Top of the League? You’re having a laugh….

Finally. After three consecutive 2-1 defeats at the hands of our bitter rivals Manchester United, we have beaten them. Admittedly United were nowhere near their form of last season (blame Moyes for that one- they look a different side now Ferguson has left), but Liverpool still had to work hard and play well to secure the victory. The win saw us go top of the league, having secured maximum points from our opening three games. Due to this, and to the excellent football we are producing, optimism amongst fans is high, but how far up the league can we realistically expect Liverpool to finish this season?

Most non-LFC fans seem to think that Liverpool have an outside chance of snatching 4^th, but that is the highest we could possibly hope for. Theoretically, this makes some sense. After all, player for player, there is no questioning that Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham have stronger squads than ours. In a game of Top Trumps, Liverpool’s players would surely lose out to these clubs (and debatably to United and Arsenal as well), unless you have the luck to draw Coutinho from your deck when your opponent possesses the Milner card. The fact is, having not been in the Champions League since 2009/10, we haven’t been able to attract the top players for some time now, and as such our squad, on paper at least, simply is not as strong as those of our direct rivals.

However, though it is a cliché, the game is not played on paper. If all of Tottenham’s new players were immediately able to gel with each other and with the rest of the team, then they could most certainly challenge for the title. As it is, they needed to rely on debatable penalty decisions to win them their games against Crystal Palace and Swansea, and today lost 1-0 to Arsenal, because the team are not performing well as a group. Liverpool, on the other hand, have looked like a very tightly-knit unit this season. Their chemistry on and off the pitch has been wonderful; I don’t recall ever seeing a Liverpool team more in tune with one another. This is, in part, down to the relatively small amount of change the club has undergone in the down-season in comparison with the big clubs around us. Out of the top 7 from last season, only Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham have retained the same managers. As such, until all the other teams are able to settle down and adapt to their new managers (or, in Spurs’ case, adapt to fit in a whole host of new players), Liverpool may well have the edge over them.

Saying this, doing business in the transfer market is by no means a bad thing. It is simply that there needs to be a balance. Spurs have brought in too many players for their starting 11 at once to be able to get results in the short term, but as the season progresses they will most likely become a force to be reckoned with. Arsenal, on the other hand, though not destabilised by change, are being left behind in terms of squad depth by not signing anyone (unless you count free transfers Flamini and Sanogo). Indeed, their lack of depth is already troubling them, as they have been plagued by injuries to multiple players recently.  Liverpool have struck a happy medium, in that they have brought in a couple of players who have made it immediately to the first team, some others to bulk out the squad in case of injury, and some young talents who have potential to make it to the first team in the future. The immediate changes to the starting XI are not so drastic that they throw us off course; they only serve to strengthen us.  As we are the only club from last season’s top 7 to achieve that fine balance, except perhaps Chelsea, we most certainly have the upper hand on our rivals.

So, bearing all of that in mind, where do I think we can finish? Chelsea suffer the least out of the clubs that have made managerial changes, as Mourinho has been at the club before and knows how things work. Most of the players already know him and his style, so there is little adaptation to do. They have also done good business in the transfer market: players such as Willian and Samuel Eto’o are likely to start on a fairly regular basis, whilst Van Ginkel and Atsu are great squad players. Due to this, I don’t think we can realistically hope to finish above Chelsea. Manchester City are another we will struggle to overcome, as despite the vast amount of money spent at the club this summer, the emphasis has been on quality rather than quantity. Though they have a new manager, it would be a tall order to compete with the sheer quality and depth that City possess. Other than that, I don’t think there is any team in the Premier League that Liverpool cannot hope to finish above. Arsenal have not made anywhere near enough additions to their squad, Tottenham are still reeling after undergoing a squad overhaul, and Manchester United’s squad, which wasn’t that strong in the first place, is now under the guidance of a new manager: this is already taking its toll on them, as they have only managed 4 points from their first 3 games.

In conclusion, Chelsea and Manchester City are a cut above the rest, and barring too many more slip-ups against clubs such as Cardiff they should be expected to occupy the top two slots come the end of the season. From 3^rd to 6^th there is  very little in it, and Liverpool, if all goes well, will be able to capitalise on the shaky starts their rivals are having and take 3^rd place. It’s optimistic, but it’s also realistic. Let’s hope they can continue their excellent start to the season, and go on to achieve what they are capable of.

-James Martin

Follow me @JamesMartin013

BR’s Transfer Tactics- Are Foreign Signings the Right Approach?

This summer transfer window, Brendan Rodgers has got to work quickly.  Kolo Toure has already been signed (he officially joins the club on July 1^st), the deal between Iego Aspas and Liverpool looks to be effectively complete, and we also appear to be closing in on signing Tiago Ilori. Aspas is an exciting young Spanish talent who plays in the wide forward role for Celta Vigo, whilst Kolo Toure (Man City) and Tiago Ilori (Sporting) are both central defenders. They all look to be good acquisitions, but should Rodgers be searching closer to home for new players?

Kolo Toure is by no means an inspiring signing, but he is a sensible one. He came to Liverpool on a free, having run out of contract at Manchester City. It is unlikely he will get regular first team action, but he is a very experienced centre-back, and his presence in the squad should put pressure on the likes of Martin Skrtel (and potentially Tiago Ilori if he joins) to perform well in order to fight for their place in the team. The only issue with the deal is Toure’s relatively large wage demands, believed to be about 70k a week, which is a lot to be forking out to a player who isn’t even getting first team action. He will have a positive impact on the club, even if it is just giving the other centre-backs a metaphorical kick up the backside, but the money we’re spending on his wages could have been better invested elsewhere, possibly on a young, homegrown talent with lots of potential.

However, there is a problem with ‘buying British’ in the football world. English players that have really made a name for themselves tend to be hideously overpriced, and an equivalent overseas talent cam often be acquired for half the fee. Brendan Rodgers appears to have taken this into account, and we know he is good at spotting up-and-coming foreign talents based on Coutinho’s instant success at the club. This means that the only feasible way of signing English players is taking a gamble, and buying a player who has gone relatively un-noticed by pundits, potentially someone from the lower end of the football league. A prime example of this tactic paying off is Norwich’s signing of full-back Russell Martin. He started his career at Wycombe (where I watched him a lot, as I used to have a season ticket there), then moved to Peterborough. Norwich then took him on loan for a season, as a sort of trial run. He impressed them, and they then proceeded to buy him the following season. He is now a regular in the Norwich first team, and is one of their better players. It’s a risky tactic, but buying young players who have slipped under the pundits’ radar can prove very effective.

With Aspas and Ilori, the situation is slightly different. They are both young and upcoming talents, and Ilori in particular is not very renowned. Aspas has attracted a large amount of praise and attention from Spanish pundits, but until very recently was practically unknown in England. In these cases, it is pointless to try and buy an equivalent British player. Aspas is going to cost approximately 9 million, and for a player who has attracted so much attention in the top division of Spanish football that is very cheap. An English wide striker who had shown a lot of talent in the Premier League would most likely set you back at least double that. It’s the same story with Ilori. He is relatively unknown, but has still been capped 4 times this year for the Portugal under-20’s. The rumoured fee is around three-and-a-half million. Swansea signed Danny Graham for that sum in 2011, even though the forward had only scored 38 goals in almost 100 appearances for Watford in the Championship. This goes to show that unless you are looking to make a gamble on a really obscure talent, it’s not worth buying English players. As a general rule, those who have managed to make a name for themselves are massively overvalued by their club (looking at you, Tom Ince and Blackpool), forcing Premier League clubs to look to the foreign market. It’s sad in a way, as the top division of English football is now swamped with foreign talent, which isn’t how it should be. However, the Premier League clubs can’t be blamed for looking abroad in order to get better players for cheaper prices, and so far in this transfer window Liverpool appear to be doing so very effectively.

-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

Villa vs Liverpool- Post-Match Thoughts

On Easter Sunday, Liverpool faced Aston Villa in the Premier League. With Liverpool fighting for a Europa League place and Villa in a battle to avoid relegation, this wan an important game for both clubs. Despite being a goal down at half-time, Liverpool emerged as victors, winning 2-1.



Liverpool started the game brightly. Suarez came very close early on, and it looked as if we might be able to get an early goal, something we have been doing a lot in recent games. Our quick starts are a very good feature of our play. However, after about 10 minutes, we started to drop back a little, and Villa capitalised. Soon they were the ones looking the more likely to score, which midway through the first half they did, through prolific scorer Christian Benteke. Liverpool did step up the pressure again towards the end of the first half, but they couldn’t equalise.



They came out very strongly in the second half, and very quickly got back on level terms with Villa. A brilliant ball from Coutinho (who now has 2 goals and 3 assists in just 5 games) put Henderson through, who delicately chipped the ball past the oncoming keeper to level the scores.



From then on Liverpool had the lions share of the chances, and were certainly playing the better football. Glen Johnson came agonisingly close to putting Liverpool ahead when his shot rebounded off the post, and Suarez made a lot of chances. Eventually the second goal came for Liverpool. Suarez used his sublime skill to nutmeg Nathan Baker (who up to this point had been having a brilliant game), who then blatantly brought him down. A penalty was given, and Steven Gerrard converted the spot kick coolly, putting Liverpool ahead.



There were some nervy moments near the end, with Benteke having one goal disallowed for offside (correctly) and Gerrard making a stunning off-the-line clearance from a Benteke header. However, Liverpool held on for the win, and earned a good three points.



One thing I was surprised about was the fact that Daniel Sturridge didn’t feature. He has proved very effective when he has played for us, and at times in the game we seemed to lack ideas in attack (an example would be Suarez’s ridiculous shot from 45 yards out!) but he wasn’t brought on. I think he needs game time in order to fully gel with the rest of the team, because I think he has huge potential at this club. In the end though it didn’t matter, and the victory was heartening as it showed we can still win even when we are not at our best.

-James Martin

Follow me on Twitter @JamesMartin013

Liverpool vs Tottenham- Is Top 4 Still a Possibility?

Today (Sunday 10^th March 2013), Liverpool faced an in-from Tottenham side at Anfield. It went to the wire, but in the end Liverpool snatched 3 points in a dramatic 3-2 victory.

Liverpool started the game very brightly, with a decent chance within the first couple of minutes. However, Tottenham were also looking lively, and although Bale wasn't very active early on, Spurs did create some chances. Fortunately, Liverpool were able to keep up their pressure, and mid-way through the first half got their reward. After some lively skill, new signing Philippe Coutinho slotted a lovely ball through to Jose Enrique. Enrique then played a very nice ball to Suarez, who finished absolutely sublimely, slotting it instinctively past Lloris at the near post.

Liverpool still looked the stronger of the teams as the half wore on, but the game was a little less frantic than it had been at the start. In the last 10 minutes of the half, Tottenham began to seize the initiative, and produced some good attacks. Gareth Bale was getting into the game a little more, and it was he who produced the cross that led to Jan Vertonghen's equaliser just before half time, a strong header past 'keeper Brad Jones (who was standing in for the injured Reina).

The second half started, and Tottenham picked up where they left off. They looked the more creative side, and sure enough they added another one minutes after the restart, coming once again from the unlikely source of Vertonghen. Bale was again the provider, whipping the ball in from a free kick which he won. Whether it was a foul or not is questionable. To me, he seemed to go down much too easily from just a little contact with Lucas. Tottenham kept the pressure up after going ahead, and could have easily added a third, with Sidgurdson hitting the post.

However, with 25 minuutes to play, Liverpool were gifted a way back into the game. Kyle Walker, who up until this point had been having a good game, managing to mostly keep Coutinho in check, scooped a clearance straight into the path of Downing, who took it past Lloris and slotted cooly past Vertonghen, who was standing on the line. This blew the game wide open, and from this point both sides created a lot of chances.

The game became very frantic, but neither side seemed able to break the deadlock, and it looked like the game was destined to finish level. However, with just 9 minutes to go, Jermain Defoe gave Liverpool another gift! He lost control of the ball and hit it into Suarez, who was on the edge of the area. Caught by surprise, Assou-Ekotto tried to make a challenge, but it was extremely clumsy, and sent Suarez tumbling. The referee Michael Oliver, who had a good game, immediately pointed to the spot. Gerrard stepped up, and sent Lloris the wrong way, putting Liverpool 3-2 up with just 8 minutes to go. The goal also put him on the same amount of goals for the club as Michael Owen. There were a couple of nervous moments in the closing minutes, with Tottenham pressing hard, but Liverpool held on to take all three points.

Now we come to the big question; could this win go some way to giving us a fighting chance of reaching the top 4? I'll be the first to admit that a few weeks ago I didn't think it was possible, but now we've won three in a row and are looking extremely strong. We also have games to come against a lot of the teams we are competing with for 4^th spot, Chelsea, Everton and Arsenal. Apart from those games against our rivals, our other fixtures look relatively easy. If we were to continue this great run of form, I believe there is a genuine (although outside) chance of getting into the top 4, and in doing so finally return to the Champions League next season. Obviously it is optimistic, but when you look at the table and the fixture list, it cannot be ruled out as a possibility. As fans, all we can do is keep on hoping, and keep on giving our whole-hearted backing and support.

Wigan vs Liverpool- My Post-Match Thoughts

In the late kick-off game yesterday (Saturday 2nd March), Liverpool  faced Wigan at the DW stadium.  Before the game many fans were concerned, as Daniel Sturridge was not playing and in the past we haven’t  proved particularly  clinical in front of goal without him. However, those fears were soon forgotten as Liverpool  ran riot, in the end winning 4-0. A very positive part of Liverpool’s play recently is how quickly they get out of the blocks. This game was no exception, and Stewart Downing headed Liverpool in front (yes, you did read that right) after just 110 seconds! The goal was made by Philippe Coutinho, who showed phenomenal skill to beat his man out wide, and then delivered a perfect ball into the box. The next goal was also created by Coutinho. Whereas the first goal demonstrated his excellent on-the-ball skill, this one showed his vision and sense of timing. He held the ball up, waiting for Suarez to make the run, and when he did Coutinho slotted it through to him perfectly. Suarez then finished extremely coolly, slotting it past the helpless Al-Habsi. After this it got even better for Liverpool, when they got a free kick just outside the area. Suarez slipped as he took it, but it deflected off the wall, off the post and in. It wasn’t ‘El Pistolero’s’ finest goal,  but it put Liverpool 3 goals in front. After half time Liverpool continued to dominate. The 4th goal seemed inevitable, it was just a question of who was  going to get it. The answer, of course, was Luis Suarez. Johnson slotted a lovely ball through to him, and he  completed his hat-trick by clinically slotting the ball into the Wigan net. So far I have only talked about the attackers, but one player who certainly deserves a huge amount of credit is Pepe Reina. He was back to his old self, making some absolutely stunning reaction saves. Although it is unlikely that Wigan would have got anything from the game with Liverpool in such a rampant mood, they did  have 4 big chances, all of which Reina managed to keep out spectacularly. Were it not for the outstanding play of Suarez, Reina would have been my man of the match. In conclusion, Liverpool played brilliantly. The attacking play was brilliant, the new signing Coutinho is proving  himself to be just as good a signing as I said he would be (see my previous article), and Reina appears to be  back to full form. If we can keep this up we should certainly qualify for the Europa and with a big game against  Tottenham next week, who knows? Maybe the top 4 still is just possible.

Arsenal 2- 2 Liverpool: 2 Points Lost, But It’s Not All Over

On 30th January, Liverpool faced Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. After going 2-0 up with 30 minutes to go, they conceded twice in three minutes and the game ended 2-2. This leaves us 7 points off 4th, the same as before the game.

The game started well for Liverpool. Suarez looked very lively, and Sturridge was making good runs. They capitalised on this in the 9th minute, with Suarez’s deflected shot looping past Szczesny and into the net. Arsenal were also looking strong in attack though, and Reina was forced into some excellent saves. Liverpool still looked on top however, and Agger saw his header cleared off the line. Minutes later, Sturridge was denied by a smart stop from Szczesny.

Liverpool came out for the second half and continued to play strongly, resulting in a great goal for Jordan Henderson in the 60th minute. He got through two Arsenal defenders (although to be fair, one of them was Andre Santos!) and after seeing his first shot saved coolly slotted in the rebound. However, Arsenal hit back quickly and efficiently. Giroud scored from free kick in the 64th minute, followed by a great hit from Walcott in the 67th. The game then quietened down until towards the end, when Arsenal had a huge chance to win it. The ball was crossed invitingly into Giroud, who couldn’t get the ball out from between his feet. Seconds later, Suarez had a chance to win the game, when he got clear of the defence after a nice ass from Downing and saw his shot saved by Szczesny. The rebound then almost fell nicely to be tapped into an empty net, but it didn’t quite go in.

Liverpool were playing better than Arsenal for the majority of the match, and on balance probably deserved the win. However, our defence was poor (although nowhere near as poor as Arsenal’s), and going into the game I think most fans would have said a draw would be reasonable. Fortunately, Tottenham could only manage a draw at Norwich, meaning Liverpool remain 7 points off 4th. Admittedly the gap will be hard to close, especially with a tough fixture against Manchester City at the weekend, but it is certainly possible. If we tighten up our defence for our game against City and become a bit more clinical with our chances, we should be able to manage a win.

Overall, I think that Liverpool performed reasonably, but there was definite room for improvement. The defence needs to tighten up a bit, and Sturridge especially needs to work on his finishing, but in general the signs are promising. Also, with Coutinho available for us next game, our midfield should be tightened up. Hopefully if we can make these small adjustments, and the new signings gel well with the team, then we will be able to make 4th place a reality.

QPR 0-3 Liverpool: Great Performance, But It Could Have Been More

On Sunday 30th December, in the last Premier League game of 2012, Liverpool faced QPR at Loftus Road. Liverpool dominated the whole game, and came out comfortable victors.

The first half performance from Liverpool was scintillating. They played the sort of football we all hoped for when Brendan Rodgers was appointed as manager (though incidentally, he wasn’t at the match due to illness), with the team passing the ball around brilliantly, stretching the opposition, and creating chances. They carved through QPR’s defence with ease, and the first goal looked inevitable right from the start. Sure enough, in the 10th minute, Luis Suarez opened the scoring with a great goal. Suarez continued to look exceptionally lively, in my opinion the best he’s played all season. He darted around, terrorised the defences, but also passed when it was the right option. He got his reward for such excellence, with another goal in the 16th minute. Liverpool continued to press, and Agger headed home in the 28th minute to make it 3-0. In all honesty, we could have been 5 or 6 goals up at half time, but we had to settle for 3.

In the second half, the tempo dropped significantly. Although QPR never looked at all likely to score, I was quite disappointed with this. After the first half performance, I wanted the players to go out there and carry on where they left off. They created a few chances, but were not able to score again, meaning the game finished 3-0. Obviously, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter at all, because we went on to comfortably get the three points. However, it would have been a huge lift for the players and fans had they gone on a real rout. They were certainly capable of scoring more.

Suarez looked absolutely deadly in this match, with no trace of the ankle injury which looked set to keep him out of the game, and, until he came off injured, Enrique looked great. Other performances worthy of note were those of Allen, who pulled the strings exceptionally in midfield, and Agger, who got forward a lot, resulting in a goal, and defended well on the very few occasions he was called upon. Sterling was disappointing, but showed some promising signs. Downing also played quite well, and played a large part in the second goal. I certainly hope he doesn’t get sold in January, as he has been an asset to us in the last few games.

On the whole, I was thrilled with our performance. Although QPR were frankly poor, Liverpool capitalised on their bad play brilliantly, and the first half was the best 45 minutes of football I have seen them play all season. Admittedly it was a shame they slowed down in the second half, but overall I was delighted with the win.

Liverpool vs Aston Villa- Post-Match Rant!

On 15th December, Liverpool put in a lacklustre performance against Aston Villa, resulting in a 3-1 loss. Although there were some decent individual performances, such as those of Glen Johnson and Stewart Downing, in my view a 3-1 loss to Aston Villa at home means that no player did their job well enough.

You may be thinking that this is a little harsh. Perhaps you’re right, but as a Liverpool fan I am fed up of seeing my team lose games we should be easily winning. We have a whole team of very talented players, and a very good manager, and yet the results still aren’t coming. I thought that maybe after our win at West Ham we’d turned a corner, but it seems not. It is so frustrating to know that had we played to our full potential this season we would be in the top 4, but as it is we are sitting in 12th place.

To be fair to Aston Villa, they did play well. I said on Twitter before the game that we would have to be wary of Benteke, a striker I rate very highly. I was proved right, as Benteke went on to score two and assist the other. Weimann was also impressive. However, the fact still remains that Aston Villa are a team we should be beating.

The worst part is there is nothing specific I can put my finger on to explain why we are doing so badly. Obviously one of the problems is finishing, but that can’t be the only reason. If the problem cannot be identified, then it is almost impossible to solve. I hope that one of the problems, the issue of having only one real striker, will be solved by the imminent return of Fabio Borini, but to be honest he didn’t impress me when he was fit at the start of the season.

In conclusion, Liverpool continue to frustrate me. I can see all of the talent in the team, but it just doesn’t seem to be working out. I am not used to seeing Liverpool in the bottom half of the table, and I don’t like it. I sincerely hope that we can turn the results around soon, because I am not sure I could take another loss to a relative weak team such as Aston Villa! We need wins, and we need them soon. Rant over.

West Ham 2-3 Liverpool

Today (Sunday 9th December), Liverpool won 3-2 in a dramatic away win against West Ham United. All three of Liverpool’s goals were scored by ex-West Ham players, Johnson, Cole and Shelvey. West Ham’s goals came from an own goal from Gerrard and a penalty, scored by Noble.

In the first 10 minutes, I have to admit I was worried. West Ham were attacking well, and Liverpool were just sitting back and absorbing the pressure, not looking too comfortable. However, Liverpool looked fairly threatening on the counter, and so it proved on the 10 minute mark. Glen Johnson absolutely tormented the West Ham defence, darting through two or three players before smashing it into the top corner brilliantly from outside the box. It was a superb goal, and for me Johnson was our best player throughout the match. After this we played excellently, and we were unlucky not to add another one, with both Shelvey and Sterling coming close.

However, in the 35th minute, the match was turned on its head. The referee, Lee Probert, awarded West Ham a penalty for a dubious Joe Allen handball. The ball was smashed at him from a yard away, and he couldn’t really have got out of the way, although his hands were raised. Mark Noble slotted it away comfortably. This spurred the Hammers on, and they got back into the game. Things got worse for Liverpool just before the break, when a ball whipped in by Jarvis was headed in by Steven Gerrard. The own goal was almost comical, as the header was so well paced, and would have been a quality goal had it been at the other end of the pitch!

Fortunately, Liverpool came out strongly in the second half, but for about half an hour the sides were at a stalemate, with nobody coming up with many particularly meaningful attacks. However, on 75 minutes, Liverpool finally drew level. An exquisite ball from Sterling put Joe Cole through on goal, who finished beautifully into the bottom corner. This served as a platform to spur Liverpool on to the win, and from this point on they were by far the most positive side. They were rewarded for this positivity when substitute Jordan Henderson whipped in a wonderful ball, aimed at Shelvey. James Collins just beat him to it, and somehow ended up inadvertently lobbing his own keeper; the second time this has happened to poor Jaaskelinen recently. Admittedly this was a rather fortuitous way to regain the lead, but on balance I think we deserved the goal.

West Ham gave Liverpool a few scares in the dying moments of the game, but they held on for the victory, gaining us a much needed 3 points. With that we finally move back up into the top half of the table, and are in fact currently only 4 points away from a Champions League spot. Overall I think we gave a great performance, and really showed that we can cope without Suarez. Jordan Henderson impressed me when he came on, and Sterling looked good in the second half, but as I said earlier my Man of the Match has to go to Johnson.

Lucas Returns, Liverpool Keep a Clean Sheet

On Saturday 1st December, Liverpool played relegation candidates Southampton at Anfield. Despite having a plethora of chances, Liverpool only managed to get one goal, but were solid at the back and earned a 1-0 win.

This game was notable in the fact that it featured Lucas. After returning from a long-term injury a few months ago, he then promptly got injured again, and only yesterday returned. He has been sorely missed, and I think he improved our midfield no end. He is capable of pushing forward, but is mostly defensive-minded and kept the team solid, making us less vulnerable to the counter-attacks we have been so susceptible to so far this season. The fact that we were able to keep a clean sheet is in my opinion, partly down to the return of Lucas.

Our attacking was also quite good. Suarez and Shelvey both struck the post in the first half, either of which could have ended up in the net on another day (I’m still not sure how Shelvey’s stayed out). It looked like it was going to be one of those days, but fortunately Daniel Agger was on hand to snatch a goal for Liverpool, a powerful header into the corner after a good cross from Glen Johnson. In the second half there were fewer chances, but Liverpool came close a couple of times. With the game nearly over, a wicked cross was whipped in from Gerrard, and for some reason Suarez tried to punch it into the net. This was completely stupid, and got him his 5th yellow card of the season, meaning he misses our next game (against West Ham United).

Overall, Liverpool were very solid in this game. They never looked like they were going to concede, and created some good chances going forward. Once again they should have converted more of these chances, but what matters is that we converted one of them and got the three points. Having Lucas back was a great boost, and I think he made the difference.

Swansea vs Liverpool- Another Day, Another Draw

Today (Sunday 25th November), Liverpool faced Swansea in a Premier League clash at the Liberty Stadium. Liverpool created a lot of chances and the hosts had a few decent opportunities, but the game ended 0-0.

In the first 10 minutes of the game, Swansea were playing the better football. Pablo Hernandez looked very bright, and they were creating some decent chances. However, they never really tested Pepe Reina, and after about 15 minutes Liverpool had got into their stride. Jose Enrique was playing brilliantly, threading through some great passes and attacking with real intent, and Suarez and Sterling looked lively. The biggest chance of the first half fell to Sterling, after the ball came back to him from a corner. He took a touch, then smashed the ball ferociously goalwards. It was a wonderful, dipping shot, but somehow stayed out after smashing against the underside of the crossbar. Minutes later, Enrique had a goal disallowed for offside. It was tight, but probably the right decision.

Liverpool continued to dominate the match after the break. Although Swansea were creating some good chances from counter-attacks, LFC looked the most likely to get a goal. However, Steven Gerrard, most unusually for him, was being extremely wasteful in possession. Some of his passes were awful, and had he been more accurate I think Liverpool would have got a goal. After about 60 minutes, the game died down a little, and the teams reached a stalemate, with the two sides playing the passing game that Rodgers introduced to both the clubs. Then, at around the 80 minute mark, Swansea suddenly upped the pace of the game, worrying Liverpool with some penetrating attacks. However, this didn’t last long. After a clearance from a Swansea corner, the ball bounced over a Swansea player’s head, leaving Sterling and Suarez through on goal with only one defender to stop them. This really should have resulted in a goal, but Sterling’s return ball to Suarez was much too heavy, and the huge chance was gone. In the dying moments of the game, substitute Jonjo Shelvey nearly won the game with a great pile-driving shot, which was smartly saved by Tremmel.

It seems that once again I will have to end my article with the same conclusion I keep writing: Liverpool had the majority of the good chances, but weren’t clinical enough. I was impressed with our defending today, and a clean sheet is always a good thing, but I was disappointed not to get the three points. We need to get some wins on the board, and although our long unbeaten run is very respectable, the fact is we still lie 11th in the league. In all fairness to Swansea though, they did play quite well, and maybe a draw was the fairest result.

Luis Suarez- Indispensable?

Yesterday (17th November), Liverpool faced Wigan at Anfield in a Premier League match. They breezed to a convincing 3-0 victory, and at the heart of it all was once again Luis Suarez, who netted two goals. As great as it is to have such a skilled and prolific striker in our team, it does lead me to ask this question: What would we do without Luis Suarez?

First, some figures. Luis Suarez is the top goal scorer in the Premier League this season, with 10 goals to his name. He has started every Premier League match we have played. He also has 2 assists to his name. Liverpool have scored 17 goals in the Premier League in total, meaning Suarez has scored more than half of our goals.

It’s easy to see why. In all honesty, who else do we have? Raheem Sterling is very good, and chips in with goals from time to time, but he’s really a wide player rather than an out-and-out goal scorer. There is Borini, who is out injured until the new year, and was particularly inspiring before his injury anyway, and that’s about it in terms of experienced strikers. There are of course younger players who could step up if the need arose, such as Samed Yesil, but I cannot envisage them becoming long-term solutions to our lack of striker problem for at least a year.

You may be wondering why this is a problem. Who cares if one person is getting all our goals? As long as we score, what’s the big issue? In the short-term, I would agree. Whilst Suarez is available, it is fine that we utilise him so much, and being our one main striker it is understandable that he gets so many goals. However, what if he got suspended, or worse, injured? He is only one yellow card away from a suspension, and if he does pick up that one match ban, we will almost certainly lose that match. We cannot rely so heavily on one player, because unforeseen circumstances occur, and we have to be ready for them.

To be fair on the rest of the LFC team, other players make big contributions to the team. Sterling has provided a lot of assists, and Agger and Skrtel have been solid at the back. Joe Allen has also been very good at pulling the strings in midfield. But all of their play is geared around getting Suarez in to score, and if he was not there all their hard work would be fruitless.

Overall, although Suarez is a world class striker, we really need to find him a suitable strike partner in January, or at least a decent back-up in case Suarez is ever unavailable. Much as our big win against Wigan thrilled me, it also once again highlighted our utter dependence on Suarez, which cannot continue.

Chelsea vs Liverpool- A Well Earned Point, but it Could Have Been More

Today (Sunday 11th November 2012), Liverpool played Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The game ended 1-1, with goals coming from John Terry and Luis Suarez. A minute’s silence was held before the game to remember all the soldiers who have given their lives in conflicts past and present.

The game started quite badly for Liverpool, with Chelsea dominating possession and making some incisive attacks. There were a few half chances, including a long shot from Daniel Agger which was blazed well over, but mostly Chelsea were on top. Sure enough, it was the home team who opened the scoring. The ball struck referee Howard Webb, which indirectly led to a Chelsea corner. The corner was whipped in well and defended poorly, and John Terry capitalised with a good header to put the home side in front. Shortly after this, Terry was stretchered off after a collision with Luis Suarez. From then on both sides sat back a little, with minimal action occurring for the rest of the half.

However, this all changed at the start of the second half. Both sides came out strongly, with Liverpool launching many attacks and coming close to scoring on a few occasions. In doing this though, Liverpool left themselves exposed to counter-attacks, and Fernando Torres came close to scoring against his former club on 2 or 3 occasions. On the 60 minute mark, Brendan Rodgers decided to make a change, Suso coming on for Sahin. This made a big impact, and Liverpool slowly began to take charge of the game. LFC kept piling on the pressure, and it finally paid off in the 73rd minute. Suso whipped a corner in, Carragher flicked it on brilliantly, and Luis Suarez was on hand to header it in from close range, his 8th goal of the season.

From here-on-in, Liverpool really dominated. They made a few decent opportunities, but didn’t create a big chance to win it until the 88th minute. Suarez raced on to a through ball, beating the offside trap, and found himself one on one with an advancing Petr Cech. He tried to take it round the oncoming keeper, but Cech just managed to get a leg to the ball, keeping the two sides level. It seemed that the action would be over at this point, but it was not so. Deep into the 4 minutes of added time, Suarez released Enrique with a great ball, who’s shot was saved very well indeed by Cech. This proved to be some of the last action of the game, with the full time whistle blowing less than a minute later.

Before the game I would certainly have taken a point against this in-form Chelsea side, but based on our performance today I was a little disappointed with the draw. We did well to only concede one under the first half pressure of Chelsea (thanks in part to Brad Jones, who had a pretty good game), and came out very strongly in the second. Our goal was very good, but Suarez should really have buried the winner when he got through against Cech. Overall though, I am very pleased with the point. Liverpool have now gone six premier league games undefeated, which is certainly a step in the right direction. A draw away to Chelsea is an achievement Brendan Rodgers and the team can be very proud of, and I hope we build on this solid performance in next week’s game against Wigan.

Liverpool vs Newcastle- Pre-Match Analysis

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Today (4th November 2012), Liverpool will face Newcastle at Anfield. Newcastle have shown fairly good early season form, but Liverpool have looked sharper in recent matches. Even so, this will be a tough game to win.

In my opinion, the biggest threat that Liverpool will have to cope with is the Newcastle attack. Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba are a deadly strike partnership, and although Ba is recovering from an injury it seems likely that he will play. Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel are generally a solid pairing in centre defence, but are prone to making stupid errors occasionally. They cannot afford to do this today, as Ba and Cisse will punish them.

However, it is not like Liverpool themselves pose no threat going forward. Though we were left short on strikers after Borini broke his foot, Suarez, Sterling and Suso make a wonderful attacking trio. Suso and Sterling are both young, but have already proved they are up to handling the pressure of the big games. Saying this, Sterling was very poor in our last game (against Everton), and he will have to perform better today if we stand a chance of winning.

There is also the question of who we will play in goal. Reina is apparently still a doubt after picking up an injury on international duty a couple of weeks ago, which one would think meant that Brad Jones automatically steps up. Not necessarily. Doni, after taking almost a year out of football for personal reasons, has now returned. Personally I think it unlikely that he will feature, although he was second choice goalkeeper before he left. I would like to see Reina play if he is fit enough, because although Jones has impressed in his last few games, up against prestigious forwards such as Ba and Cisse I think we need someone more experienced in goal. However, if Reina is not fit (or not chosen by Brendan Rodgers), then I am sure Jones (or potentially Doni) will step up.

Overall, I think that it will be a tough game today. Newcastle are a good side, especially going forward, and our defence will have to be on top form to keep them out. Also, Suarez’s form is rather hit and miss, so I think he will have to have a good day for Liverpool to win.

Liverpool vs Stoke Post-Match Analysis

Today (Sunday 7th October), Liverpool faced Stoke City at Anfield. Despite the home side creating a decent amount of chances and dominating possession, the game ended as a goalless draw.

I will start with the positives from the game. The first is that they were able to continue the passing prowess that they showed at Norwich. They were moving the ball around very nicely, and had a very large percentage of possession. These weren’t just short passes either. In the first half particularly, Gerrard played some exquisite long balls, which nearly carved open Stoke’s defence on many occasions.

Another positive to take from the game is how much Liverpool seems to have tightened up at the back. To be fair, Stoke didn’t have many meaningful attacks at all, but on the few occasions that they did push forward Liverpool handled it well. There were also a lot less stupid errors. As a result we were able to keep a clean sheet, which is encouraging.

On the other hand, our chance conversion was once again poor. I have had to say this so many times, and I really hoped that we’d turned a corner last week at Norwich when we scored 5. However, they were simply not able to reproduce this scoring form today, despite creating a lot of goal-scoring opportunities. Admittedly we were unlucky, striking the woodwork an incredible 4 times, but it seems to me that we need to put a lot of work into our finishing.

I was also quite disappointed with Raheem Sterling today. He has been a stand-out player for LFC so far this season, but some of his movement and energy seemed to be lacking today. He had his moments (such as when he made a great run past 3 or 4 Stoke players near the end of the game, only to be stopped by a Dean Whitehead foul), but generally he wasn’t able to do much when he got the ball. Without Sterling’s bright runs to vary the play, Liverpool became a little over-reliant on Luis Suarez. However good Suarez is, he can’t do anything without sufficient back-up from the rest of the team, which in my opinion there wasn’t enough of today.

Overall, I think Liverpool deserved to get the three points from the game. They had by far the most possession and created quite a lot of chances. However, a combination of poor finishing and an over-reliance on Suarez meant we were not able to find the net, and thus only came away with a point. Hopefully Liverpool can work on their shooting, and become more efficient in front of goal. If this happens, Liverpool should soon be back to winning ways.

Sunderland Vs Liverpool- My Thoughts

In the late kick-off game on Saturday15th September 2012, Liverpool faced Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.  Despite dominating the match, they could only manage a 1-1 draw. Fletcher was the goal scorer for Sunderland, and Suarez netted for Liverpool.

I think Brendan Rodgers will have been pleased with the way his team started. They were passing it around nicely, getting the ball forward and creating chances. However, Liverpool were unable to make the most of these chances, and after 29 minutes were punished. Totally against the run of play, Sunderland mounted a good attack down the right wing and got a good ball into the box, which Fletcher buried. Although it pains me to say it, Reina was once again partially at fault for the goal, coming for the cross and missing it.

After this, I was pleased with how well Liverpool responded. They didn’t let the goal get to them, and continued mounting good attacks, although not quite as regularly as they had been before the goal. Once again Sterling was playing exquisitely, and causing the Sunderland defence a lot of problems. I was also more pleased with Borini’s performance than I have been in previous games. Suarez also looked lively, and should have been given a penalty when he took the ball round two defenders and was then tripped up. The referee did not give it, and to add insult to injury booked him for simulation.

With all of Liverpool’s forwards looking so bright and lively, it seemed inevitable that they would score. However, I started to get worried when we were still a goal down with 20 minutes to go. Eventually though, after a great piece of play from Sterling, Suarez was able to smash the ball into the net from close range. Liverpool had a fair few chances after this as well, and were unlucky not to go on and win the game.

Overall, I think Liverpool played very well and can be pleased with their performance; however the recurring problem of finishing again has to be brought up. With such dominance and so many chances, it has to be said that Liverpool should have won the game. On the other hand, although we didn’t get the result we were after, I think there are many positives to be taken from this game. We should build on this result to try and get the win next time out, against Manchester United. What a sweet first win of the season that would be!

Carroll Loaned Out- A Bad Decision?

Liverpool have been very active in the transfer window this year, and the latest player to be part of this is Andy Carroll, who has gone on a season-long loan to West Ham United. West Ham have the option to buy Carroll after this loan spell, but there is no obligation on them to do so.

Firstly, I must start by giving the reasons Rodgers has given for loaning out Carroll. He says that he does not fit into his tiki-taka style of football, and Liverpool cannot afford to have a £35 million striker on the bench. Also, Carroll did not have a good season at LFC last year, which resulted in many people believing he simply does not fit in at the club.

However, I disagree. If you are signed for a prestigious club like Liverpool for a club record fee, and are being bought as a replacement for Fernando Torres, you are bound to feel a lot of pressure. Unfortunately, this pressure got to Carroll at the start of the season, and he simply didn’t perform. Near the end of the season though, there were signs that Carroll was returning to his old form. He put in some great performances, the most notable being the FA cup final against Chelsea. To me, loaning him out at a time when he seems to be returning to form is not a great move.

On the other hand, it is true that with our current squad it is fairly hard for Carroll to get regular first team action. Rodgers is right in saying that Andy will benefit from more playing time, and if Rodgers refuses to give him that at Liverpool then a loan is a good option. If Carroll does return to Liverpool at the end of his loan spell I think he will be a much improved player. In fact, if that happens, I think Rodgers will have done quite a successful deal. However, what bothers me is the fact that West Ham have been given an option to buy. If, like I expect he will, Carroll continues getting better throughout his time at West Ham, they are certain to want to buy him permanently. Although this will aid Liverpool financially, we will have lost a great striker. I think we would have been better off offering West Ham a simple, straightforward loan that meant we automatically got Carroll back for next season.

Now we come to what I believe is the key point. Although the ‘tiki-taka’ style is very good on paper, sometimes it goes wrong. This was demonstrated at Man City, where mostly we played this system very well, but just one slip from Skrtel left us level again and in need of a goal to win the match. Carroll came on as a substitute, and very nearly scored (he was denied only by Jack Rodwell’s off-the-line clearance). I think that by getting rid of Carroll, we lost our plan B. By relying purely on a smooth, passing game, Rodgers is leaving very little room for error.

Overall, I believe loaning out Carroll was a bad idea. It puts a lot more pressure on the team to master Rodgers’ preferred style of play quickly, as now the team have no back-up. Carroll was a good option for Liverpool, as he allowed them to vary their play a little, and occasionally play a long ball up the pitch. Now they have lost this option, and with it lost a player who was just returning to form. I may be wrong, but I think this is a big mistake.

Liverpool vs Man City- Liverpool’s Style of Play

At 16:00 on the 26^th August, Liverpool kicked off their first home game of the new season against premier league champions, Manchester City. Despite going ahead twice, Liverpool only managed a 2-2 draw. However, to lead twice against the reigning Premiership champions is no mean feat, and Liverpool played extremely well.

Things weren’t looking too good for LFC at the start of the game. After 20 minutes, they had seen less than 40% of possession, and their only real chance had fallen to Fabio Borini, who narrowly missed. However, things soon started to look up. Liverpool applied a good spell of attacking pressure, which eventually won them a corner. This they took full advantage of. Gerrard whipped a brilliant ball into the box, and Skrtel, charging in from the edge of the area, buried it in the net. I think a key factor in this goal was patience. Liverpool absorbed Man City’s pressure early on, and when they got into their stride were able to attack strongly and grab a goal, something they struggled to do last season.

The pressure did not stop after the goal. On the contrary, it acted as a turning point in the match. The rest of the half was all Liverpool. They piled on attacks when in possession, and were very unlucky not to get one or two more before the break. However, I think the main reason for their success was the pressure they applied off the ball. The Manchester City players were not being given any time on the ball, which caused them to make some uncharacteristic mistakes, meaning that often they conceded possession cheaply. This LFC capitalised on, and though they did not dominate possession, they made a lot out of their attacks.

As the second half began, it looked like Liverpool were set to continue their commanding performance. They were mounting promising attacks, and remained confident in possession. However, Man City were starting to come up with a few attacks of their own, and, though they had posed little goal-scoring threat previously, they managed to equalise in the 63^rd minute through Yaya Toure. A cross came in which Reina came for and missed; Kelly, who was expecting Reina to claim the ball, was simply hit by it! The ball fell perfectly into Toure’s stride, who smashed it into the deserted net. Solid as Liverpool had seemed, this was definitely an error from Reina, and Kelly could possibly have reacted quicker.

Fortunately, Liverpool did not dwell on the mistake. They resumed as if nothing had happened, and continued piling massive pressure on City both on and off the ball. Consequently, the scores did not stay level for long. A magical free kick from Suarez in the 66^th minute made sure of that. It was from a fairly long way out, and I expected Gerrard to try and get it up and over the wall. Maybe City expected this too, but even if they had known what was coming they couldn’t have stopped it! Suarez curled it beautifully around the wall, and into the bottom corner beyond the reach of Joe Hart. A great way for him to open his account for the premier league season.

Rather than rocking back onto their heels at this point, Liverpool continued putting good pressure on Man City. City weren’t seeing much of the ball, and were wasteful with it when they got it. Liverpool looked secure, and the result pretty much settled. Unfortunately, 10 minutes from time, goalscorer Martin Skrtel made a huge defensive error. He had nowhere to go, and so, thinking he was safe to do so, attempted a pass back to his keeper. He was unaware that Carlos Tevez was lurking in that area. His pass directly picked out Tevez, who found himself clean through on Reina. In fairness to him, he took his chance very coolly, although the goal was a total gift.

Liverpool then brought on Andy Carroll, who did make a good impact, but wasn’t enough to bring Liverpool a late winner. Although LFC were the much better side, and certainly deserved a win based on their performance, they could only pick up a point as the game ended 2-2. However, the team played extremely well and showed encouraging signs, especially youngster Raheem Sterling (who was given his first Premier League start), who was a breath of life for Liverpool.

Although it would have been great to grab a win against the champions, there is no point brooding over the draw. Not only is it a very good result, but if Liverpool’s best was deserving of a win against the Premier League champions, we can certainly take hope for the rest of the season. Maybe this new, attacking Liverpool is a sign of things to come. I know I hope it is.

West Brom vs Liverpool – My Thoughts

On Saturday 18^th August 2012, Liverpool played their opening match of the season against West Bromwich Albion. They lost 3-0, with goals from Zoltan Gera, Peter Odemwingie (penalty) and Romelu Lukaku. On the face of it, there are very few positives to be taken from this games, and lots of negatives. This is partly true, however there was more to the game than the result might suggest.

The first thing to mention is that in the first half, the game was not at all as one-sided as the scoreline suggests. In fact, Liverpool created more attacks than West Brom in the opening 45 minutes. Their build up play was extremely good (mostly), and they crafted a lot of good chances. However, the problem was once again their finishing. I have had to say this hundreds of times, but Liverpool are still not showing the clinical finishing required from a club that wants to compete for a top 4 position. If this cannot be improved, then I fear that hopes that LFC might break into the Champions League again this season are unrealistic. Despite this, it shouldn’t be forgotten that lots of attacks were made, which is a very good sign.

Unfortunately, Liverpool could not continue creating attacks in the second half. Zoltan Gera had scored a stunning volley at the end of the first half, and it seemed that took the life out of LFC. However, this was not the main reason for Liverpool’s decline in the second half. By far the biggest contributing factor to Liverpool’s poor second half was some dubious refereeing by Phil Dowd. Early into the half, Shane Long managed to break through the Liverpool defence. Daniel Agger attempted to get back at him, and Dowd deemed that he had used excessive and illegal levels of force to do so, and gave West Brom a penalty. This in itself was a little controversial, as the incident was right on the edge of the area, but that was nothing compared to what happened next. The referee sent off Agger. Now I am a massive LFC fan, but I am also reasonable, and accept that Agger fouled Shane Long. However, it was certainly not a foul worthy of a red card. Although Pepe Reina managed to save the subsequent penalty, with LFC only having 10 men and having to chase the game they were as good as beaten.

As if this wasn’t enough, Dowd then decided to award West Brom another penalty! Now I may be seeing this differently to everyone else, but to me it seemed that Shane Long came up from behind Skrtel, tackled him, and then fell over. When I saw the referee pointing to the penalty spot I thought it must be some kind of joke. Odemwingie stepped up to take this one, and unlike Long he managed to bury his penalty. This left Liverpool two goals down. There was nothing controversial about the third goal, which was simply a good header from Lukaku. However, Liverpool would probably have been able to clear it had they had 11 players on the pitch.

To sum up, it is hard to draw any meaningful conclusions from this game. Liverpool may well have come back in the second half, but the match was ruined by some shocking refereeing decisions. However, Liverpool will need to show some better finishing in subsequent games if they want to get results.