After playing the final Saturday fixture in the EPL for the last two weeks Liverpool travel to Bolton tomorrow for the leagues early kick off attempting to open up a three point gap at the top. Several weeks ago I would have seen this as quite an easy match as Bolton were on a terrible run of games. Since then however there has been a huge improvement and Bolton always seem to be a different proposition at home. I can’t see a repeat of the 3-1 victory for the Reds from last season but a tighter affair but I hope I am proved wrong and also hope that Jasskelainen doesn’t put in another performance to match that of last week. The players need to show that their “rest” from Wednesdays defeat at Spurs was worth while and that they are up for the fight because Bolton sure will.
The next two weeks throws up home ties against Fulham and West Ham so a win tomorrow puts us back in a very strong position for the rest of November. 12 points from a possible 15 for the month is by no means a disaster and with the first two matches in December being Blackburn and Hull we should only be really tested again by the Gunners on the 20th December. This is all fine on paper but the fact remains that many people still do not think that Liverpool are the real deal for this season. Taking maximum points from now to the Arsenal match will make others sit up and take notice.
We go to the Reebok looking to extend our winning Premier League run against Bolton to four. We have put a total of 10 goals past the Trotters in the last three victories and with Torres back with a bit more fitness and Keane finally off the mark in the EPL I hope or firepower will be too much for them the handle. Bolton however have won their last two games but have not not won three Premier League victories on the spin since completing five in a row under Sam Allardyce between 9 December and 30 December 2006 which was a sequence ended by our 3-0 win at Anfield on New Years Day 2007.
With regards to the squads taking the pitch tomorrow Jamie Carragher is the only remaining Liverpool player to have played every single minute of the EPL so far this season. Jussi Jasskelianen is the only Bolton player to hold the same record. Our own keeper currently leads the race for the EPL Golden Glove along with Petr Cech having both kept seven clean sheets. Lets hope Reina can make it eight tomorrow and Torres hits the net and return home with a vital 3 points.
I have run out of decent Shankly quotes so thanks goes to him for his footballing genious. Going forward I will dedicate some lines to the intelligent individuals we know as players and commentators and the fine words of wisdom that they have blessed us with through the years. So enjoy……
Quote Of the Week
Germany are a very difficult team to play…they had 11 internationals out there today.
Steve Lomas – Northern Ireland.
I am with you on this one Tonka, it is not going to be an easy game but one we surely need to get 3 points from. Jasskelainen could prove to be the difference as he could have one of those games where nothing will get past him but hopefully Torres will start tomorrow and he will get back into his scoring form.
I think Rafa is going to start with Torres and Gerrard tomorrow and leave Keane on the bench.
My prediction, 2-1 to the Reds.