COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

From my seat: Liverpool (A)

Another slip-up against the lesser teams.

Derby day and the return of a former player and manager hailed as a king produced enough banners and flags to bedeck a tower block. His entrance was preceded by what seemed a stage-managed performance of some sixties song which led to the stage-managed entrance of what turned out to be no king but just another manager who gullible kopites believe will return them to the promised land. I wonder who they will march against when even new owners and a king fail to restore them???

As for the game itself, well it turned out to be one of those games that lived up to the cliché ?A game of two halves?. Liverpool started as we had done in the last two matches but this time Torres got clear but fired straight at Howard. It was a warning, we did attack but were unconvincing in the final third allowing Liverpool to break and it was starting to become obvious that 4-4-2 was leaving us light in midfield, especially with Arteta showing little sign of coming out of his recent torpor, allowing the hosts to get at our back four with some regularity.

The Anfield subjects were roaring and Torres was looking in the form that makes me wish we had one like him. On the quarter hour he received a long ball and adroitly rolled Distin, cut inside and curled an effort that thankfully hit the base of the far post rebounded to Kuyt who again thankfully wellied it high and handsome.

At the other end, Baines worked well with Osman and his cross forced a corner and Arteta put in one of his better ones but it was cleared to Osman on the edge of the box but he couldn?t control his effort, Big Vic had a charge forward but was knocked off the ball, fairly said the ref, foul yelled the faithful. A high tackle on Arteta saw Heitinga sling one to Fellaini beyond the far post, he won his header and put it back across goal and Beckford missed it with his lunge.

The trouble with these attacks was that, as soon as they broke down, we were caught light in midfield and allowing them to break quickly; on the half-hour, Johnson, who was having the better of Coleman put in a deep cross which Kuyt headed goalwards and Howard blocked it back to him and then had his follow up shot cannon off him to the edge of the area where the unmarked Meireles volleyed, with power, into the net.

We were not over the shock just a minute later when Torres lashed one in that Howard instinctively palmed into the air but Maxi following up headed over. For the rest of the half, it was the home team looking dangerous and anything we put together floundered before we got even close. I found myself constantly checking my watch and hoping to get to half time without further damage. Half-time whistle and I was thankful we were not at least 3 down.

The half-time chat was one of consternation and I don?t think I have heard the word ?shite? uttered about our team in years. The consensus was something must change. Formation and attitude seemed to gain most votes.

Something worked for we started the second half like we have started the last two games. Within a minute, we were level. The king had helped us! He had swopped Agger for the ?mad Greek? and he was nowhere when a great deep corner to the back stick from Arteta was nodded in by Distin for his first Blues goal. Pandemonium from the faithful and I wondered had Cahill sneaked on at half-time? Just 5 mins later, Big Vic won a headed duel with Kelly and found Osman, leaving Kelly in a heap on the floor, Osman produced his amazing fast feet mode leaving 2 defenders blowing for tugs and playing in Beckford who got goal-side of his man and rammed it past Reina. The roar from the faithful was as good as anything the kop could produce.

We were on the up and in control and attitude and formation were playing their part. Osman evening up the numbers in mid-field and Big Vic wide. The faithful burst into song. ?You?re getting sacked in the morning? and ?going down? were memorable.

Liverpool were now looking like the side that Blackpool did the double over and we were now managing joined-up stuff and did make chances that could have sealed it... but, wouldn?t you know it, a routine cross was no more than scuffed toward goal by Kuyt but was going away from goal with Maxi chasing it, inexplicably Howard raced after it and felled Maxi, nailed on pen from my seat, but why on earth did he have to do it? From the resultant penalty Kuyt sent the keeper the wrong way and we were back all square. Oh why do we have to let these lesser teams in when we can take care of the ?big boys??

The game then deteriorated somewhat despite both sides having spells of attacking. Our best chance was probably when a superb cross from Baines looked destined for the head of Fellaini who could hardly have missed but for Big Vic getting their first and making what I could only call a defensive header, a great chance gone.

With both sets of players getting nervier as the clock ticked down, our manager made some subs. On 70mins Vaughan replaced Beckford who was tiring but unfortunately his display resembled a headless chicken that gave away needless free kicks. Next it was Rodwell for Osman who had run himself out but it at least kept the shape without him being really able to get into the game. Final throw of the dice and Bilyaletdinov replaced Big Vic but with no improvement.

Picking a MotM I would offer Fellaini and Heitinga who both performed well even in that horrendous first half.

Overall, it was an emotion-packed derby as usual so I would not pick any player out for undue criticism as these are difficult games to play in. I did think though that first half showed that formations are all well and good as long as they are working. I thought he should have changed to 4-5-1 as soon as it was noted that we were getting over-run in the engine room. The second half showed that we had the measure of them when we were matched up.

The Pienaar saga goes on and I hope it does not turn into another ?Lescott? affair. The sooner it is sorted the better as we need a focused committed bunch to take on the Hammers because, the way the league table reads at the moment, three points would be invaluable. A Saha return from yet another injury would also be a bonus but not as much as reading in the Liverpool Daily Post of the signing of a proper striker.

Tonight I don?t know whether to be gutted we didn?t win or relieved as at half-time I would sure as hell have taken a point... Still, we took 4 points from them this season and won the games 4-2 on aggregate. See you Saturday, I wonder what the team and formation will be?

UP THE BLUES
 

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