Liverpool add steely resolve to stunning attacking play

Two games in and back to the tried and trusted diamond formation.  Balotelli joined the fray one of three changes to the starting line-up from the team which lost to Manchester City at the Etihad.

Javi Manquillo and Mamadou Sakho came in for the injured Glen Johnson and Martin Skrtel and Coutinho losing out to the battling qualities of Joe Allen would provide in the central areas.  Adam Lallana missed out again deemed not fit enough to make the match day squad.  Emre Can and Lazar Markovic again saw bench patrol.

Brendan Rodgers make-over on his 100th match as Liverpool manager was taken to another level with three of his four defenders having just arrived in this transfer window and Sakho having not secured a regular starting place since his arrival last summer.

Balotelli’s return to the English game almost had a perfect start in the second minute after Sturridge picked him out with sumptuous cross for the Italian striker to head straight at Lloris with the goal at his mercy.   Even so, with one touch Balotelli had shown Liverpool now possessed an aerial threat to go with their pace and subtlety up front.

As in so many games last season Liverpool fast start bore fruit.  Jordan Henderson won the ball on half way before feeding Sturridge on the right.  The forward showed sublime touch and ingenuity to bring the ball under control before finding Henderson again with a lovely weighted pass at the top his run who in turn played a delicious ball for the marauding Sterling tap in on the angle.  The goal said everything about Brendan Rodgers Liverpool.



Sterling strokes home the opener

Liverpool were know in our formidable stride moving up the gears, but unlike against Man City there was a cutting edge to the play with Balotelli offering another outlet to keep the defence busy.  Balotelli found space again from Gerrard’s free-kick heading wide from close range.

Balotelli combined well with his strike partner finding him with a neat back heel which Sturridge curled, with very little back lift, towards the corner of the goal which Lloris caught without trouble.
 
Balotelli could’ve a claimed a hat-trick in the first-half having. He held the ball up on half-way spun away from the defender before clipping through pass to Sterling which Lloris fly-hacked out straight back to the forward who shanked his long range shot wide.

The only way an outclassed Spurs were going to get back in the game was through a mistake and we almost provided them the opportunities.

First, uncertainty between the centre-halfs allowed Adebayor to gallop through uncontested onto a long ball to lob over and then Sakho losing possession and was saved by Lovren’s superb last ditch tackle to block the disappointing Lamela’s shot.

Concentration levels were still wavering when  Lovren and Sakho challenged for the same ball leaving Chadli to saunter in unmarked before Mignolet saved smartly from his international team mate.

Spurs momentum was halted early in the second-half by Eric Dier tugging back Joe Allen after some fine work again from Sturridge out wide.  Steven Gerrard clinically dispatched the penalty for his first goal of the season.

Any chance of Spurs mounting a comeback was summarily dismissed by the impressive Moreno who whipped the ball away from Townsend, just inside before Liverpool half, before setting off on charging run taking him inside the area before unleashing an angled drive to end the game as a spectacle.

It was no more than Liverpool deserved having looked incisive on almost every attack with Sterling dynamic at every turn and Sturridge as creative as he was threatening.

Liverpool coasted through the final half hour without Spurs posing any questions a part from one sensational piece of skill form Sterling.

Emre Can powered clear before feeding Sterling on the right of the area.  He showed fantastic balance and dancing feet to twinkle in between three Spurs defenders before hesitating with the ball on his left and prodding a tame shot in the grateful arms of Lloris with his right.

Man of the Match:  Raheem Sterling quite simply different class.  Provided the edge to Liverpool’s game with his incisive running and his ability to link the midfield to the forward line.  He is adding a goal threat to his game as well as being able to see a pass.

Critical eye:  Balotelli was excellent proving that he can put in a shift when required.  Held the ball up well and linked up well with Sturridge providing an aerial threat up front and in defence.  Sturridge showed sublime touches and intricate passing which led to two of the goals.

Moreno exhibited great mental strength to come back from his mistake against City, defending well and was explosive with his forays up field one of which ended with his stunning strike.

Moreno was steady and Lovren showed excellent leadership at the back, but requires time with either Sakho or Skrtel to build a string relationship over time.  Sakho started nervously, but improved after some rash defending.

Rodgers showed he learnt a from last season in bringing on Can and Markovic for Allen and Balotelli to shut down the game as soon as Liverpool went three-up.

He equalled the great Bill Shankly’s record of 56 victories in his first 100 games.

Teams:
Tottenham: 1 Loris, 15 Dier, 3 Rose (Davies – 72 mins), 29 Capoue, 4 Kaboul, 5 Vertonghen, 11 Lamela, 42 Bentaleb (Dembélé – 59 mins), 10 Abeyayor, 23 Eriksen (Townsend – 59 mins), 22 Chadli
Substitutes: 6 Chiriches, 14 Holtby, 17 Townsend, 18 Kane, 19 Dembélé, 24 Friedel, 33 Davies

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 19 Manquillo, 18 Moreno, 8 Gerrard, 6 Lovren, 17 Sakho, 14 Henderson, 31 Sterling (Jose Enrique – 86 mins), 45 Balotelli (Markovic – 61 mins), 15 Sturridge, 24 Allen (Can – 61 mins)
Substitutes: 1 Jones, 3 Jose Enrique, 4 Kolo Toure, 9 Lambert, 10 Coutinho, 23 Can, 50 Markovic

Referee: Phil Dowd
Attendance: 36,130

Liverpool overpowered, outclassed and dismissed by Man City in cruise control

Brendan Rodgers decided on two changes from the side victorious over Southampton with Moreno coming in for Janvier Manquillo and Joe Allen coming in for the lack lustre Lucas Leiva. Glen Johnson moved across to take over the right back position in a Liverpool team looking to prove that there was life without Suarez and that we belong among the elite. It left the question of could we cope with City's power especially in midfield.

City started well in the first few minutes controlling possession with Dzeko getting an early snap shot from a Cliché cross which was easily snaffled by Mignolet. Gerrard then unleashed a glorious pass from halfway finding Sterling in the box, who superbly chested and hooked a spectacular mistimed volley wide.

Moreno showed early signs of his exciting attacking prowess bombing on down the left and causing consternation with an excellent early cross which was sliced clear. Liverpool were now dominant in terms of possession with Sterling looking lively on the right and drifting in, but for all our possession we were struggling to create chances. Liverpool were finally able to manufacture a chance through the individual brilliance of Sturridge. He brilliantly collected a cross on the left of the area and from a standing start left Kompany for dead before shooting powerfully at Hart.

Has Suarez really left?

On the half hour city began to impose themselves on the game with Nasri and moreover Silva stepping up to dictate matters. Even so, City were not creating much, but in possession began to target the Liverpool left side and it was that which paid dividends just before the break as Gerrard failed to track Stevan Jovetic run into the area forcing Lovren to head to Moreno who on his heals failed to detect Jovetic creeping in behind to smash City in front. It was a disappointing end to a half which we'd control for half hour.

City started the second-half the on the ascendency with Yaya Toure beginning to get himself into the game alongside the controlling influence of Fernando adding power to the finesse of their creativity players. It was only a matter of the time before the second goal arrived and when he came it was a stunning. After a period of controlled possession City changed gear slipping the ball through the middle where Jovetic flicked the ball brilliantly on to Samir Nasri surging run. The French International returned the compliment by clipping the ball back in for Jovetic to superbly clip the ball in on the half-volley.

Liverpool needed to hit back and Moreno almost created a chance with a surging run down the left, only just failing to find Henderson when the easier pass would have been to roll the ball across in for Sturridge hovering in the six yard box.

The game was over in explosive fashion with Aguero scoring within 23 seconds of entering the fray (substituting Dzeko). The striker ran onto an inch perfect pass from Navas behind Lovren and coolly slotting home, although Mignolet will be disappointed to be beaten at the near post.

Liverpool managed to get on the score sheet through Sturridge industry regaining the ball and pulling off an excellent cross with the outside of his boot enticing Rickie Lambert to get first goal of his Liverpool career. Unfortunately, he headed straight at Hart with Zabaleta turning in the rebound. Minutes later Lambert had a great chance to score, but chose to square the ball across for Sturridge enabling Kompany to clear.

In a disappointing evening Glen Johnson looks to have picked a thigh injury which will keep him out for some time and we can only hope that Moreno's ankle injury is no more than a small jolt.

Rodgers needs to find a way to get more support to Daniel Sturridge because at times the striker looked isolated having to fashion out chances for himself. He also needs his midfielders to hit their straps in terms of shots on goal and creating clear cut chances.

The defence needs work.  The lack of cohesion particularly on the left side between the centre-halfs was there for all to see and Rodgers and his coaching team will have to earn their stripes before the Spurs game particularly with Javier Manquillo odds on to return after Johnson's injury.  His three defensive buys and Can in midfield were bought to sure up the leaky defensive side of the game, yet we've already let in four goals in two games.

It's disappointing, but this is a Liverpool team in transition and it's how we move on from here with Lallana and Balotelli yet to join in and Markovic, Moreno, Manquillo, Lovren and Can needing time to blend in and adopt the Rodgers philosophy.  Against Spurs we need to find a cutting edge and if we don't even as early as it is questions will begin to be ask.
 
Teams:
Man City: 1 Hart, 5 Zabaleta, 22 Clichy, 42 Y Touré, 4 Kompany, 26 Demechelis, 8 Nasri, 6 Fernando, 10 Dzeko (Aguero – 68 mins), 35 Jovetic (Fernandinho – 80 mins), 21 Silva (Jesus Navas – 65 mins)

Substitutes: 3 Sagna, 7 Milner, 11 Kolarov, 13 Caballero, 15 Jesus Navas, 16 Sergio Aguero, 25 Fernandinho

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 2 Johnson, 18 Moreno, 8 Gerrard, 37 Skrtel, 6 Lovren, 14 Henderson, 24 Allen (Can-75 mins), 15 Sturridge, 31 Sterling (Lambert -79 mins), 10 Coutinho (Markovic-60 mins)

Substitutes: 1 Jones, 4 K Toure, 9 Lambert, 17 Sakho, 19 Manquillo, 23 Can, 50 Markovic

Referee: Michael Oliver
Attendance: 45, 471

Does Lucas still have a future at Anfield?

Whether Lucas Leiva leaves us or not and no matter if we've have doubted his credentials in a red shirt along the way, I don’t think any of us will ever doubt his wholeheartedness and his willingness to die for the cause.

He reinvented himself from an attacking box to box player to a holding midfielder of some pedigree gaining international honours with Brazil and becoming an integral part of the Liverpool midfield at a time when Steven Gerrard injuries had begun to change his explosive nature within his game.

Lucas has been unlucky with injuries.  The Brazilian suffered a long-term knee-injury (anterior cruciate ligament) having to be carried off in the Carling Cup against Chelsea in November 2011 when at the time being one of our most influential players, in fact we struggled in the Premiership after his injury.

Lucas being carried off against Chelsea

His knee injury exasperated his progress making him susceptible to nagging injuries.  He picked up another long-term injury (thigh) against Man City in August 2012 and damaged his medial collateral ligament last season against Aston Villa in the Premiership.  The cumulative impact of his injuries has had a dramatic effect on the most important aspect of his game, his high energy levels.

Those of us who watched in person the debacle at Selhurst Park will have witnessed Lucas struggling to keep with play in the midst of the Palace revival and I can honestly state, that if I had been asked whether Lucas would have started the first of game of the 2014-15 season I would have answered in the negative.

Seeing Lucas failing to track back as Clyne blew by him was as embarrassing as it was sad.   Sad it the sense that if he cannot recapture those energy levels his future at the club is over as alongside Gerrard, Rodgers cannot afford to have two midfielders sitting, imparting no drive and physical impetus on the game going forward as it puts too much pressure and reliance on Jordan Henderson.  Against Southampton, we only managed to regain a portion of possession once Lucas was replaced by Allen, hence I expect the ex-Swansea stalwart to start against Man City.

If Lucas is to stay he may have to get used to playing second fiddle to Allen and Can and at a time in his career where he has again missed out on selection even after their very poor showing at the World Cup, therefore it will be no surprise to see him move on.

Balotelli, hit or miss

As Ray Wilkins says, Brendan Rodgers is not taking a chance on the player, but on the human being.  Adel Taarabt also hinted at improvement in Balotelli’s make-up and move towards maturing off the pitch.
 
If the player really wants to assert himself as one of the greatest players in the world it’s not too late and he could just be at the right club and city to release that potential.  We can all talk about Brendan Rodgers working the oracle, Steven Gerrard’s overseeing role or the expertise of Dr Steve Rodgers, but it’s down to the player.

And so it begins...

Gary McAllister spoke about the trepidation before Nicolas Anelka came to Anfield because of the players reputation which came before him.  McAllister says, that player was excellent and brilliant in training, thus sometimes these things can be over hyped, although he agreed that it’s a risky buy highlighting the fact that his transfer fee has gone down each time hinting at a problem.

A three year contract suggest a watching brief from the Liverpool hierarchy.  Should Balotelli have a successful season the length of his contract will probably be increased and should he go the other way he’ll be jettisoned as fast as he arrived.

Round-up

With Jordan Ibe's continued improvement one wonders if he is to be loaned out again, whether he’d be better suited to a Premiership team given his improvement.  A strategic stance on loaning him out in the Premiership is that he will be in a position to impress at the highest level and also damage our competitors.

Joao Teixiera starting well at Brighton all goes well for us under the guidance of Liverpool favourite Sami Hyypia.  If he can get over a propensity for picking up frustrating injuries following a career threatening back injury in the 2011-12 season when he spent six months in a brace he could well develop into a top class player.
 
His potential is obvious as Hyppia alluded to saying “Joao is a very good player.  We also need quality from the other players and if we manage to do that we'll get Joao on the ball and he'll be dangerous."

"He likes to be on the ball and do his best work in the final third of the pitch.  He's got a great opportunity and we'll push him to improve himself."

Hillsborough, Stuart, Susan and Melbourne

As we approached the 2014-15 season senses heightened from finishing second last season there was a little bit of trepidation following the transfer of Luis Suarez.  Ian Ayre and the Liverpool transfer committee have worked assiduously in bringing in new blood and the club finally received permission to increase the capacity at Anfield.

And then as there always has been over the last 25 years the spectre of the Hillsborough disaster hanging over the club.

I've expounded previously I was not there, but like every Liverpool fan knows that the fight for justice goes on.   I am obviously not a survivor, but as a lifelong supporter it's impossible to separate oneself away from it.  Watching a recording of the BBC's excellent Alan Hansen tribute programme, he spoke movingly about the traumatic effect the tragedy had on his life and the club.  For me it was a jolt to remind me that I hadn't looked at the reports from the inquest in Warrington in a while.

Then I read an article by the Liverpool Echo's Amy Browne entitled "Former police officer accused of being a witness to the 'whole Hillsborough lie'."  The article looks at the role of former police officer Michael Ryan who worked in the police control box on the day and whether he witnessed a cover up.  Ryan vehemently denies any involvement in a cover-up which allegedly stemmed from inside a room where he failed to notice any of the luminaries around him such as then head of the FA Graham Kelly, but yet referenced anti-social behaviour by Liverpool supporters.

Justice for the 96 and the survivors and their families is why the Liverpool family will never give up and why we come together when we can as a reminder to keep the eternal flame of the 96 in the memory of others.

With that in mind, I conversed recently with Susan Kershaw, partner of Stuart Littlewood the Hillsborough survivor  now living in Melbourne, Australia, both of whom I wrote about meeting earlier this year following the Anfield Celebration of the 96 in April.

Susan explained that Stuart had recently hosted a fund-raising night for the Hillsborough Justice Campaign (HJC) in Melbourne and raised a fantastic $1500 which as she says is an outstanding effort considering the event was attended by friends and family.  Then again in a city where 95,446 saw Liverpool v Melbourne Victory last year anything is possible, especially when one considers that this is a country where football is not even in the top three sports it's a great achievement by Stuart (as unassuming an individual as you could wish to meet).

95,446 sing YNWA in Melbourne in 2013

 
Susan says they were taken a back because the tragedy has never been considered news worthy in Australia over the years and hence why she believes there is a lack of understanding about what the fight for justice is about down under.

Personally, I think the strength of this club knows no bounds and even if some fans don't know everything about that faithful day on 15 April 1989, I tend to think or am arrogant enough to feel that most of our fans in Melbourne do know about Hillsborough.  Being apart of the Liverpool Football Club family and immersed in its ethos of You'll Never Walk Alone means that fans react appropriately when required.

There are fans who truly love their football club around the world and are not lucky enough to ever attend a Premier League match - remembering Zaiful and his girlfriend, fans from Malaysia getting tickets to watch Liverpool at Anfield, albeit in the Sunderland end (still be overjoyed at the experience) or Sam from the US coming over and making friends with us on the train and swapping his ticket to experience the Kop at full tilt.

Every fan will say this about their club, but I truly believe that You'll Never Walk Alone as a Liverpool supporter epitomises us and it's why Stuart Littlewood and Susan Kershaw are not alone as survivors of Hillsborough.

Will Super Mario finally come good?

So we finally have our striker. Not Falcao, not Cavani or Lavezzi or even Bony, but Mario Barwuah Balotelli. Out of the frying pan with Suarez and possibly into the fire will be the thoughts of many coming after his implosion at Inter and City, his relative failure for AC Milan and at the World Cup.

Personally, I believe it's a risk worth taking. Yes, there are the reported incidents which I don't want to waste time rehashing and the fact that the player is reported to be not most dynamic of trainers. I'd rather concentrate on the positives. Undoubtedly a world class talent and it's why fans are excited in the belief that if Brendan can help channel the fire inside of Balotelli then Ian Ayre may just have pulled of a sensational coup at £16 million.

What I believe, hope even, is that Balotelli will mature under the guidance of not just Brendan Rodgers, but the respect which he will certainly have for club captain Steven Gerrard.

As important is the core of players in his age group Henderson, Allen, Sturridge, Lovren and Mignolet who he may find some common ground with and as such enable him to settle in.

A year from now we could all be crying over spilt milk. But for now we should concentrate on a player who in the most pressurised situation sprawled on the ground, somehow conjured a killer pass to Aguero to win the Premier League. Who in the last European Championship expertly led the line to quite literally drag Italy into the final and although much maligned by the Rossoneri faithful, he still managed to average more than 1 goal in every 2 games with 26 goals in 43 League games (30 goals in 54 games overall).

Make no bones about it should Balotelli play a full season he will score goals the question will be how many? 

But, the more pertinent question is whether he disturbs the happy camp which Brendan Rodgers has built at Anfield. Not that he had anything like the reputation of Balotelli, but in 1972 Rodney Marsh a superbly talented individual joined Man City with only nine games to go and the club four points clear of Leeds, with City seemingly moving serenely towards being crowned champions.  

By the end of the season, the title was lost one point to Derby.  What is recognised even by Marsh himself was that his maverick style had thrown a City team whose style was based on a team ethic off kilter on the home strait.



Is he a risk worth taking?

Suarez contribution wasn't all about goals and assists. He gave Liverpool drive, a belief that they could beat any team and thus his effect was to lift the players, especially the younger members of the team to improve. What we need from Mario Balotelli is for the player to build a work ethic on top of his unquestionable talent not only because it will stop the naysayers like Neville Southall in their tracks, but because our pressing game demands continuous involvement from all outfield players.

Comparing the transfers of Shane Long and Romelu Lukaku or the £14 million valuation placed on Fabio Borini is only relevant should Balotelli go on to be a success, although it does put into question the cost of players within the British transfer system, though that is a question for another day/blog.  

The fact that Liverpool have seen fit to buy him is more down to the player's talent and also the club's much documented transfer policy. 

Should Balotelli's tenure at Liverpool be an unqualified success then he will have justified the club policy of picking up under performing players for a relatively cheap fee and providing them with the foundation and building blocks to fulfil their potential.

It's admirable that he's agreed to a pay cut, but one could argue that is only because he recognises he is in the last chance saloon with a big club and one can only hope he grabs it. The game is littered with great talents ending up playing for multiple teams across careers which once promised so much with relatively little success. 

If Balotelli is being feted in the seasons ahead it can only be good for Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool Football Club and moreover the footballing world because he will have matured from a player with world class talent into a world class player. 

As Lou Holtz, the former American football coach, and current commentator once said, "Ability is what you're capable of doing.  Motivation determines what you do.  Attitude determines how well you do it."

Liverpool 2 Southampton 1 - New SAS see off stubborn Saints

Match report by dedlfc

After the long wait for the season to start again after the World Cup we are now back in action and its great to have meaningful Liverpool matches to watch again as pre-season in my opinion is just about getting players fitness levels back up and embedding new players into the squad.

With so many new recruits bought by us in the summer transfer window it was nice to see two of them Lovren and Manquillo given their full home league debuts in today's game.

Javier Manquillo, on loan from Atletico Madrid, made his debut alongside fellow debutant Lovren who lined up next to Martin Skrtel in the back line. Lucas Leiva got the nod alongside Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson in midfield with new boy Emre Can starting on the bench.

Lambert will have to wait to make his big arrival against his former club.

We had two major concerns going into the new season:

• We had not adequately replaced our goal machine Suarez who had scored 31 goals last season with a world class striker.

• With all the players we had brought in to improve the squad depth we were not sure if they could all gel straightaway and forge an attempt on the title like last season or would we go down the Spurs route and buy too many players which does not fix the problem but further adds to it?  Only time will tell which path we will follow.

Sure, it's only the opening weekend, but with Man Utd already losing at home yesterday and Arsenal and Spurs getting off to winning but unconvincing starts with Chelsea and Manchester City's first games of the season yet to come (at time of writing) we needed to get off to a strong start today and make ourselves look more convincing than our title rivals by putting Southampton to the sword.

The one surprise was Lucas being preferred ahead of Joe Allen and new boy Emre Can, but the Brazilian has something to prove after slipping down the Anfield pecking order...and if he wants a more regular start, then he will have to deliver from the off.  If not then he can expect to be relegated to the role Jose Enrique (now presumably finds himself in with Xabi Moreno now signing) which is waiting at the exit door with his bags packed.

The early action in the game revolved around long distance shots from Sturridge and the Southampton tactic of restricting the possession going to our midfield magician Coutinho - Koeman's master plan was working very well until a determined Henderson won the ball back and then had a quick look up and slipped Sterling free with a lovely ball ahead of him.  The midfielder curled the ball over the Saints defence and right into the winger's stride for the 19-year-old to stroke it into the far corner of the goal.  Forster chose the wrong side and dropped to his knees looking helpless.

A classy opening goal for us from start to the cool finish.

Sterling celebrates opening goal of Liverpool's season

Instead of increasing our tempo to try and get a vital second goal we proceeded to sit back and allow the Saints to come onto us.

A tame shot from Saints impressive midfielder Ward-Prowse showed that Southampton were beginning to get a foothold in the game but lacked the cutting edge to hurt us.

Schneiderlin delivered a shot across Mignolet's goal which was tipped wide by our keeper.

It was the Saints last chance of the half in which we had started the better but Southampton had finished the more confident side.

Dedlfc - halftime round up

Lovren - has looked composed, assured and very commanding and completed 43 passes out of 43 passes in the first half.

Manquillo - has looked shaky at times but very pacy and aggressive

Coutinho - has been non- existent and with Lallana back from injury soon will need to up his game to continue in the team.

The second half started with Southampton again putting us under serious pressure and the inevitable equaliser came through a well-worked goal down the right for Southampton as Clyne runs down the right, lays the ball off to Tadic and then received the return pass via an audacious backheel (with Lucas failing to track Clyne's run) as he steamed in on the underlap and into Liverpool's area in space.  Mignolet wasn't able to react as Clyne smashed his shot in off the crossbar.

We were now jittery and with Mignolet beginning to display nerves we were really looking like we were struggling to win this game. 

Rodgers at this point needed to make a change to try and take back the initiative but before this could take place the Saints nearly and should have gone ahead.

Ward-Prowse again played a great ball from the left flank into the box that fell to Steven Davis who inexplicably shot straight at Mignolet when it seemed easier to score! What a terrible miss but a lifeline for us! Phew!

This was a massive test of our credentials and desire to win.  Rodgers made a positive substitution bringing on Liverpool fan Rickie Lambert to make his Premier League debut for the club at Anfield in place of the disappointing Coutinho.

We then retook the lead 2-1 as Sturridge gets his left foot onto a Sterling header down in the box.

Sturridge celebrates scoring the all important winner

Southampton bounced back with Shane Long going close, firing off a shot that looked destined to fly into the net via the underside of the crossbar.  Fortunately, Mignolet finally remembered where he was and produced a sharp reflex save to ensure the ball deflects away from the goal.

The £12 million Irish man shook his head in frustration, but his team mates weren't finished and soon poured forward looking for an equaliser.

Which set up a frantic finish at Anfield but we held out for the vital win in our first league game without Suarez.

Liverpool: Mignolet, Manquillo, Skrtel, Lovren, Johnson; Gerrard, Lucas, Henderson; Sterling, Sturridge, Coutinho.

Subs: Jones, Toure, Sakho, Allen, Ibe, Can, Lambert.

Southampton: Forster; Clyne, Fonte, Yoshida, Bertrand; Wanyama, Schneiderlin, S Davis; Ward-Prowse, Tadić, Pellè.

Subs: K Davis, Long, Taïder, Cork, Hooiveld, Isgrove, Stephens.

Dedlfc - Summary of match

It was a game that featured two wonderfully crafted goals from Sterling and Clyne, but was finally settled by a toe-poke from Daniel Sturridge.

Besides the odd few moments of quality however, there was an odd lack of spark to the occasion as both sides looked happy to hold their lines until they were forced to go for the throat.

Southampton have looked organised and industrious, and they have done what few teams managed here last season, which is to reduce the flow of chances for the home side. 

We have looked competent and interested, but not at our flowing best, and that is as much down to the persistence of the visitors as it was to a slightly surprising slow start from us, given we were ferocious in our attitude last season.

This game now seems to have posed more questions than solving them:

• Can we cope without the creative and industrious work of Suarez?

• Can we get Coutinho into the games as our creative spark?

• Can we find a high quality striker to increase the intensity of the team and assist Sturridge who struggled with his work rate today despite his winning goal?

• Why did we not persist with Can in this game rather than playing the disappointing Lucas who has been insisting he wants to leave the club?

• Has Enrique still got a future at the club as he wasn't even listed on the bench for the game despite new signing Moreno not being eligible to play in this game?

In reality we got away with a win here as we did not perform well as a team despite the efforts of new signing Lovren to marshall the team to the finish

The industry of Joe Allen and then the presence of Rickie Lambert - with both emerging as second half subs - changed the course of the game and provided the platform for victory, no matter how lucky.

This showed the positive nature of having more depth in the side compared to last season and displays why the whole squad will be just as important as the first team starters.

Man of the match - Sterling- took his goal very well and out of our three pronged attacking players was the brightest and constant threat throughout continuing his form from pre-season and the World Cup.

Comments from Sturridge after the game

"Of course there is pressure on myself to get the goals now with Luis Suarez out of the team. It's important for myself and the lads to step up and it's important as a collective unit that we score the goals.

"Are we stronger this season? I think so. No disrespect to Luis. He's a great player and will be missed. But we move on. We have proved we can win games and score goals."

Liverpool crying out for a midfield general and another striker

Even on my holidays (never without my tablet and blogger app), the more I think about this Liverpool squad (and Jan messinging me to ask my opinion on Cavani), the more I feel the lack of a destroyer and buying another striker could come back to bite us.  

Jordan Henderson has many admirable qualities, but a midfield general he is not. Of those available Emre Can is the only player with the physical attributes able to bridge the gap.

Brendan's blueprint is geared fervently towards footballers in the purest sense and one can say with confidence that based on his buys so far, apart from Lovren, who in turn is not a bad footballer in his own right, a physical player is not on his radar.   Lazar Markovic, Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho, Suso, Raheem Sterling and even young Jordan Ibe all cover the attacking midfield positions.
  
While Rodgers has to be complemented on his side's pressing game, it is worry that there aren't different types of players readily available to compliment the technical abilities of the aforementioned skill smiths.

Against Man City, Norwich, and Crystal Palace last season and even against Man United in our most recent friendly the same scenario unfolds. The upshot is the midfield becomes overrun in the second half and Jordan Henderson is firefighting with Steven Gerrard flagging and Lucas Leiva's legs unwilling to carry him into the midst of battle.  

We have a strong tradition of midfield generals, Graeme Souness and Steve McMahon to current captain Steven Gerrard in his pomp and Javier Mascherano, so we know how important it is to dominate the engine room as we saw with Ander Herrara becoming increasingly influential as the game wore on for United.

Liverpool in need of a midfield dymamo

One sensed Conor Coady's loan to Sheffield United was purely for getting a decent fee in the transfer market and all though the player is upbeat following his move to Huddesfield, one suspects he must be disappointed with the lacking battling midfielders in the squad.

Post Suarez

Losing against Man United in the International Champions Cup, gives us an early warning shot not just about how much we miss Luis Suarez, but how much of a disaster awaits us should Daniel Sturridge breakdown which is highly possibly given his injury record since his arrival.

Rickie Lambert is an excellent buy as we were crying out for a back-up striker particularly one who could offer an aerial threat and cleverly hold the ball up bringing others into the game, but even his most ardent admirers would freely admit that the big man was brought as a support striker and plan B option behind Suarez and Sturridge.

Enrique

With the Moreno deal all but sown up and with England Internationals' Glen Johnson, Martin Kelly and Jon Flanagan all experienced playing left-back why would Brendan Rodgers want to keep Jose Enrique, a player he has obviously lost faith in?   There was a sense half way through last season where Rodgers intimated disappointment in the player's failure to recover from knee surgery and Enrique was openly resentful regarding the public criticism he received from the manager the previous season, having accused him of losing concentration at critical moments, suggesting their relationship is not all it could be.

Transfer policy

The brilliance of our football last year had the nation enthralled and if we had won the League playing in that scintillating fashion it would have spawned the start of a new era.  Instead, there is still a feeling that we are not picking up the very top players in our transfer dealings. Beaten to Sanchez, Benzema making disparaging remarks about LFC, it grates that our competitors are either paying more than the going rate or like Arsenal are geographically more appealing to players and their agents.

Brendan Rodgers said that following on from and trying improve upon last season would mean buying players who were capable of hitting the ground running rather than as we had been doing buying for the future.   Lallana, Lambert and specifically Lovren should add much to the cause, but as classy as Emre Can looked in the friendlies and Markovic was last season sparkling as Benfica's premier player, one suspects there will be a period of adaptation before we see both players at peak performance. 

Should we not sign a top class striker questions will be asked not only because we couldn't get the job done, but why are we struggling to attract the very best?  Day in day out we are being linked with Falcao, Cavani and Lavezzi.  Cavani or Lavezzi would be a better fit because as wonderful a striker as Falcao is he is more in the mould of Ruud van Nistlerooy, a penalty box striker which would change the way Sturridge is deployed (although it would still be a statement of intent).  And Jan, I think we may stand a better chance with Lavezzi as Ayre and co would be averse to breaking our pay structure for Cavani who would slot in nicely given his penchent for hard work, assists and goal scoring.

It sticks in the claw somewhat to be scratching around for a striker and seeing the club spending £10 million on Origi and loaning him back to his club.  Ordinarily, one would have no problem with the deal especially if the Loic Remy deal had gone through, but with one fit striker as I write the odds on us winning the Premiership must be drifting out like an unsecured barge as the tied comes in.

Rodgers is totally hooked on the idea of Kolo Toure being the fall back option at the centre of his defence as Daniel Agger looks certain to depart.    Sebastian Coates who impressed on the tour of America or Tiago Ilori deserve chances to stake a claim rather than Toure, especially as we have three other internationally experienced centre-half's already in attendance.  It's no coincidence that both have commented about moving on if they are not guaranteed chances this season.

Strangely, the 20 year old left back Brad Jones who made his debut last season against Chelsea has been loaned out to Swindon Town.  There doesn't seem any way back for the youngster with Rodgers actively pursing Moreno and Enrique still at the club and Flanagan marked down as the auxiliary left-back.  As with Andre Wisdom, given the ages of these two players transfers rather than loans or as with Rafael Paez's loan to Bologna, a temporary loan with a £2.4 million option to buy seems sensible in the long run.

It's too early to panic, but Rodgers prefers to bed in his players and envelop them in his philosophy.  It's looking very unlikely that a new striker will be given that time let alone be bought before the start of the season.  This season is very important to Liverpool football Club and I believe that having spent close on £100 million even taking into account the cash brought in from Suarez sale, competing for the Premiership and finishing in the top four is a must or else we could be on the outside looking for another good few years.
 
We are in the Champions League and yet still vying with Spurs over transfers.  Only after another season consolidating our position in the CPL will top players see us a viable option especially having lost Suarez, Torres, Mascherano and Alonso in recent years and in the long run the positives will be staving of the threat of losing Sterling and Coutinho.

As we move toward the new season, we have to get it right and there can be no ifs, buts or maybes.

Time to move on Liverpool stalwarts Agger and Johnson

Anyone attending Liverpool matches can attest to the mutual love-in between the fans and Daniel Agger.  He is a prodigiously talented individual, a ball playing centre-half who could probably do a decent job understudying Steven Gerrard in his holding role or even in the middle of the park.  Also, in era when footballing characters are from a long and distant past the tattooed one is one of the very few.

I can remember going to watch Australia v Denmark at Loftus Road in February 2007 (mainly because he was playing) and being gobsmacked watching him in the pre-match warm up chipping across field passes with sublime control, floated onto the feet of his team mates.    I like most fans recognise just how talented the Danish captain is, but there comes a time when reality strikes and his inability to provide the leadership and inspiration at the back to a team so badly in need especially last season, has reached its nadir.   

Disappointment isn't a strong enough adjective because Daniel Agger possessed the talent to have been one of the world's best defenders over the last decade.  Attacking wise he strikes the ball with ferocity and has a prodigious leap which makes him a danger at set pieces.

Is it the end for Agger?

Sometimes one wonders whether his seemingly lackadaisical nature lends itself to criticism, but time and again the ball ends up in the Liverpool net and he is either beaten by the opposing centre forward, failed to track the run or just out of position.  One sensed last season that Brendan Rodgers patience had run out with a player who fits the Rodgers playing dynamic to a tee and who he had made the club’s vice-captain in a bid to give give a leadership role.  Hence, Lovren…

It will be a shame to see him leave the club as he remains a personal favourite of mine, but at 29 one cannot see him adopting the relevant changes to take on the captaincy once Steven Gerrard finally hangs up his boots.  Conversely, it would be no surprise to see him go off to the continent and provide fantastic service to a club like Barcelona as he probably needs a new challenge playing in a team filled with world class players which may just give the stimulus to finally make the step up from world class talent to world class player.

Glen Johnson

There are times when Johnson looks the best full-back in the league.  Strangely, it tends to be when the England International plays left-back and one wonders whether in that position he focuses more intently, although unlike most footballers his ‘wrong foot, is not just for standing on as playing in his natural right-back position often cuts in to shoot with his left.

Watching Johnson he gives the impression that on the right side he’d benefit from Liverpool playing three centre-half’s adopting a wing-back role.   His defensive game, like Agger and Enrique, suffers not through a lack of ability, but through lowering concentration levels, awareness and an inability to use his physical prowess to its optimum.

Having right-back with his running ability, height (1.82 m) and built like a middle weight boxer should mean that allied to his centre-half’s the defence should gobble up aerial balls for fun.  But, Johnson, like Agger, is often brushed aside, found on the wrong side or caught up field ahead of the ball (which is criminal for a full-back).

With the possibility of leaving on a free next season, Rodgers has a decision to make. Does he keep the experienced ex-Portsmouth and Chelsea player for one more season knowing that Flanagan, Kelly and Javi Manquillo don't possess  the relevant experience needed at the top level or try to pick a transfer fee now?

Brendan must deliver striking options in this transfer window

Brendan’s pulled in some creative elements in this transfer window with Lallana, Markovic, Lambert and Can arriving.    Defensively we’ve brought in Lovren and as I write Alberto Moreno and Javier Manquillo are on the verge of signing.

So why does it seem as if there is something missing?  Sturridge and Lambert are quality players, but are we really expecting to go into battle with two strikers hoping that Sterling, Coutinho and Henderson morph into prolific goal scorers?

Before the end of the transfer window another striker or a world-class second striker is a pre-requisite and with Rodgers deciding that Fabio Borini is to be moved on it is now a matter of urgency.  Reus or Bony or a player of that ilk would fit the bill nicely.

Another strong midfielder aside Emre Can wouldn’t go amidst either, as I’ve been wittering on about in the last couple of blogs, to present more of a physical threat/option in the central areas.  Brendan seems to be throwing in his lot with Allen and Lucas and one can only hope that Conor Coady and Jordan Rossiter make their breakthroughs this season as to my mind they have the attributes we are missing with our plethora of attacking midfielders.