Liverpool 1 Everton 1

Speaking before his 32^nd Merseyside Derby Liverpool’s under pressure skipper Steven Gerrard said, “We need a reaction.  The start of the season has not been good enough and we need to get that intensity back when we don’t have the ball and try to score early and get the crowd behind us.  If you can’t get yourself up for a derby game at Anfield, you’re in the wrong game so I hope the lads don’t need much rallying.”

While Gerrard will certainly be happy with the application and fortitude on display, there was no denying that without Suarez and the injured Daniel Sturridge this is a Liverpool side without a prolific goal scoring DNA.  Balotelli showed flashes of his undoubted talent, but is still adjusting to life back in the Premier League.

Rodgers challenged Henderson, Coutinho and Sterling at the start of the season too upscale their scoring outputs, but with only Sterling returning anything like an acceptable yield, the pressure is on to increase the ratio with other areas of the team creaking under the pressure.

Liverpool dominated the majority of the game producing only one clear cut chance from open play which Balotelli with the goal at his mercy fluffing his lines.

We began giving up possession to Everton in the last ten minutes, defending on the edge of the area to such an extent that we had very little complaint when Jagielka’s blockbuster tore into the top corner of the net in added time and Gareth Barry with almost the last touch of the game, flicked the ball just wide of the post.

If we started this season with ideas of going one better after six games those dreams have since evaporated and we are already in rescue mode waiting for Daniel Sturridge’s comeback. Even with Emre Can’s relative experience, his physical attributes would probably have seen the young German included in Brendan Rodgers most recent squads.

The territorial dominance we enjoyed should have propelled us to a comfortable victory.  But, the difference this season from last is the lack of intensity and potency.   Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling, Liverpool’s top performers, created the openings but at the moment the quality is not there to take half chances let alone chances.

Yes, if referee Martin Atkinson had awarded a stonewall penalty against Gareth Barry for handball with the player’s arms clearly stretched above his head it in the first-half, we may have gone on to be conclusive winners, but ifs and maybes have never won games.

Balotelli’s substitution even as late as is was gave Everton time on the ball to build attacks and with Liverpool defending deeply and with very little attempt to push further up the pitch it was no surprise they equalised even if it was a fantastic effort.

Gerrard had a decent game scoring a wonderful free-kick, but does he have to play in the same role week in week out?

Playing him in a formation behind Balotelli gives the striker the opportunity to play on the last defender with Gerrard’s crisp short passing to play him in.  Rodgers would also benefit from his shooting range in and around the area.

It was an opportunity missed and one that we could ill afford against a very average Everton side.

Critical eye:  Brendan Rodgers for the first time since becoming Liverpool manager will now come under a modicum of pressure/scrutiny.  It’s only six games in and no time to panic, but with the less than stellar successes of his transfers last season and the disappointing starts by his transfer buys this season, although Manquillo and Moreno are very promising, Lovren and to a lesser extent Lallana, both who were bought with the premise of hitting the ground running, results need to be turned round sooner rather than later.

Team:

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 18 Moreno, 19 Manquillo, 37 Skrtel, 6 Lovren, 14 Henderson, 50 Markovic (Coutinho – 60 mins), 31 Sterling, 8 Gerrard, 20 Lallana, 45 Balotelli (Lambert – 88 mins)

Substitutes: 1 Jones, 3 Jose Enrique, 4 K Toure 9 Lambert, 21 Lucas, 30 Fernandez Saez (Suso)

Everton: 24 Howard, 26 Stones, 6 Jagielka, 2 Hibbert (Browning – 73 mins), 3 Baines, 16 McCarthy, 17 Besic (Eto’o – 80 mins) 18 Barry, 14 Naismith, 11 Mirallas (McGeady – 31 mins), 10 Lukaku

Substitutes: 1 Robles, 4 Gibson, 5 Eto’o, 7 McGeady, 21 Osman, 27 Browning, 30 Alcaraz

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Attendance: 44, 511

Liverpool scrape through on penalties by the skin of their teeth

On a night of nervy play and anxiety Liverpool unbelievably scrapped through to the 4^th round after for the most part being outplayed by a bright and vibrant Middlesbrough side led by the superb Tomlin who strutted around Anfield as if he played in the stadium every week.   Brendan Rodgers will certainly have learnt a lot about the mentality of his players in winning an amazing and sensational penalty shoot-out 14-13.

After the disappointing loss away at West Ham, Brendan Rodgers made seven changes welcoming back Kolo Toure and giving life-long Red Rickie Lambert the honour of captaining the side.   In the absence of Steven Gerrard (rested) and Joe Allen and Jordan Henderson (injured), the seventeen year old Jordan Rossiter called the “new Steven Gerrard” by none other than Robbie Fowler was handed his debut.

Middlesbrough started well with former Liverpool player Daniel Ayala rising well from a corner to head straight at Simon Mignolet.  Almost immediately, from a long through ball Middlesboro goalkeeper Blackman made a hash of a straight forward slide and pick-up after a misunderstanding with his defender.  The goalkeeper in a bid to make a mends blocked Lambert’s shot only to see the youngest player on the pitch Rossiter with remarkable composure and technique side foot the ball from 20 yards into the corner of the net.  Blackman will be disappointed by his initial decision in rushing out and embarrassed by his decision to try and kick away the shot.

What a fantastic start to Rossiter’s Anfield career, hopefully the first of many.  Like Gerrard, Rossiter fires of his short passes and like Gerrard shows for the ball in tight areas. But unlike Gerrard is not backward in coming forward in barking out his orders.

Very noticeable in the first twenty minutes was Liverpool’s attempt to press high up the pitch and move the ball with a quicker tempo on a pitch made slicker by the persistent rain.  It made a change from the lethargy which had so marked the last two losses.  Even with the difference in personnel we lacked stability and leadership throughout the spine of the team looking lightweight in midfield, less assured in the centre of defence and in failing to cater for Lambert’s attributes only highlighted his lack of pace in leading the line.

Liverpool’s weakness from corners reared its ugly head again with Kike left unmarked shooting over and then Tomlin controlling Rossiter’s defensive header to volley superbly only for Mignolet to palm away a late swerving ball.  Middlesborough were impressing in their forays in the final third with the pace of Adomah, the hold-up play of Garcia Martinez and the quality in behind of Tomlin causing consternation in between the lines.

Tomkins fired off an early warning shot in the second-half cutting in front the left, before evading the tackle and firing his shot wide of the target.

Liverpool had claims for a penalty with Toure balked by Omeruo as the defender lined up a header from a corner.

The simple facts are we just cannot defend and after 62 minutes from a free-kick given for a handball against the hapless Sakho.  Adam Reach breezed into the area almost unnoticed heading home from close range.  It was nothing more than Boro deserved.

After 70 minutes Liverpool hadn’t created one clear cut chance of any note which is already becoming a trait and looked horribly one dimensional in struggling to get in behind and resorted to straight balls through the middle with the full-backs unable to provide the width so important to Brendan Rodgers style of play.

Clayton produced a powerful drive after being found by the impressive Tomlin which Mignolet could only palm away a few yards with Martinez bearing down on goal, fortunately Toure produced a last ditched tackle to clear his lines.   Boro with their intensity, pace and confidence looked more Liverpool than Liverpool.

Tomlin the night’s most effective player by some distance produced an imperious piece of skill late on with a fantastic reverse pass finding Clayton who hit the outside of the post which an angled shot.  It was the last real chance before extra-time.

After a non-eventful first half of extra-time Jose Enrique fired in a shot which Blackman pushed for Sterling to curl in a shot which the goalkeeper parried behind for a corner.

Liverpool were at last showing some quality following Suso’s introduction and finally got their heads in front when the mercurial Spaniard drilled home after some fine link up play by Lallana and Enrique.

With the final whistle beckoning Sterling inexplicably gave the ball away, Kolo Toure showing unbelievable naivety for such an experienced defender upended Bamford instead of shepherded out the Boro substitute. 

Bamford was coolness personified from the spot which we should have guessed was a sign of things to come.

Teams:

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 4 K Toure, 3 Jose Enrique, 17 Sakho, 19 Manquillo, 46 Rossiter (Williams – 79 mins), 20 Lallana, 21 Lucas, 50 Markovic (Fernandex Saez – 98 mins), 31 Sterling, 9 Lambert (Balotelli – 74 mins)

Substitutes: 1 Jones, 18 Moreno, 29 Borini, 30 Fernandez Saez, 37 Skrtel, 45 Balotelli, 49 Williams

Middlesbrough: 46 Blackman, 22 Omeruo, 3 Friend, 4 Ayala, 5 Fredericks, 7 Leadbitter (Bamford – 112 mins), 27 Adomah, 8 Clayton, 20 Reach, 10 Tomlin (Vossen – 112 mins), 9 Garcia Martinez (Wildschut – 76 mins)

Substitutes: 6 Gibson, 13 Konstantopoulos, 17 Husband, 21 Vossen, 23 Bamford, 24 Nsue Lopez, 33 Wildschut

Referee: Mike Jones

Attendance:  41, 857

West Ham 3 Liverpool 1: Liverpool outmanoeuvred, out muscled, out fought

by Kop-Post and Jan Thomson

Two victories and two losses in our first four games, a stuttering performance against Ludogorets in mid-week where we stumbled across the line thanks to Steven Gerrard’s late penalty meant going into the game against a resurgent West Ham a loss could see Brendan Rodgers side already three wins behind a Chelsea side by the end of this weekend’s games.

Still without the injured Daniel Sturridge, Emre Can and Joe Allen, Rodgers looked to instil some solidity to his team defensively by welcoming back from injury Martin Skrtel to partner Dejan Lovren in the centre of defence and Lucas Leiva to bolster the creaking midfield.  Fabio Borini made his first start in two years after looking all but a Sunderland during the summer.  Lallana and Markovic started on the bench with Philippe Countinho after his poor start to the season left out altogether.

The changes made not a lot of difference as West Ham caught Liverpool cold.  Downing swung in a free-kick from the right to the far post finding Tompkins towering over Henderson to header across the goal for Winston Reid to bundle the ball home from a yard.  It was appalling defending, but unfortunately the type of defending we’ve seen all too much of over the last year.

Worst was to come.  The West Ham midfield swarming all over Lucas and Gerrard  dispossessed Balotelli on half-way and Noble with very little threat in front of him found Diafra Sakho on the right and driving in the wide-man delivered a chip of superb accuracy which floated over the stranded Mignolet and into the corner of the net.  West Ham were rampant with Mignolet pulling off a smart save from Cresswell’s long range drive.

Gerrard looks shell-shocked as Reid celebrates West Ham's opener

Yet again Steven Gerrard was afforded very little space to impact the game with West Ham yards quicker in every department not allowing Liverpool to build from the back and targeting Liverpool’s full-backs with their lack of height. 

Looking lightweight, without quality and stuck in first gear we struggled to mount even one attack of any quality and such was the impotent nature of Liverpool’s play and the pressure being placed on Manquillo that Rodgers chose to substitute the youngster for Mamadou Sakho after only 22 minutes.

After just five minutes later the change bore fruit.  Henderson crossed from the left and Balotelli put out a telescopic right leg to bring down as it went across him.  Turning to shoot, his effort was blocked, but running in on the edge the area Raheem Sterling hit the ball on the top of its bounce to rifle the ball into the corner of the net in stunning fashion.

West Ham were still putting the Liverpool defence under pressure and one flowing move was only ended by a last ditch tackle by Moreno in front of goal.    Ten minutes from the end of the half Rodgers predicament almost hit the buffers as Lovren and Sakho unbelievably showed their lack of understanding at Spurs had not improved colliding going for the same high ball which resulted in Lovren requiring treatment but thankfully being able to continue.

A much brighter starter in the second-half led by Lallana coming on for the evermore static Lucas who in tandem with Gerrard struggled to contain the power and speed of the more  dynamic and competitive West Ham midfield.   We may just be seeing the long goodbye of Lucas Liverpool career with the vitality of the more creative Lallana and the impact of his injuries of the last few seasons.

The ex-Southampton man had a penalty claim dismissed with Borini curling just over from the resultant breaking ball.  Balotelli out of nothing shifted the ball past the defender firing in a shot which Adrian shovelled round the post.

Lallana, now with Sterling instrumental in Liverpool’s creative play found the marauding Moreno on the left, his dangerous low cross failed to find a Liverpool player in the box.  It was Liverpool’s last remaining chance of any note.

With bundles of possession Liverpool and very little cutting edge and with four minutes left a comedic header by Sakho found Downing who poignantly delivered an excellent run and pass leaving Steven Gerrard floundering and  Amfalfitano to evade Skrtel’s last ditched tackle to toe poke home for West Ham’s winner.  It was no more than West Ham deserved.

Teams:

West Ham: 13 Adrian, 3 Cresswell, 20 Demel (Jenkinson - 61 mins), 2 Reid, 5 Tomkins, 16 Noble, 30 Song (Amalfitano - 69 mins), 8 Kouyate, 15 Sakho, 31 E Valencia (Collins - 76 mins)

Substitutes: 10 Zarate, 12 Vaz Te, 18 Jenkinson, 19 Collins, 21 Amalfitano, 22 Jaaskelainen, 24 Cole

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 18 Moreno, 19 Manquillo (Sakho - 22 mins), 37 Skrtel, 6 Lovren, 8 Gerrard, 31 Sterling, 21 Lucas (Lallana - 45 mins), 14 Henderson, 29 Borini (Lambert - 75 mins), 45 Balotelli

Substitues: 1 Jones, 3 Jose Enrique, 4 K Toure, 9 Lambert, 17 Mamadou Sakho, 20 Lallana, 15 Markovic

Referee: Craig Pawson

Attendance: 34,977

Liverpool 2 Ludogorets 1 - Stevie saves the day again!

By dedlfc

How we have missed that fantastic music before a Champions League game was the statement made by Gerrard prior to the game and it was a sentiment echoed by the team and fans alike.

After the disappointing league display versus Villa it was finally a return to the Champions League big stage after a lengthy 5 year absence for one of Europe's footballing aristocrats.  

The game saw our current best player Raheem Sterling return to the line up in place of the suspended Lazar Marković.  Mario Balotelli was flanked by Adam Lallana on the right and Sterling on the left with Philippe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson in advanced midfield positions ahead of Steven Gerrard.

Deserved return to the elite stage for Liverpool

The KOP's return to where we belong in the Champions League

The opening quarter of the hour was relatively comfortable for us, without us really impressing greatly. 

We produced our best passage of play within the last 15 minutes down the left hand side with Moreno's good ball a little high and Ludogorets responded with some neat interplay of their own down their right side to warn us that this team could play a little.

Ludogorets showed throughout the game that they possess organisation, composure, and pockets of combination play. Anfield's visitors were not amateurs at all.

We were on the front foot more so than our opponents in the first half, but the Bulgarian visitors informed all that this group may be a little tougher for us than first thought and so they were being true to their word.

Our fullbacks and the newly appointed vice captain were probably the pick of the bunch in the first half along with a more assured showing from Mamadou Sakho.

The attacking cohesion was again lacking from Liverpool and the number ten in red Coutinho again was lacking in his passing accuracy and decision making.

As the second half progressed, it appeared that there would eventually be a goal as there was more space for players to find greater time to make better decisions as well as exploit for counter attacking purposes. 

The main opportunity early on in the second half fell to Manquillo who sensed a chance to dart into the opposition territory from his defensive right hand position.  Latching onto an incisive chip into space by Henderson the Spaniard disappointingly volleyed over the crossbar at the vital moment when it looked more likely that he would get a shot on target.

While we continued to look more capable of scoring a goal with more players entering the opposition area, Ludogorets also looked dangerously and capable on the counter attack.

The visitors, buoyed with confidence poured forward through the impressive Marcelinho who fed the ball through to Bezjak who rattled the upright.

The Kop sensed more problems with Liverpool struggling to create chances and the uncertainty of the defence rattling the fans.

The vital breakthrough came through our new £16m striker Mario Ballotelli with a neatly executed chance but a massive amount of credit should fall to Moreno.  He swung the balance in our favor arriving in the nick of time to block a shot in front of Liverpool's goal and later in the same passage of play provided the telling cross that lead to the opener.

Our new dynamic left back whipped in an excellent cross and after a bit of a scramble the ball dropped to Balotelli who made no mistake stabbing home nonchalantly to give us a lead we scarcely deserved on the second half performance.

But it matters not. 1-0.

Ballotelli celebrates his first goal for us with a cool finish

It looked like this would be enough to get three points on the board in our first Champions League game in five years.

Then disaster occurred, when it looked like we had ridden out the storm to claim a clean sheet and get the points secured when a lack of communication (again!) at the back inexplicably caused by a simple through ball played behind Sakho was not intercepted by the covering Lovren.  

As at Manchester City, Mignolet wandered away from his goal like he had forgotten he was supposed to be the keeper and not an outfield player playing as sweeper to leave a gaping hole for Abalo to tap home.  Migs had again let the side down in a big game.

It now genuinely looked as though our return to the Champions League was going to end in tears but this is the Liverpool in Europe roller coaster and as befitting one of our classic late winners we managed to secure a very late penalty in injury time after our right back Manquillo was fouled inside the box.

Manquillo goes down for the winning penalty

Concluding a breathless period of football which saw our captain Stevie G step up with nerves of steel and slide home his 40th European goal to secure the vital win and get our European campaign off to a winning start.

Gerrard slots home the winning penalty

Liverpool: Mignolet, Manquillo, Lovren, Sakho, Moreno; Gerrard, Henderson, Coutinho; Sterling, Balotelli, Lallana.

Man of the match: Henderson - Mr consistency again produced a man of the match performance with his industrious running and intelligent passing and showed why he has deservedly been made vice captain.

We have won this game but again continue to be unconvincing as a team who are supposed to be able to be flexible in our formations moving from 4-3-3 or the diamond formation.

Our keeper's lack of concentration again nearly costs us a game he needs to start showing more improvement or we will struggle to get far in any competition.

Vital first win which is the minimum expected by us.

Comments after match:-

Steven Gerrard: "It's always nice to win the game, especially when you think you're going to drop two points. Looking at the game as whole we did OK, but nothing better than OK. We have a lot to learn. To judge that performance it's must do better."

Brendan Rodgers: "It was a great night for everyone at the club. To come back in after five years and get the result is great. Credit to the players. To show that character and determination and get a result was magnificent."

Of Balotelli he says: "It was a wonderful finish. We've said to him to be in the box more. He's got such good technique that sometimes he spends too much time outside the box but he's got such great strength when he's in there and it was a world class finish."

Ballo & Stevie G matchwinners appreciation society

Liverpool 0 Aston Villa 1: Rodgers fails to learn lessons from Villa and Chelsea

No excuses, we were awful. Out manoeuvred, yet again by Paul Lambert, this time with his Rottweiler Roy Keane in tow.  Pressing high up the pitch, pressuring Steven Gerrard, swarming all over the midfield.  There was very little imagination or creativity on show with the midfield stifled for room.  

It's a performance that supports the theory in some quarters that Liverpool's stellar performances were boosted by the lack of European football. Champions League qualification for the first time in five years and coming of the back of the international break Brendan Rodgers chose to drop Sterling to the bench and surprisingly start with Adam Lallana and Markovic.

Surprising because Lallana hadn't played a top class game since the World Cup and Markovic hadn't started a Premier League game since his transfer from Benfica in the close season, so starting one rather than both seemed the more sensible option.

Not for the first time we struggled to impose ourselves on a well-structured midfield set up to neutralise our well-oiled attacking game. The disappointing aspect was our inability over 90 minutes to change the style of play to cope with the wall of defence which Aston Villa presented us with and just as in the infamous Chelsea game we failed ingloriously to breakdown an apparent impenetrable wall which made the much maligned Senderos and Cissokho look world class in comparison to our poor defending at set pieces.

The game should have been over as contest after fifteen minutes. Villa deservedly took the lead after a bright start from a corner where Lovren was embarrassingly out muscled by Senderos who headed goal ward. The resultant block by Manquillo dropped to Agbonlahor who prodded home. It could have been last season, hell even the season before, but not what we were expecting this season with the outlay for Lovren and Sakho and the expectation following the Spurs victory. Minutes later Senderos sauntered on to another corner and unbelievably shot wide with the goal at his mercy. 

The Liverpool defence who were counting on the organisational skills of Lovren were it complete disarray defending from set pieces.

On the quarter hour yet another superbly delivered Westwood corner caused more consternation, when the very ordinary Mignolet punched straight to Weimann who fortunately sliced his volley.

Even in the early stages with Coutinho struggling to impose himself and Lallana and Markovic showing up in impressive flashes Raheem Sterling's most have already been at the forefront of Rodgers mind. At only nineteen, he alongside Sturridge are Liverpool's preeminent players.

The loss of Daniel Sturridge is a devastating blow. His movement, quicksilver footwork and his interchange with Henderson and Sterling plays a major part in Rodgers game plan. That's not to say Balotelli was lacking as Liverpool's lone striker, but the support he received was sporadic with Markovic and Lallana not able to get close enough to the Italian as Sterling and Sturridge had done against Spurs. The striker was given some rough treatment with little protection, particularly from Hutton and Senderos, but to his credit he kept his head.

When we are on the front room there is no better sight in the game, but when that is negated Rodgers fails to adapt and appears powerless to change and he must grasp the nettle.  We have to learn to mix it or use different formations when our A game is being subdued and it has to be soon with teams cottoning on to this and Chelsea (although it's early days) powering clear.

Moreno, on the cusp of half-time powered into the area in similar position to his Spurs strike, but inexplicably tried to find Markovic when a shot was surely the better option. The second-half cried out for a change of emphasis and Sterling introduction on the hour managed to raise the temperature especially as the youngster was mowed down by the brutal Hutton.

Coutinho has had a poor start season following a blistering pre-season. He flourishes in space and was disappointing until Sterling entered the fray, but by then the die was cast. In saying that Coutinho produced a piece of impudence turning Alan Hutton inside out before curling a shot against the post which was as good as it got.

There was no method in the madness even when Borini and Lambert replaced Markovic and Balotelli respectively for the last 20 minutes with Lambert seemingly positioned out on the right rather in a central berth. Steven Gerrard, who had pretty ineffectual match, remained in his quarter-back position until the final throes instead of trying to effect change further forward in the last 20 minutes.

With Rodgers having very little confidence in Lucas and the injury to Emre Can, he appears to have very little wiggle room in terms of converting to a 4-4-2 with Gerrard no longer having the legs to play centrally in a two. It's worrying aspect because this is a Liverpool team susceptible to strong arm tactics and more so without Joe Allen yesterday where the midfield seemed bereft defensively and unable to apply any directness and control.

Last season we were able to get away with a draw through force of will. This time we were lucky to get away with a one-nil loss.

Teams:
Liverpool: 22 Simon Mignolet, 19 Javi Manquillo, 6 Dejan Lovren, 17 Mamadou Sakho, 18 Alberto Moreno, 8 Steven Gerrard, 14 Jordan Henderson, 50 Lazar Markovic (71 mins), 10 Philippe Coutinho, 20 Adam Lallana (Raheem Sterling – 61 mins), 45 Mario Balotelli (Lambert – 71 mins)

Substitutes: 1 Brad Jones, 3 Jose Enrique, 4 Kolo Toure, 9 Rickie Lambert, 21 Lucas, 29 Fabio Borini, 31 Raheem Sterling

Aston Villa: 1 Brad Guzan, 21 Alan Hutton, 14 Philippe Senderos, 2 Nathan Baker, 23 Aly Cissokho, 8 Tom Cleverley (Carlos Sanchez – 86 mins), 15 Ashley Westwood, 16 Fabian Delph, 11 Gabriel Agbonlahor (Darren Bent – 90+1 mins), 10 Andreas Weimann (Charles N'Zogbia – 72 mins), 18 Kieran Richardson

Substitutes: 5 Jores Okore, 7 Leandro Bacuna, 19 Darren Bent, 24 Carlos Sanchez, 28 Charles N'Zogbia, 31 Shay Given, 40 Jack Grealish

Attendance: 44,689