Before going into the decisions, let's look at game that preceded them.
The game couldn't have gotten off to a better start for Liverpool. After a long ball forward by Karius, the ball bounced around the Tottenham defence. Eric Dier tried to play a pass back to his goal keeper, and paid the price. Top scorer Mo Salah latched onto the pass, racing through, before squaring up Lloris and calming slotting it into the bottom corner. 1-0 to the home side.
Anfield's crowd was in full voice for this encounter, and were nearly rewarded with a second goal after a James Milner shot was deflected, looped over the French goal keeper but just wide of the mark. Moments later a brilliant Alexander-Arnold cross found it's way onto Firmino's head, but he arrived on the scene a fraction too late and failed to gain the right contact.
A few feisty tackles started to fly in down Liverpool's right. First from Ben Davies on Trent AA, which saw no decision given. And later in the half a flying Alexander-Arnold caught Davies in a very similar way, but was given a yellow card. The home crown started to get on the referee's back, Jon Moss, who infamously sent of Sadio Mane away at Manchester City earlier in the season.
The rest of the half went by without incident. A long range shot from Dembele forced a decent save from Karius; holding onto the shot down to his right. A late flag from the linesman could have lead to serious injury for both Lloris and Firmino, but the Brazilian brushed it off. At the break is was the home side ahead, and increasing their lead over Spurs in the table to five points.
Into the second half and Spurs came flying out of the blocks, and to the credit of the heavily criticised Liverpool defence, they looked organised, drilled and focused. A factor that has been overlooked by the main stream coverage of this match *SKY* was Virgil Van Dijk's leadership. You can hear him a mile away. His presence makes as big an impact on the Liverpool back line as his defensive qualities do. Even Karius heeded the screams from the big Dutchman, charging off of his line at a call to deny Son Heung-min at close range.
As Spurs dominated possession, Liverpool attempted to play on the break. Salah bursting away down the right, with an overlap on both sides to choose from. But a poorly laid pass lead to the attack breaking down, the best chance Liverpool had for the majority of the second half. The constant pressure from the North London side lead to a chance as Dele Ali broke into the area, before going down and being booked for diving. Drawing cheers from the Liverpool fans in the Kop, who had felt hard done by so far by the officials.
Then came goal of the season contender, number one. A ball was played in from Tottenham's left, attacking the Kop end. Karius met the cross, punching 30 yards from his goal. Before Victor Wanyama ran onto the loose ball and struck the most venomous of shots. Striking across the ball, causing it to start outside the post, and fly into the top corner. After the game Harry Kane joked that Wanyama's team mates had asked him to stop shooting from range. I'm sure those voices will have been silenced. Unstoppable springs to mind. A very much deserved equaliser for the away side, 1-1.
Spurs were bossing the ball, and any attempt at an attack from Liverpool was snubbed out by the Lilywhite's back line. Jan Vertonghen in particular who was sublime (again a performance ignored by mainstream coverage of the match.) What followed was talking point number one. Dele Ali won the ball in midfield and played a ball through to Harry Kane. The pass was under hit and made it's way to Dejan Lovren, when a bobble took the ball over the swinging foot of the Croatian to Harry Kane. Who latched onto the loose ball, rounded Karius and went down. Penalty. Upon second viewing you can see Harry Kane is a yard offside when the ball is played, and the contact from Karius is minimal. Now I am under the impression that the ball must actually be played by an opposition player, for an attacking player in an offside position to become active in the game again. Lovren did not play the ball. And once Kane rounds Karius, the 6ft2 English striker starts to go to ground way before any 'contact' is even made. Once the sleeves of the goal keepers jersey touches Kane's boot he goes down. The argument here is that any contact, no matter how slight, will knock a player running at full flight off balance. Kane was not at full flight. He has accelerated from 6 yards away, taking roughly five steps, before taking the touch around the goal keeper. I can see why the offside was not given, but Kane 100% dived.
All of the previous argument counts for nothing however. When Harry Kane stepped up, and hit the ball straight down the middle. Only for Liverpool's number one to call his bluff, and bat the ball away. It takes huge, to quote Tory Deeney, 'cajones' to stay in your spot when facing a penalty from the in form striker in the world. The games stays at 1-1.
The next ten minutes went by in a flash until the fourth official announced four added minutes. The penalty save had shot life back into the home side in their push for a winner. Enter, the Egyptian King. Goal of the season contender number two. Salah charged down the right before attempting a cross which cannoned back off of Dele Ali, a potential hand ball. Instead of standing around the league's second highest scorer recovered the ball. Showed great strength to hold off a challenge from Ben Davies; showed power to push off of his right foot, cutting past Vertonghen before having great composure to lift the ball past Lloris into the roof of the net. Anfield erupted and the game appeared won in the 92nd minute. 2-1.
Jurgen Klopp's trademark spring down the line in the bag, Spurs had one final throw of the dice. A long throw in from the right which was challenged for my Llorente and Van Dijk. Neither man got a real purchase on the ball as it dropped to the Dutch centre back. Facing the Kop end he swung to strike it clear. Before Eric Lamala charged in to challenge and went down holding his calf. Referee Jon Moss, who had what appeared to be a clear view, waved it off confidently and Liverpool cleared as the four minutes of added time ticked to a finish. This is when we reached, talking point number two.
The linesman flagged, the same linesman who Moss consulted and went against for the first penalty, swayed the mind of the man in the middle for the second. The view of the linesman was, not only obstructed by Liverpool full back Roberton, but also no greater then that of the referee. Now there is contact between Van Dijk and Lamela, but Jon Moss has 100% bottled the biggest decision of the game. The referee's thought process seems to be, initially, that contact was minimal and Lamela has played for the penalty, which is accurate. So what baffles me is his decision to allow the linesman to over ride the call. From viewing the foul over, you can see the Argentine winger throwing himself into the tackle and to the floor before he is in the vicinity of Virgil Van Dijk. He doesn't con the referee, but he does the linesman (who did also miss Lamela was offside from the initial knock down.)
Despite the cries from the Liverpool players Harry Kane had a second opportunity from the spot, and a second opportunity to join the 100 club for Premier League goals. No mistake second time round. Sticking it in the bottom right hand corner, equalising with the last kick of the game. 2-2.
Man of the match - Mo Salah.
What a game. What an advert for English football. What a goal scorer in Harry Kane. These are what you'll hear coming from the mouths of most pundits following the game. Despite Harry Kane barely having a sniff all night, he was given an extended interview on Sky Sports. Despite brilliant defensive displays by both Van Dijk and Vertonghen they were barely mentioned. A controversial end once again, over shadowed a brilliant game of football. Salah's second goal, which was describes as being a goal only Lionel Messi could score, was shown once on Sky in the analysis of the game. Where as the penalty decisions we're shown over and over again.
Where as I'm fuming with the coverage and analysis, Liverpool fans are fuming at the officials, claiming they cost the red men two huge points. Jurgen Klopp seems to be of the same opinion. certain that the first penalty was offside, and the second the referee was wrong to allow his decision to be overruled. Despite this the German manager was very complimentary of Spurs who came to Anfield and tried to play their game. A sublime game of football between two of the best sides in the country, battling for a place in the Champions League next season. Overshadowed by the officials and this countries idea that Harry Kane is the best thing since sliced bread.
No comments:
Post a Comment