Liverpool 3 Boro 2 - Prem (Feb 23 2008)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL 3 Middlesbrough 2

Report by Dave Usher at Anfield

Scorer(s) – Fernando Torres (3) Half Time - 2-1 Venue - Anfield Date - Sat 23 February 2008 Star Man – Fernando Torres

 

 

 

 

Coming off the back of such an emotionally charged, dramatic European night, Middlesbrough are arguably the worst side we could have faced. They’re probably the most insignificant, neither here nor there team in the Premiership. I mean come on, who actually looks forward to playing against Boro?

If ever there’s a game where motivation could be a problem, it’s this one, especially when four days earlier we had the glamour of a clash with Inter Milan. I'd rather we were facing a good side like Arsenal, or a shit side like Derby. Boro are somewhere in between, and games with them are probably the least anticipated games we (or anyone else for that matter) have all season.

I was worried about this game, as there was a definite case of the ‘After the Lord Mayor’s show’ about this. The crowd wouldn’t be up for it, and on the evidence of what we’ve seen for most of this season, neither would the players. Boro are usually resilient if nothing else, and came into the game in a good run of form.

As it turned out, the fans weren’t really up for it, the players just about were, and Boro were actually much better than I thought they’d be. The irony was that the resilience that I expected from them went out of the window completely, as two catastrophic howlers ensured they left Anfield with no points when it could have been three.

Boro played well and created chances, and will feel somewhat aggrieved to have gone home empty handed. As for us, well we didn’t play well, at least not consistently, but I don’t really care any more. The only thing that matters right now is getting three points, and I’ll happily take shit performances and three points in every game from now until May.

Of course I’d like to see us playing as well as we did against Inter in every game, but the over-riding priority now is to get that fourth place, because no Champions League football next season could really have a devastating effect on our long term future.

We started very badly against Boro. We were unbelievably sloppy in possession, with the normally reliable Gerrard, Mascherano and Hyypia particularly careless. Simple passes were going astray, and the Champions League hangover I was worried about was clearly in evidence. Speaking of hangovers, I noticed Charles Itandje wasn’t on the bench for this game. Maybe he was nursing a sore head, as he’s not averse to hitting the town before games is Monsieur Itandje. Whatever the reason for his absence, long may it continue as someone with his total lack of professionalism is simply not fit to wear the shirt.

Rafa ensured that no matter what happened in this game, ‘rotation’ couldn’t be used as a stick to beat him with, as he made just one change from the side that beat Inter, and that was an enforced one with Arbeloa replacing the suspended Carragher. Surprisingly, Alonso and Pennant both failed to even make the bench. Much has been made of Xabi’s apparent lack of form, but personally I think he’s been playing ok. Even on one of his average days he’s still more worthy of a place than young Lucas.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Lucas, he’s a good little player with a bright future ahead of him. He’s not as good as Alonso though, and with a lot of big games coming up I’ll be much more comfortable when Xabi is returned to the starting line up. With him, Mascherano and Gerrard all on the pitch together, I always feel we’re a match for anyone. Especially when you throw Torres into the mix ahead of them. Torres was the difference between winning and losing this game, it’s that simple.

We missed Carragher at the back big time. Arbeloa is fine when it comes to man marking and general defending, but the backline looked very vulnerable because of the lack of understanding in there and Arbeloa’s inexperience at playing centre back. There were numerous occasions when Boro got in behind our defence, and the normally rigid line we keep was all over the place.

That said, we weren’t helped by the Main Stand side linesman who was appalling. I’m not sure whether’s Boro’s goal was offside or not, I suspect it was a lot closer than most of us thought at the time though. He’d missed several blatant offsides before that though, which had already gotten people’s backs up and unsettled out defence even more.

The goal was terrible defending from start to finish. We conceded a free-kick because Lucas played a risky pass to Babel, who handed the ball as he tried to control it. When the free-kick was played in, most of our defenders had held a line and allowed Boro’s attackers to run in behind, but I think one of them may have have drifted in with them. I’d need to see it again to be sure.

Pepe was left completely exposed, as Tuncay headed past him from close range. Even then though, I thought maybe he could have kept it out as it was more or less straight at him. I got the impression that he was expecting a whistle as he didn’t seem to be on his toes as he usually is.

We were not creating any openings for ourselves, and the only one I can really remember is a snapshot from Kuyt that went over from close range. It wasn’t a bad effort in fairness as he did well to react quickest and get his shot in after Babel had beaten his man and crossed into the box.

Other than that Boro were keeping us at arms length, and they were within a whisker of making it 2-0 when Alliadiere crossed for Tuncay who put the ball in with the top of his arm. I thought there was an offside in there as well, but the linesman flagged for the handball, nothing else. Tuncay was rightly booked, but had that cross been six inches loser to him he’d have been able to put it in the net by fair means not foul.

Boro had another effort ruled out too, although I can’t remember whether that came when they were in front or behind. At the time I thought we’d got lucky, as Alliadiere definitely wasn’t offside and I wasn’t sure Tuncay was either. Thankfully the linesman was taking no chances having already seriously pissed off the crowd, and he raised his flag.

Boro were enjoying themselves, and must have been really fancying their chances. Then out of nothing, a moment of madness from their captain Julio Arca presented Torres with the kind of opportunity he thrives on. Just what was going through Arca’s mind when he attempted a headed backpass from virtually in the centre circle? It was sheer stupidity, especially when he seemed to have a look first and must have been aware of Torres’ presence.


For a horrible moment I thought Torres had blown the opportunity, as he opted to dribble around the keeper and stay on his feet despite being clipped. If he’d gone down it was a pen and surely a red card for Schwarzer, and by staying on his feet despite being knocked off balance I thought he was going to miss. He didn’t though, he clearly new what he was doing and he found the net easily enough in the end.

Whilst his name was still echoing around Anfield, he did it again, this time producing a blistering low drive from outside the box after good set up play involving Hyypia and Aurelio. It was a great goal from a great player, and I dread to think where we’d be this season without his goals.

We had a decent spell after that, as a bit of confidence and urgency returned to our play. The longer it went though, the less urgency we showed. At 2-1 it could have gone either way, but then another ridiculous defensive error from Boro allowed Torres to claim his hat-trick and secure the three points.

Kuyt did well defending in his own penalty area, and then he launched a speculative long ball for Torres to chase. It was a good ball actually, but Torres was not favourite to make anything out of it until the keeper inexplicably came charging out and ran into Wheater, leaving Torres with the simple task of controlling on his chest and steering the ball into the unguarded net. I say simple, but he still finished it well.

I was delighted for a number of reasons. Obviously it looked like it would seal three points, and I was made up for Torres too of course. I also took a great deal of pleasure from Schwarzer’s misfortune. He was given the kind of reception from the Kop that every visiting keeper gets, but he failed to acknowledge it. Inter’s keeper had done the same the other night, but that’s fair enough as continental keepers are not always aware of it. Schwarzer has no excuse though. Payback’s a bitch.

Torres almost grabbed an exhilarating fourth, when Gerrard sent him scampering away and he showed blistering pace and directness to go past Pogatetz into the box. With the angle getting worse with every stride, he unleashed a powerful drive across goal that was headed for the bottom corner until Schwarzer got the faintest of touches to divert it wide.

Peanut head Southgate made changes, sending on Mido (who was wearing the biggest pair of shorts I’ve ever seen) and Alves for O’Neill and Tuncay, and it made a difference to be fair. Downing in particular began to get into the game more, and he started getting the better of Finnan a little too much for my liking. He got a few crosses in, and lashed a wild shot so far wide it went for a throw in.

The warning signs were there though, and when Mido picked him out on the left he produced a brilliant first touch to knock the ball past Finnan and then he slipped the ball under Reina to ensure a frantic finale. It was a class goal from an average player, and although people will point the finger at Finnan sometimes I think you just have to hold your hand up and say it was a great goal. I’m only basing it on what I saw at the time, but I don’t see what Finnan could have actually done to stop it. He was closing him down but the winger’s first touch immediately knocked it past him, and caught him on the back foot. From that point on he was beaten and couldn’t recover.

I’m not sure if Pepe could have come out a bit quicker, and the shot seemed to go through him, but maybe he was taken a bit by surprise by how early the shot was taken. Or maybe he was just shocked that Downing could produce a piece of football like that. I know I was.

At this point I was seriously concerned we were going to cock things up. We’ve thrown away so many points at home, and I could see another two going out the window. We needed to dig in, and Boro were on top at this stage. Then Alliadiere’s petulant side got the better of him, and we were more or less safe after that.

I didn’t realise what went on at the time. I saw Mascherano and Luke Young having a little bit of verbals, and then I heard the crowd all shouting about something. Next thing the ref is waving a red card and the young Frenchman was walking off without any argument.

I’ve since been told that Mascherano tweaked his nose, and he responded by trying to slap him. It seems a bit daft that he received the same punishment for that as Martin Taylor got for snapping Eduardo’s leg in half, but regardless of whether the punishment fits the crime, he was stupid to raise his hands given that he was already on a yellow card anyway (after a snidy kick at Aurelio in the first half).

Yossi thought he’d wrapped up the win late on when he bundled in a rebond after Schwarzer had parried Gerrard’s pinpoint free kick onto the bar, but the linesman once again chalked off a goal by raising his flag. He was definitely correct on this one.

With seconds remaining and Boro preparing to launch a free-kick into our box, Rafa brought off Torres to a standing ovation, and sent on Crouch. Sensible for three reasons. One, it gave Torres the ovation he deserved, two, it wasted a bit of time, and three, it allowed us to get Crouch back in there to defend the free-kick.

We negotiated the final stages without any undue worries, and the three points are most welcome. On another day we could easily have lost this game, but like I say that’s irrelevant right now. In the long term I want to see us playing well, but in the short term I’ll just take wins, no matter how they come.

We’re in a dogfight with Everton (and others) for that fourth spot, and although that’s clearly unacceptable, the time for analysing that is in the summer. Right now we just need to win, and keep winning, and hope that at the end of it we’re the ones in the final Champions League spot.

At the start of the season fourth place was the very least I was hoping for, but right now I’d give my right arm to see us in fourth place after 38 games, and that shows just how disappointing we’ve been this season.

Star man was easy, Torres was miles better than anyone else. Honourable mention again to Kuyt who I thought played well, and Aurelio who was pretty solid.


Team: Reina; Finnan, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Aurelio; Lucas, Mascherano; Kuyt (Riise), Gerrard, Babel (Benayoun); Torres (Crouch):