Liverpool Fc @ Anfield - Reds Supporters Gatherings

Torres joy shattered by controversial Chelsea penalty leveller


Monday, August 20, 2007, 01:12:09 HRS


Fernando Torres marked his first appearance at Anfield with an impressive debut goal for Liverpool but it was not enough to earn his club all three points as referee Rob Styles handed Chelsea a controversial second-half penalty in Sunday's 1-1 draw.

Liverpool's record 26.5 million-pound Spanish striker had made a dream start to his home career but Styles harshly judged that Steve Finnan had pushed over Florent Malouda as he attempted to meet Shaun Wright-Phillips' 61st minute cross.

Frank Lampard needed no second invitation to convincingly equalise from the spot.

To add to Styles' unpopularity, in the eyes of Liverpool fans, he also appeared to book Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien for a second time midway through the second half without brandishing the red card that should have automatically followed.

Under the watchful eye of England manager Steve McClaren, Steven Gerrard made light of the fractured toe that will almost certainly exclude him from playing for his country against Germany in midweek by setting up Torres' debut goal in the 16th minute.

The Liverpool captain gathered Xabi Alonso's tidy header and sent Torres chasing away down the right with a superb pass.

It still appeared that Chelsea defender Tal Ben-Haim would deal with the danger but the Spaniard showed an electrifying example of his pace and power to surge away from his marker and beat Peter Cech with a perfect right-foot finish.

The game had already been nicely set up by Manchester United's early afternoon defeat at Manchester City, a result greeted pre-match with great enthusiasm by both sets of supporters.

The early goal merely served to add to the intensity of a fixture that has become one of the set-piece occasions in the English football calendar.

After going a goal behind, Chelsea's midfield began to exert a degree of control.

Alonso's foul on Malouda gave Liverpool an anxious moment at the midway point of the first half but Didier Drogba's free-kick was deflected harmlessly behind.

Salomon Kalou appeared to have a superb shooting opportunity but took one touch too many and was halted by Gerrard's superb sliding tackle and Wright-Phillips sped past Alvaro Arbeloa a little too easily for comfort before his cross was headed over by Drogba.

For the third time in as many games this season, Chelsea found themselves a goal down but their spirited fightback raised the temperature of the contest yet further.

Styles did little to endear himself to the Anfield faithful as he yellow-carded Kuyt, Jermaine Pennant and Gerrard in quick succession, the Liverpool trio joining Essien and, later, Ashley Cole, Lampard and John Terry in the book.

Chelsea's improved play continued after the restart, Lampard's early corner being flicked on by substitute Claudio Pizarro for John Obi Mikel whose far post header flew over the bar before another dangerous right-wing run by Wright-Phillips ended with a centre which Pizarro, reaching at full stretch, could only head wide.

At the other end, Liverpool were slowly stringing together some more promising moves with Pennant reaching the by-line just before the hour and picking out Alonso on the edge of the area only for the Spaniard to send his strike disappointingly off target.

However, the penalty altered the complexion of the game with Chelsea, possibly, content to settle for a valuable away point.

They might not have emerged with that had Riise's spectacular volley, from Pennant's 67th minute pull-back, found its mark.

The last chances of an entertaining game fell to Kuyt, who rose to meet Finnan's right-wing cross but steered his effort inches over the crossbar, and substitute Ryan Babel who unleashed a ferocious long-range drive into the side-netting.

[Cum_Luver]

yes, we were ROB of a win
agreed with all comments esp on the referee's decisions.

but this type of thing happens very often...
sometime, it is against you and sometimes, it works for you.
so we just have to forget about it, carry-on from here and becomes stronger.

look like we have a long way to go, still cannot kill-off the opposition when leading.

[rahl]

Penalty or not, Rob - what an appropriate name - Styles had a shit game all game. In the first half Cashley Cole and Terry had shouting duels at him and who did he book for the offence? Jermaine Pennant.

He was carding anyone who didn't agree with him and I'm surprised no one got sent off at the end.

Mind, this is the same wanker who sent off Reading's Dave Kitson with a straight red at Old Trafford in the first week.

Having said that, I am mighty happy with our performance. We have conceded goals in our 2 league matches - both very soft - and we haven't got the balance right tbh but we are looking full of confidence and power going forward and I'm really happy to see that improvement.

[Dirk Kuyt]

Originally Posted by Cum_Luver

yes, we were ROB of a win
agreed with all comments esp on the referee's decisions...

Was wondering why Rob Styles changed match...... he was supposed to referee the Blackburn vs Arsenal game but switched with the other referee.
Can call in CPIB onot?

[Cummon]

Originally Posted by rahl

Having said that, I am mighty happy with our performance. We have conceded goals in our 2 league matches - both very soft - and we haven't got the balance right tbh but we are looking full of confidence and power going forward and I'm really happy to see that improvement.

Agreed,how often can we see the self proclaimed special one so happy with a draw ?

[beck7777]

Mourinho claims 'Chelsea are a naive team'

The simmering feud between Chelsea and Liverpool erupted on the pitch with nine bookings, and off it with more controversy between Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez.



Confronted with questioning over his team's alleged gamesmanship and constant questioning of referee Rob Styles' decisions during a 1-1 draw at Anfield, Chelsea boss Mourinho claimed: 'We are a naive and pure team.


'I have a naive team, they are naive because we do not have divers, we do not have violent people we do not have nasty tackles. We do not have people diving into swimming pools, Chelsea is a naive team. It is a pure team, that is my opinion.'


On hearing the Portuguese coach's version of affairs, Liverpool chief Benitez could not stop himself hitting back.


He said: 'I will not name people, but you can check their team and see how many times they do things that he (Mourinho) says that they do not do.


'I don't want to give names but I remember a lot of situations in the last three years, and today you could see the players talking all the time at the referee.'


Benitez was furious with the penalty decision that gave Frank Lampard a spot-kick equaliser after Florent Malouda had gone down under a challenge from Steve Finnan.


Benitez, whose £20million new signing Fernando Torres scored his first goal for the club in the first half, said: 'What penalty? It was the invisible penalty. There were 45,000 people who could see it and know it wasn't, Jose says he could not see it.


'I want to have a lot of respect for referees, but sometimes I cannot understand why they give some decisions, that decision is impossible to explain.


'We had chances to win and we have two less points, we must now be positive. It is too early to say who are contenders, but we always show when we play Chelsea that we can be there, so now we have to be consistent against the rest of the teams for nine months.'


Mourinho's view on the crucial penalty was: 'I have not really seen the penalty properly, only from 30 metres away on the sidelines.


'In the box there is no advantage law, if the referee sees a foul he gives a penalty. So when Malouda is kicked from behind as he lets to ball run to Drogba, then it is a penalty.


'It is to be discussed by commentators, just like they discussed the goal we lost the Champions League semi-final here by two years ago.


'As for the title race, it is too early to judge opponents. Manchester United have two points after their defeat today, but even if they had zero points I would say that they are serious contenders for the title, these things do not influence me.'


The penalty incident set the tone for the rest of a fractious match in which Styles almost lost control. In the latter stages he appeared to book Michael Essien for a second time without sending off the Ghanaian only for the fourth official reveal the booking had been issued to John Terry.


On his side's performance, Mourinho added: 'We came to win the game. Maybe people feel we would have come with a packed midfield and try to go home with a point. We picked an attacking side and tried to win for 85 minutes.


'I accept that when they had Peter Crouch, Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel and Fernando Torres together at the end, and I have a giant (Alex) on my bench then I send that giant in and tell him `it is your time.' I tried to close the door then and go home with a point, and it is two points Liverpool do not get.


'I knew then that Arsenal had drawn and Manchester United lost, so then I feel the point won is justified.'

What Moanalot said is really a joke!

[Frankiestine]

wonder how much roubles did "Robber" Styles got from Abramovich to turn the game round for them..

[Ah Dac]

Nevertheless, a good performance by the reds!!

[beck7777]

Originally Posted by Frankiestine

wonder how much roubles did "Robber" Styles got from Abramovich to turn the game round for them..

Or maybe Abramovich just find a few old friends in Russia to 'talk' to Styles?

[Castrol]

Originally Posted by beck7777

What the fish is the ref thinking?!

Its more like Molouda charged on Finnan loh!

completely kookoo penalty decision, thats the state of refereeing in EPL these days. malouda wasnt close to the ball and didnt have the intention to take it at all.

it was a fairly tight game with both sides deserving something from the result but the penalty was a complete nonsense.

[_AXL_]

Originally Posted by Castrol

completely kookoo penalty decision, thats the state of refereeing in EPL these days. malouda wasnt close to the ball and didnt have the intention to take it at all.

it was a fairly tight game with both sides deserving something from the result but the penalty was a complete nonsense.

what u expect??? malouda jumped into finnan and the ball had already gone way past him before he even made contact with finnan. the frenchman is a professional player... u expect him to be robbie fowler meh??? of course, he act blur lah!!!

positives to take from match... torres doing a "henry" on cech for his first goal, pool bombarded the opponents' goal, albeit not very accurate and most importantly, liverpool is 2 points ahead of manchester united with a game in hand!!!

[ANDYSIAO14]

Still cant get over it...
SHAME ON YOU R.STYLES!!!!

[wolfclan]

Originally Posted by beck7777

Mourinho claims 'Chelsea are a naive team'

[COLOR="Red"]'I have a naive team, they are naive because we do not have divers, we do not have violent people we do not have nasty tackles. We do not have people diving into swimming pools, Chelsea is a naive team. It is a pure team, that is my opinion.'


What Moanalot said is really a joke!

well, no violent players? then who was it that broke alonso ankle? was it the field? the boots he worn? its tat bloodly 'nice man' frank lampard with a sliding tackle, isnt it not??

and who will forget another tackle from essien on hamann? the tackle was so high tat the studs shown on his thigh as reported,

bloodly blind moaner.

[lewis13]

Originally Posted by Cum_Luver

yes, we were ROB of a win
agreed with all comments esp on the referee's decisions.

but this type of thing happens very often...
sometime, it is against you and sometimes, it works for you.
so we just have to forget about it, carry-on from here and becomes stronger.

look like we have a long way to go, still cannot kill-off the opposition when leading.

I totally agree. The ref gave a penalty that was totally ridiculous. Even the commentator was saying that he dun care what reason the ref will give later but whatever reason is not accepted cos it's totally wrong.

However, these things happen and one good thing is that our players acted like professionals and do not go rushing in to protest to the ref unlike some teams we know. They know that the decision is also made and further protests will just warrant unnecessary bookings.

The down side is that the decision totally demoralised our players. They could not lift their game after that. If we were to become champions, we need to be mentally and physically prepared.

Lastly, I hope that Rob Style will also act like a gentleman and a professional by going on record to state that he made a mistake after viewing the video replay.

[Castrol]

Originally Posted by _AXL_

positives to take from match... torres doing a "henry" on cech for his first goal, pool bombarded the opponents' goal, albeit not very accurate and most importantly, liverpool is 2 points ahead of manchester united with a game in hand!!!

torres did so well to put the defender behind him, and he had time to use his right foot for the shot. thats the intelligence i was talking about him earlier.

i hope bolton will improve quickly, i hate to see the great sammy lee kanna f on his managerial debut. sammy lee and ronnie whelan ruled!