[lfc-news] Luis Garcia sparks strike revival

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Luis Garcia sparks strike revival

Stuart Barnes at St Andrew's
Sunday September 25, 2005
The Observer

A match mired in mediocrity took an amazing turn to provide both
teams with a measure of delight and despair during a breathless
final half-hour.
Just when it looked as if more ammunition was being stored for the
Premiership-is-boring brigade, Liverpool ended their goal drought
and Birmingham ended their lean start to the season home in rousing
fashion. Throw in a sending-off for 19-year-old Neil Kilkenny on his
league debut and a rant at the officials by Steve Bruce and you get
some idea of how the temperature rose splendidly.

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'No one could have predicted at half-time it would turn out like
that,' said Bruce. 'It became a smashing game, if a bit crazy. After
three home defeats we showed some character. It was just a pity we
couldn't hold on at 2-1.'
The plus for Rafael Benitez is the way substitute Luis Garcia
sparked his team's return to scoring ways ahead of Wednesday's
Champions League game against Chelsea.

'We can approach [the Chelsea game] with confidence because we are
scoring again,' said the Liverpool manager. 'But we still lost two
points. We controlled the game for a long time and had enough
chances to have won it. So there is still a need for improvement in
some areas.'

A bleak opening period produced only two moments to remember. Emile
Heskey had the chance to put one over his old team after muscling
his way past Jamie Carragher, only to place his shot too near Jose
Reina, who saved with his legs.

Soon after, Peter Crouch set up Steven Gerrard for a shot driven
sweetly from 22 yards, the ball striking the inside of Maik Taylor's
right-hand post and rebounding out of reach of the incoming Florent
Sinama-Pongolle.

Had Mikael Forssell matched his awareness with better control after
darting between Carragher and Sami Hyypia, Birmingham would have
struck the first blow soon after the interval. But he allowed the
ball to squirm away from him and it was Liverpool who went ahead
when Gerrard, becoming increasingly influential, played Garcia
through for a low finish into the corner.

Julian Gray's inswinging cross led to the equaliser, Stephen Warnock
glancing the ball into his own net at the near post amid a breakdown
in communication with his goalkeeper. Reina then failed to hold
Heskey's header after Jermaine Pennant crossed and Walter Pandiani,
tucked away the rebound.

Jamie Clapham cleared off the line from Garcia. Then came
controversy. Gerrard looked to have fouled Gray, but the decision
went the other way, Carragher's header off the crossbar was handled
on the line by Kilkenny and Cisse converted the penalty.

Bruce berated fourth official Peter Walton,saying: 'The decision was
a joke. He seemed more concerned during the game with me staying
inside the technical area.'

What was less in doubt was the way Liverpool went for the winner and
really should have got it. Crouch headed over from Cisse's cross,
who then drove wide from a good position and Clapham made another
vital clearance when Crouch got his next header on target.

But it would have been harsh on a side without a clutch of midfield
players out through injury and suspension to offer a hint of better
things to come.

Man of the match: Luis Garcia - made things happen.

Match Facts
FA Premiership
Saturday September 24, 2005
FT Birmingham 2-2 Liverpool
34' Sinama Pongolle
44' Clapham
65' Luis Garcia
67' Cunningham
68' 0-1 Luis Garcia
71' Warnock
72' Warnock (og) 1-1
75' Pandiani 2-1
84' Kilkenny
85' 2-2 Cisse (penalty)
Birmingham
Maik Taylor, Jamie Clapham, Kenny Cunningham, Mario Melchiot,
Matthew Upson, Julian Gray, Damien Johnson, Neil Kilkenny, Jermaine
Pennant, Mikael Forssell (Walter Pandiani), Emile Heskey (Olivier
Tebily)

Liverpool
Jose Manuel Reina, Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia, Jose Miguel Josemi,
Xabi Alonso, Steven Gerrard, Dietmar Hamann (John Arne Riise),
Stephen Warnock, Boudewijn Zenden (Djibril Cisse), Peter Crouch,
Florent Sinama Pongolle (Javier Sanz Luis Garcia)

Referee: Bennett, S

Venue: St Andrews Stadium

Attendance: 27,733

Corners:
Birmingham 3
Liverpool 7

Goal Attempts:
Birmingham 4
Liverpool 15

On Target:
Birmingham 4
Liverpool 6

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