Liverpool 0-2 Chelsea – Match Report
The wheels well and truly fell of the Liverpool Premiership bandwagon yesterday as Chelsea left Anfield with the spoils in a 0-2 victory against Brendan Rodgers’ title hopefuls. Jose Mourinho gave Rodgers a lesson in counter-attacking football as they scored two goals against the run of play to deflate the Reds.
An early chance from Ashley Cole was saved by Mignolet, before he Cole cleared off the line from one of his own defenders. Mamadou Sakho was unable to convert the rebound. The home side continued to press. A slip by anchor man Steven Gerrard, in the dying minute of first-half extra time, gifted a one-on-one chance for Demba Ba to nutmeg the helpless Simon Mignolet and put Mourinho’s side in front. Liverpool were dominant throughout but just couldn’t find a way through a superbly organised visiting defence.
Steven Gerrard was visibly shaken by the error that could potentially have shaped the remainder of Liverpool’s season. He’ll take the blame on his shoulders being the professional that he is but to be fair, had the team’s defence been not so feeble on previous occasions, they would be out of sight in this campaign. The Kop chanted his name at half time. If’s but’s and maybe’s.
The second half continued in the same manner as the first. Liverpool applying pressure and Chelsea standing firm against the onslaught. Joe Allen, Gerrard and Luis Suarez all went close. Mark Schwarzer saving brilliantly on each occasion.
Finally, again in injury time Chelsea were on the ropes, dukes up, shoulders hunched and taking shots. Then, from nowhere, the sucker punch, the haymaker that put the hosts on the canvas. From a Liverpool attack, the ball fell to substitute Daniel Sturridge who’s pass was intercepted by Nemanja Matic and fell to Willian who passed to ex-Liverpool favourite Fernando Torres. The Spaniard galloped into toward the home penalty area with the advancing Willian, both two against Mignolet. The entire Liverpool team was left at the other end of the pitch. Torres slid the ball to Willian who simply walked the ball into the gaping goal. TKO, the Reds down and almost out. The title no longer in their hands.
For all the complaining we could do about Chelsea’s time wasting, the fact is that Liverpool got a taste of their own medicine yesterday. They were shown how to defend. How to stay organised. And, how to ‘play smart’, which they invariably did. And Liverpool did not. Now Rodgers’ side are at the mercy of the Premiership Gods. All hearts will be praying for Manchester City to slip up in their three remaining games.
One thing is certain, this one’s going to the wire, and somebody’s gonna get hoit!
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