Match reports

Liverpool 0-0  Stoke
So since my last entry...things started phenomenally badly with a thoroughly depressing 0-0 draw at home to Stoke, typical of many of the problems this season. I say that, what was considerably untypical was Dalglish's quite bizarre team selection. Why you would play 5 defenders and 1 striker at home to Stoke really is a mystery quite frankly and dear old Kuyt, for me a vital first team player, is not and never has been at Liverpool a successful lone striker. The game rather reinforced my view that that creative player with an ability to unlock a defence who 'parks the bus' is missing. Yossi Benayoun did a great job on this in his time at the club and we need the likes of him again even if he unfortunately is not exactly excelling at Arsenal after an injury hit time at Chelsea.

Bolton 3-1 Liverpool
Next up was an even more depressing display, an abysmal 3-1 defeat at Bolton. This really was a truly awful performance from which only the remarkable Craig Bellamy emerged with credit. For what it's worth:

Reina - 6
Hardly his fault
Johnson - 5
Still can't defend
Enrique - 5
His worst performance of the season
Agger - 5
Poor
Skrtel - 6
The best of a poor defensive display
Gerrard - 6
Worked hard but not his best
Maxi - 5
What does this guy actually do?
Henderson - 5
Not good
Adam - 5
Really not good
Carroll - 6
Certainly not his worst display to give him his due
Bellamy - 7
The best of a bad bunch

Subs:
Kuyt - 6
As always workrate guaranteed
Downing - 5
As always no creativity whatsoever

Liverpool 2-2 Man City (Carling Cup)
This was a really creditable performance with superb workrate and excellent football against a far superior side in terms of quality players. Hats off must go to the bargain of the season Mr Craig Bellamy as he was colossal, a truly awesome performance. Liverpool did admittedly benefit from the quite amazingly awful Stefan Savic in City's defence who is turning out to be one of the transfer disasters of the season. All in all this was an excellent performance with an outstanding performance from Hart in the City goal preventing Liverpool from winning convincingly although I must add I thought the penalty was harsh on City.

Reina - 6
Not much he could do about either goal
Johnson - 6
A good attacking threat
Enrique - 8
An excellent return to form
Agger - 7
Solid
Skrtel - 7
Solid as well
Gerrard - 8
What can you say? I like having him back
Henderson - 6
Worked hard
Adam - 7
Some good creative moments
Downing - 6
Not much in the way of creativity but worked hard
Kuyt - 7
He goes back in every time for me
Bellamy - 9
Outstanding

Subs:
Kelly - 7
A very late entrance but helped out defensively
Carroll - 5
A very late entrance but didn't

Man City:

Hart - 8
Richards - 6
Zabaleta - 6
Lescott - 5
Kolarov - 5
Savic - 3
Barry - 6
Nasri - 6
Silva - 7
De Jong - 7
Dzeko - 6

Subs:
Aguero - 6
Johnson - 5

Liverpool 2-1 Man United
An excellent, hard working display. United had much of the possession in what was for the most part not a great game but I felt that Liverpool had more chances and just about deserved the win. There was something terribly satisfying about beating United with a late winner after their previous triumphs in this way! I was very pleased to see Kelly and not Johnson start the game. I certainly wouldn't have opted with Carroll to start up front on his own, if at all, and remain utterly convinced he's not the right player to take Liverpool forward but credit where credit's due I thought he worked really hard. I wouldn't have started with 5 at the back either but what I like about Kenny is his flexibility and his willingness to change mid-game and bringing on Kuyt for Carragher was the difference in the end.

Reina - 6
Played well with not much to do
Kelly - 7
Good solid display
Enrique - 7
Another good game
Carragher - 7
The old warhorse did very well
Agger - 7
Some good moments going forward as well as in defence
Skrtel - 6
Good
Gerrard - 7
The odd surprisingly misplaced pass but always a presence
Maxi - 5
He doesn't do anything
Henderson - 6
Worked hard
Downing - 6
I remain unconvinced but he worked hard
Carroll - 7
His best display so far

Subs:
Kuyt - 8
Changed the game
Adam - 7
Did well
Bellamy - 6
A quiet cameo but a good crowd pleaser!

Wolves 0-3 Liverpool
A good workmanlike win against a poor side. Again god bless Bellamy although I thought Kuyt and Adam did really well which was encouraging. I love Kuyt and for me he goes back in every time but he hasn't been at his best this season but is really finding his feet again it would seem.

Reina - 7
Made a good save in the first half
Johnson - 6
Did ok
Enrique - 7
Another good performance from an excellent signing
Agger - 7
Not much to do but did it well enough
Skrtel - 7
Same as Agger
Henderson - 7
Played well
Spearing - 7
Good to see him back in the side, a combative display
Adam - 8
A creative force, good to see
Carroll - 7
Well he got his goal. Marvellous.
Kuyt - 8
His usual colossal workrate
Bellamy - 8
As with Kuyt, what a signing!

Subs:
Carragher - 6
Did ok, not much to do
Shelvey - 6
Limited impact in a short time
Aurelio - 5
Too late to make an impact