Gerrard’s hand in Chelsea’s first goal summed up a hugely disappointing season from the player
Liverpool saw their very faint chances of finishing 4th extinguished in a lethargic display in the final home game of the season.
The reds failed to do Man United a favour and Chelsea remain at the top of the Premier League table. Combining 120 minutes of football on Thursday night with Liverpool’s wretched season always suggested that the league leaders would have a strong chance against the reds.
It certainly wasn’t helped when Steven Gerrard, not for the first time, delivered a poorly weighted back pass which was pounced upon by an opposition striker. Didier Drogba taking delight in the passback and putting it past Pepe in the 33rd minute.
The reds made two changes. Daniel Agger replacing Glen Johnson at left back and Maxi Rodriguez returning to the side after being cup-tied for Thursday’s game.
Liverpool looked lacking in energy, although until the mistake – neither side appeared to be dominating. An Alberto Aquilani drive amongst the reds best chances in a average first half.
Towards the end of the first half Chelsea screamed for a penalty, but replays suggested that the referee correctly turned down their appeals.
Ten minutes in to the second half and Chelsea struck again. As Carragher lay injured, Mascherano played Lampard onside as Anelka’s cross came through. Benayoun attempted to cover for Carragher but couldn’t quite get back in time and the game was effectively made safe for the Londoners.
As is tradition, the players and families walked around the pitch to thank the fans for their support during a difficult season.
At least Liverpool’s Chelsea-supporting Chairman will have enjoyed his day supporting the blues from his home.
The reds meanwhile face a difficult summer. With the club up for sale – it appears that this will be the third summer in which the club will have no money available for players. The only silver lining of the weekend is that the reds will be competing in European football next season.
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These blokes are so over payed that’reality’ isn’t in most’s vocabulary !
The fact that players in the 60’s 70’s and even 80’s needed no other motivation than to pull on the shirt and give it everything for an away game in the poring rain shows what a poor quality of man/sportsman these guys are today. There is no loyalty these days, little guts and ambition and even less moral backbone. Greed + exploitation is rife in todays game and everything is based on money .
Im not saying footballers were perfect before but just read books from past greats as to how pure the game was in this country. How much they loved the game and how loyal and thankful they were.
Our game is lost and unless we sell our soul to a rich arab our club will be too.
How do you motivate footballers who earn more than MP’s do in one week? the only way is promising medals and cups, or survival. Benitez appears to me , not be a great motivator of men, you hear first hand reports of players who say that sometimes he doesn’t speak to them for weeks, they need their egos continually stroked, how can you say your team lacks confidence, surely they are grown men, not little kids, where does confidence come into it, imagine going to your boss and telling him that you can’t do your job properly because your confidence is low, but you might be okay in a couple of weeks, what do you think he would do and say?
No passion,no pride and no commitment whatsoever from a broken side with a hopeless manager.The fed-up expression on Gerrard’s face said it all with
Torres looked equally dejected in the stands.
Rafa is not a motivator and most of his signings have been terrible so he surely MUST go.Chelsea completely dominated us and could have probably scored a few more had they got into second gear.The whole thing is a mess and unless we sort it out then Riera could be right by calling LFC a “sinking ship”.The summer is the most important in the entire club’s history.
Yep I agree mate it’s not just Raffa that fans have to look at and currently any manager would struggle to do anything with this club !
Just look at what our new youth developer said about the state of the ‘academy’ (supposedly one of the best in the world) It was according to him an absolute farce and in that bad a state that we could expect two more barren years until we get players with the quality of Fowler ext . All due to people who have exploited this club for years and years stretching back to when we last won the league i imagine . We have been stood still for 20 YEARS not just five and people need to wake up and see how big the job really is ! Y.N.W.A.
missing the point, its funny how rafa gets all the crap and bad press form the english media, 4 years of rubbish every day, people pointing figures at him 24 hours a day seven days a week,, you do his job… its a disgrace, yes he gets paid well but then so do the players,
as yet i have seen a player or a member of the board come out and say we must do better,, all lfc fans that want or think the problem is rafa then you need to get out of your dream world. do you really think its going to be better with that mug onieil or jose, who only takes a job with over 50 mill to spend,, er no… back rafa and wake up a start to know what really going on at lfc, WAKE up we are in huge trouble….. by the way gerrard has had a great season,,, er?
Are we surprised by this result? I don’t think so. Disappointing though given that we were on top until Gerrard crazily gave the ball away. Chelsea were visibly nervous.
This is a watershead time to be a Liverpool supporter. Where do we go from here? I have been a massive fan of Rafa Benitez and have defended him to the hilt over the last 6 years on many forums and during many discussions with fans. However, I think the time has come for him to go. Of the 3 players we lost from last year, only 2 were regulars and one was adequately replaced (Johnson for Arbeloa). Yet the teams form this year has been dismal and for me that has to be becuase the top players in the dressing room no longer believe in the manager. I hope Rafa is succesful.
disgusting what the yankie owners have done to this club and the rouble that they have put us in is just so bad we are only now understanding the cancer that has been put into liverpool.
iam was in tears yesterday,, just disgusting that under more issues then the manager going, even some fans have the balls to bang on about rafa this and rafa that,,,,
wake up there is more problems then rafa,,,, if you can not see that then you need a doctor….
FUCKING HATE THOSE CON MEN YANKS,,,,
just a game in which the differences between chelsea and liverpool are massive one shot on goal for thr reds chelsea had 10
second goal was offside !!