Liverpool Res 0 Blackburn Rovers Res 3 (Oct 26 2005)

[TLW]

LIVERPOOL RES 0 Blackburn Res

Report by Peter Schulz at the Racecourse Ground

Scorer(s) - Half Time - 0-1 Venue - The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham Date - Wed 26 Oct 2005 Star Man - Jack Hobbs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jerzy Dudek continued his comeback for the reserves against Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday night but he was part of an otherwise very young and inexperienced reds side which deservedly lost 3-0.

The absence of key reserve players Raven, Potter and Whitbread certainly told and the reds were totally outclassed by a David Thompson inspired Rovers side. Danny Guthrie had failed to recover from the injury he picked up at Wigan last week, whilst Adam Hammill was also missing from the reds squad.

Hammill has been a regular this season and has been in excellent form. He was ommitted from the U18's win over Crewe on Saturday and was expected to be involved in this game. From asking around it seems he isn't injured, so I don't know why he wasn't involved. His creativity and craft out wide was sorely missed however.

The reds lined up in an unfamiliar 4-3-3 formation with Nardiello (left) and Barnett (right) on either side of Calliste. Cynics like the editor of this website will tell you it was more like a 4-1-2-3 formation, but since when did we start counting the midfield twice? I’ll tell you when, since the introduction of Championship Manager.

In the middle of the park we had Lee Peltier and David Mannix in front of the more defensively operating Jack Hobbs. Despite his good performance last week, Godwin Antwi was not allowed to keep his favoured spot in the reds central defence. Miki Roque was back from injury to take his place alongside Danny O’Donnell. Left back was James Smith.

Liverpool were quickly on the back foot as David Thompson’s class shone through in the middle of the park and the reds relied only on high balls to the not-so-tall Calliste, but after 24 minutes came Liverpool’s first, last and only real shooting opportunity of the night. Mannix was fouled outside the box to the left and his freekick was well struck, but it was an easy save in the end for goalkeeper Drench. Well, that was it really. From then on it was all Blackburn.

Jemal Johnson’s low shot from the edge of the box beat Dudek to his right and went in off the post after 27 minutes and he could have had one or two more in the first half had it not been for the post and crossbar and then later Jerzy Dudek.

Lee Peltier was lucky to escape with a booking as he launched himself into a nasty two-footed challenge on centre back Eddie Nolan. The Rovers defender got up but was substituted a few minutes later.

The reds now switched to 4-4-2 with Nardiello and Calliste up front and Mannix on the left to try and stop Thompson from controlling in the middle of the park. It didn’t quite work and at half time the reds were fortunate not to have fallen further behind.

Paco Herrera made two changes at half time bringing on Conal Platt in place of Michael Nardiello who had tried but had failed to create anything in front of the Rovers goal. Godwin Antwi made way for trialist 16-year-old centre back James Tunnicliffe from Stockport. Mique Roque moved to right back to accommodate the youngster.

5 minutes later it was 2-0 to the visitors. Dudek saved again from Jemal Johnson but could only parry it and Sergio Peter was on hand to coolly slot it inside the post in an empty net. Ramon Calliste wasn’t giving in and was involved in an altercation with….you guessed it…David Thompson. Calliste fouled the fiery midfielder and Thommo got up and grabbed him by the throat. In the end only Calliste was booked strangely enough. Perhaps the ref didn’t have the nerve to book little Thommo?

David Thompson had several excellent chances in the second half – one even a header from close range which Dudek pushed wide. He could easily have had a hat-trick had it not been for Dudek. Other chances fell to Jemal Johnson, Gary Stopforth and again Sergio Peter, but 6 minutes from time Johnson made it 3-0 from the edge of the box with another rocket.

It was only what they deserved as the reds were second best throughout the game and in the second half in particular. At times the reds couldn’t get it across the halfway line. Debutant Charlie Barnett, who’d had a quiet game, was replaced by Paul Barratt but it didn’t make any difference to be fair.

It was tough for Barnett, who has been in sparkling form for the u18s this year, as he found himself up against an international left back in Vratislav Gresko and saw very little of the ball.

In the end Blackburn had to settle for the 3-0 scoreline and it could have been much worse. Jerzy Dudek made a string of good saves, but I think perhaps he should have done better at one or two of the goals. As it was, David Thompson was star man by a mile. He was head and shoulders above everyone on the pitch – despite his diminutive figure. Johnson was very lively too and had too much for the reds young backline.

Picking a reds star man was rather more difficult as no one stood out. James Tunnicliffe played solidly at the heart of defence and looks a decent prospect and James Smith did ok at left back, but I went for Jack Hobbs who is looking more and more settled in this reds side even though he’s not playing in his favourite position. He did nothing spectacular but he kept trying to lift his team mates and make himself available for passes.

Overall it was a very, very poor display by A reds side that will surely look to do better when they entertain Man City at the Racecourse ground next Wednesday.


Team: Dudek; Antwi (Tunnicliffe), Roque, O'Donnell, Smith; Hobbs; Peltier, Mannix; Barnett (Barratt), Calliste, Nardiello (Platt):