Sunday September 12, 2010 Day 4 Finished St. Andrew's

  1. Reina saves lacklustre Liverpool

    Reina saves lacklustre Liverpool

    Liverpool had goalkeeper Pepe Reina to thank for earning them a 0-0 draw against Birmingham City at St Andrew's. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Birmingham City
    • Liverpool
    • 90+4' There's the final whistle and it finishes goalless - the seventh consecutive Premier League draw between these two teams.
    • 90+3' Last chance Liverpool? Glen Johnson crosses from the right but Foster makes a commanding catch. He's had a solid game.
    • 90+2' Agger crosses from the left, flicked on to the back post and the offside Meireles cannot finish from close range.
    • 90+1' Three minutes of stoppage time to be played.
    • 90+1' Birmingham change: Nikola Zigic comes on for James McFadden - a big man to hold the ball up.
    • 90' A dangerous Gerrard cross is well cleared from the edge of the six-yard box - Liverpool definitely finishing the stronger.
    • 89' A Gerrard cross is cleared and Birmingham come away on the break... McFadden tries to find Jerome but Skrtel intercepts.
    • 88' Liverpool attack with a bit of urgency, but then Jovanovic inexplicably dallies, turns, and plays the ball backwards.
    • 87' Torres tries a shot that is blocked, then Gerrard does likewise, then Poulsen. But a decent bit of pressure from Liverpool.
    • 86' Meireles lobs a high ball into the danger area and Foster stays calm to catch it underneath his crossbar.
    • 85' Craig Gardner collects a loose ball and makes a Gerrard-esque drive towards the edge of the box, but the shot comes off the outside of his left foot and goes well wide.
    • 84' Carragher and McFadden chase a ball towards the corner, and the Liverpool man is lucky to win a free-kick after minimal contact.
    • 83' Torres works his way into a shooting position at the edge of the box - he does everything right but is caught as he shoots and a weak effort is easy for Foster to deal with.
    • 82' Cool play by Reina, who races out of his goal to intercept a through ball and chests it neatly down.
    • 81' Jerome chases the ball down inside the box and lays it back for Larsson whose cross does not reach a blue shirt.
    • 80' It's just not happening for Gerrard, who pelts the ball out for a goal kick to great cheers from the home fans.
    • 79' Decent touch from Meireles, a recent arrival from Porto.
    • 78' Agger replaces Konchesky as both sides steel themselves for a final 10-minute effort.
    • 77' Dan Agger is also stripping off and getting ready to come on.
    • 76' It's a debut for Portuguese midfielder Raul Meireles, who comes on for Lucas Leiva.
    • 76' Maxi cuts inside, takes a touch and lets fly from 22 yards - it's a woeful effort, which he drags well wide to the left of goal.
    • 75' Torres attempts to dribble goalwards from wide on the left, but he is easily dispossessed.
    • 74' Jovanovic yelps as he goes to ground following another Stephen Carr challenge, but referee Halsey says no foul.
    • 72' Carr foulds Jovanovic resulting in a Liverpool free-kic, but this one comes to nothing.
    • 71' A Liverpool free-kick comes in from the left, but Roger Johnson meets it with another good defensive header.
    • 70' JEROME AGAIN!! Meets a cross backpedalling at the left-hand post, but directs his header wide! Looked easier than it was.
    • 68' Gerrard is finally back on and Liverpool are up to a full complement of players. They look the likelier side to break the deadlock at the moment.
    • 67' Now there's a stat. Liverpool have enjoyed 71 per cent possession in the last 10 minutes.
    • 66' Gerrard is getting his head bandaged and Liverpool play on with 10 men.
    • 65' Gerrard is called across to the touchline for more treatment - if his ear is bleeding, he won't be allowed to play.
    • 64' TORRES!!! That would have shut the critics up!! He smashes the ball high to goal from a tight angle by Foster palms it behind for a corner!
    • 64' Another poor touch by Torres, who looked like he didn't expect the ball to come to him.
    • 64' The Liverpool skipper is showing no ill-effects and aims in another cross from the right, but it is cleared,
    • 63' That Gerrard injury from the first half has re-surfaced. It was actually his EAR that was the problem and it has started bleeding again. Icky.
    • 62' The shadows are lengthening in the late afternoon sun, as Glen Johnson just fails to keep a 40-yard pass from Gerrard in.
    • 61' Alex McLeish takes a swig of water and ponders his next move. Liverpool are just starting to get back into this and the home side must be careful to ensure their good work does not count for nothing.
    • 60' Gerrard whips in a cross from the right edge of the area but there is nobody arriving and it skips harmlessly out for a throw.
    • 59' Throw to Liverpool as Gerrard's diagonal ball into the area is put out...
    • 58' Skrtel lofts an aimless ball into the Birmingham box and it bounces through to Foster.
    • 57' WHAT A CHANCE!! Scott Dann ghosts into the box unmarked to meet Larsson's free-kick but somehow glances his header into the ground and over the top! Bad miss.
    • 56' Jovanovic is in the thick of it again, this time scragging McFadden and conceding a free-kick inside Liverpool territory.
    • 54' Jovanovic tries to get a shot away inside the Birmingham box and is rewarded for his enterprise with a throw.
    • 53' Birmingham break promisingly with Ridgewell down the left... he finds Bowyer who attempts to switch the play but boots the ball out beyond Carr.
    • 52' Liverpool just aren't playing with any tempo at all, and they are hassled into playing the ball all the way back to Reina - much to the consternation of the travelling supporters.
    • 51' Gardner tries a left-foot shot from 25 yards but drags it well wide.
    • 50' Wasteful by Gerrard, who tries a killer ball but finds the feet of Dann. Typical of Liverpool today.
    • 49' Birmingham win another free-kick, this time on the right... Larsson delivers but Jovanovic makes the clearing header.
    • 48' McFadden's outswinging delivery finds the head of Ridgewell but his effort is blocked. A positive start to the half from the home team.
    • 47' No personnel changes from either manager, and Johnson impedes Bowyer for a free-kick on the Birmingham left.
    • 46' One lucky Birmingham fan has just made a successful marriage proposal on the pitch, but as yet he's the only one to score at St Andrew's today.
    • 45' Half-time at St Andrew's, and Birmingham have been the better side but it remains goalless thanks to Pepe Reina.
    • 45+1' One minute of added time to be played.
    • 45' Great work by McFadden to shimmy away from two challenges and get his cross in from the left... cleared, but again Liverpool look less than confident.
    • 44' Reina has his hands full again, although this time it is just to field a long ball downfield.
    • 43' Barry Ferguson whips a cracking ball into the box from the Birmingham left, which somehow eludes everyone and scoots out for a goal kick. A lucky escape for the visitors.
    • 42' Skrtel concedes a corner on the Liverpool right... once again it comes to nothing.
    • 40' Roy Hodgson looks on impassively from the dugout - this first half has given him plenty of food for thought.
    • 39' This is more like it, a great game developing... Jerome fires well over from long range.
    • 38' Another great save by Reina!! This time Birmingham surge forward and Gardner powers another headed chance goalwards from Carr's cross, but Reina springs to his right and gets his wrist to the ball!
    • 38' Then played in to Torres, who is stopped by a superb saving tackle from Roger Johnson!
    • 37' Now Liverpool come forward on the break and Maxi has a shot blocked... penalty claim denied!
    • 36' Larsson crosses dangerously from the right, Reina and an onrushing Jerome meet it at the same time and the goalkeeper just manages to punch it to safety!
    • 35' Now Maxi is on the deck, but Mark Halsey tells him to get up and gestures that the Birmingham player got the ball.
    • 34' Jerome claims Carragher was holding him down as he jumped for a long ball. Referee Halsey sees nothing wrong with it.
    • 33' Carr flicks the ball deftly inside for Larrson who cuts it back to GARDNER!! The ball is just behind him and he scoops his shot over!
    • 32' The ball pinballs around the Birmingham box and Maxi tries an overhead kick... he makes weak content and helps it wide.
    • 31' Ferguson flies into Lucas, then pleads his innocence as the Brazilian makes a meal of the coming-together. Free-kick Liverpool - Ferguson not happy.
    • 30' Gerrard has a shy from range, but blazes it miles over the top. Awful effort from the Liverpool captain.
    • 29' Yellow card Craig Gardner for a late challenge on Lucas. Combative as ever, the Birmingham midfield.
    • 28' Konchesky concedes a corner on the Birmingham right that McFadden will whip in left-footed... no, he plays it low to the edge of the box and a red shirt gets to it first.
    • 27' McFadden... fires wastefully over from a superb position... the Liverpool fans sing a derogatory song about the Scot's former career with Everton.
    • 26' Carragher brings McFadden down at the edge of the box, Mark Halsey awards a free-kick and this is a great chance...
    • 25' Liverpool are really struggling to keep possession, with Birmingham starting to take charge of this game.
    • 23' Well, that has certainly livened the game up - a chance out of very little, and Liverpool owe their Spanish keeper one. He made a dreadful blunder for Spain against Argentina in the week, but was on top form there.
    • 22' GREAT SAVE REINA!! Birmingham take a free-kick quickly, the ball is crossed from the left and Jerome powers a downward header goalwards only for Reina to claw it away!
    • 21' Gerrard is OK to continue, although he might have a bit of a shiner in the morning.
    • 20' Ferguson jumps with Gerrard and is alleged to have impeded the Liverpool skipper... and Gerrard has a small cut close to his right eye.
    • 19' Another long ball is bombed towards the edge of the Liverpool box... Carragher heads clear. Turgid stuff.
    • 18' The vast majority of play is going down the Liverpool right and the Birmingham left...
    • 17' The ball is lobbed into the Liverpool box and Johnson puts it out for a throw in an excellent position for Birmingham... again nothing comes of it.
    • 16' Torres rolls the ball to the edge of the box hoping to find an onrushing midfielder, but Ferguson intercepts it easily.
    • 15' Milan Jovanovic is a very direct and powerful runner when he gets on the ball, and he causes a few flutters with a brief go at the heart of the Birmingham defence before losing possession.
    • 14' Craig Gardner plays the ball out off Johnson and it's a throw in a decent position for Birmingham... it comes to nothing.
    • 13' The ball is still not really sticking for either set of players, and it is a low quality encounter so far.
    • 12' First real chance! Johnson makes a break down the right and squares a low cross for Fernando Torres, who miscues his shot completely and sends it well wide! That's a big opportunity for a finisher of his quality.
    • 11' It's fairly unappetising stuff at the moment. Lots of aimless hoofs through the air. Not a classic so far.
    • 10' The corner is headed away and drops for Gerrard who tries a spectacular volley but rather scuffs it and the shot is blocked.
    • 9' Stephen Carr boots a wild clearance in the air and it bounces out for the first corner of the game...
    • 8' Glen Johnson accelerates down the right but Bowyer holds him back... free-kick Liverpool.
    • 7' The offside flag is up against Torres as Maxi Rodriguez plays it down the Liverpool right.. that's the shady side of the pitch, incidentally.
    • 6' It is a sunny afternoon in the West Midlands, and a a third of the pitch is in the shade with the rest bathed in bright sunlight.
    • 5' Now the home side show some intent and hit it long for Cameron Jerome, who wins a throw off Martin Skrtel.
    • 4' Birmingham knock the ball around at the back - they are in no rush to get forward and seem content to play it sideways.
    • 3' An early sight of goal for Barry Ferguson, who hits a long shot way off target.
    • 2' Stephen Carr attempts to ping a long ball forward and Milan Jovanovic gets a football in the face for his troubles...
    • 1' Birmingham kick off and try and hit the left wing... it goes out for a throw.
    • 16:01 Told you we wouldn't start on time... but the teams are now ready.
    • 15:57 This being a 'Super Sunday' game, no doubt it will start late. You've probably got time to make a quick cup of tea before kick-off.
    • 15:55 This is a hugely familiar Birmingham line-up. With the exception of Christian Benitez, this is the team that played much of last season in a very stable side.
    • 15:50 It could be just like old times for Gerard Houllier, Emile Heskey and Michael Owen if today's papers are to be believed. The new Aston Villa boss wants to bring Owen to Villa Park in January. Houllier 'plots move for Owen'
    • 15:45 Full managerial reaction from yesterday's Premier League games, including Ferguson on Rooney, Hughes on Zamora and Holloway on the word 'phantasmagorical'. Managers: Fuming Fergie
    • 15:40 Alex McLeish is hoping the fear of losing their place will bring the best out of his Birmingham players after the recent influx of new signings: "As you build a team and you build a club, there's more competition for places and the players have to play to their very best level. The thing that motivated me most was the fear of losing my place and I hope the players here can respond in the same manner." Birmingham boss welcomes competition
    • 15:35 Roy Hodgson has said he will consider resting Fernando Torres throughout the season to keep his star striker fresh: "I think Torres can probably play three games in seven days - he is as capable as anyone else - but if you can spare your players you want to do that. Torres is nothing special in that respect. The thing about him is that he went to the World Cup with an injury, played without being fully fit and we are anxious to make sure that in this season he will be fully fit." Hodgson happy to protect Torres
    • 15:30 It had been suggested Raul Meireles would start for Liverpool today, but the Portuguese must settle for a spot on the bench. Still no Joe Cole, who serves the final game of his suspension today.
    • 15:25 So it's a Liverpool debut for Paul Konchesky, but there is no Alex Hleb for Birmingham - the former Arsenal man picked up an injury on international duty.
    • 15:20 TEAMS - BIRMINGHAM: Foster, Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, Gardner, McFadden, Jerome... Subs: Taylor, Murphy, Derbyshire, Michel, Fahey, Zigic, Jiranek... LIVERPOOL: Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky, Maxi, Poulsen, Lucas, Gerrard, Jovanovic, Torres... Subs: Jones, Meireles, Agger, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Babel, Ngog... Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
    • 15:15 Welcome to LIVE coverage of Birmingham v Liverpool from St Andrew's!

  • Summary

    • 70' JEROME AGAIN!! Meets a cross backpedalling at the left-hand post, but directs his header wide! Looked easier than it was.
    • 64' TORRES!!! That would have shut the critics up!! He smashes the ball high to goal from a tight angle by Foster palms it behind for a corner!
    • 57' WHAT A CHANCE!! Scott Dann ghosts into the box unmarked to meet Larsson's free-kick but somehow glances his header into the ground and over the top! Bad miss.
    • 38' Another great save by Reina!! This time Birmingham surge forward and Gardner powers another headed chance goalwards from Carr's cross, but Reina springs to his right and gets his wrist to the ball!
    • 38' Then played in to Torres, who is stopped by a superb saving tackle from Roger Johnson!
    • 37' Now Liverpool come forward on the break and Maxi has a shot blocked... penalty claim denied!
    • 36' Larsson crosses dangerously from the right, Reina and an onrushing Jerome meet it at the same time and the goalkeeper just manages to punch it to safety!
    • 33' Carr flicks the ball deftly inside for Larrson who cuts it back to GARDNER!! The ball is just behind him and he scoops his shot over!
    • 22' GREAT SAVE REINA!! Birmingham take a free-kick quickly, the ball is crossed from the left and Jerome powers a downward header goalwards only for Reina to claw it away!
    • 12' First real chance! Johnson makes a break down the right and squares a low cross for Fernando Torres, who miscues his shot completely and sends it well wide! That's a big opportunity for a finisher of his quality.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Line-up

    Live Team Line-Up

    • Starting line-up

      • B. Foster
      • S. Carr
      • R. Johnson
      • S. Dann
      • L. Ridgewell
      • B. Ferguson
      • L. Bowyer
      • S. Larsson
      • C. Gardner Yellow Card
      • J. McFadden Substitution Out (90′)
      • C. Jerome

      Subs

      • M. Taylor
      • D. Murphy
      • N. &#381igic Substitution In90′
      • M. Derbyshire
      • M. Jiránek
      • K. Fahey
      • Míchel

    • Starting line-up

      • J. Reina
      • G. Johnson
      • J. Carragher
      • M. &#352krtel
      • P. Konchesky Substitution Out (78′)
      • C. Poulsen
      • S. Gerrard
      • M. Rodríguez
      • Lucas Substitution Out (76′)
      • M. Jovanovic
      • F. Torres

      Subs

      • B. Jones
      • Raul Meireles Substitution In76′
      • R. Babel
      • D. Agger Substitution In78′
      • D. N'Gog
      • S. Kyrgiakos
      • D. Pacheco

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

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    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      - -
      Defenders
      - -
      - -
      - -
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      Midfielders
      - -
      - -
      - -
      Yellow Card - -
      Substitution Out90′ - -
      Strikers
      - -
      Subs
      Substitution In90′ - -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      - -
      Defenders
      - -
      - -
      - -
      Substitution Out78′ - -
      Midfielders
      - -
      - -
      - -
      Substitution Out76′ - -
      - -
      Strikers
      - -
      Subs
      Substitution In76′ - -
      Substitution In78′ - -

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