Make us dream

A win may not be enough to win the title, but at least we can still dream about it. And you never know...

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Carragher
Skrtel
Aurelio
Alonso
Mascherano
Kuyt
Gerrard
Babel
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 090310 vs Real Madrid: Even Rafa is happy

4-0 and this is a superb result against one of the greatest team. From the first minute our game plan is to attack, and if not Casillas was superb the scoreline can easily be doubled. And if Casillas is their MoM after conceding 4 goals, you know how good we are. Now we need to remember this performance level and do it again for the remaining of the season, and who knows what may happen?

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Made a few saves to keep another clean sheet.
Arbeloa/Carragher/Skrtel/Aurelio: 7.5 Defense as a unit played very well.
Alonso: 7.5 Nice control of the midfield.
Mascherano: 8.5 Superb performance, everywhere on the pitch.
Kuyt: 8 Worked tirelessly and set up for the first goal.
Gerrard: 8.5 Two great goals to kill off the game.
Babel: 8 Superb performance with many great crossings.
Torres: 9 Did every thing to ensure a Liverpool victory.

Substitutions:
Lucas: 7.5 Composed display.
Spearing: 7.5 Good home debut.
Dossena: 7.5 Completed the game with a well taken goal.

Rafa: 9 Even Rafa is delighted about this performance, but we need to transfer it into domestic performances as well.

Real Madrid: 5 A very poor display and should be glad to concede just 4 goals.

Man of the Match: Torres. Thank God he was born as an Atletico fan.

Clean Sheet

After a weeks' rest the focus is now back to Champions League. Real Madrid will be looking for a win to save their season, and although a clean sheet will be enough to see us through, we still need to try to score goals. We have a few injuries and suspension, and the remaining players need to rise in the moment.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Carragher
Skrtel
Hyypia
Aurelio
Alonso
Mascherano
Kuyt
Gerrard
Babel
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 090303 vs Sunderland: Bounced Back

2-0 and the team rebound from the setback over the weekend. Although we did not played particular well, we did control the game from the beginning. Chances were rare until Ngog opened his Anfield account. In summary this is 3 points well deserved, and we will keep fighting till the end.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Made a good save early on, but have not much to do afterward.
Mascherano: 7.5 Very good performance as a temporary right back.
Carragher/Skrtel: 7 Solid as usual.
Insua: 7 Good in defending and help the attacks as well.
Benayoun: 8 Always dangerous.
Alonso: 7 Solid performance in protecting the back 4.
Gerrard: 7 A bit quiet but still managed to create a goal.
Riera: 7 Great crossing to create the first goal.
Kuyt: 7 Worked hard as usual.
Ngog: 7.5 Scored one and created one in his first Anfield start.

Substitutions:
Lucas: 7 Almost scored from a header.
Babel/El Zhar: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

Rafa: 7 Would be very happy about the way the team responded.

Sunderland: 6 Apart from a scoring chance early on they don't provide any threat.

Man of the Match: Benayoun. A great goal gifted by Sunderland.

Pick ourselves up

After a miserable weekend we need to pick ourselves up with a victory. There will be no Torres, Arbeloa and Agger, but the remaining team will keep fighting for the second place.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Carragher
Skrtel
Hyypia
Aurelio
Alonso
Mascherano
Benayoun
Gerrard
Riera
Kuyt

Result 2:0

February Month Review

3 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats, and we are out of FA Cup and our dream of winning the league is almost over. We started the month brightly with a convincing victory over Chelsea, but then we get beaten by Everton in the FA Cup, followed by another superb win at Portsmouth. Our title dream then get a big hit as we can only drew Manchester City after the international break, but a superb away win at Real Madrid put us in a good position in the Champions League. However, the month ended with a poor performance at Boro, and our title dream is almost over now.

Players of the month: (1) Benayoun 7.39 (2) Carragher 7.35 (3) Alonso 7.03. Benayoun stood up after Stevie G is injured with many great performances and a great header at Real Madrid. Carragher is solid as ever at the back, and Xabi also did well in general in the midfield.

March prediction:
3/3 Sunderland (h) A win is needed to pick ourselves up.
3/10 Real Madrid (h) We are in a good position to qualify, but we need to be careful as Real is a very strong team.
3/14 Manchester United (a) A match that have lost its significance, but we still need to try our best to capture any possible fall out of Manchester.
3/22 Aston Villa (h) A win vs Villa will almost secure our top 3 status.

Match Report 090228 at Middlesbrough: The dream is all but over

0-2 and our title dream is almost over now. What's worse, we seems to have no heart to fight for it, and the way we lose the game was shameful. We now only have the Champions League and the quest for 2nd to fight for, but both still require a hard fight, and we need to pick ourselves up soon.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6.5 Did well to keep the damage down.
Skrtel: 5.5 Did poorly as right back and failed to contain Downing.
Carragher: 5.5 Suffered from heavy legs.
Hyypia: 6 Steady performance.
Aurelio: 5.5 Not much help for the attack.
Alonso: 5.5 Very unlucky to score an own goal.
Mascherano: 6 Solid tackles.
El Zhar: 5 Poor shooting and was scared on his first start.
Gerrard: 6 Only shown patches of sparks.
Babel: 5 No contribution.
Kuyt: 5.5 Missed a great chance to equalize.

Substitutions:
Ngog/Benayoun/Lucas: 5.5 Not much contribution.

Rafa: 5 Would be unhappy about this lack of heart display. Title dream is over now, let's move on.

Middlesbrough: 6.5 Deserved to get 3 points on this day.

Man of the Match: Reina. If a goalkeeper is MoM after losing 2 goals, that tells you how the others were performing.

Relax

With the league title gradually fading away the players should feel less pressure now, and we can start another winning steak. Torres and Arbeloa will be out, and Stevie G may not be able to start, but we will go forward to capture any Manchester slip up.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Carragher
Skrtel
Hyypia
Aurelio
Benayoun
Alonso
Mascherano
Riera
Babel
Kuyt

Result 2:0

Match Report 090225 at Real Madrid: Perfect execution of game plan

1-0 and the players executed Rafa's game plan to perfection. With a rock solid defense, we were never in danger of conceding a goal. And we managed to score an away goal, which may be crucial. We are now in a very good position to progress, but the job is only half done. We still need to beat them in the second leg.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Made a few good saves.
Arbeloa: 7 Solid defending.
Carragher: 7.5 Rock solid.
Skrtel: 7 Defend with ease.
Aurelio: 7.5 Superb assist and handled Robben well.
Alonso: 7.5 Controlled midfield and almost scored from own half.
Mascherano: 7.5 Superb tackles.
Kuyt: 7 Worked hard as usual and earned us the crucial free kick for the winner.
Benayoun: 8 Scored a great free header and was always dangerous.
Riera: 6.5 A quiet game and was unlucky to get a yellow and will miss the 2nd leg.
Torres: 6.5 Had a half chance but was saved. Affected by the ankle twist.

Substitutions:
Babel: 6.5 Not much contribution.
Gerrard/Lucas: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

Rafa: 7.5 Would be delighted that the players executed his game plan to perfection.

Real Madrid: 6.5 Apart from first 15 minutes they don't seem like they will win this game. But we need to beware of them.

Man of the Match: Benayoun. Did the Stevie G role well.

Get an away goal

After a disappointing weekend the focus has now turned to Europe, and we are facing the mighty Real Madrid. They are extremely strong with their recent run, especially at home, and we may not risk Gerrard that soon, but Rafa will have enough information to prepare a plan to beat them. In any case an away goal is crucial.

My Team Prediction:

Reina
Arbeloa
Carragher
Skrtel
Aurelio
Alonso
Mascherano
Kuyt
Benayoun
Riera
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 090222 vs Manchester City: Dream fading away

1-1 and our title dream is gradually fading away. With 12 games to go and 7 points behind, it is now extremely difficult for us to win the title. Nevertheless if there is still s possibility, we shall keep fighting and who knows what will happen?

Without Stevie G and Xabi, we do not have any midfield creativity. Especially when we are 1 goal down we lost the midfield completely at all. However Benayoun continues his recent good run and his crossing helped created the equalizer. He was unlucky not to score the winning goal, but one player played well won't win us the game.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6.5 Could not do much about the goal conceded.
Arbeloa: 6.5 Unlucky to have deflected the goal conceded.
Carragher: 7 Solid at the back but not much going forward.
Skrtel: 7 Solid defending.
Dossena: 6.5 Poor crossing.
Lucas: 6.5 Solid but could not create any opportunity for the forwards.
Mascherano: 6.5 Solid defending, but wasted many opportunities with his tame shots.
Kuyt: 7 Worked hard and scored the equalizer.
Benayoun: 7.5 Created the equalizer.
Riera: 6.5 A quiet performance.
Torres: 6.5 Frustrated in the game.

Substitutions:
El Zhar/Aurelio/Babel: 6.5 Not much inputs to the game.

Rafa: 6.5 With a huge mountain to climb now.

Manchester City: 7 Probably their best away performance so far this season.

Man of the Match: Benayoun. Unlucky not to be on the scoresheet.

Believe

After a break in the season the players are now fully recharged. With 13 games to go and 5 points behind, we need to believe in ourselves. Anything can happen, and with hope in your mind.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Carragher
Skrtel
Aurelio
Mascherano
Lucas
Kuyt
Benayoun
Riera
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 090207 at Portsmouth: Determination drives us on

3-2 and we are so determined that at the end Rafa's gamble pays off. With players exhausted Rafa had to star with a very strange formation. Basically it is like playing Football Manager and Rafa just picked players with condition over 90%. We made some silly mistakes in defending but at the end when the big guns come on they helped us to victory and keeping pace in the title run.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6 Made a bad mistake in conceding the second goal.
Agger: 7 Solid defending.
Carragher: 7.5 Shield the defense very well.
Skrtel: 7.5 Did well defending and help created our first two goals.
Arbeloa: 7 Did well up and down.
Mascherano: 7 Did his job quiet but well.
Aurelio: 7.5 Scored a great goal and did well as makeshift midfielder.
Dossena: 7 Solid defending.
Benayoun: 8 Very lively performance capped with a superb assist for our winner.
Ngog: 6 Failed to make an impact.
Babel: 6 Lively performance but missed a sitter.

Substitutions:
Kuyt: 7.5 A very good performance with a nicely taken goal.
Alonso: 7.5 Controlled midfield well when came up.
Torres: 7.5 Superb header winning us another game.

Rafa: 7 Forced to make change after the hard fought game in midweek but at the end he was spot on.

Portsmouth: 6.5 If they played like this week in week out they will survive.

Man of the Match: Benayoun. Stood up and be counted.

Win it for our captain

With Stevie G injured and Lucas suspended we are now short of midfielder. Although Portsmouth is having lots of problem it is still a difficult place to visit. Yet we should be able to beat them, especially the prize is to regain the lead at least temporarily.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Carragher
Skrtel
Aurelio
Alonso
Mascherano
Kuyt
Benayoun
Riera
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 090204 at Everton: Get well soon, Stevie G

0-1 and we lost a hard fought battle. Stevie G was injured early in the game, and a stupid by Lucas had us down to ten men. We kept fighting, but at the end a deflected goal ended our cup run. It was a really bad night for us.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Did very well but at the end he was beaten by a deflected goal.
Arbeloa: 6.5 Did not go forward too often.
Carragher: 8 Solid as a rock and lead by example.
Skrtel: 7 Solid defending.
Dossena: 7 Good defending although he should go forward more often.
Alonso: 7 Did well in midfield.
Lucas: 5 Clumsy challenge that lead to the red card and our defeat.
Riera: 6.5 Did not go forward too often.
Gerrard: 6 Get well soon.
Kuyt: 7 Worked very hard especially after Gerrard injured.
Torres: 6 Not in form, and not interested in the game. Go down too easily.

Substitutions:
Benayoun: 6.5 Not as influential as the last 2 games.
Mascherano: 6.5 Did well in protecting the back 4.
Babel: 6 Not much offered.

Rafa: 6.5 Would need to sort out how we can cope without Gerrard especially now that Robbie Keane is gone.

Everton: 6.5 Did not do very well but with one man more, you expect them to win.

Man of the Match: Carragher. Did well although he would be gutted that we lose the derby.

3rd time lucky

After 2 successive draws against Everton this time there will only be one winner. Everton at home is difficult to beat, but we have confidence and the players are ready to beat them and go into the next round.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Carragher
Hyypia
Dossena
Mascherano
Lucas
Kuyt
Gerrard
Babel
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 090201 vs Chelsea: Bravo!

2-0 and this is a well deserved victory. We controlled the game from the first minute and there was only one team who is trying to win the game. It looks like we will get another draw, but at the end two find strikes from Fernando Torres sealed us the victory, and we are back in the race for the title.

One major talking point of the game would be the red card. It did look like a red card when Lampard committed this foul, and without the aid of slow motion, the referee made a mistake, and the red card should be rescinded. But no matter what, one team is going to win the game, and it is Liverpool.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Very solid with very few things to do apart from running all the way to celebrate Torres' first goal.
Arbeloa: 7.5 Very assured performance.
Carragher: 8 Rock solid.
Skrtel: 7.5 Solid performance.
Aurelio: 7.5 Solid in defense and provided a wonderful assist.
Alonso: 8 Very accurate passes.
Mascherano: 7 Tackles after tackles as usual.
Kuyt: 7 Work extremely hard.
Gerrard: 7.5 Tried very hard to win the game, including a few hard tackles and a dive.
Riera: 7 Have two chances in 1H but missed both.
Torres: 8.5 Still not back to his best, but the two goals are well taken.

Substitutions:
Benayoun: 8 Came on with an impact.
Babel: 7 Just run and run without a clear goal.
Ngog: 6.5 Not enough time to kick the ball.

Rafa: 7.5 Would be delighted about the victory and his gamble in leaving Keane out. Now we need to keep chasing.

Chelsea: 6 Did not deserve to get anything from this game, with or without the red card.

Man of the Match: Torres. First goals at Kop end since May.

Forget January

After the miserable January we now entered February and things will go better, started with the news that Rafa is getting what he wishes in control in transfer. Chelsea has a mini revival recently, but this is a home game and we will go for this game to maintain pressure on the top.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Carragher
Skrtel
Aurelio
Alonso
Mascherano
Kuyt
Gerrard
Riera
Torres

Result 2:0

January Month Review

1 win and 3 draws, and we are now down to 3rd place with 2 points behind having played 1 more game with a far worse goal difference, and are still hanging on the FA Cup. Too many draws this season has been killing our chance of winning the league, and Rafa seems to have lost the plot. We definitely need to clear up the mess and play better in February. At least January is now over, and we normally play much better in February under Rafa.

Players of the month: (1) Gerrard 7.51 (2) Reina 6.88 (3) Riera 6.88. Stevie G has not been affected by the court case and continues to shine, but he himself alone cannot drive us to glory. All the other players are playing badly, with Reina and Riera doing slightly better than the others.

February prediction:
2/1 Chelsea (h) If we do not win this game, our dream for league title will be almost over.
2/4 Everton (a) Another make or break game if we want to win FA Cup. But this time they will not park the bus in front of their fans.
2/7 Portsmouth (a) A trip to the south is always tough especially for a 5:30 game. Portsmouth are having bad times recently so we need to seize our chance.
2/14 Doncaster/Aston Villa (h) If we get pass Everton this will be another hurdle for our Cup glory, but this game will be at Anfield so we will have the advantage.
2/22 Manchester City (h) Last time we have the belief and won from behind. Surely we can win this again.
2/25 Real Madrid (a) Back to Europe, Rafa and Torres will be fire up for this.
2/28 Middlesbrough (a) A potential trouble game, but we have enough power to overcome it.

Match Report 090128 at Wigan Athletic: Sort out the mess!

1-1 and once again we were denied a victory. The players just did not have the right mentality to hold on for a win, and we are further slipped to 3rd place. Rafa seems to be a bit loss the plot, and we need him to be back to normal ASAP in order to have a real fight. Starting in February.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6.5 Not much to do.
Arbeloa: 6.5 A steady performance, but where were he when Lucas conceded the penalty?
Carragher: 6.5 Disappointed not to win on his birthday.
Skrtel: 6.5 Steady performance.
Aurelio: 6.5 Did not offer much going forward.
Mascherano: 7 Superb assist and solid tackles.
Lucas: 6 Good overall but conceded a poor penalty.
Benayoun: 7.5 Scored a wonderful individual goal.
Gerrard: 7 Good performance but lack that spark for a second goal.
Babel: 6.5 A better performance.
Torres: 6.5 Had one chance but hit the post.

Substitutions:
Riera/Kuyt: 6 Not much offered.
Keane: 6 Not enough time to impress.

Rafa: 6 Need to sort out the mess as soon as possible. We are gradually fading in challenging top spot.

Wigan Athletic: Did not do much to deserve more than a win.

Man of the Match: Benayoun: A great goal but not enough.