[Archived] Liverpool 1 - 1 Rovers

[grizfoot]

Good point lads.

Just knew Bellamy would score against us though, it was bound to happen.

[des]

a good point indeed and a word for the ref, we all go mad them there have a good game. Well The ref had a very good game and used his commom sense which is rare in todays football so nice of ref

[philipl]

Good point. After this game, there is nobody in the Prem Rovers should be apprehensive of. I'll echo the positive points about Zura and Ooijer but I thought Emo and Lucas looked off the pace, making some bad passes and wrong option selections.

Some of Rovers first half play was a dream.

Second half we were upping the pace and rang them ragged.

Edited October 15, 2006 by philipl

[brfcshabba]

I thought Emo and Lucas looked off the pace, making some bad passes and wrong option selections.

Wouldn't you be after flying back from Australia the day before

[FourLaneBlue]

I'll echo the positive points about Zura and Ooijer but I thought Emo and Lucas looked off the pace, making some bad passes and wrong option selections. .

Bit harsh on Lucas I'd say who I felt showed no signs of lethargy. The guy is a remarkable athlete...shame his mouth is as overworked as the rest of him!

[Perth_Rover]

Not a bad game overall. Liverpool came to play for the first 3 minutes, then went quiet and started up again for about 15-20mins of the second half. Good display by rovers, great goal line stop by zura, him and ooijer worked well together. Bentley unlucky at the end there, but some good crosses from him throughout the game.

[Alan75]

While Rafael Benitez, pre-match, ranted and railed about the injustice of being denied Mohamed Sissoko and Dirk Kuyt because of injuries sustained playing for their countries in midweek, Blackburn's Australian pair, Brett Emerton and Lucas Neill, were in the air, completing a round trip of more than 20,000 miles following their own international appearances.

Yet there was little sign of any jetlag affecting their form

'How the hell they do it, I don't know,' said Hughes of his Australian pair who played against Bahrain on Wednesday. 'They travelled for 26 to 28 hours leading into the game, they didn't train yesterday and turned up at 5pm at the hotel. That was the first we saw of them.

Full Story The Observer

[Cocker]

Ok, here is what I thought about yesterday.

Brad: Awesome - so glad he was passed fit

Ooijer - Best game for us so far - did his job well

Zura - I like him allot - did well again

Neill - seemed to drift off from time to time - will put it down to travel

Bert - He continues to surprise me - WELL DONE BERT

Bentley - mostly good however, I wish he would take his man on sometimes.

Savage - Did his normal solid job - lucky not to be sent off (I dont care what anyone says)

Tugay - Looked wrecked. Needs Reid to come back and give the old horse a break

Pedersen - Unfair to totally slate him. He seemed to do quite a bit of team work yesterday rather than take all of the glory

McCarthy - I like him more and more each game - bargain buy for us really - well done on him becoming a Daddy this week too

Nonda - Some people said he was rubbish - WRONG - his work rate is awesome and he was taking a couple of

Liverpool players away with him each time he moved leaving Benni with a bit more room. He is a very intelligent player. I am glad that Hughes has the headache of playing him or Roberts with Benni (I am leaving Jeffers out of this)

Subs

Axe - cant complain - did what had been asked of him

Gallagher - I was raging with him on occasion (you didn't see him just stood around with his hands on his hips on Football First) I just kept looking at him in disbelief thinking that he had fresh legs and he was trying to push his way in the team - I was wrong - he didn't look arsed.

Roberts - I like him - he held the ball up superbly.

Other things:-

Bellemy - Not all Rovers fans booed him - just a few. Thanks to Bellers really for not taking the mick out of us for the minority that gave him stick (He scored a goal for Liverpool - so what, its his job - did anyone really think he wouldn't score against us to say thankyou or something - I thank him for giving us Benni anyway)

Rovers fans at half time:-

Liverpool were really going for the kick racism out of football so what was with the racist chants at half time - no need at all

To the 6ft 8 monster that nearly crushed a lady (I wont call her old in case she is reading ) pushing and shoving his way to the bar - get some manners dude. Ok have a push and shove and stand your ground in the QUEUE (note mate that its a queue) but dont start flattening ladies - its not right (Please note that I am saying this behind my lappy screen and not to your face because you looked a really angry so and so and would have probably sparked me out . The lady that was nearly crushed was let in front of me in the queue (probably turned out to be a mistake because I was still stood there 5 mins after she left)

Does anyone know why the copps were kicking people out at half time too?

Onto the little mascot before the match - SIGN HIM UP SIGN HIM UP SIGN HIM UP - Brad should have had all of them easily but he rounded him each time

[philipl]

That's all credit to the Aussie guys. What I scribbled last night was whilst I was winding-down after a mamoth set of contract negotiations and 41 hours without sleep.

Anyway that Liverpool game was another hugely promising game for Rovers. Liverpool are a mega-side; if they cleared off to some G14 league, you could be sure thewy would be top half of it come the end of the season- yet Rovers controlled them pretty well. Really pleasing was

- Rovers' fluidity of passing and movement is coming back particularly after we had scored and controlled the remainder of the first half. One or two echoes of Spuds away at times in the controlled short passing and you cannot say higher than that.

- When Liverpool upped the tempo and equalised, we upped our game and they didn't really get much of a look in for a winner which shows the mental strength as well as physical ability of ouyr side.

I don't normally do this but a team analysis:

Freidel is back to his commanding best, getting his angles right and working fully in tandem with his defence.

Neill is a great player. OK some of his distribution and link-up was wayward but the lad is magnificent. Got to get him signed up somehow.

Emerton actually had a quiet game and not as impressive as recent performances which says everything about how the rest of the team was playing if your right back is relatively anonymous at Anfield. His powerful forward runs towards the end of the game are a potent weapon for Rovers although his choice of pass at the end of them is as poor as ever. Now he's right back, that problem is not as evident. Thankfully he is a much bettter passer when he's in his own half.

Zura/Ooijer are beginning to gel. Both are extremely classy centre halves. Todd will not be seen again whilst these two are not injured or suspended and even the great Nelsen will know his reintroduction to the team is no formality. Perhaps as well because the Rovers can give him a bit longer to make sure he really is the mythical 110% before playing again.

Tugay had a good if unspectacular game before the Axe came on and did a thoroughly good job. The fact Toog's passing wasn't missed after the Axe was introduced just shows what a good player Aaron is developing into.

Savage- what an engine. The Liverpool midfield simply couldn't settle and Gerard's anonymity was very much down to Savage completely wrecking the rhythm of the Liverpool team. Sav put in some remarkably good Tugay-like passes yesterday as well which was great to see.

Bentley is just getting better and better. Shame Reina did so well with that late chance Bentley had but this lad is becoming a complete footballer. We are unlikely to see Reid on the right wing any time soon even when he is fit.

MGP had his moments but is clearly the player who is struggling in the Rovers' side at present. Neill increasingly covering for MGP when last season it was MGP's athleticism which helped make Gray such an improved left back. Was pleased Hughes pulled MGP off fairly early- after a hesitant start Gally was excellent on the left wing and he, rather than Peter, is the real challenger to MGP's position. That is a huge opportunity for Gally and I hope he rises to it and takes that place off MGP. Sav fired in a couple of superb free kicks so we wouldn't miss that aspect of MGP's game apart from the curlers from the right side of the box.

BENNI- what a gem!!! This lad is looking like he can become an all time hero. Phenomenal engine and work rate, clinical in front of goal and his flicks ARE now going to Rovers players. The commentators repeatedly called his play "showboating"- Rubbish, he was doing it deliberately and it was working. Thew Liverpool players didn't know what to do about him when Benni was on the ball which meant they stood off him a bit to avoid being made fools of by tricks if they got too close.

Nonda perhaps had his least impressive game since his debut wich shows just how good he is. The Liverpool defence had too much for him physically but when he gets 100% that is not going to be a problem.

Roberts looked great when he came on. Not only enormous physical strength but extraordinarily good control and ability to kill the ball in an instance.

Finally, it comes to something whem we are purring about as ordinary a performance that Clattenberg put in. Yes Neill and Sav were fortunate late on but both their actual bookings were totally undeserved if you watch the replays.

This is very very encouraging from Rovers.

[Ozz]

Does anyone know why the copps were kicking people out at half time too?

For singing racists songs.

[thenodrog]

Points........

1. From the defences point of view 2 bad goals! Havn't seen a replay yet BUT where was Bert when an unmarked and STATIC Craig Bellamy stooped to head equalise on the back post from a routine corner?

2. We still cannot defend a lead. Easy to see why when we are trying to do so with MGP, Bentley and Tugay in the same midfield. These guys are creative without doubt but defensively they are hopeless. 1-0 up against Lpool with 30 mins to play and playing against the likes of Reise, Alonso and Gerrard and I would have been happy to see the midfield replaced with players along the lines of Axe (too late), Douglas (gone I know) and reid (inj I know http://www.people.co.uk/sport/football/tm_...name_page.html). In reallity what midfield growler eventually entered the fray as replacement for MGP? Paul bloody Gallagher ffs! Very little spirit of aggression and certainly with not a tackle in him! Not a totally worrying problem as such players do come cheap but I hope Hughes finds one or two come January.

3. The much lauded Clattenburg imo showed himself to be just like most refs by displaying a level of home bias. The stage should really be set for him to rise above such allegations! He booked Bentley in the first half on the strength of crowd reaction....... he was actually looking the other way when the tackle was made! I was sat behind the dug out and the scousers around us were even commenting on it. "howdafukh can he booookh de fella ffs when he wasnt even bloody luckinh ffs?"

4. I'm suprised and somewhat baffled that MH didn't take Jeffers! Especially as he's been playing well. Just as we anticipated Bellamy breaking his duck against us I'm sure that the stage was set for him to do similar for us, and I'm sure the scousers would have felt the same. Lpool play a disciplimed offside game which suits Jeffers style perfectly. From what I have seen he is good at timing his runs off the opposing ch's shoulders.

5. Overall a very good performance from players and management and a 1-1 that think we would all have taken gladly before the match.

Incidentally there were masses of press cameras focused on the directors box but I can find no reason in the media for it. Anybody any idea who they were photographing? Some scouser next to me thought that it may be some potential buyer of the club.

Edited November 8, 2007 by thenodrog

[jim mk2]

Points........

1. From the defences point of view 2 bad goals! Havn't seen a replay yet BUT where was Bert when an unmarked and STATIC Craig Bellamy stooped to head equalise on the back post from a routine corner?

The point I was going to make but Four Bogs beat me to it.

Rules 1 and 2 of schoolboy defending: never pass across your own goal and always have a man on the posts at corners.

John Bray would have hoofed Bellamy's header to safety in Row Z but why didn't Emerton know where he should be standing ?

Bad news about Reid. The long-term injuries to Reid and Nelsen (I doubt if either will play this season) makes it very difficult for Rovers to finish as high as sixth again this season unless reinforcements are brought in.

[thenodrog]

The point I was going to make but Four Bogs beat me to it.

I don't believe you. You're just trying to appear like you understand the game. My guess is it never occurred to you till I mentioned it.

Full marks in your selection of who to plagiarise though!

John Bray would have hoofed Bellamy's head(er) to safety in Row Z .............

Either version would be equally applicable.

Edited October 15, 2006 by thenodrog

[Wiggy]

Well, from what I saw Neill was pretty poor, particularly in the first half when he didn't seem to get anywhere near Pennant, several passes also went astray . Fair enough, I didn't realise he'd got off a long haul flight but he didn't enhance his chances of a Liverpool contract.

[krislu]

A point at anfield is a bloody good result, so I'm not going to moan like some of the people on here.

[thenodrog]

Surely thats a moan in itself Krislu.

[Fife Rover]

Points........

4. I'm suprised and somewhat baffled that MH didn't take Jeffers! Especially as he's been playing well. Just as we anticipated Bellamy breaking his duck against us I'm sure that the stage was set for him to do similar for us, and I'm sure the scousers would have felt the same. Lpool play a disciplimed offside game which suits Jeffers style perfectly. From what I have seen he is good at timing his runs off the opposing ch's shoulders.

5. Overall a very good performance from players and management and a 1-1 that think we would all have taken gladly before the match.

You echo my thoughts exactly in your points 4. & 5. Theno.

Jeffers played well enough in his last couple of outings, especially against Wigan to show that he is getting there. Obviously he has not managed a goal yet, but the only cure for that problem is more games. He needs an extended run in the side, and with the added motivation of his being an Evertonian at heart, I would have thought he should have figured at some point yesterday. I can't understand why he was not even on the bench.

I was again very pleased by the overall team performance, and to come away from Anfield feeling slightly disappointed at not having all 3 points says it all really. Rovers have now become again a very good team, no matter what the media may say about them. Under the MH regime they are just getting better and better.

I am not saying we are going to win the title again any time soon, but we certainly are going to give the "big clubs" one hell of a headache. And I feel that we are now capable of going a long way if not ALL the way in the EUAFA Cup.

[OhmiBRFC]

Ok, here is what I thought about yesterday.

Brad: Awesome - so glad he was passed fit

Ooijer - Best game for us so far - did his job well

Zura - I like him allot - did well again

Neill - seemed to drift off from time to time - will put it down to travel

Bert - He continues to surprise me - WELL DONE BERT

Bentley - mostly good however, I wish he would take his man on sometimes.

Savage - Did his normal solid job - lucky not to be sent off (I dont care what anyone says)

Tugay - Looked wrecked. Needs Reid to come back and give the old horse a break

Pedersen - Unfair to totally slate him. He seemed to do quite a bit of team work yesterday rather than take all of the glory

McCarthy - I like him more and more each game - bargain buy for us really - well done on him becoming a Daddy this week too

Nonda - Some people said he was rubbish - WRONG - his work rate is awesome and he was taking a couple of

Liverpool players away with him each time he moved leaving Benni with a bit more room. He is a very intelligent player. I am glad that Hughes has the headache of playing him or Roberts with Benni (I am leaving Jeffers out of this)

Subs

Axe - cant complain - did what had been asked of him

Gallagher - I was raging with him on occasion (you didn't see him just stood around with his hands on his hips on Football First) I just kept looking at him in disbelief thinking that he had fresh legs and he was trying to push his way in the team - I was wrong - he didn't look arsed.

Roberts - I like him - he held the ball up superbly.

Other things:-

Bellemy - Not all Rovers fans booed him - just a few. Thanks to Bellers really for not taking the mick out of us for the minority that gave him stick (He scored a goal for Liverpool - so what, its his job - did anyone really think he wouldn't score against us to say thankyou or something - I thank him for giving us Benni anyway)

Rovers fans at half time:-

Liverpool were really going for the kick racism out of football so what was with the racist chants at half time - no need at all

To the 6ft 8 monster that nearly crushed a lady (I wont call her old in case she is reading ) pushing and shoving his way to the bar - get some manners dude. Ok have a push and shove and stand your ground in the QUEUE (note mate that its a queue) but dont start flattening ladies - its not right (Please note that I am saying this behind my lappy screen and not to your face because you looked a really angry so and so and would have probably sparked me out . The lady that was nearly crushed was let in front of me in the queue (probably turned out to be a mistake because I was still stood there 5 mins after she left)

Does anyone know why the copps were kicking people out at half time too?

Onto the little mascot before the match - SIGN HIM UP SIGN HIM UP SIGN HIM UP - Brad should have had all of them easily but he rounded him each time

Thought that was quality that me, even the scousers where cheering for him

[Scotty]

Special mention for Bentley who, in the first half especially, delivered a number of great crosses - one of which led to Benni's goal. Bentley's one of our players of the season for me at the moment. By way of a contrast, why is Pedersen still in the team?

We passed the ball really well in the first half, Tugay was instrumental, and our two forwards looked lively and a threat. Liverpool pushed on in the second half though and we started to get deeper and deeper. Our passing became non-existant and it was inevitable that Liverpool would equalise. Crap goal to concede though - as others have said, Emerton just left Bellamy and there was no-one on the far post. However, once Liverpool had equalised I thought we settled and took control again (replacing Tugay for Mokoena helped) and we could have won it at the end.

A great, fully deserved point and, perhaps more importantly, there was no obvious difference in class between us and Liverpool.

[Cocker]

Does anyone know why the copps were kicking people out at half time too?

For singing racists songs.

Yes but from what I heard even after a few people were kicked out it still seemed that there were about 20 fans singing the same racist chant - which was a shame seeing as the liverpool staff had gone to the trouble to let us know that they would like everyone (including their fans) to refreign from using racist chants.

[Jan]

To anyone who thinks we don't have scum fans- the racist chanters are they. Hope someone got seat details and mails them to the club.

[Cocker]

the racist chanters are they.

[Robertson]

Was happy with the point, looked like we might let it slip last 15 minutes but was also gutted when Bentley nearly scored!

Thought Liverpool were very average, that goes for their fans as well. We did restrict them to only a few chances, Zurab had a quality game as did Ooijer. Neill was frustrating, would do something well and then misplace a pass and Morten....was he playing??!

Enjoyable game, not sure why a few fans were singing no surrender to the IRA, boys will be boys I suppose

[budha]

By way of a contrast, why is Pedersen still in the team?

Because he produces results in the games we have the possession of the ball? Just like Tugay, he just doesn't seem to fit in the counter attack style we're forced to play against the big clubs. Against weaker defencies he wreaks havoc especially in the set pieces, which we had yesterday in Liverpool's half like 1 or 2 total? Apart from Bentley and Savage, our front 6 was pretty anonymous the whole game - just because we're simply not good enough to keep possession against likes of Liverpool. Should MGP start against Bolton, I'm pretty confident he'll show his worth once again.

[92er]

Radio Lancs said that Emerton played well in the first half and neill played well in the secon half.

Jeffers seems to have taken up his rightful role as 4th striker.