Napoli, though themselves static and without impetus in possession, looked continually dangerous on counter attacks and set pieces, both of which seemed to occur more frequently as the second half progressed.
The match peaked in intensity about half way through the second period, at which point the pitch was wide open, and the teams were trading counter attacks for a period of nearly 10 minutes. Thereafter, both sides made substitutions, and the game reverted to the form that it had taken in the first half — that of slow, conservative possession.
Napoli tried to do as Everton had done, disrupt Liverpool’s possession in their own haf with pressure, but they were far less effective in doing so, and Liverpool’s defenders — Skyrtel and Kelly in particular — linked well with the midfielders. Kelly made a number of deep runs that resulted in Liverpool threats.
In midfield, Poulsen did well in defense, but was nearly invisible going forward. Babel was active, but many of his touches were slightly lacking in quality. Spearing did well to act as the fulcrum of the attack during extended spells in the attacking zone, and Shelvey was perhaps the best of all. He was by far the team’s most important player in the first half — in which Liverpool got the better of the action, and though the quality of his touches faded in the second 45, he still was one of the team’s best players.
Ngog took a long time to get into the match, doing nearly nothing for the first 25 minutes, but he became more involved thereafter, and his touches were of quality. He simply didn’t quite have things go right for him, but his form was there. Jovanovic also played a pretty strong game. He set up Babel on the should-have-been goal, and he came back to the midfield and created chances with consistency. His shots, however, were nowhere near the target.
Reina, as always, looked solid in net, even though he was caught out of possession a couple of times and required a touch-line clearance from Konchesky.
While it may not have been a win, Liverpool is surely in good position in Group K, having drawn in what must be considered their toughest match, away to Napoli. After three matches, they sit atop the table.
Their next match, of course, will be this Sunday against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield.
Full Time, 0-0: Napoli takes the final set of opportunities, relentlessly crossing into dangerous areas and maintaing possession. Nervy stuff for Liverpool. Lavezzi takes a shot from the top of the box but cannot keep the ball down. That’s that. Liverpool leaves Naples with a draw, still atop group K.
89′, 0-0: Liverpool and Napoli have begun to look content with the draw, as the teams are now somewhat lethargically going forward. Napoli finds themselves with numbers forward, but Cavani crosses into the stands.
86′, 0-0: Hamsik comes off for Sosa. The Slovakian star looked very dangerous at times, but also disappeared for long stretches. Liverpool wins a throw deep in Napoli’s area after some strong play from Cole and Shelvey. Dossena clears but Liverpool retains possession. They keep the ball for minutes before giving away a throw for nothing.
83′, 0-0: Ngog wins a corner after getting the ball in the center of the area and taking a shot after a clever turn. Shelvey’s corner was taken conservatively, and Napoli won the ball back. Gargano has come off for Yebda for Napoli.
80′, 0-0: Joe Cole wins the ball by the Napoli corner with a great tackle in his first piece of action, but nobody is on the end of his cross. Liverpool sits back on the front foot with possession, as the game has reverted to its first half form. Poulsen tries to go over the top to Shelvey, but he is offside. The teams exchange slow spells of possession thereafter, though Joe Cole has continued to be influential.
76′, 0-0: Napoli brings on Zuniga for Maggio at the right wing back position. Joe cole comes on for Ryan Babel. The substitutions have come as the game has taken a slight downturn in pace from the spurt of chances about 10 minutes earlier.
73′, 0-0: Liverpool wins a corner through Ngog, but Napoli is awarded a foul on the piece. They take it too quickly and are called back by the referee. Napoli attacks, and Lavezzi takes a shot that is deflected off target, but dangerously so. Handball gives the ball back to the Reds. Liverpool begins a promising attack with Jovanovic and Babel, but Shelvey’s ulitmate cross goes to De Sanctis.
69′, 0-0: Another dangerous corner taken by Napoli — not cleared cleanly by the Reds. Napoli takes another crack from the corner, but Liverpool finall gets it out of the zone. Jovanovic wins the ball off a Napoli mistake at the back. He makes a beautiful run and picks out Babel in space in the penalty area. Babel shoots on target but is saved by De Sanctis. It should have been 1-0 Reds.
66′, 0-0: The game has completely changed. It is now a back and forth, open affair. Napoli has had the better chances, often finding themselves with space in the Liverpool penalty area, but nothing has come of it. Liverpool too has seen much more opportunity for space in threatening parts of the pitch. Ngog and Babel look to have particularly benefited. Aurelio is now on for Konchesky.
62′, 0-0: Napoli break quickly and again look dangerous as Hamsik links with Cavani. His shot, however, is just off target. Still, more strong play from the Italians. Liverpool finds itself on a strong counterattack. Konchesky crosses with multiple Reds in the box, but to no avail. Lavezzi than counters, but Kyrgiakos cooly wins a goal kick. The game has opened up significantly of late.
58′, 0-0: Spearing nicked up enough for the trainers to come on, but he walks off totally on his own. When action resumes, Martin Kelly makes another lengthy run all the way down the field, but his cross finds nobody. Lavezzi does the exact same thing in the other direction. Back on the attack, Babel links with Ngog, who finds Jovanovic. Milan sends a shot into the second deck.
55′, 0-0: Reina now wearing the armband for Liverpool. Dossena again looks dangerous down the left wing, though Kelly has done pretty well. Gargano finds Cavani in the center, and Reina makes a good save low and to his right. All of the sudden, Napoli is by far the more dangerous side.
52′, 0-0: A long period of inactivity is ended by a Dossena run that results in a corner after Kelly deflects his centering pass. Nothing comes of it, as Spearing is fouled. Liverpool has longballed a few times early in the second half, with little success.
48′, 0-0: Kyrgiakos has come on for Carragher at half. Napoli begins the period with a spell of possession. Liverpool, as usual, puts little pressure on the ball, but that is not particularly costly as Napoli themselves have so little impetus. Hamsik sends a nice cross, but to no avail.
Halftime analysis: Liverpool were the better side for the better part of the first half, but they were very lucky to not concede in the final moments. Hamsik’s ball off the corner may have actually crossed the touch line, but that’s neither here nor there. The Reds’ moments of worry have come on corners, as Hamsik earlier had a long spell of possession just feet from the net off a corner. Going forward, the defenders have done a pretty good job of pushing up and linking with the midfielders. Shelvey and Babel have been particularly active. Poulsen has done the least thus far. Ngog has been somewhat isolated but came into the game as the half went on. Jovanovic is playing almost as an attacking midfielder. The team’s only worry is avoiding trouble on counters or set pieces. In the normal run of play, Napoli has done little threatening.
Half 0-0: Shelvey takes a free kick short, but nothing comes of it. Konchesky is beaten on the side by Hamsik, but the ball is cleared and Shelvey finds Babel. Babel crosses, and it is a good ball but finds nobody. The counterattack by Napoli is frenzied. Reina is caught out of position trying to win a ball which goes for a throw, but he rushes back. Napoli wins a corner and Hamsik puts the ball past Reina on target, but Konchesky clears the ball off the line — barely off the line. HALF.
43′, 0-0: Liverpool looks dangerous as Skyrtel finds Shelvey, who finds Ngog in the area. Ngog can’t quite put his volley on net. Napoli again get the ball and does nothing with it. Shelvey wins it. He has really been the most important player on the pitch for the last 20 minutes.
40′, 0-0: Shelvey tries to pull a “Xabi Alonso” as well, but doesn’t even get it to goal. Konchesky makes an error heading the ball back to Reina, which almost results in a Napoli interception, but Reina gets there in time. Jovanovic gets the ball down the left side and delivers a cross in for Ngog. The keeper comes out and misses it — so does Ngog, so goal Kick. Napoli again maintains possession with very little intent. They seem very content to counterattack.
36′, 0-0: Ngog gets the ball deep in the Napoli side and dribles back around two defenders before deliving the ball to Babel. Babel looks to place the ball right in front of goal for a touch, but nobody is there. Napoli now enjoys a casual run of possession before a failed longball. Liverpool then spends its own spell doing nothing with the ball before sending it long to Napoli. The Reds, though, have done very well to contain Hamsik. He has done very little this half.
32′, 0-0: The game slows off the Liverpool clearance, with the Reds enjoying most of the possession in the Napoli zone, but doing next to nothing with it. Jovanovic has been playing rather deep, as a creator far more than a target. He begins a string of passes that results in a Shelvey shot on target from the top of the box. It is no trouble for the keeper.
29′, 0-0: Cavani goes for a “Xabi Alonso” and shoots from half field with Reina off his line. Reina gets back, and he misses slightly. Liverpool goes forward off the goal kick and enjoy some nice possession in the Napoli side. Babel turns it over and concedes a counter. Lavezzi takes it the length of the field until he is fouled by Skyrtel, who is given a yellow, perhaps cheaply. The free kick comes to just a throw for Napoli. Liverpool win a free kick and clear.
26′, 0-0: Some of the best offensive possession has come from Kelly and Spearing of all people. The entire back four have looked comfortable thus far. Gargano wins a free kick in the final third, which eventually results in a corner, which results in a throw to Napoli, whch Liverpool clears.
23′, 0-0: Shelvey takes another free kick, and connects with Skyrtel, but he’s unable to do anything with it. At the half way point of the half, neither team looks particularly dangerous, though Liverpool have seen more of the ball and looked more positive than they have in the past. Shelvey and Kelly have stood out. Poulsen has done next to nothing going forward. Ngog has been unavailable. The best moment was likely the Jovanovic-Babel link-up, though it was too far ahead of Babel for him to be able to shoot.
20′, 0-0: Well taken corner by Napoli as Hamsik ends up with multiple touches on the ball close inside the area. It bounces around precariously, but eventually is cleared out of the area, though Napoli maintain possession. Lavezzi makes a slashing run from the left before sailing it over the bar from the top of the area. Liverpool wins a free kick just inside the Napoli half. Shelvey takes, but just misses the Reds line forward slightly. Goal Kick.
17′, 0-0: The game has entered somewhat of a lull, the ball being exchanged in midfield before given to each keeper for goal kicks. Poulsen is warned by the referee for a foul, and Napoli attempts to move forward, but they give the ball away for a throw on a wayward pass. Konchesky misses on a longball for Babel, which results in a counter. Konchesky concedes a corner.
13′, 0-0: Liverpool are pressuring well, keeping the ball in the attacking zone. Poulsen gives the ball away but Napoli is unable to counter and are forced to build from the back. They longball and Carragher, wearing the armband, clears. It is unclear whether Liverpool looks more positive than on Sunday because of their own tactics or simply who their opponents are.
10′, 0-0: Great tackle on a counter-attack by Ryan Babel to break up a developing chance for the Azzuri. Poulsen has done little to get into the game thus far, perhaps having only one touch. Kelly has been the most positive player, but he has again missed another pass — this time with Jovanovic. Babel gets released on a beautiful Jovanovic through pass, but he is at a bad angle in the box, and has little he can do. Liverpool is thoroughly on the front foot.
6′, 0-0: Kelly again goes on a strong run down the right side, which seems to be where Liverpool is tending to move forward, but his final ball misses. Napoli has made a habit of longballing thus far, but they are following Everton’s lead and pressuring in the back.
3′, 0-0: Liverpool starts off the match with some decent possession in the opening minutes. Kelly is already showing his presence, making some decent passes, and crossing a potentially dangerous ball into the middle. Thereafter, Liverpool goes on a spell of holding in the back.
1 p.m.: Just moments from kickoff.
7 a.m.: Liverpool will face Napoli Thursday without the better portion of their normal lineup. Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres have stayed in England, and both Lucas and Raul Meireles are resting as well. Defenders Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger both remain out with injury.
All of this mean that the likes of David Ngog and Ryan Babel will have a chance to impress, as will Christian Poulsen, who will be returning to the lineup. Others with even less experience will likely see time against Napoli.
The Azzuri are in a respectable fourth position in the Serie A table, trailing only Inter Milan, AC Milan and surprising Lazio. In Europa League Group K, both Napoli and Liverpool have played scoreless draws against FC Utrecht, but the Reds were able to defeat Steaua Bucaresti 4-1, while Napoli managed only a 3-3 draw against the Romanians.
The match is set to begin at 1 p.m.
Lineups are as follows below.
Napoli
Morgan De Sanctis (26), goalkeeper
Paolo Cannavaro (28), defender
Andrea Dossena (8), defender
Hugo Armando Campagnaro (14), defender
Salvatore Aronica (6), defender
Cristian Maggio (11), midfielder
Michele Pazienza (5), midfielder
Walter Gargano (23), midfielder
Marek Hamsik (17), midfielder
Edinson Roberto Gomez Cavani (7), forward
Ezequiel Ivan Lavezzi (22), forward
Substitutes
Gennaro Iezzo (1)
Sanchez Emilson Cribari (25)
Gianluca Grava (2)
Camilo Zuniga (18)
Hassan Yebda (21)
Jose Ernesto Sosa (77)
Nicolao Dumitru (12)
Liverpool
Pepe Reina (25), goalkeeper
Paul Konchesky (3), defender
Jamie Carragher (23), defender
Martin Skrtel (37), defender
Martin Kelly (34), defender
Christian Poulsen (28), midfielder
Jonjo Shelvey (33), midfielder
Jay Spearing (26), midfielder
Ryan Babel (19), midfielder
David Ngog (24), forward
Milan Jovanovic (14), forward
Substitutes
Brad Jones (1)
Sotirios Kyrgiakos (16)
Fabio Aurelio (6)
Danny Wilson (22)
Joe Cole (10)
Maximiliano Rodriguez (17)
Nathan Eccleston (39)
