Liverpool 4 Swansea 1 - Reaction

God that was good wasn't it?

It's only after a great performance and 3 points like we saw against Swansea last night that you realise just how difficult the last few months have been. I don't think anyone predicted the drastic swing in Liverpool's fortunes that saw us nearly win the league 10 months ago to sitting 10th in the league at Christmas.

After back to back wins and perhaps more importantly an impressive display and four goals last night Liverpool FC end 2014 if not on a high, certainly on an assent.

I'm not going to go in for a big review of the year as there will be hundreds of those around, plus I can barely remember last week let alone 6 months ago, but I do want to make a few observations about last night...

Coutinho is class - I thought he was absolutely majestic last night, full of running, clever and his deft touch for Lallana's goal was sublime. He is still very young and I just hope he can develop into the world class player that he has the potential to be. Our only problem will be keeping hold of him if he does.

Lallana looking the part - He was one of the signings I was most happy with and despite not exactly setting the world alight I felt Lallana had been one of our better performers this season. He has undoubted ability and class and last night that began to show through more comprehensively. Now I just hope he kicks on and starts to gamble a bit more in the final third and has more shots and looks to slip those clever balls in... as opposed to always checking back the way he seems to love to do. Definitely he best performance in a red shirt so far.

Can, can - It's puzzled me why Can has not featured more so far this season, but his introduction into the back three has a been a revelation. I know we didn't buy him as a defender but he has experience at CB for the German U21 and at Leverkusen and on the evidence so far he could have a future there for Liverpool. He looked utterly composed and extremely calm - exactly what we've been crying out for at the back.

Henderson is better in the centre - I don't think there was any doubt about this really. but I enjoyed seeing Henderson back in the middle and he looked much more comfortable himself. He was able to sit in with Lucas when needed, but with Lucas doing the dirty stuff he was also able to join in with the front three and make those bursting runs that we enjoy so much.

Mignolet is better than Jones - again, I don't think there was any doubt about that really. Mignolet does not look like the long term answer for us, not in the slightest and we desperately need to buy a keeper in January but I feel happier with Mignolet in goal than I do Brad Jones.

Sterling Finish - Sterling has looked fantastic playing as a makeshift centre forward his movement and intelligence is way beyond his years and he can just start to add better finishing to his game he will become unstoppable.

I also think Manquillo and Moreno should get a mention, they performed well in those wing back positions. Manquillo will never be as attacking as Moreno, but he does a decent job. Lucas as ever did all the simple stuff really well, I'm so glad to see him back in the side regularly. Sakho as well deserves a mention, their goal was as much Skrtel and Henderson's fault as it was his.

Let's just really hope we can continue this sort of form into the Leicester game and 2015 might just start to look a little rosier again.

Stick or Twist

This morning I was thinking back to the last game of last season... we'd just beaten Newcastle but narrowly missed out on our first title for over 20 years. Stood on the Kop I was applauding and saluting an incredibly exciting group of young players... who had been fearless in one of the most exciting seasons I had ever experienced. Deep down I knew I was probably waving goodbye to Suarez... but I still had faith. I had faith in the man who was saluting us, small... determined... passionate. Shankly like. Brendan Rodgers.

Less than 6 months later and that optimism and excitement has drained faster than Chelsea fans take to start singing about Gerrard. 

Suarez is sunning himself in Spain and we've been without Sturridge for most of the season. Our dodgy defence has been exposed by our lack of fire power and over 100 million's worth of new talent is taking it's time to fire. Many are doubting its quality in the first place. Rodgers' claims that any side spending that sort of money should be challenging for the title are starting to look very foolish.

This week was heralded (as they often are) as the week which would make or break our season. After two wins on the bounce, and what looked like a small resurgence we suffered a disappointing draw against Sunderland at home. Now we face 90 minutes against Basle to save our season and then a tricky away game at The Theatre of Wet Dreams against a Utd side who look to be ominously getting back on track. They feared us last season... and who can blame them? You fancy they aren't quaking in their luminous boots this week.

Rodgers despite recently being backed by FSG is under intense pressure. Some say a Champion's League exit and loss at Utd could lose him his job. Despite the so called support there are clear whisperings in the press that FSG are assessing their options... bizarrely one of whom is a man who oversaw another huge overspend and then subsequent disappointment,  one AVB.

These sort of mumourings do nothing to help the situation. FSG, the club and the fans have to decide if they are going to stick or twist with Rodgers. He deserves more than to have a sacking constantly looming over his head during this crucial period. Liverpool, FSG... fans... players... collectively need to decide to back Rodgers now regardless of what happens in the next week. Otherwise he may as well go now for whatever happens this week, when the next bad patch comes around... it will start all over again. That is not how to build stability at a club.

The problem Rodgers and FSG have is that modern football is an unforgiving world. You need instant success to survive and instant success starts with regular Champion's League football.

FSG aren't blameless in any of this however... if they are seriously questioning Rodgers credentials as the man to achieve prolonged success at Liverpool I would question their judgement. If it is instant success you want, I would question a policy of investing in youth and potential... not just in terms of players but the manager too. Appointing a young and exciting coach, but one with no European experience is not an approach guaranteed to bring you instant and European success. It is a policy which requires a huge amount of patience and an ability to hold your nerve and stick by your convictions. If FSG do oust Rodgers by Christmas I would suggest that they don't really know what their policy is.

Amongst all of this, I think we do need to keep a sense of perspective. Our season has been hugely disappointing so far, but I believe Rodgers deserves time to turn things around. However I would also suggest that the Basle game is largely irrelevant... aside from the financial boost of the next round,  a win will only prolong the wait we have to be dismissed from the competition by superior opposition. That may seem incredibly pessimistic and there is no doubt of the confidence that a win would breed, but for me more important is a win at Utd and a sustained and march into the top four places. A disappointing first campaign in the CL is not the end of the world.... not being in it again next year is a disaster.

If we can get through Christmas still in touch with the top 4 I will be happy. Sturridge will be returning, Rodgers and 'the transfer committee' can make a honest assessment of the squad and make some difficult decisions on who to stick with and where we need to strengthen again.

Rodgers appears to learn from his mistakes quite quickly,  despite a perceived stubbornness around his 'philosophy.' He has taken a lot of the new signings out of the equation over the last few games and gone with players who if not considered the most talented (Lucas, Enrique, Toure) he knows he can trust and who have experience. It's a wise move, the new players can have the pressure taken off them a bit and continue to settle in and acclimatise. Meanwhile hopefully we can grind out some results and stay in the hunt.

I have had my doubts about Rodgers, I think anyone would have had... but at this stage I feel that we as fans and FSG as owners have to hold our nerve and back him. It might backfire... but personally I see absolutely no value in bringing in someone like AVB who would want to impart his 'philosophy' and bring his players in... after all, worked for him in the past hasn't it?

Liverpool 1 - Stoke City 0 - Reaction

After enjoying a full weekend in Liverpool for the Chelsea game, it was back to day tripping for the visit of Stoke to Anfield. I don't half miss Liverpool as a City... and it is great to get back, for however long.

Although it was undoubtedly disappointing to concede late on in Bulgaria and only come away with a point and indeed our defensive ability still under scrutiny... I couldn't help feel some positivity from Wednesday night. It was absolutely crucial that we built on that against Stoke.

In the car up I scrolled through Twitter and there seemed to be a general consensus that Lucas and Toure should keep their places; with Gerrard perhaps given a rest. When the teamsheets came out, many had got their wish, Apparently Rodgers hadn't realised it was the 16th anniversary of Gerrard's debut... but even if he had, what difference should it make to his selection? He has continually said that he has not been picked on sentiment - so it really should have been seen as a non-issue.

I think the Gerrard thing has been blown out of propotion a bit - in the modern game there are very few players in any team that will play every single game of a season that contains the league, Champion's League and two cup competitions. I should imagine that whatever the result on Wednesday night, or indeed our form over the last few weeks, Gerrard may have been given a rest in this one. He has played more minutes for us this season than any other outfield player - that is not how he needs to be utilised at aged 34.

I was a little surprised to see Enrique in the starting 11, I don't know why... I think purely because I'd forgotten about his existence a bit, but I was perfectly happy with his selection. I'm a fan of Moreno, but Enrique is pretty experienced and I think relatively solid. The Johnson hate club were not appeased however, as he started at right back. Again - I don't just blindly back Liverpool players, but I do believe in getting behind anyone who puts a red shirt on (Paul Konchesky perhaps being a push) and I feel the criticism has; as if often the case in this day and age; been disproportionate and unfair. I don't doubt that Johnson's career is on the downward trajectory but again he is a player with enormous experience and I believe more passion and desire than many give him credit for - something which became apparent in the 85th minute. Yes he has played poorly at times this season, but who hasn't?

Anyway - me and my Dad were in the Main Stand for this one, a departure from our usual spec in the Kop. I am never enthused about being in the Main Stand with it being the worst of our four stands, both in terms of facilities and atmosphere, but there was actually something quite exhilarating about entering through the old turnstiles and into a proper old fashioned football stand. You can feel the history in that stand, even when you are stood in an inch of piss in the toilets.

The lack of wide screen TVs everywhere was quite refreshing and I settled in to a coffee and a good read of RAOTL. It was also a nice surprise to bump in to an old work mate, and after a good chat we went to take our seats and he departed with a pumped fist and "let's get the win here eh?" It was a burst of positivity and unwavering passion for our club that you see so obviously lacking amongst the Soccer AM; Twitter trolling LADBible twats that are so endemic of the modern game.

I had seen some comments pre-match from Spion Kop 1906 about the Supporters Club Committee meeting and their decision to not bring the usual flags on to the Kop. Instead they replaced them with protest banners - it was stark and effective action. The absence of flags on the kop was striking in the way the atmosphere was effected. I also felt like there was a deliberate avoidance of singing and chanting, aside from YNWA. It was a strong message to the club and FSG that the Liverpool 'brand' that they peddle, sell and commercially rape is built on loyal and true supporters that they need to listen to as opposed to marginalise and rip off. If they don't, what has made Liverpool FC what it is and therefore such a commercially viable 'product' globally, will die forever.

Whether the lack of atmosphere was deliberate or not the first half did nothing to ignite it - it was a truly awful first half of football. We looked nervous, one dimensional and lacking in ideas. Stoke were not much better, although Bojan was a player who caught the eye.

I was entertained more during the first half by observing Gerrard's warm up and his wonderfully down to earth reaction to Stoke fans giving him stick... obviously over 'the slip' but also references to his punching technique. It really took the sting out of what could have become rather unsavoury.

I don't know if Rodgers is one for a half time rollockings but whatever he did say at the break seemed to have an impact. We were much better in the second half; although so were Stoke. They created a great chance when Bojan put Diouf clear and I had the perfect view of Mignolet's hesitation off the line - at first I thought it was fatal, but in the end he did enough to block the shot.

A little later Bojan then rattled a shot against the bar and we were lucky not to be one nil down. We had our chances too, and I will fully admit to being in the majority in the main stand who thought Henderson's volley had gone in and was celebrating for a good 10 seconds before realising it had gone wide. Our best chance perhaps came from some of our best football as Sterling looked more himself, driving in to the box, playing a great one two with Coutinho and setting up Allen who shot just high.

Stoke still threatened however and Sterling made a match wining contribution at his own end by blocking a Diouf chance off the line.

Despite our improved second half, you always felt that Gerrard's introduction was imminent and it was good to see him introduced as an impact player high up the pitch, with Henderson swapping in to the middle and Coutinho going wide. Gerrard's presence will always be a lift and we continued to threaten to win the game. The winning goal however, came from an unlikely source with Johnson the first to react to the ball breaking free off the bar and he was hugely brave in stooping to head the ball in whilst receiving a boot to the head in the process. Anfield went wild - and momentarily even the Johnson hate club were perhaps celebrating? I for one was pleased for him.

Now we just needed to hold on. I was expecting Johnson to go off after his head injury, but Lovren came on as we moved to 3/5 at the back. Hang on we did... although I couldn't help observe a lot of confusion and indecision in our back four. Rather than Lovren suring up our defence, it almost looked like he confused matters with him, Skrtel and Toure all trying to act the leader and the three of them positioning the back line at different points... people stepping up / back out of unison. More worrying than that was the slight disdain I noticed at one point from Skrtel to Mignolet after the keeper had barked some instructions at him.

We have to be pleased with the a clean sheet, but our defensive problems are still far from resolved, something needs to change. I would say that there is very much an argument for Toure keeping his place after today. Mignolet had an improved game, but there are still question marks over him and without a real alternative in the squad he has to play himself into form. Today was a start.

Ultimately despite not being a brilliant performance this is exactly what we needed - a clean sheet and 3 points. Now we need to build on this and it feels like the fact another league game is just around the corner in the form of Leicester away in midweek is no bad thing.

Onwards and upwards - let's keep the faith.

@AnfieldShrine

Palace Reaction

After the Hull game I wrote about the need to back Brendan Rodgers. There was no doubt that we were in tough spot, but there was a series of games in which we could turn things around. I’m sat here writing this after we’ve just been bullied and beaten by Crystal Palace and it’s palpable that we are still waiting for the green shoots of a turnaround to our season… let alone a full blown fucking tree. We have now lost four games in a row; our worst league start for over 20 years and we’ve lost more league games already than during the whole of last season. I am the last one for knee jerk reactions, but as Carragher said in the aftermath of the Palace game… this is more than a poor start, something is seriously wrong. 

We now have Ludogorets in a few days’ time in which a win is absolute crucial to us staying in the Champion’s League and I think it’s fair to say no one would have great confidence in us winning it. We’re running out of games to ‘turn our season around.’

Carragher is right, something is seriously wrong… the difficult question is, what?

I’m getting more and more sucked in to Twitter these days (@anfieldshrine) and after Palace there was the usual idiotic overreactions, calls for Rodgers to be sacked and the sort of idiocy associated with both modern society and modern football. I will not get sucked in to the calls for Rodgers to be sacked. We have to give him time to get it right… but in the modern game, that time is running out. If we don’t get back into the Top 4 and drop out of the Champion’s League at the group stage… our great progress of last season will have completely vanished and we’ll have been set back years.

In my heart, I can’t help but look at Rafa and his comments about wanting to move back to his family in Liverpool and long for him to return triumphantly to Anfield. But my head tells me that I should discount that and get behind Rodgers. He deserves more time and he deserves another full season to be judged on.

At the moment, things are so bad that there are more questions than answers… 

• Is Rodgers to blame or should the players shoulder most of the responsibility? 

•  How much control does Rodgers have over transfers? Who should be held accountable for poor buys?

• Where is the Lovren that we bought from Southampton? 

• What has happened to the form of Sterling… Coutinho… Henderson… 

• As painful as it is to admit… can Gerrard handle the deep lying role and offer out back four enough protection? Has he got one eye on a move abroad to play out his years… ? 

• Did Suarez and Sturidge make Rodgers look like a great manager last season? Has he got a Plan B… or more importantly s Plan C, D and E. 

I just hope to God that we begin to see some answers on Wednesday… another defeat and Rodgers position will become even more uncomfortable, whether we think that is fair or not.

Great LFC Gifts for Christmas

It's that time of year again, and one that we all dread when it comes to shopping... Christmas. So, if you're shopping for reds, we thought we'd take our pick of the best LFC gifts on Amazon...

Liverpool FC - Season Review DVD 2013/14

Liverpool aren't the sort of club to celebrate a season in which we didn't win anything, but no one can deny that the 2013/14 season was one that exceeded all of our expectations. An exhilerating journey which ultimately ended in heartbreak, but one that is well worth reliving with this DVD that includes all 101 goals. 

Liverpool Champions League - Champions of Europe 1977-2005 

Framed Photo

A simple and beautiful piece of memorabilia of our illustrious history in Europe. 

  Liverpool FC Football Chef Hat

If there is going to be a red slaving over the stove at Christmas, they may as well do it in a frickin' Liverpool chef's hat right?

Luis Suarez: Crossing the Line - My Story

I don't care what any red says, we still love him and we're still fascinated by him. Get Suarez's book and get the insider view on his incredible but tumultuous time at Liverpool.

 
LIVERPOOL F.C. CUFF LINKS

 Not all of us are a fan of wearing replica shirts past the age of 15... but that isn't to say the smartly dressed can't show their true colours with some LFC cuff links.

Liverpool FC Official Football Gift Mens Crest Polo Shirt

As we've said, we're not big on replica shirts or training gear, but you can't go wrong with a nice LFC polo shirt. 

For more great gift ideas, take a look at the likes of Love Follow Conquer and Hat, Scarf or a Badge.

We have to keep the faith

This is a snippet from a full article that will be appearing in Issue 206 of Red All Over The Land which will be on sale at the Chelsea game...

My immediate thought is that we HAVE to keep the faith. With Brendan Rodgers, with Balotelli, with everything. I wasn’t able to get to the Hull game, and a mate of mine went in my place. We exchanged a few texts after the game and he said one of the most frustrating things was how quickly fans got on the back of the players. We know there has always been the moaning contingent, for as far back as you want to go. But the horrible immediacy of modern football peddled by Sky Sports, social media and online gambling; breeds short sightedness, idiotic knee jerk reactions and uneducated bile of a level that I don’t think we have had to endure before. With ticket prices increasing and the modern game being gentrified more and more, Anfield is becoming a diluted theme park of itself.

 To read the full article, pick up a copy of RAOTL at Chelsea or subscribe for only £28 for 13 issues.

Ludogorets Razgrad – A view from Ibiza

It’s Tuesday the 16^th of September and 2014 and we are back where we are meant to be – The Champion’s League. Now it’s one thing for Liverpool fans to travel the continent watching our beloved reds in the places they are actually playing, but we all forget sometimes the regular struggles and adventures encountered attempting to watch the game when on our other travels – work trips, city breaks, weddings abroad and summer holidays.  Having moved away from Liverpool I am finding it difficult enough to get to Anfield as it is, but I was a little bit gutted to have to miss my first European game at Anfield for God know’s how long due to being on my 6^th night of a week on the party Island of Ibiza.

Now don’t get me wrong, Ibiza is one pretty amazing place to be, and my compatriots and I had enjoyed a truly glorious week of partying, beaches, laughter, cocktails and the odd ‘recovery’ smoothie. My great mate, fellow Tom and regular match going companion since our Uni days and I were desperate to catch the Ludogrets game having missed our loss to Villa at the weekend and having only vague recollections of being told by someone in a darkened techno filled club that we had lost one nil. I hadn’t believed them, only to wake up and realise that it hadn’t all been a bad dream. So the three football hating females who made up the rest of our crew; reluctantly agreed after five football free days to find somewhere for us to watch the game.

We headed for the rather unglamorous and ‘Brits abroad’ end of the Playa Den Bossa strip and quite easily found a classic holiday establishment which appeared to trade as everything from a bar; to a supermarket; to a games arcade and sometimes pizzeria which had ‘Liverpool – Ludogorets’ scribbled on a blackboard. As me and Tom sat down and ordered  Cervezas we agreed that despite being on one of the most beautiful party Islands in the world, we both rather wished we were in that standing Kop as usual. There is something quite wonderful about watching your team in some Spanish basement dive though, dodgy Sky, a group of sunburnt lads from Yorkshire playing pool and an ancient gamer flashing in the corner. We had hoped to combine the game with some food, but as we were looking for something nicer than a soggy pizza, food was off the agenda for 90 minutes. Our supportive females purchased an array of English crisps to keep us going. You can’t beat a pickled onion Monster Munch when you’re abroad.

So we kicked off and I think we can all agree that we were rather taken aback at the quality, pace and inventiveness that Ludogorets showed. Even we could see without sound from the rather jittery satellite that ITV had built the game up as ‘returning European giants’ against unknown minnows, but you’d think everyone would realise by now that any side getting to this stage of the Champion’s League are no push over. It was the first time I’d seen Lallana in a Liverpool shirt, which I was excited about but our line up certainly had a fresh look to it what with all our new faces and recent injuries. It was perhaps no surprise then that we looked a little disjointed at times and struggled to get into much of a rhythm. I am not one to be negative, but I am sticking by my unsure first impression of Lovren and I think he was lucky not to concede a penalty early on. Sterling, Coutinho and Henderson produced our best football of the first half with a brilliant and pacey move, only for Lallana not able to quite provide the finish.

So a typically frustrating opening first half of European football and not a huge amount to get excited about.  After attempting to show an initial interest, with questions like ‘is it home or away’ and ‘what is Liverpool’s away kit like?’ our girls were now more concerned with having a cigarette outside and the fact that Olympic gymnast Lewis Smith and his mates had taken over the pool table. Tom and I settled in for the second half and more Cevezas. I felt that we really started to open them up a bit more after half time, but continued to look a little fragile at the back. Henderson produced a brilliant ball for Manquillo only to hit over – but it was a difficult chance for the impressive right back. Mario looked full of endeavour but was struggling to get in goal scoring positions. I think it’s patently obvious that he will perform better with someone alongside him up top and I think that showed with the introduction of Borini – perhaps not out in the cold after all? He should have scored with his second touch of the game, heading straight at the keeper. A glorious chance. Sakho and Lovren can’t seem to handle when one of them should go to get it and the other one cover… we still looked a little all over the place at the back and got off lightly when they hit the post.

Then the moment came… Mario’s moment. A slightly scrappy, bobbly take in the box, which sat up and he finished expertly with the outside of his boot. A poacher’s goal in front of the kop. He is going to be a hero, I’m certain of it… it just feels like the perfect fit. So absolute relief in the basement – among myself and Tom at least. Now could we just kill the game off? Apparently not. We seemed intent on getting a second, with Moreno caught ahead of Sterling as we lost possession and Ludogorets countered quickly. Even with our left back out of position, again the central two were easily split with a decent pass though and with Mignolet rushing out mindlessly they easily slotted in the equaliser.

Cue heads in hands. But then came a poor pass back and poor control from their keeper - credit to Manquillo for not giving up on the loose ball and then inviting the foul for the penalty. We had our second chance. Gerrard took it like only he can, with absolute composure and calmness. Cue absolute delirium from two slightly sunburnt Toms. The girls were just glad it was all over, and to be honest, in some ways so was I. There was a feeling of relief as opposed to jubilation over an unconvincing Liverpool performance. A really tough game – but we got through it. Having Champion’s League football back at Anfield gives me a buzz that nothing else can – even in Ibiza.