Liverpool FC 0 –Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
Rafa Benitez made two changes to the team that beat top-four rivals Spurs last week with skipper Gerrard and new-boy Maxi Rodriguez handed starts for the Molineux trip yesterday.
As it happens neither player left their mark on the game, with Gerrard - returning from a hamstring injury - looking particularly rusty but Rafa was happy with the duo's performances in the nil nil draw.
Benitez admitted that the skipper’s fitness could prove decisive in his team’s battle for fourth place. He said: “It was good to see Stevie play. We know he is a key player for us and has to build up his match fitness. You can see the difference from when he is fully fit to when he is coming back from injury.
Gerrard was restored to the starting line-up in place of Alberto Aquilani, with Benitez explaining: “The decision tonight was to play Gerrard or Aquilani. I think Gerrard has the power and the delivery to change games and can support the striker in a different way.
Maxi Rodriguez was handed a first start since his move from Atletico Madrid, and Benitez added: “Maxi was good in possession, and having played 90 minutes he will be able to see the difference between the Spanish and English league.
And on Rodriguez's role he added: "He can give us more competition for each position and that is also good because we have problems in the wide areas."
The first half was hardly riveting stuff. Doyle went close for Wolves after a good build up but his shot was just the wrong side of the post. To say we lacked a cutting edge would be a massive understatement. We rarely threatened as both sides struggled to make an impact against the respective defences. Although there was all to play for neither manager would have been particularly enthused as they went in to give their half time team talk? More football, more confidence and, above all, entertainment please!
Sadly in the second half we were “treated” to more of the same. It was, to be frank, poor stuff. The game was crying out for a goal but neither side had the wherewithal to deliver. It sounds like a pointless “what if” argument but we needed someone like Torres to create a goal from nothing, as he is more than capable of. Towards the end we cranked the pressure up. Carragher drove a shot that went about ten meters wide. It summed up the quality of the game and both team’s night.
Even with the return of fit-again talisman Steven Gerrard, the Merseysiders' uninspiring display saw maximum points elude them and leave them trailing Tottenham by three points in the race for fourth place
Rafa Benitez made two changes to the team that beat top-four rivals Spurs last week with skipper Gerrard and new-boy Maxi Rodriguez handed starts for the Molineux trip yesterday.As it happens neither player left their mark on the game, with Gerrard - returning from a hamstring injury - looking particularly rusty but Rafa was happy with the duo's performances in the nil nil draw.
Benitez admitted that the skipper’s fitness could prove decisive in his team’s battle for fourth place. He said: “It was good to see Stevie play. We know he is a key player for us and has to build up his match fitness. You can see the difference from when he is fully fit to when he is coming back from injury.
Gerrard was restored to the starting line-up in place of Alberto Aquilani, with Benitez explaining: “The decision tonight was to play Gerrard or Aquilani. I think Gerrard has the power and the delivery to change games and can support the striker in a different way.
Maxi Rodriguez was handed a first start since his move from Atletico Madrid, and Benitez added: “Maxi was good in possession, and having played 90 minutes he will be able to see the difference between the Spanish and English league.
And on Rodriguez's role he added: "He can give us more competition for each position and that is also good because we have problems in the wide areas."
The first half was hardly riveting stuff. Doyle went close for Wolves after a good build up but his shot was just the wrong side of the post. To say we lacked a cutting edge would be a massive understatement. We rarely threatened as both sides struggled to make an impact against the respective defences. Although there was all to play for neither manager would have been particularly enthused as they went in to give their half time team talk? More football, more confidence and, above all, entertainment please!
Sadly in the second half we were “treated” to more of the same. It was, to be frank, poor stuff. The game was crying out for a goal but neither side had the wherewithal to deliver. It sounds like a pointless “what if” argument but we needed someone like Torres to create a goal from nothing, as he is more than capable of. Towards the end we cranked the pressure up. Carragher drove a shot that went about ten meters wide. It summed up the quality of the game and both team’s night.
Even with the return of fit-again talisman Steven Gerrard, the Merseysiders' uninspiring display saw maximum points elude them and leave them trailing Tottenham by three points in the race for fourth place
