Liverpool Dominate A Very Poor Chelsea – Liverpool 4 Chelsea 1

Liverpool ended their disappointing Premier League home campaign in style as they hammered Chelsea 4-1, a scoreline that flattered Roberto Di Matteo’s side.

Right from the off Liverpool dominated Chelsea who had the dispirited looking Fernando Torres making his first return to Anfield in a blue shirt. He hit the bar in the first half but other than that he looked like the Torres who swanned around Anfield in his last 12 months with Liverpool, showing little effort and very little interest in the proceedings going on around him. Not unsurprisingly he received plenty of stick from the Liverpool fans but to be fair, I’ve heard worse. The reaction to Torres was very gentle compared to Michael Owen’s (remember him??) return.

Compare Torres’ performance and sulky attitude to Liverpool’s revitalised Number 9 – Andy Carroll. Carrying on where he left off against Chelsea in the FA Cup Final, he terrorised the Chelsea defence from start to finish. Just a shame he didn’t claim a goal or two that his performance so richly deserved. The transformation in Carroll’s game and confidence is so clear to see and he is now looking like the fearsome striker we bought from Newcastle in January 2011.

Great also to see Henderson and Shelvey play so well together in the middle of midfield. Henderson looks so much more at ease in the middle – more composed on the ball and more confident. That confidence stood out when he coolly finished for Liverpool’s second on the night. His disappearance in many games will hopefully be ironed out for next season and also playing him wide on the right will be a thing of the past. There is no doubting the lad can play. He has a great engine, loves to get forward and is always available.

Shelvey has been unlucky in a way that he hasn’t played more games. In my opinion, Shelvey should have started ahead of Jay Spearing in the FA Cup Final as he offers more options, a great engine, is better on the ball, seems to know when to go forward and join in and carries a goal threat. The way he took his goal was brilliant. Again showing confidence as hitting that effort on the half volley from that distance could have ended up anywhere.

Chelsea offered little and quite how Michael Essien escaped a red card for one of the worst tackles of the season for a dreadful assault on Andy Carroll is amazing. Check it out here.

Great atmosphere as well last night. The Kop at times was bouncing, everyone around us singing and getting behind the team throughout. Contrast that to the sad Chelsea fans. They’ve just won the FA Cup and they could only sell about half of their allocation and hardly made any noise. Maybe not surprising in a way as they couldn’t even sell out their allocation for a local London derby FA Cup semi-final against Spurs. Bad decision by them as well to try and bait The Kop. They haven’t the wit nor the variety of songs to be taken seriously. One of their two or three songs is the “original” – “Sign on, sign on, you’ll never get a job”. Come on, that’s pathetic.

Not for the first time Liverpool fans reminded the Chavs of their history – or rather their lack of it. Another occasion when the history lesson was delivered can be relived below.

Not quite sure what the Chelsea fans meant with their “Where’s Your Famous Atmosphere” chant because the atmosphere was great throughout. Just a way for them to run through their tiny song list I suppose. Maybe their inability to generate their own, post Cup Final party atmosphere was due them missing their hilarious party accessory. Well, we couldn’t see any evidence of them from where we were in The Kop so it was only right I suppose that we asked them whether they had them or not…….so, “where’s your famous plastic flags?”

On the negative side for Liverpool last night was the missing of another penalty, this time Stewart Downing hitting the post after sending Ross Turnbull the wrong way. And, it seems that last night was Maxi’s last game for us. When he was subbed he waved to all four sides of the ground and it looked as though that was his farewell. I didn’t stay for the traditional, end of season lap of “thank you to the fans” – couldn’t really call it “lap of honour” – so don’t know if there was any other signs there. Very underrated player for us who came up with some fantastic and vital goals for us. If it is farewell – thanks Maxi, YNWA!!

Maxi Rodriguez Runs Down The Wing For Me

All in all a very satisfactory way for Liverpool to end their home campaign. Three well deserved points, great performance and great atmosphere. Just a shame there hasn’t been enough of much of the same throughout the season.

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