Report by Steve Horton at the Riverside Stadium | |
The wheels well and truly came off the Rafa-lution on Saturday as Middlesbrough outplayed, outthought and outfought us.
Rafael Benitez hasn't had the best of luck in his first few months on charge with injuries and Michael Owen leaving, but on this occasion serious questions have to be asked about his team selection as well.
Yet again the fixture list has sent us to the Riverside in the midst of winter. Middlesbrough town centre is nice and compact and cheap enough for a pint, but the 3æ4 mile walk to the stadium is one of the coldest most desolate journeys you can ever make.
It was on that walk that a mate texted me the team and I was close to turning back. Luis Garcia and Harry Kewell up front was not what I wanted to hear and was a clear indication that Florent Sinama Pongolle and Neil Mellor have no future at the club.
Once inside the ground, we are subjected to the ridiculous "Do the Boro" as the teams come out. This involves the fans standing up and clapping along to a tune, with the loudspeakers being situated next to the away end to stop us getting any songs going.
The Reds fans were generally in good voice when they turned the volume down, with a great new Rafa Bentiez song to the tune of "La Bamba", which was first aired in La Coruna.
Sadly "We fucking hate Millwall" also got sung, which is making us more small time by the week. It also allows Millwall to buzz off the fact that we hate them as well as West Ham. The fans that are singing it need to get a grip and move on.
Liverpool started off reasonably well, with Xabi Alonso making some searching passes. However it was clear we lacked some penetration up front and Steve McLaren then set about his game plan of picking us off on the counter attack as he could absorb our pressure all day.
After 16 minutes Boro had a golden chance when Ray Parlour burst into the area and squared for Mark Viduka but Jamie Carragher was on hand to make a crucial interception.
Six minutes later Frank Queudrue had a great chance but missed his kick with only a diving Chris Kirkland in the way of the goal. The main threat was once again coming down our right side, where Stuart Downing was giving Josemi a torrid time.
The referee was doing all he could to help Boro's cause too, booking Sami Hyypia for putting his foot up to intercept a free kick from two yards away.
John Arne Riise did give us some hope with a shot that went wide but it only made the home side intensify their pressure. Kirkland made a brilliant block from Hasselbaink but the inevitable goal came on 36 minutes when Chris Riggott poked home from close range after sneaking into the box unmarked.
A couple of minutes later we could have been 2-0 down when an uncharacteristic mistake by Alonso allowed in Viduka, but Kirkland raced from his goal to clear.
This let off galvanised us a little and in the fortieth minute Garcia crashed the ball into the top corner of the net only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside.
It was a harsh decision and told us it wasn't going to be our day. Just before the referee blew his whistle for half time Viduka shot wide when it would have been easier to score and in all fairness we were fortunate to go into the break at just 1-0 down.
Benitez's half time teamtalk did appear top do the trick when we came out all guns blazing for the second half. From a free kick Kewell looked certain to score when he headed goalwards from six yards but Schwarzer some how saved.
Alonso also had a less powerful header wide, but Boro were still coming at us. Downing continued to taunt Josemi and shot just wide after beating him and Parlour also went close. When we were trying to come forward it just wasn't happening, with many of Alnoso's passes going astray and Djimi Traore having a nightmare.
We were also lucky not to go down to ten men when Hyypia made a bad tackle that merited a second yellow card. It looked like only the harshness of the first one led to the referee showing mercy.
We had a good chance to equalise on 61 minutes when Kewell found himself clear in the box but he hesitated a little and got dispossessed. Kewell had his usual lethargic game, but this time he was exempt from criticism on the grounds that he was not alone.
In all honesty only Carragher can come out of it with any credit. A minute after Kewell's spurned opportunity the game was effectively over when Alonso lost the ball and Zenden was sent clear to score. It was probably offside but the fact is we could still be playing now and we wouldn't have equalised. 1-0/2-0 who cares.
Steven Gerrard came on and got a great reception from fans who see his return as some consolation for Baros's absence. Although he did give us a slight life, those around him weren't performing and even Gerrard himself was a little rusty on the ball at occasions.
Pongolle came on after 70 minutes for Josemi, with Steve Finnan dropping to right back. We had some half chances, such as when Kewell rounded the keeper from a tight angle and shot into the side netting and Carragher headed over.
But we never mounted a sustained period of pressure that looked like it merited a goal. It was summed up in the last minute when Gerrard released Pongolle who fired a cross shot across the box which nobody was there to connect with.
Ultimately though, we had no recognised strikers on the pitch for 70 minutes of the game. Why Benitez went without both Pongolle and Mellor I don't know.
If Hyypia, Henchoz and Carragher were all injured I'm sure he'd pick Zak Whitbread in central defence and not try Alonso or Hamman there. It goes the same way with the strikers, a recognised goalscorer striker needs to play up front.
Maybe Benitez feels Mellor may not be good enough to play week in week out in the Premiership but if he can't come in when all others are injured or have left then what is the point him being here. The biggest insult was when he was warmed up near the end, took his shorts off then Benitez sent on Igor Biscan instead.
It really was a painful game to watch. Hearing Middlesbrough fans cheer their every touch and sing about us not being famous anymore is no fun at all.
Our next three games are against Arsenal, Villa and Everton and it's hard to see where we are going to get three points from. The way we are going, the only way we'll qualify for next season's Champions League is to win the final in Istanbul next May.
Team: Kirkland; Josemi (Sinama-Pongolle), Carragher, Hyypia, Traore; Finnan, Hamann (Gerrard), Alonso (Biscan), Riise; Kewell, Garcia:
Agree or disagree? Email me at steve@liverpoolway.co.uk
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