Liverpool 2 Boro 1
BORO were forced into a late change of their line-up as keeper Brad Jones njured a hand in the warm-up and Ross Turnbull stepped up to take his place between the sticks.
Boro were otherwise unchanged as skipper Emanauel Pogatetz recovered from a midweek knock on international duty with Austria to take his place in the centre of defence as David Wheater continued at right-back and new boy Justin Hoyte had to settle for a place on the bench.
Boro started brightly with some good early probes but it was Liverpool who threatened first on four minutes as Kuyt sent Torres forward then got to the edge of the box for the return but Turnbull went full length to push the crisp shot behind.
And Liverpool went close again on nine minutes as Torres just failed to connect at the far post with a Keane cross from the left.
The game was becoming scrappy and physical and there were a string of hefty challenges and on 15 minutes a Boro player took to the field with a bandaged head for the second game running as Aliadiere was patched up after a clash with Dossena.
Liverpool threatened again on 28 minutes as Kuyt robbed Taylor inside the Liverpool half to spark a quick raid down the left but the full-back did well to get back and block a shot from Gerrard in the box, although he seemed to take a knock for his trouble.
Boro went close on 35 minutes as Downing cut in from the left to get to the edge of the Liverpool box before curling a shot just beyond the far post.
Straight down the other end the home side almost broke through as Torres chased an Alonso ball to the edge of the Boro box and turned well to control but Wheater anticipated superbly to put in a clean tackle and clear the danger.
And two minutes later, with the Liverpool pressure starting to mount, Spanish dangerman Torres again burst through a crowd of defenders to the edge of the box but his shot clipped Pogatetz and spun wide.
As the whistle went Boro could be the happier after soaking up the pressure with an industrious first 45 minutes that had left the home side - and the home fans - increasingly frustrated
Half-time: Liverpool 0 Boro 0
Three minutes after the restart Huth went down injured in the Boro box as he bravely flew in with a diving header and took a boot full in the face from Torres.
When play restarted after treatment to the German a hefty kick ffrom Turnbull bounced into the Liverpool box and Tuncay almost squeezed between two defenders to connect, then immediately after another long ball found Alves in the box and he turned to shoot but his effort was blocked by Carragher and looped high in the air before Reina collected.
On 58 minutes Liverpool won a free-kick 25 yards out after a thundering tackles by first Huth then Pogatetz but Gerrard's effort clipped the wall and deflected high and wide.
On the hour Mido, last week's goal hero, came on for Alves who had struggled to make a mark.
Almost immediately he had an impact as he scooped up a loose ball and skinned Arbeloa with touch and pace then tricked past Carragher down by the corner flag picked out Tuncay in the box and the Turk superbly turned to wrong-foot marker Skertl and stab in a close range shot that Reina saved instinctively .
Liverpool put Ryan Babble on for Benayoun on 64 minutes in a bid to add pace.
But Boro were back on the attack and took the lead on 70 minutes as Aliadiere fed a short ball to the feet of MIDO 22 yards out and the Egyptian drilled in a sizzling low shot that screamed beyond the dive of Reina to squeeze in at foot of the right hand post.
On 74 minutes Liverpool put Aurelio on for Dossena while Boro gave £3m new boy Justin Hoyte fhis debut, putting him on at left back in place of Taylor.
Liverpool created an opening on 78 minutes as Gerrard fired in a shot from the edge of the box that deflected wide off Huth leaving the home side screaming for a penalty for handball and in the protests that followed Keane was shown a yellow card for dissent. Mido followed him into the book a minute later for time wasting after kicking the ball away.
High balls were flying into the Boro box now but were being headed, hoofed and scrambled away as the game entered the last ten minutes.
But Liverpool got out of jail on 85 minutes as CARRAGHER belted a shot at O'Neil just outside the box and as the crowd screamed once more for a penalty the alert Scouse defender latched onto the rebound then drilled in a waist-height shot that deflected off Pogatetz and past Turnbull.
Gareth Southaget put on Digard for Tuncay on 87 minutes to firm up the midfield and hold on to the point.
In stoppage time Turnbull made a brilliant save, going full length to push wide a Gerrard free-kick that was heading towards the far top corner
Then in the closing seconds Reina pumped a free-kick forward and when it was only half headed clear it fell to GERRARD to crack in an unstoppable drive from the edge of the box leaving Boro empty handed at the death after a determined performance that deserved some reward.
Att: 43,168
Teams:
Liverpool: Reina, Dossena, Keane, Gerrard, Torres, Alonso, Arbeloa, Kuyt, Carragher, Benayoun, Skrtel. Subs: Cavalieri, Agger, Aurelio, Babel, Ngog, Plessis, Nabil El Zhar.
Boro: Turnbull, Taylor, O'Neil, Pogatetz, Aliadiere, Alves, Huth, Shawky, Tuncay, Downing, Wheater. Subs: Digard, Mido, Emnes, Johnson, Williams, Hoyte.
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Anthony Vickers
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Sounded like a good performance (so far as one can judge from the Brownlee commentary - glad, incidentally, to hear he's back from his Olympic exertions so as not to miss the game!).
Apologies to all in the ladies clothes shop - wife's birthday tomorrow - who were deafened as a result of my shouting as Mido's shot put us in the lead. Somehow it seemed too good to be true, and so it proved. But to be robbed twice and so late was cruel.
I was standing outside the changing booths when the first of their goals went in, and was still there when the second spoiled the evening for me. I know that "injury time" lasted for ever (and would probably still be going on if Liverpool hadn't yet scored), but my wife took in several items to give a serial fashion show. Unfortunately I became less and less enthusiastic about each paraded item of apparel as time elapsed.
When the winner went in, inevitably from Gerard's boot, I suspect another apology is due to the lady shoppers in Yarm. I was wearing earphones to listen to the match so I didn't actually HEAR what I said in response to the goal. In fact I'm not sure whether I said out loud what I thought but, if I did, I'm sorry. Won't be allowed back in "The House" again.
Still, we must look on the bright side. A couple of items tried on, approved and bought, so the birthday Brownie Points are in good order. A good performance (at least that's what it sounded like) from the team at a venue where, let's be realistic, most teams will lose this season. It sounded like Turnbull had a good game and cannot be blamed for the goals.
I feel like a Tae Kwon Do referee at the moment: kicked in the head and spitting blood. I wonder whether Brownlee's car was still there when he got out of the ground after the match? European City of Culture? I've seen more culture on a slice of Stilton (and any other Liverpool comments that spring to mind - it might make me feel better).
Still, we can now look forward to Yeovil in the League Cup on Tuesday and, speak it quietly because I would hate to spoil her surprise, but as a special "just after birthday treat" I will be taking my wife to the game. She needs reminding what causes the involuntary outbursts when I listen to the radio commentary on away games. All part of life's rich tapestry.....
Skrtel floors O'Neil inside the 18 yard box without any attempt to play the ball - he only has eyes for the man. That's a penalty! Not given by referee, Mike Riley. This is the same Mr Riley who awarded Boro the penalty for the foul on Joseph Job in the Carling Cup Final in 2004 - for the very same offence by Emmerson Thome of Bolton!
Even the MOTD pundits explicity acknowledged Skrtel's cynical intervention.
Carragher turned inside out by Tuncay's deft flick, but which way does Carragher turn? To play the ball, which went to his right, or to his left, which is where Tuncay went? Carragher went to his left, after Tuncay - not the ball - and nearly ripped the shirt off Tuncay's back to unbalance him. Again, no attempt to play the ball. That's a penalty! Not given. The same outcome as last week when Atkinson denied Wheater's first-half goal against Spurs while Dawson was similarly rearranging Wheater's clothing!!
That's three incidents in two matches all of which were cynical pieces of deliberate foul play and should not have gone unpunished.
This week it's Riley letting Liverpool away with murder.
More crap refereeing decisions. And this time, significant in their impact. We lost 2-1 in a match we ought to have at least taken a point from!
Just to be even-handed in mentioning the Scouser's claims for hand balls against Huth and O'Neil. It's clear from the TV playback that neither was deliberate. The Huth incident was like Luke Young's last season at Villa Park - the guy's head was turned away from the ball and there was no deliberate intent to make hand or arm contact. The O'Neil contact, although clear, didn't appear to be deliberate either although he was jumping and facing the ball. However, he was well outside the box. Riley played advantage anyway (ironically, clear advantage in this case), because nobody was hanging off Carragher's shirt-tail as he scored with his deflected shot. (Unlike Tuncay's hurried shot which was compromised by Carragher hanging off his back and therefore arguably, not a real advantage! Well done Mr Riley!)
Grrrr!
Boro will understandably feel robbed after that result, I was gutted after the game.
An interesting aspect was that after the 90 minutes it was announced that there would be an extra 3 minutes of play, if you look at the time of Liverpools second goal - it was scored after 94mins & 30 secs, was the game technically over, and should there be a final whistle blown automatically after 93minutes.
Sadly, all we got from Anfield was another 'lesson' to be learnt. But it is the same lesson as last week, Celtic, Sunderland, Reading etc.
Had a chat with my scouse mate and he said we deserved something from the match. To coin an analogy, football is like the olympics with three medals but they are one gold and two bronze. Win and you get a gold, draw and both teams get a bronze. Lose and you get zilch, nothing and a scoreline that says 1-2.
My Sunday paper says we lost, the table shows we lost, nothing in the deserved something column because it doesnt exist. When the dust settles the stats will show Liverpool had 60% possession, twice as many shots and twice as many goals.
It isnt a disaster, no one died or suffered an horrific injury. It is merely a reflection of why we will finish around 12th in the table and Liverpool will be in the Champions League, another heroic defeat by a medium sized club at one of the big boys.
So Yeovil next who should be disposed of comfortably and then home to Stoke, lets hope we dont receive some more lessons.
What is it with Boro conceding late goals? We got away with it last week against Spurs, but got punished for it at Anfield.
OK it can be argued that 2 of the 3 goals conceded so far were deflected off Boro players. But neither of the Liverpool strikes should have been allowed to happen. Watching the match on Sky it seemed as if Boro were defending much too deep after going ahead, inviting Liverpool to come forward and shoot.
Having said that, Boro played well much of the time and young Turnbull put in a good performance. He couldn't do much about either of the goals and made some good saves earlier.
But I'm still annoyed over those late strikes, how many times last season were points lost in this way? Hasn't GS analysed those performances and devised tactics on the training ground to combat this?
In the final stages of a game with points in the bag, Boro defend too deep and invite shots at goal. The law of averages say that if shots are taken at goal, then some of them are going to go in - in Liverpools case it was 2 out of 2!
If Liverpool area top four side, so are we, they were matched by us in every way, passing, fitness ,quality of play, work rate.One area missing was luck and they had it, otherwise there was nothing to choose between the teams.
Sometimes I fear that whilst Southgate will go on to be a good manager he has not proven to be a lucky one so far.
However there is much encouragement from performances to date to be taken forward into the season.Oh and Mido should not be allowed to leave.
Great display by Boro what a change from the McClaren era of boot it up the field Strategy. Good possession football speedy players all over the field, Mido must be given a start as he works when not in possession whereas Alves does not. Only criticism, why did Boro disturb the back four when they were containing the Liverpool attack so well. Hoyte did not improve the defensive play and I think if Taylor and Tuncay had stayed on we would have won 1-0. This sort of form will get us into the top ten this season.
On 83 minutes I looked at my watch and thought, we've done this, 32 years since we got a win at Anfield!
How wrong I was. First Carragher steps up for a hopeful shot tht cannons in off Poga, then Mr Liverpool downs us with a screamer with 93 minutes gone.
Absolute despair shown on Southgates face in the dug out, akin to Keegan's reaction in that famous 4-3 loss in the 90's on the same ground.
But hell did we play well. I have never witnessed a Boro side so well in control of a game against one of the big four. There were few instances where my heart was in my mouth.
If we play like that for the rest of the season we'll do alright, with or without Mido, who's goal was an abolute stunner by the way.
Keep it up lads, fantastic.
What's gone is gone.This is a crucial week for the club.We must get over a banana skin in the Cup and then take three points from what no doubt will be a fired up Stoke.If we achieve these things then the disappointment will disappear.
On any given day you need a little luck and it is quite clear ours deserted us on Saturday.Both Liverpool goals had an element of good fortune.The first everybody saw but on the second Wheaters clearing header hit Keane on the thigh before landing perfectly at Gerrards feet.
Hopefully there will be days when the deflctions go for us.
Finally it's nice to see Mido doing his talking on the pitch for a starting place.
"Sometimes I fear that whilst Southgate will go on to be a good manager he has not proven to be a lucky one so far."
I know it's a cliche in sport but I believe there is an element of truth in the old maxim of "you make your own luck", and it is in this context that I agre with Aberdeen Brian.
I too have noticed a very worrying trend and increasing one of our proclivity in conceding late,late goals. What is more worrying is the fact that our management team are either unaware of it, or just pathetically putting it down to "bad luck".
It happened too often last season and it has happened in consecutive games in Portugal, last week against Spurs and more damagingly at Anfield. It needs addressing urgently.
So the dumbing down of our aspirations, (of pushing towards the top eight and higher?), will in addition to smaller gates, small town in Yorkshire syndrome etc. be underpinned by the ludicrous notion that we are just naturally unlucky.
That's not good enough, and it's about time the spin and dumbing down that is designed to protect a culture of complacency ceased, it just serves to insult peoples intelligence.
The other reason that this is a crucial week is that it is the last week of the transfer window.
We're now at the point where Gate's word that no-one else is leaving has to be adhered to.
However good any offer - and based on recent and previous experience - we're past the point where we could find and get in replacements of the right quality if Stewie, say, was to go.
It seems that Mido has made his point to Gate about a starting place in the right way - by a second goal in as many games - rather than blabbing to an Egyptian newspaper about Wigan.
So, we should hold onto what we've got.
Gate now seems to be wondering if we weren't right all along about us being thin in the goalie department. If that gets taken forward to action then Al Habsi from Bolton, please.
I take what Gate says about not over-burdening the squad and wanting to give those already at Boro their chance, including the youngsters coming through.
But from the many positives about the current squad that are evident from the opening two games I still think we're short of some right-footed guile and craft in our midfield.
The two candidates there, for me, are Appiah and Bullard.
The latter seems to be available for about what we got from Wigan for Catts. His current manager has said - and I think this is protesting too much - that the reason his goal-creating, goal-scoring, game running bundle of energy isn't getting a new contract is that he doesn't defend enough.
OK, mate. Give us a go, then.
Don't know if Gate is still eyeing Verhaegh to cover for Tayls too.
Any way round, lets see a little incoming action this week.
Also, agree with Tosh. There's a reason why making your own luck is a cliche....
I keep telling everyone southgate is average,we didnt have that many efforts on goal i would rather win under Mclaren that play well and get nothing.
What a sickener at Anfield we certainly deserved at least a point, however we do not seem able to concentrate for 90+ minutes or indeed the team use some common sense. Deep into injury time and we are attacking the Liverpool goal with five men well up in their half, the move breaks down, a boot up field by their goalkeeper and we are well stretched at the back.
We had marshaled Torres and Gerrard exceedingly well for 92 minutes then when it mattered most in the last minute we left Gerrard in acres of space. Where were his markers? up field and out of position, just have a look at the recording of the game.
As for the referee playing extra minutes, well Gary O'Neil went down in stoppage time and the referee added that time on. As Gareth has said we need to close down games in the last few minutes, why not use the Brian Clough tactic and take the ball to the corner flag and keep it there, the opposition cannot score if they do not have the ball, or alternatively hoof the ball into row Z.
Yes the result was a real sickener and spoilt my day, yet there was enough on show to to say we will have a great season I cannot wait for Tuesday night and next Saturday to come up the 'Boro.
3legendsfrank-you have a selective memory as far as McLaren is concerned.In his last season at the club we won 2 away games out of 19.Not a great statistic by anybody's standards.
Richard, handball does not have to be deliberate for a penalty to be awarded.