Maccabi Haifa ratings

[Shaggy]

Reina - One Grobbelaar-esque moment but a great save at 1-1. 7

Finnan - Neat and tidy. 7

Hyypia - Defensively sound but still too many long balls for my liking. 6

Agger - Appears to have bulked up over the summer and he is in outstanding form. Stylish and commanding. 8

Warnock - N/A

Pennant - Invisible in the first half and quiet in the 2nd, although his excellent dribble and cross made the goal. Still, an invaluable contribution however solitary. 7

Sissoko - Back to form after a poor-ish showing at Bramall Lane, doing what he does best. 7

Alonso - Seemed desperate to score and unlucky with two fantastic efforts. Far better than recent performances, although still not at his imperious best. 7

Gonzalez - Frustrating in the first half but improved after the break. Still needs to get better although he can be a threat without being anything like at his best. 6

Garcia - Totally fcuking frustrating. Profligate in front of goal in the 1st half and utterly wasteful in the 2nd. Nearly played us into trouble on more than one occasion. 4

Crouch - Held the ball up well, neat and tidy in possession and got his now customary goal . 8

Subs:

Aurelio - Caught wrong side for the goal but otherwise great commitment and tenacity, although his wand of a left foot never really got going. 7

Gerrard - Lively. 6

Bellamy - Bemused not to see him introduced earlier, and equally unhappy to see him stuck out on the right. Don't want to see any more of that. N/A

[Bob]

Nice and big there shaggy

[Bob]

Not too far off though...
Garcia was a little unlucky to be met with a fairly resolute keeper.

Crouch had a good game tonight, but i'll wait for the opta stats. I'm sure him and Garcia were both as culpable for losing possession.

Hyypia i also thought he schooled Agger well throughout the game and did well to cover an erratic Aurelio (notable mention to Momo for doing this as well, though he plugs most gaps anyway so it's hard to say if this is a particular instruction or not).

[kurtangle01]

reina-not much to do but saved us at the end. 7

finnan-assured and up to his usual standard. 7

hyppia-looked comfortable throughout aprt from getting turned for their goal. 6

agger- absolute quality. nothing else could be said about him. 8

warnock- a bad tackle gave them a free kick that led to them having a goal dissallowed. subbed early. 5

momo- we looked a poorer side when he went off. 8

xabi-good performance. what we've come to expect really. 8

speedy-worked hard and almost scored goal number 2 only to find the side netting. 7

pennant- non existant in the first half but set the goal up. 6

luis-superb first half an poor in the second. 6

crouch-worked hard and scored the crucial goal. 7

subs

aurelio- impressed with him and he rarely put a foot wrong. 7

stevieg- looked ill but worked his socks off. 7

bellamy-never had much to do. 6

[El Diego]

I have to say when I saw Bellamy play on the right I thought oh no not again