What A Game..
We talked at length after the game at the Etihad last week plus myself and Theo shared a few comments just before the game to reiterate these thoughts. The topic of the discussion being how do we beat City. The key points being clearly obvious.. Defend a hell of a lot better and dominate that midfield. As our team can score pretty much whenever they choose. That's seven (7) against City this season. So the strategy isn't exactly rocket science.
The team started quick leading from the front with Sadio Mane not giving them an inch. Salah & Diaz shut off the channels. The midfield trio of Naby, Fabs & Thiago backed this up snapping into tackles. Konate & Virg were calm as you like at the back. As for Trent & Robbo they just sat in and picked their attacking moments wisely. Sorted.. Nice solid set up.. Everybody was at it.. Surely the goals will come..
Most Definitely..
With all that pressure City couldn't get out their half and were pushed back and after some nice play down the left the ball went out for a corner. Our new found specialist at set piece finishing Konate rose high from a Robbo delivery and left the keeper no chance with a lovely header high in to the net in the ninth minute.
City tried to get back into the game but they couldn't really get anything going which was the case all first half.. Often knocking it around the back line which led to our second from Mane eight minutes later. The City keeper punished after Mane closed him down at speed to slide in and score from close range..
Liverpool dominated possession after this with Thiago and Diaz in particular showing some real classy touches.. Keita was quick into the tackle quite a few times which we should have utilised a bit better, with a few wayward passes in some good positions letting us down.
Yet in the 45th minute Mane brought the red half of the house down with what was the goal of the game. Trent & Thiago playing a couple of intricate passes to each other. before Thiago chipped a lovely ball into Mane's path and he hit a low sliced volley in to the bottom corner of the net..
A Game Of Two Halves..?
Well the scoreline would suggest as much but we had some chances to add more. Again I sound like a broken record but this team does create chances for fun..
Going in at half time 3-0 up the message had to be.. More of the same. Keep it tight, hold your positions for the first ten/twenty minutes and nothing silly. Nope..
Robbo broke down the left gave the ball away and City were in to score two minutes into the second half through a Grealish tap in.. Now we all know the quality of City if you let them play so you don't want to give them any belief. Luckily we regained our composure and set up and kept them out til injury time when Silva again tapped in from close range to make it 3-2.
By then though the game was over barring a couple of corners they had. In between all this though Salah and Firmino had two excellent chances to put the game to bed yet this was not meant to be..
In reality the damage was done in the first half and we are through to the FA Cup Final.. The fans were amazing all game long. It was as much fun watching them at times. That sea of red bouncing, singing, chanting and cheering. These really are great days to be a Liverpool fan..
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