It’s easy to ignore how we did it now that it’s done, but that was more than a bit too close for comfort. A trip to Wembley awaits the Travelling Kop as Liverpool navigate the FA Cup quarter-finals the second time around to put what’s been a wholly forgettable week for the Anfield outfit to bed.
Still looking punch drunk from the battering they got at the hands of Arsenal at the weekend, the visitors wobbled on more than one occasion as a well organized and highly motivated Blackburn Rovers did their damnedest to punish the Premier League side for giving them a second crack at a trip to the Capital. It was all bobs and jabs from Brendan Rodgers side as their hosts looked for the kill, but as concentration faded and legs tired the Reds found their opening with Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson turning a failed corner routine into the winner with the Brazilian showing once again why he’s the man for the big occasion.
Rovers defended in numbers during the scoreless draw just over a month ago in the first encounter between these two sides and boss Gary Bowyer saw no reason to change things up as the Championship side set up to frustrate. Joe Allen saw a long range effort fly wide as Liverpool tried to get off to a good start, but it’d be Craig Conway that’d comes closest in the opening exchanges as the Ewood Park faithful got well at truly behind their team.
First, Mamadou Sakho, who’d see his night cut short with a hamstring injury within the first half hour, almost allowed the striker to run in on goal after misjudging a bounce and, clearly hobbling, the Frenchman would be in the middle of it again as Jordan Rhodes ran into the area unmarked before sending a header flying into the travelling Kop when he really should have troubled Simon Mignolet.
Daniel Sturridge, recalled to the starting eleven after only being fit enough for the bench against Arsenal, saw a powerful, dipping effort from the edge of the area fly just over the crossbar earlier in the half and Blackburn ‘keeper Simon Eastwood did well to get a palm to the ball after the Englishman flicked on Coutinho’s scruffy effort, but referee Kevin Friend would end the half with the two sides still deadlocked.
Mignolet, untroubled for much of the first half, would be called into action immediately after the re-start, twice having to go to full stretch to keep his side in the game. Tom Cairney’s swirling shot was punched away by the former Sunderland man as it looked to nestle in the back of the net and in short shrift he got down low to keep Ben Marshall’s header from doing the same. With the scores still level and a fan favorite Rudy Gestede introduced into the fray, the Rovers faithful were urging their side to attack at every possible opportunity, but the visitors were about to land a body blow that’d all but knock the wind out of the Championship side.
It may have been a performance that was more than a bit short on quality from the Reds, but with yet another corner failing cause anything resembling danger, Coutinho and Henderson quickly turned nothing into something as the Brazilian played a quick one-two with the stand-in skipper. The precise pass from the 24-year old and the perfect movement from the Reds winger was enough to bamboozle the so far astute Blackburn back-line, giving Coutinho more than enough time and space to arrow a shot into the far post to break the deadlock.
Raheem Sterling, Sturridge and then Rickie Lambert all had efforts fall by the wayside as the Reds looked for some insurance, but as time ran out for the Championship side, thankfully none was needed as Mignolet got down low to hold a beautiful turn and shot from Eastwood as his counterpart came up for a corner in what was a perfect example of just how close this match really was.
Rodgers denied that the club held crisis talks following the back to back losses to Arsenal and Manchester United and rubbished any talk of a bust up with the players, but on the back of that performance, it’s safe to say that he needs to have a word. It’s alls well that ends well for the time being, but despite booking a semi-final meeting with Aston Villa, that was not a match that inspired any sort of confidence. That being said, you have to be in it to win in and a trip to Wembley will be a welcome morale booster, but with the focus shifting quickly back to the league and the meeting with Newcastle United this coming Monday, to put it plainly, we’re going to have to be better than that.
–Steven
