The atmosphere in the after we took our seats in the North Stand of the Stadium of Light in amongst the Sunderland supporters. That we welcomed back Suarez was a blessed relief as quality and flair had been the missing ingredients from the home made disaster served up against Braga. With Agger also back, his assuredness of touch and pure footballing ability would instantaneously change the dynamic of looking for Carroll with Jonny Wilkinson range-finder punts up the pitch.
Liverpool also started with a midfield of Jay Spearing, Lucas Leiva and with Raul Meireles as ever providing support for the first time employed double-act of Suarez and Carroll with Dirk Kuyt on the right of midfield it looked potentially a much more of an attacking formation. Sunderland, grabbed the initiative early and with Gyan prompting and probing, linking up well with Wellbeck they controlled most of the first half without causing any real consternation. Andy Carroll who looked someway short of match fitness in general play was a handful front set pieces and it was from a Meireles corner that Liverpool almost broke the deadlock, when Carroll headed down to Kuyt who shot was brilliantly saved by Simon Mignolet, debutising for Craig Gordon.
The Sunderland dam was breached on 34 minutes, when the Man of The Match Jay Spearing, who was just about anywhere and everywhere, was alert to Mensah trying to bring the ball under control with a loose piece of chest control ball and nicked in only to be brought down by the Sunderland player on a recovery mission. Dirk Kuyt, as he has on so many occasions dispatched the penalty, in the absence of the injured Steven Gerrard with clinical precision.
Just before the break Suarez produced a snapshot which was smartly palmed away by Sunderland’s best player on the day Mignolet. The next time he was to see Suarez bearing down him he would be beguiled by the mercurial Uruguayan flashing footwork down the by-line after fastening onto Kuyt’s thrown-in, before flashing a powerful drive up and beyond him and with it went any chance of a very poor Sunderland coming back into the game.
Sunderland were unlucky in losing two key players in Richardson and Muntari early on, but in truth we were well worth are victory having almost all the clear cut chances in the game. Luis Suarez gifted feet added gloss on a very disjointed Liverpool performance , but its onward and upwards and with the bit between our teeth Spurs are not yet beyond the horizon.
By KP
Hey Kp,
ReplyDeletesaw the match too and also felt we had a very disjointed first half hour, our passes were poor and we seemed to be all over the place. The good thing was that Sunderland was just as poor as we were disjointed. Admittedly the game got better for us, but am still not sure about Carroll, my feeling is that he will not fit into Liverpool and like Chelsea and Torres, we feel obliged to play him to justify the huge amount paid for him. I love Jay, I think he has matured since he allowed a goal in last year's Champions league that contributed to our exit from the group stages. Agger! Well what can I say, assured, confident and always looking to go forward which is the Liverpool way. Meireles did not have such a good day but I have put him a pedestal and find no reason to bring him down anytime soon. I think we have a good unit, not a perfect one but enough to see the season out considering the really poor start we had. Onwards to WBA next! See you soon Roy!!!
Did not see the game, but great away win and a well-taken penalty in the first half from Dirk Kuyt, who is playing very well.
ReplyDeleteI heard a very tight angle goal from Luis Suarez in the second half gave Liverpool a 2-0 secured the win over Sunderland.
Need to keep winning now….