The Liverpool FC Women continued a good run of form this winner and early spring, picking up their first away win of the season in the WSL on Saturday as they defeated Everton 3-2 at Goodison Park. The win saw Gareth Taylor’s side take seven points from the last three matches, all in league play as Liverpool have built a cushion over both West Ham and Leicester City at the bottom of the table.
More than just the points, Liverpool have been putting together some much stronger performances of late.
Against Everton the Reds were absolutely dominant in the first half as they raced out to a 3-0 lead. An aggressive high press was on display, as was some slick passing and ball movement. Liverpool looked like they would coast to a victory before a two minute stretch saw an Everton free kick deflected into the net and then an odd refereeing sequence led to Grace Fisk being sent off. The hosts found another goal in the 91st minute, but Liverpool were able to hang on.
After the match Liverpool manager Gareth Taylor said his side did very well to nullify Everton while it was 11 v 11. He felt the performance after going down a player and resilience his side showed (after frequently capitulating earlier in the season), was a marker of what he feels this side can be.
There was a lot going on in that game. We were enjoying it, I was enjoying it up until Fisky suffers the second yellow card. I thought we were exceptional. We started the game really well, we controlled the play, we gained control. In the second and third phase, I felt like a lot of our play was outstanding. You know you’re going to have to weather some moments against Everton but we really nullified them to very, very little while we were 11 players on the pitch.
And then the second half obviously becomes a little bit more difficult when that happens. I thought there were some funny decisions today from the officials, just in the sense of yellow cards which probably are yellow cards but they’re coming off the back of a free-kick that should have been given. That’s for both teams. I think their second goal is arguably not a free-kick as well. It can frustrate because we worked so hard for that.
But I think it’s a different type of performance from us in the second half and I think it epitomises everything that we’re about. We really want to improve, we want to get better, we’re very honest, we’re very brave in everything that we try to do. Thankfully, we’ve got the three points today. We’d have liked it to have been more comfortable but that’s what football is all about – it can really put you through the wringer.
Liverpool’s first half performance was easily their best of the season. The Reds pressed and passed Everton into oblivion, and showed good finishing instincts as they were able to convert three times. Taylor felt the aggressiveness and the intensity of the press were essential to getting off to a flying start.
We try to be aggressive in everything that we do – particularly without the ball – and put pressure on most teams we play against. Because similar to Brighton last week, if you give teams time on the ball, they’ll animate and try to overload you in midfield areas and cause problems. I think Everton can be quite direct and then towards the end they’re obviously going to be direct because they’ve got players at the top end of the pitch. Dealing with that or trying to stop it is really key to what we tried to do.
Ceri Holland was the key figure yet again for the Reds. She netted from the penalty spot, and scored again late in the first half after she started a play at the top of her own box and ended up with a lung-busting solo run from midfield that was finished with a rocket into the top corner. Holland again was given the Player of the Match award for her efforts. Taylor said Holland’s work rate is a big part of what makes her special.
She’s got a big sponsorship with Barclays, I hear, [as] she keeps winning that Player of the Match! She deserves it. To take that penalty at that stage is big. She’s just super-cool. The second half is outstanding. I think if we keep 11 on the pitch in the second half, I think we open them up a little bit more and she has a chance for a Merseyside derby hat-trick. She is doing a lot for us, puts in so much effort and endeavour and is just a great player to work with.
Liverpool were comfortably in control until Grace Fisk was shown a second yellow card in the 66th minute. While Fisk did get caught clipping the heel of Zara Kramzar off the ball, it came after a situation where Kramzar blatantly ran through Fisk off the ball with no intent other than to barge the Liverpool defender. With no foul given, Fisk retaliated and was punished for it. Taylor felt that there were some unusual calls throughout the game that led to this sort of a situation bubbling over.
I think Fisky has had a kick out but I think she gets fouled before that. Again, that’s probably what I was talking about before where there’s an action before a real action. So the second action, most of them today are probably yellow cards. But I feel with both teams that there’s an element of anger in the fact that they haven’t been given the previous one. So, no real kind of complaints from us. Fisky has just apologised but I said, ‘Look, it gives us another proposition.’ And she’s been outstanding for us, Grace Fisk, she really has. But huge credit to the girls – every one of them was superb. When you need someone to be super-calm, there’s none better than Jen Falk.
Liverpool now sit a little more comfortably at 10th in the table on 17 points after the win. With only three matches left in league play, it does seem like the Reds will be able to skate by after a disastrous first half of the season. Gareth Taylor’s side will have a massive match up with West Ham after the next international break, followed by two very difficult fixtures against Manchester City and Arsenal. For Taylor, the mentality his side displayed against Everton is essential to the team belief that they can compete against anyone.
We try to approach every game and try to win every game, no matter who we play against. We know some of the challenges are more difficult than others. Someone said to me afterwards that it’s five, six years since we’ve beaten Everton here, so I think it’s a big one for us. It gives confidence – particularly in the manner in the second half. We talk a lot about skill and will to win games – and we certainly showed a lot of will in the second half.
