Top result and a top performance to boot. I didn't doubt for one second today that we were going to win at all, from the moment I woke up. We got everything absolutely spot on. Chelsea weren't great, far from it, but we were excellent today, make no mistake about it.
To be fair to Ferreira and Essien they didn't do an awful wrong. They were ruthlessly exposed for Kuyt's goal but they couldn't do an awful lot about the second. They nearly got caught out when John Arne Left Foot got free but he wasted a great chance, as good a save as it was.
Let me give Cech his due by the way - great to see him back.
The first half an hour was the Liverpool show. We did ourselves a massive, massive favour by scoring an early goal. Then all the impetus was on Chelsea, who looked shot to pieces, and they don't have the mental ability at the moment to come back from something like that in a big match. As every game goes by I begin to like Kuyt more and more and more and if he scores more goals he'll become one of the very top goalscorers in the Premiership. His all round game is superb, he just needs to score a few more goals.
Chelsea looked vulnerable today. We're not normally all that direct but we were today and rightly so. The match was won and lost by the 2nd ball. Essien and Ferreira were never going to win the first header against Crouch or Kuyt but then again, they rarely won the second ball either. The Translator admitted on the radio that the team couldn't handle our boys up top today. They were both excellent. I would have liked to have seen Bellamy on a bit sooner as he could really, really have tortured them but nothing doing on that front. He simply wasn't needed.
The second goal was a beaut as well. I was sat almost directly above it, and it looked to me as though he cut across it brilliantly with just the right connection. Haven't seen it again though, but the ball looked to move. Not even Cech was going to save that. I'm no Pennant fan, but that's a way to endear yourself. However, constantly ******** out of tackles isn't. Get your foot in. He mostly had a good game and he has improved steadily since November time, but I still doubt he's up to the task.
Another bright thing about today was Aurelio. Again, I'm no fan, but he looked the business on the left of midfield. He's a much better ball player than Riise and he could make that place his own for the time being if he continues to impress. He used the ball very wisely. Riise's form, irrespective of his 30 yard piledriver, still concerns me. He still looks way off the boil. And his complete lack of ability with his right foot is vomit inducing. He should, quite simply, have buried that today.
At 2-0 up the game was over, but when Alonso went off with a bust lip, we got penned back. I thought that might be the case when the second half started as well, but we stuck to the task really well. Carra v Drogba was an excellent duel, and Drogba, who was badly isolated, worked hard with a lot of endevour but never looked like he was going to score. Neither did any of his team mates. Moonface Lampard was none existant - step up Gerrard and Alonso. They bossed the game today. Gerrard wasn't especially productive but quietly very efficient and it was an important display. Same for Alonso.
Which brings me to another point... how poor was Michael Ballack? Apart from the occasional cheap shot foul, he did nothing and I thought he was utterly awful. He looks lost and wasted in Chelsea's system. I doubt he even broke a sweat today. At least Lampard took set pieces - Ballack literally did nothing. He's a fine, fine footballer but he doesn't fit in at Chelsea from what I've seen.
Liverpool were excellent today. I never doubted we'd win. We just need to go on now and keep on winning. We have some serious revenge dishes to hand out.... Everton, Mancs, Arsenal.... let's do it. We won't win the ***le, but lets put our hat into the ring. Arsenal, I call on you to keep United down to size and not let them extend their lead.
