The 2009-10 BARCLAYS Premier League has begun with full gusto with each team battling it out,some to stay alive in the most coveted league of England,some vying for silverware and the others playing for the sheer revenge and humiliation they suffered against the other teams last season. Liverpool travelled all the way down to London,to take on Tottenham Hotspurs in the first game. Liverpool's bench strength was weak compared to Spur's but the main team looked pretty strong. With Xabi Alonso leaving for Real Madrid this summer there was a big dent in Liverpool's midfield. Harry Redknapp started off with Keane and Defoe,leaving Crouch (former Liverpool) and Pavlyuchenko on the bench. Both teams payed homage to the late Sir Bobby Robson before kick starting the match.
The first 20 min of the game lacked lustre from both the teams,Liverpool playing in their typical defensive style. Spurs had a couple of chances to score in the first half,Keane failing to convert a lolly pop header from a superb cross by Luca Modric into the six yard box.Kudos to Pepe Reina for showing some goalkeeper instincts. Keane also had another chance of taking Spurs in to the lead but superb keeping skills from Reina kept Spurs at bay. Liverpool's lone striker Torres wasn't impressive at all,failing to control the ball leave alone put it at the back of the net. Liverpool's best chance in the first half came when Captain Courageous (Gerrard) tried to score from outside the box into the far corner of the post but the ball just went wide of the post. Tottenham had another chance from a corner when Jermaine Defoe was unmarked and headed in a powerful header which just went wide. With half time nearly approaching and both teams locked in at 0-0 it seemed as though the game was heading for a goalless draw. In the 43rd minute Spurs got a free-kick which taken by Huddlestone but he made a complete mess of it,rebounding off the Liverpool defensive wall but Ekotto took the return shot and slotted it BANG into the net,giving Reina no chance to stop the ball or rather get a hand to it. With half time gone Spurs were leading 1-0 at White Hart Lane.
Liverpool started the second half with more aggression and desire to equalize first and then then to score a couple of more goals. The pressure was on them because out of the 'Big Four' the other three had won their opening fixtures and to win the title this season no slip ups would be acceptable to them. Johnson made a timely run into the penalty box,going past the Spur's goalkeeper,Gomez only to be tripped by him and winning Liverpool a penalty kick. Steve Gee stepped up and slotted the ball neatly into the back of the net. Liverpool were now level , charged up, invigorated and stepping up the tempo and pushing forward for another goal. But Spurs responded positively with another goal from a free kick and this time it was Sebastian Bassong who headed the ball past Reina,into the net and giving Spurs the vital lead. Liverpool tried hard to equalize but of no avail, substitute Benayoun doing some amazing tricks and trying to score a few goals for Liverpool.
The match ended with Spurs winning their opening fixture comfortably. The guys from the back had won Spurs their opening game,doing an amazing job. Liverpool's hopes of the title, which has eluded them for nearly 20 years looks jittery but there is still lot more football to be played and I do hope that Liverpool would shed back this bad memory and start their next game on a positive note.
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