Rafa Benitez is reading Wicked Deflection. There was no room on the bench for underperforming players (save Aurelio, who left at half-time) and we showed real heart. No longer content with mediocrity, Liverpool played with class and killed off the game in front of the Kop. Roy Keane saw his side put in a good first half, get caught on the back foot for a majority of the second half, and get hard done by at the end. That being said, Liverpool ran play for the second half and deserved to win the match by the scoreline they did.
Rob Styles- Some controversial decisions went his way, like Carragher's handling of the ball in the box. However, he mostly kept play moving and was often proven right on replay.
Reina- Clean sheet. Kept his defense in order. Didn't fall asleep. (7)
Carragher- Played from the start at right back. Looked great going forward, providing the first brilliant cross after making room for himself. Always involved, typical Carragher performance, just in a new (old) position. He'd have a higher rating if he didn't almost give away a penalty. (8)
Skrtel- He must have been secretly training with the club for the past three years. Totally seamless as a center-half. This kid is quality, and Dan Agger is wondering about his position. In fact, Agger had special boots made to aid his recovery. (7)
Hyypia- Nearly scored a few times, looked reliable, and wasn't challenged much. Stayed forward longer than usual after dead balls because he had great cover. (7)
Aurelio- Left at half time. It doesn't appear he was injured. (5)
Pennant- This kid is class. Pacey, sharp. Crossed the ball well, made space, terrorized the opposition. Defense had no choice but to foul him in the box for the penalty. (7)
Masherano- Man of the Match. Calling him a "destroyer" is too crude. He plays the Makelele role better than most, but also got forward to help in attack. Kept the forwards out of the match entirely. I hope his contract is settled soon- we need this player for a long time to come. (9)
Gerrard- Relatively quiet game for him. Scored his penalty, but turned the ball over a bit more than usual. (7)
Lucas- Played on the left side because he's too good to leave on the bench. Didn't do a great job, but exchanged well with Finnan and showed his skill. We need to play with 12 to make room for him- just not on the left. (7)
Crouchigol- Another great game from Crouch. Looked better than Kuyt has in recent weeks. Scoring is easy for him. (8)
Torres- Scored a top-shelf goal, narrowly missed another, and did his usual routine. Fantastic. He's scored at least every three games. (8)
Subs: Finnan did well on the left, just like he does on the right. Benayoun was a pest. Kuyt didn't get involved too much.
This game got Liverpool back on track. The players showed belief and dominated the game. Hopefully the international break is kind to all of our players, and we come back reasonably rested to face Chelsea on Sunday (FSC 11AM EST).
Posts
2 deflections:
With Lucas and Skrtel, Liverpool have new players that everyone wants to see. Playing against Chelsea, which should be a cracker, these two would do well to be at their best, and put one over the side that spends beyond its revenue. Thanks for the television listing - I'm putting that one on my calender.
It's good to see Liverpool gain confidence in a league match. Now I hope the players are fired up for the visit to Chelsea.
Post a Comment