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Liverpool, Premier League match reports

Manchester City 08/26/2012: The Glass is Half Full

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Martin Skrtel and Luis Suarez got the goals for Liverpool—and what brilliant goals they were—but Brendan Rodgers’ side were culpable for the two goals they conceded to Manchester City in a pulsating 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.

This was far removed from last Saturday’s calamitous showing at West Brom, with Liverpool exhibiting some impressive build-up play throughout the encounter with the Premier League champions.

But the old problem resurfaced again—that of Liverpool being the better team but failing to get all three points.

And now: the positives and negatives from Sunday’s matchup from Liverpool’s point of view:

Just the One Point to Show for It…

Once again, as so often was the case under Kenny Dalglish last season, Liverpool spent most of the 90 minutes as the better team.

But once again, we didn’t come away with the three points to show for their performance.

This time it wasn’t for a lack of Liverpool goals, but rather two uncharacteristic gaffes at the back.

Either way, Brendan Rodgers will have to work on setting a balance between an efficient attack and an efficient defence.

Otherwise, for a sloppy defensive error to once again take away almost all the good work Liverpool did in the midfield and up front would be a massive shame.

And it would contribute to them falling further behind in the league table.

…But the Passing Play and Closing Down Were Very Encouraging

But no way was this draw as hard to take as the opening-weekend defeat at West Brom, because the silver linings were that obvious.

If Rodgers and his squad wanted to prove that last Saturday was just a “one-off,” they put in a collective display that went lengths in doing just that.

Minus the Hawthorns collapse, Liverpool have seemed to take to Rodgers’ system very quickly.

Overall, the crisp passing play and tenacious closing down exhibited all over the pitch should bode very well for the future, even if they have only yielded the one point in two games.

Even when Carlos Tevez pounced on Martin Skrtel’s back-pass to equalize for City, Liverpool never looked settled for a point.

It’s this desire—if not the profligacy—that Rodgers and we hope will bode well for the future.

Defensive Lapses Cost Liverpool Two Points…

Back to the defence, because it deserves a portion of the limelight in the post-match wake.

There has been a vicious cycle at work at Anfield for the best part of a year now.

The lack of goals is being compounded by some glaring defensive lapses that are costing Liverpool points simply because of a relative lack of concentration from the back.

Given the eye-gorging scoreline at West Brom, this was exacerbated and seared in recent memory by the tireless running and pressing of Shane Long, but this goes back to last-gasp goals like that conceded to Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez last season.

Rodgers declared after the City game that Skrtel had the right idea in passing back to Pepe Reina for the Tevez goal, and that punting it forward would have been the simple option.

Except that the right idea was not accompanied by the requisite awareness, and that the simple option could have brought him two more points.

…But We Now Have a Real Third-Choice Central Defender

Martin Skrtel enjoyed an otherwise productive day against City, not least because of his frankly brilliant header to open the scoring.

But enough of him for now—some credit should be paid to his central defensive partner for the day, Sebastian Coates.

For all of his lack of match fitness, and for all of Daniel Agger’s classy defensive play, Coates showed on Sunday why he should absolutely have climbed over Jamie Carragher in the pecking order of center-backs.

To be sure, Coates did show moments of hesitation, including one in the first half that allowed Mario Balotelli to nip in and steal the ball, forcing Martin Kelly to concede a free kick.

But Coates put in enough well-timed tackles and good linkups with Kelly, Skrtel and Reina to show that all the hype surrounding his arrival at Anfield might not be unjustified after all.

No Goals from Open Play Yet…

The other side to the 2-2 draw, the other side to the two goals scored by Liverpool, is that we still haven’t notched from open play yet.

Perhaps this had to do with Fabio Borini’s narrow miss after Raheem Sterling’s brilliant cross from the left wing.

Or maybe to do with Luis Suarez’s still-profligate finishing in open play.

Or maybe, still, to do with Suarez’s poor decision making from the flanks, often leading to mishit crosses or mistimed passes.

The fact remains that, with Andy Carroll seemingly out of favor under Rodgers, Liverpool’s strikers just aren’t clinical enough at this stage.

…But Finally Some Set-Piece Threats

There’s a new-found set-piece prowess, though, that finally brings some variety to Liverpool’s goals.

Against Manchester City, Steven Gerrard delivered a picture-perfect corner that was met with a picture-perfect bullet header from Skrtel to open the scoring.

And, just minutes after conceding to Yaya Toure, Luis Suarez delivered a picture-perfect free kick that Joe Hart couldn’t do anything about.

This on the back of an inventive piece of set-piece play that Liverpool showed in a preseason friendly against Bayer Leverkusen, which was supposed to set Suarez up for a goal, but ended up leading to the rarity that is a goal from Lucas.

All without the £10 million left foot of Charlie Adam.

Lucas Got Injured…

Speaking of Lucas, Rodgers will be hoping that his injury troubles don’t resurface.

Having worked so hard back to full fitness—and indeed making it back to first-team football a couple of months before he was scheduled to fully recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury—Lucas pulled a muscle just minutes into Sunday’s game.

The loss of Lucas back in November last year and its impact on the rest of Liverpool’s 2011-2012 season has been retold countless times.

While this muscle pull might not and should not be on the same scale as his injury last season, Lucas has become such an integral part of the Liverpool midfield that his loss would be felt all the same.

…But Joe Allen and Jonjo Shelvey Fit Right In

Of course, all this might sound a tad melodramatic, especially given the way Joe Allen performed having been moved into Lucas’ sitting role and Jonjo Shelvey’s encouraging shift in center midfield as Lucas’ substitute.

To say they equipped themselves well would be an understatement.

Allen, with his pinpoint passing, classy distribution, decision making and closing down, showed all of Anfield why Rodgers went all out for his signature this summer. He looks to be Liverpool’s best passer of the ball since Xabi Alonso.

Shelvey shelved his enthusiastic attacking instincts and the rawer side of his physical game to fit in perfectly with short, crisp passes, as well as good positional awareness.

With new loan signing Nuri Sahin looking on from the stands, Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson will have every reason to fear for their first-team places this season.

Early Nerves from a Young, Young Liverpool Side…

For all of Liverpool’s excellent display against the reigning champions, we started off nervously, and the stray passes in the midfield showed their nerves.

It might have been a sign of the players still taking to Rodgers’ ideas, but it probably had more to do with the fact that Liverpool played their youngest starting XI since 2003.

The average age of the Liverpool players that took to the Anfield pitch on Sunday was 24 years and 364 days.

This could have backfired spectacularly against an experienced, world-class City team.

But in the end, it almost brought Rodgers three points, and indeed heralded the beginning of a new Liverpool era.

…But for Once, Some Young Talents to Really Get Excited About

A new Liverpool era that will be spearheaded by the likes of Allen, Coates, Shelvey and Borini.

And Raheem Sterling. (You were wondering when his name would be mentioned, weren’t you?)

For all those who weren’t aware of Sterling’s burgeoning reputation, this was a warm welcome to this exciting young talent.

Chosen rightly (or should that be leftly?) in place of the continually hapless Stewart Downing, Sterling stayed on for the full 90 minutes on his first league start for Liverpool; a sign of his stamina and energy, yes, but also a sign of his maturity.

And it was a maturity that saw some exquisite first touches, good linkup plays with Glen Johnson down the left and, perhaps most importantly, a continual drive to stay on his man and close down on the opposition.

He won’t be starting for Liverpool every week, but he will be one to watch this season and for years to come.

Conclusion

All in all, a good performance from Rodgers’ charges, but still plenty of work to do to turn performances into points.

The glass has suddenly become half full.

 

Original article from Bleacher Report

Liverpool, Premier League match reports

West Brom 08/18/2012: What Went Wrong?

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After the opening weekend of the English Premier League season, Liverpool find themselves third from bottom in the league table, courtesy of a 3-0 loss against West Brom at the Hawthorns.

Perhaps equally memorable for Zoltan Gera’s long-range strike as it will be for Liverpool’s double-penalty farce, the game marked Liverpool’s worst-ever start to a Premier League season.

The saving grace is that Brendan Rodgers has time to turn it around, but in an increasingly cutthroat Premier League, the Reds must rebound quickly.

Hindsight is 20-20, but let’s now consider five things that Rodgers got wildly wrong in an embarrassing result for his new club.

1. Failing to Set Up His Defence Against Shane Long

The first error was made painfully obvious even from the opening whistle.

Shane Long has been known for his industrious work rate leading the West Brom line, and the partnership of Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger just didn’t do enough to contain his threat up front.

Taking their time on the ball and not being mindful of Long’s presence, Skrtel and Agger were at fault for the goal that secured West Brom’s eventual victory and for Agger’s sending off.

Whether the red card and the two penalties would not have been given in an alternate universe remains up for debate, but if Skrtel and Agger had so much trouble against a harrying Shane Long, how can they be expected to contain the likes of Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli for Manchester City this coming Sunday?

2. Throwing Lucas Back into the Deep End

Last Saturday marked Lucas’ return to the starting lineup in a Premier League game for the best part of nine months.

Which in itself is commendable on Lucas’ part—but in hindsight perhaps Rodgers could have done more to ease him back into the team.

That Rodgers had no qualms about slotting him straight back into his starting XI was perhaps a testament to his faith in Lucas and Lucas’ own ability. While his partnership in central midfield with Joe Allen had plenty of encouraging signs, they were ultimately overrun by a physical duo of Youssuf Mulumbu and Claudio Yacob.

The argument for Lucas’ extensive gametime is perhaps that he has featured all throughout Liverpool’s preseason, but the EPL is a whole different beast.

3. Playing and Sticking with Stewart Downing

Stewart Downing was rewarded for his fine preseason displays with a starting berth on the right wing in a front three; only for Downing to reward Rodgers’ faith with a typically anonymous performance with no end product.

If there is one thing that Rodgers should take away from his opening-day loss, it should be that Downing only delivers in games against lower-league opposition (see his dazzling cup performances last term) and those with little to no implication (see his preseason displays and that in Belarus against FC Gomel, with whom a second leg at Anfield beckoned).

Time and again the ball fell at Downing’s feet, only for him to waste crossing chance after crossing chance, or to halt the play completely while he switched back onto his favored left foot (also known as his only operable foot).

Perhaps his replacement after Agger’s sending off—Jamie Carragher—could’ve done a better job.

4. Switching Luis Suarez and Fabio Borini’s Positions

After an eye-catching display against FC Gomel, Fabio Borini emerged as a decent goalscoring option for Liverpool, and his dovetailing with Luis Suarez seemed to be an encouraging prospect.

The Suarez-Borini partnership was going swimmingly until Rodgers decided to tinker with it by switching their positions.

Previously granted the freedom of the left wing, Suarez was utilized in a central striking role against West Brom, which allowed the opposing defenders to focus their attentions on him.

While his trickery and unpredictability still ensured that they had to endure an uncomfortable night, he failed to display the finishing composure that should be expected from a central striker.

By contrast, Borini, who previously excelled at finding the space that a predatory striker thrives on, was shunted out to the wing, where he, with lesser dribbling and outright pace, failed to trouble the West Brom defence.

Together with Downing, Borini formed an anonymous wing partnership and a toothless alliance with Suarez.

5. Delaying Andy Carroll’s Introduction

The nature of a Plan B is that it should be used if Plan A doesn’t work out.

But in the case of Andy Carroll, he might not even have taken to the Hawthorns pitch if it weren’t for Joe Cole’s hamstring injury just minutes after Liverpool’s No. 10 came on as a substitute himself.

In delaying Andy Carroll’s introduction, Rodgers seemed to tread in Kenny Dalglish’s footsteps, and that hesitancy and reluctance in making key substitutions will not augur well for both the Liverpool fans and for Carroll himself.

There is perhaps a case against sending on a striker—and a big targetman at that—when you are 3-0 down, but had he been introduced early, he would have given the West Brom defence something else to worry about against a 10-man Liverpool—and an extra outlet for the Reds attack.

The Silver Lining…?

The silver lining in Saturday’s cloud, of course, is that it was Brendan Rodgers’ first league game in charge of Liverpool.

The Rodgers revolution was always going to take time, and if anything, the West Brom result perhaps served to bring expectations down to earth, albeit in an extremely sobering manner.

Perhaps it will have taken such a result for Rodgers to realize some of the points made above.

Hindsight is 20-20, but retrospect is only useful when you act on your mistakes to tackle problems in the future.

The 3-0 loss against Steve Clarke’s side will have been for nothing if Rodgers doesn’t make changes accordingly in the games to come.

 

Original article from Bleacher Report

Liverpool, Others

What Brendan Rodgers Must Do Before the Start of the Season

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A week from this Saturday, the 2012-2013 EPL season kicks off—which means that all 20 Premier League clubs only have a week and a half to prepare for their first fixtures.

But Liverpool’s pre-EPL season preparations are by no means over yet.

Here are seven things Brendan Rodgers must do before he takes his Liverpool team to the Hawthorns next Saturday.

1. Go Through to the Next Round of the Europa League

First things first: Liverpool, after a year of complete absence from Europe, are back in the Europa League.

If they take care of business at Anfield against Belarus’ FC Gomel.

No matter how obscure their opponents this Thursday may be, Liverpool only hold a one-goal advantage, and any slip-up could be costly.

Liverpool and European football go together.

While the target for the season is to secure a top-four finish and return to the Champions League next season, they will need to ensure that they aren’t out of Europe this season before a Premier League ball is even kicked in anger.

2. Complete Deals for Joe Allen, Gaston Ramirez

Now onto transfer business.

Supposedly linked with substantial Liverpool bids are Swansea’s Joe Allen (The Independent) and Bologna’s Gaston Ramirez (The Standard); both midfielders would add quality to Rodgers’ midfield.

For a side that requires a metronomic playmaker in the midfield to keep the ball moving alongside a more defensive-minded partner (Lucas Leiva), Allen makes sense as an acquisition to bring more creativity and stability in the midfield, and he would also release Steven Gerrard to play in a more advanced position.

Ramirez would add speed and skill to the wings, which should be a key emphasis in Rodgers’ 4-3-3 formation. With few out-and-out wingers in the squad, Rodgers would do well to address this area by bringing in Ramirez.

The Liverpool squad would look much more complete if these two players are finally brought in—and it would do the squad a world of good if their transfers were secured before the Premier League starts for real.

3. Sign Daniel Agger on a New Contract

Besides bringing in some additional quality players, Rodgers will also need to keep hold of his star players.

Daniel Agger has been strongly linked with a big-money move to Manchester City (The Guardian), whose place at the top of English football, regular Champions League action and riches on offer will certainly be enticing.

Agger is one of the best defenders in England, ball-playing or not, and his passing quality and attacking instincts make him a perfect fit for Rodgers’ system.

To sanction such a move would not only be a PR disaster in Rodgers’ case—branding Liverpool as a selling club—but also a huge blow to Liverpool’s preparations for the Premier League.

4. Resolve Midfield Issues

Moving on to the midfield, where, regardless of whether Rodgers does bring in Joe Allen and Gaston Ramirez, there are still issues that must be resolved.

The first is obviously that of finding a regular partner for Lucas.

Steven Gerrard proved in the European Championships earlier this summer that he is capable of putting in a world-class shift in the center of midfield, but he has without doubt made a much bigger impact in a more advanced role over the years in a Red shirt.

With the departure of Alberto Aquilani, who on paper seemed a good fit in Rodgers’ possession-based system, someone needs to come in and fill that role.

Which then raises the issue of Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson and Jay Spearing.

All three have their attributes—and Henderson seems to have the most potential out of the trio—but at the moment, Rodgers needs to sort out their exact roles in the Liverpool midfield, especially if he will only go with a midfield three.

And that’s not including the futures and roles of Joe Cole and Stewart Downing.

5. Find a Way to Incorporate Andy Carroll into the Side

Rodgers faces some headaches up front, too.

The most notable of which is a £35 million powerhouse headache wearing the No. 9 shirt.

Now that it’s clear that Andy Carroll is vehemently refusing a move away from Anfield (ESPNSoccernet), Rodgers will need to either find a club who will prove enticing enough (Newcastle), or accept that Carroll will be in his squad for at least the coming six months.

Which means that Rodgers will need to find a way to incorporate Andy Carroll into his side.

This after signing Fabio Borini, who seems certain to be Rodgers’ first-choice striker this term.

Find the right mix, though, and he might just be surprised what Carroll can bring to the team.

6. Sort out Player Loans

And after Rodgers sorts out his personnel situation, he will need to go one further and decide which ones to farm out on loan.

The likes of Raheem Sterling, Suso and Jonjo Shelvey all performed well in Liverpool’s preseason games and will likely get further chances to impress in their final friendly against Leverkusen this weekend, but only Rodgers will know how close to regular first-team action they might be.

The recent introduction of the U21 Premier League is a great reason to keep them on for regular action for the Liverpool reserves if they sit out their senior-team games, but conversely, a loan spell might do their Liverpool careers a world of good.

Of course, Rodgers will also pay close attention to the loan market to bring in players who might be made available.

7. Make Sure Luis Suarez Really Does Move on from the Evra Incident

The breaking news this Tuesday was that Luis Suarez signed a new contract with Liverpool (BBC Sport).

The on-field implications of this are all positive: There is no need to go on about the kind of explosive and unpredictable creative play that he brings to the Liverpool attack.

But equally, Suarez brings explosive and unpredictable liabilities off the field, which the Liverpool hierarchy will want to limit drastically.

Only a few weeks ago, Suarez seemed to reignite his race row with Patrice Evra last season—a move that Rodgers was quick to address in the media.

Rodgers suggested publicly that it was in the best interests for all parties concerned that Suarez “move on” from the controversy (The Guardian).

He will want to make sure he does move on and make all the headlines on the pitch, for all the right reasons.

Conclusion

So far, Brendan Rodgers has made a very good impression on Liverpool fans by saying all the right things.

But he will know as clearly as anyone that the ultimate judgment will be his results on the pitch.

To ensure that he gets off to a good start, he still has a lot of work to do this summer—all of which should ideally be done before the Premier League kicks off once again.

 

Original article from Bleacher Report

Liverpool, Others

Brendan Rodgers, Dirk Kuyt and Adaptability

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I’ve held out on writing a first piece on Brendan Rodger’s appointment and a last piece on Dirk Kuyt’s Liverpool career, because I’ve wanted to organize my thoughts on both. (That, and I’ve been extremely busy for the last few weeks, but of course that’s irrelevant here. Somewhat.)

So, first, a warm welcome to Brendan Rodgers, and a fond farewell to Dirk Kuyt.

Let’s talk about Dirk Kuyt.

He’s been a staple in the Liverpool side I’ve followed religiously over the past few years. There are endless tributes all over the print media, all over the Internet on Kuyt’s work-rate, his indefatigable stamina, his knack for being at the right place at the right time, his selflessness, his teamwork, his passion towards the Liverpool cause. There’s no need to further extol his virtues, if only because I’d only be beating a (nearly-) dead horse.

To me, Dirk Kuyt will be remembered as who he was – a Liverpool great – because he adapted.

And, while he played at center-forward, second striker, left winger, right winger – no, this isn’t a tribute to his versatility, but rather his mindset. Dirk Kuyt adapted.

When he first arrived from Feyenoord, where he set scoring records as an out-and-out striker, Kuyt adapted to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League.

Then, when Fernando Torres arrived, bringing with him that all-too-rare world-class ability to turn chances in goals, Kuyt was moved to the right wing without even making a noise. He continued to deliver his big game-winning strikers. He continued to defend from the front. He continued to time his runs to help break up the opposition defence. All from the right wing. He adapted.

You see – to me, there is an added mental dimension to adaptability.

It’s like Steven Gerrard, who moved to right-back in Istanbul to shut out AC Milan’s Serginho. He did that with the team in mind. He was moved out to the right side of midfield to facilitate a new tactical approach in the 2005-2006 season. He finished that season with his best ever goals tally. He moved up to second striker just to provide the finishing touch to a world-beating partnership spearheaded by Torres.

Sure, Gerrard is famous for publicly expressing his preference for a central midfield position. But when push comes to shove, Steven Gerrard adapts.

Sometimes this kind of attribute is considered to be at the detriment of the player himself. Kuyt was never considered a world-class right-winger during his time at Liverpool. Gerrard has been used in all kinds of positions and had been overlooked as England captain all these years.

But those of us who step back once in a while recognize this adaptability. And we reserve the highest kinds of tributes for these players.

Enter Brendan Rodgers.

It’s been an impressive first week at Anfield for Rodgers, no doubt. He’s made all the right noises, impressing upon us fans the kind of approach he wants to bring to Liverpool and outlining the fact that he has the experience to take Liverpool up to the top.

All of which is well and good, but ultimately it counts for nothing if you can’t adapt to the job.

Rafa Benitez adapted. He came from Valencia looking for a challenge, and he got it with a sub-par Liverpool squad whose quality was reflected in a fifth-place league finish. Yet he worked with a squad containing the likes of Djimi Traore and Igor Biscan, and took home a Champions League trophy in his first season.

He studied his opponents and adapted his gameplans specifically against them. He brought in new players to add new options to the team, he revamped the youth academy, and he grew as a member of the Liverpool community.

Now, it didn’t always work – how many times were we frustrated when Torres got subbed around the 70-minute mark when Liverpool needed a goal? What about when he publicly pursued Gareth Barry at the expense of Xabi Alonso? What about when he persisted with a yet-to-mature Lucas?

But Benitez adapted. A look back on his record at Liverpool showed that, if anything, given the ownership situation during his reign, Benitez adapted, all right.

Roy Hodgson didn’t. He failed to grasp that Liverpool, hoping to climb their way back up the Premier League table following an underwhelming season, weren’t looking for underwhelming signings clearly not up to Top Four standard. He failed to grasp that a safety-first approach, while it worked at mid-table Fulham, wouldn’t be enough to satisfy the ever-demanding Kop. He failed to grasp that a defensive and conciliatory media personality didn’t fit with the bullish continental profile that a modern Liverpool want.

Kenny Dalglish, too, didn’t. Entering the Liverpool all-time records for Top Five most expensive signings four times in six months wasn’t what we were looking for. Nor was persisting with those same players when more clinical and experienced options were sat on the bench. Nor was adopting a confrontational approach to the media.

Unfortunately, in hindsight, Hodgson and Dalglish’s departures, while under different circumstances, were understandable and inevitable.

Whether or not Rodgers’ appointment is a useful solution depends very much on how he can adapt.

He knows that John Henry’s preference is to build a squad on bargain signings. He did that at Swansea. But while we don’t need an Andy Carroll or a Luis Suarez every transfer window, perhaps free transfers like Mohamed Diame aren’t enough. Look to the capital for a £10-million Lukas Podolski or a £7-million Marko Marin for a perfect example of cost-effective ambition.

He knows that everyone’s preference is to play good football. He did that at Swansea. But during the journey to become England’s answer to Barcelona, perhaps a balance has to be made in view of goals, victories and points. Just because Andy Carroll is a traditional British targetman doesn’t mean he can’t fit into a multi-faceted Liverpool side, as so many pundits are suggesting. Arsenal, whose penchant for attractive football is legendary, hoofed it long to Robin van Persie this season. That’s how they scored both their goals in their 2-1 win at Anfield.

Most of all, Brendan Rodgers knows that ultimately, it’s up to him to do his talking on the pitch. His last stint at a Top Four challenger was as an assistant at Chelsea. He will have to adapt to being top dog at Anfield.

He said in a recent interview that there are three kinds of Liverpool fans: the ones that support the manager regardless of results; the ones that need to be convinced by results; and the ones that can never come round.

I’m a proud, unabashed member of the second club.

All you have to do, Mr. Rodgers, is adapt and show that you can lead Liverpool forward.

It’ll be a hell of task.

Liverpool, Premier League match reports

Wigan 3/24/2012: That’s It For Now

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Liverpool used to embody everything I aspired to be.

When I first watched Michael Owen in my early years, I wanted to be like him. Young, talented, successful, and with never-ending potential. I wanted to make things happen.

When I then recognized Steven Gerrard’s importance in the Liverpool team, I found the idea of being a creator even more appealing. The energetic, creative, hardworking team player who thrives on giving others opportunities. With an unparalleled ability to handle pressure and stress. That was true leadership. Not by words, but by example. As I grew into Liverpool during my high school years and became a fully-fledged diehard in college, Steven Gerrard was the very embodiment of the kind of person I wanted to become.

When I saw Rafa Benitez, I saw an intelligent and versatile manager who could work around problems and come up with ways to get over obstacles. Someone who could make do with having less talent at his disposal, but able to make up for lost ground simply through strategy.

When I watched Xabi Alonso play, I saw someone so classy he was able to make some of the hardest tasks look routine and effortless. Someone so humble and down to earth about his abilities, and so keen to give others credit. Someone whose contribution and talent he never needed to acknowledge, because everyone would realize even more during his absence.

When I fell in love with Fernando Torres, I wanted to be effective, composed, and so in tune with a collective cause that I’d be willing to sacrifice short-term gain for a long-term vision. In Pepe Reina I saw someone who championed the value of the team so highly that he would be the first to celebrate David Ngog’s clincher against Manchester United, that he would be so selflessly professional in giving Iker Casillas penalty tips.

And finally, when I watched Liverpool, I realized and connected to the importance of never giving up. Sure, Liverpool loved to do things the hard way – extra-time goals, last-minute goals, penalty shootouts. There would be frustrations along the way, but finding everything I connected to in the team and on the pitch every week, despite some trials and tribulations, was worth rooting for to the very ends of the earth.

If you know me personally, you’ll know that I’m not one to wear my heart on my sleeve. But it was the fact that I felt so in tune with Liverpool Football Club that I’d proudly wear my Liverpool shirt to class and around campus on the day of a Liverpool game, leave lectures early and run back to my dorm for a live Champions League broadcast, and wake up at 7 in the morning every weekend for Premier League action.

It was a love affair that I never thought could end.

But now, I see my erstwhile beloved team wilt away in the face of adversity.

I see them give up when the going gets tough.

I see them continue to come up with excuses to mask over problems.

I see them stay stubborn and not address areas that need substantial improvement.

I see them freeze when there are so many options to take, when they should be ecstatic at the sheer possibilities of what they can do.

I see them lie down and be unsportsmanlike.

I see a Liverpool Football Club that, contrary to what the coaches and the players claim, is heading further and further into the foggy realms of mediocrity.

And as I watch a Liverpool Football Club that used to promise so much and mean so much in my life, I’m getting more and more disillusioned and apathetic.

Because how can you muster the commitment and passion to follow a team when they don’t reciprocate that commitment and passion?

How are you supposed to buy into a club anthem that tells us to walk on with hope and to walk on through the wind and the rain, when those associated with the club don’t have that hope, and aren’t willing to battle the elements?

The Liverpool Football Club that I knew and loved is no longer.

And until that fire within me is rekindled and my support is once again deserving of its “unconditional” status, this will be it from me for now.

Liverpool, Premier League match reports

Everton 03/13/2012: That’s More Like It

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Finally, three points to show for a dominant performance.

And what a performance.

Liverpool barnstormed to a Steven Gerrard-sized destruction of Everton in the Merseyside derby last night. The skipper’s hattrick marked an emphatic return to winning ways, and in some style.

Every single player on the pitch – even Stewart Downing, who played much more central than normal and was much less effective than he’s threatened to be in the past few weeks, and Jordan Henderson, who went through the motions of an insipid and uninspired first half – was excellent.

So where would we start?

Perhaps with Martin Kelly. Given the quality that we’ve always known to exist within Kelly, perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise that Glen Johnson is still out injured. With pace, power and positional awareness, Kelly put in a top-class performance as a marauding full-back. He might not have the close dribbling and guile that Johnson has, but he’s a handful all right. Would have made the England squad by now if it weren’t for Johnson’s form this season.

Or Jose Enrique. More evidence of his pure physical strength was on show last night as he bulldozed Everton’s right side to submission time and again. But this is what we’ve been accustomed to for most of the season. Shouldn’t be a surprise.

How about Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel? The much-maligned vice-captain came in and looked like he’d never left. He even cut out the long ball over the top to Carroll – I would’ve offered to eat my hat if anyone predicted that before the game. Skrtel was shifted to Daniel Agger’s usual left side, but he didn’t care. It was just business as usual as he proceeded to dominate all the one-on-ones and aerial battles that came his way. The considerably bulky Victor Anichebe and Denis Stracqualursi were reduced to nothingness and substituted having made zero meaningful contributions to the Everton attack.

And Jay Spearing? The Liverpool lad always saves something extra for the derbies, and what he lacks in pure technique and finesse, he makes up for in passion. A ubiquitous showing from the covering defensive midfielder – though, of course, we have to recognize that he can’t be the long-term back-up for Lucas.

Luis Suarez was back to his mesmerizing best, and he ripped Everton’s defence open with two assists for Gerrard. He was played largely in a supporting role behind Carroll, and that’s where he should be in the long run. Cut down on the theatrics, and we’d really have a gem on our hands.

Andy Carroll wasn’t half bad either. In fact, he was pretty darn good. Who would’ve thought he’d dominate almost all his headers against the man mountain that is Sylvain Distin? Or that he’s actually capable of Peter Crouch-esque great-touch-for-a-big-man flicks and turns? Or – I can’t believe I’m about to say this – that he can pick out a pass from the midfield like Xabi Alonso once did?

Okay, maybe I’m getting a bit over-excited, but this is some sort of minor vindication for all the support I’ve given Carroll (and all the flak I’ve taken for doing so). But seriously, it was so pleasing to see that he is actually capable of playing in a pass-and-move team. There’s plenty of hope in him yet.

And then we arrive at Stevie G.

What words can I use to describe this man that I haven’t used before?

Of course, this is the same man who’s powered me through an entire workday on the back of less than four hours of sleep – I certainly don’t regret that sleep lost its battle against a 4am match.

This was Gerrard at his midfield general, talismanic best. Putting his body on the line with some great tackles and blocks, and driving through the midfield like the Gerrard of old, he delivered a true captain’s performance. It’s not one we should be getting used to, given his advancing years, but one up there with his best, and one we should treasure. Truly first-class, and his link-up play with Carroll and Suarez was a joy to behold as well.

In case this wasn’t clear enough already – it’s been a while since I’ve felt so good about a Liverpool display.

Sure, the Carling Cup win was great, and to see some silverware was definitely satisfying – but the shootout win over Cardiff was more a relief than anything. As with so many other wins this season, because it’s been a year of such fine margins that goals have more often been greeted with relief rather than pure joy.

Not last night.

Finally, the performance we’ve almost trademarked at times this season has yielded the three points that we’ve always threatened to come away with, but have never actually succeeded in doing.

It might be too late to salvage a Top Four finish, but it’s never too late to salvage pride.

Liverpool, Premier League match reports

Arsenal 3/3/2012: Over and Out

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Same old Anfield, just without a point.

Once again, Liverpool won in all the statistical battles but came out inferior in the most important one of all.

Perhaps, with two posts hit, a penalty missed and a few fine stops from Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny, Liverpool were unlucky to win. But with a total goal tally of 30 (Robin van Persie has 25 himself), Liverpool are just not doing the business in front of goal.

Which means our unimpressive home record this season is a deserved result from such a profligate attack. No two ways around it.

It certainly didn’t help that Craig Bellamy, arguably Liverpool’s most effective player this season, and Andy Carroll, who would have enjoyed a field day against Arsenal’s porous and ponderous backline, weren’t thrown on until it was too late for them to have any sort of significant impact.

Not that the defence are to be absolved any blame. Far from it.

To say that the two goals conceded were not a result of a defence falling asleep would just be a false statement.

Liverpool proved that Daniel Agger will be a massive loss over the next few weeks. Without his cultured style, Liverpool resorted to Jamie Carragher’s long-ball-first strategy that was as unfruitful as it was unpretty. As far as Carragher is concerned, his performance was one that fully justified why he’s been left out of the starting eleven this season. It was his poor positional play that led to van Persie’s first goal, and he didn’t look convincing at all in the Liverpool defence.

And it’s not that Liverpool didn’t want the result, either.

The players played their heart out today. Jay Spearing and Dirk Kuyt summed up Liverpool’s desire to get something out of the game with a typically wholehearted and never-say-die performance. When game-changing genius like van Persie’s is in short supply, it is at least comforting to see that the players want it as much as we fans do, but only somewhat.

Because alas, work ethic is just not enough at the top level.

But at least it’s better than whining and exaggerating, the kind of play that Luis Suarez has come to perfect in recent months.

By making himself the center of negative attention in every play he’s involved with, he’s making the same mistake that Fernando Torres used to make during his time at Anfield: spending an inordinate amount of time each game trying to win fouls, protest decisions and generally not being constructive. What happened to getting up and getting on with it? Where are his priorities?

Suarez is definitely not in a purple patch right now. Unfortunately, it just seems that there will be no period this season when Liverpool as a team will be on form.

Just ask Charlie Adam.

His £10-million corner kicks once again came to nothing against Arsenal. And not only did he fail to create any set piece threat, he didn’t manage to trouble the Arsenal defence at all. He showed a lack of inexperience at the top level and a serious deficiency in decision-making as he broke down Liverpool’s attacks time and again, choosing the wrong pass option and going for a Hollywood pass instead of a more constructive one.

If he’s to be the crux of our midfield play and creativity, he’s got a damn long way to go yet to fill the humongous shoes of Xabi Alonso.

At this point, I’m getting so tired and so used to the fact that our attack almost seems unwilling to score and put away chances that I’d be surprised if we got out of Anfield with anything more than a point. I’d even guessed that it’d be another bore draw for both teams, which would’ve been bad enough for both teams.

I just never thought we’d come away with nothing.

 

Modified from a Bleacher Report article

Liverpool, Others

ManUtd 02/11/2012: The Disaster

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Well, it just had to be, didn’t it?

Before Liverpool’s trip to Old Trafford, a first in more than a year, there was so much to look forward to. Would Liverpool take their recent good form against Manchester United to them? Would we see a much-awaited front four of Andy Carroll, Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and Craig Bellamy? And of course, would we finally see the end to the seemingly ubiquitous and never-ending Suarez-Evra quarrel?

With Liverpool taking nothing back to Anfield, there is so much to write about. Kenny Dalglish’s preference for Jordan Henderson over Charlie Adam, and his curious insistence on using Stewart Downing (my take on both cases: absolutely inexplicable, indefensible and ridiculous). Jay Spearing’s inability to cope at the highest level. The depressing and infuriating lack of fight shown from Dalglish’s charges after going two-nil down so soon in the second half.

But it just had to be Luis Suarez who came away with all the unwanted headlines, didn’t it?

With his petulant snub of a pre-match handshake with Patrice Evra, Luis Suarez has made his position at Liverpool Football Club untenable.

Maybe he had a point to make, to show the English media, to show Evra that he really felt wrongly accused by the outcome of the case.

But he chose the entirely wrong way to do it.

Of course, we all recognize that Evra is not a saint himself. The transcript of the case proved this already. And his enthusiastic celebrations after the final whistle in front of Suarez and all around the stadium, trying to take home the plaudits in an emotional game, did not sit well even with his manager. Of course, we also all know that Sir Alex Ferguson is naturally inclined to bias towards United players, that he often is the issuer of hypocritical comments.

But does that mean Liverpool have to take this road in addressing this issue? Can Liverpool not detach themselves from unsavory comparisons and look at how they have reacted from an ideological and moral standpoint?

What happened to being the better man? A professional? Did Suarez have to be so short-sighted in failing to see the big picture? In case he still doesn’t know what the big picture is: it’s the issue of racism in (English) football. No, Luis, the case is not whether or not you feel personally aggrieved about it. It’s also no longer about the language issue. It’s about stamping out racism in English football. Liverpool went their painstaking ways to show their support for him throughout the case, and have come under intense scrutiny and criticism for doing so, and this was the occasion to finally put everything to bed, to settle everything once and for all.

Except Suarez didn’t realize this.

Nobody is saying that a pre-match handshake takes away all the underlying hard feelings, but this was different from the suggestion that got Sepp Blatter into such hot water. In this case, as much as Suarez and Liverpool have attempted to portray themselves as the victim of unfair judgment and a biased punishment, circumstances dictate that Patrice Evra was the victim of racial abuse. At face value, if anything, Evra should have been the one entitled to refusing the handshake, not Suarez.

In what has already been a contentious and emotional affair, continuing to play victim is not going to help Liverpool in the short or the long run.

But most importantly, while Liverpool have had their reasons to support Suarez so wholeheartedly throughout this debacle, Suarez has let even them down.

Perhaps, as a matter of principle, Suarez didn’t want to and was never going to shake Evra’s hand in the first place.

But to override Dalglish’s pre-match comments that Suarez had moved on, that he would shake Evra’s hand, was immature, irresponsible and embarrassing, not to mention a PR disaster. What is Dalglish going to do now that his star player has undermined his authority and his confident claims that this episode is over? Does he make his authority known to Suarez, that this type of public aggravation and this openly undermining of Dalglish is unacceptable? Or does he continue to play the “I didn’t see it” game and act like nothing happened?

Football, at the end of the day, is a game, a show of entertainment for fans who pay to enjoy an event. Is it worth it to make yourself such a polarizing figure just to prove your point? Suarez’s years of experience in world and European football should have been more than enough to teach him that football is as much political as it is tribal, but sadly, he seems to have missed the memo.

Meanwhile, Suarez himself is quickly becoming one of the most unpopular figures in English football. He might bafflingly still maintain his status as a Kop hero after Saturday’s match, but at what cost?

 

EDIT: Suarez has apparently apologized for his handshake snub on Saturday, and the Liverpool hierarchy have expressed their disappointment towards his actions. But while this represents a good start, the underlying issues will still linger for a while yet.