RAFALUTION

SKY Sports 02 December 2006
A tremendous first half display from Liverpool saw them steamroller Wigan as they claimed a memorable 4-0 win at The JJB Stadium.

Craig Bellamy put the stresses of his recent court case well and truely behind him as he doubled his tally for he season with two goals in the opening half hour as he produced his best peformance to date for the Merseyside giants.

The Reds added two more just before the interval to seal the win as Dirk Kuyt pounced and Lee McCulloch put through his own net.

The game in truth was over by half time although it could be argued that the match as a contest was done just before the half hour mark after Bellamy registered his second.

The Reds started well as they quickly came to terms with their new look 3-5-2 formation and the lead was theirs with the first meaningful attack of the game.

John Arne Riise picked dup the ball and picked out the run of Bellamy, who easily shrugged off the attentions of the hapless Matt Jackson before striding into the box and coolly side footing home past Chris Kirkland.

Bellamy then headed wide headed wide from Steve Finnan's cross as Liverpool continued to monopolise possession as they utilised their wing backs to the maximum.

Steven Gerrard should have done better when put clean through, but as he tried to find a free Bellamy in the box, who miscued his effort and Wigan cleared.

The home side did not have a sight of goal until just after the 20 minute mark as Henri Camara flashed a shot wide after good work from Paul Scharner down the left.

That proved to a brief moment of hope for Wigan as Liverpool soon doubled their lead. Josip Skoko carelessly gave the ball away in the middle and the ball eventually fell for Gerrard, who played the ball into the box to send Bellamy clear and he obliged with another cultured finished past Kirkland.

Unlike with the first, the second goal sparked Wigan into some action and they should have pulled one back through McCulloch but the Scottish international blazed over from just six yards after Jose Reina could only parry a Scharner header.

An equally good opportunity followed for Camara. Emile Heskey's first sight of goal against his former club saw him clear but Reina was out quickly to block with his chest - but Camara could not convert the rebound and fired wide.

Wigan were left to rue their missed chances as Liverpool added two more goals in a five-minute spell just before half time.

The third was a wonderfully crafted goal. Luis Garcia picked up the ball in his own half and picked out Gerrard's run with pin-point perfection - the Reds skipper took the ball in his stride before playing Bellamy clear and the Welshman unselfishly squared the ball across the box for Kuyt to fire home.

Salt was rubbed into the wounds with the fourth as this time McCulloch did find the back of the net, but unfortunately for him it was his own. Gerrard exchanged passes with Finnan down the right before crossing into the six yard box but under pressure from Kuyt, McCulloch could not help the ball hitting his leg and it left Kirkland with little chance.

Paul Jewell changed things at the interval as David Cotterill and David Wright were introduced.

It was though once again Liverpool who were quicker into their stride and Kuyt tested Kirkland with an audacious attempt from out wide as he curled the ball with the outside of his foot - but the England man was equal to it on this occasion.

Wigan then had he ball in the net with their first chance after the restart as Scharner headed home from close range - but he was adjudged offside.

Soon after Liverpool were forced into a change as Luis Garcia was brought on for Jermaine Pennant and before long Gabriel Palletta was introduced for Sami Hyypia.

Bellamy threatened to blot his copy book late on as he clashed off the ball with Leighton Baines as he kicked out at the England Under-21 man - and he may consider himself fortunate only to have been handed a yellow by Mike Riley.

With game already well won, Rafa Benitez took off Gerrard and gave Danny Guthrie a run-out in midfield.

Heskey could then have added some silver lining to another wise completely forgettable afternoon as he latched onto a loose ball in the box but he was unlucky as he shot crashed against the post and to compound Athletic's day, Cotterill could not react as the ball bounced off him and wide from just a yard.

Wright should have added a consolation in the last minute as some rare sloppy defensive work from Liverpool saw the full back work his way free in the box but he fired over, as the visitors claimed a well deserved clean sheet.

Liverpool now find themselves in fifth, but Benitez will be left beaming with the performance of his side who adapted brilliantly to playing three central defenders and it really gives him a whole new option, given how both Bellamy and Gerrard particularly flourished.

Steven Gerrard netted his first Premiership goal of the season as Liverpool got back to winning ways in the Premiership with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Manchester City at Anfield.

The skipper struck with a venomous 67th minute long-range strike to maintain the Reds' impressive home record and seal a welcome three points against a stubborn City team.

Prior to the deadlock-breaking goal it looked as though this game was heading for a frustrating stalemate and there'd been little to report in terms of goalmouth action.

Peter Crouch, Gerrard and Luis Garcia had gone close during an uninspired first half but it was not all one way traffic and the visitors looked threatening whenever they attacked.

The contest came to life after the break and Bernardo Corradi fired narrowly wide before Gerrard's winner burst the back of the Kop net.

With City pushing forward for a late equaliser Pepe Reina twice saved the day with vital saves and Liverpool deservedly hung on to claim the points that sees them move two places up the Premiership table to 8th.

by Richard Jolly

It served as a microcosm of Liverpool's midfield: no sooner does Gerrard solve one problem than another is highlighted.

Without Mohamed Sissoko, he has been restored to his preferred position in the centre of midfield, but that means Rafael Benitez now has to perm two from his collection of unconvincing wingers. Jermaine Pennant maintained his place on the right and was on the receiving end of a Gerrard blast for his failure to support Finnan.

He may have neglected his defensive duties, but Pennant was still prominent.

One burst to the byline was an example of old-fashioned wing play. But when, minutes before, he had the presence of mind to lay the ball back to Gerrard, the resulting cross, bent in beautifully, was superior to anything Pennant produced and a reminder why Benitez appears to consider his captain his finest right winger.

A trademark Gerrard goal, displaying assurance with his finish after powering forward to meet Dirk Kuyt's clever ball after the Dutchman turned Alex neatly, showed why many consider him Liverpool's best central midfielder.

It was only Gerrard's second goal of the season, but that is two more than Pennant. Examinations of what his contribution amounted to, either in a defeat of PSV Eindhoven that was completed by a late Peter Crouch goal, or in his brief time at Liverpool, are inconclusive.

It may be an inappropriate description, given his colourful past, but the jury is still out on Pennant as, indeed, it is on Mark Gonzalez.

The Chilean's finest piece of play resulted in his departure. Accelerating past Jan Kromkamp with sufficient ease to provide a reminder why few lamented the sale of the Dutchman, he supplied the most inviting of crosses.

But for the awareness of Alex, Crouch would have had a tap-in. However, in the process, the summer signing hurt his hamstring and was stretchered off, head in hands.

Pennant switched flanks immediately, bur a reluctance to use his left foot meant he had a tendency to drift infield into a crowded midfield, and he had to return to the right while Luis Garcia roamed around the left.

Then, when Pennant's evening was curtailed by a hamstring spasm, enter Craig Bellamy as an auxiliary winger, the fourth of the night, while a fifth lurked infield as a result of other injuries.

When Xabi Alonso hobbled off disconsolately to join Sissoko on the treatment table, on came Boudewijn Zenden. He may prefer a central role nowadays, but his suitability for it is less obvious.

Sissoko can trace his heritage in the Liverpool midfield back to competitors of the calibre of Steve McMahon and Graeme Souness in a way the more lightweight Zenden cannot.

Benitez said: 'It was our idea to finish at the top of the group [which Liverpool have guaranteed now]. The first thing is that we are really pleased with the victory, but it came at a price.

'It was really difficult to manage in a game where you lose two players in the first half. In the end, we played with Bolo and Steve and two very offensive wingers and Luis was not 100 percent fit.'

And while wingers abounded, the contenders for the cross of the match were delivered by Gerrard and Finnan, opting for his left foot and headed inches over the bar by Crouch.

It is often said that, his height notwithstanding, Crouch is not a great header of the ball. This was an instant that shows he has both the leap and the technique to be; it is a consistent demonstration of such prowess that eludes him.

His goal, when it finally came, hardly required such finesse. Garcia, whose aptitude for the European stage is well established, delivered a deep cross that Kuyt headed back across goal and Crouch forced in from all of a yard.

It was his fifth European strike of the season and, by some distance, Crouch is Liverpool's leading scorer in the Champions League. It suggests continental defences are yet to understand the difficulties of dealing with his unique frame.

If Crouch is a one-off, his partner may not be.

Ignore the blond mop and concentrate on the way he uses his body to shield the ball and there is a hint of Mark Hughes about Kuyt. Certainly, like the Welshman, he seems capable of creating as many goals as he scores. At least Kuyt's many attributes, illustrated by his two assists, guarantee him a place in attack.

And in a team where there are few automatic choices, that is to his credit.

He stands in contrast to Liverpool's many wide men. Benitez began with too many options on the flanks. Because of three injuries, he ended with too few, but with the question of his first-choice wingers is still frustratingly unanswered.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Steven Gerrard
He dominated the first half but, after Alonso's injury, unselfishly adopted the anchor role in midfield for much of the second. 'The quality of Gerrard was outstanding tonight,' said Ronald Koeman, who is no mean judge. A demanding Benitez added: 'He played well, but he is a very good player and he can play much better. And he knows he can play much better.'

INJURY NEWS: Alonso was reported to have a dead leg, while Pennant suffered spasms in his hamstring. So Gonzalez, with a torn hamstring, is the most serious casualty. 'Two weeks, for sure,' said Benitez.

LIVERPOOL VERDICT: They merited their victory, but it was the kind of performance that both served to show why their record is so impressive at home and so lamentable away. It still remains to be seen quite what the sum of their many parts equates to.

PSV VERDICT: The left-back Carlos Salcido produced some wonderful passes with either foot and threatened Jose Reina's goal with a deflected, dipping effort from fully 40 yards. PSV has proved a fertile hunting ground for the European giants over the past couple of decades, and the Mexican could be the next to tempt them.

DID HE REALLY SAY THAT? According to our translator, Koeman commented that 'Liverpool is a different kettle of fish in comparison with Galatasaray and Bordeaux.' There may have been some licence with that translation.

by Team Talk 18 November 2006

Liverpool's wait for an away win in the Premiership this season will go after a 0-0 draw at Middlesbrough despite dominating the game.

The Reds at least left Teesside with a first away point since the opening day of the season, but they will feel they should have ended their miserable run of results on their travels.

Dirk Kuyt blasted wide before the break and Craig Bellamy saw a goal-bound header blocked by substitute Robert Huth before Daniel Agger forced a superb save from Mark Schwarzer with a 59th-minute piledriver.

And it took a magnificent goal-line clearance by Jonathan Woodgate to deny substitute Peter Crouch a late winner with an 83rd-minute header.

However, while Rafael Benitez's men were left to rue missed opportunities, they could have headed back home empty-handed but for a remarkable escape.

Jose Reina did well to block Jason Euell's close-range header but, when the ball fell to Aiyegbeni Yakubu in front of goal, he completely missed his kick.

The omens were not particularly promising for the visitors as they arrived on Teesside without a league win away from Anfield all season to meet a team which had already disposed of Chelsea and Everton.

Indeed, the Reds had won only twice in the Premiership at the Riverside Stadium in 10 attempts.

However, after an ordinary start, it was they who took the game to their hosts and created the vast majority of the meaningful openings in front of a much-improved crowd of 31,424.

Spanish midfielder Mark Gonzalez set the tone, cutting in from the left to fire a right-footed shot straight at Schwarzer with just three minutes gone and then curling a 20th-minute cross on to the roof of the net.

However, Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt perhaps should have put them in front a minute later when partner Craig Bellamy chested down Steven Gerrard's long ball, but he fired wide of the the target.

Gerrard, lining up in his preferred central role, had taken time to get to grips with opposite number George Boateng but, as his influence increased, so did the threat posed by his team.

Xabi Alonso fired wildly over on 32 minutes after Jermaine Pennant had laid off Bellamy's cross, but the former Arsenal midfielder forced a good save from Schwarzer six minutes later with a well-struck shot on the turn.

John Arne Riise warmed then goalkeeper's hands with a long-range piledriver, but still the Reds could not break the deadlock.

For their part, Boro enjoyed some success down the right, where James Morrison and Andrew Davies gave Riise a tough time, but with Yakubu again playing as a lone striker, Reina had to deal with a handful of dangerous crosses, but little else.

Boro boss Gareth Southgate was forced to make a change at the break when he replaced the injured Davies with Robert Huth. The £6million central defender slotted in at right-back and was to play his part within minutes.

Kuyt's appeals for a penalty after he went down under Boateng's challenge were waved away, but it was his side which enjoyed a remarkable escape on 53 minutes.

Yakubu found Morrison wide on the right and then made his way into the penalty area as Euell headed the winger's cross towards goal.

Reina got down superbly to block Euell's effort, but could only serve the ball up to Yakubu, who inexplicably failed to make contact with the goal at his mercy.

However, the visitors would have been in front on 55 minutes had Huth not thrown himself into the path of Bellamy's goal-bound header, and it took a fine save from Schwarzer to prevent Agger's long-range missile from screaming into the top corner four minutes later.

The Australian was the hero again after 68 minutes when he got down smartly to keep out Gonzalez's volley, and he was relieved to see Emanuel Pogatetz deflect Kuyt's cross wide of the post rather than inside it three minutes later.

Southgate rang the changes as he introduced Lee Cattermole for the injured Boateng and last weekend's match-winner Massimo Maccarone for Morrison, but they could do little to stem the tide.

However, Woodgate had to head off his own line after Crouch, on for Kuyt, got his head to a deep Gonzalez cross and looped the ball over Schwarzer.

The visitors hammered away as the clock ran down and Crouch saw another header saved in injury-time, but they could not find a way past the Boro defence.

from Liverpoolfc.co.uk

Liverpool were beaten by goals from Flamini, Toure and Gallas and Rafa believes at least two of the goals could have been avoided. He said, "We started well and we were controlling a lot of things, but when we conceded the first goal it was a problem.

"We made some mistakes. When you play against a good team with a lot of quality you have to be 100% all of the time, but we made big mistakes for the first and second goals."

And Rafa again lamented his side's failure to claim the game's pivotal first goal. He said, "We knew they would be a difficult team to play against and we knew it would be important to score the first goal, but we couldn't do it.

"It's clear we need to improve our away record. I have some ideas, but it wont be until next week at Middlesbrough when we see whether the improvement is there."

Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger credited Liverpool's performance and agreed with Rafa's assessment when he said, "Liverpool played very well. The first goal was very important and if they had scored it, it might have been a different game.

Birmingham regained their pride but still bowed out of another competition at the hands of Liverpool as Daniel Agger's goal in first-half stoppage-time settled their Carling Cup fourth round clash at St Andrews.

Blues had been humiliated 7-0 on the same ground in an FA Cup tie last season - the lowest point of Steve Bruce's managerial career.

This tie was a far more competitive affair against a Reds side who made nine changes from the starting line-up against Reading at the weekend - although the visitors were worthy winners.

Several Birmingham players appeared to throw in the towel on that ill-fated March night but the current side showed plenty of effort and determination.

But Danish international Agger's second goal of the current campaign was sufficient to earn the Merseysiders a place in the quarter-finals.

Birmingham occasionally threatened and looked more lively when Nicklas Bendtner and Gary McSheffrey were brought on up front for the final half hour.

But Liverpool were by far the better side in the second 45 minutes and Craig Bellamy could have notched a hat-trick - and saw a penalty saved by Maik Taylor.

The first chance fell to Steve Bruce's side after six minutes when Cameron Jerome battled for the ball before it fell invitingly to Julian Gray - but he fired over the bar when Reds goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek should have at least been tested.

Liverpool threatened for the first time when Mark Gonzalez exchanged passes with Boudewijn Zenden before unleashing a fierce drive which flew inches wide of Taylor's goal.

Blues midfielder Mehdi Nafti became the first player to be yellow-carded a minute later after a challenge in the centre circle on Zenden.

Liverpool enjoyed a spell of concerted pressure and recalled striker Robbie Fowler completely miskicked when attempting to convert a cross from Lee Peltier.

Liverpool were forced into a substitution after 26 minutes when, after a lengthy delay, Mohamed Sissoko was stretchered off with what appeared to be a dislocated right shoulder after he had fallen awkwardly following a challenge by Nafti.

The visitors were looking more threatening and the impressive Gonzalez exchanged passes with former Blues favourite Jermaine Pennant after taking a short corner - and his powerful cross-shot was deflected just past Taylor's far post.

Birmingham produced their best chance of the opening half after 44 minutes when Martin Taylor made a run down the left flank before sending over a low cross for DJ Campbell to run onto but he was denied at point blank range by Dudek.

But in the fifth of seven minutes of stoppage time Liverpool finally went ahead through Agger, who had the space to lash the ball into the roof of the net from close range after the hosts had failed to deal with a corner from Pennant.

Liverpool suddenly stepped up a gear at the start of the second period and began to carve open the Birmingham defence almost at will.

A cross from Gabriel Paletta picked out Bellamy, whose shot lobbed up into the hands of Maik Taylor after he had initially gone down in anticipation of a low effort from the Welsh international.

Maik Taylor then had to scramble across his goal-line to keep out a fiercely driven effort from Gonzalez at the base of a post.

The Northern Ireland number one also dealt with a long range attempt by Zenden as Liverpool started to dominate proceedings.

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce made a double substitution just before the hour mark replacing the front duo of Jerome and Campbell with McSheffrey and Bendtner.

Liverpool had the chance to double their lead after 64 minutes when Jaidi was adjudged to have fouled Gonzalez after a surging run.

But Maik Taylor kept Birmingham in contention by comfortably saving Bellamy's penalty low to his left.

Bellamy appeared to miss his kick with the goal at his mercy from Zenden's low centre, before Nafti showed his frustration when being replaced by Fabrice Muamba - heading straight for the dressing room and kicking an advertising hoarding before disappearing down the tunnel.

Gray could have taken the game into extra-time when he shot straight at Dudek from close range, before Bellamy dragged a low shot across goal.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said 'we must cross our fingers now and wait' after Mohamed Sissoko suffered a suspected
dislocated shoulder in the 1-0 Carling Cup victory at Birmingham.

Sissoko was taken off on a stretcher after a challenge by Mehdi Nafti in the first half as the Reds went on to secure their quarter-final place thanks to Daniel Agger's goal before the break.

Benitez is naturally worried about the fitness of his midfielder.

He told Sky Sports 1: 'We feel it is serious. We cross our fingers now and wait.

'Really we need all the players in our squad, especially `Momo' because he gives us a lot of energy.

'I hope it is not very serious but I don't think so.

'It was a difficult game, we had some clear chances, they have had one or two but they gave us a good cup game. It was good for supporters.

'I felt the players worked really hard. I changed some players, there were some young boys there but we were good against a difficult team.'

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce added: 'We had two or three good opportunities - you have to take them but Maik Taylor kept us in it with the penalty save.

Blues' Mehdi Nafti showed his frustration when being replaced by Fabrice Muamba - heading straight for the dressing room and kicking an advertising hoarding before disappearing down the tunnel.

And Bruce continued: 'He was disappointed but we'll deal with him over the next 24 hours.

'There's always something going on - but it doesn't worry me at all.'

Tonight's result ended a run of five successive wins in all competitions - and Bruce's men return to Coca-Cola Championship action with successive home games against Barnsley and Wolves in their quest for promotion back to the Barclays Premiership at the first attempt.

Bruce added on Sky Sports 1: 'The league is the bread and butter - a cup run is lovely for everybody but we've got a couple of huge games coming up at home now.'

Daily Post 06 November 2006

BONFIRE Night is an occasion when most of us admire the spectacular as the darkening autumn sky is filled with bright colours.

But if Liverpool's two-goal hero against Reading on Saturday Dirk Kuyt is the showman who gets to light the fireworks and impress the fawning crowd, then Jamie Carragher is the bloke who risks doing his back in by lugging all the wood to build the bonfire.

Anfield stalwart Carragher became the first Liverpool player to reach 300 league appearances for the club this century at the weekend but - as you'd expect - he didn't make much fuss about the landmark occasion.

His manager, Rafael Benitez, says that if he had another two or three Jamie Carraghers in the side then Liverpool would be virtually unbeatable.

The question is - if you did fill your line-up full of JC carbon copies (unfortunately I think they broke the granite mould when the original popped up in Bootle in 1978), who would get the goals?

You see, Carragher is such a consummate team player that he seldom indulges in that very selfish act for a defender of abandoning his post to surge forward and nick a goal, even if he did rattle a header into the back of the Aston Villa net at the Kop end in his first Premiership start almost a decade ago.

Saturday's matchday programme noted how apt it would be for Carragher to mark the occasion by getting on the scoresheet, seeing as it's nearly eight years now since he bagged one in the Premiership - and even that was in a 7-1 romp over Southampton in January 1999 - a game in which he was eventually substituted for Bjorn Kvarme.

Putting such giddy hopes aside, I suspect that keeping Liverpool's first clean sheet in the Premiership since September was far more important for him.

This factor was exemplified in second-half stoppage time when, with the score at 2-0 and the game already won, Carragher was the only outfield Liverpool player in his own half when his side earned themselves a corner kick in front of the Kop.

The nature of football will always mean that the deeds of prolific strikers and creative midfield maestros continue to receive the lion's share of the plaudits.

But as a keen student of the game - I've been told that he drives his good lady wife nuts with the number of matches he watches at home - Carragher is intelligent enough to realise that on the whole his role is neither eye-catching nor spectacular but ultimately no less crucial.

Fans love a dedicated professional who will "play for the jersey" and Carragher never gives anything less than his all when he pulls on the Liverpool shirt.

Like all great sons of the city, he's a musical man too, with Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire a favourite tune for both himself and his father and you could imagine him jumping through one if it was required to achieve victory for Benitez's side.

If Steven Gerrard is the heartbeat of this Liverpool team, then Carragher provides the stomach for the battle.

The visit of Steve Coppell's Reading to Anfield was far from being the most taxing of Carragher's 300 Liverpool outings to date.

As a defender, coming up against solitary striker Kevin Doyle it was a relatively quiet afternoon - although he did manage to get in at least one crucial intervention beyond the call of duty to block one of the visitors' attacks.

Victory over a Reading side who have now lost their last five games was achieved in a no-nonsense routine manner for Liverpool.

While it was unspectacular, it was certainly efficient.

Dare I say, it was probably just the way Carragher would have liked it on his special day.