Source: Daily_Mail
Bolton 2 Liverpool 3: Gerrard screamer silences critics as Reds bounce back
Now was not the time to wonder how long Liverpool can continue relying almost entirely on Steven Gerrard. [LNB]Travelling fans were interested only in singing the name of their captain who, five days after making the mistake that saw them beaten at home by Aston Villa, redeemed himself with the late winner which kept alive - for a while at least - their fanciful title dreams. [LNB]No matter that he had been manmarked to the point of anonymity by Fabrice Muamba for much of the game. [LNB]No matter that, without his creative and psychological promptings, Liverpool had looked like a team who would struggle to stay in the top four, let alone win the Premier League. [LNB]And no matter that it took the silly but deserved dismissal of Bolton's Sean Davis early in the second half to turn the game in the visitors' favour. [LNB] Red menace: Gerrard's second of the season seal the three points[LNB] [LNB]Fernando Torres, another big name who had a stinker of a first half, had equalised within two minutes of Davis's dismissal. [LNB]But with the clock ticking down on the credibility of Liverpool's title challenge, it had to be Gerrard who smashed a shot into the top corner to complete the sort of comeback in which his team specialised last season. [LNB]The celebrations spoke as much of relief as of joy, because for long periods this game bore the ominous mark of a season-defining defeat. [LNB]There were two more goals conceded from set-pieces, including one by Tamir Cohen, the son of a former Liverpool player Avi; there was a failure to turn obvious superiority into penetration and goals, the two cardinal sins which cost Liverpool the title last season and which threatened to destroy this campaign before the end of the summer transfer window. [LNB]Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said: 'Gerrard showed again he's a very, very good player, a key player for us. He can be a leader for the rest of the side with his commitment and his quality. [LNB] Edging ahead: Liverpool striker Fernando Torres puts Liverpool 2-1 up [LNB]'This win is very important for the players. We needed to win. Everybody was working so hard. We deserved to win and now they can enjoy being away with their national teams. At least we have three more points.' [LNB]But a win seemed an unlikely outcome when Kevin Davies, so often the bane of the Premier League's more illustrious teams, gave Bolton the lead in the 33rd minute. [LNB]Up to that point, the home team had not had a shot on or off target, but Liverpool had not forced Jussi Jaaskelainen into a single save either, despite having far more possession and territory. [LNB]But when Matthew Taylor curled in a corner, the familiar frailty under the high ball undid Benitez's team again. [LNB]It is facile to blame the zonal marking system. Leading coaches will tell you it is a more effective way of defending, when properly taught and employed. The simple fact is Liverpool players, individually and collectively, have not been doing their jobs properly this season. [LNB]So it was that Emiliano Insua was outjumped by Johan Elmander at the back post. Zat Knight, unmarked six yards out, could not send the ball goalwards and Davies became the third Bolton player in a row to touch the ball, forcing it home. [LNB]There had been enough time and space for Liverpool not to panic just yet and, eight minutes later they were level. Glen Johnson, enjoying too much freedom on the right, cut inside and was left to pick his spot with a low left-footed shot. [LNB] Opening goal: Tamir Cohen smashes Bolton in front of Liverpool at the Reebok [LNB] [LNB]Some of the crowd were still returning to their seats when Cohen putBolton back in front. This time it was a free-kick from his own half byJaaskelainen which caused the chaos, with Sotirious Kyrgiakos marringan otherwise solid debut by allowing himself to be beaten in the air byDavies.[LNB] As the ball broke, Taylor held off Jamie Carragher and Cohen ran in unmarked to shoot into the net. [LNB]But just as the obituaries for Liverpool's season were being dustedoff, Davis gave the referee no choice but to send him off. Booked inthe first half for stupidly stopping a quick free-kick, he brought downLucas from behind as the Liverpool midfielder broke.[LNB] Although the Brazilian's entreaty to referee Alan Wiley wasunpleasant to see, the official had to show another yellow card. Davisthen compounded his silliness with an aggressive move towards Lucas. [LNB]Two minutes later Torres collected Dirk Kuyt's knockdown toequalise, but the nerves in the away end were jangling as chance afterchance went begging. [LNB]Enter Gerrard. [LNB]Torres nodded the ball down, the Liverpool captain collected, sethimself and rifled the ball into the net. How significant his winnerproves to be will depend on how much Liverpool improve by the time theytake on Chelsea and Manchester United in October.[LNB]Bolton (4-3-2-1): Jaaskelainen; Ricketts, Cahill, Knight, Samuel; Davis, Muamba (Riga 90min), Cohen (Steinsson 78); K Davies, Taylor; Elmander (Basham 59). Subs (not used): Al Habsi, A O'Brien, Lee, Robinson. Booked: Cahill, Muamba, Davis. Sent off: Davis 54.[LNB]Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Insua; Mascherano (Voronin 74), Lucas; Kuyt (Dossena 89), Gerrard, Riera (Benayoun 63); Torres. Subs (not used): Gulacsi, Kelly, Plessis, Skrtel, Kelly. Booked: Gerrard.[LNB]Referee: A Wiley (Staffordshire).[LNB] Rafa's call to arms: Liverpool's rivals will suffer soon, says BenitezBolton v Liverpool: the action as it happenedBOLTON WANDERERS FC
