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Reds in Reserve: Liverpool 2 Wolves 1

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liverweb:
Liverweb Reserves Match Report: Liverpool  2 - 1 Wolves

Liverpool : Harrison, Otsemobor, Medjani, Whitbread, Raven, Welsh, Foy, Foley, Potter, Gillespie, Le Tallec

Subs Used : Smyth for Le Tallec 61
Subs Unused : Vaughan, Willis, Wilkie, Wright
Att : 652

Liverpool reserves won again by two goals to one over Wolves despite having gone a goal behind. A very youthful Reds side were matched up with an equally youthful Wolves side. Anthony Le Tallec played just over an hour of the game before being replaced. The young Frenchman really looked annoyed at times at having to be on the pitch but when on the ball he often showed some great touches. John Welsh again played well but no doubt it will have no impact on the first team whilst Darren Potter continued to show improvement in his game.

Wolves got the game underway at Chester in windy conditions which affected the game throughout. The Reds had the first shot at goal on three minutes when Stephen Gillespie turned and shot from the edge of the area but he couldn't keep the ball down and it sailed over.

The Reds were a goal behind on thirteen minutes as Leon Clarke out paced Carl Medjani to collect a through ball from Mulligan and fire home past Harrison. The most worrying part of the move was how easy Medjani was beaten for pace. The Reds tried to hit straight back and it was Gillespie again who went close. This time he managed to keep his shot down but hit it straight at the keeper.

Whitbread was on hand well on fifteen minutes to clear the ball after Medjani had failed to cut out the cross from the bye line coming in. On seventeen minutes the Reds went close again as Darren Potter struck a good shot from thirty yards but the keeper managed to hold on to the ball well. The Reds had the wind behind them in the first half and it was telling every time the keeper went to kick clear.

Wolves captain Walters picked up a booking on nineteen minutes for going through the back of John Welsh. This proved crucial as his it was the first of two yellow cards he would get on the night. The Reds very nearly equalised on twenty four minutes when Le Tallec tried to side swivel kick the ball into the back of the net. The keeper got down well at his near post though and saved it although he so nearly let the ball squirm out of his grasp into the net.

A minute later and John Welsh saw his shot deflected up and over the bar. Wolves cleared the corner and went up to the other end and so nearly doubled their lead. Clarke had his shot blocked by Harrison but the ball only bounced square where Mulligan headed on goal from six yards. Otsemobor managed to clear the ball though on the line and then Steele had a follow up shot only too see that one saved by Harrison before Whitbread finally completed the clearance.

The Reds finally equalised on thirty eight minutes play. Le Tallec shaped to shoot on the edge of the box but saw it handled. He appealed for the foul but it wasn't given. His shot was then deflected out for a corner. The corner was played short and Potter whipped it in to the back post where Whitbread nodded home. The stadium announcer having already got the introductions wrong in welcoming Chester and not Liverpool to the pitch then credited the goal to Le Tallec before quickly being corrected by none other than Le Tallec.

Le Tallec though was to score just three minutes later when he sidefooted home a delightful lob from Darren Potter. Potter shaped to shoot before lifting the ball up and over the defence from twenty five yards. Le Tallec raced clear and side footed home.

Both sides managed a chance each before the half time whistle but the Reds managed to go in two one ahead. Davies came on for Wolves at half time for Steele with the Reds making no changes. Liverpool then got the game underway. It took just four minutes of the half for the ball to be kicked out of the stand for the first time on the night.

The second half was quite entertaining with the Reds now kicking into the wind but Harrison used his brain a bit better than the Wolves keeper driving his kicks lower or passing out from the back. Gillespie went close to scoring on fifty three minutes when he met a Foy Cross from the right but his shot was blocked in the area. A minute later and Whitbread was on hand to clear a goal bound shot two yards out and Medjani managed to tackle Mulligan as he tried a follow up shot.

Mark Smyth came on for Anthony Le Tallec on sixty one minutes. Wolves nearly scored on sixty eight minutes. A Flynn cross was headed on inadvertently by Raven and Clarke came in at the back post to shoot but Otsemobor threw himself in the way and blocked the ball well. Clarke then saw Yellow three minutes later when he told the referee where to go after disagreeing with a decision. There was certainly no doubting his words as the whole ground seemed to be silent at the time. Let's just say the second word was Off.

A couple of minutes later the Ball went out for a goal kick to the Reds. The ball came to a stand still right next to the referee's assistant who stood and looked at it whilst Harrison was forced to run to the sidelines to collect it. A bizarre and stupid interpretation of the rules by the lino if ever there was one and Harro let him know as well.

Medjani was on hand well on seventy five minutes to rescue the Reds as Clarke too long before shooting on goal. Three minutes later and Harrison was alert to come out quickly and clear a through ball from Wolves. Harro made no mistake with the clearance which ended up outside the ground.

Wolves were reduced to ten men with ten minutes left on the clock. Marlon Walters who had been booked in the first half for clattering Welsh did it again and was rightly shown yellow again and walked off. Wolves changed captains as a result of his departure. The sides played the final parts of the game in the Wolves half in the main as the Reds got the ball down better and passed it around well.

After four minutes of added time the game was called to a halt with the Reds deserved victors on the night although Wolves certainly played their part in a decent game. The Reds will be pleased with the performance despite the high wind. John Welsh played well once again although for once wasn't the star man. At the back the Reds played well although quite why Raven was played at left back I do not know. With Whitbread a left footer having played at left back most of the season in the side it made no sense to play a right back/centre back on the left.

MotM : Darren Potter - played extremely well throughout the game and was unlucky not to score himself but did set up both goals. His flick through for the second goal was sublime. Le Tallec showed glimpses of brilliance but also showed times of boredom whilst John Welsh and Robbie Foy had good games.

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KiNki:
Nice report liverweb.


--- Quote ---MotM : Darren Potter - played extremely well throughout the game and was unlucky not to score himself but did set up both goals. His flick through for the second goal was sublime.
--- End quote ---
I think this kid is gonna be a star.

liverweb:
what will make that one funnier is Everton let him go from their academy at 16.  We saw something and picked him up and he's really developed since his arrival.

He just has that kind of grace about his play that makes him likely to make it.

Andy

Gnurglan:
Thanks for the report!

What do you reckon, does Potter have a chance of getting a game this season or is it too early?

Without having seen him play, I'm getting worried about Raven being played right left and center. Isn't he supposed to be a very promising CB?

liverweb:
Potter made the bench for a eurogame thanks to the seven man rule and its his best chance to get a feel for the real action.  Hemight move on more next season or two and maybe push hard then.

Ravo - I worry about his future cos he is a quality player held up IMO by the rubbish of Medjani.

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