This game was no comedy featuring two stoners searching for the holy chalice of fast food munchies, but a comedy of how a team can absolutely fall apart in a game. Can hardly tell you the frustration felt as I once again watch Liverpool fall apart like a game of Jenga during a Friday night dinner party. The fact that we where not playing at Anfield sprung hope as Liverpool have won only 5 times out of their 15 chances at Anfield. Also the added incentive to win was apparent as Former Newcastle, and beloved Geordie Andy Carroll made his first return to Tyneside after his 35 million pound move. Kenny Dalglish, Craig Bellamy and Jose Enrique also made their returns to the side they once serviced.
The line-up was promising, starting 4-3-3 with Suarez, Carroll and Bellamy leading the midfield trio of Shelvey, Gerrard and Spearing. Starting so attack heavy is risk one might say, as Newcastle play expansive face paced, attacking football. New boys Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse form a formidable duo uptop, with Yohan Cabaye pulling the strings from the center. What the line-up said to me was that Kenny still does not know what Liverpool's best XI is. This really is nothing new, but when he keeps chopping and changing the line up, how do you expect a cohesive unit to form. He's played a large part in procuring a bunch of underperforming players, perhaps thinking that switching it up is the way to introduce urgency in them, yet so for has shown to do nothing but continually showcase their inability to communicate on the field.
The differences between the teams are astounding, polar opposites in relation to this years form. Newcastle is operating way above expectation. At the start of the season nobody expected Newcastle to be vying for the forth spot, perhaps sitting 8th- currently where Liverpool are-at best. Astute signings and a team playing as well simply put a team, Newcastle have exceed expectations and reached great heights. This is the opposite in the case of Liverpool, expectations were delusionally high as the team had aspirations of challenging for the title. Kenny had built a classic English based squad focused on Carroll, Downing, Adam and Henderson, which we can see now is not a concoction that produces success. Dispelling start of the season aspirations Liverpool have operated way under expectations. A challenge for the title was never a realistic goal, but at least challenge for the forth spot should have been manageable. Unlike Newcastle Liverpool's signings have gravely disappointed and have left the worshiped Kenny Dalglish looking like a tactless old buffoon, not that I necessarily agree with that last point.
Carroll looked tidy from the off against Newcastle, but after missing a host of chances the wheels came off for the big lad. Booked for diving Carroll only instigated the increasing volume of boos from "his people" and after that moment he disappeared into oblivion. When he came off in the second half the big center forward walked strait down the tunnel in frustration. It was a game of if's and maybe's for Liverpool, and the strongest part of their game this season the defense, let them down. Cisse was just too much to handle as the 2 goals he netted buried the reds. At the end the game proceedings transpired in comedy flick fashion. Reina was sent off for head nudging James Perch, to be fair, and Gerrard had to shoo Dalglish off the pitch when the decision time came to chose an outfield player to play in goal as they had used all their allocated substitutions.
No comments:
Post a Comment