard to say what play was really called as the ball and the men did not seem to be in unison.

On the play Heung-Min Son ran over the ball and then Giovani Lo Celso provided a little chip. The chip was well off target as Eric Dier had cut from his position and was open just behind the two-man wall. It seemed like the ball should have chipped the wall and hit Dier just behind it, but that clearly did not happen, and the chance was wasted.

In a game won with a set piece goal, Spurs missing out on what should have been a good opportunity is disappointing. Part of being clinical is making something of opportunities on set pieces and Tottenham just were not there Wednesday and Liverpool where, which made a difference in the match.

Kicking Our Heels

Giovani Lo Celso had already threaded the needle once in the first half when he played Heung-Min Son in for Tottenham’s goal. As Spurs were getting a little foothold, the Argentine was looking to make it two for Spurs. Tottenham had just collected the ball and were looking to quickly counter at about the 40-minute mark.

As Giovani Lo Celso picked up the ball in the middle of the defensive third, he started to dribble up field and looked ahead. Lo Celso had two options to his left, Steven Bergwijn was wide left and further ahead and looking to run was Son. Lo Celso saw the South Korean and hit a left-footed ball forward. Unfortunately, right as the ball was cutting through the Liverpool lines so too was Steven Bergwijn making a diagonal run.

Had Bergwijn been a step faster or slower or the ball a tick earlier or later it would have pierced through the defense and Son would have again been off to the races. Instead of cutting through the defense the ball bounced up off the back of Steven Bergwijn’s heel and came harmlessly backwards toward Lo Celso and the moment was gone.

Lo Celso did not have as many chances to impact the game in the second half after picking up a cheap yellow. While he did have the assist, missing the opportunity for a second came back to bite Tottenham in the end.

Salah Saves Liverpool’s Bacon

The third moment that just did not come off for Tottenham started off a Liverpool corner. Trent Alexander-Arnold took a short corner to Mo Salah. Salah sent a rather aimless chip from the corner of the 18 into the box. Hugo Lloris quickly came off his line and claimed the ball. After falling to the ground and quickly getting up Lloris rolled the ball out to fellow Frenchman Moussa Sissoko.

Sissoko was on the right channel and began to dribble toward midfield. As he did so he looked up and saw Son in space on the far left. Sissoko rushed his ball out to Son on the left putting it a bit behind the South Korean. As Son went racing to collect the ball, here came Mo Salah back on defense. Salah was able to wrestle the ball off Son and go back the other way.

Had Sissoko played a bit better ball or Salah not tracked back so well, Sonny would have been in again. Instead, it was another half-chance gone by and an opportunity wasted. On an evening where Tottenham had some clear-cut chances that went by, Spurs really needed to make something out of some half chances and never did that either. The result was the loss and the thought of what might have been.