Aston Villa 0-2 Liverpool FC: Grading Kenny Dalglish's Players

You know Liverpool have scored 20 times this season and hit the woodwork 17 times. 

Amazing.

Jonjo Shelvey made his first start this season, so check out the grade he received. 

It was a routine 2-0 win over an Aston Villa side whose engine room gassed out towards the end of the game. 

Feel free to comment below. 

Grade: B

Aside from several routine saves, Pepe Reina was so bored that he dribbled out of defence in the 75th minute. 

He could have lost the ball if Nathan Delfouneso was on the eight-ball. 

Grade: A+

10 minutes into the game, ESPN positional tracker indicated Glen Johnson had an average position that was more forward than Stewart Downing. 

There were some moments in the game where you'd see Johnson and think, oh, he won't be back to defend if Liverpool turn the ball over. 

In the 50th minute, he was in a central position just outside the box when he took a shot. 

The remarkable thing was that he kept Charles N'Zogbia quiet.

Johnson made seven successful tackles and intercepted the ball six times. 

Grade: B+

Jamie Carragher probably was secretly wishing that Gabriel Agbonlahor and Darren Bent started, since Martin Škrtel had no issues with Emile Heskey and Nathan Delfouneso.

Heskey is a the water carrier of forwards and was meant to empower Delfouneso.

Instead, the youngster endured a frustrating night and is still finding his feet at the highest level. 

Hard to measure Škrtel's performance today because of the quality of opposition he was facing. 

The reason I say this is because I hope Sebastián Coates will be given an extended run sometime this season. 

Nonetheless, what a run and what a header from Škrtel. 

Grade: B

It will be a beneficial learning curve for Nathan Delfouneso to have played against one of the best centre backs in the world. 

Daniel Agger completely nullified Delfouneso (as expected). 

Emile Heskey was just making up the numbers, so Agger didn't even bat an eyelid when the former Liverpool forward was in possession. 

Even though Agger lost out on four tackles, he compensated with four interceptions. 

Grade: B-

It's a rare when José Enrique loses out on more tackles than he wins. 

From an attacking perspective, the Spaniard was efficient as usual, making 85 percent of his passes. 

Grade: B+

Close, but no cigar. 

Stewart Downing cannot buy himself an assist or a goal. 

In fact, Downing has provided more assists in three games for England than 17 games for Liverpool.

Today, he was a constant presence down the right flank and looks more dangerous when he cuts in. 

Importantly, he didn't turn the ball over and had a 87 percent completion rate. 

Grade: B

I'd like to see Jordan Henderson in a more offensive role.

Though, today in a more reserved role, he kept possession well and made three successful tackles. 

However, Fabian Delph, who lost out in six tackles, isn't exactly testing Henderson. 

Alex McLeish needs to buy a centre midfielder in January, because their centre midfield partnership was impotent. 

Grade: B-

Charlie Adam has to be one of the worst tackling midfielders in the Premier League. 

He does some daft things in defence.

27 minutes in, he had conceded four free kicks with pointless fouls, like in the first minute when he hacked Nathan Delfouneso from behind. 

In the 89th minute, with Liverpool leading 2-0 with a packed defence, he tripped Alan Hutton, who was running blind. 

Daft, daft and daft. 

Good thing about today's game is Adam only turned the ball over 10 times, as opposed to 26 times against QPR. 

Today, he made some excellent cross-field passes. 

Grade: B

Don't forget that it was Jonjo Shelvey's initial backheel that set off a chain of events leading to Craig Bellamy's first goal. 

Jonjo Shelvey was in and out of the game but he showed promise when he was in possession. 

He'd have a first-time pass or a maximum of two touches before offloading possession.

In the 40th minute, he played one of the best cross-field passes I've seen all year. 

Grade: A+

Craig Bellamy's productive first half foreshadowed the great game he would have. 

He was at the right place at the right time to finish from close range after Brad Guzan parried Luis Suárez's backheel attempt.

Four minutes later, Bellamy won a corner and sent in an excellent cross for Martin Škrtel to convert. 2-0 Liverpool. 

The Welshman was hard done by when his reputation earned him a yellow card after a nothing tackle.

He committed one foul and was booked, yet Charlie Adam committed four fouls before being booked. 

Where is the consistency?  

In the 46th minute, Bellamy turned Alan Hutton inside out before delivering an incisive cross to Daniel Agger, which could have made the score 3-0. 

Then a minute later, Bellamy robbed Hutton in broad daylight and passed it to Luis Suárez, who hit the crossbar. 

His only blemish was turning the ball over in the 58th minute with a pointless backheel when he had Jonjo Shelvey to his side and José Enrique on the overlap. 

Truth be told, if the backheel had worked, then Luis Suárez would have been through on goal and I'd be praising Bellamy as a genius.  

Grade: B+

Luis Suárez's first half was consigned to forward pressing and few (if any) incisive passes. 

That being said, he did nutmeg Stiliyan Petrov in the 37th minute, and I haven't seen anyone be so prolific at nutmegging since Ronaldinho.

Suárez must at least average one nutmeg a game. I'm sure he'd trade those for goals.

The lad could not buy himself a goal today. 

How unlucky was he?

He hit the woodworks twice. 

That chip alone deserved to be a goal—what vision, what brilliance to execute such a shot. 

What did you think of the game?

Comment below with your grades for the Liverpool players. 

Man of the Match: Craig Bellamy.

Please read the Top 20 African Footballers of 2011.