CHELSEA 0 - 0 LIVERPOOL
Sunday 10 February 2008 16:00 , Barclays Premier League
CHELSEA 0-0 LFC: THE REPORT
Liverpool leave Stamford Bridge with a rare point following an entertaining encounter full of spurned opportunities.
Peter Crouch missed a hat-trick of chances in the first half, while at the other end Pepe Reina had very little to do.
A draw against a side defending a 75-game unbeaten run in the league cannot be sniffed at, though the manner of Liverpool's performance ensured that, for the much of the game, a win was within their grasp.
The Bridge witnessed a scrappy start full of awry crosses and handballs. For the visitors, Ryan Babel looked to have the beating of Juliano Belletti down the left, the full-back impeded by an early yellow card for one of said handballs. Sadly, Liverpool's progress was too often hampered by one of said awry crosses.
It was 15 minutes before either goal came under threat when, after good work from Babel, Steve Finnan swung in an excellent cross to the head of Crouch. The big man headed just wide from the edge of the six-yard box.
Minutes later the Reds were threatening again, Riise finding Crouch in the box. The England striker orchestrated a one-two with Babel before shooting wide.
Patrick Berger was the last Liverpool player to score a hat-trick against Chelsea, but Crouch could easily have matched that feat within 20 minutes. This time it was Gerrard who was the provider with a thunderous run down the right. Again the ball in was perfect but the number 15 headed straight to Petr Cech.
Chelsea were offering little in the way of attacking threat, though Liverpool hearts were in mouths midway through the first half when Javier Mascherano - who only returned from international duty in LA on Friday - appeared to trip Joe Cole in the box. Thankfully, referee Mike Riley was quick to wave away home appeals.
Back at the other end, Lucas had a decent effort deflected wide after another superb Gerrard cross was cleared.
The chances continued to come. Gerrard set Dirk Kuyt down the right on 37 minutes, the Dutchman hitting a deep ball to Crouch who, with Babel waiting in the middle, chose the wrong option.
Spurned opportunities have been a hallmark of 2008 so far, but it would be too easy to disregard the first half as a case of 'same old story'. For Liverpool, at an arena where they've won just once since the inception of the Premier League, were playing well. Really well. Gerrard and Carragher were on top of everything, while the new breed of Martin Skrtel, Babel and Lucas looked, for this afternoon at least, very much like potential fulfilled.
It appeared as if another rookie was to make his bow at the start of the second half when Skrtel fell awkwardly on his right hand. Spanish starlet Mikel San Jose - the only defensive option available to Rafa Benitez because of an injury to Sami Hyypia - was ordered to warm up but some good work from club doctor Mark Waller seemed to do the trick.
Meanwhile, the second half was getting off to a furious start. These sides have met 17 times in four seasons, a vast majority of which could be summed up in one word: cagey. But today, with Messrs Grant and Benitez both without their top strikers, the shackles seemed to be off.
Babel continued to run amok down the left, though Petr Cech was perhaps not tested enough.
Benitez shuffled his pack with 20 minutes to go, Jermaine Pennant replacing man-of-the-match contender Babel.
From there, both sides seemed to close ranks somewhat. Skrtel made a fantastic tackle to thwart Alex with a quarter of an hour to go, while minutes later Chelsea best chance fell to Michael Ballack. Fortunately the German's volley sailed wide of Reina's goal.
Pennant - whose only Liverpool goal to date came against Chelsea last season - found himself in Crouch territory with six minutes remaining after a mean ball in from Kuyt. The result was predictable.
John Arne Riise ensured the away fans went home with a few more grey hairs with a close-range header back to Reina as injury-time approached, but the deadlock wasn't to be broken.
So, the Reds head back to Merseyside with a deserved draw which leaves them three points behind fourth-placed Everton.
The gap could disappear with victory in the game in hand against West Ham, while Liverpool can also take heart from the fixture list, which has dished up three eminently winnable home games against Newcastle, West Ham and Middlesbrough over the coming weeks. The Toffees, meanwhile, could well come unstuck at the City of Manchester or Stadium of Light. Sandwiched in between is the visit to Goodison of the league top away team, Portsmouth.
Teams
Liverpool: Reina, Riise, Carragher, Skrtel, Finnan, Babel, Mascherano, Leiva, Gerrard (captain), Crouch, Kuyt. Subs - Kewell, Pennant, San Jose Dominguez, Benayoun, Itandje
Chelsea: Cech, Cole, Carvalho, , Belletti, Ballack, Lampard (captain), Makelele, Cole, Wright-Phillips, Anelka. Subs - Cudicini, Haim, Pizarro, Malouda, Obi Mikel
Referee: Mike Riley
Conditions: Mild
Attendance: Unknown
Liverpoolfc.tv Man-of-the-Match: Martin Skrtel
Well maybe next time.