Decent performance from the boys against QPR. It still however shows we need a goal scorer.
I would have liked to see us get Bellamy on a bit earlier when QPR started to get into the game.
I am glad however that we played well and managed to get a win at Anfield. Maxi had numerous chances and should have put away at least one. In the end it did not matter but on another day that may have proved crucial. His movement is terrific and he has a way of getting open. There was a few times Suarez was free down the line and should have looked up to pass it out 45 degrees and that would have led to one or two more chances.
I wonder if Carroll would have made more of a difference in a game like that. Although Kuyt worker tirelessly as normal and Downing even looked good and created thing we have guys on the sidelines that need to come on and play with the best if they are going to continue to develop and play with the best.
Maybe it was the correct decision to not play him in this one but why would you not give him some time on the pitch from 70 minutes out. I think he is safer defensively than Johnson and never hurts giving more guys playing time.
When Agger took his yellow card I got nervous he would live dangerously the last few minutes. Luckily it never proved crucial. I wondered if Carra or Coates would come on but when DJ Campell came on for QPR with his pace it was probably a wise decision to leave Agger on there.
Henderson played well and so did many others like Adam (controlled the midfield and had many exquisite passes throughout the contest), Suraez and Kuyt but the stand out player I thought was Martin Skertel. It was perhaps the best game I have seen him play all year and that gives confidence going into a busy xmas period.
We have a stronger squad in the past as has been mentioned in many media lately, (for example the teamtalk podcast from last week) we have not gotten the points we deserved from how we have played but part of that is down to poor finishing and not having enough goal scorers up front. Maybe if Carroll would have played more he would have been in goalscoring form, maybe with a bit more luck in games like against City and Norwich we would have been 4 points better off (goal keepers had excellent performances in both games). At the end of the day we have not scored enough but hopefully we can get the rub of the green going forward.
At the end I would like to mention Reina. I think our current captain has been great in this recent period, stayed calm and focused despite long periods where he has had little to do. We play better football than we have in many years and I am genuinely looking forward to every game.
It was a real shame Lucas got injured but hopefully Henderson, Shelvey (who had a decent sub performance yesterday) and Spearing can thrive in his absence.
We have also got the imminent return of Gerrard to look forward to. Hopefully he can stay fit through the Christmas period (and beyond).
YNWA,
Stian
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