After 16 years and his 737th and final appearance for our club Jamie Carragher finally said goodbye to our club this afternoon.
The JC23 emblem being held up from the Kop once Jamie Carragher ran out was a fitting tribute to a great servant to our club.
His leadership influence on the team was underestimated towards the end of his career but his determination to fight back and win his place back in the team halfway through the season typifies his never say die character.
The fact that this was his last game and a celebration of his achievements would not have phased Carragher his whole ethos on football is to win the game and ask questions later, he would have been more disappointed that we didn't treat the game as anything but a testimonial.
There was a real sense of out with the old, in with the new as we gave a full debut to our young winger Jordan Ibe and he grasped the opportunity with both hands causing QPR all sorts of problems with his pace and trickery.
To sum this up Ibe set up the only goal of the game for our little magician Coutinho to score from just outside the area after 23 minutes - how ironic on a significant day for number 23 !!!
Coutinho to add to his repertoire on the day also nearly scored direct from a corner and had another effort blocked by Shaun Derry.
Carragher tried to do a re-enactment of Maradona's "hand of god" goal vs England by attempting to punch in a cross.
He then tried again with a second effort from a rehearsed short free kick set up by Downing.
Carra had a third and ultimately final effort to score a farewell goal from a half volley from 25 yards which he ht sweeter than he had ever hit a football in his life, the shot beat Robert Green convincingly but unluckily hit the post but stayed out.
The rest of the game petered out with us again not taking our chances to win a game more convincingly but we ended the season with a comfortable 1-0 win.
The two things that Jamie Carragher would have been happy about was the clean sheet at the end of the game and the deserved standing ovation he received when he was subbed for the last time 5 minutes from time and on his final lap of honour as a LFC player.
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher (Coates 85), Skrtel, Jose Enrique, Downing, Lucas, Henderson, Ibe (Borini 64), Coutinho (Suso 74), Sturridge.
Subs Not Used: Brad Jones, Assaidi, Coady, Wisdom.
Booked: Henderson.
Goal: Coutinho 23.
QPR: Green, Harriman, Onuoha, Hill, Traore, Park (Hoilett 80), Derry, Mbia, Remy (Granero 46), Zamora (Mackie 72), Townsend.
Subs Not Used: Murphy, Da Silva, Ehmer, Bothroyd.
Booked: Hill, Derry, Townsend.
Att: 44,792
Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
MAN OF THE MATCH: Who else but Jamie Carragher !!!!
Fantastic servant for our club who will be missed but will never ever walk alone.
Thanks Carra, we salute you! YNWA
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