Brave Johnson eases the pressure on Rodgers

Sixteen years to the very day which saw the 18 year old Steven George Gerrard climb of the bench to make his debut against Blackburn, the Liverpool captain returned to the bench in yet another pivotal game with Brendan Rodgers hoping for signs of revival.

Jordan Henderson donned the captain’s arms band with Coutinho coming to fill the void in midfield.  Jose Enrique’s return saw Johnson switching back to his preferred right-back position and Kolo Toure retaining his place ahead of Lovren after a steady if unspectacular performance against Ludogorets.

The first-half performance was sterile and bereft of imagination and with both sides short on confidence there was very little cutting edge at either end of the pitch.

A twinkled toed run from half-way by Philippe Coutinho was as good as it got for a Liverpool side slow in possession and failing to press when not in possession.  To be frank, they stunk the house out.

Kolo adding some steel to the backline

Liverpool returned in the second-half seemingly fired up as if stung by a Brendan Rodgers barrage at the break.  Helpfully, the loss of Sidwell before half-time and Whelan his replacement at half-time for Charlie Adam, provided Liverpool with the impetus for change.  They almost took up the invitation afforded them with a more spacious midfield after the restart with Henderson pulling his shot just wide of the post.

The young Spaniard looking to re-ignite his career in the Premier League, played a sumptuous pass in behind Skrtel which Mignolet failing to react, going back towards his goal, only to redeem himself by smothering Diouf’s shot from close range.

Bojan, playing in the hole was unsettling the Liverpool defence floating in between the lines sauntered in from the left leaving Lucas for dead with a nutmeg before his stunning shot smacked against the upright.  A minute later, Sterling burst through the Stoke defence shooting past the far post.

Liverpool began to impose themselves mopping up possession and control on a match which was there for the taking for either side.  Breaking out, under the steam of Sterling, Liverpool found themselves five on three.  Sterling fed the overlapping Lucas who disappointing hit his shot straight at Bergovic and there lies one of the problems with the inability of the midfielders to score goals

Liverpool were now in the middle of the best period of the match.  Johnson getting more into the game, found Lambert just inside the area, but the England’s striker side foot shot was easily saved by Bergovic.  A minute later an intricately built move between Sterling, Allen and Coutinho ended with the Welshman’s shot clipping the bar.

The difference in play from the first-half was exemplified by a quicker tempo and the sudden willingness to press further up the pitch.

Glen Johnson showed tremendous bravery to get the winner

The winner came five minutes from time, with Gerrard already on for Lucas, Henderson’s cross from the right found Rickie Lambert whose header hit the under-side of the bar, for Glen Johnson to react first and head bravely into the net with boots flying and the onrushing Bergovic.   

Liverpool held on despite some fraught defending with 7 minutes of injury time following Johnson loss to the injury he suffered scoring his goal.

Lallana although not on the pitch celebrates with his manager

Man of the match:  Raheem Sterling – involved in most of Liverpool’s best moments and looks to be returning to some assemblance of form.  Performed better in the second-half when not hamstrung to the side lines and allowed to drift in to add support to the Liverpool attack.

Plaudits to Rickie Lambert who led the line well with very little support and played a large part in the winner.  Also, to Glen Johnson, who like his team had an inauspicious start to the match, managing bravely to put his head in where others may have backed off to bravely win the game.

Make no bones about the performance.  It was as dreadful a first-half as we’ve seen at Anfield in a long time with both teams patently not at the races.

Liverpool played better in the second-half as if stung into action by a Brendan Rodgers barrage, but the match lacked the quality to get any of the teams above us fervently worried, but in saying that we had to start somewhere for our first victory in 6 games.

With continuity the byword, one can only hope that Brendan in the search for confidence looks to start the same side against Leicester.   Sentiment must be put aside as he looks to galvanise his side with Basle on the horizon and only five points separating us from fourth place.

Rodgers has returned to players he feels can get Liverpool out from the under the rut they are currently stuck in and provide a stable unit.  It is no coincidence the least celebrated of all our summer buys Rickie Lambert was the only player to start yesterday in a case of needs must with goals such a valuable commodity.  Rodgers seems to be subliminally briefing against the tide making in known that some of the buys were not his and actually publicly stating that Liverpool need to find out why we keep missing out on top class transfers.

Steven Gerrard is unlucky.  Had he been in a Liverpool side wide still blessed with Suarez (or a player of the same ilk), a fit Daniel Sturridge and a sensible transfer policy bringing in a top class midfield general buying him the time on the ball one feels the ferocious criticism wouldn't be so pointed.  Frank Lambert is almost two years older than Gerrard, but still looks a quality player surrounded by top notch players, similarly Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid and now at Bayern Munich.

It doesn't mean that Brendan Rodgers cannot manage his captain's minutes.  If he starts, 60 minutes should be the gauge where Rodgers appraises his levels.  The wider picture is that Gerrard is part of the fabric that is Liverpool Football Club and must be tied down to the club with the future in mind on the pitch, but moreover off the pitch.

Teams:

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet, 2 Johnson, 37 Skrtel, 4 Kolo Toure, 3 Jose Enrique, 21 Lucas (Gerrard – 75 Mins), 24 Allen, 14 Henderson, 10 Coutinho (Lovren – 88 mins), 31 Sterling, 9 Lamber

Subs: 1 Jones, 6 Lovren, 8 Gerrard, 18 Moreno, 20 Lallana, 23 Can, 50 Markovic

Stoke: 1 Begovic, 20 Cameron, 17 Shawcross, 12 Wilson, 3 Peters, 21 Sidwell (Whelan – 22 mins (Adam – 45 mins), 15 N’Zonsi, 19 Walters, 27 Krkic, 10 Arnautovic (Crouch – 88 mins), 18 Diouf

Subs: Muniesa, Whelan, 7 Ireland, 16 Adam, 22 Butland, 25 Crouch, 34 Shenton

Referee: Craig Pawso

Attendance: 44, 735