Stoke 6 Liverpool 1: Thank you and see you again soon Stevie G! As his beloved team is trounced!

By dedlfc

Pre-match thoughts:

Today is one of the saddest days for any LFC fan with the final curtain coming down on our legendary captain Steven Gerrard's career.

He had his final home farewell at Anfield last weekend and now this weekend is his last ever game as a LFC player - his immense presence and leadership around the club both on and off the pitch will be missed. YNWA.

This week instead of being about the end of a great LFC career has sadly been about another player whose career is in its infancy which sadly could be about to end.

Raheem Sterling has the potential to be a great player for LFC, but it seems through discussions with his flamboyant agent Aidy Ward he would like to continue his career elsewhere. It will be a sad additional loss to losing our captain but we should only keep players who want to play for this great club. It's a terrible fiasco that our club needs to resolve quickly to avoid it affecting any other transfer business.

The vital task before the game started was that we thought our manager had to review the poor season and ensure that he makes more quality signings than he produced last summer or he will not be the LFC manager this time next season. Little did we know of the ensuing saga to be played out on the pitch over 90 mins.

Match thoughts once team was announced: In Steven Gerrard's final match, he started along with no less than six other midfield players scattered throughout the starting eleven. Emre Can was at right-back again, Joe Allen and Lucas were restored to the side to join Jordan Henderson, and Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana were the only "forwards"  starting with Raheem Sterling relegated to the bench. It was to say the least very confusing.

And it was not good, as it turned out.  In fact, what was to take place was an utter embarrassment.

Stoke had a cluster of early yellow cards with Charlie Adam arguably doing enough to get sent off for two separate incidents, but Lallana and Coutinho were mostly left alone to battle Stoke's physical defenders.  Lallana curled a decent chance just outside the post with his left foot for the best chance early on.

And then extraordinarily Stoke scored five goals. Emre Can was at fault for each of the first three, literally heading to Jon Walters two feet in front of goal and errors from Mamadou Sakho and Lucas contributed to the fourth.  Steven N'Zonzi's curler --Stoke's fifth-- was an unstoppable shot to round off the first half scoring. Shocking FIVE GOALS!

Half-time thoughts: Everything hurts. That very well could be a half that ends Brendan Rodgers' 3 year tenure as manager.  Confusing selections, spineless, the side not playing for each other or the manager, no answers evident, and those five goals conceded. FIVE.

The manager responded by bringing on Kolo Toure and Jordon Ibe for Can and Alberto Moreno respectively and switching to three at the back. Ibe was positive on the left, and Liverpool managed to create a few chances in the first twenty minutes, including an opening for Lallana that was saved by Asmir Begovic.

Rickie Lambert was brought on just in time to challenge for an aerial ball that ended up with Gerrard free on goal to roll past Begovic for a consolation goal. It was emotional despite the score-line, heightened by the misery that we had brought upon ourselves with the abysmal first half display.  The stadium stood to acclaim a champion player as one.

We were well on top even though it was totally meaningless, with Ibe leading the way and some energy going forward. Adam Lallana was denied another potential penalty on a clear foul by Erik Pieters, but the 5-1 score-line makes it difficult to swallow.

Peter Crouch capped off the scoring with a header that shouldn't have been made so easy by Sakho and Toure close by. 6-1 totally unacceptable.

Stoke City: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Muniesa (Wilson 71), Pieters; N'Zonzi, Whelan, Adam, Arnautovic (Crouch 81); Walters (Odemwingie 67), Diouf

Subs not used: Ireland, Sidwell, Butland, Wollscheid

Scorers: Diouf 22, 26, Walters 30, Adam 41, N'Zonzi 45, Crouch 86

Booked: Shawcross, Whelan, Adam, Pieters

Liverpool: Mignolet; Can (Toure 45), Skrtel, Sakho, Moreno (Ibe 45); Henderson, Lucas, Allen (Lambert 69); Coutinho,Gerrard, Lallana

Subs not used: Lovren, Sterling, Markovic, Ward

Booked: Skrtel, Lucas

Scorer: Gerrard 70

Referee: Anthony Taylor

Attendance: 27,602

Man of the match - Steven George Gerrard MBE - how fitting that our great captain, talisman and leader got the consolation goal as he was the only LFC player that looked hurt by the score-line. Gonna miss saying those words "How Harrrrrddd? Gerrrrrard!!!! Not gonna ever have another home grown player like him- truly great player, you will always be missed but You will never walk alone!

Full-time thoughts: Everything still hurts. Roll on the summer, and whatever may come with it. Goodbye (and really really sorry) Stevie. The players did not show the fight in the last two games that you have shown throughout your great career - you will go down in my eyes as the greatest ever home grown player that LFC has ever produced.

Last season we went extremely close to bringing home the holy grail of the Premier League but this season showed that was nothing more than a false dawn. As soon as Rodgers was faced with having to play more than one game a week his plans fell apart. Time and time again this season he’s claimed a lack of coaching time was the biggest issue – but that’s how it works at clubs who play in Europe!

His excuses are pathetic, his formation and constant tinkering with players who can be picked one game and then left out in the cold for the next four or five games is just senseless!

Manager's comments:

“It was embarrassing, and if the owners want me to go, I'll go. But I still feel like I have a lot to offer here. I apologise to the supporters because it was nowhere near good enough. However I take full responsibility for today as manager, we have to go away and fix this.”

The manager looked at the media with a sombre expression and I feel that he has now taken the club as far as he can. He is a manager learning on the job, in reality we are a club that cannot wait for a manager learning on the job, we need a manager who is experienced and confident enough to handle the size of our club.

I expect the review to now take place in Boston and FSG need answers to the following:

1.      why we have had such a poor season

2.      why has Brendan misspent the money given to buy players

3.      why does he continue to get tactics so wrong

4.      why has he not sorted out the defence despite the millions spent

5.      And why we struggle to goals despite buying the strikers we purchased.

Our manager focused on buying Southampton players last season when we had the lure of Champions League football on offer and rather than aiming for top quality players from Europe or South America he chose a different route. 

That’s why we ended up in 6th place which after finishing 2nd last year is frankly not acceptable.  King Kenny won a trophy but still got sacked, our current manager should now face the same scenario but he hasn't even got a trophy to place on the bargaining table. Dalglish was told we need to qualify for CL football and his results in the league were not good enough, lets now see if FSG are fair owners and deal with the current management situation in the same vain over the next few days/weeks.

The earlier this is resolved the quicker we can get the new man into post.

Get ready to step forward Mr Jurgen Klopp - you have the credentials that we need right away.

Palace deliver knock-out Puncheon to Gerrard’s send-off

It was the day the club and its fans said goodbye for now to its favourite son.  Gerrard with his family in attendance inside the cauldron of an Anfield stadium filled to the brim with emotion was given a guard of honour by both teams.

While it was a day we knew would come it was still painful to watch Stevie G's final game on the hallowed turf knowing that those boots which so often scorched the Anfield turf are for pastures new.  The match may have been secondary, but make no mistake Palace were well worth their win and were unlucky not to have won more decisively.

We wished and waited for just one more magical Gerrard intervention, but even with Lallana breaking the deadlock early on it was not to be.

Gerrard and kids before the start

Alan Pardew like so many managers before him this season, denied Steven Gerrard the time and space to operate from his deep lying position.  Puncheon was mighty, controlling Palace’s tempo and driving the team forward doing a passable imitation of a younger Gerrard at play.

Bolasie gave Raheem Sterling a lesson on how a winger should play the striking role.  He mesmerised Moreno and ruined Lovren’s afternoon.  The centre-back is beginning to look as if the weight of his £20 million fee and the expectation is too much for him.  His performance vied with any of the dire performances the ex-Southampton player has delivered this season.  He was mauled and often left for dead by the Palace speedster and Moreno and for that matter Can did not escape the roasting handed out by the brilliant Congolese International.

Gerrard's celebrates Lallana's goal

The defensive display and the lack of protection from the midfield was ineptitude gone bad.  Daniel Sturridge or no Daniel Sturridge the need for a top class striker is for the here and now.  Try as he might Sterling is not going to quench the thirst of Brendan Rodgers strikers goal drought.

Sterling was poor and has been ever since his ill-advised use of the media to engineer either a bigger contract or a move.  Jordan Ibe was unlucky to be removed as it could have been any number of Liverpool players including Sterling.

The victory we so craved to send Steven Gerrard on his way to LA Galaxy was not forthcoming, but it failed to stop the celebrations from all including the wonderful Palace fans as Gerrard returned to the ground after the final whistle to say goodbye with his daughters Lourdes, Lexie and Lily-Ella and the Liverpool squad (with Gerrard shirts on)  for an emotional speech.

There were banners a plenty; “Thank you Liverpool’s Gr8est Y.N.W.A., “Steven Gerrard One of a Kind”, but a simple banner said it all, “It’s been a pleasure lad”.  The mosaic at the Kop End where he had once stood as fan read “S 8 G”, but moreover it was his words which made us realise the gap he is leaving because he makes us proud as our captain in all aspects.

Gerrard said, 'It felt very strange. I've been dreading this moment and I'm absolutely devastated I won't be playing in front of these supporters again.  

'I have to save my last thank you to these supporters who stand out more than any of them'.

'The very first time I ran out in front of The Kop, I'll never forget that. The first time I played for Liverpool was a dream come true. Everything after that was a bonus.

I'd like to thank everyone at the club who's helped me over the last 17 years, from top to bottom. I'd like to thank all the staff who have helped me, and all the ex-players I've played alongside.

But most of all, I'd like to thank the fans. These supporters here stand out more than any. I've played in front of most supporters around the world, but you are the best.' 

The hole Steven Gerrard leaves is significant both on and off the field and for me the sadness knows no bounds because he is my favourite player, but it is for Brendan Rodgers and co to step up to the plate and bridge the gap in the next transfer market and next season or else it won’t be only Steven Gerrard leaving.

Gerrard said some kind words in support of Brendan Rodgers remarking that Liverpool were in good hands, but over the past few months he has looked one dimensional and tactically suspect.  The jury is out and the honeymoon period is well and truly over even if he had fan flying a plane over Anfield with a banner saying in “Brendan we trust” in support.

Man of the match:  The Anfield faithful – sent their captain off in style.

Steven Gerrard arrived a boy, left a legend.

Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1 Gerrard gets another goal but CL hopes dashed at the Bridge

Blog by David Douglas

Before the game started the big talk was about the guard of honour we had to embarrassingly give to the new Premier League champions. Which we did only because of the nature of our club.

The game was billed as the Premier League champions against the Champions League hopefuls. A world renowned master versus a talented apprentice with much to learn. 

With Manchester United securing a hard-fought victory away to Crystal Palace yesterday we knew that anything less than a win will completely extinguish our faint dreams of the land of milk and honey. 

Therefore our manager's line-up was puzzling, but not unsurprisingly so given some of his recent decisions.

The game started with Steven Gerrard chants, a couple of robust challenges from Chelsea on Philippe Coutinho and then on Sterling. The challenge by Fabregas on Sterling's ankle being very nasty indeed with Fabregas being very fortunate to stay on the pitch.

A headed goal from John Terry from a set piece was far to easy for the Premier League champions. I fail to comprehend just why we had Lambert marking Terry when Skrtel is clearly our best defender.

Chelsea's long passing looked to be a potential weapon early on and released the quick Loïc Rémy with Dejan Lovren napping. Simon Mignolet thwarted the French striker from doubling Chelsea's lead with a little over ten minutes on the clock.

Liverpool showed a bright spark on 15 minutes after Emre Can played a clever pass to Raheem Sterling, suffering no ill-effects from the early knock on his ankle from a surprisingly over-committed Cesc Fàbregas, who ran at Chelsea's defenders with space ahead of him before dragging a low shot wide of Thibaut Courtois' goal.

On 32 minutes, Henderson played an excellent through ball to Rickie Lambert who would have had a clear one-on-one with Courtois if he had the pace and the anticipation necessary to profit.

We equalised through a set-piece and another header from Steven Gerrard who temporarily silenced the taunts from the home crowd. Two in two from the captain who was unmarked at the back post. His 119th league goal for his beloved club taking him past King Kenny and Michael Owen both on 118 into 9th place on our all time league goalscorers record.

Half-time thoughts: We didn't do too badly in the first half and were competitive against the champions. The right flank was an area of concern that Chelsea attacked frequently, testing Can's positional awareness. Long-term this needs to be addressed as Can is not a defender and in big games he is constantly being exposed.

Brendan Rodgers could look to taking off Rickie Lambert for more pace in the middle to threaten John Terry and half-time substitute Gary Cahill.

Just after the restart Coutinho fired wide with Courtois beaten we had started the second half brightly. Adam Lallana scuffed his shot across goal shortly before Sterling's approach play created an opportunity for Coutinho.

Willian fizzed the ball across the goal on 55 minutes, but we were troubling Chelsea with the movement and interplay between Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling with Jordon Ibe on the bench and Lazar Marković out of the squad. Who needs Memphis Depay? The only thing missing was the final (cutting edge) ball.

Nemanja Matić's arrival on the hour mark for 19-year-old Premier League debutant Ruben Loftus-Cheek was a sign of José Mourinho's concern with 30 minutes to go.

On 67 minutes, Rodgers made the most sensible substitution available by bringing on young Jerome Sinclair for Rickie Lambert for the 18-year-old's first senior appearance in the Premier League. Jordon Ibe came on for the bright but tiring Adam Lallana. Interestingly, Chelsea took control of the midfield soon after and pressed for a goal through Eden Hazard and Fàbregas.

Lucas Leiva replaced Steven Gerrard with just over ten minutes to go. The captain was booed by the majority of the stadium but was roundly applauded by the two opposing managers. To the credit of some Chelsea supporters, they joined the away support in clapping Gerrard off when they didn't have to.

A late deflected shot from Coutinho trickled to Courtois, Henderson's snap shot from outside the area went wide, but Liverpool couldn't find a winner in a game that petered out in intensity. Jordon Ibe, who switched to the right, beat two players to get into the area but took on a third instead of finding a red shirt.

Full-time thoughts: Points shared in a solid performance that the initial line-up did not suggest, but Champions League qualification is impossible with Manchester United six points ahead with two games remaining. The sizeable goal difference gap makes it effectively seven. A win seals fifth, which Liverpool should be able to achieve. A striker remains a priority.

Man of the match - Philippe Coutinho again!

By far our best player and we are going to have to build our team around him and hope that Teixeira and Lallana can provide support when he is not available to play.

Chelsea starting XI: Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry, Filipe Luis; Mikel, Loftus-Cheek; Willian, Fabregas, Hazard; Remy

Substitutes: Beeney, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ake, Matic, Cuadrado, Drogba

Liverpool starting XI: Mignolet, Johnson, Lovren, Skrtel, Can, Gerrard, Coutinho, Henderson, Lallana, Sterling, Lambert

Substitutes: Ward, Toure, Moreno, Lucas, Allen, Ibe, Sinclair

Initial thoughts after the match:

The over-riding problem this season is that we fell short for various reasons partly because we were not good enough in the first half of this season and partly because we sold Suarez and did not replace his intensity of play and goals. Also with Sturridge being constantly out injured and Rodgers striking purchases not performing to the required level, partly because we could not perform in the really big games, so now we will need to bring in at least two top quality strikers alongside loanee Origi. if Benteke and Ings are the chosen players so be it, but we are also going to need to bring in a player that can provide drive and real quality from midfield with Gerrard's impact on our goal tally no longer being available we are going to have to also replace his goals. With potentially Montoya coming in to play on the right side of the defence, Can should now be used as a driving midfielder option rather than a right sided defender.

Manager's comments:

"I thought he was excellent, Stevie. In the last couple of games he's got the winner [against QPR] and he's got the equaliser today," he said.

"You see the importance he has to the team. He's taken a lot of stick here over numbers of years but I think the Chelsea supporters knew deep down it's only because he's a superstar player who's been a thorn in their side for many years. 

"He's travelled up and down this country for 15 years and it was nice for him to get that [ovation from the Chelsea fans]."

"I’ve said before – he’s irreplaceable really, but we need to find the solutions one way or the other," he added.

"Whether it is players coming in, players that are here taking the step forward. 

"That’s got to be crucial, because he’s a player that makes the big contributions when needed and has done for many years."

"I thought we started slowly and obviously we conceded a disappointing goal from a corner," he continued.

"Then we grew into the game and I think once we got the goal we started to find our passing and our rhythm much better and I thought second half we were outstanding. 

"We just lacked that finishing in and around the box to get the winner which we deserved in the second half.

"That’s obviously been the issue for us this season – our lack of goals has really hurt us.

"But the players have done absolutely everything. It’s been a long season for them and we want to finish it well."

Summary

The end of season appraisal review blog by Kop post should be very interesting this year as we have not achieved any of our targets and the owners will want to know why a side that was second last year and has been provided with enough money to further improve the side fell short of the minimum requirement of qualifying again for CL football.

The answers that our manager produces for the questions from our owners will decide whether or not he is the right man for the mammoth task of producing a side to gate crash the top four at the end of next season.

Three games left in his Liverpool career and it's still Stevie G to the rescue

Following the announcement in the morning of the sad passing of Rio Ferdinand’s wife Jessica who has passed away the previous day at just 34 years old from breast cancer both teams wore black arms in tribute.  Steven Gerrard also presented Queen’s Park Rangers captain Joey Barton with a bouquet of flowers to pass on to Rio Ferdinand.

The days leading up to the match were filled with speculation and supposition on the future of Brendan Rodgers.  Just two wins in seven matches has loosened his firm grip on his occupancy at Anfield and with Jurgeon Klopp and former manager Rafa Benitez hovering in the background, conjecture was always going to be magnified with the Liverpool and Manchester City jobs likely to be the only two top jobs with the possibility of being vacant over the summer.

As if trying to apply further pressure to the manager a light aircraft was flown over the stadium with the trailing banner, “Rodgers out, Rafa in” which felt rather tactless.  Brendan later remarked, "I thought it was Rafa's agent.”

Captain Steven Gerrard returned for Joe Allen following the loss away to Hull with Rickie Lambert replacing Mario Balotelli and Adam Lallana in for Jordan Ibe.

Rangers started well, seemingly a yard quicker than Liverpool especially in the final third while Liverpool with Gerrard playing almost as a deep laying quarter-back sitting just in front of the centre-back struggled to get any sort of possession with midfield numbers being thin on the ground.

It was no surprise to see QPR have the first legitimate shots on goal after 10 minutes having seen Leroy Fer’s earlier effort ruled out in the first minute when the corner was deemed to have curled out of play.  What it did highlight was our poor defending with Fer literally unchallenged as us bundled the ball in.

In a bid to get Liverpool back on track Gerrard join the attack screwing his shot wide of the mark after Barton had been dispossessed.  Barton again lost the ball which found its way to Rickie Lambert cutting his way in from the left to fire a shot straight at Robert Green.

Liverpool were now on top and were soon a head.   Breaking fast from the breakdown of Hoop’s attack, Sterling moved the ball out wide to Lambert on the right, who cleverly brought the ball back inside the defender to astutely find Coutinho unmarked on the left side of the area to duck back inside to curl the ball beyond Green.   In that one moment the treatment of Lambert over the season had one wondering about his manager’s motives in not using the striker in a more strategic fashion and as such it is not a surprise to hear the ex-Southampton man being linked to Chelsea.

A superb passing move ended with Coutinho applying an adroit through ball for Sterling to finish, but unfortunately he had strayed offside.

As has been the way of late, Liverpool failed to turn possession into goals and at half-time while we were well worth the lead the feeling was that QPR was still in the game.

Early in the second-half in the space of five minutes the lack of cutting edge in the final third was clearly exposed.  First, Lallana after being put through by a wonderful reverse Coutinho ball failed the target and then Sterling, picked out by a sensational Henderson curling cross from right unbelievably blazed his shot over the bar from close range.  After his recent exploits in the media he appears almost devoid of confidence and Rodgers must be contemplating pulling the player put of the starting line-up.

As is the way when chances go astray, Liverpool got their comeuppance when Leroy Fer who had shown an inclination to shoot on sight all day, volleyed Barton’s corner past Mignolet in fine fashion.

Incredibly, Nedum Onuoha seemed threw all his side’s hard away work by dragging down Martin Skrtel in the box for a nailed on penalty being booked in the process.  As he has so many times Steven Gerrard prepared to take a penalty in front of the Kop, but this time saw his spot kick saved superbly by Robert Green. 

At that moment it felt the season could be disintegrating into the abyss before our eyes.  But then this was the tail of two men.  Nedum Onuoha, with Jordan Ibe still just inside his own half decided to hack down the Liverpool winger and at that moment ended any idea of his side winning the game.

As he has so often in front of the home faithful, cometh the hour Steven Gerrard spared his side’s blushes.  The Liverpool captain rose spectacularly between Zamora and Barton to header Philippe Coutinho’s corner past Green and lift the stadium into delirium with the realisation that it could well be the last time they would see a Gerrard moment in front of the Kop.

A minute before time, Gerrard was replaced by Lucas to a resounding ovation from Anfield for its favourite son.  He had pulled it off again and one wondered and hoped that Brendan Rodgers is already on the case finding a top class replacement.

Man of the Match:  Philippe Coutinho – growing in stature in everything game and is fast becoming one of the leaders of the team and must be in contention to be Brendan Rodgers vice-captain.

As Coutinho raises his game Raheem Sterling has gone the opposite way.  Obviously effected by his ill-advised public shenanigans in the media, he appears shot at the moment and Rodgers may feel a stint on the bench may give the player time to reflect and come again.

Rickie Lambert led the line well and one wonders whether Brendan Rodgers on reflection will regret not exploiting the England striker’s experience and undoubted abilities over the season.  His cleverness in providing the assist for Coutinho’s goal says he’s missed a trick.

In Gerrard, we’ve seen it all before.  His lateral movement is no longer as it was and he has lost the spectacular overdrive which set him apart once he unleashed that raking stride.  What he still possesses is that spring from headers and it shows just what Rodgers and his committee members need to do in the next transfer market.  Pure and simple we need world class, not promising world class talent aspiring to be world class to make the make the leap to challenge Chelsea, Man City and others.

Manager’s comments:

"Steven Gerrard is one of a unique group of players that when they need to respond, they do.  An outstanding header gets us the win. "It is a world-class talent. There is a very small group of players in that bracket when, in the big games, they score the big goals and make the big contributions and he has done that throughout his career.

"He missed a penalty and you think it may go against us but there was no-one more determined to make up for it.

"It will probably only be when he is gone that people will recognise what a sheer talent he is."

Teams:

Liverpool: 22 Mignolet. 23 Can, 37 Skrtel, 6 Lovren, 2 Johnson (Markovic – 84 mins), 14 Henderson, 8 Gerrard (Lucas – 89 mins), 10 Coutinho, 31 Sterling, 9 Lambert, 20 Lallana (Ibe – 68 mins)

Substitutes: 4 K Toure, 18 Moreno, 21 Lucas, 24 Allen, 33 Ibe, 50 Markovic, 52 Ward

Newcastle: 1 Green, 15 Onuoha, 22 Dunne, 4 Caulker (Yun Suk-young – 45 mins), 6 Hill, 7 Phillips, 8 Barton, 30 Sandro, 20 Henry (Zamora – 71 mins), 10 Fer, 9 Austin

Substitutes: 11 Wright-Phillips, 12 McCarthy, 13 Yun Suk-young, 19 Kranjcar, 23 Hoilett, 25 Zamora, 39, Grego-Cox

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Attendance: 44, 707