Well that was a bit tense! Firstly, hats off to Cardiff for a magnificent performance. I thought they were outstanding and I felt incredibly sorry for them at the end of it all. I have to add as well I heard on 5live much criticism of Liverpool's performance which I personally felt wasn't wholly merited because I feel Cardiff played so well and deserve the credit for stifling Liverpool. I didn't feel Liverpool were bad but yet again they failed to provide an end product to too many moves. I felt a lot of this was caused by the team selection - Henderson was truly dire but in his defence he just is not a winger and shouldn't play there and certainly not over Kuyt. Downing had a busy game and made more of an impact than normal but was mystifyingly moved to the right in the second half which meant his crosses were not as good as he was on the wrong side. And of course the odd omission of Bellamy from the starting lineup was not popular while I also feel Gerrard and Adam is not a good combination because it leads to Gerrard playing deeper and I'd rather he was further forward because let's face it it's Gerrard! And on that subject, I think he is beginning to lose that ability to run box to box understandbly. Given the outstanding uselessness of Carroll I wonder whether he could be played in a more advanced role. I've never understood the nonsense of 'Gerrard should be played in central midfield not as a second striker' given it conveniently forgets that in that role just behind the striker Gerrard scored 25 goals a season...
Ratings:
Reina - 7
Commanding as ever.
Johnson - 8
Excellent going forward.
Enrique - 7
Solid and busy.
Agger - 6
One or two dodgy moments but generally ok.
Skrtel - 8
One of the best players this season and another good performance.
Henderson - 4
Truly dire.
Downing - 8
Worked hard and was unlucky to be put on the wrong side in the second half...this was his best performance in a Liverpool shirt.
Adam - 6
Worked hard but created relatively little. A truly dire penalty!
Gerrard - 8
At the centre of most good things as ever.
Suarez - 7
Lively.
Carroll - 5
Poor.
Subs:
Bellamy - 7
As expected livened things up.
Carragher - 7
Solid.
Kuyt - 8
Should have started.
Sunday 26 February 2012
Wednesday 22 February 2012
Liverpool 6-1 Brighton
Well that was an own-goal-tastic game! Poor old Brighton, it was difficult not to feel sorry for the two lads who scored the own goals, one of whom was excruciatingly unlucky and the other scored a truly spectacular howler of one near the end. The quality of opposition must be taken into account but there were promising signs in this game although again it took a long time to break them down before the floodgates opened. On a positive note, Carroll at least did what he was supposed to do even if I remain utterly convinced he is the right man for us. It was also encouraging that we scored from flowing moves a few times later on rather than just set piece headers.
Ratings:
Reina - 6
Little to do but well done.
Johnson - 7
Did well going forward.
Enrique - 7
A good overlap as ever.
Carragher - 7
Solid enough display from the club legend.
Skrtel - 8
Solid as a rock and got a goal as well.
Henderson - 6
Virtually anonymous.
Gerrard - 8
Immense.
Downing - 8
His best display yet.
Adam - 7
Did ok.
Carroll - 8
Well played for once!
Suarez - 8
Lively.
Subs:
Shelvey - 6
Didn't do much.
Kuyt - 8
Awesome.
Maxi -5
Who?
Ratings:
Reina - 6
Little to do but well done.
Johnson - 7
Did well going forward.
Enrique - 7
A good overlap as ever.
Carragher - 7
Solid enough display from the club legend.
Skrtel - 8
Solid as a rock and got a goal as well.
Henderson - 6
Virtually anonymous.
Gerrard - 8
Immense.
Downing - 8
His best display yet.
Adam - 7
Did ok.
Carroll - 8
Well played for once!
Suarez - 8
Lively.
Subs:
Shelvey - 6
Didn't do much.
Kuyt - 8
Awesome.
Maxi -5
Who?
Friday 17 February 2012
The Suarez Evra debacle
Oh dear god aren't footballers bloody idiots! These pair of planks showed less maturity than a cabinet meeting. Should he have shaken his hand? Yes of course he should. Should Evra have run around creating more trouble at the end? No of course he shouldn't. As I said in my previous blog about this, I don't think Suarez is 'a racist' although that is only an inference because at the end of the day no-one but the two of them know what was said that fateful day a couple of months back. The only thing I'd say in defence of Suarez is if he genuinely believes someone has accused him of being a racist when he isn't, I can understand not wanting to shake that person's hand. I also think it must be added that the only people to find him guilty are an FA panel of non-legal judges. I'm not saying they were wrong, just that their word is hardly gospel, it is the FA after all.
But basically...footballers should grow up.
But basically...footballers should grow up.
Man United 2-1 Liverpool
Oh there was a game? It wasn't just about handshakes? I see...I'll blog on that seperately after this one. For this one I'll just stick to the match report. It was awful. What a ruddy awful game that was. United deserved the victory but weren't great, Liverpool were shat.
Ratings:
Reina - 7
Not much he could do about either goal.
Johnson - 4
Shambolic at the back...again.
Enrique - 6
Not bad.
Agger - 5
Not his best game.
Skrtel - 6
The most solid of the defence.
Gerrard - 6
Grafted but very quiet.
Henderson - 5
He ain't worth £17million yet that's for sure.
Spearing - 4
A very poor game for him, shame as I think he's a good player.
Kuyt - 7
Liverpool's best player as much for his graft as anything.
Downing - 4
He played?
Suarez- 6
Tried but hardly his best game.
Subs:
Bellamy - 7
As ever injected some energy.
Carroll - 5
As ever, he didn't.
Adam - 6
Not much time to make an impact.
Man Utd:
De Gea - 6
Rafael - 6
Ferdinand - 7
Evans - 7
Evra - 7
Valencia - 7
Giggs - 6
Scholes - 7
Carrick - 6
Wellbeck - 5
Rooney - 8
Ratings:
Reina - 7
Not much he could do about either goal.
Johnson - 4
Shambolic at the back...again.
Enrique - 6
Not bad.
Agger - 5
Not his best game.
Skrtel - 6
The most solid of the defence.
Gerrard - 6
Grafted but very quiet.
Henderson - 5
He ain't worth £17million yet that's for sure.
Spearing - 4
A very poor game for him, shame as I think he's a good player.
Kuyt - 7
Liverpool's best player as much for his graft as anything.
Downing - 4
He played?
Suarez- 6
Tried but hardly his best game.
Subs:
Bellamy - 7
As ever injected some energy.
Carroll - 5
As ever, he didn't.
Adam - 6
Not much time to make an impact.
Man Utd:
De Gea - 6
Rafael - 6
Ferdinand - 7
Evans - 7
Evra - 7
Valencia - 7
Giggs - 6
Scholes - 7
Carrick - 6
Wellbeck - 5
Rooney - 8
Tuesday 7 February 2012
Liverpool 0-0 Tottenham zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Well wasn't that dull? Good god. Anyway another home draw, with no goals, it really is something of a worrying feature of this season. It's different from when we used to draw so much under Benitez. Then it was a case of all the possession with few chances but now it seems to be plenty of chances but poor finishing. Last night was just a poor game, and to be fair we were up against a top side, but Carroll and Suarez missed golden chances. Still there it is.
Ratings:
Reina - 6
Very little to do, but a good save from Bale late on.
Kelly - 7
Another solid and enterprising display.
Johnson - 5
Poor defensively...again...
Agger - 6
One or two clumsy challenges but mostly untroubled.
Skrtel - 7
A good solid defensive display.
Gerrard - 6
As always involved but not his most productive game.
Spearing - 5
I love this little guy but he had a very poor game with quite a lot of misplaced passes.
Adam - 6
Battled hard but created little.
Kuyt - 7
The best performer, tireless workrate as ever.
Bellamy - 5
An off night.
Carroll - 6
Worked hard to be fair, and at least did what he is supposed to do, be big and hefty and win headers.
Subs:
Suarez - 5
Looked rusty but hope he returns to his best soon.
Downing - 5
Just not very good.
Tottenham:
Friedel - 7
So glad we thought David James was better all those years ago...
Walker - 6
Solid enough.
Assou Ekotto - 6
Some serious hair...not much else to report.
King - 6
Solid enough.
Dawson - 7
Battled hard.
Kranjcar - 6
Doesn't work that hard, good player though.
Bale - 5
A real off night for the danger man.
Modric - 6
Didn't create much but always a threat.
Parker - 8
Best player on the pitch, an awesome display.
Livermore - 7
Promising young talent.
Adebayor - 5
Not much involvement, isolated.
Subs:
Saha - 5
Oh he came on?!
Rose - 5
No time to make an impact.
Ratings:
Reina - 6
Very little to do, but a good save from Bale late on.
Kelly - 7
Another solid and enterprising display.
Johnson - 5
Poor defensively...again...
Agger - 6
One or two clumsy challenges but mostly untroubled.
Skrtel - 7
A good solid defensive display.
Gerrard - 6
As always involved but not his most productive game.
Spearing - 5
I love this little guy but he had a very poor game with quite a lot of misplaced passes.
Adam - 6
Battled hard but created little.
Kuyt - 7
The best performer, tireless workrate as ever.
Bellamy - 5
An off night.
Carroll - 6
Worked hard to be fair, and at least did what he is supposed to do, be big and hefty and win headers.
Subs:
Suarez - 5
Looked rusty but hope he returns to his best soon.
Downing - 5
Just not very good.
Tottenham:
Friedel - 7
So glad we thought David James was better all those years ago...
Walker - 6
Solid enough.
Assou Ekotto - 6
Some serious hair...not much else to report.
King - 6
Solid enough.
Dawson - 7
Battled hard.
Kranjcar - 6
Doesn't work that hard, good player though.
Bale - 5
A real off night for the danger man.
Modric - 6
Didn't create much but always a threat.
Parker - 8
Best player on the pitch, an awesome display.
Livermore - 7
Promising young talent.
Adebayor - 5
Not much involvement, isolated.
Subs:
Saha - 5
Oh he came on?!
Rose - 5
No time to make an impact.
Wednesday 1 February 2012
Match reports
Liverpool 0-0 Stoke
So since my last entry...things started phenomenally badly with a thoroughly depressing 0-0 draw at home to Stoke, typical of many of the problems this season. I say that, what was considerably untypical was Dalglish's quite bizarre team selection. Why you would play 5 defenders and 1 striker at home to Stoke really is a mystery quite frankly and dear old Kuyt, for me a vital first team player, is not and never has been at Liverpool a successful lone striker. The game rather reinforced my view that that creative player with an ability to unlock a defence who 'parks the bus' is missing. Yossi Benayoun did a great job on this in his time at the club and we need the likes of him again even if he unfortunately is not exactly excelling at Arsenal after an injury hit time at Chelsea.
Bolton 3-1 Liverpool
Next up was an even more depressing display, an abysmal 3-1 defeat at Bolton. This really was a truly awful performance from which only the remarkable Craig Bellamy emerged with credit. For what it's worth:
Reina - 6
Hardly his fault
Johnson - 5
Still can't defend
Enrique - 5
His worst performance of the season
Agger - 5
Poor
Skrtel - 6
The best of a poor defensive display
Gerrard - 6
Worked hard but not his best
Maxi - 5
What does this guy actually do?
Henderson - 5
Not good
Adam - 5
Really not good
Carroll - 6
Certainly not his worst display to give him his due
Bellamy - 7
The best of a bad bunch
Subs:
Kuyt - 6
As always workrate guaranteed
Downing - 5
As always no creativity whatsoever
Liverpool 2-2 Man City (Carling Cup)
This was a really creditable performance with superb workrate and excellent football against a far superior side in terms of quality players. Hats off must go to the bargain of the season Mr Craig Bellamy as he was colossal, a truly awesome performance. Liverpool did admittedly benefit from the quite amazingly awful Stefan Savic in City's defence who is turning out to be one of the transfer disasters of the season. All in all this was an excellent performance with an outstanding performance from Hart in the City goal preventing Liverpool from winning convincingly although I must add I thought the penalty was harsh on City.
Reina - 6
Not much he could do about either goal
Johnson - 6
A good attacking threat
Enrique - 8
An excellent return to form
Agger - 7
Solid
Skrtel - 7
Solid as well
Gerrard - 8
What can you say? I like having him back
Henderson - 6
Worked hard
Adam - 7
Some good creative moments
Downing - 6
Not much in the way of creativity but worked hard
Kuyt - 7
He goes back in every time for me
Bellamy - 9
Outstanding
Subs:
Kelly - 7
A very late entrance but helped out defensively
Carroll - 5
A very late entrance but didn't
Man City:
Hart - 8
Richards - 6
Zabaleta - 6
Lescott - 5
Kolarov - 5
Savic - 3
Barry - 6
Nasri - 6
Silva - 7
De Jong - 7
Dzeko - 6
Subs:
Aguero - 6
Johnson - 5
Liverpool 2-1 Man United
An excellent, hard working display. United had much of the possession in what was for the most part not a great game but I felt that Liverpool had more chances and just about deserved the win. There was something terribly satisfying about beating United with a late winner after their previous triumphs in this way! I was very pleased to see Kelly and not Johnson start the game. I certainly wouldn't have opted with Carroll to start up front on his own, if at all, and remain utterly convinced he's not the right player to take Liverpool forward but credit where credit's due I thought he worked really hard. I wouldn't have started with 5 at the back either but what I like about Kenny is his flexibility and his willingness to change mid-game and bringing on Kuyt for Carragher was the difference in the end.
Reina - 6
Played well with not much to do
Kelly - 7
Good solid display
Enrique - 7
Another good game
Carragher - 7
The old warhorse did very well
Agger - 7
Some good moments going forward as well as in defence
Skrtel - 6
Good
Gerrard - 7
The odd surprisingly misplaced pass but always a presence
Maxi - 5
He doesn't do anything
Henderson - 6
Worked hard
Downing - 6
I remain unconvinced but he worked hard
Carroll - 7
His best display so far
Subs:
Kuyt - 8
Changed the game
Adam - 7
Did well
Bellamy - 6
A quiet cameo but a good crowd pleaser!
Wolves 0-3 Liverpool
A good workmanlike win against a poor side. Again god bless Bellamy although I thought Kuyt and Adam did really well which was encouraging. I love Kuyt and for me he goes back in every time but he hasn't been at his best this season but is really finding his feet again it would seem.
Reina - 7
Made a good save in the first half
Johnson - 6
Did ok
Enrique - 7
Another good performance from an excellent signing
Agger - 7
Not much to do but did it well enough
Skrtel - 7
Same as Agger
Henderson - 7
Played well
Spearing - 7
Good to see him back in the side, a combative display
Adam - 8
A creative force, good to see
Carroll - 7
Well he got his goal. Marvellous.
Kuyt - 8
His usual colossal workrate
Bellamy - 8
As with Kuyt, what a signing!
Subs:
Carragher - 6
Did ok, not much to do
Shelvey - 6
Limited impact in a short time
Aurelio - 5
Too late to make an impact
So since my last entry...things started phenomenally badly with a thoroughly depressing 0-0 draw at home to Stoke, typical of many of the problems this season. I say that, what was considerably untypical was Dalglish's quite bizarre team selection. Why you would play 5 defenders and 1 striker at home to Stoke really is a mystery quite frankly and dear old Kuyt, for me a vital first team player, is not and never has been at Liverpool a successful lone striker. The game rather reinforced my view that that creative player with an ability to unlock a defence who 'parks the bus' is missing. Yossi Benayoun did a great job on this in his time at the club and we need the likes of him again even if he unfortunately is not exactly excelling at Arsenal after an injury hit time at Chelsea.
Bolton 3-1 Liverpool
Next up was an even more depressing display, an abysmal 3-1 defeat at Bolton. This really was a truly awful performance from which only the remarkable Craig Bellamy emerged with credit. For what it's worth:
Reina - 6
Hardly his fault
Johnson - 5
Still can't defend
Enrique - 5
His worst performance of the season
Agger - 5
Poor
Skrtel - 6
The best of a poor defensive display
Gerrard - 6
Worked hard but not his best
Maxi - 5
What does this guy actually do?
Henderson - 5
Not good
Adam - 5
Really not good
Carroll - 6
Certainly not his worst display to give him his due
Bellamy - 7
The best of a bad bunch
Subs:
Kuyt - 6
As always workrate guaranteed
Downing - 5
As always no creativity whatsoever
Liverpool 2-2 Man City (Carling Cup)
This was a really creditable performance with superb workrate and excellent football against a far superior side in terms of quality players. Hats off must go to the bargain of the season Mr Craig Bellamy as he was colossal, a truly awesome performance. Liverpool did admittedly benefit from the quite amazingly awful Stefan Savic in City's defence who is turning out to be one of the transfer disasters of the season. All in all this was an excellent performance with an outstanding performance from Hart in the City goal preventing Liverpool from winning convincingly although I must add I thought the penalty was harsh on City.
Reina - 6
Not much he could do about either goal
Johnson - 6
A good attacking threat
Enrique - 8
An excellent return to form
Agger - 7
Solid
Skrtel - 7
Solid as well
Gerrard - 8
What can you say? I like having him back
Henderson - 6
Worked hard
Adam - 7
Some good creative moments
Downing - 6
Not much in the way of creativity but worked hard
Kuyt - 7
He goes back in every time for me
Bellamy - 9
Outstanding
Subs:
Kelly - 7
A very late entrance but helped out defensively
Carroll - 5
A very late entrance but didn't
Man City:
Hart - 8
Richards - 6
Zabaleta - 6
Lescott - 5
Kolarov - 5
Savic - 3
Barry - 6
Nasri - 6
Silva - 7
De Jong - 7
Dzeko - 6
Subs:
Aguero - 6
Johnson - 5
Liverpool 2-1 Man United
An excellent, hard working display. United had much of the possession in what was for the most part not a great game but I felt that Liverpool had more chances and just about deserved the win. There was something terribly satisfying about beating United with a late winner after their previous triumphs in this way! I was very pleased to see Kelly and not Johnson start the game. I certainly wouldn't have opted with Carroll to start up front on his own, if at all, and remain utterly convinced he's not the right player to take Liverpool forward but credit where credit's due I thought he worked really hard. I wouldn't have started with 5 at the back either but what I like about Kenny is his flexibility and his willingness to change mid-game and bringing on Kuyt for Carragher was the difference in the end.
Reina - 6
Played well with not much to do
Kelly - 7
Good solid display
Enrique - 7
Another good game
Carragher - 7
The old warhorse did very well
Agger - 7
Some good moments going forward as well as in defence
Skrtel - 6
Good
Gerrard - 7
The odd surprisingly misplaced pass but always a presence
Maxi - 5
He doesn't do anything
Henderson - 6
Worked hard
Downing - 6
I remain unconvinced but he worked hard
Carroll - 7
His best display so far
Subs:
Kuyt - 8
Changed the game
Adam - 7
Did well
Bellamy - 6
A quiet cameo but a good crowd pleaser!
Wolves 0-3 Liverpool
A good workmanlike win against a poor side. Again god bless Bellamy although I thought Kuyt and Adam did really well which was encouraging. I love Kuyt and for me he goes back in every time but he hasn't been at his best this season but is really finding his feet again it would seem.
Reina - 7
Made a good save in the first half
Johnson - 6
Did ok
Enrique - 7
Another good performance from an excellent signing
Agger - 7
Not much to do but did it well enough
Skrtel - 7
Same as Agger
Henderson - 7
Played well
Spearing - 7
Good to see him back in the side, a combative display
Adam - 8
A creative force, good to see
Carroll - 7
Well he got his goal. Marvellous.
Kuyt - 8
His usual colossal workrate
Bellamy - 8
As with Kuyt, what a signing!
Subs:
Carragher - 6
Did ok, not much to do
Shelvey - 6
Limited impact in a short time
Aurelio - 5
Too late to make an impact
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