19th September – West Ham Vs Liverpool (Premiership)
Untimely family commitments caused me to miss Liverpool’s visit to Green Street, an important game for the Reds, who sought to remain in touch with the upper echelons of the Premiership.
I prepared for the inconvenience of my Mother’s birthday surprise party by texting several LFC fans, who responsibilities it was to keep me updated with goals, half-chances, and other notable occurrences in East London. The continual half-time vibrations that emitted from my phone were tantalisingly intriguing, so, at 6.15pm, I gave in and ventured down the stairs of the party venue, to catch the highlights of an engaging first-half.
Throughout the second-half, my phone’s inbox was less congested, but my intrigue and nerves intensified. As the game approached its conclusion, I felt an unimpressed tap on the shoulder, and as I spun round like a guilty child, my Mother stared disapprovingly. I was caught, but the game soon ended, and Mother’s stern reprimand paled into insignificance, as Mr Benitez led the triumphant march to the away dressing-room at Upton Park.
Watching the highlights on BBC that evening I revelled in the victorious game again, despite the coverage displaying how fragile and dubious the Liverpool defence can be. In the early stages, Glen Johnson’s inept clearance, quickly followed by a slip, from the usually reliant Jamie Carragher, led to Zavon Hines hitting the post from 10 yards.
The confusion and threat West Ham posed was apparent by the bookings Martin Skrtel and Carragher collected, and when Hines ghosted past Carragher, the 31 year-old could only halt the run illegitimately, leaving Alessandro Diamanti to dispatch the spot-kick. A half-time lead looked likely for the Merseysiders, but unconvincing defending from a corner kick allowed Carlton Cole to draw the game level, to the frustration of the travelling fans and players.
Tough, early-evening, away fixtures require a player to take the game by the scruff of the neck, imposing themselves on the game and dictating play. On Saturday, up stepped Fernando Torres. El Nino will carry his numerous black eyes for another week or two, but early season petulance can now begin to be forgotten, away a mature, battling performance, which displayed growing confidence.
Despite the vast range of ability in the Liverpool team, Torres required little support for his opening goal, scoring from a seemingly unthreatening position, an ability few world strikers possess. After picking up the ball inline with the edge of the penalty area, the Spaniard’s reliance on his devilishly quick feet and predatorial instinct, allowed him to overwhelm James Tomkins, and finish with devastating accuracy past the advancing Robert Green.
This goal had shades of El Nino’s first premiership goal, when he sailed past Tal Ben Haim, scoring against Chelsea, while simultaneously winning the hearts of Liverpool fans. In stark contrast, the no.9’s second goal required assistance from wider areas. Following a pinpoint Ryan Babel cross, the Spaniard showcased his aerial strength to beat two defenders in the air and nod the ball home.
Sandwiched between Torres’ brace was a poachers’ goal from the free scoring Dirk Kuyt. Gerrard’s heading abilities recently contributed to England’s successes against Croatia, and the captain maintained this soaring threat in the white of Liverpool in the capital. Kuyt anticipated his captain’s goal bound headed, from a Yossi Benayoun corner, to poke home from 3 yards, and regain the lead for the Reds in a seesawing first 45 minutes.
Another encouraging aspect of Torres’ goals is the contributions made by Liverpool’s full-backs. Employing fast, skilful, attacking full-backs provides a manager with varying means by which to create goals, and break stubborn defences down, something Rafa has done recurrently this season. It was Emiliano Insua’s run and pass that found the Spanish whippet for his first, while, after an attacking run from Johnson, the ball fell to Babel, who beat his man with consummate ease, before crossing for Torres, and we all know what happened then.
Critics of Torres have raised concern over his capability to punish opposing defenders at their own grounds, without the vocal support of the L4 crowds. In his opening season at Anfield, Torres scored just 3 away league goals, improving this statistic last season with 7, 50% of his overall league tally for the season. Already this season, after 3 away league games, Torres has 3 away league goals, a promising sign that ‘The Kid’ is developing and improving areas of his game, and will continue to be a vital ingredient in the recipe of success that Benitez is concocting on Merseyside.
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