Keep winning

After the midweek sensational performance Rafa needs to think carefully whether Torres should start. No doubt our priority is the league, and we need to keep the pace with Arsenal, so every league game is important.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
Carragher
Hyypia
Arbeloa
Pennant
Gerrard
Mascherano
Riise
Kuyt
Torres

Result 2-0

Match Report 070926 at Reading: Awesome

4-2 and Torres is simply awesome. We seldom see a player single-handly destroyed the opponent that easy, and we witnessed that. Of course Rafa will continue to rotate, but this will only do the team good as this will keep Torres fresh. But the remaining strikers need to step up now.

Players Rating:
Itandje: 6 A bit scary in his debut.
Finnan: 6.5 Not the best performance.
Carragher: 7.5 Saved the team several times from trouble.
Arbeloa: 6.5 Did OK as centre back.
Aurelio: 6.5 Gradually improving after injury.
Leto: 7 A nice first start and did well on the right.
Benayoun: 8 Superb individual goal.
Sissoko: 7 Solid display.
Lucas: 6.5 A nice performance.
Torres: 10 First of many hat tricks in a red shirt.
Crouch: 6.5 Linked up well with Torres.

Substitutions:
Riise: 7 Assist with his first touch.
Gerrard: 7 An intelligent pass to complete Torres' hat trick.
Hobbs: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

Rafa: 7 Would be happy about the performance.

Reading: 6 Didn't play well.

Man of the Match: Torres. Simply Fantastic.

Give the youngsters a chance

Although this is just a League Cup game but we definitely need to start winning. On one hand we have not done so in 3 games, and on the other hand we need to stay in the Cup to give the youngsters some games. Rafa has included some big guns like Carra, Stevie G and Torres in the squad, but he would probably just start Carra and give the youngsters a chance.

My Team Prediction:

Itandje
Arbeloa
Carragher
Hobbs
Aurelio
Benayoun
Leto
Sissoko
Leiva
Voronin
Crouch

Match Report 070922 vs Birmingham City: Disappointing

0-0 and this is a really disappointing result. We should have win this game comfortably but we failed to breakthrough the packed Birmingham defense. The big question is whether Torres should have started this game, and I think he should. I just can't see him to play in the League Cup so he should start in the league as well. Anyway it is still early in the season and we have lots of chances to catch up.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7 No real test for Pepe.
Arbeloa: 6.5 A good effort.
Carragher: 7 Played well as usual.
Hyypia: 6.5 Solid display.
Riise: 6.5 Had a few close efforts in 1H but became quiet in 2H.
Pennant: 6.5 Did well but couldn't breakthrough the defense.
Gerrard: 6.5 Quiet display.
Mascherano: 7.5 A good display.
Babel: 6 Very poor.
Voronin: 6 No linkage with Kuyt at all.
Kuyt: 6 Worked hard as usual.

Substitutions:
Torres: 7.5 Did well when come up and almost scored.
Crouch/Finnan: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

Rafa: 6 It was another draw and we didn't scored in 2 league games. Something needs to be done.

Birmingham City: 7 Did well in defense and at the end earned a well deserved point.

Men of the Match: Mascherano/Torres. Did better than all others in a red jersey.

Start winning again

After 2 draws we definitely need to start winning again, especially against a "weak" team at home. There are some significant injuries in the team, but we have enough manpower to go for another home glory.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
Carragher
Arbeloa
Aurelio
Pennant
Gerrard
Sissoko
Riise
Torres
Voronin

Result 3-0

Match Report 070918 at Porto: 1 point gain

1-1 and this is really a 1 point we don't deserved with such a poor performance. We played like Derby when they were beaten by us 0-6, and how we get 1 point especially with 1 men down is really a mystery. Anyway, a draw away from home is not a bad result, but Rafa simply need to improve especially now that Agger is out.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6.5 No chance for the penalty, but other than that he did well to earn us the point.
Finnan: 6.5 An OK performance.
Carragher: 7 Solid display.
Hyypia: 6 His slowness lead to the first goal, but he later made a last man save.
Arbeloa: 6.5 Solid if not impressive.
Pennant: 5 Stupid response. Need to learn from the mistake.
Garrard: 6 A flat performance.
Mascherano: 7 Quiet but effective.
Babel: 6 Failed to make an impact.
Kuyt: 7.5 Scored the only goal and hardworking as usual.
Torres: 6 No service to him.

Substitutions:
Voronin/Aurelio: 6 Not enough time to impress.

Benitez: 6 Need to find ways to fill the gaps from the injuries.

Porto: 7 Good home team display.

Man of the Match: Kuyt. Scored a similar goal to the CL Final one.

Champions League starts here

Rafa wants 12 points from the group stage, and should we win this game, we are probably 30% qualified. There is a few injuries in Riise and Xabi, but Rafa had rotated well and we should have fresh legs to fight for this battle.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
Carragher
Agger
Arbeloa
Pennant
Gerrard
Mascherano
Babel
Kuyt
Torres

Result 2-0

Match Report 070915 at Portsomouth: Disappointed, but it's not the end of the world

0-0 and it is probably a fair result to both sides. It's obvious that Rafa's preparation had been disturbed by the international games and the early kickoff, and he had no choice but to rotate, especially Porto is coming up. We didn't tested David James enough, and at the end Reina made an excellent save to the penalty, and so a draw is a fair result.

Away at Portsmouth won't be an easy game, so I am not that down. And they seem to be improving as well.

Players Rating:
Reina: 8 Saved us for the point.
Finnan: 6.5 A good performance.
Carragher: 6.5 Good to see Carra back.
Agger: 6.5 OK in general.
Arbeloa: 6.5 It was harsh for him to concede that penalty.
Pennant: 6.5 Did OK.
Alonso: 6.5 Couldn't inspire the team and did very poorly in freekicks.
Sissoko: 6.5 Also willing to go forward.
Benayoun: 6.5 Was not a natural winger.
Voronin: 7 One of the better player and almost scored in 2 occasions.
Crouch: 6.5 Couldn't find the net.

Substitutions:
Torres: 7 Liverly display when come up.
Gerrard/Babel: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

Rafa: 6.5 Forced to make changes and at the end it does not work as people expected.

Portsmouth: 7 A very solid team at home. I don't think many teams will beat them at their homeground.

Man of the Match: Reina. Another superb penalty save.

Real test

Away at Portsmouth is always a difficult game, especially after International weekend with an early start. Rafa will look at the conditions of the players before he decide who will start, and no doubt he will also keep an eye at the Porto game 3 days later. Nevertheless, we should have enough players to win the game.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Carragher
Agger
Riise
Pennant
Gerrard
Alonso
Babel
Kuyt
Crouch

Result 2-0

Match Report 070901 vs Derby County: Magnificent Result

6-0 and we could have score more. It's good that we have 4 players on the scoresheet in an eventful afternoon, and yes, Derby was crap, but beating a crap opponent is one thing and winning 6-0 is another thing. This team is full of confidence and improving, and is a joy to watch.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 A comfortable afternoon.
Finnan: 7.5 Did well both in attacking and defending.
Agger: 7.5 Did well apart from a short moment of lost of concentration towards the end.
Hyypia: 7.5 Another solid display from the captain.
Arbeloa: 8 Did well in defense and attack, and was rewarded a first assist of the season.
Pennant: 8.5 A very lively performance especially when switched to the left. England's loss is our gain.
Alonso: 9.5 An almost perfect performance, starting with a nice goal that opened the floodgate.
Mascherano: 8.5 The destroyer of the match, his assist to the 3-0 goal to Torres is especially enjoyable.
Babel: 8 Opened his account with a beautifully taken goal.
Torres: 9.5 Scored two nice goals.
Kuyt: 8 Worked very hard and was unlucky not to have score one.

Substitutions:
Benayoun: 7.5 Created the second goal for Xabi.
Voronin: 8 Scored a tap-in from his acute sense in front of the goal.
Sissoko: 7 Solid when coming up.

Rafa: 8 An excellent result and he would be happy.

Derby: 3 Unless there is a miracle, we will not see them again next season.

Men of the Match: Alonso and Torres. Both scored two goals and it is difficult to tell who is better.

Keep the momentum

Derby on paper is an easy game but we still need to perform well to get the three points. It is a huge blow that Pako decided to leave, and all we can hope is he will change his mind or Rafa can find a good replacement. Nevertheless, we should not be distracted.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
Agger
Hyypia
Riise
Pennant
Alonso
Sissoko
Babel
Torres
Crouch

Result: 5-0