Liverpool Rack Up Yet Another Home Draw

We would have to wait for the return of Luis Suarez with Dalglish deciding to continue Carroll’s run in the team after his recent pick up in form and his goal against Wolves.  Enrique, with a tight hamstring  missed his first game of the season which meant Johnson started at left-back and Martin Kelly at right-back.  Adam and Spearing occupied the holding which propelled Steven Gerrard into his more favoured attacking role.

Liverpool started well with Gerrard had the head of affairs almost playing in Carroll with a glorious ball on the run, cut out by Dawson’s last ditch tackle which had the Anfield Road faithful baying for a penalty, he then almost put Kuyt through.
  
We struggled to stretch a Spurs side bereft of van der Vaart (from the starting line-up), Defoe and Lennon, defending with lines of four and five across the pitch which meant patience at home was again the order of the day and without the mercurial Suarez to cut through tight areas and Craig Bellamy restricted by the pace of Walker and Krancjar doubling-up, creating chances against a well marshaled defensive unit with Parker and King at the fore, made the realisation of the Wolves result come into focus.

Both sides enjoyed a similar about of possession and it was Liverpool who had the only real attempts on goal with Gerrard, after a flowing move, showing awareness to pass to Spearing, whose drive just crept past the post.  Glenn Johnson who enjoyed plenty of good ball in the final third, almost sneaked a cross into the far corner when over hitting a curling cross which Friedel managed to push out. In the last minute of the half he managed a range finder from from distance which Friedel also parried away. 

Gerrard looked a class above prompted and driving the team from the top of the engine room and Carroll’s touch under pressure looked as assured as it has done since he arrived, but Liverpool final ball was atrocious. Time and again, crosses were either over hit or driven low when the obvious option was to stand the ball up, which left Carroll fuming on more than one occasion.

The cat and mouse type play (no pun intended with the cat’s encroachment on the ground in the 11th minute) continued into the second-half with Liverpool’s first real shot in anger coming from Kelly on the hour with an angle drive pushed away at the near post.  Kuyt’s was soon to disappear, just after failing to show the composure required to pick out either Gerrard or Carroll waiting in the area, for the long awaiting return from Luis Suarez.

 

Suarez could not inspire the Reds (Image: Talksport)

Andy Carroll had the chance to top of  his impressive performance with a goal after Martin Kelly produced a glorious cross on the run which fell to Carroll, who controlled the ball with his midriff, but leaning back spooned the ball over on the half-volley.  Within the space of a two minutes chances appeared at both ends, first with Reina standing tall to block Gareth Bale’s low shot when the betting was on the Welshman and then Suarez with the goal at his mercy from Gerrard’s whipped in free-kick heading straight at the keeper.

Carroll was excellent in leading the line, holding the ball up  and being the conduit for linking the midfield with the attack.  He showed strength in the challenge winning more than his fair share of headers, often flicking on with purpose and direction.  Liverpool’s failure to deliver quality ball for a striker in good form was disappointing, with Johnson and Kelly the chief culprits.

Another disappointing draw for Liverpool, even more so with the amount of possession secured during the second-half.  The lack of penetration only adds to the feeling that the lack of creativity and incisiveness makes it all the more difficult at home to break teams down who come to park the bus and do not want to create a symphony with the music of their football, especially for a team known for creating the the most stylish football in the Premiership.

King Kenny, really has to look at instilling something different on the bench with Sterling et al as the main protagonist.  This was a match that cried out for something different with only Carroll and Suarez having an assemblance of a chance in the area.  Arsenal have Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sunderland have James McClean and we have a lot of talent in the Next Gen series…

Kop-Post Man of The Match:  Andy Carroll – He produced his best all round performance in a Liverpool shirt, producing some subtle touches and gave Dawson and King,  a renowned pairing no end of bother, but once again suffered from a distinct lack of service.