Idle conversations before the PSV - Liverpool match assigned Ronald Kuman the role of executioner of English clubs. “Manchester” he was from the group, it was the case, did not release, “Arsenal” left without a quarter-finals. The temptation to summarize these exploits is really great, only this time the executioner climbed the scaffold without the main gun, and the Liverpool did not at all resemble a victim.
When Carragher powerfully struck the Dutch goal with his head in the first minutes of the game, it was a sign. Let it be cautious, albeit pragmatic, but Rafael Benitez came to Eindhoven not to wait for the error, but to play from a position of strength. Of course, Carragher on the “second floor” is traditionally good, but the whole point of the episode is in the absence of Alex. He is not just a defender for PSV, he is the owner of the penalty box - like a cat, on whose house the mice do not even think to encroach. Well, since there’s no cat ...
True, PSV quickly built a response to Carragher’s most dangerous blow, seemingly getting involved in a full exchange of injections. It turned out that on the part of Liverpool it was a bit of an assumption: let them play on equal terms with us. "Equality" lasted about twenty minutes. In addition to Alex, PSV also injured forward Aruna Kone, and without him there was no one to escalate the situation at the gates of Reina. By the middle of the half, Liverpool had established itself in its aggressive plan - since the enemy is disarmed, you can be brazen.
Cup strategy, Benitez’s natural craving for prudent football - the pressure of Liverpool organically placed itself among these concepts. The British did not change their style, they just played the game in such a way that with every minute of weakness PSV were more noticeable. Here for a second, the extreme defender of Salcido lost his concentration, and his opponent on the edge of Finnan is right there. A canopy into the penalty area found Gerrard's head ... So the mice occupied the whole house.
Strange things happened during the break. Kuman removed Farfan, who played the role of center forward. This is the first. And secondly, the coach seems to have said the wards some wrong words. The already unconvincing PSV entered the field not with a team, but with a disorganized crowd. Replacing Alex in defense, Simons voluntarily lost the ball to Riise - so the Norwegian celebrated the doubling of the score.
The game was made. PSV, like a schoolboy who had forgotten a verse, stood by the blackboard and tried not to cry. The strict teacher “Liverpool” did not shout or swear, but quietly displayed a fair “deuce” in the diary. The reasons for the less-learned lesson are objective and known to all. But Liverpool doesn’t care. Champions League - no place for pity. Therefore, the British rushed forward until the last minutes. The third ball took off the rest of the questions about the winner of the pair, and Kate still managed to earn a yellow card to be disqualified for the return match. In general, Liverpool spent a very useful time in Holland.
The Champions League remains for Liverpool the last incentive of the season. By playing against PSV, Benitez showed how much his team is sharpened for the cup principle, to achieve this goal. Preparation for the semifinals can begin right now. However, Benitez knows any of the likely rivals by heart.
Timur CRANES
PSV Holland - LIVERPOOL England - 0: 3 (0: 1)
Goals: 0: 1 - Gerrard (27), 0: 2 - Riise (50), 0: 3 - Crouch (63).
PSV: Gomez, Simons, Koku, Väyrynen, Mendes (Kluivert, 50), Da Costa, Kromkamp (C. Feher, 68), Kulina, Fanfan (Sun Xiang, 46), Salsido, Tardelli.
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Agger, Carragher, Riise (Zenden, 66), Gerrard, Fabio Aurelio (Gonzalez, 75), Xabi Alonso, Mascherano, Crouch (Pennant, 85), Kate.
Warnings: Mascherano (39), Kluivert (64), C. Feher (72), Kate (90 + 2).
Eindhoven. PSV Stadium.
Judge: B. Layek (France).