Crewe A 0, Liverpool 3

Jul 16 2007 by Ben Thornley, Liverpool Daily Post

ANDRIY VORONIN arrived at Anfield eschewing the notion that he has moved to Merseyside merely to make up the numbers in Rafael Benitez’s strike force this season.

So far, however, the Ukrainian – who made an encouraging bow in the 3-0 victory at Crewe on Saturday – has twice already found his Liverpool entrance upstaged by his new colleagues.

The first of Rafael Benitez’s summer signings to be handed a pre-season debut by the manager, Voronin’s presentation to the media was unfortunately scheduled a day after the unveiling of £20m man Fernando Torres.

Were it not for his distinctive appearance – which has already made him something of a cult figure among fans – the Bosman free capture’s landing at Liverpool could almost have passed unnoticed.

And on Saturday, a promising first outing by the former Bayer Leverkusen man was overshadowed by the contribution of the club’s youngsters, Lee Peltier and Ray Putterill netting either side of Peter Crouch’s well-taken strike in the Gresty Road win.

Pre-season encounters can often descend into a lifeless amble, but thankfully the enthusiasm of hungry young players like Peltier, Putterill and Youth Cup winning captain Jay Spearing ensured that was never going to be the case on this occasion.

Spearing in particular was a busy and effective presence in the visitors midfield alongside Steven Gerrard. What better way can there to be to learn your trade than alongside the England midfielder – just as Gerrard himself benefited from the experience of Gary McAllister when he broke into the first team? The Liverpool skipper made a seamless return to action, giving his apprentice a master class in passing and movement.

Gerrard has yet to quite find his shooting range, though, the 27-year-old rattling the overhead with the first chance of the game – a curling left-footed effort from the edge of the box on five minutes.

With Benitez having lightened the pockets of Anfield’s new American owners to the tune of £40m, competition for places will be fiercer than ever this term – despite the outgoings which have given the club a net spend of around £15m for the summer.

With even internationals such as Xabi Alonso and Momo Sissoko – who replaced Gerrard and Spearing after the break – not guaranteed a regular starting berth, the chances afforded to academy graduates are likely to be few and far between.

Even in the absence of a host of internationals, including Torres, Javier Mascherano and Ryan Babel, Benitez was again able to field two entirely different sides in each half.

When opportunities do arrive, though, the likes of Spearing and Peltier have proven they will take them with gusto. Even then it is no guarantee of a continued run in the first XI, as the omitted Besian Idrizaj – who found himself back in reserve action on Friday night following a hat-trick at Wrexham the previous weekend – has discovered.

So keen was one starlet, tricky Moroccan winger Nabil El Zhar, to make an impression on his manager that he was warned to tone things down by the match official after leaving his mark on Billy Jones with a full-blooded tackle on 11 minutes.

It was a challenge certain to have been appreciated by Voronin, who romanticised about the physical side of the English game at great length at his unveiling. And it is that appetite for the grittier aspects of life in the Premiership that may yet help the pony-tailed frontrunner to become a success on these shores.

His partnership with Crouch will certainly be a useful option for Benitez to call upon on trips to some of the division’s less hospitable venues. As with Crouch, however, it would be a disservice to Voronin to value him for his physical presence alone.

The powerfully-built forward showed good reflexes in the build up to the opening goal, unleashing a powerful goal-bound shot after some neat interplay between Gerrard and El Zhar on 21 minutes.

Crewe’s Ben Williams proved to be the equal of the rasping effort, but the keeper could only palm the ball as far as utility man Peltier, who slotted neatly to begin the scoring.

One quickly became two, minutes later, as last season’s top scorer Crouch applied an expertly-taken finish to John Arne Riise’s cut back from the left.

Railwaymen striker Nicky Maynard lacked similar composure, however, when he escaped the attention of centre back Miki Roque, dinking his shot well wide with only the under-worked Pepe Reina to beat.

That lapse of concentration aside, Roque, who like Spearing benefited from the guidance of an experienced colleague – in his case Sami Hyypia, enjoyed a steadier outing than he did at the Racecourse. Benitez, though, is still hopeful of strengthening his defensive options before the transfer window closes at the end of August – preferably with Gabriel Heinze.

Any deal for the Manchester United left-back would undoubtedly put pressure on Riise, who may find himself stuck in a bottle neck for his position, although the injury-prone Fabio Aurelio is now a doubt for the start of the campaign. The Norwegian’s venomous left foot, though, remains a valuable asset, as he proved on the half hour mark when shaking an upright with a 25-yard drive, before then displaying his worth at set pieces.

Crouch was given the opportunity to double his haul from a long Riise throw, but his glancing header was comfortably gathered by Williams.

The keeper was almost embarrassed by Gerrard shortly before the interval, the Huyton-born midfielder attempting to lob him from his own half.

Williams recovered in time to spare his blushes, but he could have been forgiven for developing something of a complex as Alonso then attempted the same feat with similar success after the break.

He was at least spared the task of making a save from Alonso’s midfield partner Sissoko, when the Malian burst through Crewe’s ranks with a turn of pace.

With the hard work done, Sissoko showed little of the goalscoring instincts from his spell as a second striker at Auxerre by skewing horribly wide.

Sissoko has yet to register in 71 outings for Liverpool but Putterill – one of the stars of the club’s Youth Cup winning side – is unlikely to require as many opportunities on this evidence.

The young flyer grabbed the visitors third just before the hour, exchanging passes with Dirk Kuyt before picking his spot from range.

Craig Lindfield, who joined Kuyt in attack, wasn’t as clinical when the Dutchman crafted an opening for him on 66 minutes, before Alonso then went close with a spectacular attempt.

Having announced his intention to quit the international scene because of a lack of opportunities at centre-back – or rather having it less than discreetly announced for him – Jamie Carragher found himself utilised here as a right-back in the second half to accommodate Gabriel Paletta and Daniel Agger.

Thankfully, Benitez – unlike Steve McClaren – is aware he has one of the finest central defenders in Europe at his disposal and is unlikely to repeat the experiment.

Just to prove a point perhaps, though, on one foray along the right flank the Bootle stopper sent a 25-yard effort into the stands, although he did provide a teasing centre for Lindfield eight minutes from time.

Match facts

CREWE: Williams (Tomlinson 45), McCready (Faal-Thomas 79), Jones (Lynch 60), Cox (Bopp 60), Baudet, O'Donnell, Carrington (Moore 60), Schumacher (Bailey 85), Maynard (Pope 85), Lowe (Miller 60), Roberts (Stone 79).
 
LIVERPOOL: First half: Reina,Finnan, Hyypia, Roque, Riise, El Zhar, Peltier, Spearing, Gerrard, Crouch, Voronin. Second half: Martin, Carragher, Agger, Paletta, Arbeloa, Pennant, Alonso, Sissoko, Lindfield, Kuyt, Putterill.

GOALS: Peltier 21, Crouch 24, Putterill 58
 
REFEREE: Scott Mathieson
 
ATT: 9,764
 
NEXT GAME: Werder Bremen, FC Grenchen's Stadion Bruehl, Tuesday July 17, 7.15pm.