Liverpool 1 West Brom 0 - Prem (Dec 31 2005)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL 1 West Brom 0

Report by Dave Usher at Anfield

Scorer(s) - Peter Crouch Half Time - 0-0 Venue - Anfield Date - Sat 31 Dec 2005 Star Man - Xabi Alonso

 

 

 

 

So that’s it for 2005 then. Overall, a pretty damn fine year. We end the year as the reigning European Champions, we’re sitting in a good position in the table and have emerged as the main challengers to Chelsea. We’re in a run of ten straight wins, we have the meanest defence, the best midfield duo in the land and we also have the country’s most in form striker. Oh, and we have Rafa, which means 2006 could be just as special.

Liverpool’s reputation is growing fast. West Brom came to Anfield expecting a hiding, and they got one despite the narrow scoreline. The Baggies had an eleven man defence, and it was a tactic which never looked like paying dividends. Such negativity deserves to be punished, and had it not been for some heroics by their keeper they would have been punished very heavily indeed.

Kewell was denied twice in the early stages by Albion’s Polish keeper, whilst Riise struck the post with a carefully placed effort from 18 yards. The irrepressible Gerrard also went close on a couple of occasions as Liverpool laid siege to the visitors goal. Often in this situation there is an inescapable feeling that it might just be ‘one of those days’. I didn’t have that today though, as I was convinced it was just going to be a matter of time before Albion’s luck ran out.

Liverpool were playing so well and creating so many chances, whilst West Brom showed absolutely no attacking intent at all. Even with strikers Campbell and Horsfield operating as auxiliary holding midfield players, Liverpool still cut through Bryan Robson’s team at will. There was no way they were going to be able to survive 90 minutes like that, surely?

It was a minor-miracle that they got to half time on level terms , as it wasn’t as though we didn’t play well. We were excellent, with Alonso pulling the strings and Gerrard marauding all over the place. West Brom just kept dropping deeper and deeper, and it reached the stage where Carra took himself into midfield just because he had no-one to mark.

Garcia could consider himself fortunate not to have been brought off at half time though, as he’d contributed very little other than to repeatedly give possession away. He has these days from time to time, but even when he’s having a mare he’s likely to pop up with a goal, and that’s probably why he usually stays on.

I’d have been tempted to put Flo on in place of him, but with Kewell still not fully fit Rafa kept his substitutes back knowing he’d probably have to bring the Aussie off at some stage. So Luis survived, but began the second half in a central role behind Crouch, with Cisse moved out wide.

Cisse isn’t usually best pleased about having to move out wide, but this was a game where it was too bunched up in the centre, and the Baggies were defending so deep that Djibril had no room to run into. At least out wide he’d have the opportunity to stretch his legs, and he was quite lively out there.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first. Liverpool attacking, and West Brom with all hands to the pump in defence. They had no answer to Gerrard’s pace, strength and skill, and on another day the skipper could have been going home with the match ball.

Time and again he struck the ball well only to see it flash just off target or for the keeper to make a terrific save. Crouch had been relatively quiet in the first half, although he was always a nuisance for the Albion defence. His confidence is sky high at the moment however (no bad jokes please), and when Kewell’s delightful cross presented him with a headed chance he made no mistake, finding the corner to leave the inspired Kusczak with no chance.

It was his first goal at the Kop end, but it won’t be his last. Crouchamania is truly runnin wild these days.

Amazingly, that was the only goal of the game, although numerous chances came and went and the side certainly couldn’t be accused of taking their foot off the gas this time. We kept going forward, but Kusczak kept making saves. Crouch almost had a second after some delightful play on the right by Cisse, but his downward header struck the feet of the keeper.

Gerrard was denied what could have been a goal of the season contender when after a fantastic quick passing move his piledriver went straight at Kusczak. Gerrard put another chance inches wide in stoppage time after a sensational run down the left, but the reds had to settler for just a single goal victory.

Usually when a team has been so dominant but only has a one goal lead, the final minutes are torture as the opposition go looking for an unlikely equaliser, but it never really turned out like that because Liverpool are just so well drilled these days that teams find it really hard to create anything against us.

West Brom decided to have a go towards the end, but couldn’t get anywhere near testing the underworked Reina.

The star man was once again a toss up between Gerrard and Alonso. The skipper was more dynamic and eye catching, but for me Alonso just shaded it. He gave a perfect exhibition of the art of midfield playmaking, and West Brom couldn’t get near him. Short passing, long passing, ball retention, quick switching of play, great tackling and a tireless work ethic. It was all there from Alonso.

With the January window now open, we can expect plenty of activity from the reds as they look to put right the mistakes of last summer. It’s to Rafa’s great credit that he’s had us playing so well despite not being able to strengthen the squad in the way he wanted. A right winger and centre half have long been a priority, but Gerrard’s performances out wide have lessened the need for a right sided player .

We could still do with another option out there however, and we still need the centre half in case, God forbid, anything happens to Carra or Sami. Another striker might be needed too, although his displays in recent weeks may have earned Djibbers an unlikely reprieve and Neil Mellor is not too far away from full fitness now.

It’s going to be an interesting few weeks anyway, as more possibilities means more opportunities to rest players, and that could be important as the season gets older. We started before everyone else, and have played more games than anyone else.

It doesn’t look like it’s taking a toll at the moment, but it may kick in when we get to Easter. So a few new faces could make all the difference to us. Mind you, whoever comes in will have one hell of a fight on their hands to get in this team at the moment.

Happy New Year!


Team: Reina; Finnan, Carragher, hyypia, Riise; Garcia, Alonso, Gerrard, Kewell (Sinama-Pongolle); Cisse (Traore), Crouch (Sissoko):