Well Liverpool were awful over the 90 minutes and deserved to get beaten against West Ham. This was our worst showing since Kenny took over as the players lacked imagination and looked very jaded.
It's very worrying that Lucas, Liverpool's best outfield player this season, has now had a run of a two games were he has looked very tired. He was getting caught in possession during the match and our entire passing display was just not quick enough.
The opening 20 minutes of the match was a cagey affair with neither team finding space. Johnson was lively on the left but Suarez and Kuyt were not seeing any of the ball. When Scott Parker picked up possession about 35 yards out Liverpool did not seem to be in danger but after a clever one-two, Parker flicked the ball up to himself and found the corner of the net with a sweet shot.
Kuyt could have equalized minutes later but shot wide. Liverpool huffed and puffed but still looked shaky at the back. Kelly was injured going down the wing and we were forced to go back to a 4-4-2 formation which did not work. Danny Wilson, making his league debut, was doing well in a 3 man back line but when he was forced to move to left back he seemed to get very nervous. He was out jumped for the 2nd goal and then he failed to keep up with his man, who headed in to make it 2-0 before half-time.
It really irritates me that even Kenny still plays Gerrard in the middle of the park in a conventional 4-4-2 set up, it just doesn't work. I thought Gerrard was totally out of it and had a very poor game. Joe Cole came on for Kelly, but like many of his Liverpool team mates, he had no impact on the game. Our Portuguese man was also forced off with injury and on came the inept looking Ngog. He was very poor.. Suarez came to life with about 20 minutes to go and he hit a fantastic shot that Green did well to save. Green also did well from a shot by Gerrard as Liverpool were starting to play better. Suarez turned Tomkins and hit a shot across the face of the goal that Johnson turned in to make it 2-1. An un-deserved draw seemed possible at this point
Liverpool then had a good chance but Ngog chose to shot from distance rather then play in a team mate. At the death Carlton Cole man-handled Martin Skrtel and beat Reina at his near post, the keeper and the defender were both at fault. Even Reina played poor today! My man of the match for me was Johnson, followed by Suarez. The rest of them could have stayed home.
It was a very disappointing result, especially as Spurs lost to Blackpool during the week. It just goes to show everyone that given the start we have had 4th place was always going to be out of reach. Liverpool have been woeful against the clubs who are looking at regulation. Everton have picked up 4 points against us, Wigan 2, West Ham 3, Wolves 3, Blackpool 6! Just awful.
Typically I don't like to use the blog to talk about other teams or other players but how could the referee in the Wigan v United game say that he saw the Rooney incident and then gave only a foul. If that is the case and he actually saw it he should be given a few weeks off from the top flight. If he didn't see the incident he should be man enough to say he didn't see it and let the video take his course. That was a straight red card and if you put the lie detector on Ferguson even he would have to admit it.
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Comments
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Posted by Edwin on 03/01/2011
Rooney not being sent off makes me laugh! I mean an elbow and nothing but you push a player in his chest and you don't play for MAN U you will get sent off
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Posted by Louis on 03/01/2011
I agree for the most part. Quality teams compete against the top tier of the league week in and week out. They put away and bury bottom feeder teams that they are clearly better than and the Reds are certainly not getting it done. There is still a bunch of work to do off the field and in the front office before it shows on the pitch. All success starts at the top, and right now LPFC has no head and needs to settle that dilemma first. Once the pieces fall together and they start working back to becoming the team they once were all will go well. Keep in mind that with all the downfall this season, the reds are holding the 6th spot on the table and they are at least holding their own for now with such luggage to carry this year.
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Posted by Dbar on 03/01/2011
Wigan won 2 points against liverpool but Liverpool lost 4 points against Weagan.
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Posted by James on 03/02/2011
Well said. Our midfield just couldn't get the ball down and pass it around and there was no width in the team once kelly went off and johnson was forced to play further back. Joe cole doesn't look like he's ever going to be the dazzling player he used to be again. Almost every single time he got the ball he was either muscled off it or made a backward pass. And I just wonder whether King Kenny could have put Gerrard wide right instead of Meireles? Meireles has shown his form recently from the middle and Gerrard can put very very good crosses in.
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Posted by Jay Wright on 03/02/2011
Wilson didn't get beat by 'his man' for the goal - he switched with Carriages due to Carragher's weakness in the air, and from that point the defence was all out of place.
Also irt Gerrard, we started with a 3 man central midfield and were dominated just as easily as with 2 men. The simple fact is that we are easily overpowered by any team that attempts to push back with both Lucas and Meireles in our engine room
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Posted by prince ikechukwu ezeah on 03/02/2011
is dissappointing to see liverpool once again lose an important match to a relegation threathened team.... i ll say from my own view that liverpool needs team spirit like that one we saw against chelsea,winning mentality like our previous games against,fulham and stoke.their attacking options against hammers was not sharp,though they still lack cutting edge and good finishing.although the injury to our two major players contributed immensely to the defeat as the anfield side tried to change positions and formation by then,they are still two goals down. but with our legend daglish,i believe that by the time caroll returns from his tigh problem,and suarez geeting more chance to adapt in the physical combat of the league,gerrad putting more effort cos we havent seen his best in the league so far due to injuries,kuyt cannot fully rely on bt industrious in the pitch,the defence is pretty good except the game against hammers and the midfield needs collective effort.from a liverpool fan
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