epl: fc everton vs liverpool fc...
Liverpool are really a joy to watch this season. Not just this season, of course, but particularly this season. Especially the passes are excellent. Some left me staring open-mouthedly at my computer screen, I was so baffled. And even more importantly than that, they're not just playing great football at the moment, they're also playing more or less successful football. Six points out of the ManUnited game AND the Merseyside derby - what more can one ask for? Granted, we should have gotten three points out of the Stoke game, and the referee's wrong decision to disallow Stevie G's 100th goal for Liverpool should not have decided the match, but considering that we're top of the league, I definitely won't complain.
FC Everton vs Liverpool FC: 0-2
(Torres 57' 61')
Everton: Howard, Lescott, Yobo, Jagielka, Hibbert (Saha 62'), Osman,
Neville,
Fellaini, Arteta,
Cahill,
Yakubu
Liverpool: Reina, Dossena, Carragher, Škrtel, Arbeloa, Riera (Aurélio 65'), Gerrard,
Alonso (Lucas 80'), Kuyt,
Torres, Keane (Pennant 80')
Referee: Mike Riley
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Fernando Torres
The derby was, as everyone expected, rather heated, but Liverpool quickly dominated the game and started making chances.
Our defense was rock-solid once again. I kind of feel sorry for Daniel Agger, but with Carra and Škrtel working so well together, it'll be really hard for him to get his starting spot back. And Arbeloa once again played a rather impressive match on the right side, but he's made a habit of that lately, hasn't he? :) I even liked Dossena's performance in this derby, which is more than I can say about his previous games. I hope he'll keep that up. And THANK GOD for Carra and Arbeloa blocking those two shots, otherwise they would have gotten straight in.
I was also glad that our midfield worked well together. Of course, I can't say what would have happened if we had gotten Barry and sold Alonso, but I do believe that Gerrard and Alonso are a great match in our midfield and we couldn't have it any better. And if one of them is injured or out of form (or needs a rest), we still have Mascherano, who's a top midfielder, too. We don't need anyone else.
Torres seemed quite frustrated, especially near the end of the first half when he got himself a very unnecessary booking, but I'm glad he pulled himself together for the second half and finally ended his "drought" with two absolutely beautiful goals. I'm so glad we have him. (I'm just sorry for the huge lot of people on lfc.tv who betted on Liverpool winning AND Gerrard scoring the first goal. *wink*) A third shot of Torres' hit the back of the net as well, but the referee saw a foul and blew the whistle. A very wrong decision, Kuyt didn't push Lescott at all. About two minutes before that, Kuyt scored, but Riera had put the ball behind the goal line before, so the goal got disallowed as well. What the hell is it with Liverpool and disallowed goals recently? *sigh* Oh, and Keane, even though he still hasn't scored for Liverpool, has at least provided with two great assists for Torres, so I'm more or less mollified about him for now. ;)
The straight red for Cahill was quite over the top, I think, but considering that he'd been on fire ever since the game started, it was probably a good thing that he got sent off. He had it coming, too. I mean, he saw how card-happy that referee was, so he should have taken a brace and controlled his temper before it was too late.
ETA: Having watched the highlights, I cannot understand why Arbeloa got booked in that one scene and Cahill didn't. True, Arbeloa committed the foul (which, I think, didn't really merit a yellow), but Cahill pushed Arbeloa afterwards and got away without punishment.
***
I will miss Real Madrid's game tonight because I'm going to a cabaret, so I hope someone will write about it! *nudgenudge* :)
FC Everton vs Liverpool FC: 0-2
(Torres 57' 61')
Everton: Howard, Lescott, Yobo, Jagielka, Hibbert (Saha 62'), Osman,
Neville,
Fellaini, Arteta,
Cahill,
Yakubu
Liverpool: Reina, Dossena, Carragher, Škrtel, Arbeloa, Riera (Aurélio 65'), Gerrard,
Alonso (Lucas 80'), Kuyt,
Torres, Keane (Pennant 80')
Referee: Mike Riley
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Fernando Torres
The derby was, as everyone expected, rather heated, but Liverpool quickly dominated the game and started making chances.
Our defense was rock-solid once again. I kind of feel sorry for Daniel Agger, but with Carra and Škrtel working so well together, it'll be really hard for him to get his starting spot back. And Arbeloa once again played a rather impressive match on the right side, but he's made a habit of that lately, hasn't he? :) I even liked Dossena's performance in this derby, which is more than I can say about his previous games. I hope he'll keep that up. And THANK GOD for Carra and Arbeloa blocking those two shots, otherwise they would have gotten straight in.
I was also glad that our midfield worked well together. Of course, I can't say what would have happened if we had gotten Barry and sold Alonso, but I do believe that Gerrard and Alonso are a great match in our midfield and we couldn't have it any better. And if one of them is injured or out of form (or needs a rest), we still have Mascherano, who's a top midfielder, too. We don't need anyone else.
Torres seemed quite frustrated, especially near the end of the first half when he got himself a very unnecessary booking, but I'm glad he pulled himself together for the second half and finally ended his "drought" with two absolutely beautiful goals. I'm so glad we have him. (I'm just sorry for the huge lot of people on lfc.tv who betted on Liverpool winning AND Gerrard scoring the first goal. *wink*) A third shot of Torres' hit the back of the net as well, but the referee saw a foul and blew the whistle. A very wrong decision, Kuyt didn't push Lescott at all. About two minutes before that, Kuyt scored, but Riera had put the ball behind the goal line before, so the goal got disallowed as well. What the hell is it with Liverpool and disallowed goals recently? *sigh* Oh, and Keane, even though he still hasn't scored for Liverpool, has at least provided with two great assists for Torres, so I'm more or less mollified about him for now. ;)
The straight red for Cahill was quite over the top, I think, but considering that he'd been on fire ever since the game started, it was probably a good thing that he got sent off. He had it coming, too. I mean, he saw how card-happy that referee was, so he should have taken a brace and controlled his temper before it was too late.
ETA: Having watched the highlights, I cannot understand why Arbeloa got booked in that one scene and Cahill didn't. True, Arbeloa committed the foul (which, I think, didn't really merit a yellow), but Cahill pushed Arbeloa afterwards and got away without punishment.
***
I will miss Real Madrid's game tonight because I'm going to a cabaret, so I hope someone will write about it! *nudgenudge* :)