Bellamy Pulls Liverpool Through

This was a game where Liverpool weren't just bouncing back from two successive defeats, but questions were suddenly been asked about the manager and team by critics, who have suddenly come out of the woodwork, where before the Bolton result they were know where to be seen, but I guess that's the vagaries of football.

An early move which saw Spearing shoot from around 20 yards showed Liverpool's intent with a quicker sharper build-up involving Kuyt, Suarez and Bellamy. A few moments later that sharp, crisp movement ended with Suarez and Bellamy combining to put us ahead. Not for the first time this season this fluidity of movement is made all the more apparent without the starting presence of Andy Carroll. What Bellamy brings to the equation is incisiveness, class and the added ingredient of raw pace, something we lack throughout the first team.

But then just as in the Stoke game, we missed a plethora of chances which instilled confidence in a very good Brighton side. The sharp and incisive running disappeared and our first half confidence dissipated, to be replaced by heavy touches and passes and as the game wore on indiciveness affected all parts of our game, with Brighton dominating periods of possession.

After a long six months, the return of Steven Gerrard added some much needed composure, but in the end, as he had been from the start in was pure and simple the class of Craig Bellamy which dragged Bolton's brave response. As Kuyt's game clincher proved, there is no substitute for pace and Bellamy has it by the bucket load.

Granted it was Brighton, but Bellamy is class by anyone's standards and he must have made a pitch for a start against Wolves on Saturday. His performance with the return of the 'Great One' gives us something to look forward too after a turbulent start to the week.
Kop-post man of the match: Craig Bellamy