Final Score: Liverpool 3-0 Wigan
Liverpool Goals: Luis Suárez (47, 58), José Enrique (65)
It finally happened. Having been set up for frustration, almost to the point where it's expected, at last we had a routine victory at Anfield. A game which looked to be fairly straightforward, in the end was. There have been so many disappointments at home recently and for a while it looked like this one could go the same way. Thankfully it didn't. A few more victories like this and it will become easier and easier with the confidence that will ultimately come with it.
We started the game with the line up that many thought would take to the field, the only thing that wasn't quite clear given the personnel was how that team would shape up. Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique could have been wing backs in another outing of 3-5-2, or we could be going with four at the back with Johnson and Wisdom either side with Enrique hopefully picking up from where he left off against Chelsea. It didn't take him long to be involved either, with Suarez giving him a chance to get wide straight away. He also had the first shot of the game after robbing the ball in midfield and choosing the direct route in going straight for goal as opposed to using Suarez or Sterling either side of him. He certainly has some confidence right now.
Unlike many sides that come to Anfield, Wigan were very keen to hold on to the ball and play in front of any gaps that were in the middle or in front of our defence. There was a mild early pressure but nothing really sustained and as such they were able to play around us for the majority of the time. Not that they could get anywhere near goal however, as the defence was strong enough to hold them off with ease. Suso had another early chance but his shot was blocked and it was good to see that even if we weren't the most aggressive with our tempo, we were at least trying to work Al Habsi in goal as often as possible. It was in fact a Wigan player that came closest to opening the scoring, as Enrique played in Suarez down the left hand side and his cutback was nearly put into his own net by Ben Watson. Having not beaten Wigan since 2009, we could use a break like that.
Though there was a fair amount of space in the middle as we sat fairly deep in that area, their set up and formation meant that a lot of the play came from either flank where we were more solid. At the back Wigan were assured enough to play it along the floor even when it came back to the goalkeeper and with only Suarez really pressing it meant that they were able to keep it and eventually work an opening, Ben Watson it was who fired over having been played into that space in the centre. They were patient and happy to be involved without any real adventure but when we had it they would pin us back and really squeeze us hard very high up the pitch. Our method of putting someone under pressure appears to be standing very close to them for as long as possible, without ever really trying to get to the ball. It's very easy to be over eager when trying to do this, give away the foul and subsequently deflate all that intensity but players who are good technically will have no problem with playing around a more passive style of pressing.
There wasn't that much rhythm to our play but we were still able to get into dangerous areas far more easily than they were. Jose Enrique had a shout for a penalty - as soft as it was - and still recovered quickly enough to get the ball back, although we weren't able to capitalize. Having conceded so many goals on the break it was good to see that when Wigan did try to counter we were quick to get numbers back and force Kone into a really wild shot from far out, which Reina was able to handle comfortably. He's been out of action for so long it was good for him to have a slow reintroduction to things. Were the circumstances different and he'd been under fire to begin with, it would have caught him cold but this was a steady opening few minutes, without him ever being so uninvolved it would have called his concentration into question.
Neither team had control of the game, which didn't bother Wigan as they weren't looking for anything in particular and were content with playing their football and seeing what they could get out of it. It then became rather fragmented as we had a succession of free kicks and corners - during which the referee slowed the game down even more by having to deal with pushing and shoving - before they went up the other end and had a similar run of set pieces. Neither one produced anything of any real note, save for Suso's wild attempt that forced Al Habsi into a save. It looked to have swerved late and he couldn't gather it cleanly but there was nobody around to capitalize.
Minutes ticked by without any real action. Ben Watson went down after a challenge by Raheem Sterling and was in clear pain, another delay in the game breaking it up further. From out of the doldrums, Jose Enrique and Glen Johnson combined once more to carve up what was the best chance in the game only for Suso to misplace his header. The timing of his run was perfect in between the two defenders but the finishing touch wasn't there. Though it was the biggest opportunity of the first half it was the only real time either side had any real joy from the wide men, with both attacks were playing into their main striker. Di Santo and Suarez were taking it into feet and playing off it with the key difference being that Suarez had to come a lot deeper to get involved and as such had much further to travel once he had it, giving Wigan time to get men in the way.
It wasn't quite to the point where a change was needed but in terms of shaking things up, Rodgers decided that with thirty five minutes gone he would make his first substitution. Jordan Henderson came on for Suso which was an odd switch on the face of it given how he had played. It was another bold decision from the manager who has made a few of these in recent weeks, one that he could have been heavily criticised for had it not come off. It did however appear to have some effect on what time remained in the first half, the midfield now more prevalent and intense in it's approach which in turn then had a similar effect right throughout the team as we hunted the ball with a more hunger. Wigan were forced to up their game also as we began to keep the ball and tested our technique. Fortunately it was a test we passed easily, with Pepe Reina getting full marks for his drag back on Franco Di Santo.
While we were far away from our fluent best, at the very least Al Habsi was being called into action. Suarez caused havoc when playing a ball in from the right hand side of the penalty box and the Wigan goalkeeper did well with Jose Enrique and a defender running across him to hold onto the ball, any spillage would have resulted in a goal. It was the last real chance of the half unfortunately as Wigan again did well to keep the ball while our midfield ran around them to try and win it back. Joe Allen received a nasty cut in the process and delayed the interval by a few minutes, during which time we had a couple of corners and a Daniel Agger thunderbolt was blocked. At the break it was clear then that if we didn't raise the tempo and quality of our game then we would be heading for more misery at Anfield and Wigan's recent good record against us would continue.
After the restart, there was no onslaught. It wasn't a blitz on Wigan's goal that led to them giving it up and conceding the first goal. There was some intensity from Steven Gerrard but other than that things were still as open as they had been before the break. Jean Beausejour had the ball and there was no danger, until it left his foot. His back pass was criminally under hit and right into the path of Raheem Sterling on the right hand side. He then poked it beyond Boyce and was in on goal, before looking up and cutting it back. Luis Suarez made no mistake, putting high into the net beyond the goalkeeper to open the scoring and start the second half with a real bang.
Relief all around the stadium and visible joy among the players on the pitch. Joe Allen and Jose Enrique both within minutes of the goal had their chests pumped up as they stood up to challenges as Wigan tried to get at us. Jordan Henderson's presence in the midfield seemed to galvanize Joe Allen as it moved him a little further forward and allowed him the time to look up as he wasn't the deeper player whom the opposition would target to disrupt our rhythm. He's been dealing with that - along with playing alongside Joe Cole - far too often recently and while it's a job he can do, it's not his game necessarily. Henderson in the middle is something that in Lucas' continued absence should have happened earlier and hopefully this will convince Rodgers to extend that run.
One of the things we do really well when we're playing good football is have a good balance between the midfield and the wide areas. At times we've been very lop sided but with Sterling and Enrique supplying the width in addition to Glen Johnson I like to see it when a midfielder comes over and supports them, if nothing more than as an exit ball should there be no way through. Given his natural desire to get involved, Gerrard was trying to do it on both sides but it only really had any effect on the left where Johnson had been moved a little narrower, brought upon because Enrique was right up against the touchline. In the centre of the park Henderson was growing in confidence with every minute, even having an attempt at a first time volley. Despite being of a similar distance, it was a world away from Wigan's growing desperation as Franco Di Santo harmlessly shot at Pepe Reina's goal moments before.
Jose Enrique may not be the most measured of footballers but he certainly appears to enjoy it. Being deployed on the wing isn't something that I thought was an option, let alone something he'd excel at but here he was doing all the right things. Taking the ball - as he had all game - out wide and being invited to cut in, Enrique needed no second invitation and drove at their defence. Spotting Suarez ahead of him it looked as if the chance had gone but his ball through split the two centre halves and allowed Luis to run on to it perfectly. He got there a split second before Al Habsi and prodded the ball beyond him into the back of the net to double the lead and add to his ever impressive tally for the season. It's that additional goal which we've found so much trouble in getting as of late and we've been punished for not doing so while on top in the past. At last, a cushion.
Clinical at the front, concentrated at the back. Right from kick off it looked like Kone was about to go through and even though he was offside I thought it fairly impressive that Glen Johnson was there on the cover, having read the danger and gone all the way into the middle of the box to cut him off. At the other end things weren't so straightforward and the Wigan defence were now petrified whenever Suarez got near the ball. This led to them being very rash and nearly letting him in on two separate occasions, one right after the other. All over the park now there was an appetite for the ball that they just couldn't match. Our defence was parked on the half way line and whenever they'd clear it the ball would just come right back at them. To make things better we got the one thing that seems to have deserted us completely in recent months. Luck.
In the two league games before this, we'd conceded goals from a foul throw and a referee getting in the way. So when Iván Ramis tried to play a cross field ball only for it to hit Suarez and the throw still be given to us, it set forth a chain of events that would seal the game completely. That's no excuse, both for the things that happened against us and what transpired here; there's still defending to be done and no piece of misfortune should be an excuse for not doing your job properly. The throw was played into Raheem Sterling who combined with Luis Suarez to set up a shooting opportunity. Sterling's shot was palmed by Ali Al Habsi, who then had to watch as Jose Enrique ghosted in behind Maynor Figueroa to get his first ever goal for the club.
Three goals to the good and it started to look like it would become a question of how many we'd score. Jordan Henderson is someone who's been described as lacking in confidence but here his energy was bouncing. Demanding the ball, he very nearly scored a fourth of the afternoon after Suarez' shot was blocked and Enrique recovered it. With so much of our attacking play coming through Suarez, Gerrard and Sterling so far this season it was so good to see some fresh faces really carving a team up. Henderson in particular was really relishing it and looked to be using the game as a statement to everybody. He and Joe Allen put the shackles on Wigan and made it so that they couldn't build up any real rhythm. That being said, Jordi Gomez should have scored for them just after coming on when it was laid across to him. His shot went high into the Kop whereas it seemed like everything we were trying was coming off. It makes a change.
Even though the scoreline suggested the game was over, that did not stop Wigan from playing a very high line. In the closing stages it was something that became easy to exploit as things became ever more stretched, with Wisdom bombing forward into acres of space left on the right hand side. Suarez was taken down on the edge of the penalty area as he looked to turn and face goal, clearly still hungry for what would be his second hat trick of the season. To their credit Roberto Martinez's side pushed for any kind of consolation goal and Kone was on hand to seal that when he hit the post from two yards out, only for his blushes to be spared when the offside flag was raised. That pretty much summed up the Lactics afternoon.
When our confidence is high and the pressure is off, we're such a wonderful team to watch. The movement and fluidity in and around the penalty area is so good, if we had the strength to do it right from the off then we could easily become a formidable force in this league. Though it was effectively over as a contest, Glen Johnson was as ever still looking to get forward. His direct, dangerous running saw him go from deep to right on the edge of the penalty area and his shot went agonisingly wide of the post. He's one of our biggest threats going forward when things are tight so when the open up like this it's perfect for someone like him - especially with Enrique doing such a good job of keeping the balance ahead of him. Sterling and Gerrard all looked to get in behind before Suarez was put through by Enrique to try and grab his hat trick but the ball through sent him just too wide. The Wigan defence were still fighting but visibly weary at how the second half had progressed.
Brendan Rodgers had the rare opportunity to give a rest to some players as we went into the final ten minutes. Jamie Carragher came on to relieve Daniel Agger of his defensive duties as the only question that remained now would be whether Reina on his return would get a clean sheet. Certainly there was no sign of any slackness from the team, with Sterling still getting back and putting a shift in and Martin Skrtel as solid as ever in the tackle. A final change was made and with it the chance for Anfield to give Luis Suarez a standing ovation as Jonjo Shelvey came on to replace him. Any real drama in the game had long since disappeared as we kept the ball in our own third, using up whatever time remained. Right to the last Jordan Henderson was still running around trying to get a foot in and it was encouraging to see. Hopefully he will have convinced Brendan Rodgers to give him a further look in the centre of the park before Lucas comes back. Three points for Liverpool at Anfield is a phrase that we haven't been able to say all that often and it feels good. Now we have to another home game and another three points to earn. This time in the Europa League.
