Determination Brings Reward

Last updated : 27 October 2011 By Philip Hale

Suarez and Carroll

The source of the motivation was individual as well as collective. Dirk Kuyt, lamenting his lack of a winners medal in a red shirt, Jay Spearing, anxious to keep himself in the forefront of Kenny Dalglish’s mind and the manager himself eager to mark his first full season back with a trophy he won so many times as a player, all laid down a marker in the press.

Dalglish granted Spearing his opportunity while Kuyt had to be content with a place on the bench. The rest of the team was an indication of the strength of the squad Dalglish has assembled. Despite the absence of Gerrard, Downing, Enrique and Johnson from the squad and Adam from the starting eleven, only Sebastian Coates could be considered a risky selection.  Kelly has proved himself worthy of a regular place rather than just as an occasional replacement for Johnson and playing Agger at left back seemed a sensible way to return him to full fitness rather than a necessity brought on by a lack of options.

The eleven that started worked tirelessly to match Stoke’s physical presence.  Spearing and Maxi, two of the smallest players on the pitch were also two of the most combative. It’s a cliché that when facing such opposition “you have to earn the right to play your football” but that is very much what the Reds did at the Brittania Stadium. Such was the work rate that apart from the final few minutes Pepe Reina’s goal rarely came under any real sustained pressure. The one time it was breached was a result of Coates getting a crash course in why you cannot amble and allow a ball to bounce in English football.  Other than this lapse in concentration, which allowed Jon Walters to cross for Kenwyne Jones to head Stoke into the lead, the young Uruguayan justified his inclusion and was unfazed by a change in partner when Skrtel replaced Jamie Carragher at half time. 

It was his countryman Luis Suarez who once again supplied the magic that added a tangible reward for the team’s effort. He struck first in the 54th minute with a sublime piece of skill, nut-megging Ryan Shotton before curling an unstoppable shot beyond the reach of Sorenson in the Stoke goal. With four minutes to go Henderson capped a hardworking performance with a superb volleyed cross that Suarez gleefully headed in.

The delight at delivering on the pre-match promises was written on the faces of players and coaches as the final whistle blew. It was a satisfying night for a number of reasons; a battling performance to recover from a goal down, an opportunity for Carroll, Spearing, Maxi, Agger and Kelly to provide Dalgish with a selection dilemma for the weekend, Wembley one step closer and a poor recent record at Stoke improved. With Chelsea, Arsenal, United and City all in the final eight victory in this competition is going to be a challenge but if attitude counts for anything none of those sides will relish being drawn against a Liverpool side with a mission.