Chelsea 0, Liverpool 0 - post match analysis

Feb 11 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

THE drought may have continued at Stamford Bridge yesterday, but at least Rafael Benitez can now see the shoots of recovery from his Liverpool team.

Not for the first time, the Spaniard’s side departed Chelsea with an overriding feeling of frustration.

But a richly-deserved point gleaned from a gutsy, determined performance suggested the Anfield outfit have the stomach for the battle to maintain their place in the Premier League’s top four.

Too many of Benitez’s players have shirked their responsibilities during a dismal sequence of results that have exposed the limitations of Liverpool’s championship credentials.

Yesterday, however, his team were prepared to stand up and be counted, individuals rediscovering their form and, perhaps more significantly, queuing up to stake their claim for the man-of-the-match reward that has become the exclusive reserve of the scarce few in recent weeks.

Okay, Liverpool have still yet to score at Stamford Bridge after eight visits under Benitez, won just once at the venue in 23 games and have gained only one victory in their last seven Premier League games.

But this was the first time the Anfield outfit had avoided defeat at one of their so-called ‘big-four’ rivals since the Spaniard assumed control in the summer of 2004.

For that alone, the result is a landmark. The 150th competitive meeting between the teams may not linger long in the memory, but it may yet prove a turning point in Liverpool’s quest for Champions League qualification.

Benitez must surely be exasperated at why his team cannot perform with such desire and application every week.

But that is what the Spaniard has to encourage from his charges if they are to stave off the challengers, including a resurgent Everton, for that fourth place.

The sound of Chelsea being jeered off, despite stretching their unbeaten home record to 76 games and their current form to one defeat in 31 games, revealed the dissatisfaction among the home ranks.

However, this was no rearguard action from Liverpool. Instead, Benitez’s side played the better football and created the greater openings and were always the more likely to snaffle three points.

And while, on their last visit here for the Carling Cup quarter-final in December, Liverpool were punished for not capitalising on their period of dominance, Chelsea barely had an opening, Pepe Reina not a save of note to make.

Another clean sheet – Liverpool have conceded just eight in 13 away league games, the best in the top-flight – was all the more creditable given their absentee list at the back.

Already without Alvaro Arbeloa, Daniel Agger and Fabio Aurelio, Liverpool ’s defensive options were limited even further by injury to Sami Hyypia during the week.

It meant that, after his contentious switch to right-back against Sunderland the previous week, Jamie Carragher reverted to the centre of defence to partner Martin Skrtel.

The Slovakian has endured a baptism of fire since becoming the most expensive defender in Liverpool’s history when arriving from Zenit St Petersburg during the transfer window.

But, against the considerable threat of former Liverpool striker Nicolas Anelka, Skrtel was hugely impressive, especially having played much of the second half with a hand injury after falling awkwardly.

At the start of the season, yesterday’s fixture was touted as having a major bearing on the destination of the title.

Liverpool’s inconsistent form has downgraded their ambitions. Indeed, wins for Everton, Aston Villa and Manchester City earlier over the weekend heightened the need for Benitez’s side to take something from Stamford Bridge, where Everton and Villa had already salvaged last-minute draws earlier in the campaign.

Benitez, often accused of tinkering too much with his tactics, got it right yesterday.

Liverpool lined up with Lucas and Javier Mascherano as defensive midfielders ahead of a trio of Steven Gerrard, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel who alternated position in support of lone striker Peter Crouch.

On paper, it had looked a bit of a pig’s ear. But on the pitch, the players soon grew accustomed to the system with Mascherano in particular excelling, his tenacious, all-action performance making light of the fact he had only returned on Friday from appearing for Argentina against Guatemala in Los Angeles, a friendly which so infuriated Benitez.

While Lucas couldn’t maintain his high standard during the second half, the Brazilian continues to show signs of promise, and the performances of the South American duo provided the foundations for an adventurous first-half display in which Liverpool’s openings fell primarily to Crouch.

None were better than in the 18th minute, when the striker headed down a diagonal John Arne Riise pass into the path of Babel and lashed the return first-time narrowly beyond Petr Cech’s left-hand post.

Against any other opposition, Crouch’s effort would be considered hard luck. But with games between top teams decided by such fine margins, it was a decent chance spurned.

Despite his height, Crouch’s heading has never been his forte and three times the forward may have gleaned more from his aerial threat.

The England international headed wide from Finnan’s cross, nodded at Cech after Gerrard had burst beyond Frank Lampard to reach Kuyt’s flick, and then was off target when stretching to meet a ball from the Dutchman at the far post.

While Liverpool’s passing and movement grew in confidence, a labouring Chelsea were restricted to a penalty shout midway through the half that Joe Cole would have had more of a chance with referee Mike Riley had he not jumped into an unnecessarily hasty Mascherano challenge.

The absence of both Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba maybe dictated the game would be more absorbing than exciting.

Such a pattern of play remained the same after the break and, although Chelsea huffed and puffed to greater effect, Liverpool posed more danger going forward.

Lampard had returned after six weeks out with an injury to skipper to lead out the home team – although, contrary to the belief of one Press box wag, the midfielder was not also the well-fed individual resplendent in a Chelsea top that took to the pitch to lead the customary pre-match singalong.

But, hampered by a lack of match practice and completely overshadowed by a hard-working Steven Gerrard performance, Lampard had departed by the time Michael Ballack hooked Chelsea’s only significant chance of the match wide on 81 minutes.

Substitute Jermaine Pennant could have snatched a win for the visitors with a late header, but a goalless draw appeared the most likely outcome during a cagey second half.

Stamford Bridge has historically done few favours for Liverpool. But the recovery starts here.