Liverpool 0 CSKA Sofia 1 (ECL QR3 2nd) Aug 23 2005

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL 0 CSKA Sofia 1

Report by Dave Usher at Anfield

Scorer(s) - Half Time - 0-1 Venue - Anfield Date - Tue 23 Aug 2005 Star Man - Momo Sissoko

 

 

 

 

 

AK Graz anyone? A year ago, the reds went into the 2nd leg of the 3rd qualifying round of the Champions League with a two goal cushion from the away leg. Rafa Benitez made a few changes, the team showed a shockingly casual approach and lost 1-0. There's an expression that goes something like "Those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it."

Liverpool did not heed the lesson of Graz, and suffered the consequences against Sofia. Not that those consequences are particularly heavy. Sofia inflicted an embarrassing bloody nose to the reds as opposed to a knockout blow. Liverpool effectively ended the tie with three away goals in Sofia a fortnight ago, meaning last night's defeat was largely irrelevant.

When the reds lifted number five in May, no doubt players from AK Graz were thinking back to the night at Anfield when they beat the team that then went on to become Champions of Europe. Hopefully in nine months time CSKA's players are sitting around doing the same thing.

I think I remember writing after the Graz game that it was perhaps the worst Liverpool performance I'd seen. It was truly woeful and inept. This was not anywhere near as bad, although the first half was dire and we were fortunate to only be trailing by a single goal. Things improved signicantly after the break, but it was a very bad evening at the office for the reds, Momo Sissoko apart who did everything he possibly could to save the game for his side.

I have to admit I half expected this kind of performance. Liverpool's attitude before this game had suggested that they were taking CSKA rather lightly. I read comments allegedly made by Benitez how the club had already planned on how to spend the £10m they will make for reaching the group stages, as they were very confident after the first leg result.

He also spoke of resting key players, and the whole approach to the game seemed to be one of just making sure we got through, rather than wanting to put on a display. I can't really criticise Rafa for that though, as he has to look at the big picture and whenever he has an opportunity to rest the likes of Carra and Xabi, he has to take it.

The problem is that the squad just isn't strong enough. It wasn't as though he sent out a team full of kids last night. On paper, that side should have been more than enough to see off CSKA. It didn't work out that way however, as the visitors were lively, skilful and inventive. They ran out of steam after about an hour, but at times in the first half they gave us a chasing.

Sissoko and Hamann as a pairing seems far too negative, but if the wingers and strikers were of a high quality then we could get away with that in my opinion. When there's nothing coming from out wide though, you're not going to get too much creativity from Didi and Momo. Therefore the onus is on the strikers to create something for themselves.

Cisse and Morientes are unable to do that. Cisse needs quality through balls, Nando needs crosses to attack. Without that supply line, they're rendered pretty toothless. The reliance on Gerrard is something which the press have harped on about for so long its become both irritating and boring. Last season we produced several top performances without the skipper.

However, on the evidence of the qualifying rounds and the opening Premiership games, it's clear we have become over-reliant on Gerrard. He's the only one who offers a consistent goal threat, as well as being the main provider of chances.

Morientes continues to struggle, but it's hard not to have sympathy for him. Against Sofia he did some good things, and some bad things. There are occasional glimpses of his class, the odd lay off here and there and some excellent flick ons. But then he is too easily shrugged off the ball or makes a sloppy pass, and you can feel the growing unease inside the stadium.

He must be aware of that, and seems to be trying to make up for it by working hard and tackling back. It's an admirable attitude, but it isn't what we bought him for and Nando really needs to start showing something, or he'll be out the side quicker than you can say Peter Crouch.

And then there's Djibbers. His head must be all over the place at the moment. He knows Benitez is looking to offload him should a suitable offer come in, and he clearly hasn't enjoyed playing out wide. Last night was a big chance for him to prove a point, having been given the centre forward role he craves.

Yet his contribution was minimal. I watched him closely in the first half (I was down the Anny Road end of the Main Stand), and several times he'd peeled away from his marker and would have had a clear run on goal had the right pass arrived. Sadly for him there was no Alonso or Gerrard there to play the pass.

He had one clear opportunity when he got clear in the left side of the area. The keeper came out and made himself big though, and Cisse's left foot shot hit the keeper in the chest. I don't think he could have done much more to be fair, given how quickly the keeper got out to cover the angles. There certainly wasn't much of a gap for him to aim at.

CSKA were growing in confidence as the first half progressed, and went in front with an excellent strike from the centre half after a free kick was cut back to him on the edge of the box. The marking was non-existant however, as the reds defence were caught totally unaware.

The goal lifted them, and rattled us. Josemi had been given a run out at centre back, and a couple of times in the first half he looked as though he was about to get exposed, only to just manage to get a boot or head on the ball. He played well to be fair, and got better as the game went on.

Sofia did get in behind him and the rest of the backline shortly after they went in front, and it needed Carson to come racing out and make a block tackle on the edge of his area. The ball fell to a Sofia player though, who chipped the ball over the vacant Kop goal. Had that gone in who knows how the game would have gone. It doesn't even bear thinking about.

Liverpool never made the most of that let off though, and continued to plod along. The most likely source of a goal seemed to be the left boot of Riise. Not that he played particularly well, but you got the impression that if something fell to his left foot around the box then something could happen.

On one occasion it fell to his right foot, and predictably he ran around it and tried to hit it with his left, but couldn't get the angle and the chance went. Neither Zenden or Riise have set the world alight so far. On the other flank Potter struggled to make any impact, and was replaced by Garcia at half time.

Potter is definitely much more suited to playing in the middle, and to me he never seems comfortable out wide. Aside from Garcia though, who else do we have? Now that it appears he's staying, Pongo is the only other realistic option until we sign someone.

Garcia's arrival made a bit of difference, but not too much. Liverpool's improvement in the second half co-incided with Sofia running out of steam. Chances did arrive, but none were taken. The best fell to Morientes, who kept his head, showed great composure and did everything right, but was denied by a defender on the goalline.

Given his lack of form, I'd have expected Nando to snatch at the chance and maybe hit straight at the keeper. He didn't though, he calmly dummied the keeper, sidestepped another defender, but by the time he got his shot away three had got back on the goalline and there was no way through. When it isn't going for you it isn't going for you.

He also miskicked from the edge of the area after substitute Zenden had cleverly cut the ball back to him, but he never hid and was always looking for the ball. I really hope it works out for Morientes, as he is a class act and is working hard. Question marks remain though.

Garcia hit a shot straight at the keeper, Riise stung his palms with a rocket half volley from 25 yards, and Sissoko shot high and wide after a good run. In truth we rarely looked like finding the net until Sissoko burst through again in the last minute, beat two defenders and crashed a shot against the angle of post and bar.

Momo was outstanding, as he has been every time he's played. He showed aspects to his game last night which hadn't really been on view before. Mainly some good long passing and a goal threat. At 20 years of age there's obviously a lot more to come from him.

He was the only real positive to take from this game, that and the fact that we're in the group stages of course. I thought at times it was painful to watch, and it wasn't an enjoyable game at all. It's never nice to lose at home, regardless of the overall aggregate score, but it didn't do us any harm this time last year did it?

Credit to CSKA, who played very well and will no doubt be overjoyed at defeating the European Champions. Their little band of followers sang for ninety minutes, and will surely remember this game for a long time to come. Here's hoping they get to return to Merseyside this season to thrash the blues in the UEFA Cup


Team: Carson; Finnan, Josemi, Hyypia, Warnock (Zenden); Potter (Garcia), Sissoko, Hamann, Riise; Cisse (Sinama-Pongolle), Morientes: