Liverpool’s home record is simply not good enough
KENNY Dalglish’s face said it all as a stray cat ran across the Anfield turf and caused one of the few light-hearted moments of an otherwise listless Anfield evening. The former Scottish International could only watch on in anguish as his side failed to break through a resolute Tottenham defence and have to settle for a seventh home draw of the campaign.
True, Liverpool remain unbeaten on their home turf but four victories from eleven Anfield fixtures is a poor return and the prospect of making next season’s Champions League looks bleak. Dalglish’s tactics suit a counter-attacking style that has reaped dividends away from home (six wins on the road) but when the onus is on Liverpool to dictate the pace on their home turf they have repeatedly failed to convert draws into victories. Victory in the Carling League Cup would be scant consolation for a Liverpool team that on paper at least should have been capable of a top four finish in a year Arsenal and Chelsea struggled for consistency.
The heart of Tottenham’s defence beats strong
MICHAEL Dawson and Ledley King remain – when fit – Tottenham’s first choice central defensive pairing and demonstrated their importance to Spurs with a solid 90 minutes at Anfield on Monday night. Dawson’s return from a long term injury has come at a crucial time as the North London club faces into a difficult fixture list including upcoming games against Newcastle, Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton. The former Nottingham Forest defender handled the difficult Andy Carroll superbly all evening and nullified Liverpool’s aerial threat with a composed display.
Ledley King has only appeared 13 times for Tottenham this term but remains both the leader and most important defender of his side’s back four. A player who continues to suffer from chronic knee problems (similar to Paul McGrath) and trains on his own for most of the week leading up to a match is an icon at White Hart Lane and showed all his experience if keeping the bustling skills of both Craig Bellamy and Luis Suarez scoreless.
Striking options limited without Suarez
ANDY Carroll continues to frustrate following his multi-million pound transfer from Newcastle United. The giant Geordie striker’s on-field commitment and effort cannot be questioned but for 35 million pounds the striker’s paltry return of five goals is simply not good enough for a Liverpool side with aspirations of making the top four. In contrast, Craig Bellamy’s arrival from Manchester City has proven a Dalglish masterstroke with the experienced Welsh international weighing in with 9 goals and a succession of eye-catching performances.
The bottom line is that Luis Suarez’s enforced absence has hurt Liverpool’s season more than anything else as the South American was already on 8 goals and reproducing the kind of form that brought the Uruguayan to worldwide attention at South Africa 2010. A Premier League meeting with Manchester United at Old Trafford this coming weekend should make for compelling viewing and the best possible fixture for Suarez to start scoring once again.
Scott Parker is the midfielder Liverpool should have signed
SCOTT Parker reminded all the clubs that passed up the opportunity to sign the former West Ham United midfielder of their error with another man of the match display in the centre of the park for Spurs on Monday night. Time and again the England international put his body on the line to prevent Liverpool from grabbing a goal their territorial dominance deserved. Parker closed down the space usually dominated by Steve Gerrard and formed an impenetrable barrier in front of his back four to cap a gutsy display and earn his side a share of the spoils.
Parker is not your typical creative Tottenham-style midfielder of the past such as Glen Hoddle, Chris Waddle or Ossie Ardiles but has instead introduced a much-needed steeliness to the Tottenham midfield. Spurs number 8 was on the receiving end of a nasty kick from Suarez but recovered and simply continued without any fuss. Another example of the honest, workmanlike qualities that Scott Parker has added to a Tottenham side in pole position to grab a Champions League berth.
Harry Redknapp’s absence significant
TOTTENHAM manager Harry Redknapp missed the Monday night encounter at Anfield as his scheduled flight from London was suspended due to adverse weather conditions. The empty seat in the Anfield dugout served as a stark reminder to the Spurs players and supporters of their manager’s on-going court case alongside Milan Mandaric which should reach a conclusion later this week. The team and tactics were organised well in advance of Spurs trip to Merseyside yet there is little doubt that Redknapp would have been angrily patrolling the sideline at Tottenham’s insipid display.
The England manager in-waiting would not have countenanced such a dismal first half showing and would surely have read the riot act at half time. Instead Redknapp could only watch his side’s first involvement in a 0-0 draw this season on television but will have taken heart from the fact Spurs were missing a host of first team regulars before coming away with a valuable point. It is worth noting that up until Redknapp took charge of Tottenham an away visit to Liverpool was a fixture the North London club rarely got a result from. If an off-form Tottenham can continue to pick up points over the coming weeks then Redknapp will guide his team into the Champions League for a second time.
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/H0VC9DA0mb8/post.aspx
Tuition fees Premier League Economic growth (GDP) Consumer spending Banks and building societies Retail industry
No comments:
Post a Comment