Olivia Smith eases back into a faded red velvet upholstered chair. The 20-year-old Liverpool striker props her right foot on to her left knee, clasps her hands in her lap and cracks a joke about being a player who defenders “in the best league in the world” feel they need to foul to stop.

After Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion to mark the return of the Women’s Super League from a five-week winter break, Smith is holding court.

On cue, the door behind the Canada international squeals, announcing Brighton manager Dario Vidosic’s arrival. Smith’s time is, technically, up. But only in this space. A few feet of plaster wall separates Smith from the Liverpool fans outside chanting her name.

This is an appropriate reception for a player who, for long spells, was irresistible against Brighton at the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens. Before her substitution after 62 minutes, Smith was all whirring legs and energy, her goal — Liverpool’s opener — a microcosm of this.

With half an hour gone, Smith careered down the right flank, the ball tied to her feet as she traded blows with defender Poppy Pattinson before dropping her shoulder and finding a half-yard of space to thump a shot into the top left corner beyond goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley.

It was a goal that screamed and shouted, suggesting that Liverpool’s poor start to the season could become a distant memory.

“The past two weeks since we’ve been in, we’ve been really focused on winning,” said Smith. “We’re looking at this as a total reset, especially now that we have the depth.”

Liverpool’s fourth-place finish last season meant expectations were high. A club-record £250,000 ($300,000) was spent on Smith, but in pre-season manager Matt Beard still insisted his team had “overperformed” in their second campaign back in the WSL.

The first half of this season seemed to validate the 47-year-old’s trepidation. It took October’s 3-2 win against Tottenham Hotspur for a first win to arrive.

Heading into the winter break, Liverpool lost four successive league matches without scoring. They had won twice in 10 matches, managing 0.9 goals per 90 while conceding 1.7. Last season, Liverpool scored 1.6 league goals per 90 minutes, conceding 1.3.

Comparing key metrics from this season to last, Liverpool’s style and approach to matches had not significantly changed (as shown by the largely similar stats below for possession, shots and long-ball shares), suggesting the team’s execution was the problem.

Beard regularly pointed to his depleted ranks, along with the youthfulness of the side — of Liverpool’s starting XI on Friday, eight were 25 or younger, with Gemma Evans, 28, being the oldest player. His argument that the winter break could provide necessary reprieve held substance.

Liverpool were forced to cancel a pre-season friendly against Manchester United at the last minute due to injuries depleting the squad. Star striker Sophie Roman Haug, who scored seven last season, has been out since October with a foot and ankle injury.

Training sessions have been conducted with 12 players, with Beard recruiting staff members and academy players to fill in numbers. Of Liverpool’s starting XI against Brighton, only midfielder Taylor Hinds, forward Cornelia Kapocs and midfielder Sam Kerr — on loan from Bayern Munich until the end of the season — had not sustained injuries that kept them out of at least one match.

“I lost seven out of 10 defenders in pre-season,” said Beard. “I then lost three midfield players out of five. Two forwards. I lost (goalkeeper) Teagan Micah for most of pre-season. Then I lost (goalkeeper) Rachael Laws. We’ve had no consistency whatsoever.

“I said to the players before the game, as much as it’s been an up-and-down first half of the season, I’ve been so proud because they never gave up. But we’re over that now; that’s a learning curve. Me, the staff, we’ve looked at everything and said we can’t make the same mistakes where so many injuries come from. Everything we’ve learned in the last six months will make us a better team and a better group of staff.”

As Beard — serving a touchline suspension for picking up three bookings and sitting in the stands — made his fourth substitution with an hour gone, the sense of relief in a much healthier-looking squad was clear.

That brightening mood increased when Jorelyn Carabali’s own goal bundled over the line in the 82nd minute, restoring Liverpool’s lead after Nikita Parris’ deflected second-half strike. A winner was the least Liverpool deserved for their most convincing display of the season. Liverpool pressed and worked off the ball particularly well against Brighton. Beard’s side had less possession (shown below) but won more duels (50 to 41) and tackles (16 to 11) and dispossessed their opponents 22 times.

The display was more in line with that from last season and was impressive given it came against Brighton, who sit four points behind Manchester United and Arsenal in fourth and third.

But there remains room for improvement too. Liverpool had chances to put the game away before Parris’ equaliser. Many of Liverpool’s eight shots at goal were tame, with only substitute Mia Enderby’s effort in the 66th minute stretching Baggaley.

This was just the third time this season Liverpool have scored more than one goal in a league match. Only Leicester City (three), Everton (six), and promoted Crystal Palace (eight) have scored fewer than their 11.

“In training and when I was back home (over Christmas), I’m working on the little details,” said Smith, who is now Liverpool’s top scorer in the WSL (three). “We need goals to win games. That’s the main focus going into the second half of the season.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Liverpool, Canada, UK Women's Football

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