The Reds travelled down to Wolves and put in an impressive enough performance to win with some comfort. After a great week in which we put both Manchester sides out of the cups this had all the potential to be after the lord mayor's parade.
Steven Gerrard was left out of the squad so Jay Spearing came in to midfield and was impressive in his role which helped the defence out all night whilst Craig Bellamy returned to the side and his runs all over the pitch helped the Reds push forward but also helped to support Andy Carroll much more and he managed to score on the one year anniversary of his arrival.
The Reds dominated both halves for me but didn't find the net in the first half against a Wolves side who looked decidedly average.
Somehow after three minutes we failed to score when a Bellamy ball eventually found Kuyt but Hennessey saved. A couple of minutes later and there was major penalty shout when Glen Johnson was brought down but the ref played on. It looked very dodgy from a distance and having seen it again after the match it was a foul - although just outside the box I think.
The first half didn't really get going in a major way though. The Reds were the dominant side for me without overly troubling Wolves whilst we looked very comfortable at the back. It all led to a goalless first half and surely one we had to build upon.
The second half finally saw goals and all from the Reds.
Six minutes in and Hennessey was forced in to a sweeper role as Dirk Kuyt tried to get on to a through ball with the keeper getting there only just. The Reds continued to press though.
On fifty two minutes it paid off as well. The Reds won a throw on the left hand side and Bellamy sprinted to get the ball and threw it to Charlie Adam. He set the ball and crossed to the back stick where Andy Carroll raced in and sent the ball past Hennessey.
That goal really set the match up for the Reds to go on and dominate and that's what we did.
Just eight minutes after the first goal came the second one and it was a bit of a comedy goal from the keepers perspective. Craig Bellamy collected a ball from Spearing some forty five yards from goal. Bellamy raced forward and just as he reached in tot he area he hit what looked like a tame shot but somehow it got past the keeper and in to the back of the net.
If we hadn't been odds on to win before that goal we certainly were now and it was certainly time to relax at this point and let the ball do the hard work.
It actually took until the seventy seventh minutes for the third to come and low and behold it was Dirk Kuyt who having gone for what seemed to be years on 49 league goals finally made it fifty for the Reds.
Kuyt moved forward and after playing a ball to Adam he did the basic move to space and he received it back again which being in space allowed him to strike it beyond Hennessey and it really was game over now.
The Reds took the foot off the gas a bit now with Shelvey and Carragher coming on for Adam and Agger - this is what you like to see - shut a game down and then you can rotate the players around a bit and keep everyone fresh.
MotM : Jay Spearing - for me he played superbly all night - never doing anything too fancy but he always knew where the next ball was.
