Reaction'We have to learn from it' - Matt Beard's verdict on Liverpool 1-1 Leicester

The Reds hosted Leicester City at St Helens Stadium to kick off 2024-25 on Sunday afternoon, backed by a little over 3,000 supporters for matchday one.

Sophie Roman Haug headed in the opening goal in the final minute of a first half with a number of good chances, but Jutta Rantala equalised soon after the break and neither team could go on to produce a winner.

• Read our match report on the season-opener in St Helens

Read Beard’s post-match reaction in St Helens below…

On his assessment of his side’s performance…

We should have been out of sight in the first half, we’ve missed some really clear-cut chances. We could have had the game put to bed. And all the time they’re still in it, it gives them a little bit of confidence to try to get something out of the game. I felt we were sloppy at times, I thought we dropped our standards, especially in the last 10 or 15 minutes of the first half; sloppy passing, putting ourselves under pressure.

I think it’s definitely two points dropped because we were in complete control of it, great chances we created. And the goal we conceded was unforgivable – two passes and the ball is in the back of our net. Switched off from a free-kick, not switched on, not got back into position. We said at half-time things like that happen if you switch off for that split-second, that’s what can happen and obviously it has proved to be right.

On it being an unforgiving league and the Reds not scoring until just before half-time…

Yeah, that’s what I mean. If you look at the chances we had, the game should have been over. If you don’t take the chances then you’re giving the opposition an opportunity.

On what positives can be taken amid his frustration with the result…

Of course we are [frustrated] because we have created the chances to win the game. The positives are we’ve got a point on the board; if you can’t win them then you’ve got to at least make sure you get a point. Obviously we have scored off a set-play, I felt we should have scored in open play. And I felt we had some really good passing passages at times. But it’s consistency.

As I’ve said before, we’ve had a bit of an up-and-down pre-season and we’ve still got players finding their feet. If you look at Gemma Evans, defensively she was excellent but she just didn’t see the pictures quick enough in the first half when we could have either gone through or gone round. But it’s going to take her time to understand that. Jas [Matthews] has obviously worked with me for a long time now, it’s her fourth season here back with me, so that was the reason behind that change. Then we changed the system at the back end just to try to get a bit of pace up front just to try to stretch them, but obviously it didn’t work out.

On the ‘bigger picture’ being one of positivity for the season ahead…

Yeah, of course we are. It’s disappointing we’ve not won the game today but if you can’t win them you at least make sure you get a point. It’s the first game of many. If I look at the Chelsea-Villa game the other day, Aston Villa must have been devastated to walk away with absolutely nothing. I actually think they deserved to win it. There’s no easy games in this division. We have to learn from their goal and make sure when we do create the chances, we finish them.

On the new home at St Helens Stadium…

We love it here, it’s fantastic. Fantastic facilities, great pitch. 3,000 [fans] today, it’s good.

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