Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Liverpool 0, West Ham United 0

Robert Green celebrates a hard-won point at Anfield.

‘TOP of the league, you’re having a laugh,’ sang the travelling fans. Liverpool may well have moved to the summit, but nobody at Anfield is smiling this morning. It’s a mark of raised expectation for Rafael Benitez’s side this season that moving clear at the top of the table was met with such disappointment last night. Frustration rather than elation was the overriding emotion as, for the second home Premier League game in succession, Liverpool were held to a goalless draw by London opposition. First Fulham, now West Ham United. While Benitez’s side produced a noticeably improved performance, the end result was still the same. Chelsea’s home defeat to Arsenal the previous day had opened the way for Liverpool to take full advantage. And although they now lead by a point, this was a definite opportunity missed.

Robbie Keane - later subbed - rues a missed opportunity...

Fernando Torres scored a hat-trick the last time these met in March, but yet another hamstring injury meant the Spaniard was forced to watch from the stands as his Liverpool struggled to find an end product to their territorial dominance. How he was missed. The first-half corner count of 9-0 in the home side’s favour told the pattern of the game, but the longer Benitez’s side knocked on the door, the less likely it seemed West Ham would let them in. Paired in attack, Dirk Kuyt toiled without reward while Robbie Keane again struggled. The Irishman held his head in his hands when his number came up during the second half, but he had made little impression.
Kuyt was among those denied by Hammers keeper Green as Liverpool went top with a goalless draw...
Liverpool ’s evening was summed up when Steven Gerrard produced an airshot when the ball dropped invitingly on the edge of the area.
No-one should write off the title chances of Benitez’s side after this result. But the shortcomings that have been nagging away for some time were horribly exposed again; Liverpool have scored just 13 goals in their last 11 outings.
ps: apa2 pon janji kat atas itu yg penting...teruskan diatas...