'Nobby' Styles was at his refereeing best with that red card. Yes, Rooney had gone off with a foot injury. Yes, it was a shocking tackle. Yes, it was funny to see Kitson leave after less than a minute on the pitch. But it was also a striker's tackle. Dear me.
To completely derail my own thread, I'd like to dissect Liverpool's performance vs Aston Villa, which, I'm pleased to say, the Reds won 2-1. But it looked like an overpriced Super Stevie Special. Again. For all the money we spent, it took another Stevie wonder to win it. Thank goodness we won our opening match (for the first time since 2002! Five years!). Benitez's spending spree has certainly brought physical strength to the side. Ryan Babel's substitution for Pennant provided quick proof that we have here a player with greater stability, power and consistency. Voronin's introduction also brought some steel into the striking options that will trouble defenders not only as they mark him, but as they try to clear. And the skill was also on display, although in brief glimpses. Say, when the Reds weren't lofting balls from midfield to the wings. The moments of play where the ball was moved on the ground, quickly and directly were wonderful to watch. The move that led to Liverpool's first goal. A joy to watch and reminiscent of Reds glory days, indicating that Kuyt and Torres share a quickness in thinking paired with a willingness of one (Kuyt) to open up play and work hard for the other (Torres). It was Kuyt's dummy that released Torres, and Kuyt's continued run and persistence that allowed him to reach Torres's saved shot, and smash the ball into a crowded goalmouth where a teammate or harried opponent might be expected to deflect it into goal (which they did). Torres's swivel in the Villa box with his back to goal (right before the first goal) to extricate himself from amongst three defenders, and create just enough space for a shot was another flash of brilliance. The way the ball was laid off for shots was reassuring and symptomatic of Liverpool's dominance of the match. But the finishing was not. The profligacy remains. If Benitez's target is 60 goals this season, then an own goal and a last-minute rocket from ol' Stevie is nothing to crow about. For the next match, I'm expecting them to start with Babel instead of Pennant. I'd also like to see a different option from Alonso, perhaps Sissoko. Alonso was near invisible. I think I only noticed him playing two or three passes, and not contributing much else. Playing with Stevie forward plus two wingers leaves nobody to protect Alonso and provide a platform for his more refined play. They've got a Champs league qualifier to work things out before ... Chelsea. That's the first real test of the summer spending.
Wait a sec, that's too much content. Hit me with just a sound bite: do I keep Voronin or not? And does Rafa rotate too much, a la Jimy Williams? Nothing is true or false unless there is a meaningless historical comparison to be made.
Sissoko or Mash will start the next two games, probably the former on Tuesday or else why was he subbed in. I would be thrilled to see Babel in place of Pennant though I wonder when Yossi will get a run out. Chelsea will (probably) be missing Terry, Essien, Shevchenko, and Ballack this weekend. Honestly I don't see Salomon Kalou or Shaun Wright-Phillips will be problems for our defense though Joe Cole, if played, is always difficult for the Reds and Drogba is, well, Drogba. At least the game will be live on FSC.
This seems to have free match highlights from all the English games, though I'm not getting any joy trying to watch on this Linux box.
It works here on Windows NT.
No, I can't get it to work on linux either. I'll try with OSX later.
Doesn't work for me on OS X with Firefox, Sal. Crouch, Mascherano and Benayoun are all in the squad for tomorrow's match at Toulouse and Pennant was left at home (yay).
