February Month Review

2W1D1L, and the month just get better as time goes. We started with a disappointed 0-0 draw by a small team and then suffered a set back at Newcastle that lost us any hope of catching the top 2. And we dominated both games. Then we did the improbable by coming from behind and beat Barcelona at Nou Camp, then completed the month with a convincing 4-0 win at Anfield. This month also see the takeover completed and the Club in safe hands.

Players of the month (1) Bellamy 7.26 (2) Gerrard 7.23 (3) Carragher 7.15. Bellamy scored a nice goal vs Newcastle (although he somehow missed a hat trick) and then scored against Barcelona after the fiasco at the training camp. Stevie G as usual drives the team on and completed the month by scoring a goal vs Sheffield United. Carragher has been a rock vs Barcelona and were also superb in the other matches.

March Prediction:
3/3 Manchester United (h) Start Fowler for this match.
3/6 Barcelona (h) Be careful of a Barca back fire, and we should play to win the game.
3/18 Aston Villa (a) Villa has become a different team since the early dash, should not be a big problem.
3/31 Arsenal (h) Win this and 3rd place is probably secured.

Match Report 070224 vs Sheffield United: Keep Fowler

4-0 and once again Fowler scores when he starts. 7 goals from 7 starts is just phenomenal, no matter who the opponents are. Rafa need to find an extremely good goal scorers or else he should keep Fowler. Maybe as the Playing Coach.

The match is effectively finished within 30 minutes when Fowler scored 2. The whole team is playing very well and Mascherano had a very good debut. It shows the strength of the squad that Rafa has built, that we can rest 7 members of the first team and still managed to win 4-0.

Players Rating:
Dudek: 7.5 Regained some of his reputation with a clean sheet.
Finnan: 7.5 A nice display.
Carragher: 7.5 Solid at the back and get a rare 13 minute rest.
Hyypia: 8 Back with a nice taken goal.
Riise: 7.5 Solid performance and helped attack as well.
Pennant: 7.5 Lively performance on the right and his corner lead to the first penalty.
Gerrard: 9 Really shines at central midfield.
Mascherano: 8 Showed Rafa chased him for so long. His presence made Gerrard a better player.
Gonzalez: 7 Showed his speed again and should have score.
Fowler: 8.5 Two nice taken penalties and a nice assist. Too bad he didn't get a hat trick.
Crouch: 6.5 Too bad he needs to come off with a nose injury.

Substitutions:
Kuyt: 7 Need to learn the art of finishing from Fowler.
Alonso/Agger: 6.5 Not enough time to shine.

Rafa: 8 Thumbs up with the tactics. And he should rest Kuyt and Bellamy and start Fowler and Crouch against Manchester United.

Sheffield United: 5 Destined to lose from the very beginning. But they will stay up this year.

Man of the Match: Gerrard. An all round performance.

Time for some supporting players to shine

On paper this is an easy game and Rafa may be tempted to let some supporting players to play in this game, especially we have some difficult games coming up in the next 10 days. But let's not get carried away, as first 4 is not yet secured.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Agger
Hyypia
Riise
Pennant
Gerrard
Mascherano
Zenden
Kuyt
Crouch

Result 3-0

Match Report 070221 at Barcelona: Teamwork

2-1 and this was a nice win that put us in a very good position. It was really nice to see Bellamy and Riise scored both goals, after the weekend controversy. It is exaggerated by the media, and the team is bonding very well. Although the work is only half way done, Rafa will make sure we will go through the next round by focusing in the game.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Did well to keep us in the game before the equaliser, although he was a bit lucky not to concede a goal from a Deco freekick that hit the post.
Finnan: 7.5 Visionary assist to Bellamy's goal.
Carragher: 8 Rock at the back.
Agger: 7 A bit soft at first but grew bigger as the match developed.
Riise: 8 What a goal - from his right foot!
Arbeloa: 7 A nice display on right midfield and left back. A good full debut.
Alonso: 7 Doing much of the defensive work in the expense of his usual creativity
Sissoko: 8 A rock at the midfield and protected the back 4 well.
Gerrard: 7.5 Driving the team as usual, although he was guilty in letting in the first goal.
Bellamy: 8.5 What a game to silent all the critics!
Kuyt: 7.5 A good game but missed a glorious chance from a set-piece.

Substitutions:
Pennant/Zenden/Crouch 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

Rafa: 8 Master mind.

Barcelona: 6.5 Defense was a disgrace. But they have enough talent so we need to be very careful.

Man of the Match: Bellamy. His talent is second to none.

Respond

We have 10 days to prepare for this match, and at the end of the training camp the players gone too far and ruined their reputation. Now is the time for them to respond and repair the damages. We have a good record at Nou Camp and we need to extend it. Barcelona is a great team but not unbeatable. But we need to be at our best to do so.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
Carragher
Hyypia
Riise
Gerrard
Alonso
Sissoko
Aurelio
Kuyt
Crouch

Result 1-0

Match Report 070210: All hopes are gone now

1-2 and we basically lost any hope of winning the title this year. With only 11 points to go and 16 points behind, there is just too big a gap to claim back. We may still have a slim chance to finish 2nd, but to chase back 10 points in 11 games is also unlikely.

We still have the same old problem of not taking chance. Some may due to luck and some due to skill, but anyway, the team now need to focus on the Barcelona game as this is the only chance we can achieve some glory this season.

Players Rating:
Reina: Some may question the timing of his rush out that lead to the first goal, but I won't blame him too much as Agger is clear at fault.
Finnan: 6 Unable to go forward.
Carragher: 7 The only good defender of the day.
Agger: 5.5 Had a very poor game as he was unable to coupe with Dyer's speed.
Riise: 6 Gave away a penalty.
Pennant: 6.5 Not much offered apart from the assist.
Gerrard: 6 Failed to bring in the creativity to the team.
Sissoko: 7 Came back after the injury and was tackling as hard as he used to be.
Zenden: 6 Missed a glorious chance to put the game 2-0, and was quickly fade away in 2H.
Bellamy: 7.5 Scored a clever goal but missed at least 3 other good chances.
Kuyt: 6 Missed an open goal early 2H.

Substitutions:
Guthrie/Arebola/Crouch: 6 Insufficient time to impress.

Rafa: 6 A poor display and need to work much harder on goal conversion.

Newcastle United: 7 Despite hammered by us in 2H, they held on and at the end won the game, although they should count themselves a bit lucky.

Man of the Match: Bellamy. Too bad this is not a happy return for him.

Start of a new era

This is the first game after the Club is taken over, and also the start of another winning streak. Bellamy will certainly receive hostile treatment from the Newcastle fans, and without Alonso, Rafa may need to play Sissoko or Zenden. But nevertheless, we can win this game.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
Carragher
Agger
Riise
Pennant
Gerrard
Sissoko
Gonzalez
Kuyt
Crouch

Result 2-0

Done deal

The Club is sold for 450 million pounds to Gillett and Hicks. At first look these two Americans are genuine sports fans, but only time will tell.

We are now in a new era, and although there are lots of uncertainties, we need to move on. Fast.

Match Report 070203 vs Everton: 5 point loss

0-0 and we lost 5 points this season vs Everton. Rafa's comment of Everton as a small team is a bit wild off, but it is inevitable that some team will come to Anfield with 9-men defense and for one point, and it is up to Rafa and the team to find way to create space and thus chances. In this regard we failed completely.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Did well to prevent Johnson's well taken shot.
Finnan: 7 Unable to help the atttacks.
Carragher: 7 Did well at defense and almost scored at the other end.
Agger: 7 Solid defending.
Riise: 7 Should have go forward more frequently to support the attacks.
Pennant: 6.5 Get the ball a lot of times but failed to create a goal.
Gerrard: 7 Did well in protecting the back 4, but at the expense of not going forward enough.
Alonso: 6 Had an off day and wasted too many passes.
Bellamy: 7 Had a nice taken goal correctly ruled offside.
Kuyt: 7 Worked extremely hard as usual, but lack the final midas touch.
Crouch: 6.5 Wasteful inside the box.

Substitutions:
Fowler: 6.5 Insufficient time to change the game.

Rafa: 6.5 At times we were out-numbered in midfield. Perhaps we should play 3-5-2.

Everton: 6.5 Come for one point and get what they wanted. Good luck for their chase of 6th spot for UEFA Cup.

Man of the Match: Reina. Another solid goalkeeping performance.

Don't be distracted by off the field activities

There have been lots of confusions during the past few days on the takeover, and all of a sudden the future of the Club is unclear. But players need to retain their focus in the derby game. We need to keep winning and maintain pressure of Chelsea.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
Carragher
Agger
Riise
Pennant
Gerrard
Alonso
Gonzalez
Kuyt
Crouch

Result 2-0

What is the Board thinking?

So DIC pulled out as they are not happy about the Board's decision to let Gillett to bid.

I think most of the fans will think DIC are better owner of the club, especially DIC will clear the debt of the Club, and there was rumor that Gillett will prefer ground share with Everton. It looks like the Board members are thinking to personal profit from Gillett's 10% more bidding, while putting the Club's future in uncertainty.

As fans we do not have access to the details and I hope Moores and Parry will do their best to protect the Club. As Shankly said Liverpool Football Club is not owned by the board, the manager or the players. It is owned by the fans. And now we have to trust Moores and Parry.