Topic: Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0: Torres Magic Provides Roy Key Leeway

[Saint Kopite]

Very good performance. Great result.

In first half we very good in terms of using the ball. Passed it well and more quickly. We pressed them from the front very well and they looked a bit clueless as their midfield didn't have anyone to carry the ball and provide the support or service for the attacking players. In second half, it was a very different approach. We sat back back and kind of parked the bus. Although, I would have liked us not to ply so deep as playing a deep backline against Drogba without someone like Hyypia or Soto could have hurt us but fair play to the players as they defended brilliantly and held their position very well.

Reina had a outstanding game except that insane moment against Sturridge. Kelly also had a very good game. Considering the fact that, he was against a wing of Cole-Malouda, he did very well. There were some times his lack of experience showed a bit but otherwise he was very good. Skrtel had a good game leaving on two or three moments aside where he mistimed his headers. Carra was bloody brilliant in the second half. Although, his performance wasn't exactly a surprise. As, in second half it was exactly the kind of game and tactics which suits his style. Sit deep where he has to do nothing but just clear the ball by putting his body on the line. Konchesky surprising was very good. I thought he would get exposed but he always kept tight on Anelka or Kalou and hardly gave them any space to work.

Dirk leaving that assist aside was very sloppy when he had the possession. Although, That was understandable. He was coming back from an injury and this was his first game for us in almost a month. He was clearly lacking the touch and looked very rusty. However, That didn't have any effect on his work rate as he still closed down like a mad fuck and tracked back brilliantly to help Kelly out.

Maxi as expected used the ball very cleverly and effectively. He had two good shots on goal and should have got a penalty in the end. However, He shouldn't be used out wide on left. He has never been brilliant playing there even for Atletico when he was at his peak. Meireles has got an awesome first touch. He slowed down in the second half and never really got into the game a lot in the second half but in first half, he was simply outstanding. Gerrard too had a very good game. Made some good passes but it was his defending which was top notch today. His tackling, covering and blocks were very good.

Torres, Wow. That second goal was pure orgasmic. He is slowly starting to perform like the Torres we all know and love. Worked hard and looked hungry. He is still lacking that burst of pace though, which terrifies every single defender in the world. If he can get that back and remain fully for the rest of the season, we have a great chance not only to be in Top-4 but do something more as well. Its feels so good to see the world's best striker back and perform almost his best.

Last but not the least, our man of the match. Lucas. Epic. What a performance. I have been one of his biggest critics, but he was a fu*king monster yesterday. Completely owned Malouda, dominated the midfield, won the ball countless number of times and was very intelligent in terms of using the ball. Passed it well and whenever he was the second favourite to lose the ball he somehow won a foul. If he performs like this more consistently he can start for us regularly and we wouldn't need to buy a defensive midfielder. More of the same please and I would gladly eat the humble pie.

Overall, The last four matches have been very good and we have improved a lot. Roy deserves some credit for it as well. I always believed that a new manager should be judged after half a season because the teams generally take around ten-twenty odd games to get used to the tactics and ideas of the new manager. Then only, the team will be able to start performing well. In fact, even after the Blackpool loss, I was supporting him and was confident that we would be around the fourth position by Christmas. However, his interviews and all after that derby loss was too much to take and I lost complete faith in him. I hope that he improves his PR skills and starts giving chances to the likes of Pacheco, Jovanovic and Babel a bit more chance. And, Most importantly, sorts out the whole feud between him and Agger because it would be absolutely insane to lose a player of Agger's ability and talent.

YNWA.

[iffy64]

Wonderful post and I am very happy.

[royhendo]

Magic stuff again - highlight of the site. Special additional mention for EBJT who made my 83 year old ma demonstrate her knowledge of football when she said "That John Terry's just a thug" as he buried his knee into the back of Nando's napper.

[Junkle]

Lovely read

Agree, and I hope it puts to bed a lot of the horse shit about Rafa leaving a bad squad.   Lucas, Maxi, Kuyt, Torres, Skrtel, Reina, all Rafa buys

It was just an issue of hiding his inadequacies. He had inherited 13 world cup players only Barca had more.

I am glad tht he took Rafa's advice to coach his team and stop talking rubber. Now it looks like the advice has worked and we are once again happy people. Once again to be fair on Roy he reads RAWK and he was told to set up his stall a bit differently ... highline I think is the word which had been used frequently... instead of setting up our defences around our 6 yard because that is what our players have done for ages and that is what they arer comfortable with. We can nnow see the results.

Happieeeee

[Junkle]

oh come on, I am no Roy fan but Lucas, Maxi and Skrtl were hardly automatic starters under Rafa. You couldn't really argue that Maxi is in the best form of his Liverpool career and that Skrtl is equally rejuvenated. Today may have been Lucas's best match in a red a shirt.

And who was... as the man picked his soldiers according to the army he was confronted with??? no2. Maxi only came in January. No.3 Lucas played more games than almost every one in the team including SG as he was injured most of the time. Skrtl started almmost all the games when he was fit be it in centre or rightback... Don't forget Roy was brought in to bring back the step in these players and thus far he has failed to do so BUT signs are good that if he could stop bitching about the old regime and start coaching his team life will be as we know it at LFC.

In any case I don't know what you 2 are fighting about after a good win. Can't you just forget your differences for a while and enjoy the moment.

Roy made my day and probably my week. Go all the way Lucas and prove your doubters once more that you are a brazillian and over and above all you are going to be a legend here at LFC.

[NaoiDeag]

Great post and summary.

Lucas as has been repeated was awesome yesterday, Nando's finishing was incredible too.

A fantastic team effort in all, and I think that proportional to experience and the significance of the game, Kelly could have been in with a shout for it himself. As you pointed out, most feared (rightly) left side in the league, and Kelly hardly poot a foot wrong.

Great stuff all round. And yeah, Lucas and Maxi are looking like new signings. Both showing form never before seen for us. Lucas has had his defenders and outright fans amongst us, but he's rarely played as effectively, as consistantly and as confidently as he has lately. No doubt part of it is coming of age.

Another big week ahead of the poxy international break now.

[wah00ey]

Watched this on the box.  Missed the first goal by about a minute and had to wait until half time for a replay!  Surely it would have been replayed at least 5 times during the course of the first half had it been a Chelsea goal.  Fcucking Sky!

[Didi_ram]

Despite the cloud of doubt that has still lurked wretchedly over the past three wins, one thing is certain. Football on Merseyside is back. We will continue to exercise an element of cautious optimism over John W Henry and NESV, but for the time being, the focus is very much back on matters on the field. And it’s bloody great.

The crowd was well up for this today. Stark contrast to the strange atmosphere that filled Anfield the last time Chelsea visited, where everybody knew a Liverpool win would effectively have knocked us off our own fucking perch. The visitors were back to being the ghastly shower we hated. The only redeeming quality they have is in their manager Carlo Ancelotti, who’s enjoyed more than his fair share of highs and lows against us.

Pre-match predictions were that the key battle of the day was going to be between Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos and our perennial pain in the backside Didier Drogba, but neither started. The former was out with tonsillitis, the latter with a broken nail. Without him, Essien and Lampard, it was an opportunity we had to seize. But the fact their replacements – Anelka, Ramires and Zhirkov - were close to £60m worth of talent showed what we were up against.

Hodgson made seven changes to the side that played Napoli in the week, with Fernando Torres returning in place of N’gog, Lucas back in the starting line-up and Martin Kelly thrust into the deep-end against, what is in my eyes, the best left-hand side in the league.

The Kop was in great voice before the game started. Liverpool attacked the Anfield Rd in the first half and looked to start the game on the ascendancy. Chelsea started the game rather cautiously. Their midfield three of Mikel, Ramires and Zhirkov hardly sent shivers down the spine and if the game was to be won and lost there, I fancied our chances from the off. With Lucas and Gerrard alongside one another, Maxi and Meireles tucking in and Kuyt dropping back, Chelsea were going to find creating space tough.

The personnel Hodgson put out today was positive, but the areas he fielded them puzzled me. On ten minutes, however, Dirk Kuyt picked up the ball in a position between midfield and defence and his deft ball into Torres was converted under pressure from Terry. Liverpool led by one goal to nil and question marks over Kuyt’s ability on the ball in such a key area of the field were answered emphatically. Dennis Bergkuyt. Torres’ excellent record against Chelsea continued with a big v-sign to the critics that have made ridiculous statements that advocate we should cash in on him.

A spark of Torres ingenuity is like a defibrillation to the side. Being a goal up against the Champions gave our players that extra yard. Everyone recognised the need to put a shift in today and serial scapegoat Lucas was magnificent in the centre of the park. His Brazilian composure on the ball and constant harrying of anyone in blue was reminiscent of South American compatriot Javier Mascherano. I’m made up for the lad, because while he has always been twice the player people have given him credit for, he’s always needed to do it against the very best. For his own benefit. He has the tools; he just needs to get to work with them. Thankfully Roy has recognised he is three times the player Poulsen is. It was also nice to see The Kop recognise the progress he's made by singing his name on at least five separate occasions to "Love Is In The Air". It seemed to get louder with every airing.

Down the other end of the field, Chelsea offered absolutely nothing. Liverpool, as is our unfortunate temptation, dared the opponent’s to break us down but every player did his job to perfection and Chelsea didn’t have what it took to create so much as a half chance.

As half-time approached, the chap by me only just realised he lost his phone in the commotion of the first goal. As he was down searching on the ground, amidst the darkness of the standing Kop, Torres picked up the ball, took on Ivanovic and bent the ball spectacularly around the statuesque Cech. A stunning goal and by the time the celebrations had finished, the man had also lost his sense of spatial awareness as he was now in the row in front and about six seats down from where he was when he started his vain attempt to find his lost mobile.

The half-time whistle sounded and the crowd was absolutely buzzing. A nice little touch after each goal was a little attempt to wave one or two banners. Very continental. The yellow Torres number fluttered in the wind at the front of The Kop to the soundtrack of his tune throughout the fifteen minute interval. When it had died down, George threw Ring of Fire on over the tannoy. It was a party atmosphere. Anfield was a happy place to be.

The second half kicked off and Chelsea had decided to risk Drogba. Liverpool sat back and absorbed pressure. We were never going to successfully prevent Chelsea from creating any chances; the key was reducing those chances and making life as hard as possible for them. If that was Hodgson’s plan, then it worked exceptionally. As difficult as it might have been, I think most of us would have preferred us to try and squeeze them up the pitch. In frustration at getting absolutely no space in behind the defence, however, Nicolas Anelka had the ball in all sorts of positions. Left-back, right-back, defensive midfield. Job done.

Chelsea didn’t win a league Championship and score the amount of goals they did last season from giving up on positions like this though and they came forward in search of a goal to get them back in the game. Jose Bosingwa came on in place of Ivanovic and his attacking impetus opened up an opportunity that Florent Malouda fired at Pepe Reina before Anelka saw his effort knocked on to the crossbar. Pinball-like madness. The crowd let out a simultaneous sigh of relief.

The left-hand side that I feared about prior to kick-off had done nothing. A lot down to the effectiveness of our midfield, but mostly due to the excellence of Martin Kelly who had a tremendous game at right-back. We've had many young defenders come through the ranks in recent years. From Jon "the one that got shot in the arse" Otsemebor to David "he's England youth team captain dontcherknow" Raven, with Lee Peltier and Stephen Darby throw in for extra good measure. None of them inspire the confidence Kelly does. As cliched as it sounds, from the moment he stepped out in his full senior debut you thought "he'll make it".

Despite Chelsea dominating the second half, Dirk Kuyt almost added to Liverpool’s two-goal advantage when he saw his effort saved by the foot of Petr Cech. The Chelsea players surrounded the referee in anger, as they had felt Raul Meireles had handled the ball in the build up. Nothing given and John Terry was given a spectacular reminder that his Mother is rather fond of genitalia from the area of Merseyside.

Fernando Torres was replaced with less than ten minutes to go to a rapturous ovation. N’gog came on in his place and got himself in and around the Chelsea backline. Terry left Alex to man the fort on his own and when the ball bounced in front of the Brazilian, N’gog seized the opportunity and get the ball before him. Alex’s momentum took him into N’gog. The crowd called for his dismissal but he got away with a yellow.

Maxi Rodriguez, who had a really solid performance, could have rounded off the evening by adding a third. He rounded Cech and went down but it was doubtful he would have got the ball had he not gone to ground. The late rendition of “Show Them The Way To Go Home” applied the icing on top of the cake. The final whistle went. 2-0.

The last time I had stayed in the ground so late after the final whistle was to protest against George Gillett and Tom Hicks after the Blackpool game. As the Luis Garcia song rang out from the back of Th Kop to rub one final tablespoon full of salt into the wounds of the Chelsea supporters pouring out of the exits, I think it dawned on many of us that, regardless of what personnel is here in a management and playing level, this is a new era. It may not happen instantaneously, but what a win against Chelsea does for us all is remind us that there is a core to work around that any side in world football would give an arm and a leg for.

The Reds are coming up the hill boys

MOTM: Plenty of candidates today. Despite Torres' two goals, I'm going to go, perhaps controversially, for Lucas. I think today might have been a really important game in his Anfield career.

Fabulous article.Sends a shiver down my spine.Wish I was there.
And yes,Lucas is boss.Love is certainly in the air.

[the jesus]

I think it dawned on many of us that, regardless of what personnel is here in a management and playing level, this is a new era.

The Reds are coming up the hill boys

I make you right with this one, something seems to have changed with both the players and the fans over the last week or so.
The two previous victories in the league were important but for me the Napoli come back was massive, felt like as a club we had collectively said that enough was enough.

[Spectre]

Good read Garstonette.

It would have been more controversial had you NOT opted for Lucas or Torres as your Man of the match. 

[nocturnalvin]

So did your mate manage to find the phone ?

[Danyaals Kop]

Good Read This.

[Terry de Niro]

Excellent read.
Jolly good work Sir..

[Garstonite]

Yes, the fella next to me did find his phone at half time.

[KeithK83]

Great Post. Lucas was amazing as was Kelly and of course Nando scored two excellent goals.......... best thing about this is there isnt a mention of bankers, hedgefunds, huangs, deadlines etc.... and you could tell, even watching on Tele yesterday that Anfield is back to its best

[conman]

excellent stuff Gars.

[Yorkykopite]

Garstonite - you have become a RAWK jewel. Lovely writing.

[Red_Mist]

I think it dawned on many of us that, regardless of what personnel is here in a management and playing level, this is a new era. It may not happen instantaneously, but what a win against Chelsea does for us all is remind us that there is a core to work around that any side in world football would give an arm and a leg for.

The Reds are coming up the hill boys

Well said.

Despite the fact we were poor last night, we were still only the underside of a crossbar from making it five wins on the bounce. The Reds ARE coming up the hill but we musn't forget that, thanks to H&G, it's a bloody big hill...more Ben Nevis than Helsby.

[TSC]

Need to start chasing down Manchester United!

Oh dear.