Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool 2 Bolton 0: Rafa back to basics as Reds close in on fourth
Liverpool were tactically aware, cared more about the result than entertaining the fans and kept a third clean sheet in a row. Rafa Benitez might as well be in Serie A already. [LNB]Since losing Fernando Torres to injury, Benitez has resorted to his Plan A, the safety-first approach that has served him better in cup competitions than the Premier League. [LNB]And while Liverpool fans will be grateful for a victory that keeps the pressure on fourth-place Tottenham by cutting the gap to a single point, you could not help feeling Benitez would be more appreciated for this kind of display at Juventus, who would clearly love to have him as their next permanent manager. [LNB] Dutch delight: Dirk Kuyt opens the scoring[LNB]A poacher's effort from Dirk Kuyt and a Kevin Davies own goal either side of half-time meant Liverpool were never going to allow Bolton to follow in the footsteps of Reading and Portsmouth, both recent surprise winners against Liverpool. [LNB]And the presence of American co-owner Tom Hicks took the pressure off Benitez as well. His visit to Anfield was not publicised but once spotted, the news spread like wildfire and after the final whistle, he had to stay in the stadium for his own safety as hundreds of fans protested outside every exit.[LNB] Benitez said: 'I wasn't too pleased with the first half but there are a lot of positives. Another clean sheet, another game unbeaten, very good. [LNB]'I was happy for Kuyt to score the first goal. It doesn't matter what position he plays, first striker, second striker, wide on the right. He will always be around the action. I have always believed we will finish in the top four.' [LNB] Tussle: Martin Skirtel battles with Bolton's Tamir Cohen[LNB]Liverpool need Champions League football next season for financial reasons. So Bolton were perfect opponents. Apart from one mesmeric dribble from Chung-yong Lee, this was the same old Bolton under Owen Coyle as they had been under Gary Megson, lambs to the Anfield slaughter. [LNB]Liverpool failed to get an early breakthrough when Kuyt could not get on the end of a cross by Emiliano Insua. And they survived an alarm when Lee suddenly burst into life with a solo dribble from the halfway line, which deserved better than being cleared off the line by Sotirios Kyrgiakos.[LNB] The opening goal, however, saw a quality build-up, with Benitez rewarded for urging full-backs Insua and Jamie Carragher to provide width. Half of Liverpool's outfield players, including the two full-backs, linked up without a Bolton player touching the ball. [LNB]Carragher and Albert Riera started the move and when Insua's far-post cross was nodded back by Alberto Aquilani, Kuyt pounced for his ninth goal of the season. [LNB]Yanks for the memories: Co-owner Tom Hicks was at Anfield to see Liverpool beat Bolton[LNB]Liverpool never looked like dropping points after that. David Ngog contrived to make a horrible miss from three yards after Steven Gerrard's shot had been parried by Jussi Jaaskelainen. [LNB]But the second goal did arrive on 70 minutes, in fittingly scrappy fashion. Ngog's lay-back to Insua was an invitation to hit a long-range shot. The young Argentine did that but the ball was heading for the corner flag until Davies took a wild swipe and deflected it at a crazy angle to wrong-foot the Bolton goalkeeper. [LNB]'Rafa will be delighted, his side got all the breaks today,' said Coyle. 'Just before the second goal, I had wanted to bring on Jack Wilshere (on loan from Arsenal). Then they scored to make it 2-0 and we needed a second striker.'[LNB] [LNB] Unhappy: Liverpool fans make their feelings clear over the club's owners[LNB]It will be interesting to see how Arsene Wenger reacts to that, having loaned Wilshere on the guarantee of playing matches. [LNB]As Liverpool stretched their unbeaten league run to six games, there was even a late run-out for Ryan Babel, who Benitez insists will not be sold in this transfer window. [LNB]Benitez made the same pledge about Robbie Keane a year ago less than 48 hours before he joined Spurs and the Machiavellian manager said: 'We knew last year Tottenham were very interested [in Keane] so we had to play games. This time we are not playing games. Babel is staying.'[LNB] [LNB] Sunderland move for Spurs skipper Keane will allow Jones to join LiverpoolLiverpool fans protest after co-owner Tom Hicks' surprise visitBOLTON WANDERERS FC
