Player ratings vs. Liverpool (League Cup)

When I saw the team sheet tonight, needless to say I didn't feel that confident. Funny how things can turn out by the end.

Here are my ratings:

Hamer: 6 - Scares the heck out of me every time the ball goes near him. Still, he did his job today and handled the hard shots that were straight at him well. Made no killer mistakes.
Amartey: 6 - The game passed him by a bit in the first half and his wing was exposed frequently, although that was more to do with what was happening in front of him. Generally solid though.
Morgan: 9 - Had a superb match and looked the only thing holding everything together in a haphazard first half. A really top performance.
Dragovic: 7 - Had a fight on his hands in the first half, but grew into the game and looked very confident by the end. Comfortable on the ball.
Chilwell: 7 - Had a fascinating battle against Oxlade-Chamberlain throughout the match and just about won the war.
Albrighton: 6 - The team selection looked set up for his quality delivery, but he wasn't quite on it today. Kept on drifting inside in the first half to help the midfield, which left his wing vacant. Will have easier days.
Ndidi: 6 - Still doesn't really look himself to me. Got completely swamped in the first half; better in the second.
Iborra: 7 - Well, this was quite the competitive debut. Made some great tackles, yet also missed several. Threw himself about everywhere. Picked some solid passes, yet also played some awful passes at times that went either miles off target or were completely mis-read. Looked frustrated at times that his teammates weren't on his wavelength, yet the consistently trusted him and his technique. Somehow - and who knows how - got away with a handball in the closing minutes. But you know what: Despite it all, he's one heck of an influential player. He was a midfield general, a communicator, and one who looks to know all the tricks of the trade. I know some will consider a 7 a bit high, but I enjoyed watching him tonight. Who knows what will happen in his next appearance.
Gray: 7 - Our main (only?) threat in the first half, but could only get on the ball occasionally. (Not his fault.) Exciting tonight, but still showing the same frustrating traits of shooting every time with it's right or not, and not committing enough to his defensive duties.
Ulloa: 4 - There can be no criticising his effort, because he put a lot in today and got injured throwing himself at a defensive header at a corner. But he was just taken out of the game time and again by Liverpool. I agree with others that I cannot understand why he's starting with Slimani.
Slimani: 7 - I felt throughout that he was worth keeping on as he might pop up with a goal, and so he did - although I wasn't expecting it like that. But the main problem with Slimani wasn't on display tonight: How he can possibly play in the same 11 as Vardy. It's our own Gerrard/Lampard conundrum - both want to play in the same space.

Okazaki: 9 - Straight into the action, upped the tempo and was an absolute pest throughout his time on the pitch. Like a small kid dashing around pulling all the big kids' shorts down and yet getting away with it. Proved his value yet again. My choice for our MOTM.
Choudhury: 5 - Even a rather tired and defeated Liverpool side danced around his challenges. Iborra and Okazaki helped him out no end by closing the space around him. Not ready for Premier League football by a distance.


I remember it being said about Sven when he in charge of England that he was considered a lucky manager rather than a good one. Well, tonight, Craig Shakespeare was a lucky, lucky manager. We can only guess at the wonders of the cosmos that we were still level at half time because Liverpool absolutely pummelled us. Wes Morgan takes a lot of credit, but even so they missed half chances, clear chances and absolute tap-ins. Then he gets lucky (in a sense) that there's a freak injury to the exact player he needs to take off, forcing the issue and sending on the MOTM. Shortly afterwards, he is about to bring Choudhury onto the pitch - a player who would later prove very much out of his depth - only for a goal to be scored and consequently for him to return to the bench.

Even so, Shakespeare does at least take some credit for getting the pressing sorted out in the second half, even though probably a far more significant event was Coutinho being withdrawn. One would suspect that Coutinho is being saved for a longer joust at the weekend. In that form, we'll be in for a bumpy ride.