CARABAO CUP SEMI-FINAL
(Second leg)
THURSDAY 6TH FEBRUARY, 2025
(8PM)
LIVERPOOL 4(1) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0(0)
(Liverpool won 4-1 on aggregate)
Liverpool scorers:-
Gakpo, 34
Salah (pen), 51
Szoboszlai, 75
Van Dijk, 80
Attendance:- 60,395
Referee:- Craig Pawson
Assistants:- Simon Bennett and Daniel Robathan
Fourth Official:- Darren Bond
VAR:- Michael Salisbury
Assistant VAR:- James Mainwaring
Teams:-
Liverpool (4-2-3-1):- 62. Kelleher; 84. Bradley, 5. Konate, 4. Van Dijk (Capt.) (sub 78. Quansah, 87), 26. Robertson; 38. Gravenberch, 17. Jones (sub 10. Mac Allister, 72); 11. Salah (sub 19. Elliott, 82), 8. Szoboszlai, 18. Gakpo (sub 7. Diaz, 82); 9. Nunez (sub 20. Jota, 72)
(Armband to Robertson)
Subs not used:- 56. Jaros (GK); 21. Tsimikas; 3. Endo; 14. Chiesa,
No bookings
Spurs (4-3-3):- 31. Kinsky; 14. Gray, 4. Danso, 33. Davies (sub 47. Moore, 82), 24. Spence; 30. Bentancur, 8. Bissouma (sub 23. Pedro Porro, 57), 29. Sarr (sub 15. Bergvall, 57); 21. Kulusevski, 9. Richarlison (sub 11. Tel, 45+1), 7. Son (Capt.)
Subs not used:- 40. Austin; 3. Reguilon, 59. Cassanova; 64. Olusesi; 63. Ajayi
No bookings
Spurs just weren't at the races at Liverpool
Thanks to Eugene Gasper for this picture
This was always going to be a very difficult hurdle for a team missing its first choice goalkeeper, three centre-backs, its three top scorers and more. The pressure was relentlessly against us from the start. At half-time, without one shot on target, we were level in the tie, seemingly still with some hope of success. That flicker of hope was extinguished five minutes into the second half when the inexperienced Kinsky brought down Nunez and Salah converted the penalty in front of The Kop.
I personally cannot remember The Kop being so vocal as their team pressed on and added two more goals to ensure their passage to a record 15th League Cup final. Son had a couple of late efforts that were close, but we ended the game without a single shot on target which is an abysmal statistic. Spurs were just not at the races here.
New signing Kevin Danso made his debut and will have been shell-shocked. He stood up quite well to the barrage, but with others, has to be held culpable when Virgil van Dijk headed home the fourth goal from a corner. Mathys Tel was also given his debut when replacing the injured (yet again) Richarlison in first half added time. In two and a half years since being signed, "Richie" has yet to pay us back for our £60 million investment.
Pedro Porro was given some respite and the early back four read from right to left Gray, Danso, Davies, and Spence. This would change three times in the second half, when Ange Postecoglou and his coaching staff were bereft of personnel and ideas.
This tie was the first ever domestic cup semi-final meeting of these teams. We did lose to Liverpool in the 1973 UEFA cup semi-final. Liverpool are good at winning semi-finals and trophies. Spurs have now lost 9 league cup semi-final ties to add to 12 FA Cup semi-final defeats, eight of those since our 1991 victory.
Spurs kicked off and played towards The Kop. 6,000 travelling fans roared them on but would be quietened in a dismal second half.
Van Dijk got away with giving Richarlison an early elbow in the face after Spurs defended an early corner. Referee Craig Pawson had "words," more regarding their contretemps after the incident. Richarlison was in an advanced position after 4 minutes when Gray crossed after Kulusevski's pass, but Liverpool cleared with ease.
Generally speaking, "Richie" was not getting forward and Spurs had no out-ball. Their three-man midfield was equally lacking in ability to find their passes, and the team was too easily pressed back towards their own goal. Kinsky was nervous in his handling and passing. I think I'd prefer Austin in goal until the return of Vicario.
Kinsky did hold an early Salah shot which took a deflection, and a Gakpo cross was blocked. Kinsky failed to cleanly gather another Liverpool corner. Ben Davies suffered a minor head wound when colliding with his keeper and was briefly off the field after treatment to change his shirt.
Bissouma did find Richarlison with a penetrating pass after 15 minutes. "Richie" was fouled, and we won a corner from the free kick, but that was also cleared.
Danso firmly blocked a shot by Gravenberch after a corner. Liverpool had enjoyed 74% of the possession at this point. After another corner, shots by Gakpo and Nunez were blocked. Kulusevski won a corner on the right to give us some respite, but that too came to nought.
Kinsky held Nunez's header after a Gakpo cross. Szoboszlai converted a Salah pass but had been offside. Spurs had yet to even have a shot on goal.
The onslaught continued. Robertson lifted a cross beyond the back post, where Salah hit his shot too high. Liverpool's first goal came after Spurs failed with passes near the half-way line. I think both Sarr and Bissouma were culpable here. The ball was sent to Salah down the right channel. He crossed cleverly with the outside of his left foot across the area where Gakpo had space and time to score with a right-footed shot.
Danso found Kulusevski with a good long pass, but "Deki"'s trademark shot was too high. Soon after this Richarlison went down without contact and hammered the ground in his frustration. Ultimately, he hobbled off with a calf injury and Tel came on. Tel hardly had touch in the game. In the meantime, Kinsky had to fingertip a Salah shot onto the top of the bar. Spence and Gray swapped sides in the period before the end of the half.
Liverpool kicked off and after a pass from Nunez, Salah cut inside forcing another Kinsky save. Robertson took two corners from the right. A clever flicked effort by Szoboszlai was saved and another Gakpo shot was blocked.
The penalty came after we lost possession again near halfway. Salah advanced and crossed and Kinsky mis-timed his advance to the ball, bringing Nunez down. Salah converted his eighth penalty of the season.
Gray and Spence had now switched back to their original positions. Tel did have a cross/shot put out for a corner after taking a pass from Kulusevski. Sarr and Bissouma were replaced by Bergvall and Pedro Porro, respectively. Spence went into midfield ahead of Pedro Porro, while Gray again took on the left back position.
Bentancur hit a right-footed shot from distance well over the target. Gakpo hit a short cross from the left and Szoboszlai's header was straight at Kinsky. Nunez hit the side netting after a cross by right back Conor Bradley, standing in (admirably) for Alexander-Arnold. Kinsky just got a touch to another Gakpo shot to push it past the post.
Spence got into a good position to the right side of the Liverpool area, but fired over. Now Liverpool brought on Jota and Mac Allister. They had the luxury of more top-line subs to come. Gravenberch took Szoboszlai's pass, and his shot hit the outside of Kinsky's right post.
Liverpool's third goal was all too easy, with Spurs yet again failing in midfield. They wanted to hold the ball too long before passing, and Liverpool snapped at their heels and pounced. World Cup winner Mac Allister (he plays with Romero - remember him?) was in the pivot position and fed Bradley. He passed inside and Szoboszlai scored with ease.
Finally, Son did race forward down the left side and hit the bar with his left-footed shot. Robertson won a corner at the other end, and Mac Allister took the kick from the left. Van Dijk rose above all to head home. The game was well and truly up.
Mikey Moore did come on (for Ben Davies), which left Gray in the middle again with Spence back to his starting position. Jota had a shot blocked and a header go wide. Son had a late shot (right foot) pass just over. Spurs just about managed to keep Liverpool from scoring again. It had been embarrassing enough.
Many of those same travelling fans will be at Villa Park on Sunday tea-time for an FA Cup appointment. I have little hope of success in that game too.
.
. Squad numbers,appearances,bookings & goalscorers
. Read the preview for this game.
. All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here! THFC6061 Sports Stats
