Southampton, searching for a first League victory under Redknapp’s stewardship, were 2-0 ahead 22 minutes into the game. With Peter Crouch playing as he can rarely have played before, creating one goal and scoring another, they never looked likely to concede the lead.
On the other hand, Redknapp was fortunate yesterday in that Steven Gerrard was patently unfit. The Liverpool captain was not expected to play, but passed a fitness test on his troublesome groin strain just before the start. One of the main reasons why Liverpool were largely ineffectual throughout was Gerrard’s evident lack of mobility and understandable unwillingness to venture forward into attack.
When he did, no more than once or twice in the first period and not that often after half-time, Liverpool looked altogether more potent. Once, receiving a cross-field ball from Milan Baros, Gerrard hooked a volley over the crossbar. On another occasion, a low drive was bolted straight at keeper Antti Niemi, who had little to inconvenience him throughout the game.
Nonetheless, Southampton had prepared themselves to face the Gerrard all clubs fear. A line of five strung-out midfield players, Jamie Redknapp at the core of the formation, aimed to smother anything and everything emanating from him. In front of this grouping was the gangly figure of Crouch, who, as a former Portsmouth forward of limited repute, is still far from a cult figure at
St Mary’s stadium.
He might yet become one, for this was the game of his life, at any rate on the south coast. The manner in which he laid off a telling through ball to David Prutton for the opening goal after five minutes was something to behold. True, the chance had arisen owing to the dalliance of Mauricio Pellegrino in defence, but the touch of Crouch, followed by a competent finish, was worthy of a team of higher standing.
“Peter Crouch has a lot more skill than people give him credit for. These were good goals that we created,” his manager agreed.
If the older Redknapp has given Southampton the belief that they can compete with far better teams, which was the very quality he brought to Fratton Park, then the younger Redknapp proved he can still play. An incisive through ball — the kind that once illuminated Anfield — gave Prutton an opportunity to pick out Crouch. A flick of the head and Southampton, after only 22 minutes, were two goals to the good.
Liverpool brought on Florent Sinama-Pongolle at half-time to try to provide an attacking option on the right wing but, with Fernando Morientes given little to feast on and Baros unable to untangle himself from Southampton’s hulking central defenders, there were few opportunities. The pick of them, coming from a free kick taken by Dietmar Hamann, resulted in Gerrard clipping the crossbar. A header from Pongolle shortly afterwards also went close.
With 15 minutes remaining, Redknapp Sr decided the lead would be best protected by the introduction of a third centre-back, Andreas Jakobsson, who took up the holding position in midfield. Liverpool enjoyed greater possession, but still could find no way through a defence egged on by the largest crowd of the season at St Mary’s.
After that, a shot from Prutton was touched aside by Jerzy Dudek, who had excelled in the first half when he came sprinting out of his area to foil Rory Delap, and a fine chance for Southampton was missed.
Still, there remain evident weaknesses in Liverpool’s defence: Jamie Carragher had been left to mark Crouch in the early stages without possessing the height or, perhaps, the clout to do so. Sami Hyypia went off injured in the second half and the left-back, Stephen Warnock, was replaced by Pongolle at the interval.
Despite the win, Redknapp returned to a familiar theme after the game. “I still feel we need a couple more players, but there is no point in bringing in bodies just for the sake of it. If we cannot get the right people, then we will stick as we are,” he said.
“If you’d asked me whether I’d want three points today or a win next week against Pompey (in the FA Cup) then I’d go for the three points. I am sure we have enough quality and character to stay up, but it is going to be tough.
“Nigel Quashie will give us a lift. He is a battling player who will be a big performer for this club. The dressing room was very quiet when I came here, but that is improving. My son Jamie has more to say before the kick-off and at half-time than I do, which is good.”
