After a year of personal under-achievement, Andy Carroll set
Liverpool on their way to a first Premier League win of 2012
against a Wolves team whose spirit disintegrated once they fell
behind.
Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt added to Carroll's fifth goal of the
campaign, steering the Carling Cup finalists into fifth spot – four
points behind Chelsea in the last of the Champions' League places –
and leaving their relegation-threatened hosts 19th after 11 games
without a win.
Long before the end, the contest became a mismatch, with
Liverpool carving through Wolves' fragile rearguard almost at will.
Booing rang around Molineux, and many fans left after Kuyt's final
flourish, missing only substitute Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's thunderous
drive against a post.
Wolves are far from adrift, with six-pointers looming against
Queen's Park Rangers, West Bromwich and Blackburn, but they appear
bereft of self-belief.
Exactly 12 months earlier Liverpool had stunned their supporters
– and Newcastle's – by splashing £35m on deadline day to make
Carroll the most expensive British footballer ever. Before last
night, he had scored just six goals in 36 outings, but the
impression created in the FA Cup defeat of Manchester United of a
player belatedly rediscovering his initial promise was
confirmed.
Yet in an excellent team performance one player stood out even
above Carroll. Bellamy was a danger to Wolves whenever he took
possession in their half. Quite apart from firing Liverpool to
Wembley, the Welshman has now scored half their last 10 league
goals.
Kenny Dalglish, the Liverpool manager, described his latest goal
as "fantastic", and said: "When he gets the ball you know
something's going to happen. I wish he was 23 rather than 32."
Asked whether they had been "close to anything" in terms of Carroll
joining Manchester City in exchange for Carlos Tevez, Dalglish
replied sarcastically: "I'm close to my wife. We don't have to
justify the rumours."
Mick McCarthy, the Wolves manager, called his team's
capitulation after the break "unacceptable". Commenting on the
jeering of his players, he said: "The lads are hurting as well. We
have been beaten by a considerably better side who have just beaten
Manchester City and United. But of course I understand their
reaction."
Inevitably there will be increased speculation that the Wolves'
chairman, one-time Liverpool fanatic Steve Morgan, will lose
patience with him. McCarthy addressed the matter: "After the last
home game there were huge rumours going round that I wasn't going
to be here the day after. So I can't imagine there being any less
than there were then."
Wolves' lack of confidence was evident in their tentative
build-up and hurried clearances. If Dalglish was concerned his
players would be fatigued after two major cup ties in swift
succession, there were no obvious signs as they made Wayne
Hennessey the busier of the two goalkeepers. Liverpool had a
plausible penalty appeal rejected in the first half. Hennessey then
made a flying save from a Bellamy free-kick, although Wolves
retaliated with a Michael Kightly that shot that flashed inches
wide.
Hennessey was helpless, however, as Liverpool went ahead in the
52nd minute. Bellamy's throw-in found the unmarked Charlie Adam,
who was able to cross into Wolves' six-yard box where Carroll stole
ahead of Roger Johnson to score his first league goal since
October.
Nine minutes later Liverpool doubled their lead. Bellamy seized
on the ball just inside the home half and ran, unopposed, before
reaching the area. His low shot was hardly ferocious, but
Hennessey's handling was poor and the ball trickled in for
Bellamy's ninth goal of the season.
Wolves' woe was complete with 12 minutes remaining. A move that
started with Pepe Reina culminated in a pass from Adam from which
Kuyt beat Hennessey with a fine angled shot.
Match facts
Substitutes: Wolves - Hunt 5 (Kightly 62),
Ebanks-Blake 5 (Jonsson, 62), Milijas (Frimpong, 84). Liverpool -
Carragher (Agger, 81), Shelvey (Adam, 81), Aurelio (Kuyt, 90).
Booked: Wolves - Edwards. Liverpool - Adam,
Bellamy, Agger.
Man of the match Bellamy. Match rating 7/10.
Possession: Wolves 42% Liverpool 58%.
Attempts on target: Wolves 1 Liverpool 14.
Referee A Taylor (Cheshire). Attendance 27,447.
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