LIVERPOOL went to the top of Group A in the Europa League on Thursday after an entertaining 1-0 win over Russian billionaires Anzhi Makhachkala.
The winning goal came from a superb Stewart Downing strike in the second half, but yet again it should have been a more comfortable evening.
The opening exchanges fell into the usual Anfield-based pattern of Liverpool dominating possession and the away side setting their stall out with no other intention but to play for a point.
However, Liverpool did manage to break the Iron Curtain on several occasions in the first half and the main architects were Glen Johnson and Oussama Assaidi, who combined excellently down the left-hand side.
After a great one-two between the pair on 11 minutes, which featured a beautifully curled ball from Johnson, the tricky Moroccan pulled the ball back to Luis Suarez, who could only fire straight at Vladimir Gabulov.
Another example of fine combination play between the pair came on 20 minutes. This time it resulted in an Assaidi cut-back and Johnson shot which was far too close to the keeper.
It was a good start from Liverpool and a further chance fell to Jonjo Shelvey on 23 minutes. The home side’s relentless pressing in the opposition half ended up with Suarez forcing a defensive error; he pulled the ball back for Shelvey, but he disappointingly ballooned over from the edge of the box.
It’s a lack of finishing ability which probably encapsulates Liverpool’s profligacy in the final third. The chances hadn’t stopped there though and they came with absolutely no reply from an expensively assembled but surprisingly poor looking Anzhi side.
Another brilliant one-two (you can’t beat a well executed one-two) between Suarez and Johnson left the England full-back yards from goal. He looked to have been fouled as he attempted to pull the trigger, but replays show that Johnson should have took a shot instead of going down and seeking a penalty.
Liverpool came out the blocks even quicker in the second period and almost broke the deadlock on 49 minutes. A long ball from Stewart Downing was flicked on by a Raheem Sterling header that fell straight to Jonjo Shelvey. He cut the ball back across the box to Steven Gerrard, but he could only head high and wide.
A goal finally arrived on 53 minutes and it came from an unlikely source. After being asked to play left-back following Sterling’s replacing of Johnson at half-time, Stewart Downing received the ball 30 yards out, cut inside his marker and unleashed a fine right-footed drive which arrowed straight into the Kop net.
It was a fine goal and the Europa League is proving to be a good competition for him. This goal adds to his three assists and other long range goal in the qualifying rounds.
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Liverpool nearly doubled their lead almost immediately when Suarez’s fizzing left-footed effort had half the ground cheering; unfortunately though it had struck the stanchion and ruffled the outside of the net.
With Liverpool’s failure to widen their lead, it was inevitable that Anzhi would begin to venture forward the longer the game went on, and so it proved.
After a suicidal pass across the box from Stewart Downing and Martin Skrtel’s subsequent failure to clear, the ball fell to football’s highest paid player Samuel Eto’o (he has earned approximately £3000 in the time it has taken to draft this match report), who could only fire straight at Brad Jones.
But Liverpool continued to look threatening and Oussama Assaidi broke clear on 74 minutes after an impudent flick around his marker, he then cut inside Joao Carlos in the box but couldn’t get a shot away.
Other half-chances came from Anzhi, most notably from their dangerous looking right-winger Mehdi Carcela and their giant substitute Lacina Traore, but they couldn’t find an equaliser.
In fact, Liverpool could have been awarded a second goal on 80 minutes after a typically intelligent bit of play from Daniel Agger. After roaming forward for a Liverpool set-piece he sneaked in behind Gabulov who had just caught the ball, the classy Dane then headed the ball from the keeper’s right hand before firing the ball into the net. It was disallowed by the referee however.
Liverpool retreated further in the final moments and it resulted in another edgy finish, but eventually the final whistle came and it signalled a second successive victory.
The squad will now begin to feel confident and the timing of that couldn’t be better going into a massively important Merseyside Derby. A win at Goodison will revitalise the club’s league campaign and they couldn’t have put themselves in a much better frame of mind in terms of getting the result.
However, Sunday will be an entirely different challenge against an impressive looking Everton side.
Last night, Liverpool’s attacking play was dynamic, fluent and very pleasing on the eye. Indeed, this was a much improved performance from the Reading fixture, but their lack of ruthlessness with the final pass and/or finish is still, unfortunately, a concern.
Let’s hope that Liverpool eventually start to impress in this area of play, because on last night’s evidence, there isn’t much else wrong with the side.
L4L Man of the Match: Oussama Assaidi. The tricky Morrocan was a constant thorn in the Russians’ side and sparked excitement whenever he received possession. Like all good wingers, he turns on a six-pence and it appears to be something that defenders struggle to cope with. If he continues to perform like this, it will be hard for Rodgers to ignore his claim for a regular starting berth. He just pips Andre Wisdom who put in another outstanding performance.
Follow me on Twitter: @antonyjlfc
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not impressed . decent performance but far from convincing . assaidi although quick and tricky produced no end product . wisdom excellent , and how many times did suarez lose possession ?
ok performance , they could have equalled ,should never have let it get close .should be beatin teams like that easy