REARMED SLOT MACHINES
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Ipswich stall under the pressure of Liverpool’s second half clinic.
"The second half was a joy to watch."
The Tractor Boys are back in town. For the first time since their relegation in 2002, Ipswich were to host another Premier League game at Portman Road. Under the stewardship of Kieran McKenna, the Suffolk outfit have gone from strength to strength, excelling with his eye-catching brand of attacking football. Their tally of ninety-two goals led the second flight in total strikes, the central reason as to why they’ve made a return to the big time. Omari Hutchinson was a standout in the Blues’ promotion push, and the winger put pen to paper early in this window, now making his switch from Chelsea to Ipswich a permanent one. This summer has also seen the additions of reinforcers Kalvin Phillips and Jens Cajuste, along with the decision to snap up last season’s Championship top scorer in Sammie Szmodic. Ipswich aren’t here to mess around.
Suffolk isn’t the only place to witness change though, as today’s opponents, Liverpool, have experienced quite a few months of their own. Legendary manager Jurgen Klopp made the decision to exit stage left, and a massive void needed filling at Anfield. The six-time European Cup winners plumped for Feyenoord’s Arne Slot, pulling out the big bucks to release him from his contract at De Kuip. There’s no doubt the Dutchman has a huge job on his hands, and the current lack of additions won’t make the job any easier. Yet, the more things change, the more they stay the same. On the road, another lunchtime kickoff was in order for the Redmen. While they’ve likely become tired of such fixtures, those inside Portman Road had been waiting for a day like this.
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Out into the August sunshine it was then, with both sides emerging from the Portman Road tunnel to rapturous applause. A tifo adorning the Sir Bobby Robson stand read “The future is now”, and up against a front three of Mo Salah, Luis Diaz, and Diogo Jota, the Tractor Boys would need a performance reminiscent of those displayed under their former manager. Of Ipswich’s previous eleven Premier League meetings with Liverpool, they’d only won two, but no fear was shown in this one as they started at breakneck speed. A sloppy mistake at the back allowed Hutchinson a peek a goal, but it was well closed down and blocked by Jarell Quansah.
Liverpool looked to play out from the back, and Ipswich continued to swarm at every available opportunity. Dominic Szoboszlai appeared to begin the game in a more advanced roll than that of the season previous, with Slot perhaps looking to free up his creative influence. A flurry of early Ipswich bookings came, with a cheap shirt hold from Luke Woolfenden meaning that the centreback would have to manage his next eighty five minutes rather carefully. Settling into the game, chances were few a far between. Jacob Greaves sending a header straight into Alisson’s hands happened to be the only real moment of note within the game’s first half hour. There were shouts from the away end to show Wes Burns a second yellow after he quite deliberately used his hand to stop the ball with Jota advancing, but referee Tim Robinson decided that the free kick was punishment enough.
A quick counter saw Liam Delap feed Hutchinson, however, he took too long to check back onto his favoured left foot and the chance evaporated. Whether the fact that a large swathe of Liverpool players had found themselves away on international duty this summer had any effect, the first half performance level was mediocre at best. The hosts were creating chances, as Conor Chaplin swung in an inviting cross that was met by Axel Tuanzebe, his looping header floated over the bar. Delap then turned to smartly break away from Trent Alexander-Arnold, but the corner won came to nothing. At half-time, you could easily confuse which of these two clubs were the newly promoted one.
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Slot blinked first, switching out Quansah for Ibrahima Konate at the break. While not the attacking switch Liverpool fans would’ve likely hoped for, it could potentially allow for a quicker build up when advancing the ball from their backline. The Reds started the second forty-five sharper, getting Diaz and Salah involved in wide areas. Although, it was Ipswich’s wide man in Burns that took the attention, pulling up with what appeared to be a hamstring tweak. Ben Johnson, signed from West Ham, was given the nod by McKenna.
A knife-edge offside call was confirmed by VAR Stuart Atwell, saving Virgil van Dijk from potential penalty repercussions after the Liverpool captain clumsily barged into the back of Delap. Moments later, it was the Anfield side claiming for a spot kick, when Luis Diaz and Christian Watson collided. It was adjudged that the Colombian had got his shot away, and the collision was not firm enough to warrant a foul. Liverpool were breaking into their best period of the match, and Jota, free as a bird, missed a guilt-edged header after meeting with a perfect Alexander-Arnold cross. He wouldn’t miss the next.
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One hour gone, the Portuguese was left with an even simpler task. Leif Davis claimed offside at left back, but Alexander-Arnold’s pass through to Salah was perfectly timed in execution. Choosing the safer option, Liverpool’s number eleven laid a square ball into the path his teammate, and Jota tapped into an empty net. It was a cheap goal for Ipswich to give away, as the first shot on target against yielded the game’s opener. McKenna reacted with a double substitution as he looked to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately for him, it did not.
Before Marcus Harness and Jack Taylor could even get involved, Liverpool struck again. Salah and Szoboszlai linked up with a neat one-two, and the prior kept his cool to slot under the advancing Watson. Moving up through the gears, the visitors had caught Ipswich cold with a five minute double. While margins might be small at the top level, the Redmen were exploiting opening gaps in a fatiguing Portman Road defence. Ali Al-Hamadi and Szmodic’s were chosen to enter the fray, as the hosts looked for some energy in the attacking third due to what had become a lacklustre second half outing.
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Conor Bradley, Cody Gakpo and Kostas Tsimikas replaced Alexander-Arnold, Jota, and Andy Robertson respectively, with Slot giving three of his starmen an earned rest. It appeared increasingly unlikely that Ipswich wouldn’t find a way back into the game, and Liverpool seemed happy to sit on what they had, with anything else gained an enjoyed bonus. After their slow start, the established Premier League side had shown why they are in the running for another title charge.
Dominating possession and tempo, Liverpool had dictated proceedings in the second half and ran out worthy winners. While Ipswich’s had shown glimpses, a highline had cost them dearly against the clinical Reds. It’s unlikely that McKenna will switch his tactical set-up though, as this style of play was what delivered his club to the promised land. Albeit, with a trip to Manchester City up next, it might be one to approach in a more pragmatic fashion.
Full-time, Liverpool 2-0 Ipswich.