Middlesbrough Res 1 Liverpool Res 0 (Mar 7 2007)

[TLW]

Boro Res 1 LIVERPOOL RES 0

Report by Dave Usher at Billingham Synthonium

Scorer(s) - Half Time - 1-0 Venue - Billingham Synthonium, Billingham Date - Wed 7 Mar 2007 Star Man - Daniele Padelli

 

 

 

 

 

 

Talk about after the 'Lord Mayor's Show'. One night I was watching Eto'o and Ronaldinho in a packed and vibrant Anfield, the next night it was Robert Huth and Jason Euell at Billingham Synthonium on a freezing night on Teesside. Both games ended in 1-0 defeats, but that's where any similarity ends. This was pretty dire stuff, and but for the encouraging debut of Italian keeper Daniele Padelli there'd be nothing positive to write about.


This was Padelli's first involvement with the reserves since he arrived in January, and he was joined in the starting line up by another debutant, Paraguayan centre half Ronald Huth (left). With the FA Youth semi final coming up this Saturday, Gary Ablett omitted all of Steve Heighway's players from his starting line up, with the exception of right back Stephen Darby who Ablett was forced to include due to injuries to Peltier and Antwi. Had either of those been fit, 'Darbs' would have been on the bench alongside Flynn, Threlfall, Lindfield etc.

With skipper Danny Guthrie out on loan at Southampton, the middle of midfield had a makeshift look about it, with Hobbs and Idrizaj joined in the centre by Francisco Duran, and El Zhar and Anderson on the flanks. Jordy Brouwer was the lone frontman. Darby and Huth were joined in the backline by Miki Roque and Emiliano Insua.

Boro fielded Huth, Riggott, Euell and Rochemback, and their greater experience certainly made a difference, as the reds couldn't get near their goal in the first half. Liverpool started very badly, and the opening fifteen minutes saw Boro regularly slice through the middle of the reds' defence. Padelli had to save well with his feet from Hutchinson after the forward had outpaced a ponderous looking Huth. The youngster improved as the game wore on, but he had a very uncomfortable start and Boro's forwards ran riot early on.


The home side went in front on eight minutes, when a cross from the left wasn't cleared properly and Euell volleyed the ball home from 18 yards. It was a great strike and Padelli had no chance. It would be the only time he was beaten all evening however.

The keeper was called into action shortly afterwards, when Hutchison again ran clean through the centre. Padelli was quick off his line, but the striker took the ball round him. He knocked the ball a little bit too far though, and with defenders back covering, decided against the first time shot and checked back onto his right foot. Padelli was back on him quickly, and when the shot eventually came the keeper blocked with his feet once more.

Liverpool were getting no joy in attack, where Brouwer was badly isolated. Matters weren't helped when Duran twisted his knee awkwardly after fifteen minutes, and had to leave the field. Ryan Flynn was his replacement.

Gradually, Liverpool began to settle and Boro no longer looked like they would score with every attack. At the other end though, Gary Ablett's side never even came close to testing the Boro keeper. There was no creativity at all, and only El Zhar really posed any kind of threat.

The Morroccan forward has some lovely touches and great close control. Often it leads to nothing, but there is no question that he has skill. He has improved as the season has gone on, but there are so few reserve games these days that it must be difficult for any players to find any kind of rythm.

Boro's centre half pairing of Robert Huth and Chris Riggott will rarely have had an easier night. Huth was replaced at half time, but things were just as comfortable for his replacement. The second half followed the same pattern as the first. Boro were on top, but Liverpool were always in the game and had plenty of the ball.


Padelli (right) was looking very assured, and displayed an encouraging willingness to come off his line and deal with through balls. That's one of Reina's main strengths, and the Italian showed similar traits to Pepe by coming out and dealing with situations positively, either by heading the ball clear or dribbling his way out of trouble. He's a confident young man on this evidence.

His finest moment came midway through the second half, when Hutchison lobbed the ball goalwards from the left hand side of the box. Padelli looked beaten as the ball sailed over his head towards the top corner, but remarkably he got back and leapt backwards to tip the ball away. It was reminiscent of Grobbelaar's save from Graeme Sharp in the '86 FA Cup Final. You remember the one, the Kangaroo leap? Exactly like that, a terrific save.

He had to make another smart stop when Boro's substitute centre half had a free header from a corner, but the longer the game went on the less likely Boro seemed to grab a second goal. Even when the reds were reduced to ten men (two silly bookings in quick succession for the frustrating Idrizaj), they still managed to see a lot of the ball.

Jay Spearing was brough on for Brouwer, as Ablett went with a 3-4-2 formation. Insua and Darby moved up to play as wingbacks, Hobbs dropped back into the defence, and Anderson and El Zhar went up front. The midfield combination of Spearing and Flynn took control of the game, and Liverpool pushed forward looking for an unlikely equaliser. They just had nothing in the final third though, and the only worthwhile effort they managed was a 30 yard lob from El Zhar that landed on the roof of the net.

It was a pretty awful game, and certainly not worth the three hour trip there and three hour trip back! I've been to this fixture three years running, and we've lost every one. It's not a happy hunting ground, and it's a bit of a dive. There isn't even a plug for the laptop, let alone a phoneline, which is why there was no updates at half time and full time.

The only thing Billingham Synthonium is famour for, is that Igor Biscan once graced it's turf with his presence a few years ago. I hate going there almost as much as I do the Racecourse Ground (nothing personal to anyone reading who lives in Wrexham, it's just that it's a long way to go for 'home' games that's all).

Star man was easy, it had to be Padelli. El Zhar deserves a mention, as he showed some nice bits of skill, whilst Roque and Darby were fairly steady at the back. Insua looks a good player, but this wasn't his best game and he looked a bit tired to me late on. He takes a mean corner, but no doubt that will be knocked out of him by our coaching staff! Can't have anyone taking good corners now, can we?

Team: Padelli; Darby, Roque, Huth, Insua; Anderson, Duran (Flynn), Hobbs, Idrizaj, El Zhar; Brouwer (Spearing):