Lille 1-0 Liverpool
Liverpool's performance at the LOSC Lillie Metropole was summarised in two words by the commentator: Scrappy and meaningless.
Neither goalkeeper had much to do in the first 40 minutes with both sides not able to create many chances and take control.
Just before half time the visitors came to life and made their first real break through Lille's back line.
First the Reds saw Steven Gerrard's free kick from left outside the box brilliantly saved by Mickael Landreau.
Then Fernando Torres' header off a Glen Johnson cross was stopped well again by the French goalkeeper.
Apart from that Liverpool looked unmotivated and uncoordinated for most of the match, similar to their defeat against Wigan in the Premier League last Monday. Not much changed in the second half, both sides losing balance and possession constantly, Liverpool leaking most on the flanks.
The Reds were lucky not to be trailing after Eden Hazard's strike was harshly disallowed offside soon after the restart.
Liverpool defender Emiliano Insua was not able to cope with the Belgium and his quality breaks from the back with his midfield companion Ludovic Obraniak and defender Da Conceicao Emerson.
Eventually the breakthrough came for the home side from a free kick late on in the match. It was smooth and cheeky, definitely not undeserved.
Hazard swung the ball into the box, to see it elude all of the players, including a frozen Pepe Reina, to glide past them into the back of the net, with no further touch or assistance needed.
Liverpool had about five minutes left to scrape something out of the match, but to no avail.
Like on Monday, the Reds' substitutions made no impact. Their bookings were needless, for pointless rants to the referee, of which, as professionals, they should know better.
All in all the performance just showed once again that the state and mentality of the team and players is in shambles.
Meanwhile, credit where credit is due, Lille will be happy to have kept their good home record on track with only one defeat in the last 17 European matches.
Liverpool Reina; Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Insua; Kuyt (El Zhar 88), Mascherano, Lucas, Gerrard; Babel (Riera 73), Torres. Bookings Insua 63, Torres 67. Subs not used Cavalieri, Aquilani, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Kelly.
Lille Landreau; Beria, Chedjou, Rami, Emerson; Hazard, Balmont, Mavuba, Cabaye (Dument 74); Obraniak (Toure 83), Frau (Aubameyang 77). Bookings Toure 85, Aubameyang 88. Subs not used Butelle, Vandam, Souare, Souquet.
1st half stats:
Lille-Liverpool
Attempts: 4-4
On target: 2-3
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 1-1
Free kicks: 12-4
2nd half stats:
Lille-Liverpool
Attempts: 5-3
On target: 3-1
Offsides: 2-1
Corners: 3-1
Free kicks: 7-12
Sky Sport stats:
Lille-Liverpool
Possession: 58.3%-41.7% (BBC: 57%-43%)
Passing Success: 75.6%-65.3%
Tackles/Success: 23/87%-36/75%
Territorial Advantage: 51.5%-48.5%
Referee: Alan Larsen
Man of the match: Eden Hazard
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