So we’re out of the Europa League after individual errors in both legs cost us dearly, but I don’t want to talk about that. We almost pulled off a magnificent comeback through a combination of effort, determination and good football, but I don’t want to talk about that either. The atmosphere at Anfield was the best of the season, not a great European night but certainly a very good one, but I don’t want to go on about that. We’ve had two home games in five days and won with an 8-1 aggregate scoreline, but again I don’t really want to talk about that.
The memories from last night’s 3-1 win over Zenit for me will be the goals themselves, all three of them had something a bit special involved.
The first goal came from a Luis Suarez free kick, blasted through a gap in the wall. The kick was won by Daniel Agger who picked up the ball deep inside his own half and took it forward. It was a fantastic run by the defender, confident, assured and purposeful, a truly great surge forward by a defender who fits perfectly into the modern game. We know he has a good left footed shot on him and if he can stride forwards like this regularly he’ll score goals.
The second goal was scored by Joe Allen, making a good run into the six yard box, finishing off the rebound after a save from his own header. The chance was made by some great combination play from Jose Enrique and Jordan Henderson. Enrique decided not to cross early as there was nobody central, checked back, passed the ball to Henderson who played one of the most perfectly weighted first touch passes I’ve seen in a long time back to the Spaniard who then crossed for Allen. Enrique isn’t a good defender and if he starts next season as our first choice left back I’ll be worried, but he is a good footballer and I can’t help feeling if he’d been played in Stuart Downing’s advanced role as often as Downing is he would have contributed more. Henderson is still young and improving but the pass to Enrique last night was inch perfect and worthy of a seasoned international.
The third and, unfortunately, final goal was another Suarez free kick, this time from almost thirty yards out. He could not have placed it any better, it went around the wall, outside the post and then swung back inside again, crossing the line millimetres inside the upright leaving the ‘keeper with no chance. If somebody had said pick the exact spot you want this ball to go in it would have been exactly where it ended up, the perfect free kick. Some players, like Ronaldo, have mastered the art of hitting a free kick with immense power, Suarez’ second last night wasn’t like that, it was pure precision and hopefully he can replicate this in the league before the season is done.
So we’re out of a third competition this season and our chances of silverware have disappeared, but we’ve got plenty to feel optimistic about. We’ve got a weekend off to rest up and we need to come back firing on all cylinders. The players involved last night did themselves proud not just with their effort but with a lot of their play as well, add Sturridge and Coutinho into the mix and we can end the season on a real high.
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