Football: AWAY IN A DANGER; BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP Liverpool hit more travel trouble as Blackburn give Rafa a Christmas headache.Byline: By DAVID ANDERSON David Anderson may refer to:
Blackburn 1 Liverpool 0 BOXING DAY is often a time for sitting through repeats - and yesterday Liverpool served up another rerun re·run n. The act or an instance of rebroadcasting a recorded movie or a recorded television performance. tr.v. re·ran , re·run, re·run·ning, re·runs To present a rerun of. of their away day woes. The Reds must feel like kicking themselves after losing for the sixth time on the road this season - only judging by the chances they wasted at Ewood Park, they would probably miss. They can't look to a dodgy dodgy - Synonym with flaky. Preferred outside the US decision or bad luck this time and really they only have themselves to blame for a defeat to add to their reverses at Everton, Bolton, Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea. Peter Crouch was the biggest culprit and he spurned spurn v. spurned, spurn·ing, spurns v.tr. 1. To reject disdainfully or contemptuously; scorn. See Synonyms at refuse1. 2. To kick at or tread on disdainfully. v. a couple of great chances from headers before he was hauled off just after Blackburn scored. The loss ends Liverpool's seven-game unbeaten run and, worryingly for them, they have dropped out of the Champions League places. Brad Friedel was the Rovers hero - ensuring a miserable return to Ewood for Craig Bellamy - and at times it appeared as if he was on a one-man mission to defy his old club. The American was outstanding as he produced a series of great saves and Liverpool must rue the day they let him leave Anfield. Friedel's display helped ease Rovers' relegation fears after they had spent Christmas Day anxiously looking at the Premiership table after their 6-2 mauling at Arsenal. Their first league win over Liverpool in 10 years puts four points between them and the drop zone. Before the game all the talk had been about Bellamy and the former Rover's return. And the Welsh international shrugged off the expected boos from the Blackburn fans to create the first chance for Liverpool in the opening seconds when Crouch's header from his cross was saved. This set the tone and it seemed only a matter of time before the Reds, who played with Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Daniel Agger at the back in a 3-5-2 formation, would score. But instead, the chances continued to come and go for Liverpool and John Arne Riise John Arne Semundseth Riise (born September 24, 1980 in Ålesund) is a Norwegian football player who currently plays for Liverpool F.C. Riise is renowned for the shooting power and accuracy of his favoured left foot, as well as his excellent physical conditioning, most notably his had a shot saved by Friedel before Bellamy, who was the Reds' best player, was denied by the Rovers goalkeeper's legs. Crouch made his first Premiership start in nearly a month, but the England striker did nothing to suggest that he should have his place back permanently. He headed weakly at Friedel from Steve Finnan's perfect cross from eight yards out and he fluffed another headed chance from another great Finnan Noun 1. finnan - haddock usually baked but sometimes broiled with lots of butter finnan haddie, finnan haddock, smoked haddock haddock - lean white flesh of fish similar to but smaller than cod; usually baked or poached or as fillets sauteed or fried delivery. Bellamy, who had a halfhearted penalty appeal for a tug by Robbie Savage rejected, continued to fizz and he nipped in front of Andre Ooijer to stab Riise's header from Xabi Alonso's ball just inches wide. Rovers did have their moments and they wasted a golden opportunity when the unmarked Savage headed wide from David David, in the Bible David, d. c.970 B.C., king of ancient Israel (c.1010–970 B.C.), successor of Saul. The Book of First Samuel introduces him as the youngest of eight sons who is anointed king by Samuel to replace Saul, who had been deemed a failure. Bentley's cross. But Blackburn's goal on 49 minutes, Benni McCarthy's 10th of the campaign, was still very much against the run of play The term "against the run of play" is used in football (soccer) to describe an event or action against the flow of the game. For example, if team A is having all of the possession, all of the chances and are dictating the game, yet team B have one chance and score from it then that . Tugay sliced Liverpool open when he played Morten Gamst Pedersen
Charlton are on to their third manager since William Gallas netted Arsenal's third in the Reds' drubbing at the Emirates way back on November 12. Rovers' goal knocked the stuffing out of Liverpool and only once this season - at Sheffield United - have they come back from conceding the first goal away from home to salvage a point. On came Dirk Kuyt for Crouch in an attempt to buck this alarming trend and as Liverpool's frustration boiled over, Alonso was booked for cutting down Gamst Pedersen. The Reds laid siege to Friedel's goal and the Rovers stopper saved from Kuyt before Alonso grazed the post with a 20-yard effort. Friedel continued to frustrate his former club and he produced a fantastic save, diving to his left to touch away Alonso's 25-yard drive for the pick of his stops. And he was at it again in the dying minutes as he parried a shot from Luis Garcia at his near post to make it a belated Happy Christmas for Rovers. REDS' AWAYDAY BLUES Sept 9: Everton, lost 3-0: Pepe Reina and Jamie Carragher blundered as Andy Johnson ran riot for Everton. Sept 17: Chelsea, lost 1-0: Didier Drogba made Liverpool pay for not taking their chances with a wonder goal. Sept 30: Bolton, lost 2-0: Reina was harshly penalised for handling outside the box for Bolton's opener as Liverpool stumbled again. Oct 22: Manchester United, lost 2-0: Liverpool's lack of confidence on the road was clear as they surrendered at Old Trafford. Nov 12: Arsenal, lost 3-0: Liverpool completely crumbled at the Emirates as Arsenal strolled to victory. Dec 26: Blackburn, lost 1-0: Liverpool again paid a hefty price for wasting a netful of chances. 48% POSSESSION 52% 3 SHOTS ON TARGET 9 4 SHOTS OFF TARGET 6 4 OFFSIDES off·side also off·sides adv. & adj. 1. Sports Illegally ahead of the ball or puck in the attacking zone. 2. 2 3 CORNERS 5 13 FOULS 11 3 YELLOW CARDS 2 0 RED CARDS 0 ATTENDANCE: 29,342 MAN OF THE MATCH: Friedel TEAMS AND RATINGS BLACKBURN: Friedel 8, Emerton 5, Ooijer 6, Todd 6, Neill 6, Bentley 6 (Mokoena 87, 5), Savage 5, Tugay 7 (Henchoz 90), Pedersen 6, Nonda 5 (Derbyshire 78, 5), McCarthy 7. LIVERPOOL: Reina 6, Carragher 6, Hyypia 6, Agger 5, Finnan 7, Gerrard 5, Alonso 6, Gonzalez 5 (Aurelio 64, 5), Riise 6, Crouch 4 (Kuyt 56, 6), Bellamy 7 (Luis Garcia 77, 6). Referee: ROB STYLES CAPTION(S): BENNI THRILL: McCarthy slides home the Rovers winner' McCARTHY celebrates his goal' ROVER AND CLOUT: Robbie Savage celebrates a hard-earned win, but it's agony for former Blackburn striker Craig Bellamy |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion