Raheem Sterling did not look tired.
All week Roy Hodgson’s decision to leave him on the bench for England’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Estonia has reverberated – had he told his manager he was tired and should Hodgson have revealed that even if he did?
He remained centre-stage yesterday, having a key part on all three Liverpool goals as they fumbled their way to a much-needed win. The result lifts Liverpool to fifth – nine points adrift of Chelsea – but their overall performance was far from impressive.
Liverpool’s problems this season have been two-fold: with Luis Suarez sold and Daniel Sturridge injured they have had nothing like the goal threat of last season, while their defence has remained porous. Individual members of the back four have taken much of the blame for that.
It has also been apparent that Steven Gerrard, for all he has adjusted his game as he has got older, is not the most reliable cover.
It was presumably with that in mind that Brendan Rodgers changed the shape: Emre Can and Jordan Henderson starting at the back of midfield, with Gerrard almost as a second striker off Mario Balotelli.
Yet the gaps remained – and it is surely that after Gerrard returned to the back of midfield in the second half, five goals flew in.
But QPR could easily have been comfortably ahead by the time Liverpool went ahead. Simon Mignolet made a string of saves, while Leroy Fer twice hit the bar and Martin Skrtel hacked a follow-up off the line.
It was the first of those chances for the Dutchman Fer that felt the most telling, a simple cut-back leaving him incomprehensibly untended, Liverpool’s defensive shape having again deserted them.
Rodgers responded by berating Balotelli, who had spent the previous 30 seconds or so bent over on the halfway line, clutching his head after he had been whacked in an aerial challenge.
The Italian had another frustrating afternoon, which reached a nadir just after the hour as he blasted over a gaping net after Adam Lallana had had an effort saved by Alex McCarthy.
“The most important thing for me is that he works,” said Rodgers, which sounded terribly like damning with faint praise.
“It’ll drop for him. He’s a great boy. I’ve really enjoyed working with him.”
Fortunately for Liverpool they had Sterling to turn the game their way. The free-kick he won after 67 minutes was perhaps soft, but he showed admirable alertness to take it quickly, releasing Glen Johnson to cross the ball, which cannoned in off Richard Dunne.
TThen, after Eduardo Vargas had nudged in Charlie Austin’s header back across goal on 87 minutes, it was Sterling who initiated the counter that led to Philippe Coutinho making it 2-1.
It was another Sterling-led break that brought the winner, deep in injury time after Liverpool’s weakness at set plays had been exposed again by Vargas.
His low cross would have left Balotelli with an open goal but, perhaps fortunately given the way the Italian had been finishing, it bounced in off Steven Caulker.
“I thought he was outstanding,” Rodgers said of Sterling. “His cleverness and brightness on the first goal – the best players come alive when the game goes dead. The breakaways for the other two all about his speed, technique, his courage.”
Rodgers made no secret of the fact, though, that his side had been “fortunate”, conceding that “we weren’t anywhere near” the standards he has set for his side.
There needs to be a major improvement if they are to secure Uefa Champions League football for next season.
After a week of speculation about his future as QPR manager, Harry Redknapp was in combative mood after the unfortunate 3-2 defeat.
Rangers were the better side for long spells, hit the woodwork twice and ultimately were undone by two own goals.
“It’s the best I’ve seen us play since I’ve been at the club,” he said.
With QPR bottom of the table, Les Ferdinand appointed as director of football, seemingly against Redknapp’s wishes and an offer of a two-year contract, which was reported a few weeks ago, having seemingly been shelved, there are understandably doubts over whether Redknapp will stay – although he apparently retains the support of the club’s majority shareholder Tony Fernandes.
“I couldn’t give a monkey’s about speculation,” Redknapp said. “Do you think I’m bothered by silly people writing rubbish?”
He insisted the performance gave him confidence QPR can survive.
“We were miles the better team,” he said.
“You don’t always get what you deserve in life. An absolute injustice.”
He did, though, acknowledge his team’s “naivety” had let them down as they sent men forward for a late free-kick, making possible Raheem Sterling’s counter-attack, as well as switching off for Liverpool’s opener, which came from a quickly taken free kick.
“The first goal was farcical,” he said. “We get up and turn our back on the ball.”
This was an angry Redknapp, his frustration shown both as he shoved away the hanging display of sponsors’ logos as it squeaked against his chair, and in a remarkable attack on the forward Adel Taarabt.
“He’s not fit to play football,” he said. “He played a reserve game the other night and I could have run more. I’ll pick people who want to work and train. If he starts doing that maybe he’ll get a game.
“I can’t keep protecting people who don’t want to train. Players on 60-70 grand a year who don’t train – what’s the game coming to?”
The rest of the squad, he insisted, are “good as gold” – and he was particularly pleased with Eduardo Vargas who came off the bench to nab two late goals.
“I’ve no doubts we’ll be OK and the little boy Vargas gives me even more confidence,” Redknapp said. “There ain’t no one could do any better than me here.”
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