The Reds convincingly saw off Bolton at Anfield by three goals to one. The scoreline for me flatters Bolton a bit because if we'd been that bit more clinical on the day this could easily have been six or seven.
Dirk Kuyt partnered Luis Suarez up front whilst Lucas came back in to the midfield to partner Charlie Adam. He and Jordan Henderson both got themselves off the mark for the Reds in the game which had lots of positives about it. The feel good factor is certainly there but to be honest the flow of the game is so much better now - players want to drive forward and everyone wants to play as a team. The Bolton goal apart the only downside on the day for me was Lee Probert and his assistants who had a shocking game giving strange decisions both ways and the ref just got in the way too many times.
The Reds attacked the Anny road end in the first half after Carragher won the toss and the Reds were straight in to the action.
Liverpool started the match well and were playing some flowing football. Prior tot he match I was worried that Bolton might put up more of a fight than they normally do as they'd started the season well but frankly they looked very ordinary from the start.
It took the Reds fifteen minutes to open the scoring and it was Henderson who ultimately got it when he placed a left footed shot in to the top corner from inside the box. A great finish but the goal was just as much about the build up to it. Luis Suarez picked the ball up down the left wing and bent a ball in to the box with the outside of his right foot which Downing caught on the volley only for Jaaskelainen to paw it away. Kuyt picked up the loose ball and set up Henderson. If Downing had managed to score then we would have been seeing replays of it for months it was so good.
The main thing though was that the Reds were ahead and Bolton now had to play some football to get something from the game. Jaaskelainen now had to show some sort of interest in getting the ball and getting play started again - he's always one of the laziest keepers around.
The Reds were in full flow now and moving forward with intent. Charlie Adam shot wide of the target before Suarez was sent clean through on the keeper but as Jaaskelainen came out he lobbed him but could only watch as the ball dropped on to the roof of the net rather than in to the back of it.
With chances going by even now I was remembering the Sunderland game where we scored early on but failed to take chances only to suffer an equaliser.
Both side were forced in to first half injury subs - Muamba being replaced by Mark Davies and Martin Kelly being replaced by Skrtel. Kelly looks like he'd tweaked a hamstring but was at least able to walk off so hopefully got it before it was too late.
As the half wore on the Reds continued to impress and go forward but just couldn't force that second goal. Just as half time arrived there was a worry over Lucas who went down injured. He managed to reach half time but required treatment on the pitch as the rest of the players went off. He did respond well to the treatment though and he managed to come back out for the second half along with everyone else.
As the second half started the Reds attacked the Kop and Luis Suarez had a penalty shout straight away when he was blatantly pulled down in the box by Knight but somehow the ref and assistant waved away the claim. I've seen it again since getting back from the match and it was even more blatant up close.
The Reds though had obviously had a rocket at half time though to ensure a Sunderland didn't happen again and we held a better shape in the second half. Henderson stayed wider right and it gave us a better shape throughout the half.
The Reds got two goals in quick succession then. On fifty two minutes Charlie Adam whipped in a superb cross which was asking to be scored from and Martin Skrtel rose superbly to power the ball home. Defensively you would be disappointed but at our end you have to put the game in the danger zone and that's not something we're used to doing but Adam has brought that to us and Skrtel made the most of it.
A minute later and the Reds were on the attack again and when Kuyt squared the ball to Adam he went past one man before hitting a low right footed shot past Jaaskelainen.
It was game over now and you were now thinking about how many we could get. The lad behind me had Henderson first goal and four nil which I think he said was about 160-1.
The Reds were really in rampant form now and were looking likely to score more at will. Somehow though Bolton seemed to weather the storm really although we did create chances.
Agger had a shot from distance as he strode forward but it went wide but to be honest he should have fed Downing and the winger let him know that straight after the shot flew wide of the goal.
Suarez had a great shout for a back pass as well which Jaaskelainen touched with his hand as Suarez bore down on him. This was a decision that the ref bottled and decided not to give which had the players questioning the assistant.
With Suarez looking desperate to score in the game to equal Fowler of 1993 for scoring in the first three league games he was gutted at the sight of his number on the board with Andy Carroll replacing him up front. Maxi also came on at the same time for Jordan Henderson.
The one negative on the game came in the final minute when Carragher fluffed a clearance straight to the attacker and despite getting back to put a tackle in as the lad got nearer to Reina he only managed to kick it straight to Klasnic who put it past Reina for a consolation. Reina was clearly gutted at conceding and booted the post before slamming his water bottle down. It was a blot on the day and coming right at the end it gave you a bad feeling as the final whistle went but you had to remember all the good stuff that we had played.
All in all this was a really good game for the Reds and they stuck to their job throughout the game and yes they could have been more clinical at times to really put the game beyond doubt at an earlier point but for a new team they are really starting to show more understanding of each other as time goes on and the more they play together. Sadly the international break will take a fair few of the players away now but the start of the season has been very kind to us so far.
MotM : Lucas - for me he was outstanding on the day - he prevented Kevin Davies getting in to the game for them as they came forward whilst he started attacks off for us all really well. Suarez of course deserves a mention here as well because his desire to score and create whilst on the pitch is amazing and it was good to see him looking gutted at being subbed too as long as we can manage that desire.
