Liverpool Lose Merseyside Derby
Watching Liverpool play this season is like watching a bunch of new beginners learn how to skate on thin ice. It was no different when they came up against their rivals and Merseyside neighbours.
Right from kick off, they looked uncertain of what to do with the ball. A few scuttled passes here, a lobbed pass there and ultimately the ball would land up with Everton who looked as confident as ever with the ball – knocking it about themselves, drawing their opponents out of their zones to create the extra spaces for their forwards to run in to.
Just past the half hour mark, a seamlessly insipid round of passes found the ball with Everton youngster Seamus Coleman who battled the ball past Lucas Leiva and Paul Konchesky down the right wing before bobbling in a cross which Martin Škrtel couldn’t reach to clear and it fell for Tim Cahill to smack it on the half volley past a hapless Pepe Reina.
The goal seemed to have woken up the Liverpool players a bit, or maybe it was the familiar sick feeling they have been used to over the years, watching Cahill score against them and run across to shadow box the corner flags. Nevertheless, the rest of the first half was controlled by Liverpool who tried unsuccessfully to unlock the Everton defence. At half time, it looked possible that Roy Hodgson could maybe fire up the players a bit more to come out of their shells and play the way we know they can.
The start of the second half wiped all hope of that, as an Everton corner wasn’t cleared properly and the ball bounced back towards Mikel Arteta running in towards the box, who took one touch to steady the ball and struck a precise half volleyed shot past Reina to make it 2-0 and kill the game off just after the restart. Liverpool’s passing was awful, to describe their game in a nice way. With the exception of a few players, they looked eager to get rid of the ball as if it was near stoppage time with a two goal lead to defend; a far cry from the situation they were actually in.
There was no incisive movement upfront or in the midfield from Liverpool. Much of their play was about trying to hold on to the ball in order to get a rhythm going, which they obviously couldn’t as they kept giving the ball away or more to Everton’s credit – kept getting dispossessed by their stronger counterparts. Liverpool have been accused in the past of relying too heavily on Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to deliver the goods. With those two performing like meek youngsters making their debut in a European Cup match, the rest of the Liverpool line up looks completely baffled to find themselves on a football pitch in the first place.
Raul Meireles, the £10 million acquisition, seems to be developing an understanding with Gerrard which could only mean good news for Liverpool supporters desperately praying for a sharp turnaround to a season which has seen them surpass their worst ever start for 57 years. But the other two components in the midfield juggernaut don’t look like they could pass a ball to save their own lives, namely Lucas and Joe Cole.
Cole, tipped as the best bit of business Liverpool did this season when he was scooped up on a free transfer from Chelsea, has not looked a bit like the Joe Cole we saw for five odd years at Stamford Bridge wreaking havoc among defences. Playing him on the left wing hardly opened up any channels for the Reds as he was too predictable, cutting in on his right to fire in crosses all day long – most of which didn’t even clear the first line of the Everton defence.
As for Lucas, whatever inspiration he had found towards the end of last season seems to have gone completely out of the window as he keeps cutting a smaller and smaller figure on the pitch with every passing minute. The last and possibly main concern for Hodgson would have to be Torres. Idolised by not just the faithful at Merseyside, but millions worldwide over the last four seasons, the player nicknamed ‘El Nino’ has looked anything but bothered while playing for Liverpool. He may be frustrated by the current on-field predicament of the club but his lack of enthusiasm motored on two lead feet, has been anything but helpful to the club’s cause of turning things around.
Every time he had the ball, you could’ve bet your house on him losing the ball or getting outmuscled by anyone and everyone. Whether it’s the injury suffered at the World Cup or something, it’s not clear. But let’s face it. Every successful team has a talismanic midfielder and usually another talisman upfront that spearheads their attack to terrorise defences. Look at Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, Arsenal’s Robin van Persie, Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez, and of course Wayne Rooney for their neighbours Manchester United.
Torres has been that for Liverpool over the last few seasons ever since he made his debut against Chelsea in 2007, sauntering past Tal Ben Haim to beat Petr Cech and send Anfield in to excitement overdrive mode.
He has looked dishevelled and all over the place this season which makes Hodgson’s work cut out for him even more than it was before. There wouldn’t be any point in calling for his head yet as he has inherited a squad largely with Rafa Benítez’s stamp still on it. The situation carries echoes of former British PM Gordon Brown being blamed for problems in the Government Tony Blair was responsible for.
Brown had three years to try and set things right. When it didn’t happen, he went. One could argue Hodgson deserves at least a season if not more to try and get Liverpool back to the top. Whatever happens though, his time at Liverpool is not about to get any easier. Not unless they end up taking 80 odd points from the 90 still available until the end of the season.
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3 Comments – Postiwch sylw
neilramsden
Rhoddwyd sylw 19 mis yn ôl - 18th October 2010 - 12:50pm
I was unlucky enough to watch this in the pub. Painful. Hodgson certainly deserves the season to rebuild and start over, but the worrying thing is that we have forgotten how to do the absolute basics! Pass and move? Hasn't happened once this season. Torres is still working hard and at least looks like he can control the ball (unlike Rooney) but is getting no chances. I worry that he will want to leave before long...
CeefaxOfLife
Rhoddwyd sylw 19 mis yn ôl - 18th October 2010 - 14:25pm
Liverpoo
abhijanb
Rhoddwyd sylw 19 mis yn ôl - 18th October 2010 - 18:07pm
Going to have to agree with of you here. Although I'm not convinced of Torres' efforts. He looks too flat footed this season. I hope it's the injury which in time could be fixed, unlike a lack of interest to remain here anymore. That would be diabolical