Bolton Wanderers FC

There was a certain inevitability about this result. Even without Torres, Liverpool are playing some excellent football this season and now have to be considered genuine title contenders (although I have said since the first day of the season that Chelsea will be champions and I still believe that to be the case). Gerrard is as brilliant as ever (given free reign to attack thanks to an excellent holding midfield pairing of Alonso and Mascherano), Kuyt has been a revelation since switching to an attacking winger, Riera has slotted in effortlessly and Keane will come good – the old adage form is temporary, class is permanent certainly applies. And then there is Torres; Liverpool could easily have scored 4 or 5 on Saturday (thanks go to Gerrard and Keane for missing simple chances and keeping the score relatively respectable); with Torres they would have done. The guy is prodigiously talented and the ball in for Gerrard’s goal was sublime genius of the highest order. If Il Nino stays fit, Liverpool will be there-or-thereabouts come May.

And what of Bolton? Well, after a promising opening 8 or 9 minutes, it was backs-to-the-wall stuff. Defending deep and in numbers, it was nothing more than damage limitation. Yes, Cahill’s goal should have stood (I won’t go on about Styles’ record when reffing BWFC games for fear of spontaneously combusting with rage) and yes, Gardner should have scored when falling flat on his arse , though the fact remains that employing the defensive tactics against the ‘Big 4’ will see us come unstuck time and time again. And why does Gary Megson state in the local press that he’s sure Elmander will come good and then stick him on the wing? My learned brother-in-law Wally said Elmander will be another Jon Dahl Tomasson, in that he’ll be labeled a flop in England (due to being played out of position) and will subsequently move to a foreign team, play in his correct position and be considered a top-notch player. Worryingly, each passing game leads me to believe this will be the case. Come on Megson – adopt a tactic that will prove me wrong here…