Liverpool 2 City - Ratings | Manchester Evening News

Liverpool 2 City - Ratings

November 21, 2009

GIVEN: Got a great reception from the Kop and responded with a brilliant save from Skrtel 7

ZABALETA: Gave his all, as usual, but sometimes looks like a midfielder who is filling in 6

TOURE: Bumps, bruises and the odd gaffe in a tough first half for the skipper 6

LESCOTT: Maybe his best game in a City shirt, dominant in the air and more sure on the deck 7

BRIDGE: Bounced back well from his Burnley nightmare as he was well tested by Kuyt 7

WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: A little terror down the right, and popped up to help Ireland’s goal 7

IRELAND: Well-taken goal, and he stroe to create all the way through in a congested midfield 7

DE JONG: Ferocious in the tackle – one hit took out b0oth Babel and Gerrard in one! 7

BARRY: Looked pretty tired when he was subbed, and no wonder with the effort he has put in 6

BELLAMY: A little isolated out on the left flank, but put in his usual hard-working shift 6

ADEBAYOR: Virtually anonymous for the entire game – apart from when he scored! 6

Substitutes

ONUOHA (for Toure ht) Added solidity to defence 7

TEVEZ (for Barry 61) Turned the game on its head 8

Not used: Taylor, Kompany, Weiss, Johnson, Santa Cruz

LIVERPOOL: Reina, Carragher, Agger (Kyrgiakos 11), Skrtel, Insua, Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel (Benayoun 19, Aurelio 85), Ngog

Attendance: 44,164

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Colin Bell, cobh, ireland (21/11/2009 at 15:05)

Another draw and another point.
We are still unbeaten this season!!!!!!!!!!!!
CTID

If you build it, they will come, Denton (21/11/2009 at 15:07)

Plus points - Though Lescott was very good and great to see Ned back. When on the ball, Ireland was excellent and De Jong was my MOM.

Minus points - Bridge is becoming a liability, you could see Liverpool targeting him. Barry was very poor and I was surprised he made the 2nd half. Shay Given, pleae take a leaf out of Pepe Reina and notice that he comes off his line to claim crosses.

Poor tactics in the 1st half as they were there for the taking but we kept hoofing it.

Can someone please tell our full backs to stop giving away needless free kicks giving the opposition chance to get the diagonal ball which we cannot defend.

All in all, decent point but, as Fulham, Burnley we were the better team and should have won.

Sam Haggar-MCFC-TEVEZ IS A BLUE (21/11/2009 at 15:11)

we should of won game if we went from attacking at the start of the game we would of won the game conferble i was disapointed with defending with liverpool 2nd goal i think SWP is realy lacking of conferdence he use to take on players he dont seem to do it no more.I like to Weiss given ago against Hull

bluedoom, somewhere in manchester (21/11/2009 at 15:14)

getting really tired of us throwing games away!

why didn't we kill it off in the first half!?

why does it take a goal from them to spark us into life?

why does our keeper think it's best to keep booting the ball up the field so that it just comes back to us?

why can't hughes sort this out?

StretfordBLUE in America, Born a BLUE and Forever (21/11/2009 at 15:14)

Tevez should have been on much earlier; he turned the game for us by holding up the ball well.

Santa Fe Blue, New York City (21/11/2009 at 15:18)

On the plus side: De Jong good throughout the match, especially in the second half. Ireland with ups and downs, but beautifully taken goal. SWP had an excellent second half, and set up Ireland's goal smartly. Adebayor's header was world class, and nedum held his own convincingly. Tevez's introduction made all the difference. Smart substitution mark Hughes (for once!)

On the minus: Bridge in the second half... Zab giving away that free kick that led to Liverpool's first goal, as well as switching off at their equaliser. This is the third time this season we have let a lead slip away! C'mon City! We won't have many opportunities like these to break into the top four

micheal ok, kilworth,county cork ireland. (21/11/2009 at 15:26)

Lescott very much improved i must say.bridge had a nightmare in the 2nd half.

tevez great effort when he came on.

de jong MOTM for me.

CTID

Alfie15, Bedfordshire (21/11/2009 at 15:27)

First we looked awful, even with five in midfield we could not win the ball and when did have it gave it away with bad ball control. Nothing creative coming from central midfield and I am sorry to say we did not look like top four finishes.
Sadly my first dig at MH when were are playing badly he does not change to shape and adapt to the game. I have to say he is not a top four manager and wanted him to be another succesful British manager.
Once Tevez appeared (which he should have at half time) it gave Liverpool another danger man to mark and opened the game up and balanced the midfield.

Jack Thorley Trafford, Timperley (21/11/2009 at 15:32)

Adebayor was a disgrace today he just strolled around as if is was a practise match,good effort from SWP,Ireland and Tevez who's introduction was the key to our change in attitude to the match.
Given 6, Zableta 6, Bridge 6, Toure 5, Lescott 7, SWP 7.Ireland 8,De jong 6, Barrry 6,Bellamy,6 Adebayor 4. Tevez 8 Onuoha 6.

brokeback monton (21/11/2009 at 15:33)

Another draw and another point. We are still unbeaten this season!!!!!!!!!!!! CTID
Colin Bell, cobh, ireland
21/11/2009 at 15:05

Unt 4 City 3, does this not count?

crazy p, sheffield (21/11/2009 at 15:44)

Colin Bell, cobh, ireland
21/11/2009 at 15:05 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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Steven Goran Eriksson, www.mancity.blogsfc.com (21/11/2009 at 15:50)

Hughes, I felt, picked the correct team with the correct tactics. Yes, the first-half was a fairly boring spectacle, but with De Jong holding, and others working around him, we were able to limit Livepool's effectiveness. Unfortunately, Zabaleta conceded a needless free-kick from which they scored, but this goal seemed to wake us up. Adebayor was shocking, but marginally redeemed himself with the goal. He needs, however, to be more of a threat throughout the game, especially in the air. For someone of his size, he should be winning more in the air than he does.

The introduction of Tévez, whom Hughes was correct to start on the bench, made a big difference. He seemed to be the catalyst for much of our good play, linking up well with Ireland particularly. The second goal was worked well, with Ireland applying a neat finish, but unfortunately, we lacked concentration at a crucial moment. Overall, we should be happy to take a point from this game. Lescott is looking more confident and secure every game, whilst Bridge did improve slightly on his previous performance. My only criticism is that we should have looked to get Bellamy into the game more, especially with Carragher on a booking.

Steve Giles, Plymouth (21/11/2009 at 15:54)

colin bell, firstly i get exactly what you mean if it wasnt for fergie time etc etc.
glad to see tevez coming on a making a difference, city HAVE to play with 2 strikers. Barry very very poor today.

The Truth (21/11/2009 at 16:02)

Tevez and De Jong were superb

Timmy nuts, Notts (21/11/2009 at 16:02)

Positives: Our move for the second goal;Tevez turned the game; Ireland getting back to his best; De Jonq quality; Lescott's best game; Given as always; WB recovered from his nightmare last time; good to see 'Chief back' (though see below).
Negatives: Barry - looks knackered; SWP inconsistent (though v good for goal); Zab - on borrowed time on the right me thinks and guilty of a silly challenge for their first, arguably asleep for their second; Bridge for their second - just clear the sodding thing (and Chief not great with his defensive header either); and of course the inability to hold onto a lead!!!!
But all in, still where we want to be and Hull home next, then Arse etc etc. Very exciting times...

Glyn Chad, Aberdour, Fife (21/11/2009 at 16:07)

I can't believe the praise SWP is getting here. I'm not churlish enough to say he didn't do well with the 2nd goal and that headed clearance but really, I thought he was truly awful for the rest of the game.

I also thought Onuoha was very poor - how come no mention of his pathetic 'clearance' leading to Liverpool's equalizer? For some reason (that I just don't get), he is everybody's blue eyed boy.

De Jong was superb - just like last season at Anfield and I do agree that Tevez turned the game on its head. I'm convinced Liverpool and their fans were delighted when they heard he'd been dropped!

Damien Gillan (21/11/2009 at 16:09)

just back from the match, shaun wright-phillips just gets worse & worse!!
absolutley terrible!!!

Infijar Ken, Angola (21/11/2009 at 16:15)

Apart from Colin Bell making a small mistake, what are you Rags doing on this site. Those of us watching the match on the box have an excuse (and this is OUR site), why are you lot not at the Swamp?

stuart malcolm (21/11/2009 at 16:24)

Inside information predicts the end of Hughes if anything but a win at Anfield today. So now we wait. Same problems again today.

Looks like Mr Hughes is more suited to mid table clubs - Blackburn, Bolton etc.
He is not up to top four achievement. Maurinho is favourourite but he craves Old Trafford BUT has no chance with David Gill on post. Mr Hiddink?

Alistair Marshall (21/11/2009 at 16:29)

How can SWP score the same as De Jong? Did you watch the same game as me? Wrighty was awful and should be rested.

Kippax 36, High Heath (21/11/2009 at 16:30)

Continue to play in the same manner and have done for past 5 games. Lacking any quality apart from the odd foray into the final third - occassionally! Give possession away far too cheaply and fail to dominate when in front, that coupled with poor shape IS seemingly the very same excuse that was being given last season - No Balance! Well it is obvious that Ireland and Barry cannot play that central MF role together, it is gonna have to be one or the other coz they don't work well together, they lack any fight or grit. NDJ was superb again for me, Tevez was quality. Bellars was quiet and Adebayor was AWOL. My one criticism of Mark Hughes is his inability to change the game when in front. Should have bought Komapny on just after the Liverpool equaliser to shore up the defence. That second goal of their's was needless really. For the 'yes but we have only lost one brigade', we don't look like were making any progress, last year we killed teams off 3 - 0, 6 - 1, 4 - 0 etc. We haven't done that this term but we have better players, don't we?!!

Colin Bell's Boots, Wilmslow (21/11/2009 at 16:32)

Bridge is a liability and Hughes should already have plans in place to replace him in January. Often out of position, and cannot stop crosses coming in from his wing. Not sure how he gets into Capello's squad, because his defending is so poor.

De Jong had a great game and managed to keep Gerrard resonably quiet.

Disappointing to conceed the equaliser.

Sheik Man SOUR - King Of The BITTERS. ABU Dhabishire (21/11/2009 at 16:41)

" Infijar Ken, Angola
21/11/2009 at 16:15"

Cos' it's full. No empty seats at OT.

black and blue, manchester, where else? (21/11/2009 at 17:02)

Hughes scores a big fat zero. utterly useless.

Captain Underpants is a BLUE!, Kent (21/11/2009 at 17:09)

De Jong MOTM, Lescott's best game yet. Bridge better but still getting out of position too often; Adebayor - anonymous (even though he got the first goal for us) he just didn't look bothered about playing at all today? he didn't chase anything down and i didn't see him win a single jumping challenge for the ball, in fact i didn't see him jump!!!! a man of his height and strength should be winning 90% of these type of challenges - but he continues to stay stuck to the deck!! Ireland made a few mistakes when passing and seems reluctant to shoot as well. Sweep runs into dead ends continuously and was very poor today when going forward - still looking poor defensively and nothing seems to be being done about it - Ned was too great but it was his first game back after his layoff. The game turned when Tevez was brought on - I would question why this wasn't done sooner; it would have at least have given us a bit more time to push for a win.

But it is no use getting all emotional and calling for heads to roll; although MH needs a rocket up his A**E! and he should realise that these performances are moving him closer to a life in the championship! Sort out the tactics Hughes or you're a gonner!! Please make a note Mr Mubarak!

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