It wasn’t quite the high-octane performance we’ve to come to expect as the hallmark of Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers style, but after the Reds 2-1 win over PFC Ludogrets the Northern Irishman was quick to point out that this competition is all about winning matches — even if you don’t do it with your normal swagger.
“We showed great determination. At times, we had quality in our game and just in that final third of the field we couldn’t make the final pass” he explained in his post match press conference. “But tonight was about perseverance, if I was to describe the team. It’s an attribute you need to have, especially at the highest level. We just persisted – we kept going, working and pushing. The whole ground really appreciated that.”
Wave after wave of attacks from Liverpool followed the opening whistle as the Reds surged forward in numbers, but the visitors stood firm with the double pivot of Anicet Abel and Svetoslav Dyakov doing particularly well to disrupting their hosts flow. Despite getting off to a flying start, the Anfield outfit quickly found out that the Bulgarians weren’t about to easily succumb to their high pressure tactics and they were held all the way until the 82nd minute when a wonderful piece of skill from Mario Balotelli finally broke the deadlock.
Video courtesy of nhlsarok
“It’s a competition that is about winning games and sometimes you’ll play well and maybe not get a result. It was always going to be a tricky tie for us because they’re the champions of their country and there are not too many bad teams in this competition” explained Rodgers. “Mario got a great goal, but I’m disappointed with the equaliser, as the team were, because we’ve got to see that out.”
Substitute Dani Abalo brought Liverpool’s much publicized defensive problems back to the forefront of the conversation when he looked like he’d snagged a share of the spoils for the visitors when he was allowed to round Simon Mignolet and slot home in the first few seconds of stoppage time. It was nothing short of sloppy from the hosts who were not only caught too far forward as they searched for some insurance, but also out of position. Regardless, the Northern Irishman has made made no secret of the fact that with so many new faces in the team, it’s going to take time for the group to coalesce.
“Maybe in [my] first six months we probably would have drawn that game and maybe even lost it, but we showed the resilience and character that’s in this group” he continued with a smile. “We can do no more than win tonight. We’re not at a standard that we were last season; we’ve got a lot of adaptation going on with new players coming in, and even though they fit the profile of how we work, it’s still a new team. We’re still a work in progress but while we do that, it’s important that we can win games. To win in the Champions League is always good.”
To be fair, it’s hard to argue with that logic. Three points is better than one point is better than no points, but if the Reds are going to navigate their way out of the group and into the next round, they’re just going to have to be better all around — new group or not.
–Steven
