Traveling for an FA Cup replay at Bolton Wanderers was not the desired midweek destination prior to a Merseyside derby. Nevertheless, Liverpool needed a result against the Championship side to advance, keeping their captain’s crusade alive for another round. The challenge only deepened when they fell behind to the home team on a dodgy penalty call. Yet, the Reds saved themselves blushes and salvaged a victory (1-2), scoring two in the 86th and 91st minute.
Here are four findings from yesterday’s match.
Ruthlessness required – Bolton was wounded and Liverpool fielded a strong side but the Reds struggled to finish the tie early and emphatically. Plenty of chance went untaken. Leading the line, Sterling and company lacked cutting edge in the first half and seemed to want to pass the ball into the net. At times, they coasted into the final third only to face a compact and disciplined defense. The longer the match remained 0-0, the more resolve the highly organized Bolton became. In truth, with the quality Liverpool had on the pitch, they should have killed this game by half time but didn’t.
Cardiac kids, Sterling and Coutinho – Philippe and Coutinho and Raheem Sterling continued to be the best tandem on the pitch. Both players were lively and dangerous but wasteful for much of this match. Each had quality opportunities to put this tie out of reach for the hosts. However, it was as if they were almost too fine in their efforts. That is until the final ten minutes of the match. With Bolton a man down for the final 25 minutes, Sterling and Coutinho were at the heart of Liverpool’s increased attacking pressure, culminating in two exquisite goals to assure advancement.
Character counts – For the better part of an hour, the Reds could not rise above a level of inconsistency and mediocrity, not exactly poor but not clicking either. Then came Zach Clough’s cynical con job to win a very questionable penalty, but Martin Skrtel took the bait as did the referee. Eidur Gudjohnsen’s central blast past Simon Mignolet left the bitter taste of injustice and opportunity slipping away. Yet, the Reds rallied and continued to create chances. Even with multiple shots off the woodwork, Liverpool refused to be denied until the graft proved. They left it until late but focus sharpened and character and quality ensured the win.
Squad depth suspect – The majority of the side that started this match is the same that has comprised the current in-form run. Steven Gerrard and Joe Allen replaced Lucas Leiva and Jordan Henderson in midfield and Adam Lallana returned. Yet, this team of mostly starters struggled to turnover the tempo and establish a sustained rhythm. For all the money that was spent to deepen the squad holes remain and too many players have failed to perform well enough to be trusted against a Championship team. This issue has the potential to cause more trouble, especially with a continued cup run and the Europa League in the offing. Rodgers will need to revitalize more than a couple of players to deliver the depth required to focus on a top four finish.
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