Globale News » Just two minutes after coming off the bench

Brendan Rodgers said he had never slept better heading into the heavyweight clash against Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday. Rodgers has spent the best part of three months ducking and diving from the questions about pressure and his sides title bid. Yet, when his team entered the raucous theatre of Anfield to another stunning rendition of Youll Never Walk Alone standing across from his side was the all too familiar opponent of Chelsea. It was Chelsea that had given Liverpool their toughest test in 2005 on the way to them winning a remarkable European Cup. It was Chelsea who was the last team to defeat Liverpool in the Premier League, back in December, and now it was Chelsea standing in front of the gates that guarded the path towards the Premier League trophy. Now, that is pressure. It could not have been scripted more perfectly. A former, true heavyweight in the game, whose level amongst the elite has slipped over the past two decades, now with a clear path towards a shock championship, if only they can get past the powerhouse in blue. It was at Chelsea, of course, where Rodgers worked on his craft under Jose Mourinho and now it had come full circle, a chance for the pupil to defeat the teacher on the grandest of stages. Up until now, even against Manchester City earlier this month, Liverpool had played with a reckless abandon, punching holes in defences and predictions, while gathering more and more believers that they could do what was thought to be impossible just five months ago. Their journey had guided them closer and closer to the pinnacle. With three games left, Liverpool needed just seven points from their last nine to win it all, and with Crystal Palace and Newcastle to come, there was no more hiding from the facts, no matter what Rodgers said. Dont lose to Chelsea and the title should be yours. Despite what Jose would want you to believe, this was no minnow facing up to the Reds as Chelsea picked a team that they had paid over 100 million pounds to assemble. Inside the tight, organised system drawn-up by Mourinho, the visitors were exactly as expected. Liverpools breathless starts had catapulted them to within touching distance of glory but on this bright, sunny afternoon they werent allowed to sprint out of the box. Chelsea sat deep and allowed them to have a lot of the ball but with it the home team suddenly looked a side that carried extra weight. The weight of expectation can get very heavy on a footballers shoulder. With every pass, the Liverpool players had an extra thought. The brilliantly organized visitors closed the space and with it the punches, so ruthlessly delivered in past games by Liverpool, were missing. Raheem Sterling was Liverpools brightest player in the first half. How refreshing it is to see a young Englishman appreciate space as much as he does. Still, Liverpool probed but if Chelsea were on the ropes they were hanging out by them comfortable at taking the punishment. Branislav Ivanovic, back at Anfield after Luis Suarez took Mike Tyson style bite out of him last April, was magnificent leading Chelseas back four. Young Tomas Kalas could not have asked for a better partner to learn from on his Premier League debut. Gary Cahill and John Terry have been excellent this season but the Serbian defender reads the game superbly and, contrary to the English defenders, never loses his cool. Cesar Azpilicueta, back to his more comfortably right back slot, was excellent and both he and Ashley Cole looked like full backs who had been sent out to do a specific job, narrowing the back four and inviting Liverpool to stretch the field and take the ball where they didnt want to. It had been over seven months since Liverpool had played 45 Premier League minutes at home without scoring and as the half-time whistle grew nearer, at 0-0, tension started to creep in at Anfield. Then the creeping exploded. When Steven Gerrard received the ball in front of the Kop he made one small mistake, miscontrolling it, then a bigger one, slipping to retrieve it, and then the rope-a-dope was on as Demba Ba sprinted in alone to deliver a knockdown punch. One nil Chelsea. It was a scene from Liverpools not so distant past, one that wouldnt have been out of place last season when many a team would come in and force a maturing Liverpool into a mistake. It was those mistakes that helped Liverpool learn and progress but even they had been stunned with such a rapid climb that had brought them so tantalizingly close where suddenly those mistakes were far more costly than when the likes of Downing, Carroll and Adam were on the payroll. Such progression meant they now had to face up to something they hadnt really seen. Adversity. And it was delivered in the cruelest of manners with Gerrard, the catalyst for so much of their success this season, falling to his knees in the middle of his favourite place on earth. There was a second half still to play but Liverpool never looked the same. They had never been behind for longer than 35 minutes since their last game against Chelsea but once again that total was overtaken against the familiar foe. Suarez had a shot well saved and Joe Allens volley almost went in but Chelsea were resilient throughout, delivering a true knock-out punch just before the final bell when Willian tapped home. An under-the-weather Mourinho sprinted down the touchline again while Rodgers crossed his arms and looked on. Chelsea had done the double on Liverpool when many teams couldnt even beat them once. Liverpools fans headed to the exits heads full of emotions about the title race, knowing the title was still in reach but now out of their hands. They will feel they can get to 86pts with two remaining wins but Man City, all too familiar with winning leagues on goal difference, can now get to that mark as well and should if they can finally get over a huge hurdle for that club and win at Goodison Park next week. Chelsea, still two points behind Liverpool, are likely out of the race but, once again, showed a team what you have to become to be winners. Without Petr Cech, John Terry, Ramires, Eden Hazard, Samuel Etoo and others, they had shown the style and character it takes to succeed in the biggest of games. Liverpool are rightfully anxious to win the league because it has been over two decades since they last did so, but, equally, they should be anxious knowing that a giant powerhouse, supposedly in transition, are getting stronger by the week. This was a weaker Chelsea yet still they set the standard you must match to be champions. They will, likely, spend many more future sunny Sundays in late April wrapping up title bids rather than ripping up those of their opponents. Sleep well, Brendan. You may never have a better chance than right now. Cheap Yeezy 350 v2 Womens .Morse gets a $1 million signing bonus and salaries of $7 million next season and $8 million in 2016 under the agreement announced Wednesday. Yeezy Boost 350 v2 Semi Frozen Yellow/Raw-Steel Red . With newly minted president of hockey operations Trevor Linden looking on from above one day after being handed the keys to the franchise, it was more of the same on Thursday night. http://www.yeezys350cheap.com/fake-yeezy...-wholesale.html. - David Tomasek had two goals in regulation time and was the lone scorer in the shootout as the Belleville Bulls upset the Oshawa Generals 6-5 on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Yeezy 350 Boost v2 Cream White .5 million, four-year contract with the Texas Rangers that could be worth $32. Fake Yeezys For Sale . -- Kael Mouillierat scored three times and set up one more as the St. MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Rarely has tapping in a goal provided such relief for Wayne Rooney. With pressure building after a four-game England goal drought, the striker bundled the ball over the line from close range against Ecuador on Wednesday for a goal that lacked finesse or power but was a timely confidence boost ahead of the World Cup. "Its a great joy to score for England," Rooney said after the 2-2 draw at the Sun Life Stadium. "I was obviously pleased to score to get us back in the game." Rooneys 39th international goal cancelled out Enner Valencias eighth-minute header, nudging the ball over the line after Rickie Lambert hit the post. Lambert found the net himself six minutes into the second half after 20-year-old Ross Barkley weaved his way through the defence with ease. But Michael Arroyo powered in equalizer from distance in the 70th in his teams final game before playing Switzerland at the World Cup on June 15. "We have to improve aspects of our game to be ready for the start of the World Cup," Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda said. Both teams ended this feisty encounter with 10 men at the Sun Life Stadium after Raheem Sterling was dismissed in the 79th minute for a sliding challenge on Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia, who saw red for pushing the Englishman and going to grab his throat. The players will not be suspended for World Cup matches. "I am sorry for the fight with Sterling," Valencia said. "I apologized to the team after the match and the coach." England coach Hodgson accepted Sterlings challenge was fierce, but believes it didnt constitute a red card. "He played the ball and accelerated into the ball," Hodgson said." Im disappointed with Antonios reaction, grabbing the player." Hodgsons greater concern was midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain coming off with suspected ligament damage in his right knee -- just 10 days before Englands World Cup opener against Italy. As Hodgson tested the depth of his squad in its penultimate World Cup warm-up match, only Rooney was retained from the side that beat Peru 3-0. He featured on a team sheet that was mistakenly distributed around the stadium featuring the passport numbers oof both teams players.dddddddddddd The private English details were also tweeted out globally by an England team sponsor. After that blunder, Englands defenders responded with mishaps of their own, looking disjointed and giving the Ecuadoreans space to express themselves and unsettle their opponents. Defenders Luke Shaw and Chris Smalling allowed Enner Valencia to rise between them to meet Walter Ayovis cross with a header past Ben Foster, who was deputizing in goal for Joe Hart. There were several uneasy moments for Foster when he was exposed after racing off his line. For all the lapses at the back, England was playing with a confidence and verve at times up front that was lacking against Peru despite the margin of victory. Barkley, the England midfielder earning his fourth cap, was providing flashes of dynamism, typified by a backheel to Rooney, who could only clip the ball across the face of goal. After stand-in captain Frank Lampard tested goalkeeper Maximo Banguera with a long-range powerful strike, Rooney netted in the 29th despite being shunted out to the left wing. Meeting Alex Oxlade-Chamberlains cross, Banguera collided with his own player, and Lambert appeared to use his hand to control the ball before backheeling against the post. Rooney came close again twice before the break, stabbing the ball wide and sending a stinging strike into Bangueras hands. Like England, Ecuador also struggled to contain counterattacks while launching several of its own. Englands second goal followed a superb move. Barkley held off Frickson Erazo and Carlos Gruezo to waltz through opposition territory and set up Lambert for a powerful strike. The 32-year-old Lamberts third England goal came less than a year after making his debut. But Englands defence was breached again with a fine leveler. Just two minutes after coming off the bench, Arroyo picked up possession on the edge of the penalty area and sent it into the top corner. "A large number of the opportunities they created for themselves were when we were really attacking, we were going forward," Hodgson said. "Maybe what weve got to make certain is that we shore up a little bit behind some of these attacking movements." ' ' '