Bolton v Liverpool ~ Match Report

[gerrard]

BOLTON WANDERERS 2 - 3 LIVERPOOL
Saturday 29 August 2009 15:00 , Barclays Premier League

GERRARD THE HERO AS REDS TRIUMPH

Liverpool came from behind twice to secure a pulsating 3-2 victory over Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium.


Liverpool: Reina, Insua, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Johnson, Riera, Mascherano, Leiva, Kuyt, Gerrard (captain), Torres. Subs - Skrtel, Benayoun, Plessis, Dossena, Kelly, Gulacsi, Voronin

Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Samuel, Cahill, Knight, Ricketts, Taylor, Muamba, Davis, Cohen, Davies (captain), Elmander. Subs - Habsi, Lee, Riga, O'Brien, Robinson, Basham, Steinsson



Man-of-the-Match: Fernando Torres

Breakdown

14:01 GMT : Match Starts
1 min : Alan Wiley gets the game underway at the Reebok. Liverpool in red
1 min : The Liverpool players wearing black armbands in support of Diego Cavalieri, whose father passed away
3 mins : Johnson has space down the right hand side, his cross to the far post is headed over by Torres
5 mins : Kyrgaikos heads clear under pressure from Bolton's first free kick of the afternoon
8 mins : Neat play from Reina to keep the ball away from Davies and launch the Reds on another attack
9 mins : Riera is clattered from behind by Ricketts - we have a chance to get the ball into the box
12 mins : Mascherano is next to be taken out by a Bolton player as Davies launches into a wild tackle. No yellow card though
12 mins : Johnson cuts in onto his left foot and his shot towards the far corner just evades Torres who only needed a touch to score
14 mins : First Booking: Gary Cahill: Cahill goes into the book for a late tackle on Torres
17 mins : We're completely dominating the game so far - let's hope we can make our pressure and possession tell
18 mins : Really good cross from Riera which almost finds Lucas at the far post
22 mins : Riera lashes a shot goalwards from outside the area but the ball flies wide
26 mins : Lucas and Johnson combine but the full back's touch is too strong and a chance of a shot is gone
30 mins : Good defending from Kyrgiakos to head the danger clear after Bolton get the ball into the Liverpool area
31 mins : Good chance for Torres after weaving his way into space but Jaaskelainen saves his shot
33 mins : GOAL! Kevin Davies: Davies opens the scoring with a tap-in from Knight's header
36 mins : Bolton have a corner as they look to add to their lead. Big spell of the game now - we can't afford to concede another
37 mins : First Booking: Fabrice Muamba: Late tackle on Riera
39 mins : Torres blasts the ball wide of target after controlling the ball on a tight angle
41 mins : GOAL! Glen Johnson: Johnson drives a left footed shot into the bottom corner from outside the area to level the scores
45 mins : Lucas concedes a free kick on the edge of the area
45 mins : Bolton win a couple of late corners which we defend well
45 mins : First Booking: Sean Davis:
14:48 GMT : Half Time Reached
15:04 GMT : Second Half Begins
46 mins : Liverpool get the second period underway
47 mins : GOAL! Tamir Cohen: Cohen smashes the ball past Reina after it falls nicely to him inside the area
50 mins : We have a free kick in a dangerous area as we look to get back onto level terms again
51 mins : Kyrgiakos heads the ball wide at the far post as the free kick is floated in deep
53 mins : Gerrard's free kick is deflected behind for a corner which comes to nothing
55 mins : Sending Off: Sean Davis: Second yellow card for a foul on Lucas
56 mins : Gerrard blasts a right footed effort spectacularly against the bar. Brilliant effort from the skipper
57 mins : GOAL! Fernando Torres: Torres takes Kuyt's pass in his path and slots home the equaliser
58 mins : First Booking: Steven Gerrard:
61 mins : Mascherano's long range drive is well held by Jaaskelainen
62 mins : Substitution: Yossi Benayoun for Albert Riera:
66 mins : Gerrard curls the ball towards the top corner but just misses the target
67 mins : Kuyt has space on the right and slots a pass across the face of goal, but can't find a red shirt
72 mins : Kuyt has space on the right but drives a shot disappointingly wide
74 mins : Substitution: Andriy Voronin for Javier Mascherano:
75 mins : Johnson's shot from distance is gathered by Jaaskelainen
78 mins : Substitution: Gretar Rafn Steinsson for Tamir Cohen:
80 mins : Ten minutes to go - we're dominating play but running out of time to grab a winner
83 mins : Johnson's cross is turned away for another corner
83 mins : GOAL! Steven Gerrard: Super strike from the captain as he drives the ball into the roof of the net to give us a deserved lead
86 mins : Benayoun volleys wide and then Torres has a shot somehow scrambled off the line
87 mins : Substitution: Andrea Dossena for Dirk Kuyt:
90 mins : Substitution: Mustapha Riga for Fabrice Muamba:
15:53 GMT : Match Over

*thanks to lfc.tv


** we showed real fight today and got the result, we gotta get better though

[gerrard]

..... post match reaction......


RAFA DELIGHTED WITH REDS RESPONSE





Rafael Benitez admitted he was delighted with the reaction of his Liverpool players after the Reds beat Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.
Liverpool twice came from behind to secure an impressive 3-2 win, courtesy of goals from Glen Johnson, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

Following Monday's defeat to Aston Villa, victory over the Trotters comes as a welcome tonic for the Reds.

"Today all of the players wanted to impress and do well - they knew we needed to improve," Benitez told reporters at a post-match press conference.

"From the first minute, the players were playing with a great determination to win and it was important to have this mentality. I am really pleased with the reaction of the players.

"I think today we showed we have quality and when we play at our level, we can beat anyone.

"We had a game plan and we wanted to keep the ball and have plenty of possession. It was a difficult game and we had to come from behind twice, but I think we showed a lot of character.

"We have to improve on some other things, but at least we have won and we can prepare for our next game a little bit more relaxed."

With the scoreline poised at 2-1 in their favour, Bolton were reduced to ten men in the 55th minute when Sean Davis was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Benitez added: "We had plenty of possession playing 11 against 11. Against ten players, it was easier to keep control of the ball, but sometimes it can be more difficult playing against ten men because everybody works harder.

"We stayed calm and were moving and passing the ball. Last year we did the same and won some games like this, and it is important for the confidence of the players."

Meanwhile, Benitez admitted he was pleased with the performance of Greek debutant Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

He said: "It was a difficult game for Kyrgiakos, but I am really pleased because he was very dominant in the air against Kevin Davies, which is not easy, and also Johan Elmander.

"I think for his first game in England he was really good."

*thanks to lfc.tv

[elroja]

Relieved relieved relieved

[gonzales]

Too right elroja we needed them points alright

Criticism of Lucas mind, dont like players 'reminding' the ref to book a player, its not the Liverpool way so stop it mate