Gardener said Liverpool could not handle his pace !

[Sir X]

Bolton 0-2 Liverpool


by Phil McNulty


Dirk Kuyt celebrates after putting Liverpool ahead at Bolton


Liverpool's Premier League title challenge gathered further momentum with an impressive victory at Bolton.
Dirk Kuyt brilliantly headed the visitors in front from Fabio Aurelio's cross after 28 minutes.
Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard both missed open goals before captain Gerrard headed in substitute Fernando Torres' cross with 18 minutes left.
Bolton's Gary Cahill had a header ruled out for a foul and Ricardo Gardner missed two good opportunities.
The win ensured Liverpool maintained the pressure on their rivals as they seek their first title since 1990.
Bolton were outplayed for long stretches, but mounted a spirited effort after the break, only for any hope of a comeback to be snuffed out by Gerrard's close range header.
Liverpool kept Torres on the bench as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury but he emerged for the last 30 minutes to great effect. All the other big guns were restored after a weakened side lost in the Carling Cup at Spurs in midweek.


Concern for Benitez despite win


The opening half was a tale of almost unbroken Liverpool domination, with Bolton restricted to isolated attacks.
Kuyt almost gave Rafael Benitez's side the lead after 21 minutes when his powerful rising drive from Gerrard's pass struck the bar with Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen helpless.
He had better luck seven minutes later when he crowned a lengthy period of Liverpool possession by directing a superb header past Jaaskelainen from Aurelio's cross.
Keane should have doubled Liverpool's advantage almost instantly when he somehow failed to make contact with Kuyt's inviting cross from only four yards with the goal gaping in front of him.
The lingering fear for Liverpool was that their failure to score a second goal would leave the door open for a Bolton side that had been distinctly second best.
And they were almost punished on the stroke of half-time when Cahill headed in from a corner, only for referee Rob Styles to rule that goalkeeper Pepe Reina had been fouled.
606: DEBATE

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Bobby Growler aka Sid


It was a decision that infuriated the home crowd, who had clearly not forgiven Styles for the infamous penalty he gave against Bolton at Manchester United earlier this season.
Bolton boss Gary Megson made a change at half-time, introducing Gardner in place of Fabrice Muamba - who had been detailed to do a man-marking job on Liverpool captain Gerrard.
Gardner made an immediate impact and almost levelled after 51 minutes when he ran on to Kevin Davies' pass, but slipped after rounding Reina and the chance was lost. There was a much more passion and purpose from Bolton after the break, but it was Liverpool who wasted another gilt-edged chance to score just after the hour.


Defeat was our fault - Megson


Torres was the creator, seconds after being introduced, with a perfect cross that Gerrard somehow slid wide.
But there was no mistake after 73 minutes, when the Spanish international produced a perfect delivery with the outside of his right foot for Gerrard to steal in and head past Jaaskelainen.
Liverpool were suddenly restored to the dominant force of the first half and Jaaskelainen had to be at his acrobatic best to save a 25-yard effort from Xabi Alonso with 10 minutes left.
Gardner had been a lively presence since his introduction, but he wasted another chance by lofting a finish over the onrushing Reina but off target.
Liverpool had further opportunities to finish with a flourish, but Torres hit the outside of an upright and substitute Lucas headed wide when it seemed easier to score.
Their generosity in front of goal did not prove costly, as Liverpool cruised to a deserved three points.

Bolton boss Gary Megson:
"We didn't get in their faces in the first half.
"In the second-half we did much better but we made a couple of elementary mistakes and you have huge problems at 2-0 down against a team like that.
"We gave everything we got, missed two fantastic chances, had a goal disallowed that shouldn't have been but we were culpable for both their goals."
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez:
"We knew it would be difficult but we tried to keep the ball.
"We were under pressure so that goal was very crucial for us. After that, the game was over.
"We had two or three clear chances in the first half and at the end we could have had a couple more, but the second goal was the key."

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Taylor (Smolarek 84), Nolan, Muamba (Gardner 46), McCann, Elmander, Davies.
Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Helguson, ****************tu, Basham, Obadeyi.
Booked: Nolan.
Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Hyypia, Agger, Aurelio, Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt (Leiva Lucas 84), Gerrard, Riera (Benayoun 89), Keane (Torres 59).
Subs Not Used: Cavalieri, Dossena, Babel, Darby.
Booked: Carragher.
Goals: Kuyt 28, Gerrard 73.
Att: 24,893
Ref: Rob Styles (Hampshire).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt 8.04 (on 90 minutes).
Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished. Player Rater


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see also

Premier League as it happened
15 Nov 08 | Premier League
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15 Nov 08 | Football

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FROM OTHER SPORT SITES
Mirror Rafa Benitez: Fernando Torres must waith his turn for Liverpool starting role - 12 hrs ago
Telegraph Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez warns Fernando Torres he must be patient - 13 hrs ago
Observer Torres not guaranteed Liverpool place - 13 hrs ago
Sporting Life DARBY POISED FOR STARTING ROLE - 30 hrs ago
The Times Weekend previews: Torres starts - 49 hrs ago
About these results

[Sir X]

Bolton 0 Liverpool 2: Kuyt and Gerrard save the day after Reds squander string of chances

By Joe Bernstein Last updated at 10:59 PM on 15th November 2008

• Comments (1)
• Add to My Stories

Liverpool's stars conducted a miss of the season contest on the way to leaving the Reebok with three priceless points in what looks like being the closest title race in Premier League history.

Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard did manage to find the target either side of half-time against a Bolton side who will spend the rest of the season cursing referee Rob Styles.


Scroll down for more



Captain fantastic: Liverpool skipper Stevie Gerrard heads home as Liverpool ease past Bolton at the Reebok


More...

• Misfiring Torres still 'a long way' short of his best, admits Reds boss Benitez
• Agent contacts Liverpool over new contract for Benitez but Rafa wants to focus on football
• EXCLUSIVE: Man United join race to sign Witsel as Standard Liege price tag puts off Bolton
• BOLTON WANDERERS FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE NET
• LIVERPOOL FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE NET

But in between, the wastefulness of Rafa Benitez's side was almost impossible to comprehend as they blew a great chance to improve their goals tally, which may be crucial given their much inferior record to free-scoring Chelsea.

Robbie Keane, Gerrard and Lucas all missed chances from a combined total of six yards, although that is probably generous to them.

Fernando Torres was not much further out when he missed two sitters while Kuyt also hit the crossbar.

Fortunately for Liverpool, as they aimed to pile the pressure on their Big Four rivals by bagging early points in the lunchtime kick-off, Bolton's Ricardo Gardner suffered his own spell of miss-itis.

Twice, the Jamaican had an empty goal to aim at but failed to find the target on either occasion.


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Jumping for joy: Dirk Kuyt celebrates his first half goal


'It's a pity we didn't score more goals,' said Benitez, publicly happy his team still sit at the top of the table but privately seething they squandered so many opportunities.

'We knew what to expect at Bolton and we coped with it. It's a good result to come to a place like this and win 2-0. And of course we are still at the top, which is very important.'

Gary Megson, whose side were robbed by Styles earlier in the season at Old Trafford, blamed the referee again yesterday, with Gary Cahill's header ruled out on the stroke of half-time when the score was 1-0.

While most neutrals felt Liverpool had enough chances to win several games, Megson did not think Liverpool's performance was proof that they were on their way to their first title since 1990.
Bosses boss: Megson and Benitez shout orders from the sidelines


'They didn't rip us apart,' said Megson. 'In fact, if it hadn't been for the intervention of the referee and a shambles on our side for the opening goal, it might have been a different story.'

Liverpool, whose next three fixtures against Fulham, West Ham and Blackburn give them a real chance to seize the title initiative before they visit Arsenal, left Torres on the bench following his hamstring injury and did not get out of first gear for the first quarter.
But once the energetic Kuyt had smacked the bar from Gerrard's cutback, it was a different story. They strung more than 20 passes together before Matt Taylor deflected an attempted cross to Fabio Aurelio.

The Brazilian swept a beauty towards the far post and Kuyt rose to head his side's 28th-minute opener.

Keane had been taken to task by Benitez for being too clever with a close-range finish against Atletico Madrid earlier in the season.

So Lord knows what the stern Spaniard said to his £20million striker after Keane tried to flick Kuyt's cross over Jussi Jaaskelainen from two yards and managed to let the ball run over his foot.

That nearly cost Live pool an interval lead when Cahill headed in Gavin McCann's corner on the stroke of half-time.

That was until Styles intervened deciding that the three Bolton players crowding around Pepe Reina had stopped him coming for the cross.

The Bolton view was that their players had merely stood their ground rather than fouled Reina.


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Pulling no punches: Kevin Nolan and Jamie Carragher battle for the ball
Bolton also rued their luck at the start of the second half when sub Gardner rounded Reina only for his feet to get in a tangle and he missed an open goal.


From then on, it was comedy half-hour with even Torres getting in on the act after coming on as a 60th-minute replacement for Keane.

Gerrard failed to convert from three yards, Torres was foiled by Jaaskelainen one-on-one and then hit the outside of a post from six yards. Lucas missed a header from half that distance.

At the other end, Gardner found the Liverpool defence AWOL but ballooned over when a tap-in was the only thing required. Fortunately for Liverpool, Gerrard did use his head - literally - in the 73rd minute to bag the points, ghosting into the penalty area to glance home an exquisite Torres cross.
BOLTON (4-5-1): Jaaskelainen; Steinsson; Cahill, O'Brien, Samuel; Davies; Muamba (Gardner 46min), McCann; Nolan, Taylor (Smolarek 84); Elmander. Subs (not used): Al Habsi, ****************tu; Obadeyi, Basham, Helguson. Booked: Nolan.
LIVERPOOL (4-5-1): Reina; Carragher; Hyypia, Agger, Aurelio; Kuyt (Leiva 84); Mascherano, Gerrard, Alonso, Riera; (Benayoun 89); Keane (Torres 59). Subs (not used): Cavalieri, Dossena; Darby, Babel. Booked: Carragher. Booked: Carragher.
Referee: R Styles (Hampshire).

[Raggs]

Bibi needs to work on his finishing. The man miss two easy chances after doin' some fancy foot-work to get him in the position to strike.

[Peter R]

But wait...him figget dis is not track!