So after a week off which also included a frantic final 3 days in the transfer window it was back to concentrating on the football.
Before Kick off record signing Andy Carroll was paraded before the Anfield faithful to a chorus of applause and i do not doubt for a second that he wished he could be part of the game. How his Liverpool career will turn out no one really knows but since coming in he has done, and said all the right things so there is certainly a lot of promise with regards to him; and he can play a bit too! Looking forward to seeing what he can do for us already.
Arguably the most exciting of our new boys, Luis Suarez was always likely to play some part in the game, many had hoped for a full 90mins but the approach that was opted for in the game was probably best considering he has not played since the start of December. More on him a little later.
Stoke are well known for their style of play - dull, uneventful, physical with an emphasis on set pieces, in particular - long throw ins (they take far too long to take throws). That is their 'style' and if it works for them and their supporters enjoy it (as if) then that's that - definitely not every ones cup of tea.
Over the last 6-12 months it has been my view that teams no longer really come to Anfield for a draw, unlike in the seasons following on from Istanbul right up to 2009, most teams seem to be coming to Anfield with a view to taking the 3 points and have been determined to do so. Over the last few weeks however there has been a shift in this - alright it may only be Fulham and Stoke - but both teams have come for a draw. The Reds did not play anywhere near their best against Fulham and invited pressure on leading into a nervy finish, but Fulham never really took the game to us, after the goal their game plan was largely unchanged and it looked as though we would be the architects of our own downfall in the game, thankfully this did not happen - unlike many times in the past. Stoke never really looked a threat, before the game, confidence high many including myself predicted a comfortably victory, but when sense took hold and after considering the opposition and their 'style' of play, the game looked a far trickier prospect. The game however panned out as many had predicted before play.
To combat Stokes physical approach to the game and their love of getting men in the box for throw ins from the half way line, Liverpool lined up with 3 centre backs in Soto, Skrtel and Agger, 3 quite different players, a Greek beast, a Ball carrying Dane and a Slovakian in transition - the move paid off. We had an extra attacking threat from corners and enough cover to allow Agger to go on one of his little runs which is how we got the free kick leading up to the first goal. Stoke according to some where very 'organised' if you call no more than 10yards between the back four and the front man with everyone else squeezed in between 'organised' then i guess they where. There was a lack of ambition from Stoke, long balls through to Carew would be the norm for the whole game and even then it wasn't very effective, they packed the middle, closed down in a bid to cut out any passing moves and generally concentrated on defending rather than attacking.
The first half passed without much incident the highlight being Suarez running down the touch line to warm up prompting most the Liverpool fans to look and applaud and completely miss a great chance down the other end of the pitch, Begovic, it has to be said he made some fine saves and probably kept the scoreline respectable for the visitors. What was clear though was that towards the end of the first half, Liverpool were starting to wear their opponents down and a breakthrough looked on the cards but half time came.
The return of Lucas to the midfield was a big boost, after the Fulham game many people said that he was missed, during the game i heard the same line and it is true there was definitely a big Lucas sized hole in midfield - but not against Stoke. The lad has had much criticism from the vast majority although, personally i have been trying in vain to point out to people that he actually does a job for us that goes largely unnoticed but now when he misses a game - the loss is noted. Many will still not agree and be quick to jump on him but off the top of my head i seem to recall that last season he was in the top 3 passers and tacklers in the Premier League with amongst the highest success rate as well - against Stoke, again not too sure but was it 89% success rate on passes?? So 89% of the time he finds a team mate, 11% he doesn't, and I'm sure the success rate is well above average in most games he plays in - he is turning out to be a nuisance to the opposition and is proving more and more of his doubters wrong with every game - AND he always seems to raise his game for the big occasions ESPECIALLY ManUtd - remember the 1-4 at OT some still rather bizarrely talk of how ALONSO bossed the middle in that game - despite the fact he was not playing.
Second half and that breakthrough that was on the cards at the end of the first half did not take long to materialise. Daniel Agger on one of those runs that he does, always forwards, always roving and to think Roy Hodgson considered this to be a bad point to his game HA! The fact we had 3 centre backs to rely on really just invited him to go for a run more often, he did, was brought down and won the free kick that would lead to a goal. Ball fizzed in at goal by Gerrard, falls to Soto who isn't really expecting it, let's it run free so that Meireles can launch a rocket at goal that was never going to be saved. Possibly a bit of luck involved but the more promising thing was how many red men where in the box and how quickly they reacted when the ball was delivered. Raul Meireles, Mr player of the month, simply can not stop scoring right now, and long may it continue, very creative, doesn't always get it right but always gets on with it and when he does get it right - top class!
So Stoke make a few changes, more attacking changes, does it change the game? No not really, still quite an uninspiring performance from a team who brushed us aside with relative ease before Christmas. After the game when quizzed on this and the earlier game, Tony Pulis actually suggested that it was down to the crowd having influenced his players and then went on to say that the crowd at the Britannia drum up a more ferocious atmosphere than the Anfield faithful - well Tony, surely if that is the case (which it is not) then your players should be able to handle the Anfield atmosphere with relative ease, seen as how they are used to playing and 'performing' in a much more 'ferocious' atmosphere. It doesn't take too much to say your team lost because they did not compete - they where beaten by the better team!
Then we all got what we wanted, on he came, the £23m man, our new number 7, Luis Suarez. Many acknowledged his call back to the dug out, there was a slight cheer, then a more thunderous cheer when it was clear to all he was preparing to come on, but that was nothing compared to what would greet his arrival and little did he know that it was soon to get a lot louder.
Considering he had not played since the start of December he looked sharp, his first involved was to be on the receiving end of a rather strong but fair challenge - welcome to England Luis. But it did not take long for him to find his feet in the game, he was certainly helped in this by Stokes lack of ambition. His touches were good, his link up with Kuyt surprisingly good considering they had not even trained together, a few nice passes, a couple of decent runs, tracking back and helping out in the middle, a cheeky back heel in the box - all greeted with applause, he was certainly backing up his statement about working hard for the team. But we all desperately wanted more.
Stoke have a high line, ball falls to Kuyt and already Suarez has peeled away, his reaction instant, the ball through from Kuyt is a good one and Suarez has expertly played the offside trap before the Stoke defenders even know he's there. On he went, out comes the keeper and at that point there was only ever one thing Suarez was going to do, round he goes, Begovic is stranded, the goal is gaping, and Suarez, well, he must have been brickin it really, i think we all would have in his position, he had done the hard part and suddenly putting the ball in the net did not seem so easy, it would have been easy for him to succumb to the pressure of the moment, his strike on goal was not as strong as it perhaps would have been on any other day, he wanted to score, we wanted him to score, the defender sliding in could only tip the ball onto the post and in and Anfield erupted.
Was it his? Well as far as we are told, it can only be an own goal if the ball is going out before an opponent diverts it into the goal, Suarez' strike was certainly goal bound, whether or not the fact that the defender knocked the ball against the post and in makes any difference i do not know - time will tell. But surely the dubious goals panel will let him have it, especially in the circumstances, after all it was hardly the most clear cut of own goals and it was definitely already going in.
On the night it was not an amazing performance but i think if anyone is going to apply the word 'composed' or indeed 'organised' to either side then surely they must apply it to Liverpool. Not a natural formation, not one we are used to any way, adapted well to combat the opposition to great effect and 3 points well deserved. And importantly, a clean sheet, 3 in a row now for the reds and lets hope that run continues. Pepe Reina is in fine form and his outstanding reflex save towards the end of the game outlines what a great goalkeeper he is - in my opinion; the best.
Ok so moving on, Sunday, Chelsea an it is all change, Torres swaps red for blue, Suarez will surely start, and no Andy Gray to preach to his misinformed and biased opinions - now who would have predicted that a few weeks ago. Lets just hope Sky have rat traps round the studios and commentary boxes because Ratboy is hardly unbiased, i think the only person he doesn't hate is Fergie, and he is not someone anybody besides manure fans want to see on the TV every weekend.
Chelsea v Liverpool, over the last 5/6 years this fixture has become a bit of a tasty one, slightly cooled in terms of the meaning of the game but there is certainly increased animosity between both clubs in this fixture has become a bit of a tasty one, slightly cooled in terms of the meaning of the game but there is certainly increased animosity between both clubs and their supporters which will only have increased given recent developments. Kenny Dalglish's team talk has probably already been done for him, Torres suggests that he has moved up in his career, Chelsea are the bigger club and after them there is nothing higher - that last statement isn't even true about English football let alone the wider European Arena and i suspect there will be an instruction of some sorts to go out their and show him who the bigger club us, not that it needs reaffirming to the men in red but it would certainly infuriate the Chelsea faithless.
This will not be an easy game, and it is not about Torres, the Chelsea 'fans' will try to make it that and i suspect the TV will too but it is about 3 points for us. We are currently 4 wins off the top 4 and should we beat Chelsea that would drop to 3 wins with the best part of 4 months left to play, Champions League football next season is certainly a possibility just as a lack of it is certainly a possibility for BOTH teams. Chelsea are fragile, since we beat them they have endured a torrid time, they have slipped down the table, they have turned in poor performance after poor performance, there are echoes of our own fall in 2009/2010 about them, it is hard to stop the fall, Abramovich has thrown money at the problem, soon that wont be as easy as it sounds, the team is ageing, they do have some top class players but they are lacking in spirit, they can be beaten, this is not the Chelsea who a few years ago would have easily brushed us aside in our current state. They are a team who came to us earlier in the season at the top, while we struggled at the bottom, but we beat them and we can do it again.
We need to believe we can beat them, we can play our game, we can get goals, they will think that the game is theirs, ignore the media crap that regularly comes from the likes of Terry and Lampard, they will go into the game thinking they will win and win comfortably, they will not go into the game thinking that we could win or that they are better, in fact i believe they will try and try and try to get Torres in on goal, if he does play he will certainly be their main focus in attack, they will want him to score desperately because of the potential psychological affect and because of the affect it would have on their own dull, plastic flag waving commuters.
We can win.
Thanks guys, feedback would be great too!
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