Liverpool has two of the finest modern cathedrals in Europe and, in optimistic moments the denizens of Anfield have allowed themselves to believe that Rafael Benitez might be constructing a third. Yet currently, like an architect facing the horrible realisation their careful plans might be wrong, the Spaniard is scratching his head.
For two seasons since arriving on Merseyside he built steadily and upwards but suddenly foundations that looked so solid are springing unexpected cracks. Here his defence, the same that kept an astounding 34 clean sheets last season, conceded yet another soft goal. Craig Bellamy, after a long wait, mended the scoreline for Liverpool but Blackburn were happier with the point.
Bellamy’s strike was his first in the league since moving between the two clubs and Mark Hughes, who has done so much for the striker’s career, was hardly amused by the irony. But he had more reason to smile. Neither side played well but at least Hughes’s was cohesive.
Leading until the 64th minute, it took a set piece to break their resistance. Peter Crouch drew two defenders towards him when jumping for Fabio Aurelio’s corner, leaving Bellamy unmarked at the far post. The ball dropped and and bounced and Bellamy met it on the up to beat Brad Friedel with a diving header.
For the 95th consecutive game Benitez altered his starting line-up but though he is criticised for tinkering compulsively, these changes were enforced. Dirk Kuyt’s ankle knock meant Crouch came in to partner Bellamy and an injury to Mohamed Sissoko saw Aurelio appear on the left of midfield. Liverpool’s biggest problems concern the most constant area of their team. Jamie Carragher, Steve Finnan, Sami Hyypia and John Arne Riise have been Benitez’s first-choice defence since he took charge. At the moment, though, they are playing like four pros from different clubs thrown together for an exhibition game.
Age is eroding Hyypia, injuries have interrupted Riise’s season and Carragher and Finnan are going through troughs few people would have foreseen. All footballers must go through erratic spells; Liverpool’s misfortune is two such important members of their side are experiencing such periods simultaneously.
Blackburn’s opening goal came right in front of the Kop and to its denizens it must have looked horrifyingly simple. Out on the flank David Bentley was given too much space by Riise — though cover from Aurelio was decidedly lacking. Bentley crossed beautifully and Carragher was drawn towards the ball before realising, too late, he was never going to reach it. In no man’s land, he let it pass over his head. Finnan also missed it. Hyypia was just missing. Expertly, Benni McCarthy had checked his run and pulled back to the far side of the six-yard area, where he collected and stroked the ball past Jose Reina. It was his sixth goal in 10 games since coming to Blackburn. It was the fourth time in three games Liverpool had conceded following a cross into their box from their left.
A measure of how defending is undermining Liverpool was how the game, and the whole tenor of the afternoon, instantly changed. Benitez’s team had begun expansively, energetically, swarming towards Friedel and spattering shots at his goal. Now they were cowed.
Steven Gerrard’s dipping shot fully 16 minutes later was their first proper response, but soon McCarthy was indulging himself with backheels to colleagues in a packed centre circle, having threatened again soon after his strike with a drive that Reina spilled. The goalkeeper’s unreliability is surely a factor in Carragher and Finnan’s newfound uncertainty. He had been, if not culpable, complicit in Blackburn’s goal, making as if to come for Bentley’s centre before changing his mind and leaving his defenders to do the dirty work.
Hughes’s counter-attacking strategies worked well and for 40 minutes after their goal Blackburn looked slick on the break, solid at the back. This contrasted with the opening to the game, where Gerrard and Crouch were given space to play Jermaine Pennant into position, resulting in a chance for Gerrard, headed over, and Riise was allowed to run from his own 18-yard line to the centre circle to begin a smooth move, again featuring Gerrard, Pennant and Crouch.
Riise supported the attack and drove a shot at Friedel which the goalkeeper could only parry and Crouch seemed to have scored before Zurab Khizanishvili cleared from under the crossbar. Crouch had another chance, from a Pennant cutback, but his side-footed shot was too weak.
Crouch was more decisive when meeting meeting a free kick from Xabi Alonso and heading back across goal for Luis Garcia, who the ball only just eluded. Fully an hour had gone. Liverpool’s resurgence was a long time coming but, inspired by Garcia’s near miss, it arrived. Riise flashed a shot just wide of the far post before Bellamy scored and went close to scoring a winner with a deflected drive from the edge of the box.
But Liverpool’s vulnerability remained. Faced with a routine through ball, Hyypia pondered and then panicked, allowing Jason Roberts to steal it from him and nudge a pass to Bentley, whose shot from eight yards glanced off the underside of Reina’s body and almost went in. Yesterday, Bellamy repaired a bit of storm damage but unless Benitez shores up his base the structure he has been building will never push to the skies.
Star Man: Benni McCarthy (Blackburn)
Player Ratings: Liverpool: Reina 5, Finnan 5, Carragher 5, Hyypia 4, Riise 6, Pennant 5 (Garcia 53min, 6), Alonso 6, Gerrard 6, Aurelio 5, Crouch 6, Bellamy 6.
Blackburn: Friedel 6, Emerton 6, Ooijer 6, Khizanishvili 6, Neill 6, Bentley 6, Tugay 5 (Mokoena 72min, 6), Savage 6, Pedersen 6 (Gallagher 72min, 6), Nonda 5, McCarthy 7 (Roberts 80min, 6)
Scorers: Liverpool: Bellamy 64
Blackburn: McCarthy 17
Referee: M Clattenburg
Attendance: 44,206
