With Spurs seriously underlining their Champions League ambitions with a comfortable 2-0 win over bottom club Pompey, where ironically both the goals were scored by former servants, Crouch with a header and Kranjcar with a cheeky flick... This was a warning bell for Liverpool who lied 6th in the standings with 51 points. Come Sunday afternoon, and we lined up at Anfield against a rejuvenated Sunderland side who were on a 5 game unbeaten streak.. so it was not going to be an easy ride for Scouse fans , who saw their team lose 1-0 in the reverse fixture at the 'Stadium Of Light' in controversial circumstances with the aid of a beach ball..
The team lined up with a very positive, English minded [LOL ! no offence to the gaffer] line up , with Torres and Kuyt upfront, Babel and Maxi on the left and right wings respectively.. and Gerrard in his preferred midfield position alongside Mascherano, who's a master at marshaling the midfield..The line up assured the fans that the team was very much up for the fight and ready to have a go..
And we started very brightly indeed.. Just a few seconds in, Liverpool gets a free kick out on the right of Sunderland's box, and Gerrard fizzes in a beauty which Sunderland just managed to scramble away.... And just inside 3 minutes, we all get to see a piece of magic.. Torres receives the ball out on the left of the box, and runs at Turner before coming to his favored right side, and hits a shot which most of the fans , including me, would have thought would be going out for a S'land goal kick, but to our surprise, the ball loops over their goalie Craig Gordon into the top corner of the net, and looking at Torres, you knew that the ace meant it... A moment of sheer brilliance..
And so started the Liverpool domination, with chance after chance being created, and the likes of Agger, Mascherano, Babel, Kuyt , Maxi and Torres all having a go at goal... And the funny thing was that if Agger and Torres might have been a bit clinical, they could have had their hat tricks and the game wrapped up before half time... But we eventually we got our second just before the break when Glen Johnson cut inside on his weaker left foot, and took a powerful swipe which deflected off Turner into the back of the net.. I think S'land would have been relieved to hear the half time whistle...
The second half , even though played at a more controlled pace by the Reds , it was a thoroughly professional display,, and Torres got his second just around the halfway mark of the second half, when GJ who had been a menace on the right all day long, provides a lovely pass to Torres from outside the box, who calmly controlled and finished it with a sublime touch..
Liverpool made a host of changes around the 70th minute mark, with Aquilani, Ngog and El Zhar coming on, after which the opposition was able to muster a couple of decent shots on goal..
Final Verdict - A very good performance with superb football throughout..
Assessment and ratings of players -
Reina - solid as always, making a couple of good saves and some very well distributed passes.. 8
Carragher- Played his usual self, solid in defense, and even tried a couple of Hollywood passes.. 7
Agger- The Dane should sincerely work on his finishing with both his head and feet, could have had a hatrick today, which would have been a phenomenal feat for a centre half.. 7
Insua - The young Argentine played very well, supporting Babel on the left, and putting a good shift in defense.. 8
Johnson - One of his better games today.. was a constant menace on the right.. lovely pass for Torres' 2nd .. 8
Maxi - after watching him against Pompey and today, I feel he prefers playing on the right... linked up well with Johnson on the right.. Needs to aid this with a few goals.. 7
Gerrard - When Gerrard recently stated that he was ready to go full throttle till the end of the season.. it dint look very likely.. Boy, did he prove me wrong... His set piece delivery was fantastic... His penetrating runs from the deep were very hard to track, and deserved a goal for his overall play... 9
Mascherano - alongwith his sturdy defensive work in the middle of the park, he provided his fair share of attacking , especially in the 1st half.. 8
Babel - Played his usual game, running at the defenders and causing them a lo of headache.. should have rounded his performance with a goal.. 7
Kuyt - Another tireless hardworking display from the Dutchman playing upfront..needs to score more goals, coz that is what strikers are supposed to .. 6
Torres - I sincerely haven't seen a striker as good as him in my short lifespan.. His 1st goal was magic and 2nd one sublime... And even though he missed a couple of guilt edged chances.. still a phenomenal performance.. 9
Subs -
Aquilani - Is a skillful player with good passing ability.. Needs more gametime.. 7
Ngog and El Zhar were anonymous... 5
YNWA
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