I know people are a bit frustrated by us playing for a 0-0. There is some talk of it being a return to Moyes. However I think people have to note 3 things.
1) The Moyes era was nowhere near as bad as people are making out. There were positives and negatives of it.
2) Given how poor we have been at times this season, particularly defensively a return to an old fashioned Moyes performance is not a bad base to build from. It is a step in the right direction/
3) (And most importantly) Moyes may have tried to set teams up to stifle Liverpool, but rarely did he achieve this goal and we normally got beat, or road our luck. We very effectively put the game plan into practice yesterday. Gerrard was nullified Stirling and Sturridge starved of service, Coutinho kicked off the park.
The one bright spark for them was Ibe who caught us a bit off guard but after a warning shot from him we treated him with the respect he deserved and again he was anonymous. I could not think of 1 great save Robles had to make, 1 sustained spell of pressure where we were “digging in” or 1 clear cut chance they had.
The best they managed was a wonder shot that hit the outside of the post from Ibe. We created the clearest opportunity and brought the best save out of either goalkeeper in the last 5 minutes.
Liverpool set up for us to go after them hell for leather and counter us. Our midfield and defence showed discipline and tactical nouse and didn’t fall into that trap. In honesty, we kept a clean sheet without ever breaking second gear.
We do need to look at being more creative and attacking. But in both halves we looked more likely to win the game as it went on. Liverpool had run out of ideas. I think a front 3 might work and Barkley may thrive in that role.
I am happy with a point. Liverpool are on a good run and we are tentatively playing ourselves back into form. A point will help us especially with a clean sheet. Longer term we will score goals, and we are looking increasingly assured at the back without Distin and Howard. I know people are frustrated we didn't go hell for leather to attack Liverpool, but that was what they were expecting and would have played into their hands.
Martinez should have made his final 2 subs 10 minutes earlier and sensed Liverpool's moment had gone. But other than that he probably got the better of Rodgers in this one.
