As at Stoke on Wednesday the increasing confidence of the squad was to the fore. The absence of the two Scouse stalwarts may have less effect on the balance of the team than it did a few seasons back but the absence of their on field leadership was also less evident. Charlie Adam and Lucas controlled the central midfield and Agger and Skrtel were supremely organized at the back. Agger in particular confirmed that he is the most complete defender at the club, competitive on the floor and in the air and capable of bringing the ball forward.
Arsenal’s victory over Chelsea earlier in the day had left the Reds in seventh place prior to kick off so the pressure to secure three points here had been increased. If the players were feeling it they didn’t show it and but for a better first touch Suarez could have opened the scoring in the first few minutes following Enrique’s through ball. As it was it took until the ninth minute for the breakthrough to come when a penalty was awarded after Jerome Thomas barged into the mercurial Uruguayan. The West Brom players and fans were incensed at the decision, particularly as it was given on the say so of the linesman despite referee Lee Mason having a clear view. The officials, however they reached the decision, got it right as Suarez was clearly impeded. Liverpool’s penalty record has not been great this season so it was a relief to see Charlie Adam as the taker. The Scot was unaffected by the delay caused by the protests of the home side and calmly sent the keeper the wrong way.
The first half continued as it had begun with the visitors dominating possession but all the time there was only one goal in it the doubts persisted that more points could be squandered. Those fears were extinguished by a rapid counter attack on the stroke of half time. A superb Lucas pass picked out Suarez and he hit a perfectly weighted first time ball in for Andy Carroll who despite a poor first touch finished with the outside of his foot. It was a goal that in some ways summed up Carroll’s Liverpool career so far. A blend of bravery and skill combined with a clumsiness that almost undermined all the good.
The goal not only settled the game it also seemed to have a galvanizing effect on the Liverpool number nine. His work rate was impressive and his movement was more purposeful than it has sometimes been and in the second half his link up play with Suarez gave the first real indication that the two players could go on to form an effective partnership. The potential was clearly seen in the sixty eighth minute when Suarez laid the ball back and Carroll blasted a shot from 20 yards that Ben Foster did well to beat away. The margin of victory could have been increased in the final few minutes when Stuart Downing hit the post, the woodwork again proving to be Liverpool’s most stubborn opponent this season.
Dalglish praised the togetherness of the side in his post match comments and this was a thoroughly professional performance. There were many solid individual contributions to savour and the collective reward was a game controlled from start to finish and three points clocked up. After next Saturday’s game with Swansea the Reds face Chelsea and Man City so this win was important to keep the momentum building heading into those fixtures. Arsenal and Spurs would appear to be the main rivals for a top four finish but Chelsea are looking vulnerable. This victory moved Liverpool to within a point of the Stamford Bridge outfit in what is turning into a very tight group trailing Man City. Following this display Kenny will be feeling confident that his Liverpool side can more than hold their own among them.