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Posted by Kevin Brodie on 10/03/2011

Regular readers of my column will know that I dislike Martin Atkinson, the ref for the derby this weekend. He never gives Liverpool anything. He never protected Torres when he was with us and he's just an accident waiting to happen. So it was no surprise when he got the decision to send off Rodwell totally wrong after a foul on Suarez.

It was a foul, that was all, he caught our main man with his trailing leg. I don't think it was even a yellow card. The only decision the referee got right was the penalty. The yellow card for Lucas was a joke, it wasn't even a foul. Bottom line: this guy spoiled the contest and should be sent down to the conference, never to be seen again.

It was even when the game was 11 versus 11, and with the Everton crowd baying every time a player went down I was also worried that this guy was going to make a howler (watching Everton is a bit like watching Newcastle as the support appeal for everything as well) so I was surprised to see the blunder of a decision go our way for once.

Once it was 11 against 10 Everton sat back and tried to hit us on the counter, which a couple of times they did pretty well it must be said. I thought Saha was fantastic for them and he should be playing every week. He can hit a ball so well with either foot.

Our team performed well for the most part and stayed away from trouble with the ref, who was probably looking to make a decision to balance things out.

Enrique was our best player, closely followed by Suarez and Lucas. I thought Andy Carroll did a great job defensively for us but was poor in attack until his goal. however, strikers get paid to score goals and that he did. He took the chance very well.

Our two worst players on the day where Adam and Downing. The latter was very quiet and almost did nothing the entire afternoon. Adam is just too lazy for me in a 4-4-2 and doesn't do the simple things well. He doesn't defend goal side, which is something he needs to work on.

Once Kenny brought on Gerrard and Bells the game changed. Bellamy was very direct and eager to get on the ball. Gerrard, unlike Adam, marked up and passed every ball with ease to feet. It's what we need, our captain was fantastic. Great to see Bellemy and Enrique involved in the build up but how about the clever leave by Kuyt. The man needs to play every week in my opinion.

Kenny did the right thing by taking off Lucas at the end as Atkinson was looking for a make up. decision. Any derby win is sweet, especially with the bitters throwing coins at the end. Really a sad sight to see, if any Reds fan did that they should never be allowed inside Anfield again. Same goes for the blues noses. Three points is just three points, but against Everton it is just a bit sweeter.

Once it was 11 against 10 Everton sat back and tried to hit us on the counter, which a couple of times they did pretty well it must be said. I thought Saha was fantastic for them and he should be playing every week. He can hit a ball so well with either foot.

Our team performed well for the most part and stayed away from trouble with the ref, who was probably looking to make a decision to balance things out.

Enrique was our best player, closely followed by Suarez and Lucas. I thought Andy Carroll did a great job defensively for us but was poor in attack until his goal. however, strikers get paid to score goals and that he did. He took the chance very well.

Our two worst players on the day where Adam and Downing. The latter was very quiet and almost did nothing the entire afternoon. Adam is just too lazy for me in a 4-4-2 and doesn't do the simple things well. He doesn't defend goal side, which is something he needs to work on.

Once Kenny brought on Gerrard and Bells the game changed. Bellamy was very direct and eager to get on the ball. Gerrard, unlike Adam, marked up and passed every ball with ease to feet. It's what we need, our captain was fantastic. Great to see Bellemy and Enrique involved in the build up but how about the clever leave by Kuyt. The man needs to play every week in my opinion.

Kenny did the right thing by taking off Lucas at the end as Atkinson was looking for a make up. decision. Any derby win is sweet, especially with the bitters throwing coins at the end. Really a sad sight to see, if any Reds fan did that they should never be allowed inside Anfield again. Same goes for the blues noses. Three points is just three points, but against Everton it is just a bit sweeter.


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About
Kevin Brodie Kevin Brodie has been fortunate enough to see some of Liverpool’s greatest teams and players in action over the last 35 years. Reds fans are spoiled for choice in trying to pick their favourite memory. The best early memory I have of watching Liverpool in person was our 7-0 thrashing of Spurs, with the 7th goal being a thing of beauty. Watching us in 89 lift the FA Cup after the terrible disaster at Hillsborough was also very special. My favourite Liverpool moment on the TV has to be the Champions League final in 2005. It was a day I will never forget.

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