Bolton Wanderers 3-1 Liverpool Match Report
Liverpool travelled to Bolton in search of their first league win of the New Year. Bolton have had a tough first half of the season as they languish near the bottom of the table, but they have picked up in recent weeks. Liverpool have had a good recent record at the Reebok Stadium looking for their 5th consecutive win at the venue and hoping to keep in the chase for a top four place.
The Team
Dalglish made four changes to the team that drew with Stoke last weekend, with Bellamy, Carroll, Agger and Maxi returning to the team as Liverpool looked to continue their good away form. The defence had a familiar look to it with Agger returning alongside Johnson, Skrtel and Enrique. Adam partnered Gerrard in the middle of midfield with Maxi and Henderson alongside them. Bellamy would support Andy Carroll up front.
The Match
Liverpool looked shaky from the start and they were rocked in the 4th minute when Bolton took the lead when Davies ran right through the heart of the Liverpool defence before stabbing a low effort into the bottom corner.
Moments later Eagles muscled past Enrique before shooting right across the face of goal as Liverpool struggled to cope with Bolton’s bright start. Then Maxi handled a long clearance from Reina as he tried to control. Bellamy and Henderson had efforts blocked as Liverpool tried to respond.
Liverpool had a shout for a penalty when an Adam free-kick ended up hitting Knight on the hand but referee Friend waved away the appeals. But Liverpool fell further behind when Reo-Coker fired passed Reina after a pass from Eagles.
Liverpool responded in the 38th minute when Carroll flicked on a long ball to Bellamy who ran through on goal before chipping the ball past the advancing Bogdan to give Liverpool hope. With Liverpool down 2-1 at the half Dalglish would be hoping for better in the second half.
But in the 5th minute of the second half Bolton took a 3-1 lead when Steinsson smashed a volley low into the Liverpool net after a Wheater knock down from a corner. Dalglish brought on Kuyt and Downing as he hoped for a comeback but the closest the visitors came to goal was a long range effort from Agger which hit the top of the crossbar. It was a very disappointing day for Liverpool as they were well beat.
Summary
It was a very disappointing result and performance from Liverpool against a Bolton side who has been struggling this season. I couldn’t fault Dalglish’s team selection, and I was pleased to see Maxi return to the team. The poorest performance by far this season and the defence was terrible considering how strong they have been all season. League results need to pick up quickly or fourth spot will be a pipe dream.
Man Of The Match – Bellamy – played well, scored a good goal, always shows a fighting spirit.
written by Jamie McLaughlin website www.anfieldnews.com
disappointing? I will call it pathetic. Esp carroll downing nd henderson. Im so angered and disappointed by the lack of will nd passion! We supporters love this club and give up our valuable timd at work and family to watch the games whenever possible. We are the reason this club exists in the 1st place. And thats the kind of pathetic performance u get from the players. Im not saddened by the fact that we were beaten but the idiocrity,disorganisation and the lack of respect 4 da opposition is what dissapoints me. We don’t pay for the tickets or watch the game to see the thing wat we saw from the team on wednesday. I hav supported carroll,downing and adam for too long and i have lost faith in all of them. 7 months is a fair time 2 settle in a club and we can’t use the lame excuse of ‘they will come good eventually’ we have spent 100mn on them and except enrique,suarez and bellamy rest have been terrible. With all due respect to dalglisg its time he stop moaning about our lack of luck and start changing his plans by realising
his mistake and cutting out the losses omw the rubbish hes bough. He should stop buying average british players and go for foreign players! Dnt thnk there has been a single brilliant english player other than gerrard and rooney. English players are just average crap!
The Reds need to do damage limitation with the squad but if this tendency continuous I fear we might need to start from scratch! The performance at the Reebok was embarrassing and is unforgivable. I was utterly disgusted.
That was excruciating and what makes it worse is this “buy british” policy that makes no sense. What…the English Nat. team is so good?!
We shipped Miereles who was the one to rescue points on more than one occasion (clearly we need such players) last year and replaced him with much much less quality. It is bad enough watching these displays but it is even worse trying to figure out what exactly is going on in KK’s head both in team selection and buying? I just don’t see where this misery will end…certainly not this season unless he buys and buys pretty big. These players need to get their heads out of their behinds and make it work
if Carrol and Adam as we been told are still getting used to play for liverpool big club pressure no doubt then I have to take issue with KK as Enrique settled in quite nicely and more importantly Coates young as he is has done particularly well when called up for duty.You have talent you put it out there straight away.Take care with Suarez the jury is out conversion rate nothing to write home about.Hendo is just not going to cut it.Be ready for civil war as we all going to be hit with the blame game as to WHO we should apportion the blame for the buys YNWA
Its funny how when a player comes good its down to comoli but when a player fails it was down to Kenny. Some fans just love to have a go. It was Kenny who insisted on signing Bellamy despite John henry saying we wont sign ‘players of a certain age’. Rafa fans complained of interference when he was in charge yet it is actually Kenny who has had the most nonsense to put up with in Comoli.