Whilst Liverpool got out of jail in their last outing against Atletico Madrid last Tuesday, yesterday the reds were out the door before the jury had even time to start. Liverpool’s claim for three points was effectively done and dusted in the first forty-five minutes. And the claim was signed by no-one less than Robbie Keane, for the first time in the league in a red shirt.
The recipient of a delightful through pass by his captain, Keane lost his marker and found himself facing Scott Carson. With no time to think, he let his instincts rule and just chipped the ball into an empty net with the ease and mechanism of a well oiled spring. It’s just what he needed and he just let it happen for him. Till then Liverpool were never in any real danger, but they were only inconspicuously showing their real mettle. They were letting West Bromwich Albion passing the ball around and rather than really pressing them into their own penalty area they were just knocking on their door occasionally. They were probably camouflaging a trap-door on their play. Keane doubled his league tally and the game’s score when from a swift counter attack he met Fabio Aurelio’s diagonal pass, and with the confidence of hitting the net a mere nine minutes before he rounded the advancing keeper and just deposited the ball into the net. In his own words, his monkey was off his back and he was now just coolly climbing trees and picking fruit.
The second forty-five minutes were pretty much a non-event. Liverpool just controlled and the clean sheet was never even in question of getting blotted. Ryan Babbel came in for Albert Riera for his usual run around along the line. Riera had a rather strange game, and it seems there is rather a pattern in all this. While excelling against the bigger sides, working really hard while deftly goes past his full-back and generally makes things happens, he seems to be finding it harder and having his work cut when facing such inferior sides who are there for the taking. The scorer then made way to Anfield’s current favourite son Fernando Torres, allowing the former a standing ovation and the latter to warm down and grind down the slight rust he could have put on in these past weeks spent on the sidelines. The rested Xabi Alonso finally went in for the captain with ten minutes to go.
The injury time allowed by the referee turned out to be a little bit more than a formality as Alvaro Arbeloa more than made up for his unjust booking earlier on. Overlapping on the right flank, Dirk Kuyt’s pass found him with time and space to just curl the ball into the top corner, allowing his team-mates to congratulate him rather than the other way round.
Liverpool acquired the three points and an injection of confidence in their second striker.
The recipient of a delightful through pass by his captain, Keane lost his marker and found himself facing Scott Carson. With no time to think, he let his instincts rule and just chipped the ball into an empty net with the ease and mechanism of a well oiled spring. It’s just what he needed and he just let it happen for him. Till then Liverpool were never in any real danger, but they were only inconspicuously showing their real mettle. They were letting West Bromwich Albion passing the ball around and rather than really pressing them into their own penalty area they were just knocking on their door occasionally. They were probably camouflaging a trap-door on their play. Keane doubled his league tally and the game’s score when from a swift counter attack he met Fabio Aurelio’s diagonal pass, and with the confidence of hitting the net a mere nine minutes before he rounded the advancing keeper and just deposited the ball into the net. In his own words, his monkey was off his back and he was now just coolly climbing trees and picking fruit.
The second forty-five minutes were pretty much a non-event. Liverpool just controlled and the clean sheet was never even in question of getting blotted. Ryan Babbel came in for Albert Riera for his usual run around along the line. Riera had a rather strange game, and it seems there is rather a pattern in all this. While excelling against the bigger sides, working really hard while deftly goes past his full-back and generally makes things happens, he seems to be finding it harder and having his work cut when facing such inferior sides who are there for the taking. The scorer then made way to Anfield’s current favourite son Fernando Torres, allowing the former a standing ovation and the latter to warm down and grind down the slight rust he could have put on in these past weeks spent on the sidelines. The rested Xabi Alonso finally went in for the captain with ten minutes to go.
The injury time allowed by the referee turned out to be a little bit more than a formality as Alvaro Arbeloa more than made up for his unjust booking earlier on. Overlapping on the right flank, Dirk Kuyt’s pass found him with time and space to just curl the ball into the top corner, allowing his team-mates to congratulate him rather than the other way round.
Liverpool acquired the three points and an injection of confidence in their second striker.
posted by jean paul at 4:10 pm
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