The reds championship challenge remained on course with a comfortable victory over a workmanlike Charlton side at Anfield. This is the type of game in which we've often come unstuck this season, but from the moment substitute Vladimir Smicer headed the opening goal, the three points were always in the bag. Nine times out of ten a single goal is enough for this side, such is the dominance of the back four and goalkeeper. Jerzy's record since arriving at Anfield is mightily impressive, and he can now add another clean sheet to his growing collection. Charlton didn't pose too much of a threat to be fair, although Jason Euell had his moments and forced the Big Pole into one brilliant tip over in the second half. Other than that though, Sami & co were in total control.
It wasn't a particularly flowing display from the lads, but there were flashes of inspiration and the work rate was as commendable as ever. The team selection was unusually adventurous, with Paddy Berger recalled to start in a central role alongside Didi Hamann in the continued absence of Stevie G. After Paddy's woeful display at Hyde United against Man City reserves the other night, he can consider himself extremely fortunate to have been handed a first team recall so soon, but he produced a fine display on his comeback, and it's good to have him back.
Heskey was once again given the left wing slot, with Owen recalled to partner Anelka. It's nice to see the management finally adopting a bold selection policy after being so cautious at home all season, and despite the unfortunate early loss of Heskey, it was a promising start from the home side.
Anelka was looking very sharp, and Berger was getting forward in support of the strikers at every available opportunity. Riise was his usual marauding self down the left flank, but more surprisingly Jamie Carra was also finding himself in unusually advanced postions, and should have scored within a few minutes when he lobbed the ball over when very well placed. Shades of Rob Jones!
At this stage Charlton were struggling to put more than two passes together, but the reds' good start was interrupted when Heskey picked up a knock and was forced off to be replaced by last week's supersub Vladimir Smicer. Paddy switched to the left, Murphy moved inside and Vlad took up the right wing berth. Paddy must have been a bit disappointed as he's wanted to play in the centre for so long, but within the first twenty minutes he found himself back out on the left.¤ Sods law.
Having Riise behind him however, allows Berger to play his natural game, safe in the knowledge that the powerful Norwegian will provide the side with the necessary width.¤ Riise was excellent on the day, bombing up and down the line tirelessly, despite going into the game with a foot injury and seemingly getting another kick on it during the game. He's a tough cookie is John. He almost chipped in with one of the goals of the season too, but was denied by a fine stop by Charlton's gobshite keeper Dean Kiely.
Kiely is a small time arsehole, and I've got no time for the prick whatsoever. Anyone who was at the Valley earlier this season will know what I'm referring to, as he deliberately refused to acknowledge the generous applause of the travelling reds' fans (he applauded his own fans to the left of us, then stopped clapping when he faced us, before clapping again to the home fans on our right. A deliberate gesture by a fucking smalltime wanker). It was with great interest then that I watched as he made his way out to the Kop goal for the start of the second half. As usual, the Kop greeted the opposition keeper with warm applause. Normally, the only keepers who refuse to acknowledge the reception are foreign keepers who don't really understand the fact that the applause is for them. They're not used to it so it's understandable, but¤English keepers know the score, and it's rare for any of them to snub the Kop, but true to form, Kiely did. Fucking ugly, tooth missing, cross eyed piece of shit.
The game wasn't a classic, and from the moment Vladi headed home Murphy's wonderfully delivered free-kick, the reds were cruising. Then when Michael Owen made it 2-0 it became increasingly obvious that the reds had one eye on Wednesday's game with Leverkusen. It was something of a scrappy goal in the end, but it owed much to the brilliance and pace of Anelka. The Flying Frenchman raced clear down the right before delivering a perfect cut back for man of the moment Smicer. Vladi's put away his last two chances with great aplomb, but this time he reverted to his old self and scuffed his shot across the face of the goal. Thankfully Owen was on hand and alert enough to divert the shot into the empty net.
Michael was fairly quiet, and looked to be easing his way back into things after his latest layoff. We're going to need Michael firing on all cylinders in the next few weeks, and getting this game under his belt will no doubt help him get back to peak fitness. He never reached top gear in this game, but it usually takes him a few games before he regains the confidence to run flat out, so hopefully he'll be flying by the time we go to Leverkusen in just over a week's time.
The second half was a non-event really. For the first fifteen minutes or so we just couldn't keep the ball, and it was pretty shambolic at times.¤ We settled down after that, without ever really moving out of second gear.¤ Charlton were having no joy in finding a way through the formidable barrier of Henchoz and Hyypia, and Jerzy had an easy afternoon, other than that one flying save from Euell's wicked volley.¤ Euell has impressed me this season, but alongside him Svensson was dreadful.¤ The guy was useless, and is a dirty bastard.¤ He gave away so many free-kicks for leaving his foot or his elbow in, that it was astonishing that he wasn't booked.¤ Then again, Dermot Gallagher was the ref, so it's not that astonishing.
The closest we came to a goal in the second half was when Owen rose majestically to meet Berger's corner only to see his header cleared off the line.¤ The ball fell to Carra 35 yards out, and he collected the ball before unleashing a venomous shot which Kiely turned wide at full stretch.¤ Smicer then forced the keeper into a more comfortable stop after a brilliant through ball from Anelka had sent him clear, and as I've already mentioned Riise saw his piledriver well stopped. The only other strike on goal came from the influential Murphy, who exchanged passes with Anelka on the edge of the box before hitting a left footed half volley straight down Kiely's throat. That would have been one to remember, as there'd been well over a dozen passes in the build up, and SuperDan had been involved three or four times before getting in the final shot.
So all in all it was a fairly routine victory, but it should be noted that this is exactly the type of game where we have often come unstuck, and going into the game Charlton had a fantastic away record (only Arsenal had lost fewer games on their travels), so this was a more than satisfactory outcome.
As for the star man, it was quite difficult. Berger did well on his comeback, Danny Murphy was involved in most good moves that we put together, revelling once more in a central midfield role, and Hamann was his usual exemplary self alongside him.¤ Anelka did some good things, and both full backs were excellent. Then there was Sami, who won so many headers today that he's probably got a concussion now. Nothing got past him all game, and his distribution was faultless too.
Sami's been brilliant for three seasons now, so much so that he's in danger of being taken for granted.¤ He hasn't won too many man of the match awards this season, yet he's been consistently outstanding every week. So with that in mind, I'm giving him the star man just ahead of the outstanding Murphy.
Team: Jerzy Dudek; Jamie Carragher, Stephane Henchoz, Sami Hyypia, John Arne Riise; Danny Murphy, Patrik Berger (Gary McAllister), Didi Hamann, Emile Heskey (Vladimir Smicer); Nicolas Anelka, Michael Owen (Jari Litmanen):
