HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS a great thing but many Liverpool fans would’ve told you before kick-off that they had big doubts about their defence.
It’s easy to forget that Alberto Moreno was kept out of the starting lineup by an 18-year-old teenager in Joe Gomez and only got back in the side when the youngster’s season was prematurely ended due to injury.
He has his strengths.
In the first-half, he played a crucial role in Daniel Sturridge’s opening goal – making a clever decoy run on an overlap and creating a little bit of hesitation in the Sevilla rearguard.
But his offensive contributions aren’t really the problem.
Defensively, he’s a weak spot that teams exploit. He loses concentration all too easily and, when Liverpool do concede, he’s normally not too far away.
It happened this evening.
Just 17 seconds were gone in the second-half when, at a time the team needed to keep things calm and composed, he was involved twice in quick succession. Firstly, his poor defensive header sent the ball into an area with no red shirts and where Liverpool were out-numbered.
He acknowledged his mistake because, as Mariano took up possession and raced towards the by-line, Moreno frantically sprinted across. Instead of taking a half-second to weight things up – crucially, the vast space he was leaving behind him – he dived into a challenge and was nutmegged.
He wasn’t helped by Coutinho failing to drop off and cover but Mariano, by doing very little, was just yards from goal and left with a simple task of sending in a low cross for Gameiro to tap home.
Minutes later, Moreno and Toure were both caught ball-watching as Gameiro should’ve made it two-nil. Both didn’t expect a flick-on, the full-back inevitably moved towards the cross, leaving the attacker on his own.
Adam Davy
Adam Davy
It was a major let-off.
Then, for Coke’s second and Sevilla’s third, Moreno was drawn towards the ball and could only watch as it ricocheted past him. There was a substantial amount of good fortune but, the previous point stands – as Liverpool conceded, Moreno played a role.
There are other weak spots.
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Toure is many things – ‘lion-hearted and lovable’ is how one profile described him ahead of tonight’s game – but, at 35, well past his prime.
Mignolet may have done better with the third goal and he’ll be under the microscope again this summer.
Of course, none are Klopp’s players and he inherited below-par signings from his predecessor. Still, selecting this personnel is always a risk and tonight, they were left badly exposed.
In an instant, Liverpool’s season seems a lot less impressive
At half-time, things looked so rosy for the Reds.
They had conjured a moment of brilliance to take the lead and were controlling a European final.
David Davies / PA Wire/Press Association Images
David Davies / PA Wire/Press Association Images / PA Wire/Press Association Images
If they kept the head for another half of football, a thoroughly-impressive campaign would be assured.
A first European trophy in eleven years in Klopp’s first season in charge, the German only arriving in October. And, crucially, Champions League football guaranteed for next term. Not bad at all.
But, sport is a game of inches and, now, everything has been turned on its head.
Certainly, Klopp has made huge strides with a limited group and he needs a summer window to bring in players he wants to work with.
But it’s all ended in an anti-climax.
Peter Byrne
Peter Byrne
There was the cool, ruthless way Liverpool disposed of rivals Manchester United before the incredible, insanity of the Dortmund comeback at Anfield.
But, there was the professional job done on a tricky Villarreal side in the semis too.
It all seemed like this was a simmering Liverpool project about to come to the boil. But it’s turned out rather lukewarm.
Perhaps the peak was reached too soon. Ultimately, the Liverpool players will slump off into the summer knowing there won’t be any European football for them next season and no big, magical nights at Anfield to get the emotions stirring.
Klopp has made undeniable progress but the results – and this is a results business – show a side that still have quite a way to go.
Sevilla’s achievement will be lost in the haze when it should be lauded
The way post-game works is pretty simple: Liverpool threw this away and Liverpool need new players and Liverpool won’t be in Europe next season.
The real story, of course, is how Unai Emery – the 44-year-old who has worked wonders at Valencia and Sevilla but inexplicably always falls under the radar – has made history and racked up three successive Europa League victories.
Adam Davy
Adam Davy
He brought Valencia back-to-back third-placed finishes in a chaotic and turbulent time for the side and has been similarly consistent since taking charge of Sevilla.
He’s been there since 2013 and has won three European titles in those three years – what an incredible achievement. He’s also managed to keep the side relentlessly challenging for European qualification with finishes of 5th, 5th and 7th.
Tonight, he oversaw a superb Sevilla comeback.
Adam Davy / PA Wire/Press Association Images
Adam Davy / PA Wire/Press Association Images / PA Wire/Press Association Images
They seemed lost at half-time, struggling to find any momentum. And, in an instant, they had control back and never allowed Liverpool reclaim it.
There was more energy, more aggression and more hunger. Their usage of the ball was better and the neat passes in dangerous areas began to stick.
Oh, and they’ve also had to contend with the likes of goalscorer supreme Carlos Bacca, Ivan Rakitic, Aleix Vidal and Alvaro Negredo all leaving in recent seasons and needing to be replaced.
But, they’ve managed it. And, in spite of constant flux and being constantly stuck in the middle of a particularly favourite buzzword of declining Premier League teams – ‘transition’ – they’ve kept winning.
And they should be lauded for it.
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Liverpool's weaknesses badly exploited and other Europa League final talking points
Liverpool’s weaknesses cost them dearly
HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS a great thing but many Liverpool fans would’ve told you before kick-off that they had big doubts about their defence.
It’s easy to forget that Alberto Moreno was kept out of the starting lineup by an 18-year-old teenager in Joe Gomez and only got back in the side when the youngster’s season was prematurely ended due to injury.
He has his strengths.
In the first-half, he played a crucial role in Daniel Sturridge’s opening goal – making a clever decoy run on an overlap and creating a little bit of hesitation in the Sevilla rearguard.
But his offensive contributions aren’t really the problem.
Defensively, he’s a weak spot that teams exploit. He loses concentration all too easily and, when Liverpool do concede, he’s normally not too far away.
It happened this evening.
Just 17 seconds were gone in the second-half when, at a time the team needed to keep things calm and composed, he was involved twice in quick succession. Firstly, his poor defensive header sent the ball into an area with no red shirts and where Liverpool were out-numbered.
He acknowledged his mistake because, as Mariano took up possession and raced towards the by-line, Moreno frantically sprinted across. Instead of taking a half-second to weight things up – crucially, the vast space he was leaving behind him – he dived into a challenge and was nutmegged.
He wasn’t helped by Coutinho failing to drop off and cover but Mariano, by doing very little, was just yards from goal and left with a simple task of sending in a low cross for Gameiro to tap home.
Minutes later, Moreno and Toure were both caught ball-watching as Gameiro should’ve made it two-nil. Both didn’t expect a flick-on, the full-back inevitably moved towards the cross, leaving the attacker on his own.
It was a major let-off.
Then, for Coke’s second and Sevilla’s third, Moreno was drawn towards the ball and could only watch as it ricocheted past him. There was a substantial amount of good fortune but, the previous point stands – as Liverpool conceded, Moreno played a role.
There are other weak spots.
Toure is many things – ‘lion-hearted and lovable’ is how one profile described him ahead of tonight’s game – but, at 35, well past his prime.
Mignolet may have done better with the third goal and he’ll be under the microscope again this summer.
Of course, none are Klopp’s players and he inherited below-par signings from his predecessor. Still, selecting this personnel is always a risk and tonight, they were left badly exposed.
In an instant, Liverpool’s season seems a lot less impressive
At half-time, things looked so rosy for the Reds.
They had conjured a moment of brilliance to take the lead and were controlling a European final.
If they kept the head for another half of football, a thoroughly-impressive campaign would be assured.
A first European trophy in eleven years in Klopp’s first season in charge, the German only arriving in October. And, crucially, Champions League football guaranteed for next term. Not bad at all.
But, sport is a game of inches and, now, everything has been turned on its head.
Certainly, Klopp has made huge strides with a limited group and he needs a summer window to bring in players he wants to work with.
But it’s all ended in an anti-climax.
There was the cool, ruthless way Liverpool disposed of rivals Manchester United before the incredible, insanity of the Dortmund comeback at Anfield.
But, there was the professional job done on a tricky Villarreal side in the semis too.
It all seemed like this was a simmering Liverpool project about to come to the boil. But it’s turned out rather lukewarm.
Perhaps the peak was reached too soon. Ultimately, the Liverpool players will slump off into the summer knowing there won’t be any European football for them next season and no big, magical nights at Anfield to get the emotions stirring.
Klopp has made undeniable progress but the results – and this is a results business – show a side that still have quite a way to go.
Sevilla’s achievement will be lost in the haze when it should be lauded
The way post-game works is pretty simple: Liverpool threw this away and Liverpool need new players and Liverpool won’t be in Europe next season.
The real story, of course, is how Unai Emery – the 44-year-old who has worked wonders at Valencia and Sevilla but inexplicably always falls under the radar – has made history and racked up three successive Europa League victories.
He brought Valencia back-to-back third-placed finishes in a chaotic and turbulent time for the side and has been similarly consistent since taking charge of Sevilla.
He’s been there since 2013 and has won three European titles in those three years – what an incredible achievement. He’s also managed to keep the side relentlessly challenging for European qualification with finishes of 5th, 5th and 7th.
Tonight, he oversaw a superb Sevilla comeback.
They seemed lost at half-time, struggling to find any momentum. And, in an instant, they had control back and never allowed Liverpool reclaim it.
There was more energy, more aggression and more hunger. Their usage of the ball was better and the neat passes in dangerous areas began to stick.
Oh, and they’ve also had to contend with the likes of goalscorer supreme Carlos Bacca, Ivan Rakitic, Aleix Vidal and Alvaro Negredo all leaving in recent seasons and needing to be replaced.
But, they’ve managed it. And, in spite of constant flux and being constantly stuck in the middle of a particularly favourite buzzword of declining Premier League teams – ‘transition’ – they’ve kept winning.
And they should be lauded for it.
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Sevilla lift a third straight Europa League as Liverpool crumble in the second half
As it happened: Liverpool v Sevilla, Europa League final
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Alberto Moreno Analysis UEFA Europa League Jurgen Klopp Liverpool Sevilla Unai Emery