Transfer Deadline Day

Transfer Deadline Day

So the end of January is upon us which for football fans means only one thing, transfer deadline day. Many of us sit glued to sky ports news, keen to observe any late deals, hoping that our team will strengthen. Liverpool have done no business so far other than to recall young winger Jordan Ibe from his loan at Derby County. With them looking unlikely to make any new signings I thought I’d look at would have potentially good idea as well as some of the linked players.

 

Goalkeepers.

Anyone watching the Reds this season can see a new goalkeeper should be a priority. Mingolet has been inconsistent at best this season and always looks vulnerable from set plays. Liverpool have been rumoured to be interested in multiple keepers from Australian Mat Ryan to Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas. However it is important to find a goalkeeper who candela with balls into the box as well as being a good shot stopper, I can say from my own limited goalkeeping experience that shot stopping is by far the easiest aspect of goalkeeping.

 

Defenders.

Looking at Liverpool’s defence you would think this would be where most improvement would be required, however I don’t think the problem here is personal, more confidence and the way Liverpool play. All of Liverpool’s defenders have proven they know how to defend but the fast paced way in which Liverpool play can leave them exposed. The more goals they concede the more the confidence drops and the more individual errors creep in. The solution here does not seem to be throwing money at it.

 

Midfielders.

Liverpool do have a lot of Midfield options but I do think a holding midfielder would be a good acquisition. Lucas is a good player but I would like to see a more powerful midfielder who can carry the ball forward (So pretty much the opposite of Joe Allen) bought in. The top 2 this year, Chelsea and Manchester City have had a powerful holding midfield player be a key part of their team, being Matic and Toure respectively and I think this would be the best addition to Liverpool’s midfielder.

 

Liverpool have been repeatedly linked with Fabian Delph and while I like Delph I do not think he is the kind of player the Reds need. He is a similar player to what currently occupies Liverpool’s midfield. Also any talk of him being a Steven Gerrard replacement is absurd. Unfortunately there is no direct Steven Gerrard replacement, he is truly one of a kind and while Liverpool will need to strengthen in the midfield area, trying to directly replace Gerrard should not be a concern.

 

Forwards.

This is where I think Liverpool need to strengthen most. For a lot of the season Liverpool’s attack has been quite toothless. We have some superb creative players in Coutinho, Sterling and Lallana but there hasn’t been a forward to consistently put the ball in the back of the net. Daniel Sturridge returning from injury is a huge boost but we all know about his sketchy injury record and pinning all our hopes on Raheem Sterling would be very unwise. Lambert is a good squad player but Balotelli I do not think is the right answer. I have nothing against Balotelli but this just does not seem a good fit for him or Liverpool. Liverpool like to play with pace and intensity and Balotelli is pretty much the opposite of that.

 

Liverpool get linked with hundreds of forwards but I think we should be looking to bring in a proven centre forward of high quality. Players such as Benzema and Cavani are rumoured to be available and these are the kind of players I think we need, players somewhere reasonably close to Luis Suarez calibre. What I don’t understand is what would be wrong about trying to sign them and not succeeding. It may be ambitious and maybe we wouldn’t be able to sign them but it would be so worth the effort if we could.

 

More likely players are the likes of Danny Ings and Saido Berahino. Both good players but neither are the calibre Liverpool require yet. It’s good to bring in youth and to builda team for the future but we can’t do this every year or we will just stand still.

 

The last thing to consider is why for the second January in a row Liverpool appear to not be signing a single player. Last season the decision was justified as Liverpool were in sensational form for the back half of last season. A similar run is extremely unlikely this season however I would expect the amount of money spent in the summer to have an impact. Not only to teams need to be careful with financial fair play but also Liverpool’s owners will not be keen on shelling out so much money again, especially considering the fiasco of spending £35 million on Andy Carrol during an earlier January window under their rein.

Liverpool vs West Ham United Preview

Liverpool vs West Ham United Preview

In from Liverpool take on premier league surprise West Ham in an important match at Anfield on Saturday.

 

Who would have guessed that West Ham would be above Liverpool 22 games into the season? Certainly not me but a lot of credit has to be given to Sam Allardyce and his team.

 

The Hammers from has dipped of late however, only winning one of the last 5 league games. Despite their strong league position West Ham fans were already starting to turn on Allardyce until their team came good against Hull in the three nil win.

 

West Ham can however take heart from their good result against the Reds earlier in the season and will look to complete their first ever premier league double against Liverpool.

 

Liverpool themselves have been flying lately. They have taken 13 of the previous available 15 points and are one of the divisions in form sides. This will however be the first team they play above them in the league in the last 6 so this will almost certainly be a tougher test.

 

It will be interesting to see whether Liverpool’s league cup loss will spur them on or hold them back. It was a high class performance against the league leaders but the heartbreak of being so close to Wembley could be a bitter pill to swallow.

 

Looking to continue his good form will be Philippe Coutinho who was excellent against Chelsea. He is starting to look like the player we all know he has the ability to be.

 

West Ham are a powerful side and will be aware of Liverpool’s defensive frailties. They have looked more solid of late but did concede another set piece goal in mid-week West Ham and in particular former Reds striker Andy Carrol will want to capitalise on this weakness.

 

Liverpool’s team will probably be similar to the one that played at Chelsea, however a few fresh legs may be required after a long 120 minutes. Steven Gerrard seems most likely to drop to the bench, with fit again Adam Lallana likely to replace him.

 

Forward Daniel Sturridge could return the Liverpool bench for this game after a long absence. His goal scoring instincts could be just what the Reds need.

 

This should be a tough match but I think home advantage could be the edge Liverpool need to win this one. I predict a narrow victory for Liverpool.

Chelsea vs Liverpool Match Report

Chelsea vs Liverpool Match Report

It’s a brave effort from Liverpool but in the end they fell just short in a highly entertaining game at Stamford Bridge.

 

I doubt I was the only Liverpool fan fearing the worst as we were drawn against high flying Chelsea for the league cup semi - final. While the Reds were knocked out we went out with a fight not a whimper. There have been many disappointments this season but this should not be classed as one of them.

 

Throughout the tie Liverpool looked like they were an out and out goal scorer away from clinching victory. The attacking players looked quick and sharp, Philippe Coutinho in particular stood out for me as a player who performed extremely well. Even at the back we didn’t look too shaky, the defence held out firmly at the Bridge for the whole first 90 minutes.

 

Things could have been very different however if the referee had spotted Diego Costa’s stamp on Liverpool defender Emre Can early in the first half. There appeared to be clear intent in Costa’s stamp and he was lucky the referee did not see the incident.

 

Maybe justice was served when Martin Skrtel bought down Costa in the box with a rash challenge but the referee chose not to give a penalty to the Chelsea striker.

 

Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois then produced two fine saves to deny Liverpool the lead, firstly from Alberto Moreno and then even better from left footed shot from Coutinho from the edge of the box after dancing through the Chelsea midfield. Courtois however made a fine stop with his leg.

 

The second half was vastly different from the first with Chelsea creating the better opportunities. For once Liverpool keeper Mingolet looked in good form as he made a string of good saves, including an excellent save from a shot that took a huge deflection off Martin Skrtel and a goal saving tackle to deny Diego Costa. There were no goals in normal time so the game moved to extra time, with away goals only counting after the additional 30 minutes.

 

Chelsea won a free kick from a Lucas foul after substitute Mario Bolotelli gave away the ball away. The ball in was subsequently headed in by Chelseas’s right back, Ivanovic from close range. Liverpool’s marking was non-existent and he was unchallenged.

 

This however didn’t change anything as Liverpool still had to score one goal. Chelsea did a good job of controlling the game after they went one up. Liverpool however had one great chance when Raheem Sterling squeezed in a great cross. Unfortunately Jordan Henderson headed wide.

 

While losing is disappointing Liverpool should take great heart in their performance across the semi - final. They will have to look to the F.A cupe to send Steven Gerrard to Wembley but can take confidence from pushing one of the best teams in Europe to the very end. They play their next game at home to West Ham in the league on Saturday.

Chelsea vs Liverpool Preview

Chelsea vs Liverpool Preview

The time has come for Liverpool who go to Chelsea for the second leg of their league cup semi - final. The question will be whether they can build on the 1 all draw at Anfield.

 

Stamford Bridge will be a battleground on Tuesday night as Liverpool and Chelsea slug it out yet again. Both teams are coming off the back of disappointing results. However while Liverpool will be frustrated they couldn’t win Chelsea will be especially disappointed with their collapse at home to Bradford in what has been described as one of if not the biggest FA cup shock of all time.

 

Liverpool will be looking to capitalize on what must surely be a huge dent to the confidence of Chelsea.  The reds go to Chelsea needing just one win to progress to the final at Wembley.

 

It only seems right that Steven Gerrard should win something during his final year at Liverpool and this could be the best chance he gets against a wounded Chelsea side.

 

However it could be the worst possible time to face Chelsea as they will be wanting to makes amends for their performance on Saturday.

 

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has said there will be trepidation in tomorrow’s game. He will not underestimate the size of the mountain Liverpool must scale.

 

Liverpool will look to expose newly found defensive frailties in Chelsea that were exposed by Bradford. Chelsea meanwhile will want to attack Liverpool from set plays as they have shown themselves, particularly keeper Mignolet being frail from crosses. In the first leg Chelsea did not win a single corner and they will be looking to improve on this.

 

Rodgers will be eager to progress to and win his first major final as Liverpool manager. While there has been progress, he will want to add to Liverpool’s history of winning trophies.

 

Chelsea’s elimination from the FA cup will add extra importance to the game for both sides as both teams will be hungry to win trophies. This could be an exciting game with it so delicately poised after the first leg.

 

Gerrard is likely to return to Liverpool’s starting line-up for this ever so important game. Daniel Sturridge is back in training but is unlikely to be risked so early on. Raheem Sterling will probably continue up front.

 

Mario Balotelli was left out of the squad to face Bolton, despite being fully fit. Despite Rodgers insisting he has a future at Anfield it seems unlikely he will be recalled for such important game.

 

This is a difficult one to predict as anything can happen in a semi-final. However I think the Reds might clinch the win in extra time.

Liverpool vs Bolton Match Report

Liverpool vs Bolton Match Report

Bolton’s defence holds firm as Liverpool are frustrated in the 0 - 0 draw at Anfield.

 

Liverpool will be wondering how they didn’t score in a game where they had 24 attempts. Bolton however defended well and may have felt they could’ve taken a win with a couple good chances of their own.

 

Bolton’s keeper Adam Bogdan in particular had a very good game to keep the Liverpool attack at bay.

 

Despite Liverpool’s high number of attempts however Bolton were barely threatened early on with Jordan Henderson’s shot from range being parried away by the Bolton Keeper.

 

Bolton went close from the rebound of a free kick from Dean Moxey, his 25 yard strike flashing just wide.

 

Lazar Markovic came on for Jose Enrique at half time could have won a free kick as he was bought down by Bolton defender Matt Mills. The referee however decided it was not a foul by the defender who was already on a yellow card and the last man. Strangely however if he thought it wasn’t a foul why did he no book Markovic for diving.

 

There did seem to be contact however and going a man down surely would’ve spelt the end for Bolton Wanderers.

 

Philippe Coutinho nearly played in the pacey Raheem Sterling but Bogdan managed to reach the ball first. The keeper did well to not foul the Liverpool forward.

 

After some neat play from Lallana and Sterling, Coutinho was teeded up from the edge of the box, forcing Bogdan into a save. The ball bounced out to a defender who lost out to young full back Javi Manquillo at the corner of the 6 yard box, however his shot flashed across the box, going wide.

 

Bolton veteran Eidur Gudjohnson then had a couple of good chances, the first being a shot from the box, however Mamadou Sakho did enough to put him off. Gudjonhnson had another good chance after a tidy one - two in the box between 2 Bolton players ended with the ball bouncing towards him, however he hit his shot over the bar.

 

Adam Bogdan then made another good save, this time from substitute Fabio Borini who failed in his attempt to curl the ball into the top corner after a quick break from Coutinho.

 

Liverpool’s late onslaught continued when played a one - two with Adam Lallana before being pushed off the ball by former Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing. The referee however saw it as no foul.

 

Fabio Borini had another chance when he had a free header from a Jordan Henderson cross, but he headed wide.

 

Liverpool had one final attempt from the unlikely Lucas Leiva but his shot from the edge of the box was too close to the Bolton Keeper.

 

Liverpool may rue their missed chances during the replay away at Bolton in what will be a tricky game. Liverpool’s next game is the league cup semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool vs Bolton Wanderers Preview

Liverpool vs Bolton Wanderers Preview

Liverpool host Bolton Wanderers tomorrow as they look to advance to the fifth round of the F.A. cup.

 

After the nervous third round victory against A.F.C Wimbledon the Reds will be hoping they can advance into the next round of the F.A. cup. Championship side Bolton will be looking to cause an upset against the Historic club.

 

It will be interesting to see how big a priority the F.A. cup will be for Liverpool. It seems likely that manager Brenda Rodgers will have one eye on the second leg of the league cup semi-final on Tuesday. Especially since they are playing at home, they may rest some key players for Tuesday night.

 

Bolton Wanderers form meanwhile has been up and down of late. They have won three of their last five games, drawing one and losing one. They lie ten points above the championships relegation zone but also eleven points off the playoff spots, hence a mid-table finish seems the most likely outcome. Therefore a good run in the F.A. cup could be something they will realistically look at.

 

When I hear the name Bolton Wanderers, I think of the solid premier league team under Sam Allardyce. That must now seem like a distant memory for Bolton’s fans however who have been missing from England’s top division for some time.

 

The reds meanwhile should feel confident after Tuesday night’s performance, which was the best I’ve seen them play for a long time. The speed and intensity from last season’s title challenging side seems to be returning in place of the slow and languid displays from earlier in the season.

 

Due to the league cup and a packed fixture schedule, some of the younger players are likely to get a chance against Bolton, with Jordan Rossiter, who already featured for Liverpool in the Capital One Cup expected to be involved.

 

Another player likely to feature is Mario Balotelli who has returned to full training. How a player who takes a leisurely stroll around the pitch every game he plays is beyond me, but he will need to start providing goals if he is to have a future at Anfield.

 

Key players such as Gerrard, Sterling and Coutinho are likely to be rested so it could be a good chance to impress for some fringe players. Joe Allen is likely to return from injury and Fabio Borini could lead the attack.

 

While there is potential for an upset, if they play like they have been recently then this game should not be a problem for Liverpool. I expect a win for the Reds by a couple of goals.

Liverpool vs Chelsea Match Report

Liverpool vs Chelsea Match Report

A piece of magic from Sterling cancels out Hazards opener to leave this semi-final finely balanced at 1 goal apiece.

 

It took a wonderful solo effort from Raheem Sterling to break down Chelsea’s resilient defence to leave this semi-final delicately balanced.

 

Liverpool however will think they deserved more, with them dominating the game through nearly every aspect, just not that one that matters most.

 

The reds had the better of the opening play but they could not fashion a clear cut chance, the closest they came was when a long range Steven Gerrard shot was acrobatically tipped over by Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois.

 

With their first real attack of the game Eden Hazard made a break into the box and was bought down rather easily by Emre Can. He coolly dispatched the penalty to put Chelsea ahead in what proved to be Chelsea’s only attempt on target in the game.

 

One thing Liverpool will have learnt is you’re not allowed to go anywhere near Hazard as if as much as a microbe sneezes on him, he will go down and you will receive a yellow card.

 

Despite Liverpool dominating possession not much else happened before half time, the closest to a goal being a free header from Martin Skrtel in the box. Hi missed this good opportunity however to head the ball into a dangerous area as the ball trickled out of play.

 

After the break Raheem Sterling picked up the ball in the Chelsea half and raced into the Chelsea box before placing a left footed finish past the helpless Courtois into the bottom right hand corner. This was Sterling’s third league cup goal in 2 games.

 

Spurred on by their equaliser Liverpool went close to taking the lead where after a tricky run into the box before laying off the ball to Liverpool’s captain. Unfortunately his left footed shot clipped the outside of the post.

 

Liverpool went close again with a Sterling shot curling into the bottom corner was tipped away by Courtois. Even more impressive was a save he made from substitute Adam Lallana’s left footed shot from just outside the box.

 

In a game where they had 62% possession and had 19 attempts compared to Chelsea’s 2 this will be a game on reflection Liverpool will feel they should have won. It’s not all doom and gloom however as this was a very impressive performance and the best I have seen Liverpool play in a long time.

 

While not ideal, the draw leaves Liverpool very much in the tie. They face a tough test against Chelsea at the bridge but will feel on the back of yesterday’s performance that they can go there and win.

Liverpool vs Chelsea Preview

Liverpool vs Chelsea Preview

Anfield will hold its breath on Tuesday night as Liverpool host league leaders Chelsea in the first leg of their league cup semi-final.

 

Perhaps the toughest tie possible in the league cup, José Mourinho’s Chelsea will be a tough test for the improving Liverpool, but one they must overcome if they are to reach the final in Wembley.

 

This is a fixture that brings back many memories for me, a Liverpool fan, both good and bad, the most recent being a 2 - 1 loss in November in a game that despite the score line appearing close and the Reds taking the lead, Liverpool never really looked like winning.

 

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has recently spoken of momentum after a resurgence of late, continued with a solid 2 - 0 win vs Aston Villa on Saturday. Chelsea however have the momentum of demolishing a very good Swansea side 5 - 0 away from home.

 

Mourinho may be master tactician but he doesn’t need to be to see where Liverpool’s flaws lie. While 2 clean sheets in the last 2 games has been promising, Liverpool’s defence still looks shaky, especially from set plays and this is an aspect Chelsea will surely look to exploit.

 

Liverpool surely must look to keep the game tight as pick up a win at Anfield. This is easier said than done however against a side that have not failed to score in the last 11 games.

 

Chelsea will feel confident as Liverpool have not won any of the last 5 games against Chelsea. Liverpool can take heart however from their impressive league cup record, being the most prolific winners of the trophy with 8 triumphs.

 

Chelsea’s fan will most likely sin g of Steven Gerrard’s fateful slip over the 2 legged tie. The Liverpool captain, who will probably return to Liverpool’s starting line - up for the game has made a name for himself for producing when it matters and Chelsea would be foolish to underestimate his influence.

 

For other team’s news, I expect a similar starting 11 to the team that beat Aston Villa on Saturday. Lucas is likely to make way for Gerrard if he is fit and Fabio Borini may make way for Adam Lallana but other than that I don’t expect to see any other changes.

 

With Liverpool looking unlikely to capture fourth place and with their exit from the Champions league, a league cup success could be just what is needed to add some shine to a so far disappointing season. It will however be an extremely tough game, but one that Liverpool must surely take something from if they want to progress. Even with an improvement in form I don’t see Liverpool winning this one and I’d predict a draw from the first leg.

Aston Villa vs Liverpool Match Report

Aston Villa vs Liverpool Match Report

Borini scores a goal!!!!

 

It may no longer be Christmas but miracles certainly have happened with Fabio Borini scoring a goal for Liverpool.

 

Jokes aside it was actually a good finish from Borini who latched onto an excellent cross from Jordan Henderson. Rickie Lambert secured the three points late on with a good low strike from the edge of the box.

 

The reds have now won 3 in a row while Aston Villa reside only 3 points above the relegation zone and for the second time this season have gone 5 league games without a goal.

 

Little happened early on before some good link up play between Markovic and Sterling gave Henderson a crossing opportunity. He played a fantastic cross for Borini to guide into the back of the net and score his first goal for Liverpool since April 2013.

 

Philippe Coutinho then had a chance to double Liverpools lead through a move he started with an excellent pass out wide to Markovic and the he latched onto a Lazar Markovic cross. However his header was too close to the goalkeeper who made a comfortable save.

 

Raheem Sterling then went through on goal after a header forward from Lucas, but after going clear of the defenders he tamely chipped the ball into the grateful arms of Villa keeper Brad Guzan.

 

Villa were desperate to add to their mere eleven league goals this season and Tom Cleverly had the chance to equalise after he ran onto an Ashley Westwood ball played into the box, but not particularly cleverly for him his shot from his outstretched right boot went over the bar.

 

After half time Borini had a chance to add to his first goal after he was played through by Phillippe Coutinho but was denied by an excellent last ditch tackle from Nathan Baker.

 

Borini hit the post from the resulting corner when Martin Skrtel headed the ball towards goal and he took a wild swing at the ball. Fortuantely for Villa Guzan tipped the ball onto the post and then parried away the resulting shot from Henderson.

 

Villa did pick up during the second half and they had a good chance to equalise through Benteke but his volley from close range only found the Liverpool goalkeeper. Nathan Baker had a good chance from a corner when Mingnolet flapped at the ball giving Baker the chance to score with a header. However his header was too high. Baker had another chance when the ball bounced off Benteke but he missed the ball completely with his attempt from just outside the 6 yard box.

 

Liverpool punished Villa’s lack of clinical finishing when Villa’s defence politely gave substitute Rickie Lambert time and space on the edge of the box to score with a low shot that arrowed into the bottom corner of Guzans net.

 

Overall Liverpool will be pleased with their performance, particularly with their consecutive clean sheet as they had to withstand a decent amount of pressure from an admittedly fairly blunt Villa attack. Villa themselves will be disappointed as they will feel with their second half performance that they should have at least taken a point from the game.

 

Liverpool will be hoping a solid performance will put them in good stead for the first leg of their league cup semi-final against Chelsea on Tuesday. A solid display at the back will surely be vital to withstand the attacking prowess of the premier league leaders.

Aston Villa vs Liverpool preview

Aston Villa vs Liverpool preview

Aston Villa play host to Liverpool on Saturday as Liverpool look to extend their decent run of form.

 

For the first time in a long time, things look like they’re starting to look up for the Reds. They haven’t lost since the loss at Manchester United on December 14^th. Since then Liverpool have won 4 out of 6 games conceding only 6 goals in that time and scoring 12, a noticeable improvement over their earlier form.

 

Despite form picking up slightly however the reds lie in 8^th place, five points of Manchester United in 4^th who also have a far superior goal difference. A further good run of results will be crucial if Liverpool are to maintain their champion’s league status.

 

They face an Aston Villa side who haven’t won in the last six league games. It’s obvious where their problems lie as they have only scored 11 goals from 21 league games this season, despite the return of the at times unplayable Christian Benteke. He certainly is capable of scoring the goals to get Villa out of trouble and with them sitting only 3 points above the relegation zone.

 

In their most recent match Villa suffered a disappointing 1 - 0 loss to bottom placed Leicester. They only mustered 1 shot on target throughout the game and with the bottom eight teams being separated by only five points they will want to start picking up wins quickly.

 

Liverpool meanwhile will be optimistic. Even with their shaky defence they must be confident of keeping Villa’s less than prolific attack at bay. This is a Villa side after all that have only managed to score more than once in two league games all season.

 

Brendan Rodgers will have fond memories of Villa Park, winning both previous matches there with Liverpool, most recently being a win by a single goal by Daniel Sturridge last season. Sturridge remains out injured, although is expected to return in the not to distant future.

 

Liverpool’s attack meanwhile has been beginning to look like the fluid attack of last season. The likely return of Raheem Sterling tomorrow. It will be interesting to see Brendan Rodgers team selection with the Capital one Cup semi-final looming on Tuesday against Chelsea.

 

It may be interesting to see whether Jordan Ibe will be involved after he was recalled early from his season long loan spell at Derby County.

 

Steven Gerrard is an injury doubt and may be saved for the game against Chelsea meaning Emre Can could take his place in midfield. The impressive Lazar Markovic will be looking to build on his impressive performance against Sunderland and is likely to start.

 

It would be foolish to underestimate any game in the premier league, especially away from home and while Liverpool’s away form so far this season has been patchy at best, they will feel confident in securing another three points here. I expect the Reds to edge this one.

Steven Gerrard - A Tribute

Steven Gerrard - A Tribute

After a 25 year affiliation with his boyhood club the Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is to leave the club at the end of the season to join MLS side L.A. Galaxy.

 

Where does Steven Gerrard stand in the list of Premier league and Liverpool greats? How good was he in his prime? Will we ever see another player quite like him ever again?

 

We have been blessed with some outstanding midfield players during the premier league era. How do you compare different players? It is very easy to point at statistics and say Lampard scored more goals or say that Scholes won more trophies.

 

It’s just as easy to overlook the countless matched throughout the years that Gerrard dragged what was a pretty average team through. It’s easy to forget the impact he had in a genuinely quality side under Rafa Benitez in a midfield three alongside Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano. Surely if Fernando Torres didn’t have hamstrings made of Jelly I’d be sitting here today writing that Gerrard had won everything.

 

I’ve seen a lot of articles lately describing Gerrard as overrated, to which I have to wonder did the people writing these articles even see the guy play? It is easy to point out misplaced back passes to the like of Henry and Drogba or fateful slips to gift the ball to Demba Ba. However if that’s all you can think of to state that player is clearly overrated then I think to be polite that you’re trying too hard to criticise.

 

I’ve also read a lot of articles that say for Liverpool’s sake this is a good time for him to leave. This also perplexes me. Sure there has been a noticeable drop in his performance levels this season but the same applies to every single player to wear a red shirt. Despite this I think we all know which player we would want to lead our side in a big game.

 

It wasn’t long ago that Gerrard was playing a pivotal role in Liverpool’s title challenge, a challenge that contained some of the most exhilarating football seen in recent memory. Yet everyone just likes to talk about the slip. We wouldn’t have even been in that situation to win the title in the first place without Gerrard. But it’s all forgotten because of one moment, one slip.

 

The thing is though is that it’s even easier to point to the truly great moments, the ones that will go down in the history of this great club and use those to judge whether Steven Gerrard was a great player or not. Let’s think of Istanbul and Cardiff. Let’s remember the goals and the signature 50 yard passes and the countless tackles. Let’s remember all those times this one man lifted the Kop.

 

In Steven Gerrard, what Liverpool fans such as myself have had for all this time is a leader, an inspiration, one of the best players of his generation and a true modern day legend. It was always going to be sad the last time we saw Gerrard in the red of Liverpool but I always thought that would be because he was about to retire. What’s sad now is that he would’ve stayed if given the opportunity. But now we have to say goodbye to a player who despite everything else is still out top scorer so far this season.

 

Steven Gerrard will unfortunately never attain a premier league winner’s medal. He may always think about what might have been if he’d joined Chelsea or Real Madrid. One thing is for certain though for all us Liverpool fans. We will always remember everything Steven Gerrard did for our great club and he will never walk alone.

Sunderland vs Liverpool Match Report

Sunderland vs Liverpool Match Report

Markovic makes the difference as Liverpool secure three points in a tight game at the Stadium of Light.

Lazar Markovic’s early strike was enough for Liverpool to move to within four points of a champion’s league place. He nearly added a second with an acrobatic attempt that struck the bar.

 

Sunderland midfielder Liam Bridcutt was sent off harshly sent off for two bookable offences and while an Adam Johnson shot did hit the bar, Liverpool saw out what was a relatively comfortable afternoon in the north east.

 

This was a fourth win in the last five games for the reds who are starting to enter a good run of form. Sunderland meanwhile will be looking over their shoulder, being placed just one point above the relegation zone.

 

Liverpool would have felt aggrieved if they had not won this game as they probably should have had an early penalty when Black Cats defender Wes Brown bought down Markovic in the box. However his was forgotten quickly as soon after the Serbian winger latched onto the ball after Fabio Borini was bought down on the edge of the box before poking it past Costel Pantillimon.

 

The Serb almost scored again with a spectacular attempt that rocketed against the bar before Borini rounded the goalkeeper after being put through by an Emre Can pass, but he could only find the side netting.

 

Liverpool may have been concerned at half time, partly because the inspirational Steven Gerrard had to be substituted after feeling a tight hamstring, but also due to the at times shambolic Dejan Lovren coming on to take his place.

 

It was the referee who was a bit of a shambles however after sending off Bridcutt for two yellow cards, the second in particular seeming extremely harsh afterwhat appeared to be him challenging Emre Can for the ball in a shoulder to shoulder challenge before trying to move out of the way.

 

The unlucky midfielder ended up facing with his back to Can but the referee still though a second yellow was deserved.

 

This however produced Sunderland’s best spell of the game, however outside of a swerving Adam Johnson shot that hit the bar, they created very little throughout the game. Liverpool kept what was only their sixth clean sheet in thirty seven games.

 

Liverpool will be pleased with their performance, although the fact that they only had one goal for the efforts and through long periods of dominance will be a concern, especially considering their defensive record this season. The return of Daniel Sturridge, who is due back this month could be what the reds need to add some extra firepower to their attack.

 

The reds will be hoping to build on some recent good results in their next game, away at Aston Villa.

Sunderland vs Liverpool Preview

Sunderland vs Liverpool Preview

Liverpool head to the Stadium of Light on Saturday, looking to add to their less than impressive points tally against draw specialists Sunderland.

 

So what will Liverpool’s New Year’s resolution be? Win a few games might be a good start for Brendan Rodgers side who have struggled to reach the heights of last season. It seems like every time Liverpool win a game this year all of us Liverpool fans exclaim about how this will be the springboard for big things this season. Despite the last five league games only producing two wins there have been improvements of late, including a return to decent from of the ever so important Raheem Sterling.

 

This could prove to be crucial for a Liverpool side this season struggling for goals this season. At a mere 28 goals this season so far averaging 1.4 goals per game (compared to the mammoth 2.7 goals per game last year) and his goals would surely be critical in any challenge for a champions league place.

 

While encouraging form is nice what Liverpool need right now are results. Yes the F.A. cup win is a start, but it’ll mean nothing if it isn’t followed up with a win this weekend against a Sunderland side who often seem to prefer to draw their matches.

 

Being only three points above the relegation zone will make them want to start picking up wins fast and they may fancy their chances against a Liverpool side who have only won four of their nine away league games this season.

 

However they go into the game on the back of a 3 - 2 loss to champions Manchester City in an impressive performance that saw them come back from 2 - 0 down before a Frank Lampard goal spared City’s blushes. Despite the narrow loss, they will surely take confidence from this performance.

 

Liverpool’s team is likely to be similar to the one that played in mid-week, with the exception of the aforementioned Sterling being restored to the starting line-up. Adam Lallana joins Liverpool’s lengthening injury list and will miss the game with a thigh injury.

 

Last month’s player of the month for the reds, Philippe Coutinho will therefore be looked to in order to provide the spark and creativity alongside the soon to be leaving Steven Gerrard.

 

The reds can go to within four points of fourth placed Southampton with a win in Saturday’s early kick off but they surely cannot afford too many more slip ups if they wish to maintain a serious top four challenge.