Digging Deeper Into Liverpool’s Season Finale Draw With Southampton

1 year ago 321

Southampton FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League

Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images

After Liverpool blew and early lead and dug themselves out of a two goal hole themselves for a season ending draw, we dig a little deeper into the winners and losers from the match.

For one last time, we saw Roberto Firmino and James Milner step on the pitch for Liverpool. It could also have been the last match for any of Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, and/or Caoimhín Kelleher, who were all also part of the starting line up. Liverpool started out well, with Diogo Jota being gifted a goal followed by a sweet move finished off by Firmino. Liverpool were then carved apart for four straight goals before firing home two more to finish the season off with a 4-4 draw.

Below, we take a look at some winners and losers on the night, and attempt to disentangle narrative from fact.

Winners

Bobby Firmino
It’s been a long, emotional goodbye to the cult hero since it was announced he was leaving the club. Handed a start in his final match for Liverpool he did not disappoint. Bobby scored Liverpool’s second goal after a very nice sequence by sending a defender sprawling before putting a low shot through the legs of the goalkeeper. We love ya, Bobby!

Diogo Jota
The Portuguese forward was gifted the opening goal after a defender played the ball directly to him in front of an open net, and Jota made sure not to miss. He fired home his second of the day to bring Liverpool back level, hitting an unstoppable rocket in the 73rd minute. After dealing with injuries through much of the season, Jota came good during the spring, and finished his season off with a bang.

Trent Alexander-Arnold
With Trent’s assist for Cody Gakpo in the 72nd minute, he hit 10 assists for the season, an impressive feat considering he only had 3 assists in the league entering April. That means that Trent finishes with double digit assists for the fourth season in a row. Not too shabby!

People who like goals
D’ya like goals? Well d’ya? If so, this match was for you. Liverpool started out with two quick goals before being carved apart for four from Southampton. The Reds (wearing green) managed to pull back two more goals in short order midway through the second half to tie it at four apiece in an eight goal...thriller? For a game that didn’t matter at all, goals galore at least made it somewhat fun.

The friends we made along the way
The 11 match unbeaten streak to finish up the season non-withstanding, this season has been a slog. The team looked tired mentally and physically tired after the insane push for the quadruple last season and a shortened offseason, and the results suffered. As supporters, it was difficult to see the team take such a step back after being so good for so long. Thanks as always to this community for being a place of reason and positivity (for the most part) when things aren’t perfect.

Losers

Mohamed Salah
Mo needed one goal to reach the 20 goal threshold yet again in the Premier League. He was presented with plenty of opportunities, including a first time touch that hit the post, but he failed to find the back of the net. He finishes with ONLY 19 goals and 12 assists in a “down” season.

People who like defending
It probably comes as no surprise that a group of Liverpool reserve players who haven’t played together, including 3 of 4 defenders and the goalkeeper, were carved carved apart for 4 goals. Southampton, who have been pretty terrible defensively all season, continued to be pretty terrible defensively.

Caoimhín Kelleher
The Irish goalkeeper is being tipped for a move away from Anfield to become a regular starter elsewhere in the Premier League. He did not exactly cover himself in glory for two of the goals Liverpool conceded, letting one ball slip under him and seeing another sneak past him after he overcommitted to the near post.