LIVERPOOL FC 1 - TOTTENHAM 2
PLAYING away at a rejuvenated Tottenham side on the first day of the season was never the ideal start.
But the way Liverpool limply surrendered to a 2-1 defeat, raising a miriad of questions just 90 minutes into the new campaign, has left question marks aplenty about the nine months ahead.
It's important not to get too carried away with despondent thoughts after our reverse against Tottenham.
Looking at it positively, Spurs are likely to finish in the Top Six this season, and are a tough proposition for any of the Big Four at White Hart Lane.
With England's new centre forward darling Jermaine Defoe, and players of the class of Modric, Lennon and King, a draw would have been a good result.
As it was, we conceded the first goal to a wonder strike and the second to a great header from a decent set piece.
Sometimes, you've got to hold your hands up and accept that you've been beaten by two very good strikes.
Of much greater concern, however, was the way in which we played.
The first half was pretty much a write-off and the pattern of our play seemed all over the place.
Gerrard had an off-day, Torres looked laboured and isolated, Kuyt looked lacking in technique and Babel was convincingly consistent in that he did absoluely nothing.
People are already using the 'we missed Alonso' argument, but I felt we did ok getting the ball into the final third, the Spaniard's forte, but we didn't have enough quality once we got there.
The difference to our game following the introduction of Benayoun was palpable.
The Israeli MUST start the next few gams as his ability to run with the ball and open up gaps made us a far better side after the break.
How Yossi gets consigned to the bench at the expense of Babel is one of Liverpool FC's great mysteries.
If we were all hoping that this could be Babel's breakthrough season, there was no evidence of that on Sunday.
Lucas looked a more confident player, carrying on his good form in pre-season, but the Brazilian, coupled with Mascherano, two midfielders very much in the defensive mould, left us short on attacking options.
As for the enigma of Kuyt, this was one of those games when you question what sort of quality he brings to the side.
It was left to our two leading lights - Torres and Gerrard - to try and set the example. Gerrard tried to make things happen, but it wasn't his day and Torres seemed out of sorts.
For me, the game once again highlighted the need for a second sriker to supplement our number nine.
Or a right and left winger who could make incisive runs at and behind a defence, a la Aaron Lennon.
Before Benayoun came on, there was nobody who could fashion a chance, use a bit of guile to creat an opportunity.
A lot of credit must go to Johnson for his forceful run that won us the penalty, but attacking highlights were in short supply.
As for Tottenham, they carved us open at will and we struggled to cope with the Modric/Keane axis.
Keane looked more of a livewire than he did at any stage at Anfield. Thankfully, his finishing was of the standard that he showed when he wore a red shirt.
Insua, who has looked strong in the last months of last season, looked sloppy on Sunday and Carragher, while always reliable defensively, began to aimlessly chip the ball forward with an alarming regularity.
It was a bad ay at the office all round. Everything that could have gone wrong, did.
We conceded on the stroke of half-time. The two goals were both top draw, one a 25 yard bullet, the second a soaring header.
And we were denied certainly one clear cut penalty. Sometimes you need a touch of luck away from home, and in Voronin being felled by Ekotto, Phil Dow decided to play homeboy for the afternoon.
Saying that, based on our display, and the hatful of chances missed by Keane, we deserved to come away empty handed.
I'm sticking to the view that Tottenham will be a handful for any side at home, and the evidence that Man Utd and Chelsea both only just scraped over the line to beat Birmingham and Hull at home.
Yes, a worrying start, but that's not sink into the doldrums juet yet.
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Well - all of those calling for "less draws" last season will no doubt be happy now that they've got their wish.
A weekend when our main title rivals (Man Utd and Chelsea) played in a very average manner but still managed to fashion wins and whilst we meekly surrended to Spurs was the worst possible start to the season. Very few positives - we looked like a team of strangers in the first half and very lacklustre in the second. Nothing to do with Alonso and everything to do with simple sloppiness all round, management and players.
Skyner,
By the first point mate, are you saying you think we went a bit gung ho and so left ourselevs short at the back?
If so, I don't agree with that.
Like you say, not many positives, other than Yossi. Why we persist with Babel is beyond me.
And I'll say over and oevr again, Torres needs some company up there, whether its another centre forward or a really attacking right winger.
Away mate so cant download, dissapointed to say the least, cant beleive veronin is gettin the chance to wear a red shirt again for a start, not carrying on cos it will ruin my holiday, first time in three yrs i have missed first lge game, wot a good decision, another beer please barman.
Luke - don't think we were too gung ho at all - but I do think many people simply jumped on the 'too many draws' bandwagon last season as the only reason we lost the league. The reality was we won many games we deserved to draw last year and drew a few we deserved to lose.
I suppose I'm really hoping that peopl will be more realistic in their assessment of the team, its strengths and its failings this season.
A terrible first game but by no means is it all over.
Roll on Wednesday.
For me, the real mess of the game began with the collision between Carra and Skrtel. After that we lacked a lot of confidence in the back. I would have like to see Kelly come in instead of Ayala. That kid doesn't seem to have any confidence with the ball at his feet. We can afford to have players on the back look to make square passes to other defenders for everytime. Take a chance and look to play the ball forward, for God's sake!
I agree with you about Babel vs. Yossi. No question there. We should have let him go back to Holland last season.
Liverpool need to play Benayoun and also find a replacement for Voronin as soon as possible.
Really had to stop and think before | commented on this one Luke as I think this is a time to be reflective rather than lose the plot after just one game, however.....
There is, shall we say, little to cause optimism, I wont go over the spurs game as you have all covered the glaringly obvious, the Ryan Babel enigma etc.
My worry is that after something like 5 years under Rafa we have a half dozen or so headline acts and a supporting cast that would struggle in a village amateur dramatic society. Where’s our squad?! Spurs bench looked like world beaters compared to ours, whilst we have assembled a bunch of mediocre, characterless no-marks incapable of making a game changing impact be it by skill or shear force of will
A decent to good starting 11 won’t win us the PL guys and I worry that even if he were to get the dough will Rafa get it right? I know you have to kiss a few frogs to get a prince but our (huge) squad more resembles a pond than a palace
As I say...a time for cool heads
Well covered Luke. I do think we need an additional striking option... Lucas did ok but he still needs to notch it up further to prevent Gerrard from falling back.
I think Riera should have been brought on instead of Kuyt as he provides a better flanking option. Not sure why Babel was persisted with for so long. Everyone could see he was completely out of his depth.
One thing is for certain..our bench strenght does not inspire too much of confidence :-(
Our bench looked much stronger last night and will look even better when first teamers Aurelio, Agger and Aquilani are all fit. Our squad is still very strong and we have a lot of very good players.
'Half a dozen or so headline acts' Terry? 'A supporting cast that would struggle in a village amateur dramatic society'? Nonsense.
We have the best keeper in the league, three top CBs in Carra, Agger and Skrtel, two good LBs in Fabio and Insua, the best right back in the league in Johnson, one of the best DMs in the world in Mascherano, a young player with bags of potential Lucas who is growing in confidence every game, our new Italian prodigy Aquilani, the best attacking midfielder in the world Gerrard, the best striker in the world Torres, and three very good internationals in Kuyt, Yossi and Riera, the first two who have been two of the best players in the league this calendar year.
I make that 15 top players before you count the other young talents like N'Gog and the dubious journeymen like Voronin and Degen.
Your comments are just ridiculous exaggeration after one bad defeat.
I agree Pepe is far and away the best keeper in the league.
Another world class stop at a kep moment lst night proves he's one of our best buys and is one in the eye for all those who slate Rafa's transfer policy.
Neil,
To be honest, I thionk you're being a touch harsh on Terry.
The reality is probably somewhere in the middle of your two views.
It was alarming to see the disparity in quality on the ebnches at Tottenham last weekend.
Neil - I think you make a couple of leaps of faiths, by citing our new 'prodigy' in Aquilani when we've never seen hom play in England yet and mentiooning people like Riera as title winning players....but all in all, we take the point.
Still, it's a squad of 16/17 top drawer players who win leagues these days, not just 11/12/13...and that's perhaps the worry.
I think Rafa should show Lucas the way to the reserves and use the money from the Alonso sale to buy Aaronn Lennon he showed the skill and the pace that he showed when he played against us and i would think he would relish the challenge of playing champions league football with his fellow england internationals thats at Liverpool. thank you John LFC supporter.