Stalemate in Prague

I haven't done a report on the last two Liverpool matches and this didn't really seem the best game to have done but I've done it now so...

Much of the pre-match build up had been about 16 year old Raheem Sterling who had earned himself a place in the squad after scoring 5 goals in Liverpool's 9-0 win in the F.A. Youth Cup. He will have gained vital experience from training with the first team and traveling to Prague with them but when the teams where announced it was clear it was just to be that as he wasn't even on the bench for them game. Kenny Dalglish made 3 changes to his Liverpool team that drew against Wigan. Suarez is ineligible in the Europa League as he has already played for Ajax in Europe this season. Ngog filled in up front and youngster Danny Wilson was given a chance at left back while Kyrgiakos replaced Skrtel in the centre of defence.
Liverpool started the game off by keeping the ball for all of the first 4 minutes, the home side only had 3 touches in this time in which Liverpool settled the nerves and made sure that everyone got a touch. Little happened going forward for the Reds (playing in White tonight) and the first real chance was for Sparta as Pepe Reina was forced into a good save down to his left. While Liverpool looked confident on the ball they really did lack the penetration going forward and always looked vulnerable to the counter attack.
Reina made another save and Kyrgiakos made a great block but still nothing going forward. Aurelio went off injured (again) after just 37minutes and Joe Cole came on and he instantly made an impact. His first touch set up Ngog but his shot was straight at the Sparta keeper. Cole then had another good run but this time there was no end product as Kuyt was dispossessed but at least they had created something. The next chance came from a corner as Ngog headed wide but Kuyt was just inches away from turning it on target which brought a rather uneventful half to an end.
The second half started the way the majority of the first had gone with not much really happening and the only real chance came when good work from Kuyt and Johnson resulted in a towards Ngog but the keeper beat him to the ball and that was as exciting as it got for the first 15 minutes of the half. Sparta then had a good chance as Kweuke beat Kyrgiakos to the ball and his header went just wide. The big Greek defender then made up for being beaten to the ball as he stopped a break when a couple of his team mates where out of position. Glen Johnson then saw a shot with the outside of his right foot go wide but then Liverpool again looked under pressure from a Sparta break.
Smoke from a flare then delayed the game for a few minutes but when it resumed it was only a brilliant save by Reina that denied Kweuke who was allowed to control the ball, turn and shoot from a corner kick. With no shots on target after 83 minutes the next thing that happened was a shock to most people. Ngog went off and Skrtel came on as Liverpool reverted to 3 at the back with Johnson and Wilson playing as wing backs. Johnson forced another corner but Liverpool's intent was clear after the substitution and the rest of the game was played out very much the same way as the previous 85 minutes of the game with not much of note happening. While the result isn't the worst as the reds will fancy their chances of winning at Anfield and progressing in the Europa League this season but to say that the overall game was poor is a huge understatement.
Danny Wilson played really well in an overall poor game but I think that Glen Johnson provided the only real creativity so he was my Man of the Match but if Liverpool want to win this tie then a much improved performance is needed in the home leg next week which may feature new signing Andy Carroll on the bench.