|
Kuyt pushes PSV towards UEFA Cup
Peter van Duyl
AD
Thursday 2 October 2008
Sometimes football is as predictable
as the chance for rain rain is in autumn.
Everybody expected PSV to go down
without a chance at Anfield, and that is exactly what
happened yesterday.
The English played at the highest
pace for about four minutes and after Dirk Kuyt had
opened the score they shifted back a few gears to still
make it 3-1 in the end.
After two games in Champions League
Group D the balance for PSV is a sad one.
They have zero points and it will
be quite the effort to secure a third place.
Competitors for that spot Olympique
Marseille are also still on zero points but hey too
have a team capable of beating PSV.
Ironically it was a Dutchman who
laid the foundations for yesterday's defeat.
Dirk Kuyt needed exactly 240 seconds
to put the ball in the back of the net.
It was Kuyt's 7th Champions League
goal, after it was his goal that put Liverpool in the
Champions League against Standard Liege.
Liverpool-PSV was painful reality
of 90 minutes, making it ever clearer that Dutch club
teams do not fit in the highest levels of European club
football.
And there are no indications that
they will ever do so in the future.
There isn't a single player in
the ranks of PSV who would serve as a reinforcement
for Liverpool.
Especially because there is such
a huge quality difference PSV can't be blamed for much.
The technical staff came up with
a logical tactical plan.
Two weeks ago PSV were swept aside
like schoolboys by Atletico.
In Liverpool the lineup was a lot
more realistic.
In an attempt to temper the English
urge forward coach Huub Stevens tried seal off their
own goal and the road to it as much as possible.
Midfielder Timmy Simons was played
behind the back four and with Wuytens, Méndez
and Culina there were three holding midfielders just
in front of those four.
Up front Nordin Amrabat fought
a brave but lonesome battle, only supported by Otman
Bakkal.
In theory the plan was well constructed,
but PSV could throw it away four minutes into the game.
Even before they left for Liverpool
all PSV players agreed on one thing: conceding an early
goal at Anfield would be deadly.
That proposition was sank without
mercy by Kuyt's goal.
Fernando Torres wrestled himself
free of Jérémie Bréchet.
The Spaniard's effort was blocked
well by keeper Isaksson, but he had no answer to Kuyt's
rebound.
Bréchet again had a difficult
night in Liverpool and was replaced at half-time by
Erik Pieters.
After that Liverpool handed PSV
the initiative and it was then that Steven's defensive
plan got in the way of any offensive ideas PSV might
have.
Liverpool meanwhile sat back and
waited for a chance to strike.
The home team made it 2-0 before
half-time when Torres dashed past Carlos Salcido.
His pinpoint cross was badly judged
by Dirk Marcellis, allowing an easy chance to score
his first goal for his new club.
Just when it seemed PSV had found
some ways to get closer to the goal of Pepe Reina Mr.
Liverpool took away any illusions the visitors may have
had.
Steven Gerrard's screaming free
kick was his 100th goal for the Reds.
Only two minutes after PSV did
pull one back, but by then it was too little, too late.
In the box of positives PSV found
only some leftovers.
Jan Kromkamp played a full match,
youngster Stijn Wuytens (19) made his debut in the Champions
League and defender Dirk Marcellis (20) made his second
visit to Anfield Road.
Nordin Amrabat could also be reasonably
happy with his performance.
The forward had the unrewarding
task of fighting it out by himself with the strong Liverpool
defense.
The street fighter he is refused
to accept the English supremacy just like that, but
Carragher and Skrtel were simply not impressed.
Liverpool-PSV Eindhoven 3-1
1-0 04' Kuyt
2-0 34' Robbie Keane
3-0 76' Gerrard
3-1 78' Koevermans
|
