Liverpool drew league leaders Chelsea (1-1) in their home leg of the Capital One Cup semifinal. It was an inspiring performance that they will feel should have earned a result. Yet Mourinho’s Chelsea proved to be the bogeyman again, combining brute strength, compact defending, and world class goalkeeping to keep Liverpool at bay. It should all make for another thriller in next week’s second leg.
Here are four finding from today’s match.
Character to spare – There is no argument Liverpool has faced a challenging first half. At times looking like a team in search of its identity and struggling to grind out results, the this Liverpool squad has shown immense character to continue battling through adversity. Always ready to play the spoilers, Mourinho’s men benefitted from an early penalty. Yet the Reds have rediscovered their confidence and refused to surrender. If not for a sensational display by Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois, this was a performance worthy of victory.
Speed of play returns – For the first time in months, Liverpool looked like the team that took the Premier League by storm last year. They pressed the opposition with aggression, possessed the ball with intent, and pinged one-touch passes with invention. This was Reds side reminiscent of the wild flurry of movement and creativity that has been missing for much of this campaign. Attacking players were often a step ahead of Chelsea’s imposing physicality. At times, Liverpool fulfilled the promise of their swarming and speedy interchangeable team movement.
Sterling’s brilliance shines – If there were any doubts about just how much Raheem Sterling has become Liverpool’s talisman, they must now be removed. Despite being just 20 years-old, Sterling has unquestioningly been the best player in Red for nearly the entire season. His equalizing finish was a showcase of pace and class, shredding Chelsea’s defensive bus with killer instinct and deftness of touch. His new contract extension cannot come soon enough.
Leave Lovren out – After a nightmare transition to Merseyside, Dejan Lovren needed a break from play, for the team’s good as well as his own. Now, he may need to wait a while longer. Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas lacked a bit of their usual quality. However, the current defensive trio, with reinforcements from Lucas and the wingbacks, played a part in blunting Chelsea duo’s edge. Apart from an unfortunate and clumsy penalty surrendered by Emre Can, the Blues barely threatened at all. Defensive errors are down and the combination of Sakho, Skrtel, and Can brings greater physicality and poise than anytime Lovren has seen the pitch.
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