After a good performance and a much needed win last week it was off to another tough place to prise points, Bolton. Bolton have proved to be a tough nut to crack this season and Liverpool have been struggling all season for results, but with the good win last week against Blackburn, Liverpool were hoping to build on this. I thought this would be a very difficult game to win all three points and I really thought that a draw wouldn't be the worst result at such a tough place.
THE TEAM
THE MATCH
This was always going to be a battle for Liverpool and they were not disappointed as Bolton used their physical strength to unsettle Liverpool. However, Liverpool started well and Torres was unlucky with a header early on and then a couple of minutes later had a great chance when he cut into the Bolton box before being wasteful when the Torres of old would have found the net. The game continued at a frantic pace with end to end action with not a great deal of sublime football. Bolton were trying at every attempt to go long to the robust Davies but the impressive Kyrgiakos dealt with most thrown at him. Liverpool played some nice football at times with Gerrard probing. There were not too many chances in the first half, Reina had a good save from a shot from distance, but a great Liverpool move should have been finished off by Gerrard but he skewed his shot wide. Bolton had a shout for a penalty when a cross hit Carragher on the arm but the referee rightly waved away the appeals.
The second half was more of the same with a tremendous tussle ensuing between Kyrgiakos and Davies, both knocking lumps out of each other but fascinating to watch. Liverpool were dealt a blow when Joe Cole left the field with a hamstring problem, N'Gog replacing him and Liverpool resulting in a 4-4-2 formation. Liverpool were having the better of the play other than dealing with Bolton's long ball tactics fairly well. Kyrgiakos was unlucky with a header that just went over the Bolton bar. Maxi had a superb effort finish just over the bar as well. At the other end Bolton had a strong claim for a penalty as Kyrgiakos gave Davies a bit of a shove in the box, and Davies was unlucky not to score as he glanced a dangerous cross just wide.
The game looked to be heading for a scoreless draw but Liverpool were ending the game stronger and looked the most likely if there was to be a winner. Then with time running out a bit of magic from Torres as he flicked a through ball into the path of Maxi and he sruck the ball early catching Jaaskelainen out as the ball went through him. Liverpool held out for the remainder of the match and a priceless win and a very hard fought win and a great resiliance shown from the whole team.
SUMMARY
A great result, true it wasn't pretty but what a great battling performance from Liverpool, they had to stand up and be counted against the physical approach from Bolton. A draw would have been ok but to nick a win was amazing and really must give the team an almighty lift going into the Chelsea game next week. The defence and was immense as Kyrgiakos and Skrtel defended stoutly with everything that was thrown at them. Lucas played really well with Meireles in the middle and Carragher had a good game at right back. Joe Cole was disappointing and ended miserably with picking up an injury. Torres has been slaughtered again for this performance but I disagree, his was workrate was good and he linked up well, he just wasn't presented with many chances. But once again Torres proved his class with his sublime flick into Maxi for the goal. Gerrard came more into the game as the game wore on. But I was pleased with the way Liverpool battled for this win as I did not fancy us to win this one.
Man Of The Match - Kyrgiakos The big man was immense again as he battled so hard and won most of the high balls up to the physical Davies, it really was a fascinating duel to watch. Great performance.
YNWA
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