Very gritty performance, the type of performance that turns the confidence around IMO.
The first half was absolutely dire from both teams. We just sat from midfield to defense too deep to cause Stoke problems.
Rodgers HT team talk clearly upped the anti in the second half as we began to press more. The only problem with that is the game can become easily stretched (as it did) if Stoke can trigger an attack that isolates our midfielders who have pressed. I think that's the conundrum for us at the minute as a team, whether we stick or twist. The first half showed we don't have the midfielders (Allen, Henderson or Lucas) or forwards (Lambert) to stick and score when the team is deeper and doesn't press. After half time we began asking the questions by making our midfielders press more and in the past we have been caught out with this game plan, today it worked.
Mignolet: For that world class save alone the keeper deserves an 8 plus the fact he kept a clean sheet. His kicking is awful though, anytime he clears the ball 9/10 he manages to give posession back to the opponents. But as I said, he kept a clean sheet and pulled off a couple of saves, hopefully his confidence can grow a bit.
Johnson: The much maligned 7. Sloppy/caught in possession on a couple of occasions, looks like he's carrying a bit of weight to me couldn't have been any braver for our only goal of the game.
Kolo: 7 The David James of CB did his job well even though the calamitous never looks far away. Just puts his foot throw the ball when in doubt.
Did well, and we need a character/organiser/experienced defender to sort a soft defense out.
Enrique: 6 Solid performance. Good to have him back.
Skertel: 7 Today this Jekyll and Hyde of defenders had one of his better games, Kolo probably had influence in this.
Lucas: 8 Our man of the match IMO. Don't remember the most defensive midfielder ever getting so many nose bleeds. He even pressed. Did the gritty stuff well. Should have scored though.
Allen: 6 In the first half sat as deep as Lucas in the second half got forward more helped out in a gritty midfield performance, should have scored too. But like Henderson doesn't offer enough in the final third.
Henderson: 5 Disappointing for me. Needs to make more runs and support the likes of Lambert. Doesn't influence the final third enough.
Sterling: 7 similar to Ludo, Sterling looked our only pacey threat. Worked his socks off and never gave up.
Coutinho: 6 In and out of the game but always looks to thread and create just doesn't have the forward line to take advantage of his creativity and thinking.
Lambert: 5 I honestly thought he was a bit w*nk today. His touches, passing usually went to the opposition. However, I don't think he's helped or supported enough with numbers in runners like Allen or Henderson.
Well happy with the 3pts, all it needs to do is inject a bit more confidence into the next game and hopefully our performances will pick up.
