Liverpool returned to winning ways in the Premiership, again away from home. It seems that last year’s Achilles heel has been well healed, as Rafa’s men have now won three out of four matches. Considering that Liverpool only got six wins in eighteen matches last season, this is quite an encouraging feat. The travelling sickness is at the moment well taken care of, the mode of transport to away grounds probably doing the whole trick.
This was though the hardest and most suffering win of the season. Admittedly, some hard decisions going against Liverpool earlier this season have been rather evened out yesterday at the JJB Stadium. Liverpool benefited from the vague and ambiguous interpretation of the off-side rule twice. Firstly in the first half when, Carragher tripped Aghahowa. Another Wigan player was though lurking in the penalty area in an off-side position and thus Carra was let off. Then in the second half, Bent volleyed past Reina but again a team mate was lurking in an off-side position.
For the first time this season a substitute made the whole difference between a disappointing draw and a priceless three points. When Liverpool were forcing themselves aggressively over Wigan, it was the silky and sleek fresh Benayoun who got in for Aurelio some twenty minutes earlier that did it for Liverpool. Mascherano won a ball in the midfield and passed over to Pennant. Pennant threaded a pass to the Israeli. With his back to goal, Yossi accepted the ball, back heeled it while turning himself, lost his defender, and then again wrong footed Bramble. In the next split second he sent Kirkland the wrong way and just coolly placed the ball into the net. If that wasn’t poetry in motion it was definitely a sonnet.
If the league is our bread and butter, and Liverpool were going through a famine in the goals scored department, Benayoun produced a jar full of marmalade to be enjoyed thoroughly. Torres was doing his bit earlier to end all this called hunger, at one time even in a spectacular way as he scissor kicked a cross by Arbeloa. Rafa kept his cards very close to his chest after the Spaniard’s hat-trick earlier the week and tried to seed doubts in everyone’s mind whether Torres would start. Eventually common sense prevailed, and once again El Nino shot fear in his opposing defenders legs, frayed their nerves and got surrounded by them all the time he received the ball.
In the meantime, the French Marseille awaits in the Champions League. Looking further than that, it will be Tottenham who will be hosted at Anfield, before another international break. While away from home, Liverpool seems to have addressed most of last year’s deficiencies, last year’s positive record is to be resurrected, with only one win so far. The basics cannot be forsaken.
This was though the hardest and most suffering win of the season. Admittedly, some hard decisions going against Liverpool earlier this season have been rather evened out yesterday at the JJB Stadium. Liverpool benefited from the vague and ambiguous interpretation of the off-side rule twice. Firstly in the first half when, Carragher tripped Aghahowa. Another Wigan player was though lurking in the penalty area in an off-side position and thus Carra was let off. Then in the second half, Bent volleyed past Reina but again a team mate was lurking in an off-side position.
For the first time this season a substitute made the whole difference between a disappointing draw and a priceless three points. When Liverpool were forcing themselves aggressively over Wigan, it was the silky and sleek fresh Benayoun who got in for Aurelio some twenty minutes earlier that did it for Liverpool. Mascherano won a ball in the midfield and passed over to Pennant. Pennant threaded a pass to the Israeli. With his back to goal, Yossi accepted the ball, back heeled it while turning himself, lost his defender, and then again wrong footed Bramble. In the next split second he sent Kirkland the wrong way and just coolly placed the ball into the net. If that wasn’t poetry in motion it was definitely a sonnet.
If the league is our bread and butter, and Liverpool were going through a famine in the goals scored department, Benayoun produced a jar full of marmalade to be enjoyed thoroughly. Torres was doing his bit earlier to end all this called hunger, at one time even in a spectacular way as he scissor kicked a cross by Arbeloa. Rafa kept his cards very close to his chest after the Spaniard’s hat-trick earlier the week and tried to seed doubts in everyone’s mind whether Torres would start. Eventually common sense prevailed, and once again El Nino shot fear in his opposing defenders legs, frayed their nerves and got surrounded by them all the time he received the ball.
In the meantime, the French Marseille awaits in the Champions League. Looking further than that, it will be Tottenham who will be hosted at Anfield, before another international break. While away from home, Liverpool seems to have addressed most of last year’s deficiencies, last year’s positive record is to be resurrected, with only one win so far. The basics cannot be forsaken.
posted by jean paul at 9:56 am
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