Post Match EPL Report: Liverpool 2 v Tottenham 2, By Jon Cheah

In a match billed as crucial to the both the managers, what conspired turn out to be nothing more than a farce. The football on show was better than the non-sense we’ve witness the past 3 matches but our inability to kill off Spurs within the 1st half ultimately did us in.
The numerous MyRawkites that had gathered at M Bar were hoping that our team sheet would be less dramatic and were praying for a performance worthy of wining the match. However, we were under no illusion that this would be an easy task as Spurs did come back to snatch a great point v Villa in their previous match after going behind 1-4. Some expected us to hammer the final nail into Martin Jol’s White Hart Lane career.

There were five changes to the starting line-up – Finnan (right back), Arbeloa (left back), Macherano (central midfield), Riise (left wing) and Voronin (striker) and most of us were quietly confident we would score since the Spurs keeper has been in a rather “charitable” mood lately. As early as the 12th minute, Voronin scored the opening goal after Robinson had spilled Gerrard’s free kick into his path. We played some decent football in the 1st half and should have been further ahead through Torres who dragged his shot just wide of the post and Gerrard who smacked his free kick against the post after Voronin was fouled outside the area.
The moment defining our frustrating day, came on the 34th minute when we squandered a gilt-edge scoring opportunity; Gerrard had released Torres with a clever through pass but he chose to pass the ball to Voronin, who refused to pull trigger and passed the ball back to Gerrard who in turn, only managed to shoot straight into the outstretched legs of Dawson.

We would regret missing the opportunity dearly when at the stroke of half time. Falling prey to some route one football, Berbatov beat Hyppia to Robinson’s long punt and Keane slipped pass Carragher to score the equalizer. Second half started as disastruosly as the first had ended as Keane scored a near identical goal to his first. Hyppia again beaten in the air and was having an almighty stinker on his 34th birthday.

Tottenham grew in confidence and started threatening our goal even more while we struggled to string together a decent attack. It was only after Rafa rung in the changes by bringing in Babel (Arbeloa 62 min), Kuyt (Pennant 69 min) and Benayoun (Voronin 77 min) that we managed to trouble the Spurs defense. However, they still caused us problems at the back by playing on the counter as we pushed further forward in desperation for that equalizer. Reina must be counting his lucky stars when he somehow managed to rob the ball off Berbatov when he came charging out of his goal.

Finally in injury time, our desperate attacking managed to salvage a point. Finnan put in a speculative cross from the right towards the far post for Torres to head home his seventh goal of the season. All of us in M Bar were relieved we somehow remained undefeated, albeit disappointed and frustrated with our disjointed play in the second half. Another two very valuable points dropped - not the kind of performances you would expect from a team marked as title challengers.

We left for home wondering why Gerrard was not playing higher up the pitch as it was Mascherano who did all the attacking and if Hyypia’s playing days are numbered. In a nutshell, all of us agreed that this display is still not good enough and the coming international break couldn’t have come at a better time for a change.

LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): Reina; Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Arbeloa (Babel 62); Pennant (Kuyt 69), Mascherano, Gerrard, Riise; Torres, Voronin (Benayoun 77). Subs: Itandje, Lucas.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (4-4-2): Robinson; Chimbonda, Dawson, Kaboul, Lee; Tainio (Malbranque 76), Zokora, Jenas, Bale; Berbatov, Keane. Subs: Cerny, Gardner, Huddlestone, Defoe.

BOOKING: Dawson (foul).

REFEREE: Mark Halsey.

ATT: 43,986.

NEXT GAME: Everton v Liverpool, Barclays Premier League, Saturday, October 20 12.45pm.