Liverpool crashed out of the Europa League nearly as soon as they joined it, losing to Besiktas on penalties after the home side scored the only goal in regulation time to earn a draw on aggregate and force extra time. It was a disapointing display on a number of levels, as any hope of winning the second tier European cup and a definite path back to the Champions League were dashed in Istanbul. The Reds have no-one to blame but themselves, failing to capitalise on a host of chances in the first half to pile on the pressure with an away goal.
Here are four findings from today’s match.
Big players muted – Big players need to raise their game in big matches. Quite simply, Liverpool’s best players struggled to make an impact. Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling, the best Reds on the pitch, were particularly far from in form, missing multiple chances to end this tie early and head back to England. Even Mario Balotelli, in his first start since November, could not conjure up any of his late dramatics. To the Italian’s credit, however, he did settle down after an early yellow card and repeated attempts to bait him into retaliation with targeted fouls both seen and unseen by the referee. The Sturridge and Balotelli partnership deserves more time. However, with creator Philippe Coutinho being rested and the attackers misfiring, the Reds were held unexpectedly goalless.
Lovren losing opportunities – Pressure only intensified on the £20million centre-back who also returned to the starting eleven. Dejan Lovren has spent the better part of the Reds unbeaten run far from the pitch, rightfully, after putting in a series of regressive performances. Penalty miss aside, the Croatian did not cover himself in glory before his critical floundering. He was a definitive weak link in the back three, careless in possession and unable to pass out of the back. Lovren looked better than he had at his worst but still far from the quality needed in the Reds much improved defence. By the time the beleaguered defender approached Liverpool’s fifth and final penalty kick, any chance of redemption teasingly left with his high and wide blast into the Ataturk Stadium. Sadly, it was never really his moment to take, prompting a question of whether he can recover.
Toure turns up again – After a strong showing in the African Cup of Nations, Kolo Toure returned as a starter in another European clash. The last one, against Real Madrid, proved to be his best outing as a Red this season. Against Besiktas, in their home ground, the Ivorian once again showed that he remains relevant, despite missing the defensive resurgence while he was away. He was solid and reliable, filling in the right side of the back three. Sure he has a penchant for last gasp defensive dramatics, but he earned more playing time, especially given the rash of injuries and Lovren’s laboriousness.
Reds’ and Rodgers’ naivety – If last year’s near Premier League title run was ahead of schedule, European competition seems to be a challenge where Rodgers’ Liverpool may be a bit behind schedule. Neither the current team nor the manger can claim to have successfully wrestled with the subtleties of playing in continental competitions. While the squad showed great composure in an increasingly hostile away environment, they lacked the ruthlessness required to play deep into any European tournaments. In both the Champions and Europa Leagues, the Reds were presented with clear opportunities to seize and secure advancement but faltered. In both must-win matches against Basel and Besiktas, Liverpool paled rather than punished. Both manager and team are young and will no doubt grow from the experiences, but they have to rue their missed chances to reestablish the club on the European stage.
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