Wasted Opportunity

You can’t blame Liverpool boss Raffa Benitez for looking increasingly exasperated on the touchline at Stamford Bridge, because this was a game his side should have won quite comfortably and in the end they were beaten by a moment of brilliance from Chelsea striker Didier Drogba – the only magical moment the home side produced in the entire game.

First there were the chances, lots of them. Captain Steven Gerrard managed to miss two, one in each half, and in the case of the second he was clean through, only to shoot straight at Petr Cech when it seemed easier to score. Dirk Kuyt also squandered a couple, hitting the bar in the 15th minute with a searing drive and hooking Crouch’s knock-down over with ten minutes of normal time remaining. And then Crouch, brought on as a substitute to turn the game, headed weakly at Cech from six yards out in the second minute of extra time, prompting everyone to wonder why he manages to produce what is little more than a cushioned header when he should be using all the muscles of his upper body (such as they are) to generate power.

Secondly, Liverpool contrived to give the ball away to an embarrassing (and infuriating) degree, especially in midfield, even after Michael Ballack’s dismissal left Chelsea with ten men for more than 40 minutes of the game.

And finally, Benitez himself has to accept some responsibility. He made it difficult for Liverpool even before kick-off, by selecting the influential Gerrard to play wide left. And only he knows why.