After the disastrous cup exit and criticism of our younger players by Rodgers a week ago we faced the daunting task of two away games at the Emirates and the Etihad stadium respectively, we came away from North London on Wednesday feeling disappointed not to win so went into today's game determined to try and break our hoodoo of not beating a side above us in the league.
Rodgers selected our oldest starting line-up (average age 28 years and 18 days) since Oct 2011.
It looked a sensible and wise ploy as City have been imperious at home since before they won the title last May - losing just one of their last 41 league games - and they made their intent clear from the off.
There were just 49 seconds on the clock when Jose Reina was forced to tip over David Silva's dipping volley.
All the early pressure was with City but once we had weathered that initial storm we started to come into our own.
A deft touch by Sturridge took Stewart Downing's lobbed pass past Hart in one move but he was denied a goal as Pablo Zabaleta got back to block.
Our sorcerer Suarez, busy without being his usual threatening self, flashed a shot across Hart and wide of the far post as it seemed we were about to take control.
Our sorcerer Suarez, busy without being his usual threatening self, flashed a shot across Hart and wide of the far post as it seemed we were about to take control.
That notion was dispelled in the 24th minute as some neat interplay from Silva and James Milner from a throw-in on the left saw the latter cross low for Dzeko to sneak behind Daniel Agger and tap home from close range. The defending could have been more sharper at the throw in but it was a good team goal by City.
If that goal was founded in simplicity our equaliser was made of pure brilliance, although it was viewed as controversial by indignant City players and their fans.
If that goal was founded in simplicity our equaliser was made of pure brilliance, although it was viewed as controversial by indignant City players and their fans.
Agger appeared to go through Dzeko to get the ball but referee Anthony Taylor saw no foul and with the Bosnia international collapsed on the turf in their own half we played on.
The boos grew louder as the Reds made their way upfield but almost a minute had expired - with City momentarily winning the ball back on the edge of their area - before Sturridge scored.
Gerrard rolled the ball forward to the former City striker who smashed a fierce left-footed shot past Hart.
It was the first goal the City goalkeeper had conceded since December 29, 584 minutes in all.
The hosts were furious but Taylor's decision not to stop play was proved correct - even if his original one not to award the foul was not - as Dzeko leapt got to his feet, declined treatment, berated the linesman and re-started the game.
We then preceded to finish the half the stronger and having continued that after the break Mancini made a tactical switch 10 minutes in when he replaced Matija Nastasic with Aleksandar Kolarov and went to a back three.
That appeared to re-energise City and Aguero threatened to put them ahead again with a blistering 40-yard run only to slip as he entered the penalty area.
That appeared to re-energise City and Aguero threatened to put them ahead again with a blistering 40-yard run only to slip as he entered the penalty area.
Our captain marvel Gerrard showed him the way to strike a ball in the 73rd minute with a strike very reminiscent of his goal in the 2006 FA Cup final.
Gael Clichy's poor clearance from Jose Enrique's cross dropped to the midfielder 30 yards out and the England captain controlled the ball on his chest before unleashing a dipping low volley which Hart no chance.
It was Gerrard's sixth league goal - one more than the whole of last season - and his fifth in the last 10 games.
Martin Skrtel was introduced for the tiring Enrique and after almost scoring at one end was involved in a mix-up with Reina which allowed City to equalise.
Aguero raced onto Gareth Barry's pass and the goalkeeper's crazy rush of blood saw him charge out to the left edge of his area, from where the Argentina international turned him and fired in impressively from a narrow angle.
Sturridge forced Hart into a low save late on before departing to jeers from the fans who, only a couple of years ago, cheered him as one of their rising stars.
So we had to again settle for a draw in a game we deserved to win for the second time in 5 days this time mainly due to the poor decision by our keeper to come out of his area of the goal without thinking of the consequences to his mistake.
Kop-post man of the match:Daniel Sturridge - the best performance by the young striker in his early stages of his time in one of our shirts, excellently leading the line, holding the ball up and linking well with Suarez and Henderson.
Positives:We are now playing the best football under Brendan Rodgers and are very competitive with the top sides in the league.
Negatives: The only thing missing is the killer instinct to win the big games, this has cost us so many points against various sides this season with defensive errors by our own team costing us in both the home and away fixtures of this game.
The performances in big games over the last two seasons of our keeper Pepe Reina have now got to be brought into question and I personally feel that he is no longer motivated enough to perform to his best level for us, maybe because he wants to play high level football or does not have another strong keeper pushing him to play to his best.
I understand the reason why Downing is played at right wing for us, mainly because when he cuts inside he frees up space on our right side for Glen Johnson to provide the attacking impetus.
My problem with Downing is that he does not produce the final ball and create the chances he should do as an international winger and I personally feel that he should be more determined to take his chance as a winger at a top club. In his time at the club he has not been good enough and I expect him to be replaced in the summer as he has had countless chances to make his mark but only produces one of every ten games which is a very poor return.
The performances in big games over the last two seasons of our keeper Pepe Reina have now got to be brought into question and I personally feel that he is no longer motivated enough to perform to his best level for us, maybe because he wants to play high level football or does not have another strong keeper pushing him to play to his best.
I understand the reason why Downing is played at right wing for us, mainly because when he cuts inside he frees up space on our right side for Glen Johnson to provide the attacking impetus.
My problem with Downing is that he does not produce the final ball and create the chances he should do as an international winger and I personally feel that he should be more determined to take his chance as a winger at a top club. In his time at the club he has not been good enough and I expect him to be replaced in the summer as he has had countless chances to make his mark but only produces one of every ten games which is a very poor return.
Here are the statistics from a wonderfully entertaining game at The Etihad:
- Javi Garcia and Lucas Leiva both managed pass-completion rates of 92%, highest amongst all starting non-defensive players.
- Suarez had 6 shots on goal, twice as many as any Manchester City player.
- Edin Dzeko won a game-high 7 aerial duels.
- Liverpool, collectively, had twice as many shots as their opponents (22 vs 11).
- Despite being substituted in the 76th minute, Jose Enrique had more touches of the ball than any other player (86).
- David Silva was dispossessed more than any other player (5).
- Edin Dzeko, Steven Gerrard, and Sergio Aguero all scored with their only shot on-target.
- Pablo Zabaleta led the game in successful tackles (7), and made the joint most interceptions (4 – Daniel Agger).
- Nobody made more defensive clearances than Jolean Lescott (8).
- James Milner attempted 11 crosses, 6 of which were accurate. Steven Gerrard was the only other player in the game to deliver more than one accurate cross (2).
Teams: Manchester City: Hart, Zabaleta, Natasic, Lescott, Clichy, Garcia, Milner, Barry, Aguero, Silva, Dzeko
Liverpool: Reina, Enrique, Agger, Carragher, Johnson, Downing, Lucas, Suarez, Gerrard, Henderson, Sturridge
Substitutions:
Man City Kolarov (Nastasic, 56) Maicon (Silva 76) Nasri (Barry, 88).
Liverpool Skrtel (Enrique, 76) Allen (Sturridge, 92).
Bookings:
Man City (2) Dzeko, García.
Liverpool (4) Henderson, Sturridge, Carragher, Gerrard.
Man City Kolarov (Nastasic, 56) Maicon (Silva 76) Nasri (Barry, 88).
Liverpool Skrtel (Enrique, 76) Allen (Sturridge, 92).
Bookings:
Man City (2) Dzeko, García.
Liverpool (4) Henderson, Sturridge, Carragher, Gerrard.
Possession: Man City 46%. Liverpool 54%.
Attempts on target: Man City 3. Liverpool 4.
Referee Anthony Taylor (Greater Manchester). Att 47,301
Our next game is on Monday against WBA which Reina will play and then we will be playing in Europe on Thursday. This beg the question should BR stick with Reina in Europe?
ReplyDeleteMo
I am fuming with Reina !!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat on earth was the Pepe doing chasing Sergio on the edge of the box when there appeared no real danger, charging off his line, the joker.
ReplyDeleteOur last two games were pretty much in our hand and we should have walked away with three points.
Not like some teams, we don’t have the luxury of making mistakes and recovering from them.
We hardly have a consistent run or play in our game, and when we do get ahead we just need to make sure we don’t break and make errors.
Our mistakes cost us dearly over the last two games and we got nothing for it. It is absolutely poor goal keeping and defending from back bone.
I need to know how much money Reina won!!!! He's an idiot!!!
ReplyDeleteBringing on Skrtel seemed to have cost us again as he cost us in the Anfield game with that terrible back pass and now him failing to deal with the ball played behind him by telling Pepe to stay put – so he can’t open his mouth and tell Pepe stay in goal I have this covered ??
ReplyDeleteSkrtel communication skills are appalling and Reina is just stupid !!!!
they both need to be sent to The Open University - communication skills course!
DeleteJust received the following txt.
DeleteI am even more mad with Reina !!!!
“With his own performances under scrutiny, Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina believes the Reds are currently no competition for the Premier League’s top sides!!!”
He can leave as soon as he likes !!!
why don't he just come out with it, and say I want to leave, rather then denting our Net every week!!
DeleteHe was being interviewed in Marca and was only saying that we can’t compete with the financial muscle of City, Chelsea and United. Pepe is undoubted having a dip in form but our whole defence has been suspect lately so maybe it’s not all his fault. Players go through bad patches in form (remember Alonso?) but we should be mindful that for years we had the best keeper in the Premiership who saved our bacon on numerous occasions and won us an FA cup with his penalty saving heroics. Slating the guy isn’t constructive when the only alternative is Brad Jones and I for one wouldn’t bet against him getting back to his best.
DeleteReina has no one pushing him to perform week in week out, so he has got complacent and I am fed up with him costing us points/ games and when the end of season comes he will be one of the first to say we haven’t been good enough and that he is off !!!
DeleteHe was also at fault for the Walcott goal last midweek when he should have thrown his body across the line rather than putting out a flimsy hand to try and stop Walcott’s shot.
David – I thought you of all people would support the lonely union of goalkeepers. I didn’t think he was necessarily at fault for Walcott’s goal – I think at times a keeper just ends up being flat footed because of the pace of the shot. I know that Enrique wasn’t having the best of games but I really didn’t think it was necessary to bring Skrel on. Never a good idea to unsettle the central defence position unless absolutely necessary – he seemed to be treading cement for their second goal.
DeleteHarsh criticism of our keeper. Do you really fancy Brad Jones as our no1 ? Or should we have got Butland and kept another decent British goalie as a bench warmer, or even forced Pepe out?
DeleteI don't think he was at fault for Walcott's goal either. Walcott shouldn't have ever been allowed to receive the ball in that position nor get a shot out. And an absolute belter of a shot at that. So it was a defensive blunder when we were really under the cosh and when Arsenal turned it on, they were pretty irresistable. Thankfully we had Pepe in goal in both games or we would have been unlikely to get the 2 points we did, we wouldn't have competed against two top sides and we wouldn't be talking about a goal keeping error costing us a win.
Best,
Iain B
You need to come to a point when you have been patient with the keeper but the gaffes are more prominent than the saves which tells me he has lost interest or he is complacent, I wish it was complacency but I believe his heart is not with us anymore sadly !!! Hope to GOD I am wrong but I suspect I am not !!!
DeleteDon’t be all upset when he says he has handed in his transfer request at the end of the season!!!!
I hope he hasn't lost interest and we shouldn't pay or play him if he has.
DeleteYou might be right tho I wouldn't be surprised at all if he goes. We have to hope for a massive points haul to show progress and keep him.
What would you do if you wanted to be the best and could only manage 58 % of your opponent's championship winning tally?
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I can spell but not when using my phone!
Iain B
He can still be the best at our club but he needs to get back to being on top of his game and not focussing on being the cheerleader for Spain whenever they win major tournaments – he is first and foremost a top keeper when he is on form but he seems to lose concentration more often in recent years !!
DeleteIf he cut that out of his game we would still have a great keeper but how much does he want to assist us getting back to Champions League is the question only Mr Reina can honestly answer.
Because I rated the keeper so highly before the last two seasons I know that he himself would have saved the Walcott shot two years ago – he was that good – he has gone backwards and that has ramifications for the whole team as the confidence in our keeper is slowly dwindling and Carra’s face after the blunder summed it up – it was like “what the hell did you do that for!!” but in more harsher words.
DeleteI also believe that he knows that he was always better than Valdes of Barcelona and it was a bit of a kick in the teeth to then become Spain number three keeper – but he hasn’t seen it as a challenge to get back up to challenge Casillas but instead has laughed and joked it off like the joker in the Spanish camp rather than saying let me play out of my skin for my club side and show that I should be at least reinstated as number two to Casillas.
His whole demeanour is currently saying he is not up to a challenge and if we brought a better keeper in as his number two would it really improve his game – I am no longer sure !!!
The keeper Begovic is one we should really keep an eye on at Stoke as he is hinted that he will no longer be at Stoke with them signing his summer replacement Butland in the transfer window. If Man Utd do not snap Begovic we need to be ready to pounce!
To be honest I don’t think there’s a goal keeper alive that would stopped Walcott’s shot – the ball went past Reina like a tracer bullet. When I first saw it I was thought he should’ve done better, but in retrospect having seen the reply I don’t think so.
DeleteI do, however, having read his comments, think they sound fairly negative and with emotions still fraught having just drawn a match we all agree we could and should have won it doesn’t exactly feel good particularly as it was his mistake which cost us the win and how I’d have loved that Gerrard goal to have been the winner!
He has been making mistakes over the last two seasons and when you think he was gutted when his move fell through you have to wonder what’s going on in his mind, especially with his father cranking up the pressure for a move to Barcelona behind the scenes. Good keepers are hard to find and I’d be loathed to lose him, but if someone comes knocking on the door with £20 million and he feels that way then Rodgers should show him the door. Swansea, Newcastle and Stoke have proved there are top keepers around so onwards and upwards if he doesn’t want to stay.
But the problem is that nobody will come in with a bid for more than £10m. As everyone knows, loss of form is indeed temporary - class is permanent but unfortunately passion is not and neither is demeanour.
DeletePepe's demeanour has changed, he's nowhere near as vocal or animated as he used to be so it can quite easily be percieved aa negative. To see that in reverse just look at the positive change in Jordan Henderson. You'll now see him delivering the odd firm advice to fairly experienced players. He's fully committed and full of passion.
I think we’d get more than £10m. As you intimate he’s a class act at his best and he has at least three years left on his contract at the end of this season. His statement reads as if he is trying to open the door to leave as I reiterate because of the timing. We could take it the other way and say it’s a man who passionately cares about the club and is just making a statement about the situation which is not so wide of the mark after all if we had paid the cash we could’ve had Daniel Sturridge at the start of the season. But body language sometimes speaks volumes.
DeleteMy preference is that Pepe returns to top form and stays – he’s an experienced player in our squad, something that is difficult to acquire.
Deletefor now lets just hope he gets his form back to some positive level, Walcott’s shot was just class, it was low and hard in the corner, nothing could have been done about that.
DeleteWalcott beat Pepe - fair play, but he should have been stopped to take the shot in the first place.
signs will show if he wants to leave, buy the summer,
Why is nobody listening !!! LOL
DeleteHe should have made an attempt by throwing his whole body at the shot not just put out a feeble hand !!!
I also hope he turns it around and goes back to the great keeper of old and not the imposter who has been messing up in our goal for the last two seasons.
The summer will decide whether he is commited to the cause or was just looking for a quick exit by making very astute comments at certain times of the season.
The last time I saw somebody with the reflexes to stop that shot or put in a dive I was watching Spiderman!
DeleteNo I do not agree Ray Clemence would have saved that, Reina from 2 seasons ago would have saved that, any top level keeper would have saved that including Schmeichel, Shilton, Seaman and Banks.
DeleteWell take a look at Pepe's comments from his interview with MoviStar following the news that Victor Valdes will move on from Barcelona once his contract ends at the end of next season.
Delete"I was surprised because Victor is with the best team in the world."
He added: "When I sign a contract I fulfill it and I have signed with Liverpool until 2016.
"Barcelona is the best club in the world. I know what it means because I trained there as a player and as a person."
We didn’t win but there were lots of positives to take from that game. Sturridge, Saurez partnership is gelling nicely. Downing and Hendo are getting better and Stevie G is rediscovering the inner rage and fire to score some spectacular belters.
ReplyDeleteThe lads played their hearts out until Reina’s mistake let us down.
Next season will be the one.
In Brendon we trust.
Freddy
Not many teams will come away from Etihad ...or Manchester feeling like they should have got a lot more for their efforts. They played a blinder, to a man they all performed, passed it beautifully, kept the ball well, defended stoutly and what goals - from both teams. No grudges against Pepe, he made a number of saves which few people are mentioning and remains world class. The guy is a liverpool legend and I just hope we can keep him come the end of the season.
DeleteGreat game, best I've seen this season. Very encouraging, now we've shown what level we can play at, let's keep it raised, climb the table, overhaul the toffees and win the Europa.
YNWA
Iain B
If only Pepe had stayed on his line, what was he thinking of? We had a great chance to beat that lot. You can't legislate for their second goal though. Two two-twos in a row. What are we like?
DeleteJan Thomson