November Month Report

3W1D2L and we are gradually pickup up ourselves. We started the month well with 2 games at home vs Napoli and Chelsea, but the results away from home are still poor as we lost 5 points at Wigan and Stoke. Another home win comes, but then we lost to Spurs by a last minute goal. Clearly we need to improve away from home, especially we now lost two key players in Carra and Gerrard.

Players of the month (1) Reina 7.0 (2) Kuyt 6.993 (3) Meireles 6.988. Reina was as usual very solid. And we need him to be even better in the coming month as our captain. Kuyt did very well back from injury, with an superb assit to Torres in the Chelsea game, and scored a penalty against West Ham. Meireles gradually shows us what he can do and did very well especially from the middle.

December Prediction:
12/2 Steaua Bucharest (a) A draw will see us through.
12/6 Aston Villa (h) Welcome back, Houllier.
12/11 Newcastle United (a) A tough away game for us.
12/15 Utrecht (h) Let the youngsters shine.
12/18 Fulham (h) Fulham will be eager to beat RH so we need to be careful.
12/26 Blackpool (a) We need to do a revenge on that shameful defeat at Anfield.
12/29 Wolverhampton Wanderers (h) A win to wrap up the miserable 2010 should be fine, but we need to work very hard to achieve it.

Match Report 101128 vs Tottenham Hotspur: Misery continues

1-2 and despite leading 1 goal at half time, we failed to build on it and lost the game. What's worse is that Carragher is injured. Something need to be done quickly or our season will go from bad to worse.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7 Can't be faulted on both goals.
Johnson: 6 Could not cope with Modric.
Carragher: 7.5 Never say die spirit and even saved a goal from the line.
Skrtel: 7 Scored at both ends.
Konchesky: 5 Fault at the second goal conceded.
Kuyt: 6.5 Worked hard as usual.
Meireles: 7 Bossed the midfield and even saved a goal from the goal line.
Lucas: 7 Tackles everywhere.
Maxi: 6.5 Missed a few great chances.
Ngog: 5.5 Conceded a very childish handball.
Torres: 6 Indecisive or else should score 2.

Substitutions:
Aurelio: 6.5 Gradually picking up his games.
Kyrgiakos: 5.5 Missed time defense lead to the goal.

RH: 6 The team is playing better, but somehow we still lost the game.

Tottenham Hotspur: 7.5 Credits to them in never give up. We should learn from them.

Man of the Match: Carragher. We will miss him dearly.

Steal a point

With RH's mindset we won't win too many away games, but we may have a chance to steal a point at White Hart Lane. We have the whole week to prepare the game and if luck is on our side, we may get 3 points home.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Johnson
Carragher
Skrtel
Konchesky
Lucas
Meireles
Kuyt
Cole
Maxi
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 101120 vs West Ham United: Good display against a poor team

3:0 and this is a good display, despite the fact the West Ham are really poor. We were already 3 up in half time and was very relaxed in second half, but in truth the real test is next week when we visit White Hart Lane. It will see how high we can go.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Not really tested and his delivery were superb.
Johnson: 7.5 A much better performance with a nicely taken goal.
Carragher: 7 Solid in the middle.
Skrtel: 7 Good performance.
Konchesky: 7 Great delivery to the final goal.
Kuyt: 7.5 Worked hard as usual and taken a penalty coolly.
Meireles: 8 Pulling all the strings in the middle.
Poulsen: 7 A good performance against a poor team.
Maxi: 7.5 Very deadly inside 18 yard.
Torres: 7 Had a great opportunity denied.
Ngog: 6.5 Not really into the game.

Substitutions:
Aurelio: 6.5 Solid display in his first league game of the season.
Shelvey/Babel: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

RH: 7 Would be delighted about the result, he should give the kids more time in 2H though.

West Ham United: 5 Very poor performance and apart from Green and Cole, the rest of the team was disinterested in fighting.

Man of the Match: Meireles. Middle is clearly his best position.

Any hope

With such a manager and so many injuries and suspension, do we have any hope against a bottom team at home? We should give the youngsters a chance to shine and fight for the team.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Kelly
Carragher
Skrtel
Konchesky
Maxi
Poulsen
Shelvey
Jovanovic
Kuyt
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 101114 at Stoke City: Expected defeat

0:2 and this is one the most toothless display by our team, but it is kind of expected from the negative approach of the team. We seems to just want to play for a draw away, and with this mindset, it is difficult for us to expect any win away from home. The owners need to do something.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6 Cannot do to much to save both goals.
Carragher: 6 Never go up to support attack. Manager order?
Kyrgiakos: 6 Nothing special.
Skrtel: 6 At least willing to fight.
Konchesky: 6 No support to attack and don't look solid in defending.
Lucas: 5 Stupid challenges.
Meireles: 6 Had a few sparks only.
Kuyt: 6.5 Run all across the field.
Gerrard: 6 Could not drive the team this time.
Maxi: 6 Not effective.
Torres: 6 Played through injury.

Substitutions:
Ngog/Babel: 6 Did not do much to change the game.

RH: 3 Should go now.

Stoke City: 7 Credits to them with a solid game plan that was executed perfectly.

Man of the Match: Kuyt. Worked hard as usual.

Be more proactive in away games

With the current tactics RH seems to be content with a draw during away games, but we need to change this mindset and try to win every match. Stokes will be physical, but we are well prepared for it and we could win it if we are playing to our potential.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Kelly
Carragher
Skrtel
Konchesky
Lucas
Meireles
Kuyt
Gerrard
Maxi
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 101110 at Wigan Athletic: Small team mindset

1-1 and we blown away an early lead. True, tireness may be one factor of the fading performance, but at least we should send some attackers to try to get 3 points. But we just sit back and invited Wigan to attack. Really small team mindset.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7 Could not do much about the goal conceded.
Kelly: 6.5 At times feel uncertain.
Carragher: 7 Solid as usual.
Skrtel: 6.5 In general dealing with the Wigan attack well.
Konchesky: 6 Did not offer too much.
Lucas: 6.5 Effective performance.
Meireles: 6.5 Illness limited his performance.
Kuyt: 7 Run all over the pitch as usual.
Gerrard: 7.5 Lead the team and could have seal the game but only hit the bar.
Maxi: 6.5 A bit off from the previous two games.
Torres: 7 Scored a great goal.

Substitutions:
Shelvey: 6.5 Solid in general apart from a few miss passes.
Poulsen: 6.5 Solid but did not offer too much.
Eccleston: 6 Did not do much for the limited time on the pitch.

RH: 6 Questionable tactic once again.

Wigan Athletic: 6.5 At times they are the better team, and fully deserved to get one point.

Man of the Match: Gerrard. Would be fantastic if he did score.

Continue the good run

After we beat Chelsea we need to continue our good run. Wigan did not score too many goals but we still need to score some in order to bring 3 points home.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Kelly
Carragher
Skrtel
Konchesky
Lucas
Meireles
Kuyt
Gerrard
Jovanovic
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 101107 vs Chelsea: Torres is back!

2-0 and two superb goals from Torres sealed us a valuable victory. The whole team was great and we are now back to where we should be. With this momentum, we can gradually climb up the table, and top 4 is not impossible.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Two superb saves to keep us a clean sheet.
Kelly: 7 Solid league debut start.
Carragher: 7.5 Lead the back 4 with example.
Skrtel: 7.5 Control Anelka and Drogba well.
Konchesky: 7 A solid display.
Meireles: 7.5 Best performance so far in a red shirt with a nice assist.
Gerrard: 7.5 Drive the team towards another victory.
Lucas: 8 Another superb performance.
Maxi: 7.5 Starting to perform as good as last season.
Torres: 8 Two superbly taken goals.
Kuyt: 7.5 Come back with an assist.

Substitutions:
Shelvey: 7 Solid performance.
Ngog/Spearing: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

RH: Would be delighted about the team effort, and we need more like this.

Chelsea: 6 On a day they did not perform, we take the 3 points home. But they have enough players to bounce back.

Men of the Match: Lucas/Torres. Getting better and better.

Hold no fear

It's against the Champions and it will be a very tough match for us. But no team is undefeatable, so if we play to our maximum potential we will beat them.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Johnson
Carragher
Skrtel
Konchesky
Lucas
Meireles
Kuyt
Gerrard
Jovanovic
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 101104 vs Napoli: Capital Marvelous

3-1 and it was the superb performance of Stevie G that bring us another victory. We were very poor in 1H but when Stevie G comes on he really bring another dimension into the game. The scoreline may be flattening to us but Stephen's performance is truly great.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7 Solid at the back and was rarely tested in 2H.
Johnson: 6 Looks uncertain when coming back from injury.
Kyrgiakos: 6.5 Too slow when facing the Napoli forward.
Carragher: 6.5 Defense as a unit was not good enough especially in 1H.
Konchesky: 6.5 Not much involvement in attack.
Poulsen: 5 Invisible man.
Spearing: 6.5 Solid but not impressive.
Shelvey: 7 Truly have great potential.
Meireles: 6.5 Played too up front and let the midfield exposed.
Jovanovic: 6.5 Solid display.
Ngog: 6.5 Played very hard but couldn't score.

Substitutions:
Gerrard: 8 Came on and changed the game.
Eccleston: 6.5 Solid performance.
Lucas: 7 Provided another assist with great vision.

RH: 6.5 Would be delighted about getting another win, although we still have lots of rooms for improvement.

Napoli: 6 Could not complain about the defeat.

Man of the Match: Gerrard. Impressed the new owner.

Give kids another chance

With another European game it is now chance for some of the kids and second string players to show their worth. We managed a good draw at Napoli and we should maintain the recent good one and a win will make us one foot into qualification.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Kelly
Carragher
Skrtel
Konchesky
Poulsen
Spearing
Pacheco
Shelvey
Jovanovic
Ngog

Result 2:0

October Month Report

2W1D2L and the season seems to have started to back on track. We started the month with the old owner and then ended with a new owner. 2 league defeats have sent us to 18th place, but then we win 2 league games in a row and are now up to 13th, although we should still be at a much higher position. But with the current manager, we really have no aspiration to challenge top 4 or top 6.

Players of the month (1) Reina 6.90 (2) Kyrgiakos 6.83 (3) Gerrard 6.75. Reina as usual performed very good over the month, and Kyrgiakos finally shows the world his capability, with 2 goals scored and was solid at the back. Despite the problem with the team Stevie G still drive the team forward as hard as he can.

November Prediction:
11/4 Napoli (h) Win this game and we will be one leg qualified.
11/7 Chelsea (h) A very tough game vs the Champions.
11/10 Wigan Athletic (a) We need to pick up points away at tough opponents.
11/13 Stoke City (a) Another tough and physical game underway.
11/20 West Ham United (h) We should beat Hammers at home.
11/28 Tottenham Hotspur (a) Another tough away game.

Match Report 101031 at Bolton Wanderers: Away win despite poor performance

1-0 and this is our first away win of the season, and we leave it very late to win the game. It is the same formation of the last two matches but we could not repeat our performance in the last match, fortunately luck was on our side and a wonder goal by Maxi bring us the precious 3 points.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Make a few superb saves to set up the platform for the victory.
Carragher: 6.5 Lucky not to have conceded a penalty.
Kyrgiakos: 7 Form keep on improving.
Skrtel: 7 Solid at the back.
Konchesky: 6.5 Not much involvement in attack.
Lucas: 7.5 Rock solid performance and also contributed to the winning goal.
Meireles: 7 Nice and neat performance.
Maxi: 7 Scored a timely winning goal.
Gerrard: 7 Tried hard to carry the team forward.
Cole: 6.5 Not much contribution even before the injury.
Torres: 6.5 Very quiet game despite the assist.

Substitutions:
Ngog: 7 Provided another dimension when came up.
Poulsen: 6.5 Not enough time to do any damage.

RH: 6.5 Still no clue of how to play away, and was lucky to get 3 points home. Also, this is not a famous victory. We should win this game easier.

Bolton Wanderers: 6.5 Would feel unhappy not to take 1 point home especially they have a few penalty shouts.

Players of the Match: Reina/Lucas. Combined to bring us our first away victory.