August Match Report

3W1D and this is a really good start to the season. The season started with a draw at home vs Sunderland despite we controlling the first half, but King Kenny really learned a lesson and then we have 3 impressive wins in a row. This bring us to 3rd place of the table and with both North London teams struggling, we really have a great chance of at least securing top 4 this season.

Players of the month (1) Suarez 7.76 (2) Adam 7.26 (3) Enrique 7.17. Suarez is a constant threat and has continued his excellent run since Copa America with 3 goals and 2 assists. Adam get into the team very well and also scored one and created two. Enrique is very solid in defense and also overlapped well with Downing on the frank.

September prediction:
9/10 Stoke City (a) A tough place to visit and this will be a very physical game.
9/18 Tottenham Hotspur (a) A key match for getting 4th place. Spur may be playing poorly recently but White Hart Lane is still a tough place to visit.
9/21 Brighton (a) Another away game in the League Cup and we still need to show up if we want to proceed.
9/24 Wolverhampton Wanderers (h) Wolves are doing well recently and they will be tough to beat.

Match Report 110827 vs Bolton Wanderers: Another nice win

3-1 and this is a very comfortable win that bring us to top 3 of the table. We control the game very well and Suarez was very lively despite not scoring and was denied at least two penalties. Now we have more options in the team and the future is really bright.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7 Very solid.
Kelly: 6.5 Solid before his injury.
Carragher: 6 A very uncharacteristic error.
Agger: 7 Another lively performance.
Enrique: 7 A good performance.
Henderson: 7.5 Opened his account with a nicely taken goal.
Adam: 7.5 A lovely corner and a superb goal.
Lucas: 7.5 Solid at the middle.
Downing: 7 Good performance.
Suarez: 8 Constant threat.
Kuyt: 7.5 Solid with two assists.

Substitutions:
Skrtel: 7.5 Came on with a nice header.
Carroll/Maxi: 7 Solid when called on.

King Kenny: 7.5 Would be delighted about how we control the game.

Bolton Wanderers: 6 Just can't match with us.

Man of the Match: Suarez. Another brilliant performance.

Continue the good run

With two impressive wins away from home the Mighty Reds are now back to Anfield, with Bolton visiting. Bolton has been scoring goals for free recently so the defense need to pay attention to this. Our front players are on fire, and with patience, we would find gaps and score goals to win the game.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Kelly
Carragher
Agger
Enrique
Lucas
Adam
Kuyt
Suarez
Downing
Henderson

Result 2:0

Match Report 100824 at Exeter City: 200 and counter

3-1 and this is a good end to King Kenny's first 200th managerial wins with us. We show full respect to Exeter with a very strong squad, and at the end the difference in quality is there to be seen. The only bad news is the injury of Meireles, but apart from this, it is a great win for the side.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7 Rarely tested.
Flanagan: 7 A good performance.
Skrtel: 7 Solid in general.
Wilson: 7 Feel more comfortable at center back.
Robinson: 7 Another nice game.
Spearing: 7 Solid in protecting the back 4.
Adam: 7 Dictated the midfield well.
Meireles: 7 A good game before the injury.
Henderson: 7 A good game but still need more time to improve.
Maxi: 7.5 Scored a nice goal.
Suarez: 8.5 A superb game.

Substitutions:
Carroll: 7.5 Came on and scored a brilliant goal.
Downing: 7 A good one when come up.
Shelvey: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

King Kenny: 7.5 Would be delighted to see the team see out the opponent professionally.

Exeter: 5.5 The gap in quality tells.

Man of the Match: Suarez. Sensational.

Potential banana skin

Since we have no Europe game we need to start the League Cup in 2nd round. Exeter may only be at League One, but they surely will be up and excited against our players. King Kenny will use many squad players, but we need to be at our best in order to prevent the repeat of the humiliating defeat against Northampton last season.

My Team Prediction:
Doni
Flanagan
Carragher
Skrtel
Wilson
Spearing
Shelvey
Coady
Cole
Maxi
Ngog

Result 2:0

Match Report 110820 at Arsenal: Nice win

2-0 and it is our first win at Emirates. We did very well in general, and King Kenny's substitutions were spot on. At the end, this is the win we deserve, and this win will give us more belief going into the season.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7 Rarely troubled.
Kelly: 7.5 Superb performance.
Carragher: 7 Leader at the back.
Agger: 7 Doing well on both ends of the pitch.
Enrique: 7.5 Another good performance with many forward runs.
Lucas: 7 Made many successful tackles.
Adam: 7 Good delivery of ball, although he should try not to waste the ball with midfield shots.
Kuyt: 7 Everywhere.
Henderson: 7 Passed the ball well.
Downing: 7 Another good performance.
Carroll: 7 Solid game and tired the Arsenal defense, although he should try to challenge their young defender more.

Substitutions:
Meireles/Suarez: 7.5 Both substitutes came up and combined to create both goals.

King Kenny: 7.5 Made a good tactical change that win the game.

Arsenal: 6 With the departures of Fabregas and Nasri, and without additional players especially at the back, they will struggle this season.

Men of the Match: Kelly/Enrique. Two flying backs.

Break the jinx

Gooners have lost Fabregas and Nasri is likely to leave. Together with the suspensions and injuries they will be weakened and it is a real chance for us to win this time. It will be tough, but we can do it.

My team prediction:
Reina
Kelly
Carragher
Agger
Enrique
Lucas
Adam
Kuyt
Meireles
Suarez
Carroll

Result 2:0

Match Report 110813 vs Sunderland: More time needed

1:1 and fans were really disappointed especially after a flying start. We started brightly and although Suarez missed a penalty, he did scored a nice header in the 12th minute. From then on we controlled the first half, and was unlucky not to score at least one more goal. Carroll's goal was harshly disallowed and Downing was very unlucky to hit the bar after an amazing run. In the second half, we did not do as good in 1H and let them equalized. With no Gerrard there is no one in the team who is able to drive the team forward, and at the end, a draw is a fair result.

Certainly it was a surprise for King Kenny to start Flanagan ahead of Kelly, and his careless error did contributed to the goal conceded. But let's give him some space and time.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7 Not much he can do for the goal conceded.
Flanagan: 5.5 Was at fault for the goal conceded.
Carragher: 6.5 Unable to motivate the team.
Agger: 6.5 A solid performance.
Enrique: 7 A nice debut and link up with the front well.
Henderson: 6 Passed well but in general a quiet debut.
Lucas: 6.5 Control the midfield well.
Adam: 7.5 A good debut with a nice assist and many good deliveries.
Downing: 7 Did well and was unlucky to hit the bar.
Suarez: 7 A nice goal taken.
Carroll: 6.5 His goal should count.

Substitutions:
Kuyt: 6.5 Was the surprised omission but failed to spark the team when come up.
Meireles: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

King Kenny: 6.5 A few surprises in the starting lineup in omitting Kelly and Kuyt, and failed to change the team for the victory. Nevertheless this is only the first game and we have many rooms for improvement.

Sunderland: 6.5 Credit to them for not giving up, although they are very lucky to have 11 men on the pitch.

Man of the Match: Adam. Stevie G can be excused from taking corners and free kicks.

New season, new hope

New season, new hope. We have many new faces and on paper the team is much stronger, and now we need to deliver (and reduce a few dead wood to cut wages). The result of pre-season games may not be too good, but now it is really time for the players to stand up and deliver. Fourth place is reachable, and anything higher than that is much appreciated.

Sunderland has lost many players especially Henderson to us, but they also have reinvested and bring in many new faces. They will be difficult to beat, but we will do our best for a home victory to kick start the season

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Kelly
Carragher
Agger
Aurelio
Lucas
Adam
Kuyt
Meireles
Downing
Carroll

Result 2:0