Ian Doyle with the Liverpool U19s analysis from their final UEFA Youth League opening stage game at Inter on Wednesday afternoon
Liverpool missed out on the chance of a top-six finish after ending their UEFA Youth League opening phase with a dismal 5-0 defeat at Inter on Tuesday afternoon. A second-minute penalty from Dilan Zarate was followed 12 minutes later by a thunderbolt from Pietro La Torre to leave the Reds under-19s with too much of a mountain to climb at a chilly Konami Youth Development Training Centre in Milan.
Substitute Dino Putsen forced a third midway through the second half when his shot struck the inside of the post but was deflected in off the back of the head of Liverpool goalkeeper Kornel Misciur, before Inter skipper Mattia Mosconi and substitute Kevin Moressa completed the scoring.
Rob Page’s side, who had already qualified for the last 32 with a 1-0 home win over PSV Eindhoven a fortnight ago, have finished inside the top 22 with 10 points from their six games having earlier also lost to Real Madrid and drawn with Atletico Madrid while also beating Galatasaray and Eintracht Frankfurt.
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Morrison frustrated
The sole aim of Academy football is to prepare players capable of featuring for the senior team. And, in that respect, Kieran Morrison has arguably been the main individual beneficiary for Liverpool of this season’s UEFA Youth League.
The Northern Ireland U21 international’s outstanding showing in the 5-4 win at Frankfurt earned him a full debut from Arne Slot for the League Cup clash at home to Crystal Palace in October.
Here, though, Morrison was among several Liverpool attackers to be frustrated, most notably towards the end of the first half when, having forced a penalty when his attempted cross was handled in the box, the winger sent Inter goalkeeper Matteo Farronato the wrong way from the spot only to hit the inside of the post.
Morrison also saw a drive saved by Farronato before prompting a better save, and came as close as any Liverpool player to scoring.
Trent Kone-Doherty, again on the left flank, should have netted first half when firing too close to Farronato while Josh Sonni-Lambie, floating in the number 10 role, had some good touches before the break and striker Keyrol Figueroa was close with an acrobatic volley second half.
But that the latter two had departed long before full-time underlined neither were anywhere near as effective overall as they could have been.
Pinnington example
With midfielder Trey Nyoni and centre-back Wellity Lucky both required for bench duty with the first team later in the evening, the captain’s armband here was handed to Carter Pinnington.
The versatile 18-year-old was back in a defensive midfield role in which he started in the win over PSV Eindhoven last time out in this competition.
But his attempt to impose himself in midfield somewhat backfired early on when he caught opening goalscorer Dilan Zarate with a strong challenge that could easily have earned more than just a booking.
Alongside him, Joe Upton was impressive in possession and never failed to show for the ball as he attempted to kickstart Liverpool into action.
The Reds, though, with Fenway Sports Group chief executive of football Michael Edwards watching on, rarely convinced they would find a way back following the blow of conceding twice early on.
Defensive issues
The problem with square pegs in round holes is that no matter how much forcing, eventually the realisation will dawn that some things just won’t fit.
And while experiencing the game in different positions is beneficial at this development stage of a young player’s career, there comes a point where any limitations are exposed.
That was perhaps the case here with both Alvin Ayman and Oliver O’Connor struggling on the defensive flanks during a first half in which Inter had evidently pinpointed the areas as a weak point in this Liverpool side.
Ayman has played much of this season at left-back, and while he cleared Inter efforts off the line either side of half-time, too often he was bypassed by the Inter attack. O’Connor, a less regular sight at right-back, similarly struggled.
Lucky’s absence was keenly felt at the heart of defence. In the three of six UEFA Youth League games he has featured, Liverpool have kept a clean sheet each time. In the three in which he wasn’t involved, the Reds shipped at least four goals in each game.
The Reds will find out their round of 32 opponents on Friday when the draw takes place in Nyon, Switzerland.
LIVERPOOL U19s (4-2-3-1): Misciur; O’Connor, Airoboma, Clarke (Farkas 75), O’Connor; Pinnington, Upton (Murray-Holme 67); Morrison, Sonni-Lambie (Inglethorpe 75), Kone-Doherty; Figueroa (Bradshaw 64). Subs: Bernard, Wright, Hickman, Forrester. BOOKING: Pinnington.
