Liverpool FC was making hard work of the Merseyside derby – and then Kenny Dalglish introduced the substitutes. We did not look like we were going to break Everton down and we missed a great opportunity when Dirk Kuyt’s penalty was saved by Tim Howard at the end of the first half. With 10 men, Everton just sat back and we were struggling but it was game long marred by the wrongful decision to send off Jack Rodwell.
Everton were on top at that point, there’s no doubt about that, but it was building into a decent derby and ready to ignite. Liverpool got a bit of luck because of negligent refereeing but it was that slice of good fortune we were due. After the Reds were on the end of baffling decisions at Stoke City and on the opening day when Phil Dowd failed to send Sunderland’s Kieron Richardson off, we were promised that everything would even itself out over the course of the season.
Maybe Saturday lunchtime’s dismissal of Rodwell was that in motion and we gladly took it when it came our way. Liverpool were crying out for the introduction of Steven Gerrard and Craig Bellamy from the start of the second half. We needed something different because a lot of the Liverpool players were below par and the manager could have brought Gerrard and Bellamy into the mix earlier than he did. As it turned out, his timing was spot on and Bellamy has been a breath of fresh air and it’s great to have Gerrard back.
Steven is nearly fully fit now and will hopefully get a couple of games behind closed doors in the next week or so, to continue to build his levels up. Him not being called up to the England squad for their Euro 2012 qualifier is great news for us and it would have been absolute nonsense if they had asked him to be part of the squad.
He’s only had a 13-minute and 15-minute run-outs since coming back from his groin injury so getting some games up at Melwood, away from the cameras, will be of real benefit for Steven ahead of Manchester United coming to Anfield a week on Saturday – Gerrard has got to start that game because he knows what is required in that match more than most.
When he came on against Everton, Gerrard was like the conductor. He was almost playing within himself but he calmed everything down and gave Liverpool some direction. He was getting on the ball all the time and switching the play. Gerrard was one of the main reasons Liverpool finally utilized their one-man advantage; his captaincy and experience won the game.
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