Report by Dave Usher at Anfield

It's a good job he stayed. You just can't keep Steven Gerrard off the back pages these days, so this headline hogging display shouldn't surprise us really.

Having eventually made the decision to commit his future to the club, the captain knew he had some making up to do to regain the affection of a crowd who were not all prepared to just forgive and forget.

Whilst the overwhelming majority are happy he's still here, there is little doubt that Gerrard's place in the affections of the Kop has been taken by Jamie Carragher.

The reason for that is because Carragher is 100% committed to and focused on Liverpool. For the past 12 months that hasn't been the case with Gerrard, and his halo has definitely slipped.

Before all the Chelsea business, Gerrard could do no wrong. He was the prodigal son, the most popular player we've had since Fowler. It wasn't enough though.

He strayed, he cheated with a cheap cockney slut who is all fur coat and no knickers. She flashed her plastic tits at him, and he forgot all about the classy, loyal, beautiful wife that is Liverpool.

It's the equivalent of going out with Kelly Dalglish but planning to leave her for Jodie Marsh. Of course in the end he couldn't go through with it, but the wounds are still there and trust has be regained.

The only way he can do that is by signing a new deal (which he has done) and keeping his head down and let his performances speak for themselves. This was a damn good start.

So what if it was only TNS. The point is his attitude was good, and he saved us from embarrassment. Had he not been at it, where would the goals have come from?

Gerrard was head and shoulders above everybody bar Alonso. Those two were the only ones to show any kind of urgency. The rest treated it like a pre-season training session.

As expected Benitez left Baros out of the starting line up, but it was a surprise to Cisse alongside him on the subs bench. A partnership of Le Tallec and Morientes did not look very well balanced, and so it proved as neither enjoyed much success.

Garcia and Traore were ruled out through injury, and Darren Potter was given another run out on the right flank.

New signing Bolo Zenden also started on the bench, with Riise and Warnock employed in tandem down the left flank. Pepe Reina made his competitive Liverpool debut in goal, and won't have an easier game in his career.

Liverpool started well enough, and the question most fans were asking was how many we'd get. I went for a scoreline of 8-0, and when Gerrard opened the scoring early on I expected the floodgates to open.

Chances were being created regularly, but TNS keeper Ged Doherty was in good form and made several saves. Gerrard doubled the lead inside 20 minutes, but then the reds seemed to drop the tempo.

Alonso did his best to keep things ticking over, but the service from the flanks dried up and the strikers were both off colour. The only genuine threat was coming from Gerrard's marauding runs.

The 2nd half was absolutely terrible. TNS were incapable of posing any problems of their own, but they worked hard and were very compact.

With Morientes and Le Tallec both wanting to drop off and play with their backs to goal, it played into the Welsh minnow's hands. Baros would have ripped them to pieces, and even though I could understand the reason for leaving him out, I was still itching for him to be brought on.

And what of Cisse? Surely he is someone who could have done with a game like this to get some goals under his belt? We had to wait a long time for him to eventually appear, and even then it was on the right wing.

He made a difference, and his pace gave TNS something to think about. On the other flank, Zenden was delivering teasing crosses seemingly at will. Usually they were just an inch or two too high for Morientes or Ciise, but Peter Crouch will eat those up.

Morientes missed some glorious chances in this game, and will wonder how he never added to the two goals he notched at Wrexham at the weekend. He's a player with a lot to prove this season, as for all his undoubted quality he hasn't delivered for us yet.

As time ticked away, it looked as though TNS would be celebrating a fine result. 2-0 at Anfield would have been a great achievement for them.

Luckily for us, Gerrard had other ideas and made the scoreline a bit more respectable with a low shot with his left foot which found the bottom corner of the Kop goal for his first ever hat-trick.

The main thing in these games is to just get through and get some fitness under our belts. So I guess it's mission accomplished, but it wasn't particularly pretty to watch.

There were some entertaining moments, such as Carragher's dummy and turn on the left wing in the 2nd half, and Xabi was a joy to watch as always.

It was Gerrard's night though, and if this is a sign of what's to come from him this season then we're in for a treat.

 

Team: Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Warnock (Zenden); Potter (Cisse), Gerrard, Alonso, Riise; Le Tallec, Morientes:

Agree or disagree? Email me at dave@liverpoolway.co.uk

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