Post by gerrard on Apr 1, 2010 21:12:55 GMT
Birmingham 1-1 Liverpool
Barclays Premier League
4th Apr 2010 * KO 15:00
Ground: St Andrews Stadium
Teams:
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Benayoun, Gerrard, Lucas, Maxi, Torres, Kuyt. Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Agger, Babel, Mascherano, Ngog, Degen.
Birmingham: Hart, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Gardner, Ferguson, Bowyer, Fahey, Jerome, McFadden. Subs: Taylor, Larsson, Phillips, Benitez, Michel, Parnaby, Vignal.
Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League have been dented following a 1-1 draw against Birmingham.
Steven Gerrard gave his side a lead just after the break at St Andrews only to have it cancelled out shortly after by Liam Ridgewell.
The result leaves Liverpool four points behind fourth-placed Man City with five matches remaining - and Roberto Mancini's men have a game in hand.
Rafa Benitez made three changes to the side that lost 2-1 in Benfica on Thursday night, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Maxi Rodriguez and Yossi Benayoun starting ahead of the benched Daniel Agger, Ryan Babel and Javier Mascherano.
It was one of these new faces who created a decent opening for Fernando Torres after seven minutes, Rodriguez dinking a lovely ball into the box only for El Nino to mis-control with his chest.
The 27,909 crowd had to wait 15 minutes for either side to muster a shot at goal, and even then it was an easy save for Birmingham stopper Joe Hart after a deflection took the power from Dirk Kuyt's effort.
Emiliano Insua tried his luck from the edge of the box after Gerrard mis-kicked his corner, while Torres almost created something from nothing with a curler from 20 yards.
Birmingham, meanwhile, were reduced to the odd counter-attack and firing an occasional dead ball into Pepe Reina's area.
Liverpool's best chance of the first half followed a long throw from their goalkeeper, Kuyt collecting possession before cutting inside to Benayoun. The Israeli found Torres, whose cross was smacked against the crossbar by Rodriguez.
It seemed to rouse the hosts, who finally managed a shot on 37 minutes through former Everton forward James McFadden. Cameron Jerome then stung Reina's palms, with Scott Dann heading narrowly over from the resulting corner.
Any momentum Birmingham created before the break was lost two minutes after the restart when Glen Johnson's wayward shot fell to Gerrard on the left-hand side of the penalty area. The No.8 skipped past Stephen Carr before driving through a crowded six-yard box into the bottom corner.
An excellent intervention from Emiliano Insua prevented Lee Bowyer testing Reina as the Blues looked to respond, but the home fans only had to wait until the 56th minute to see their side level.
Benitez will not be happy with the way his troops defended James McFadden's cross, with Ridgewell left unmarked to tap in at the far post.
The Liverpool manager's next move was to replace Torres with the fresh legs of David Ngog after 20 minutes of the second half.
The young Frenchman nearly justified the decision shortly after with a header just wide from Johnson's cross, while at the other end Bowyer submitted his entry for miss of the season by totally bobbling McFadden's inviting ball across the side-yard box.
Rodriguez, who was at the centre of most of Liverpool's promising attacks, did well to win possession in a decent area before Ngog blasted into the side netting.
The Argentina international almost showed his teammate how it was done when he fired towards the top corner - but sadly for Liverpool substitute Alberto Aquilani was standing in the way.
Gerrard was next to threaten with a curling shot from 20 yards, while Rodriguez should perhaps have done more than volley into the stands from a really good position as injury-time loomed.
Babel then rippled the side netting, but it was Ngog who spurned the final chance of the game after finding himself one-on-one with Hart.
At any other time a 1-1 at St Andrews - where City, United, Arsenal and Chelsea have all been held this season - would be classed as a decent result. But at a time when Liverpool are clinging on to hopes of Champions League qualification, it will inevitably be seen as two points dropped.
*lfc.tv
Barclays Premier League
4th Apr 2010 * KO 15:00
Ground: St Andrews Stadium
Teams:
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Insua, Benayoun, Gerrard, Lucas, Maxi, Torres, Kuyt. Subs: Cavalieri, Aquilani, Agger, Babel, Mascherano, Ngog, Degen.
Birmingham: Hart, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Gardner, Ferguson, Bowyer, Fahey, Jerome, McFadden. Subs: Taylor, Larsson, Phillips, Benitez, Michel, Parnaby, Vignal.
Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League have been dented following a 1-1 draw against Birmingham.
Steven Gerrard gave his side a lead just after the break at St Andrews only to have it cancelled out shortly after by Liam Ridgewell.
The result leaves Liverpool four points behind fourth-placed Man City with five matches remaining - and Roberto Mancini's men have a game in hand.
Rafa Benitez made three changes to the side that lost 2-1 in Benfica on Thursday night, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, Maxi Rodriguez and Yossi Benayoun starting ahead of the benched Daniel Agger, Ryan Babel and Javier Mascherano.
It was one of these new faces who created a decent opening for Fernando Torres after seven minutes, Rodriguez dinking a lovely ball into the box only for El Nino to mis-control with his chest.
The 27,909 crowd had to wait 15 minutes for either side to muster a shot at goal, and even then it was an easy save for Birmingham stopper Joe Hart after a deflection took the power from Dirk Kuyt's effort.
Emiliano Insua tried his luck from the edge of the box after Gerrard mis-kicked his corner, while Torres almost created something from nothing with a curler from 20 yards.
Birmingham, meanwhile, were reduced to the odd counter-attack and firing an occasional dead ball into Pepe Reina's area.
Liverpool's best chance of the first half followed a long throw from their goalkeeper, Kuyt collecting possession before cutting inside to Benayoun. The Israeli found Torres, whose cross was smacked against the crossbar by Rodriguez.
It seemed to rouse the hosts, who finally managed a shot on 37 minutes through former Everton forward James McFadden. Cameron Jerome then stung Reina's palms, with Scott Dann heading narrowly over from the resulting corner.
Any momentum Birmingham created before the break was lost two minutes after the restart when Glen Johnson's wayward shot fell to Gerrard on the left-hand side of the penalty area. The No.8 skipped past Stephen Carr before driving through a crowded six-yard box into the bottom corner.
An excellent intervention from Emiliano Insua prevented Lee Bowyer testing Reina as the Blues looked to respond, but the home fans only had to wait until the 56th minute to see their side level.
Benitez will not be happy with the way his troops defended James McFadden's cross, with Ridgewell left unmarked to tap in at the far post.
The Liverpool manager's next move was to replace Torres with the fresh legs of David Ngog after 20 minutes of the second half.
The young Frenchman nearly justified the decision shortly after with a header just wide from Johnson's cross, while at the other end Bowyer submitted his entry for miss of the season by totally bobbling McFadden's inviting ball across the side-yard box.
Rodriguez, who was at the centre of most of Liverpool's promising attacks, did well to win possession in a decent area before Ngog blasted into the side netting.
The Argentina international almost showed his teammate how it was done when he fired towards the top corner - but sadly for Liverpool substitute Alberto Aquilani was standing in the way.
Gerrard was next to threaten with a curling shot from 20 yards, while Rodriguez should perhaps have done more than volley into the stands from a really good position as injury-time loomed.
Babel then rippled the side netting, but it was Ngog who spurned the final chance of the game after finding himself one-on-one with Hart.
At any other time a 1-1 at St Andrews - where City, United, Arsenal and Chelsea have all been held this season - would be classed as a decent result. But at a time when Liverpool are clinging on to hopes of Champions League qualification, it will inevitably be seen as two points dropped.
*lfc.tv
