DJ Campbell’s Header Proves to Be Match Winner As Impressive Blackpool Tops Liverpool 2-1

Full Time, Blackpool 2-1: Blackpool continue to rush forward and keep possession in the right corner. They get a pass through the area, but it is cut out for yet another throw, and the ball again stays in the corner. Finally, Reina gets a goal kick, and he boots it long.

Blackpool clear it back to him, and there are now just seconds left.

The ball sent forward is cleared, and that’s that. The whistle blows. 2-1 Blackpool.

90+2, Blackpool 2-1:

Four minutes of added time.

Blackpool continue to do their best Arsenal impression, toying with Liverpool with their quick passing.

Blackpool wins a foul in their own half, and the teams exchange in midfield thereafter — valuable time is ticking.

The crowd at Bloomfield Road couldn’t be much louder.

Blackpool takes a series of throws down the right — they look to have sealed it.

89′, Blackpool 2-1: The teams exchange in midfield, and Blackpool again come forward dangerously with tricky passes through the center. The ball comes to DJ Campbell in space in the area, but his shot is saved by Reina down the middle of the goal.

Liverpool comes forward, but the cross is lazy and cut out easily.

The counter features a long Phillips run, but he has no support and loses out to Johnson.

Shelvey kicks a terrible cross from the left well beyond Torres for a goal kick.

Blackpool continue to enjoy the final third, passing it all across the left and right. Adam wins a deep throw down the left.

85′, Blackpool 2-1:

Adam hobbles off, but Taylor-Fletcher is substituted for Southern, ’83.

Varney also comes off for Baptiste, 84.

David Ngog comes on for Poulsen. 85′

81′, Blackpool 2-1:

Yellow Card — Torres, kicking the ball away after a foul on Liverpool — 80′.

Blackpool are now clearly having the better of the game — playing very creatively and enjoying most of the ball with lots of space in Liverpool’s half.

Liverpool goes forward and a cross is sent in, but Liverpool is called for a foul in the area. After the foul, Cathcart handballs it, but the play was dead. Torres is frustrated and kicks it away, and is given a yellow for it.

Blackpool comes forward, and Charlie Adam sends a great ball up for Phillips. He beats Johnson, but his effort on goal from the side is weak, and Reina saves easily.

Charlie Adam again goes to ground after a collision.

77′, Blackpool 2-1: 

Shelvey on for Kuyt —  76′

Liverpool advances from midfield, but they give it up in the final third, and Blackpool counters with space all across the final third.

Adam sends a pass through the area, and it is deflected around, but cleared frantically — dangerous.

Campbell somehow ends up with the ball by himself in the box onside, but he is too far to the left and allows Torres to save.

Liverpool comes back quickly, and a ball in from the left is sent in dangerously to the area, but Blackpool clear it frantically themselves.

Jonjo Shelvey comes on for Kuyt.

Blackpool again have space and make a run forward from the right side, but the cross is slightly too high despite having numbers, and it goes for a goal kick.

Charlie Adam attempts to pull a Xabi Alonso on Reina, but he’s slightly off target, and Reina was there.

73′, Blackpool 2-1: Liverpool responds quickly, and Torres finds Meireles in the center, but he can’t finish with his head.

Liverpool keeps the pressure on as Kelly crosses in, but he is cut out, and the longball counter from Adam leaves Campbell offside.

Blackpool goes forward again, and Phillips finds space for a shot from distance, but he sends it well high.

69′, Blackpool 2-1:

Goal — DJ Campbell, 69′, header after a series of headers in the area

Blackpool come forward relatively dangerously, but the cross to Campbell from the left is well covered. He gets his head to it, but Liverpool clear thereafter.

The Reds then counter well, but hold it up once reaching the final third. The ball is sent to Kuyt who has space in the middle, and he forces a tough save from Kingson on the shot from distance. Liverpool wins a corner, but it comes to nothing.

Blackpool then controls in their own half, but a longball is sent to Liverpool’s side with nobody remotely near it.

Shortly thereafter, Blackpool build from midfield and things open up for them. Agger cuts out Phillips’ shot a the last moment, but the deflection goes for a corner.

Reina punches the corner, but Blackpool keep it. The cross is sent to the left of goal, and a series of headers leave Campbell free, and he finishes with his head past Reina, who had no chance. Goal! 2-1 Blackpool.

65′, 1-1:

Phillips on for Grandin, 64′

The corner isn’t well-taken, and Blackpool head it out and eventually clear it. The teams exchange longballs thereafter.

Liverpool finally goes forward, and Blackpool is forced to concede a throw in their final third down the right.

Phillips comes on for Grandin.

Meireles takes a dangerous shot from the right side of the area, but it is off target for a goal kick.

Torres commits another odd foul in midfield, and he gets a warning from the referee.

61′, 1-1: Evatt and Torres collide, and Evatt goes down — on very little contact. Eventually, he is back on his feet.

Liverpool come forward from midfield, and a longball is headed out for a Liverpool throw on the right. Kelly crosses it long, and Torres collects it past the far post and shoots on target, but Kingson saves it low.

Liverpool keeps the pressure on, but Blackpool’s defense has been pretty decent — keeping men behind the ball pretty well.

Kelly, though, wins a free kick in a dangerous area — right above the box. This would be in Gerrard’s sweet spot.

Meireles takes it well, a cross to the far post, but Cathcart just gets his head to it to send it for a corner.

57′, 1-1: The teams exchange in midfield. The second half has started at a high tempo with danger near both goals.

Blackpool begins to move into the attacking zone. Adam brings it up well, and Blackpool has numbers forward. After some great passing , Adam shoots from the left, and Reina saves well.

The Blackpool attack began with a Poulsen giveaway.

There is a counter, but Blackpool eventually get back.

Next, Blackpool come up the right with all sorts of space after Johnson loses out. The cross is brought down by Vaughan, but his effort from the center of the area is saved well by Reina for a corner — great chance.

The corner comes only to a Liverpool throw, and they come forward quickly and dangerously. In the area, Jovanovic sends a cross to Torres on the right, and his volley is struck well but too high — good chance.

53′, 1-1: A ball is sent in well for Campbell, and Blackpool wins a corner. They take it short, but it is defended, and after a second cross, Reina getsa goal kick.

Blackpool win it at the back but they concede it for Liverpool — but then get a counter chance. Adam comes forward and beats Kelly. He sends a pass through the area, but Varney doesn’t touch it — good chance.

Another chance is generated by Blackpool down the left, but Reina collects the low shot from the deep angle.

Liverpool win it in midfield off the goal kick, but the ball sent for Kelly up the right is too heavy. The teams exchange in midfield, but it falls to Jovanovic, who makes a nice run. It is partially cleared, but Torres ends up with it with only Cathcart to beat — he can’t pull it off.

49′, 1-1: Blackpool wins a foul in midfield and pass up the right, but Liverpool clears. Blackpool builds from their side thereafter, but they longball it to Reina.

Reina takes his time before sending it up, and Liverpool controls in midfield. Skrtel sends a longball to Torres, and it somehow falls to Jovanovic. He makes a tricky run through the area, but is cut out at the last minute — good chance.

Blackpool finally clear, and Skrtel fouls DJ Campbell in the air in midfield.

Half Analysis: Liverpool controlled the run of play in the final 10 minutes of the half — playing at high tempo and generating chances. Still, they’ve barely put anything on target.

Poulsen has been non-existent, and Lucas, Meireles and Kuyt haven’t had their best games, but much of what they have been charged with doing is clogging the midfield to prevent Blackpool from making runs down the center.

Even so, Blackpool has been able to do so dangerously on occasion.

Jovanovic has been one of Liverpool’s more influential players, creating scoring chances and linking decently with Johnson down the left.

Kelly has been superb going forward on the right, but his card may make him a liability in defense, where he has not been spectacular.

Torres has had one of his best games of the season. He has found others, been active, made great runs and scored brilliantly in the opening moments. He still, however, has been charged with bringing down far too many longballs, which has hampered his productivity somewhat.

Skrtel has played little role in the match, and Agger can be blamed for the goal — along with Meireles, who simply passed it to Vaughan to set up the goal.

As for Blackpool, they had the better of the match from about the tenth minute to the 30th minute, holding possession and creating dangerous runs down the center. When Liverpool dominated, Blackpool was struggling to pass the ball in midfield.

Both teams look likely to score, but Liverpool has gained the upper hand.

Prediction: Liverpool 3, Blackpool 2.

Half, 1-1: Two Minutes Added

Blackpool finally get the ball, and Adam finds Taylor-Fletcher in the final third, but the cross from the right thereafter is sent well past the goal.

Liverpool comes back up the right, and Kuyt’s cross is headed behind for a corner from the left.

The corner is sent to the near post, and it looks poor, but Lucas almost flicks it in. Kingson, somewhat unbelievably, keeps it out.

After a few exchanges of possession, the whistle is blown. 1-1 at the half.

44′, 1-1: Liverpool again has space in midfield, and Lucas tries to find Kuyt, but his pass is too long, and Blackpool clears. Still, Liverpool comes right back and again works down the right side. The progression repeats itself for a third time, and Poulsen and Torres connect in space in the final third on the right side before another Blackpool clearance.

Finally, they try to work the left with Jovanovic, but are again rebuffed. Still, they are enjoying all of the possession. Lucas looks for Kuyt again down the right, but he is well offside.

40′, 1-1: Torres and Jovanovic link down the left, and the ball falls to Johnson who takes a shot from distance. It, however, goes wide past the far post.

Blackpool builds from their own half under little pressure, but Liverpool wins it and a longball is sent for Torres. He picks out a teammate on the side of the area very well, but the final ball thereafter is cut out.

Liverpool keeps the pressure on, generating space at the top of the area, but Blackpool eventually wins it back. Charlie Adam and Lucas collide, and the Brazilian goes to the ground for a stoppage. After a moment of being upset, Lucas gets up and is fine.

Blackpool gets the ball at the back, and send it up quickly long.  They have relied on longballs and headers more than usual.

36′, 1-1: Kelly tries to send it long to Torres, but he can’t bring it down on the right side.

Liverpool keep possession and try to build from midfield. Finally, they lose out, and Blackpool comes forward. Taylor-Fletcher makes another nice run, and the ball comes to Campbell on the side of the area. The final ball, though, is cut out, and Liverpool wins a foul thereafter.

On the counter, Johnson sends a ball for Jovanovic, but it goes for a goal kick after Cathcart shields the ball.

32′, 1-1: Reina almost makes a big mistake, as Blackpool comes forward, and he ends up out of position. Taylor-Fletcher goes for the chip, but misses by a hair.

Blackpool wins another free kick in the final third, but Reina collects it at the far post.

Jovanovic gets the ball in space on the left and cuts in, but his low cross can’t find Torres or Meireles. Johnson has a similar chance, but concedes a goal kick.

28′, 1-1:

Yellow Card — Martin Kelly, bad challenge on Luke Varney in midfield

Christian Poulsen just got what may have been his first significant touch of the match, but he couldn’t connect with Kuyt. Liverpool keep the pressure on, but a collision shakes up captain Charlie Adam. He walks off the field under his own power, and seems ready to come back on.

Thereafter, the teams exchange the ball — mostly in Liverpool’s attacking half. Kelly is shown a yellow at midfield for a foul on Luke Varney, and he’s not happy about it.

Blackpool comes forward well off the free kick, and Charlie Adam takes a nice strike on target low to Reina’s right, but he saves.

On the counter, Johnson crosses in to Torres, but it is cut out, and Blackpool win a free kick in their own third.

24′, 1-1:

Yellow card, Jovanovic — Handball in front of goal.

A large portion of the game is now being played with the teams possessing in their own halves.  Liverpool finally build forward, but are cut out. Blackpool collect some great passes through Varney down the center, but the final shot is from too deep on the left, and Reina saves — dangerous run.

Liverpool go forward in space down the center. Jovanovic tries to pass through, but his ball is behind Lucas. Blackpool look able to counter, but they slow up and build from the back again. The teams seem to be afraid of counter-attacks, but for good reason. Both seem vulnerable.

Liverpool win the ball and get numbers forward. Kelly throws to Meireles, but there are numbers behind the box, and Blackpool partially clears. Liverpool wins it back and a cross is sent in front of net. It accidentally hits off Jovanovic’s arm — he had a free header — and he is given a yellow.

20′, 1-1: A through-ball is sent down the right for Jovanovic from Torres, but he is offside. Blackpool builds from its own side before taking it up the left on a strong run. Kelly cuts it out for a deep throw, but it comes to nothing. Blackpool again builds forward — they are now enjoying a better portion of the possession and look much more comfortable on the pitch. Liverpool is reverting to their former low-pressure selves to an extent.

16′, 1-1: The goal was the result of a Torres turnover in his own half — nearly identically to what occurred last week at Blackburn. Meireles, though, passed it right to Vaughan, who was responsible for the through-pass to Taylor-Fletcher.

Blackpool have another great chance after a set piece from the middle of the field atop the final third leads to a cross from the right. It is sent in well, and DJ Campbell has a free header close in. Somehow, he misses.

12′, 1-1:

Goal! Blackpool — Gary Taylor-Fletcher ’12

Liverpool turn it over twice in midfield, and Gary Taylor-Fletcher makes a run down the center. He is cut out initially by Agger after the through ball, but he regains it in the area and beats Reina low to the right.

11′, Liverpool 1-0: Johnson is actually playing on the left, while Kelly is on the right. Johnson sends a cross in, but it comes to nothing. Kelly again possesses the ball in the right corner and wins a throw. He finds Meireles, who almost chips the keeper on a shot-cross. Liverpool get another throw deep on the right from Kelly, but Blackpool clears easily this time around. The Seasiders finally set up some sort of an attack and send a cross in from the left. Reina, though, cuts it out and sends the goal kick long. Liverpool wins a throw, but a foul in midfield gives the ball back.

7′, Liverpool 1-0: Blackpool is unable to generate a post-concession burst, though they do hold the better part of the possession in their own side. Still, they look unable to link passes together in the attacking half whatsoever. In fact, they’ve been sending an uncharacteristic number of longballs. Kelly’s ball to Torres was borderline offside — but he was onside by a hair before finishing.

3′, Liverpool 1-0:

Goal. Liverpool — Torres 3′.

Liverpool begin the match in possession on the right side. Johnson is able to work it into the corner and pass to Kuyt in the side of the area, but he loses out for a goal kick. Blackpool kicks long and the ball is exchanged in midfield. They attempt to build down the left three times, but retreat back to their own side each time.  A turnover, though, gives Taylor-Fletcher a dangerous run, but it is cut out and countered. Torres makes a run down the right side and beats Kingson high from an acute angle — great finish. 1-0 Liverpool.

2:55 p.m. ET: I’m blogging the game live from Phoenix Landing in Cambridge, home of LFC Boston, the official supporter’s club. Everybody here is wet from the blizzard, and we are streaming the match online across the bar because the blizzard has knocked out the DirecTV. Even with the weather, the bar is packed.

2:50 p.m. ET: Glen Johnson is a surprise inclusion despite worry that he may miss another match due to his wife’s pregnancy.

Otherwise, Dalglish is fielding a lineup with a decent number of second-team players. It is unclear whether Torres will be paired with Kuyt up top or if he will be alone.

Martin Kelly is again chosen at left back, and Raul Meireles is making his return to the side.

Liverpool:

Pepe Reina (25), goalkeeper
Daniel Agger (5), center back
Martin Skrtel (37), center back
Martin Kelly (34), right back
Glen Johnson (2), left back
Christian Poulsen (28), midfielder
Raul Meirels (4), midfielder
Lucas (21), midfielder
Milan Jovanovic (14), forward
Dirk Kuyt (18), forward
Fernando Torres (9), striker

Substitutes:

Paul Konchesky (3)
Maxi Rodriguez (17)
Sotirious Kyrgiakos (16)
David Ngog (24)
Jonjo Shelvey (33)
Peter Gulasci (42)
Danny Wilson (22)

Blackpool:

Richard Kingson (28), goalkeeper
Ian Evatt (6), center back
Craig Cathcart (20), center back
Stephen Crainey (3), left back
Neil Eardley (5), right back
Charlie Adam (26), midfielder
David Vaughan (11), midfielder
Luke Varney (16), midfielder
Gary Taylor-Fletcher (12), midfielder
DJ Campbell (39), forward
Eliot Grandin (14), forward

Substitutes:

Brett Ormerod (10)
Keith Southern (4)
Paul Rachubka (1)
Alex Baptiste (15)
Ludovic Sylvestre (19)
Matthew Phillips (23)
Jason Euell (18)

11 a.m. ET: Liverpool and Blackpool, though clubs with vastly different histories, have quite a few things in common all of a sudden.

Both rest at 25 points in the league table — though with multiple games in hand. Both also exited in the third round of the FA Cup over the weekend.

How these exits unfolded, however, could have grave implications as far as Wednesday’s matchup at Bloomfield road is concerned.

Ian Holloway opted to rest his first team, taking his chances with his reserves against Southampton — a gamble that didn’t come through. Kenny Dalglish, in his first match returning as manager, put his best 11 against Manchester United and came up just short — with Steven Gerrard receiving a red card in the process.

Now, a full-strength Blackpool awaits a tired, captain-less Liverpool side at Bloomfield Road, where the Reds will be looking to even the score after the Tangerines came to Anfield and managed a shocking 2-1 victory early in the season.

To do so, Liverpool will have to reverse its abysmal record away from home this season, 1-2-7. That record, though, was compiled under Roy Hodgson, and now Dalglish will be at the helm for his first Liverpool league tie in two decades.

Glen Johnson, whose wife is still to give birth, is likely to miss the action for a second consecutive match.

Lineups will be posted prior to the match. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. ET.