Chelsea 0 Liverpool 1
Mereiles 69
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The first half began tediously.
Kenny Dalglish had decided to go 3-5-2 and shut the game down.
He was always a good tactician and he never forgets he\’s in the results business.
As a football spectacle it was beyond dull, absolutely hopeless, ghastly stuff.
I often enjoy a tactical game but this,at first, was unwatchable.
The first ten minutes was sparring, very constipated, with the Chelsea diamond not shining, Anelka just behind Drogba and Torres, no fluency, strangers under floodlights.
Liverpool had won only two of their last 20 league visits to Stanford Bridge and it looked as if Kenny was planning to bring on Suarez for the last 20 and nick a 1-0.
When Gerrard crossed from the left, Maxi connected at the far post. But he shinned the ball against the bar from three yards !
When Kelly crossed from the right, Cech and Ivanovic both went for it and Cech screamed at the defender, who was on the ground. Ivanovic jumped up and shouted abuse back.
At half-time it was 0-0, which good for Arsenal if it stayed that way.
Second half, Torres never had a kick. He was invisible. As soon as the £50 million man went off in 65, Chelsea improved, with Kalou restoring their normal 4-3-3.
Within minutes, Anelka and Essien had half-decent efforts.
Then, suddenly and thrillingly, Gerrard broke on the right and his cross bisected Cech and Kuyt and Mereiles scored his fourth goal in the last five games, racing in at the far post for a left foot shot on the half-volley.Great balance, super skill, another very good goal.
The move had been started slowly, at the back, by Lucas, and when Gerrard accelerated down the right, the man he got past in the left back position was Frank Lampard.
Malouda came on and banged a shot against Pepe Reina\’s broad chest from an impossible angle.
Then new defender David Luiz came on and immediately blocked a Mereiles shot. Luiz is a good footballer who knows he\’s good footballer and looks much younger than his 23 years. Football doesn’t put lines on your face, it just puts muscles on your legs. Management is different. That puts lines on your face and turns your hair grey.
A very unsatisfactory day for Chelsea. Their midfield was abject, Liverpool knew everything about what Torres does, and nobody knows more about how Chelsea play than Kenny’s new No.2 Steve Clarke.
As I noted last week, Liverpool have suddenly started to look solid.
Good defence is in their DNA.
Four clean sheets in a row hoists them to sixth place, one point above Sunderland and six below Spurs and Chelsea.
A tremendous team performance. In common with all other clubs, Liverpool need the points.
Jamie Carragher\’s face looked totally drained at the end. But there will be a smile on it tomorrow. Jamie knows he won\’t be enjoying many more wins at Stamford Bridge.