Nine months ago Liverpool visited the Emirates to play Arsenal in the FA Cup. It was a 2-1 loss for the away team but I wrote at the time that it was the best game the Reds had played that season. Many disagreed but Liverpool followed it with nine straight wins. With the exception of the Spurs game Liverpool just put in their two best performances of the season this week. That they played two of the best three teams in the world accounts for two single goal losses. Critically though, the Reds still lack in the box finishing because Sturridge has been hurt and Balotelli is usually operating on a slightly different radio frequency. It has been the key difference for many games this season. the players worked very hard ... couldnt quite find the final pass or touch For many parts of the game LFC almost seemed to have recovered their swashbuckling style from last season. Can, Coutinho and Sterling all moved about well, occasionally supplemented by Balotelli and a resurgent Glen Johnson. The latter mentioned Johnson was apparently stung, having been dropped from the England squad, and the message that he hasn’t been playing well seemed to get through. As the game wore on though it was still apparent that his pace is drying up. Liverpool opened the scoring in the 9th minute as Emre Can let one fly from 25 yards. The Reds passed their way out of the back and Henderson found Sterling on the half way line. Chelsea’s midfield was caught in recovery and Sterling passed infield to Can. Unchallenged as the back line retreated in front of him he shot and the ball deflected in off Cahill. Chelsea though were level in 5 minutes. From a corner, still the Reds Achilles heel, Chelsea lined the players up 10-12 yards out. Liverpool initially defended the six-yard box with 4 players and placed another 4 with the Chelsea group, the remaining 2 defended the cross / short corner option. The central defenders from the box come toward the ball with momentum taking them away from goal. Chelsea win the ball in the air and their players step up. With Gerrard now on the line everyone is onside and only Johnson is left covering 4 attackers. Mignolet saves initially but the follow up is from point blank range and the keeper stops it only after the force of the shot has taken it just across the line. From here on it was a brutal battle between Diego Costa, throwing elbows at every opportunity, and Martin Skrtel, who clearly relished the battle with another physical player. Eventually Costa’s shirt was ripped open. Balotelli worked hard most of the time but was lazy when it counted being caught offside 5 minutes after the Chelsea equalizer. Coutinho found him and the Italian found the back of the net but if he’d timed the run better the Reds would have regained the lead. Chelsea though did take the lead midway through the second half. Willian, on for Ramires 13 minutes earlier, sent a long cross-field ball to the left back Azpilicueta. He got the better of Coutinho on the left-wing and cut in for goal. He makes a tight angle shot which Mignolet parries across goal. The defenders have arrived but Costa trails in behind them and when Moreno can’t control the loose ball the Chelsea forward fires home. Rodgers responded bringing in Allen on the left of midfield for Coutinho, while Can made way for the more forward Borini. It did put Liverpool on the front foot but they were unable to find the back of the net again. The Reds did deserve a late penalty when a shot struck Cahills arm, but the referee unfairly judged it inadvertent and unintentional when in reality it may have been neither.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 11:22:16 +0000
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