TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2-1 LIVERPOOL MATCH REPORT

                        MATCH REPORT

I thought this would be a very tough fixture especially with Tottenham's form in recent weeks. Our away form has been so poor aswell, but with Spurs playing in midweek and Liverpool having the week off I was hoping this would give us a slight advantage. A win would put as right in the thick of it in the chase for a top four place.

                      THE TEAM

About as strong as Hodgson could field although I was disappointed once again at Kyrgiakos not starting again, I prefer him to Skrtel. Very pleased at playing two forwards away from home especially against a team that is very attack minded.

                    THE MATCH

Liverpool really played well in the first half and caused Spurs a lot of problems, Meireles and Lucas played very well and Meireles creating some dangerous attacks with some great passes. It really was an end to end game but Liverpool having the best of the chances, Torres had a couple of great chances which not so long ago he would have buried, but he is still trying to find his true form. At the other end Carragher had a great goal line block as the game swung from end to end. Liverpool took the lead just before half time through an unlikely scorer, Martin Skrtel proding the ball home from a corner after his initial header had been blocked. 1-0 at half time and it should have been more when Torres superbly played in Maxi who should have scored as he was clean through but he took to many touches and the chance was lost.
  Spurs came out more threatening after half time and started causing Liverpool more problems. They should have equalised when they were awarded a penalty after N'Gog raised his hands in a defensive wall at a free kick. Defoe missing the resulting penalty pulling it wide of Reina's right hand post. But their pressure told and they equalised when Skrtel diverted a low cross into his own net, giving him a very mixed day. The game was stretched now with both teams going for a winner, Liverpool looked like they should have won a penalty when Kuyt was scythed down but the referee Atkinson played on. Liverpool were dealt a blow when Carragher dislocated his shoulder in the last five minutes, an injury that will keep him out for three months, Krgiakos coming on for him. But insult to injury and heartbreak was to follow when Crouch flicked on a through ball and with Konchesky caught sleeping, Lennon raced onto it and slid the ball past Reina winning the game in stoppage time.

                       SUMMARY

It really was a great spectacle of a game but like most of our season not getting the result we need. Big blow with Carragher's injury and he will be a big miss. I liked the way Hodgson put out his team to have a go at Spurs and we really did create a lot of chances which we lived to regret by not taking more of them. But it was encouraging to create as many chances away from home as we have not being doing that in previous games. The game could have went either way but once again luck deserted us. Disappointing obviously but we really have to take so many positives from this performance.

YNWA