Tuesday 5 October 2010

LIVERPOOL 1-2 BLACKPOOL MATCH REPORT

                                   MATCH REPORT

After a poor start to the season and a recent 0-0 draw in the Europa League away to Utrecht with more or less a Hodgson's strongest line up with the exception of Gerrard, a good win and performance was much needed and very much expected at home to newly promoted Blackpool. With Gerrard coming back into the team after being rested in midweek Hodgson had no excuses for this one. With confidence low Liverpool really needed a confidence boost and Blackpool being ideal opposition after a tough start to the season. But with respect to Blackpool who have had a good start to the season, Liverpool should be beating teams like Blackpool.
                           THE TEAM    

I have not had many arguments with Hodgson's team selections all season and basically any team Liverpool put on the park against Blackpool should be good enough to beat Blackpool. Carragher was moved out to left back with Aurelio and Konchesky still unavailable and young Kelly had a tough time in Utrecht, but I thought he may have played Agger at left back, but no major concern as Kyrgiakos coming in was pleasing for me as he has never let Liverpool down. Liverpool had a good attacking look about it with Gerrard coming in for Lucas and with Cole out on the left and Meireles on the right and Kuyt and Torres up top, Hodgson should have been confident with his team.
                        THE MATCH                     

I'm afraid with my work commitments I was only able to watch the highlights of the game but it gave me a pretty good idea of how the game went, apologies if you disagree with events. But this is just my report of the game and how I saw it.
  I was very much expecting Liverpool to come out all guns blazing and really go at Blackpool but the total reverse happened. Blackpool went at Liverpool from the off and created chances an early scare when Skrtel commited a foul on the edge of the box and Charlie Adam hit a great shot which Reina did well to stop. You would have thought this scare would have awakened Liverpool but Blackpool dominated the first half. Torres got free down the right and flashed a cross right across the face of Blackpool's goal which Cole was unlucky not to connect with. But then disaster struck after only 10 minutes when Torres signaled that he was finished, unbelievably this was only the start of Liverpool's problems as on the half hour mark Varney cut inside from the left and a ridiculous attempt of a tackle from Johnson gave Blackpool a stone wall penalty. Adam dispatched the penalty giving Liverpool real problems. But unbelievably it got worse right on half time when Varney sprung Liverpool's offside trap due to the hapless Johnson playing him on, and he slotted the ball past Reina to give Blackpool a 2-0 lead going in at the break.
  Boos rang out from the home support when the half time whistle sounded.
  Liverpool came out in the second half and did start better hemming Blackpool in their own half but not creating many clear cut chances as Blackpool got men behind the ball and defended well. Liverpool did get back into it on 53 minutes when a clever quickly taken free kick by Gerrard was met by the head of Kyrgiakos and he made no mistake finding the net. Liverpool now were having all the play but not creating much, Johnson was getting into good positions down the right but some of his crossing was woeful. Cole was very unlucky as he slid a shot just past the Blackpool post when it looked like he had scored.
  But Liverpool huffed and puffed and looked like avoiding defeat right at the death when Kyrgiakos met a cross but Blackpool keeper Gilks pulled off a great point blank save and earned Blackpool a famous win. A nightmare result for Liverpool.
                                                SUMMARY     

I couldn't believe the result or the performance from Livepool but in saying that I wasn't surprised by the events as it plunges us to deeper depths and third bottom in the league. Hodgson is going to carry the can obviously but as I have said in most reports I haven't been able to fault his team selections but these players have to have a serious look at themselves as it is simply not good enough.
  To play at home against Blackpool and have Blackpool dictate the game for long periods is unacceptable. Other than the Arsenal performance I have felt too many players not giving enough in games. Glenn Johnson if he is to play in the team the get him further up the park as he is good going forward but what a bombscare defending. Maybe the international break has come at a good time for Liverpool giving them time to regroup for the Everton match.

Man of the match - Kyrgiakos  the big man has never let us down when called upon, he got us back into the game and almost scored again at the end.

YNWA                           

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