Carling Cup 3rd Round
Tuesday 25th September 2007 @ 7.45pm
Fernando Torres’ first Liverpool hat-trick sealed the cup tie in Liverpool’s favour after a tricky opening period of the game. The reds were unfortunate to be handed a tricky Premiership away game in this 3rd round tie, but a team of experience and youth eventually overcome a dogged Reading resistance.
Torres was selected from the start and showed yet again that he has more than enough guile and ability to score despite spending nearly the entire game being shoved and kicked from pillar to post.
It was Yossi Benayoun who grabbed the reds opener but the reds found themselves all square as we failed to defend a corner properly. Torres grabbed his first of the game only to see Reading again hit back (again from a corner) after Liverpool were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty.
Torres continued to receive some old fashioned hustle and bustle, but he was clearly a cut above the rest of the players on the pitch.
When Riise came on he got to the byeline before setting up Torres for his second, and the reds third. As the game wore on Reading began to get stretched by the reds and after wonderful defence splitting pass set Torres up for a one on one with the keeper. Over the years Liverpool strikers have fluffed similar opportunities – but not our new Spanish striker who slotted home for his hat-trick, the reds fourth, and sealed Liverpool’s move in to the next round.
Will Rafa dare drop him for the weekend’s Premiership fixture?
Teams
Liverpool: Itandje, Finnan, Carragher, Lucas (Hobbs 89), Aurelio (Riise 69), Arbeloa, Benayoun, Sissoko, Leto, Crouch (Gerrard 77), Torres.
Subs Not Used: Martin, Putterill.
Booked: Lucas.
Goals: Benayoun 23, Torres 50, 72, 86.
Reading: Federici, Halls (Kitson 80), Duberry, Bikey, Shorey, De la Cruz, Harper, Convey (Hunt 80), Fae, Long (Henry 79), Lita.
Subs Not Used: Hahnemann, Cisse.
Booked: Bikey, Duberry, Fae.
Goals: Convey 28, Halls 64.
Att: 23,563.
Ref: Martin Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Rafa should not drop Torres!. He scored a hat trick against Reading! Can he score another if he is picked?? Come on Rafa, don’t you want your team to win? Get Torres in the game!!
I say play him for the first 60min. He should get a couple goals, and then save him for the Porto game. We have to ease him into English football, it’s much more physcial and we don’t want to injure him!
Will Rafa dare to drop? He better not. As I said in my previous comment on the Birmingham match, Torres is obvious class above the other strikers in our disposal. Ignore him at your peril, Rafa.