Monday 29 November 2010

Reds sunk by own failure in the 2nd half

Sports - Football - Premier League - Tottenham 2:1 Liverpool

This was certainly a game of two halves which reflects Liverpool's season so far, from top to flop in one game, a rollercoster ride display with a crashing end as far as the Reds are concerned.


Liverpool started on top, with chance after chance, Maxi Rodriguez sending one wide, having another smartly palmed round the post by goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.

Spurs had their fair share of chances, too, former Red Peter Crouch stearing one wide, Jermain Defoe volleying a Luka Modric cross into Pepe Reina's gloves, for him to palm it back to the England striker, his close range shot blocked on the goal-line by Jamie Carragher.

Martin Skrtel then took the lead for the Reds just before half time. He reacted the quickest when his header off a free-kick came off his team-mate David Ngog, sending in the loose ball.

Spurs could not have wished for a better comeback in the second half, although Defoe sent the spot-kick horribly wide which Ngog blatantly conceded blocking a Gareth Bale free-kick with his arms.

Bale had his strike headed off the line by Raul Meireles only minutes before the penalty miss. But Modric eased Tottenham's disappointment soon after, breaking through the Red defence with cool ease, seeing his cross to Crouch netted in by Skrtel - turning him from the hero into the villain for the guests.


Both sides pressed after that, were denied penalties, you just knew this game was not going to settle with a draw.

Aaron Lennon made sure of that with an injury-time winner, earning his side a dramatic win and three points, side-footing the ball past Reina.

After Liverpool's missed chances and them not taking full advantage in the first half, you just felt the turnaround for Spurs and that the Reds just did not do or have enough to stop the hosts and keep it up and going for themselves.

After their 3-2 win against local rivals Arsenal last Saturday and the midweek victory over Werder Bremen in the Champions League, Tottenham proved they are fit for the top four crunch of the Premier League.

Harry Redknapp should and can be more than happy and very proud of his side and their accomplishments - less the case with Roy Hodgson.

Tottenham: Gomes; Hutton, Bale, Kaboul (Bassong 36), Gallas; Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (scored 92), Van der Vaart (Defoe (Sandro 93)), Palacios; Modric, Crouch.
Subs not used: Cudicini, Corluka, Kranjcar, Pavlychenko.

Liverpool: Reina; Johnson (booked 88), Konchesky (booked 29), Carragher (booked 40, Kyrgiakos 86), Skrtel (scored 42, booked 60, OG 65); Meireles (booked 24), Maxi, Lucas; Torres, Kuyt, Ngog (Aurelio 74).
Subs not used: Jones, Poulsen, Shelvey, Jovanovic, Babel.

BBC Stats:
Tottenham-Liverpool
Attempts:
20-12
On target: 13-8
Corners: 5-8
Free kicks: 16-6
Possession: 51%-49%

Sky Sports Stats:
Tottenham-Liverpool
Attempts:
16-8
On target: 8-4
Offsides: 1-2
Corners: 5-8
Free kicks: 18-6
Possession: 50%-50%
Passing Success: 78.8%-77.6%
Tackles/Success: 19/78.8%-35/60%
Territorial Advantage: 47.2%-52.8%

Referee: Martin Atkinson
Man of the match: Luka Modric

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