On a day Liverpool were needed to face dragons at the Britannia, the Reds atoned for their last league loss and most humiliating defeat in over 50 years. So often a house of horrors, Liverpool smashed and grabbed a 1-0 victory from a game that looked likely to end with drab draw against Stoke City, only their second win at the home of the Potters in the Premier League.
For all the anticipation of a league opener, both teams looked uninspiring for most of a contest that lacked chances and possessed all the disjointed quality of a pre-season fixture.
It took what is becoming a trademark strike from Philippe Coutinho to break the deadlock when he lashed a 25-yard stunning strike in the 86th minute.
Regardless, given the pressure, ghosts and schedule, the result is all that mattered on the day.
Here are four findings from the match.
Patience Required
With two teenagers in the line-up, Brendan Rodgers continued to show faith in youth.
Both Jordon Ibe and Joe Gomez forced their way into the starting XI and each showed flashes of why they earned their spots, as well as moments that revealed their age and lack of experience.
Ibe worked the right touchline as an effective target but failed to really make an impact on the match. His runs with the ball rarely caused panic. There also was that moment, the exuberant youngster attempted to dribble through four Stoke defenders collapsing on him instead of slotting a quick, simple square pass.
Gomez played well overall and was the one that found Coutinho inside with the pass that preceded the run and rocket that won the match. However, more than once he had his hands full with a canny veteran, Jonathan Walters, getting caught slightly out of position, exposing the whole left side of the defence with a little help from Dejan Lovren.
Each played solidly enough to stay on the team sheet but remain slightly green at the top level. They will no doubt provoke patience-testing moments and will need to be managed with some care. Stoke never truly exposed either of them, but better teams will have taken note and may yet.
Growing Pains
Five new faces took to the pitch with the Liver bird on their chest. Integrating all the new players into the squad, not to mention the tactical adjustments required to get the best out of each them, will take some time.
In addition to Gomez, Christian Benteke made his debut for the Reds but cut an isolated figure most of the contest, despite an energetic shift.
Newly appointed vice-captain James Milner added a solid contribution, providing a complementary balance to skipper Jordan Henderson.
Perhaps strongest of all the newcomers was Nathaniel Clyne, who bolstered the right side of the defence, supported Ibe admirably, all while managing to keep a lively Ibrahim Afellay from becoming a genuine threat.
Even Roberto Firmino got a short run out in a 15-minute cameo appearance, although he did not have much of an opportunity to impact the proceedings.
Still, not until the team shape altered with the entry of Emre Can, in a deeper holding role, allowing for Milner and Henderson to drive further forward, did the side even look alive creatively in attack.
Again, strong management is required. Which personnel are used, in what combinations and context of both opponent and match will all be key factors in how Liverpool perform, let alone gets results.
Missteps and miscalculations will be part of the pain of the club’s new-look squad growth.
Dodgy Defence
Sometimes statistics lie and today’s defence provides a case study. Despite the clean sheet and a limited number of shots faced, Liverpool’s defence looked vulnerable. The left side, in particular, was opened up multiple times and went through a particularly ropey period.
Dejan Lovren hung in without disaster, which is one step on the long redemption road from last year’s nightmare season. The Croatian did not offer a lot of cover to full-back Gomez, nor did Adam Lallana which were the main reasons Stoke saw more success on Liverpool’s left side. Still, Gomez will have moments of weakness but possesses far too much upside to not be used.
On the right, Martin Skrtel made some remarkably poor back passes but was not put to the sword. It was not the Slovakian’s best outing nor his worst. The best performance from the back four was unquestionably Clyne, and to the credit of the whole unit there was little for Simon Mignolet to do.
While Stoke City are an improved mid-table team, a better side will punish the hesitation and poor positioning that was on display today.
Midfield Malaise
The match ultimately began with a minor midfield malaise. After a bright opening few minutes, Milner and Henderson were playing deeper, while the trio of Ibe, Lallana and Coutinho were never quite in sync.
Some of it was rust, but some of it was the system, which contributed to the gap between an isolated Benteke up front and the attacking trio in behind.
There was some strategic pressing, which was effective. However, there were few opportunities for multiple midfielders to flood zones of the pitch and cause problems with quick, one-touch interplay that highlights Liverpool at its finest.
The combination of Milner and Henderson shows much promise, but their success will come when they are free to push forward and play box-to-box in the fashion they were afforded after Can was added.
Coutinho playing as the number 10 presents an interesting conundrum. He looks like he should fit hand-in-glove in the hole, but his true brilliance has rarely come through in that role. Even his sensational goal was the product of a spin wide and driving dribble into the middle of the pitch before unleashing his sublime finish.
Things began turning over when Milner, Henderson, Coutinho and eventually Firmino played in a narrower box with overlapping surges and the full-backs providing the width.
Finding the best solution given the circumstances adds to the long list of demands being placed on manager Brendan Rodgers and his coaching staff, and this is not Playstation.
