Middlesborough 2 - Liverpool 0 The Day the Team Stood Still

Why Liverpool never seem to do well against Middlesborough is something that has befuddled us all. Saturday was no exception. Liverpool fielded an attacking line up that welcomed back Gerrard yet dropped the one player who has been making a difference for them of late - Yossi Benayoun. Even more puzzling than that was the appearance of Martin Skrtl at right back with Arbeloa picking up a last minute hamstring problem that will keep him sidelined for anything up to 5 weeks.

Liverpool started the game well enough but as early as the 15th minute it became obvious that Downing had the better of Skrtl, skipping past him to put in a trademark cross from the left. For all Liverpools efforts they could not score. Interestingly with the all out attack came a problem, it actually seemed a little congested in the final third, certainly something Liverpool are not used to. Babel started the game on the left wing and made some great runs without the ball into the area, his determination to get into the right places offered much encouragement, as did his improvement on the ball and his passing.

Boro despite being 19th always had an outlet in Tuncay or Downing and they grew as the game went on, taking heart from Liverpools inability to ram home their advantage. Gerrard was largely anonymous and looked everything like a player nursing his way back. With 5 minutes of the first half remaining the ludicrous happened. Boro won a corner and scored. As the ball came in Skrtl missed it at the near post, Hyppia dodged it behind him, and it hit Alonso on the thigh and into the bottom right corner. Liverpool never recovered.

The second half started with little energy from the Reds and continued throughout the remainder of the game. Gerrard showed that at least he had had his fuse lit, all be it a touch damp. He burst into the box and cut the ball back for El Zhar to slot it home with his left foot. He struck it well, and just over the bar. Groans. Again Gerrard broke into the box down the left and slid a delicious ball across the 6 yard line. In came Dirk Kuyt looking suspiciously like Robbie Keane...and then he missed the ball completely.

With Liverpool hanging their heads a Boro attack formed down the right. With Liverpool appealing that the ball had gone out of play Boro sprinted down the right, into the Liverpool box, the ball was pulled back for the excellent Tuncay who slotted neatly past Reina to make it 2-0. The Boro faithful finally created something of a stir in the air. Liverpool could not wait to get off the field.

A distastrous day, a distastrous selection by Benitez, a disastrous performance by his team. One can only hope that Skrtl will never play at right back again in his career.