Costa and Chelsea stamp their way into final

Liverpool’s battle weary soldiers strove 92 minutes like to titans to hold Chelsea and had clear cut chances to have won the game by half-time.  But just one minute of Mario Balotelli madness put Liverpool on the back foot.

Brendan Rodgers seeing the seventieth minute as the time to move Balotelli from extra to lead actor in this enthralling drama failed to recognise that for better or worse Super Mario writes his own scripts.   First, his casual ball forced Lucas into giving away a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the area.  Second, he wondered away from the designated player he was assigned to mark (Ivanovic) which was unforgiveable, especially as the same player put Chelsea ahead.  But then, that’s Mario.

Later in a great position to cross back into the danger zone he selfishly chose to go for glory and chipped the ball over from a very narrow angle.

That said, Liverpool were excellent and more than matched Chelsea all over the pitch.

Like the first leg the propensity to miss chances cost us dear.   Gerrard’s sumptuous ball found the overlapping Moreno who after controlling struck his shot high enough for Courtois to expertly save and Coutinho’s dazzling run ended with a finish which was again to close to the big Chelsea keeper.

Jordan Henderson, who otherwise had an outstanding game will wonder how he managed to miss his header after brilliant work from Sterling, but again it signifies the problems we have at the top end of the pitch.  Daniel Sturridge cannot return soon enough, but even in his absence the profligacy over these two legs has cost us a place in the final, hence it seemed a strange decision not to use Lallana who has no problems sizing up the goal.

Granted Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty with Skrtel’s tackle on Costa, but the Chelsea striker maliciously stamped on Can and Skrtel was lucky not to have seen red.

Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool will see this an opportunity missed if not thrown away and he will go away from the game knowing that there are decisions to make if not now, definitely at the seasons end.

Man of the Match: Simon Mignolet – Was simply magnificent. Produced two saves of a differing nature, but brilliant all the same.  Pulled off a stunning save with his legs when a deflection sent the ball in the opposite direction to his dive and then tackled Costa as the Spanish International striker attempted to round him.  Courtois was voted the official man of the match, but I would suggest the judges were watching a different game.

Critical eye: Starting again without an out an out striker we failed to capitalised on some terrific football with the magician Coutinho mesmerizingly brilliant and every inch as creative if not more so than Hazard.  The sides could only be split by a lapse in concentration and over the two legs the chances missed.

Mario Balotelli’s attitude after coming was poor to say the least and he may just have made up the mind of his manager as to finally ridding himself of this wayward soul.

Referee Michael Oliver and is colleagues were truly woeful and proved the standard of officialdom in this country which is under scrutiny more so than ever this season, needs be looked at.  To miss two stamps and the same player trying to tangle with Gerrard, penalty decisions and to be a fair a possible sending off decision against us was poor.  The three officials fell way below the required standard in fact I would go as strong as to say they were a disgrace.

Teams:

Chelsea: 13 Courtois, 2 Ivanovic, Zouma, 26 Terry, 3 Filipe (Azpilicueta – 78 mins), 4 Fabregas (Ramires – 50 mins), 21 Matic, 22 Willian (Drogba – 119 mins), 8 Oscar, 10 Hazard, 19 Diego Costa

Subs: 1 Cech, 6 Ake, 7 Ramires, 11 Drogba, 18 Remy, 24 Cahill, 28 Azpilicueta

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 23 Can, 37 Skrtel, 17 Sakho (Johnson – 57), 50 Markovic (Balotelli – 70 – mins), 14 Henderson, 21 Lucas, 18 Moreno (Lambert – 105 mins), 8 Gerrard, 10 Coutinho, 31 Sterling

Subs: 52 Ward, 2 Johnson, 6 Lovren, 9 Lambert, 20 Lallana, Allen, 45 Balotelli

Referee: Michael Oliver

Attendance: 40,659