Reading, you will see, beat Liverpool today 3-1 at the Majeski Stadium in London, the first time the Royals have ever beaten the Reds and the first league loss of the season by the Reds. That is the literal truth, I suppose, but the reality is Liverpool were handed defeat by referee Andre Marriner and for the second time this year I expect a referee to get a sitting down for his terrible decisionmaking against my guys.
As indicated in the post title, Marriner ought to be credited with four scores; while I understand my own tendency to see blame anywhere but my favorites, even the TV announcers saw it this way. The first is the penalty kick he gifted to Reading in the 17th minute, correctly calling a foul against Jamie Carragher but wrongly saying it was either in the box or continued into the box, which Jon Hunt converted.
Stevie G pulled an equalizer abut 10 minutes later but after that Marriner apparently decided that the hosts could do no wrong. Over the remainder of the play, there were at least three clear fouls in the penalty box against Reading and yet the official never came close to putting the whistle in his mouth, much less pointing to the spot.
So yes, Liverpool come away with no points, definitely unfortunate when Arsenal slipped up the other day with the draw at Newcastle and Chelsea and Man United are not letting up in the least.
Part of the blame may also lie with Rafa Benitez–he went beyond the normal ‘rotation is good’ policy and came out with a nearly bizarre lineup. Jack Hobbs, okay, Hyypia could use the day off ahead of Tuesday’s win or go home Champions League match at Marseille, I could see that.
A midfield of Gerrard, Javi Mascherano, Mo Sissoko and Andrei Voronin, though, that I didn’t get and was calling for Ryan Babbel to come on for Sissoko after the PK. Mo is a great defender but a huge offensive liability, his passing constantly too soft or off-target and as likely to end up on an opponent’s foot as a teammate’s. He or Masch in central midfield is okay but not both, Kewell should have been on the left to start, Masch and Gerrard in the middle and Voronin on the right.
Here’s hoping Tuesday is smarter and better.
BillSaysThis 