Trossard the hat-trick hero as the Reds stumble again
Liverpool 3 Brighton and Hove Albion 3, 1st October 2022
Liverpool 3 Brighton and Hove Albion 3, 1st October 2022
Today’s half-time statistics made for interesting reading as well as disguising a horrid first 45 minutes from the home team dressed in all Red. According to the statisticians, Liverpool had 9 shots off target compared to Brighton’s 4, 3 shots on target against Brighton’s 100% record of 4 and a higher possession percentage (55%-45%), more successful passes, tackles and 4 corners compared to just 1 for their visitors from the south coast. But what these half-time statistics don’t tell you is that the Reds barely played for the first 25 minutes, their first real shot in anger, or on target, took half an hour to arrive and their solitary goal was at first ruled out for offside before being rightly overturned by VAR. Brilliantly taken by Roberto Firmino after Mo Salah equally brilliantly foraged for a loose ball to keep the ball and a promising attack alive, it has to be said that the Reds were utterly dreadful, woeful and thoroughly outplayed in an opening 25 minutes that could and should have seen them 4 goals down and the game virtually over.
Entering half-time just 2–1 down was a huge blessing for an out of sorts Reds who were run ragged by a slick, quick and well drilled Brighton team led brilliantly by their underrated captain Alexis Mac Allister. The Argentinian international was central to so many quick and incisive moves from the visitors as they poured forward from defence with easy transitions through a vacant midfield into their attacking twosome of hat-trick hero Leandro Trossard and ex Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck. These three in particular led an attacking pack of five, sometimes six, who were all far too comfortable on the ball and with far too much time to pick a smart pass that sliced through Liverpool’s midfield and defence time and time again. Pervis Estupinan, Solly March and Moises Caicedo joined in the attacking fun that saw the visitors strike twice in the opening 17 minutes of the game and in all honesty, they could and should have doubled their goal tally before the Reds found any rhythm or even a slight foothold in the game.
Trossard’s first goal of the game on 4 minutes relied upon the quick touch and thinking of his captain Mac Allister in a tight space before a smart backheel from Welbeck set him free to smash a quick and powerful shot past a helpless Alisson Becker in the Reds goal. Before the Belgian international could add a second of his three goals today he combined cleverly with Solly March who’s cross perfectly found Welbeck in between Reds defenders Joel Matip and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Welbeck’s header was on target but tame enough for an easy save from Becker but more importantly and worryingly, Liverpool were ragged, out of shape constantly and Brighton were carving their way through the defensive midfield like a knife through butter. It was no surprise when, just 13 minutes later, a mistake from Trent Alexander-Arnold was pounced upon by a marauding and confident Danny Welbeck who exchanged passes with Pervis Estupinan before a brilliant return“wall” pass from Solly March released Trossard to drill home his second goal of the game.
If the Reds were ragged and pulled constantly out of shape in the first half, they improved somewhat in the second half and the same can be said for their troubled and out of sorts defender Trent Alexander-Arnold. There were noticeable groans and mumblings from the crowd every time Alexander-Arnold made a mistake or took a backward step, but the young Liverpudlian continued to try and was central to nearly every goal scoring opportunity his team created in the second period. His corner led to the half’s first chance and a tame header from Virgil van Dijk’s that was easily saved by the visiting goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, he was involved in a brilliant exchange with his captain Jordan Henderson that saw Henderson’s clever cross headed powerfully at goal by Roberto Firmino just after he’d levelled the scores at 2–2 with a piece of Brazilian coolness under pressure and his next corner led to the bizarre own goal from Adam Webster on 63 minutes that gave the Reds an improbable come from behind 3–2 lead with still 27 minutes left to play. Alexander-Arnold would also feature in the game’s final goal scoring chance in injury time, his stinging free-kick from long range needing the fingertips of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to deny him a winning goal as with just 7 minutes left, Trossard became just the third player I can recall in the Premier League era to score a league hat-trick at Anfield. Welbeck was again involved with a simple pass to substitute Kaoru Mitoma who’s return cross was intended for Welbeck but ran for Trossard, and the Belgian gleefully smashed the ball into the ground and up into the roof of Alisson Becker’s goal to make the score line a faintly ridiculous 3–3.
Continuing a theme which I really believe befits this season for the Reds is the analogy to a “Sword of Damocles” hovering over every game at the moment and where there was once (and will be again) “PlayStation Football” of intergalactic proportions, now there is hesitancy, dare I say normalcy and an air of impending doom if everything doesn’t fall neatly into place, or they’re attacked at pace with runners breaking through midfield to overload a retreating defence epitomised by the startlingly out of form Trent Alexander-Arnold. 2–0 down after 17 minutes could have been 4–1 down at half-time and deservedly so for a rampant and rampaging Brighton. 3–3 is another draw, another 2 points dropped and another very below par performance from a team being pulled apart and drawn out of their playing shape and indeed strength.
Both teams deserved their point today for an extraordinary first half from the visitors and a great fightback from the Reds. Trossard too deserved his hat-trick, the match ball and perhaps the plaudits for the game’s “Man of the Match”.
But had it not been for the Reds Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker denying Danny Welbeck twice from point blank range, it could have been worse for the Reds.
It’s going to be that type of season.
Mark my words.
Thanks for reading. During the international break I’ve added to my retrospective series of writings on the Mighty Reds with the following articles linked below, but should you wish to read my match reports from all fixtures so far this season, please refer to my archives:
Wembley is wonderful for Whelan!
Retro Series: Vol.21 Reds lift second successive League Cup after come from behind win against Tottenham Hotspur.medium.com
Reds up to 4th after comprehensive victory at Elland Road
Retro Series Vol.20: Leeds United 0 Liverpool 2, 27th February 1982medium.com
Reds close the gap in the race for the Division 1 Title
Retro Series Vol.19: Liverpool 4 Coventry City 0, 20th February 1982medium.com