QPR 2-3 Liverpool: What Just Happened?

After a frantic finish at Loftus Road, QPR and Liverpool fans alike were left in a state of utter shock. Four goals in the last seven minutes turned a dreary 1-0 affair into a mind-boggling 3-2 victory for the reds. Despite being dominated by QPR for large periods of the match, two own goals and a nice strike from Coutinho saw LFC take all three points. The win fires them up to 5^th in the table, although wins for Swansea and/or Manchester United would see them drop.

The first half was one of the most lacklustre performances Liverpool have produced in living memory. They barely produced a chance of their own, allowing QPR to apply mounds of pressure onto an extremely shaky defence. Some of the clearances were nigh-on suicidal; it’s a minor miracle that Rangers didn’t manage a goal in the first half. Leroy Fer struck the bar twice, and a goal line intervention from Glen Johnson was needed to stop Rodgers’ team going a goal down. Mignolet was also called upon on multiple occasions. He had a very good game, making three or four vital stops. The few times Liverpool did venture forwards it ended in frustration- Mario Balotelli was hugely wasteful, taking poor shots from ridiculous areas. Another issue in the LFC attack was the more advanced role Gerrard was playing in. His lack of pace prevented Liverpool from springing attacks quickly, and consequently many a blistering run from Raheem Sterling went to waste. With the possible exception of Adam Lallana, Sterling was the only player in a red shirt who looked capable of creating any sort of chance.

Liverpool started the second half a lot better, but that wasn’t hard. In truth we still looked pretty awful; a few chances were being carved out, but they didn’t look like being taken. Defensively there was little improvement- Bobby Zamora continued to terrorise our back line. This doesn’t bode well for our clash against Real in just three days time; if Zamora, Austin and Phillips can make our defence look so weak, what will Benzema, Ronaldo and Bale do to it? All we can do is try to outscore them, but based on today’s evidence that might be tough. It took nearly 70 minutes for the reds to eventually get the ball into the QPR net, and even then they had to rely on Richard Dunne to do it for them.

After the breakthrough, the game went dead for a while. For a glorious fifteen minutes, Liverpool fans started to hope that their team might be able to calm the game down, prevent QPR from getting forward and grind out a 1-0 win. What were we thinking? In typical LFC fashion, it didn’t all go according to plan. With just three minutes of normal time to play, substitute Eduardo Vargas scored to put the London outfit back on level terms- the chance was created courtesy of some shambolic defending from Jose Enrique. The anger and despair didn’t last long. In the 90^th minute Coutinho drilled the ball excellently into the far corner to restore Liverpool’s lead. He deserved a goal for the impact he made on the game; after replacing Lallana in the 66^th minute he vastly improved the LFC attacking threat.

Unbelievably, the game was far from over. Barely a minute after Coutinho had scored what most people were sure would be the winner, Vargas scored from a corner with a glancing header. The ball nicked off Steven Gerrard and somehow crept in at the near post, making the score 2-2 in the 92^nd minute. In the final minute of added time, it looked like QPR might even go on and snatch the victory. They won a free kick in a dangerous position, but the delivery into the box was poor. This allowed Liverpool to break- Coutinho played an inch perfect pass through to Raheem Sterling, who’s attempted ball across goal to Balotelli was diverted into the net by Steven Caulker. Rangers barely had time to kick off again, meaning that Liverpool somehow left Loftus Road with all three points. 

The performance can hardly be called inspiring; whilst Sterling played well and Coutinho made a strong case for inclusion in the starting line-up against Real, the team as a whole played extremely poorly. The only real positive to take from it is that we got the three points; in one sense that’s all that matters, but we won’t be able to rely on two own goals to get us the win every match. We need to up our game, and we need to do it soon.

-James Martin

Follow me on Twitter @JamesMartin013

Everton 3-3 Liverpool: Post-Match Analysis

I’m still in shock. Yesterday (Saturday 23^rd November), Liverpool and Everton played out one of the best, most dramatic Merseyside derbies to date. Many predicted it would be a good game, with both sides having good seasons, but nobody could have foreseen that it would turn into a six goal thriller, filled with all the ingredients to make a great game of football- controversy, exceptional play, drama and action right to the final whistle.

In their usual fashion, Liverpool started quickly. They won a corner inside 4 minutes, and subsequently scored from it- Coutinho smashing the ball emphatically into the net after Suarez had his shot blocked. Everton would have been disappointed to concede in such a manner- the marking was questionable, and James McCarthy, who was meant to be on the line to clear the ball, was standing in the goal! Consequently, his attempted clearance was ineffective, and Liverpool took the lead. However, it didn’t last long. 8 minutes into the game Leighton Baines delivered a very nice free kick, which, after a bit of a scramble, was turned home skilfully by Kevin Mirallas.

A few minutes later, Mirallas was involved again, but not in the right way. He tried to rob the ball from Suarez by sliding in, but his tackle was late and high, and his studs were up. It clearly should have been a red card (I may be biased, but I’m sure anyone would agree it was a horrendous challenge), but referee Phil Dowd only deemed it worthy of a yellow. This was not an isolated incident. The Everton game plan essentially seemed to be ‘try and get Suarez stretchered off the pitch’, and Mirallas in particular was guilty of multiple fouls. How he didn’t get sent off is beyond me.

Unfortunately for them, even dirty tactics could not contain the Uruguayan. 19 minutes in, he won a free kick in a promising position. Agger, Gerrard and Suarez all looked interested in taking it, but in the end it was Suarez who took on the responsibility. He certainly delivered- his glorious, curling effort got through the (admittedly somewhat scrappy) wall and past the outstretched glove of Tim Howard.  The game then died down a little, although both sides were still creating chances. Mignolet pulled off a couple of great saves to keep Liverpool in front going into the break.

After half time, it carried on in much the same way. With Baines off for Deulofeu, Everton became slightly more attacking, and Liverpool were forced into defending quite a lot. Mignolet made some astounding saves to retain the reds lead. With 30 minutes to go, Joe Allen was presented with a glorious chance to reward Mignolet’s hard work by all but sinking Everton. Suarez dances exceptionally through 3 Everton defenders, and the ball broke for the Welshman. He was clean through on Howard, with Suarez to his left. He opted to shoot, and understandably so, for it was a very easy chance. However, he somehow put the ball wide of the target, letting Everton off the hook. It was extremely frustrating; even if he wasn’t confident taking on the simple shooting chance, why not just square it to Suarez for a tap-in? Suarez seemed to be thinking along the same lines- he was visibly furious with Allen.

This was arguably the catalyst that Everton required. They redoubled their efforts, and with 20 minutes to go levelled the game through Romelu Lukaku. The chance came after Mignolet made yet another sublime stop (he made 9 in total throughout the game), but could not gather the ball. The Liverpool box was crowded with blue shirts, and when the ball got driven it and fell to Lukaku, the outcome was inevitable. At this point Rodgers took off Lucas for Sturridge, a real sign of intent. Unfortunately, it did not immediately pay off. Everton won a corner in the 82^nd minute, which Lukaku headed powerfully home for his 2^nd and Everton’s 3^rd, putting them in front for the first time. Sturridge was on the line, but could not prevent the ball sailing over his head and in.

Despite the fact that there was so little time left, it didn’t really feel like the scoring was over, and so proved. With just a minute left of the ninety, substitute Daniel Sturridge headed home after a great free kick from the captain, Steven Gerrard. This brought things level, but Liverpool were not done. They kept piling on the pressure deep into added time, resulting in what was very nearly the winning goal. Suarez was denied by a good save from Howard, and Sturridge actually put the ball into the net, but from an offside position. Eventually the final whistle blew, bringing the rollercoaster of a match to an end.

Mignolet gets my man of the match award, as without him we would have ended up with a result a lot worse than a draw. Jon Flanagan, who was filling in at left-back for Enrique and Cissokho, also deserves a mention. He made some good tackles, and though he didn’t provide much attacking impetus he was solid at the back. All in all, although it was disappointing not to win against our fierce rivals, a draw was probably a fair result. It was an excellent, hard-fought game of football, and a pleasure (albeit a stressful pleasure) to watch. It should be remembered that an away draw against e team sitting 6^th in the table is nothing to be ashamed of, and with three very winnable games coming up the overriding feeling at Anfield should be optimism.

-James Martin

Follow me on Twitter @JamesMartin013

Liverpool vs Chelsea: Tension, Controversy and The Return of Rafa

On Sunday 21^st April, Liverpool faced Chelsea at Anfield. This meant returns for former Reds manager Rafa Benitez and ex-Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. The game was extremely tight, and in the end Liverpool snatched a draw in dramatic fashion through a Luis Suarez goal in the 97^th minute.

Liverpool were the brighter side in the early stages, with Glen Johnson having the pick of the chances. Suarez flicked the ball through to him nicely, leaving the full-back clean through on Cech, but he could only poke the ball wide. However, it was Chelsea who opened the scoring, through an Oscar header. Juan Mata’s corner was not dealt with, and Oscar drifted away from Daniel Agger and headed powerfully past Reina. Just five minutes later Reina very nearly spilt a David Luiz free-kick, just snatching the ball before it could cross the line. After this the game died down, and there weren’t any meaningful chances for the rest of the half.

In my opinion, the turning point game at the start of the second half, with the introduction of Sturridge. Within seconds of coming on he combined beautifully with Suarez, coming very close to scoring. Minutes later, his long-range effort evaded Cech, but he was denied a goal by the post. He soon got his goal though, after a beautiful pass from Suarez picked him out in the box. From there it was a simple matter of tucking the ball into the corner from close range. That made it 1-1, and it was game on again.

Both sides were attacking hard after Sturridge’s goal, striving to get ahead. In the end Chelsea were once again able to pull ahead, but in controversial fashion. Again the problems came from a Chelsea corner. Suarez was marking Torres, and raised his arm as the ball came in. There is no question that he handled it, but Torres, the former prolific Liverpool striker, appeared to  have a hold on him. Nonetheless the penalty was given, and after a lengthy delay Hazard coolly dispatched the penalty, sending Pepe Reina the wrong way.

From then on it was all Liverpool. Suarez had a great chance with a free kick just outside the box, which he put wide. He also tested Cech at the near post with a powerful drive. As if he didn’t have enough controversy surrounding him already, Suarez then did something utterly mad. He is unquestionably one of the world’s greatest talents, but he does do some stupid things, and this time he is, in my opinion, totally without defence. He was trying to burst into the Chelsea area, but didn’t get the pass he was looking for. Then, presumably out of pure frustration, he actually bit the arm of Branislav Ivanovic. It went un-noticed by the referee or his assistants, but it was clearly captured by the TV cameras. This isn’t even the first time he has bitten a player. During his time at Ajax, he was banned for seven games for biting a PSV player. It was absolutely disgraceful behaviour, and it is things like this which cast a shadow over his unquestionable footballing brilliance.

Despite the controversy, the game went on, and continued to be an absolute thriller. Liverpool were still not managing to break through the Chelsea defence, and in a desperate act to change things Rodgers brought Downing off for Jonjo Shelvey. I know there are many Shelvey fans out there, but frankly I don’t get it. He takes ridiculously optimistic long shots, is extremely clumsy and never seems to pass. I personally think that taking off Downing, one of our better players in the game, was a bad decision. In the end though it didn’t matter, because in the dying seconds Suarez showed his good side. Six minutes were added n by the 4^th official, and it looked like time had run out for Liverpool when Chelsea got the ball clear on 95:54. However, the referee didn’t blow his whistle, and thirty seconds after the allotted six extra minutes Luis Suarez got on the end of a Daniel Sturridge cross, heading the ball past a diving Petr Cech. Chelsea barely had time to kick off again before the final whistle went, and the game ended 2-2.

Were it not for the Suarez biting incident, this game would have been a prime example of football as it should be. Both sides played some lovely attacking football, and there was tension and drama right to the end. However, the match had a shadow cast over it by Suarez’ inexplicable actions. He will surely incur a ban for biting Ivanovic, which in my opinion he completely deserves. On the whole though, a thoroughly enjoyable game where a draw was probably a fair result.

Follow me on Twitter @JamesMartin013