Liverpool vs Sevilla a few quick thoughts
Dan Tracey
May 19, 2016
1,711 Views
- Well what a difference half time makes
- Liverpool failed to evoke the spirit of Swisstanbul after what can only be described as a second half capitulation
- Jurgen Klopp’s side were dominant in the first half and they were getting a particular amount of joy down their right hand side
- James Milner and Roberto Firmino were linking up well and the Brazilian may have had calls for an early Penalty but a decision of that kind was never going to be given in a game of this magnitude
- Liverpool looked impressive and stifled Sevilla with Ever Banega having to drop deeper to collect the ball and try and make the Spanish side tick
- But it was first blood Liverpool, Daniel Sturridge’s fantastic effort with the outside of the boot gave the Merseyside a deserved advantage
- Sevilla just couldn’t get a foot on the game and were perilously on the ropes as the game approached half time
- Liverpool thought they had doubled their advantage with Dejan Lovren heading into the net but Daniel Sturridge was deemed Offside after trying to get a touch himself
- The correct decision and a let off for the 2014 and 2015 Europa League winners
- Unai Emery just needed to get to half time at 1-0 down to make sure the game didn’t get away from them
- If Sevilla were desperate for half time then you would imagine Liverpool wouldn’t want the break to disrupt the momentum they had
- So the question that we are probably asking today is what was said in those opposing half time team talks
- Unai Emery is a master tactician but the theme would have definitely been about regrouping and starting afresh
- As for Klopp. Maybe it was complacency. Maybe they wanted it too much
- You could see by the fact that Klopp had sprinted down the tunnel that he was pumped up for this but had Liverpool shot their load too early
- Are Liverpool capable of playing a Klopp-esque pressing game for 90 minutes
- The half time talks can only be conjecture as I guess we will never know what was said but what we do know is that it was the worst possible start for Liverpool in the second half
- This time it was Sevilla getting joy down the right hand side a cross field ball was picked up straight from kick off and Alberto Moreno criminally ducked out of a tackle
- This allowed the ball to laid on a plate for Sevilla’s dangerman Kevin Gamiero to slot home just 17 seconds after the restart
- It was incredibly poor defending from Moreno. He either needed to get clattered or punt the ball out of touch to do neither in a Europa League Final is criminal
- Liverpool were shellshocked. They touched the ball once in those 16 seconds
- Moments later it was very nearly two. Kolo You’re had to perform a expertly timed tackle the make sure Sevilla didn’t go I front but the momentum was definitely now swinging in the holders favour
- Sevilla were increasingly on top and a moment of brilliance from Coke halfway through the second half gave Sevilla the lead and completed a stunning 20 minute U-turn
- Liverpool were being overrun in Midfield and Sevilla were afforded enough time to cut their way through the heart of the side for then Coke to curl a sumptuous finish past the helpless Simon Mignolet
- Six minutes it got even worse and the collapse was complete
- Coke slotted home from close range and the Sevilla side peeled off in celebration
- At first the goal was ruled out as Coke was Offside but after much deliberation it was spotted that it took a touch of a Liverpool player last which meant Coke was on hand to extend Sevilla’s advantage and all but secure an unprecedented treble of Europa League wins
- That third was the death knell for Liverpool. Joe Allen was bought on to try and regain some composure but by this point they were a spent force
- The game pretty much petered out from this point as Unai Emery masterminded a stunning comeback and a 5th UEFA Cup/Europa League win for Sevilla
- For Liverpool it’s now the post mortem and the prospect of no European Football at Anfield next season
- The cynic in me reckons Klopp threw away the chance of getting in the Top 4 thinking he could achieve Champions League qualification by the back door
- That gamble well and truly backfired
- Not only that but defeat means they have lost the opportunity to close the gap between themselves and this season’s Top 4
- A win last night would have opened up a whole tier of potential transfer targets but now there recruitment will be a lot harder as they fall down the pecking order
- It will also change how Klopp’s first season is viewed. 8th place and two Cup Final defeats. Not bad but not great
- The caveat being he has done that with someone else’s squad
- The rebuilding task over the Summer just got a lot bigger
- But credit must go to Sevilla who have won the competition for the third year in a row
- The challenge for them is to not drop down into the tournament next season and have a proper crack at the Champions League
- Congratulations Sevilla
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