Swansea surprise for poor Reds

Liverpool succumbed to their fourth home draw of the season, and second at the hands of promoted clubs, yesterday as Brendan Rodgers’ Swansea City side took a hard-earned and wholly deserved point with them back to Wales. A poor Liverpool performance lacked the attacking verve of previous matches, with Andy Carroll’s glaring miss early on and Dirk Kuyt’s disallowed goal in the dying stages the Reds’ best two chances. Swansea, meanwhile, more than held their own and, after parking the proverbial bus during the first 45 minutes, threatened during the second period and arguably looked more likely to nick all three points.

The last meeting between these two teams came in January 1990 when Liverpool ran out comprehensive 8-0 winners in an FA Cup third round replay at Anfield. Unfortunately, a similar result wasn’t forthcoming this weekend, as the Merseysiders struggled to break down the stubborn Swansea back line.

After almost 30 years outside of the top flight, the Welsh side have taken to the Premier League like Swans to water, sitting comfortably in mid-table having conceded only once at the Liberty Stadium. However, they have struggled on the road, registering a single point from the 15 available from their five away fixtures prior to their trip to Anfield, although, to be fair, many teams will struggle to take anything away from the Etihad Stadium, the Emirates and Stamford Bridge.

As a result, the visitors understandably adopted a cautious approach at Anfield, getting men behind the ball and trying to frustrate their hosts. The whole pattern of the contest could have been changed seven minutes in though had Andy Carroll converted a gilt-edged chance. A neat one-two between Downing and Adam released the former Villa winger in space down the left wing. His low cross reached Carroll at the back post, who somehow contrived to hit the bar when it was easier to score.


It was a shocking miss from the tall Geordie, which revealed that, despite the improvement in his form over recent weeks, he is hardly the finished article yet. Nevertheless, a similarly embarrassing miss from Fernando Torres against Blackburn Rovers for Chelsea soothed the pain for hurting Reds. Conversely, strike partner Luis Suarez seems to be getting better and better with every passing week. Mid-way through the half his snapshot was deflected wide before he forced Swansea stopper Vorm into a stretched save.

In between those two opportunities Reina had to pull off a reflex save to deny Danny Graham, before an underwhelming first half culminated in promising 21-year old Joe Allen zipping a shot just wide of the Spaniard's far post from the edge of the box. Kenny Dalglish replaced the ineffective and below par Jordan Henderson with Dirk Kuyt at half time, however the Dutchman failed to inspire an improved display from the Reds, with the visitors increasingly controlling possession and posing a real threat to the home side's defence.

Eight minutes after the interval a timely intervention from Agger was required to prevent Routledge, before an error from Pepe Reina on the hour mark almost proved incredibly costly. He mis-controlled a square back pass and Graham almost nipped in to tap home but the number 25 survived the scare and just about managed to clear the danger in time. The off-form Reina then fumbled Dyer's shot into the path of Graham but recovered to smother the rebound. Swansea saved the best chance for the 84th minute though, when Graham knocked down Dyer's cross into the path of Allen, who had a clear sight of goal unchallenged from six yards out. Fortunately for the Reds he lacked the necessary composure and blasted well over when he should have at least tested Reina.

It was a near escape for Dalglish's troops, who responded by placing their Welsh opponents under pressure for the last few minutes. First, Suarez hit a free kick wide of target. Then, Johnson played the ball into the area where Agger headed through to Kuyt, who found the net with a diving header.


Frustratingly, female official Sian Massey, who was subject to senseless sexism from former Sky commentators Andy Gray and Richard Keys prior to our 3-0 victory at Molineux last season, flagged Kuyt offside. It was a close but correct call. Swansea keeper Michel Vorm, who hadn't been troubled for large portions of the contest, made two sensational saves late on to retain parity. Suarez's shot was well stopped before Johnson's excellent acrobatic effort was expertly tipped over the bar by the 28-year old Dutch stopper.

Their late resistance meant they held out for a point and, such was the quality of their performance, Rodgers' men received a round of applause from the Anfield faithful. It was a case of too little, too late for Liverpool though. For once, not only was their performance lacking goals, it also lacked the plethora of goalscoring chances that have come to characterise the Reds' recent displays. Moreover, control of the game often eluded the hosts, with Swansea claiming 55% of possession and looking comfortable on the ball throughout. Considering our opponents' abysmal away record, the performance and result were simply not acceptable.

In 2008/2009 Liverpool just missed out on clinching the title, mainly due to drawing seven matches at home, a total surpassed by only Middlesbrough and Aston Villa, who finished 16th and 10th respectively. Worryingly, we are already more than half way to matching that unwanted figure and, unless Dalglish quickly rectifies our home form, in 2011/2012 the Reds could miss out on Champions League qualification as a result of dropping silly points at Anfield.

YNWA

Luis Suarez- Just can't get enough

The Kop is arguably the most famous stand in club football. Architecturally it is impressive, boasting a capacity of over 12,000 as the biggest single tier structure in Britain. Also, it has witnessed innumerable enthralling European encounters and seen trophy after trophy paraded in front of it by victorious Liverpool sides of the past. Primarily though, the Kop is internationally renowned as a result of those who inhabit it- the famous Kopites. Widely held to be the most passionate and knowledgeable football supporters in the country, Kopites have been said to suck the ball into the Kop end net with their fiery and vocal support of their club.

Song after song has been invented by Kopites. Liverpool’s anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ is spine tingling; ‘The Fields of Anfield Road’ recounts the Reds storied history while impromptu chants such as ‘Steve Bruce, He’s got a big fat head’ reflect the characteristic scouse humour and quick wit. The Kop’s latest hit, based on the song by Depeche Mode entitled ‘Just can’t get enough’, perfectly sums up the supporters’ thirst to see more of new signing Luis Suarez’s silky skills.

The Uruguayan’s arrival from Dutch giants Ajax for what, for a few hours at least, was a club record fee of approximately £23 million, was overshadowed by the sale of Fernando Torres to Chelsea for a ludicrous £50 million and the current club record purchase of Andy Carroll from Newcastle United for £35 million. Suarez has stepped out of their shadow though and emerged as by far the best signing of the three.

Suarez attracted the interest of Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish and Director of Football Damien Comolli after netting a notable three goals in six matches at the 2010 World Cup, as he formed a potent attack alongside Diego Forlan, helping Uruguyuay to overachieve and finish fourth at the summer tournament in South Africa. He also received negative press and a tarnished reputation though after deliberately handling on the line against Ghana in the quarterfinals. Some labelled him an outright cheat; others defended him claiming he instinctively acted in his country’s best interest, just like any other patriotic international player would in the same situation.


The furore surrounding the handball incident probably discouraged many of the top sides that were reportedly interested in the 24-year old striker from bidding for his services. Liverpool exploited their reluctance and engaged Ajax in a long-winded bidding process. After protracted negotiations Suarez signed on the dotted line this January and hasn’t looked back since. Undoubtedly the King’s stand-out signing, Suarez hit the ground running, netting on his debut at home to Stoke and seemingly enjoying the cut and thrust of the Premier League immediately, unlike many other foreign signings who almost inevitably endure a difficult spell where they struggle to adapt to the physical nature of English football’s top division.

His absorbing attacking ability won the praise of the Kop and quickly banished memories of Fernando Torres, who has since become an object of ridicule amongst Reds fans following the laughably abysmal start to his Stamford Bridge career. For all his goalscoring credentials, it is somewhat ironic that Suarez is best remembered for one particular moment in the 2010-2011 season where he set up a goal, rather than netting himself. Suarez splendidly slalomed into the box, skipped past several United defenders and rolled the ball across the goal line for Kuyt to simply tap home from literally yards out.


It was world class, top quality play from Suarez, emulating his fellow South American Diego Maradona in terms of audacity to attempt such a feat and ability to pull it off so successfully. Maradona was arguably the best player ever to grace the beautiful game and, although I usually guard against bold predictions, Suarez could be of a similar quality if he maintains his current form and avoids the pitfalls of drugs and booze, which Maradona sadly fell into.

After an exciting start to life at Liverpool, Suarez featured prominently in Uruguyuay’s Copa America triumph this summer. As well as contributing to a record 15th Copa America win for Uruguyuay; Suarez received recognition for his individual displays. Not only did he find the back of the net four times, he was named Player of the tournament and would have claimed the golden boot but for Peruvian striker Pablo Guerrero’s hat-trick in the inconsequential third-place play off, which included two goals in the final two minutes.

Although Liverpool supporters were obviously delighted for Suarez and relishing the prospect of seeing him return to torment opposition defences this season, many worried that he would suffer from exhaustion in the early stages of the campaign and burnout later on. After arriving back in late July and with the new season kicking off in mid-August, Suarez was granted precious little time to complete pre-season training and was not afforded the luxury of time to rest and recuperate.

Nevertheless, the optimism generated by winning a major trophy with his national team, coupled favourably with his boundless enthusiasm and love for the game, saw Suarez transfer seamlessly back into club football. Against Sunderland on the first day of the season he missed an early penalty but picked himself up to score our opening goal only minutes later. He followed that up with a late sealer at Arsenal, another goal in Exeter and a beautiful cross with the outside of his right foot in the build-up to Henderson’s opening goal at home to Bolton. Further strikes against Wolverhampton Wanderers and in the Merseyside derby extended his scintillating start to the season, before a world class curled effort after a cheeky nut-meg and a clinically converted header in the Carling Cup clash with Stoke City demonstrated yet again Suarez’s immense ability.

For all his talent, hard work and dedication though, Suarez provokes the fury of opposition supporters almost as much as he garners praise from his own fans. He is seen as a typical foreign footballer- all too willing to dive, try to con the referee and unfairly disadvantage the Reds’ opponents. The classic example of this came at the World Cup of course (as I mentioned previously) however in the derby as well his overreaction to Rodwell’s challenge contributed to the Toffees’ midfielder harshly seeing red for a largely innocuous tackle. West Brom's Paul Scharner also claimed rather comically (and nonsensically) that 1500 penalties would be given every match if referees pointed to the spot for incidents like Suarez's against the Baggies.

More seriously, Suarez was accused of racially abusing Patrice Evra during Liverpool’s recent 1-1 draw with Manchester United and the FA are currently conducting an investigation into the alleged incident. Although Suarez strenuously denies any wrongdoing and has received the full backing of the club and manager Kenny Dalglish, he incontrovertibly courts controversy, which is perhaps an element of his character that he needs to modify.


Nonetheless, Suarez is an exceptional talent and has added immeasurably to our attack. Moreover, he is beginning to form a promising relationship with Andy Carroll, which will hopefully prove as profitable as his partnership with Diego Forlan on the international stage. However if we fail to finish in the top four this season then I would not at all be surprised to see one of the two Spanish giants offer silly money for him and add him to their vast array of striking talent. Liverpool must keep improving to keep up with their rivals and the expectations of elite level European football from their star players.

On the other hand, Suarez has been regularly compared to the former incumbent of his illustrious number seven shirt, current club manager Kenny Dalglish and, if he has the same loyalty to the club as the legendary Scot then he should stay on at Anfield and claim a place in Kopite folklore.

One thing is for sure though; Liverpool supporters simply cannot get enough of Luis Suarez.

YNWA

Reds bag three points at the Baggies

Liverpool extended their unbeaten run to seven competitive matches yesterday with a 2-0 win against West Bromich Albion at the Hawthorns. Charlie Adam's controversially awarded penalty gave the Reds an early lead before Carroll's toe poked finish on the stroke of half time secured the three points for the visitors.

Manager Kenny Dalglish paired Carroll and Suarez up front and the duo worked well in tandem, gelling encouragingly and threatening the Baggies' defence frequently. Meanwhile, Agger and Skrtel, who were both making their 100th Premier League appearances, were solid at the back throughout, although they were rarely tested by a poor West Brom attack.

Notably, Pepe Reina captained the Reds for the seventh time as both Gerrard and Carragher were out through injury. However, the last time Liverpool were without the Scouse pair they claimed an emphatic 3-0 victory away at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Additionally, prior to April's loss at the Hawthorns Liverpool had not been defeated by the Baggies since 1981.

As the Merseysiders returned to the Midlands the omens were therefore clearly in their favour. The officials also appeared to be partial to the away side as a hugely controversial spot kick was given in our favour only nine minutes in. Suarez was heading outside of the box when he went down under a challenge from West Brom winger Jerome Thomas. Referee Lee Mason appeared reluctant to point to the spot and required vigorous flagging from his linesman to pluck up the courage to award the visitors an early spot kick.

Charlie Adam stood up and confidently fired into the bottom corner as ex Manchester United keeper Ben Foster dived in the opposite direction.


Although Roy Hodgson and his side complained vociferously, it was clearly a foul in the penalty area and therefore Lee Mason eventually made the right call. The fact that Suarez was beginning to dribble outside of the area is irrelevant.

Liverpool remained in the ascendancy from that point on while Albion, who went into the match on the back of a four game unbeaten streak, failed to get a foothold in the contest and Reina was left as a virtual spectator for large spells. Former Reds manager and current Baggies boss Roy Hodgson was so infuriated at his team's display that at one point he threw his coat down on the turf in disgust as his frustration boiled over. It was an amusing scene for the visiting fans, who regularly bemoaned the 64-year old's lack of passion whilst in the Anfield hot seat.

The spot kick that had given the Reds' the lead may have been debateable, however mid-way through the half another perhaps even stronger appeal for a penalty was ignored by referee Mason. Suarez's cross reached Andy Carroll, whose header goalwards was blatantly blocked by Reid's arm. The proximity of the players may have been a factor in the spot kick not being given, however the referee had a perfect view of the situation and should have recognised Reid's arm moving to block the ball and deny Carroll illegally.

Nevertheless, a sequence of play on the stroke of half time saw Dalglish's side double their lead and characterised the entire 45 minutes. A combination of incisive attacking play from the away side and woefully poor defending from the hosts led to Carroll netting his second goal of the season. Olsson handed the ball straight back to Liverpool from a West Brom free kick and Lucas exploited his error by finding Suarez. The Uruguayan then played in his strike partner Carroll who, despite a heavy first touch that gave Foster a glimmer of hope, toe poked the ball beyond the Baggies keeper and into the back of the net.


It was embarrassingly bad defending from Hodgson's side; particularly considering the former Fulham manager prides himself on defensive solidity. Equally, it was encouraging to see Carroll and Suarez linking up once again and developing their relationship further. Most importantly, the second goal gave the Reds a crucial cushion, which made the second half task of allowing Albion no way back into the encounter much easier. Liverpool have paid the penalty for not extending their lead recently and, had they entered the interval only a goal to the good, then, as the Norwich match showed, a second half resurgence from the home side could have seen yet more points dropped.

Albion's best spell arrived early on after the restart, however the only opportunity they gleaned came when Tchoyi shot marginally wide after Agger had allowed him too much space on the edge of the box. After that, the Reds regained superiority and spent the rest of the match controlling possession and creating chances. On 57 minutes a brilliant block from Olsson was required to deny Suarez after Carroll had passed to him, before Suarez attempted to lob the keeper but he never looked likely to trouble Foster. Carroll and Suarez then combined again and the latter dinked the ball into the back of the net but he was frustratingly flagged offside.

Foster was forced into a fingertip save from Enrique's fiery effort and was also called into action to stop a sweet strike from the ever-improving Andy Carroll, who later shot wide after collecting Suarez's cross. In the closing stages Liverpool hit the woodwork for the tenth time this season, Stewart Downing firing against the post as he looked to round off the game with a third for the visitors.

Had he found the net it certainly would not have been an injustice to the hosts, who deserved absolutely nothing from the clash. In fact, it was slightly disappointing that the Reds didn't add to their lead. Yet again we created chance after chance and failed to really thrash our opponents when we had the opportunity to do so. Nonetheless, a professional performance, two goals, three points and our third clean sheet of the campaign are significant positives to take from the match.

Liverpool sit nicely in fifth position, three points ahead of Arsenal and only one point behind their London rivals Chelsea. This routine 2-0 win may not have been as thrilling as the 5-3 epic played out by the aforementioned London sides, however it keeps us ticking along.

Carry on in this rich vein on form and it is only a matter of time before the goals start flooding in.

YNWA

Potters smashed by sensational Suarez

Liverpool took one step closer to visiting the new Wembley for the first time last night, progressing to the quarter finals of the Carling Cap following a hard-fought, richly deserved and slightly surprising 2-1 victory over Stoke City, secured thanks to two top quality goals from the simply sublime Luis Suarez.

Similarly to Saturday, the Reds dominated the first half yet failed to take any of the numerous chances they created, and were duly punished for their profligacy minutes before the break as Jones gave the Potters the lead against the run of play. The visitors responded though, equalising through a breathtaking Suarez strike before the superb number seven went on to seal the win with a smart header five minutes from time.

Heading into the contest the hosts had lost just once in 21 matches at the Britannia Stadium, while the visitors had not left the Potteries victorious from any of their previous four visits. On the other hand, Stoke had progressed past the fourth round of the Carling Cup only once in 33 years and the last time these teams met at this stage of the competition Gerard Houiller’s Liverpool side of 2001 inflicted an embarrassing 8-0 defeat on their opponents.

The facts and stats appeared to balance; however the first 45 minutes were anything but equal, as the Reds began the brighter and remained in the ascendancy throughout. Dalglish made a notable eight changes to the starting line-up that had drew at home to Norwich on the weekend, pairing the misfiring Andy Carroll alongside the on-form Luis Suarez up front. The former has received as much criticism as the latter has praise so far this campaign but, after Walters’ curled effort dinked just over the top right hand corner seven minutes in, it was encouraging to see the expensive duo link up early on.


After running with pace and purpose Carroll saw Sorensen parry his effort into the path of Suarez. Unfortunately, the Uruguayan was unable to control the ball as it rebounded to him too quickly and the opportunity was lost. Lucas, Agger, Suarez and Maxi then combined excellently and excitingly to slice Stoke’s defence apart. Brazilian midfielder Lucas burst into the box and squared the ball to his fellow South American Suarez, whose close range effort forced Sorensen to make an outstanding save.

Lacking confidence, Carroll then failed to take advantage of an opportunity presented to him by a Stoke error, shooting straight at Sorensen from 10 yards out. Kelly made the Danish keeper work harder when his well-struck left footed drive nearly found the net. Sandwiched inbetween those incidents Walters’ header from a typical Delap long throw was chalked off after Ryan Shawcross impeded Reina.

Against Norwich the Reds’ first half dominance was eventually rewarded with a stoppage time strike from Craig Bellamy. The reverse was the case last night, as the frustration resulting from being unable to break the deadlock doubled when Stoke grabbed the opener completely against the run of play moments before the interval. 21-year old recent arrival Sebastian Coates was taught a tough lesson on the unforgiving nature of English football, as Walters took advantage of his fatal indecision to pinch possession and cross to Kenwyne Jones, who headed past the helpless Reina.

There was still time for one last opportunity before the break, as Spearing’s through ball set Suarez in on goal. Honestly, and somewhat unusually, he stayed on his feet despite contact from Shawcross and, unbalanced, his shot dragged disappointingly wide.

Stoke couldn’t keep him quiet for much longer though, as he netted an incredible equaliser ten minutes after the restart. Cheekily nutmegging Shotton, Suarez then curled a perfectly hit shot beyond the grasp of Sorensen and into the corner. It was a truly special strike from a very special player of unquestionably world-class talent.


Somewhat surprisingly, the second half proceeded with less goalmouth action than the first 45, however Liverpool continued to control possession and always looked the more likely to score a second. For the umpteenth time this season free signing Craig Bellamy came on in the closing stages and made an immediate impact on the match. After replacing Maxi on 82 minutes the controversial Welsh winger cum striker played an intelligent one-two with Carroll before hitting the post with a bobbling shot from the edge of the box.

Only a minute later Suarez struck again to give the Reds the lead for the first time in the contest. A long ball was headed clear by the Stoke defence under pressure from the lurking Carroll but Henderson hoisted the ball back into the box, where the unmarked Suarez superbly headed past Sorensen at the back post. It was a fantastic cross from the former Sunderland skipper and arguably an even better finish from Suarez.

With his work complete, match winner Luis Suarez worryingly hobbled off accompanied by a physio, however thankfully he is not believed to be seriously injured and should be fit to replicate this display against Roy Hodgson's West Brom on the weekend. Tony Pulis also made a substitution, replacing Jones with ex Red Peter Crouch. The lanky striker was at the centre of the action late on, appealing for a penalty after being held back by Coates in the box at a corner and hitting just over the bar from four yards out, although it wouldn't have counted anyway as he was flagged offside.

To be fair to the Potters, they had a legitimate grievance as referee Lee Probert failed to spot Coates holding onto Crouch's arm, although Crouch may have fell over a little dramatically. Overall though, they had nothing to complain about as they got what they deserved from the cup-tie; absolutely nothing. Throughout the match Liverpool were far superior in virtually every department and fully deserved their impressive victory.

The likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City may remain in the competition but Liverpool will remain strong contenders for the Carling Cup if they continue in this rich vein of form and Luis Suarez conjures up the sort of magical performance he produced last night.

YNWA

Reds fail to kill off Canaries

A thrilling yet ultimately exasperating match ended with Liverpool being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Norwich City on Saturday teatime. Craig Bellamy’s goal on the stroke of half time rewarded the Reds’ first half supremacy, however Grant Holt equalised with a bullet header on the hour mark that galvanised the visitors. Both sides had late chances to claim all three points but heroics from Reina and Ruddy kept the scores level and the points shared.

After completing back-to-back promotions, the Canaries have continued to thrive in the Premier League under the guidance of highly respected boss Paul Lambert. Earlier in the season Norwich visited both Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford and, although they failed to emerge with any points on either occasion, their attacking style proved threatening and attracted support from neutrals. As a result they travelled to Anfield with no fear.

Kenny Dalglish selected a suitably strong starting line-up. Glen Johnson returned from injury to fill in at right back, while Bellamy was handed a starting berth on the left wing and Dirk Kuyt made his 250th appearance for Liverpool up front alongside Luis Suarez.

In response to recent Parliamentary proceedings investigating the Hillsborough disaster, the Kop held up a ‘JFT96’ mosaic prior to kick off to remind the politicians of the strength of feeling on Merseyside. Meanwhile, on the pitch the match began with an early onslaught from the home side, which persisted throughout the first period.


Only two minutes in Skrtel rattled the cross bar with a powerful near-post header from Charlie Adam’s drilled corner kick, before Suarez turned excellently on the edge of the box and stabbed a shot wide. Soon after, Adam’s raking cross-field pass found Bellamy on the left wing. The Welshman’s cross was struck goalwards first time by Suarez, forcing Ruddy to superbly tip his effort onto the post. Disappointingly, Downing fired the rebound wide when well placed.

There was a brief interlude where Norwich gained some respite from the relentless pressure the Reds’ had put them under. Reina was required to make a smart stop on 16 minutes after Hoolahan broke into the box and drilled one at goal, before a long spell of possession for the visitors culminated in Johnson’s header being deflected behind for a corner, from which Reina collected Morrison’s goalbound header.

Nevertheless, the Reds remained in the ascendancy and continued to create numerous chances. Suarez flashed a strike across the face of goal after latching onto Johnson’s neat pass, Kuyt headed Bellamy’s corner against Adam and the ex Tangerine looped the ball over the bar but the Canaries retained parity until first half stoppage time. Number 39 Craig Bellamy latched onto a poor clearance inside Norwich’s box and struck a low finish past Ruddy, finding the net with the help of a deflection off Martin to send the hosts in with a one-goal lead at the break.


In truth, Delia Smith’s outfit should have been dead and buried at half time. Echoing the dominance of possession and control of proceedings reminiscent of every successful Reds’ side, Dalglish’s men had created chance after chance yet frustratingly failed to take the majority of opportunities they crafted. This failure to kill off the opposition proved costly, as the away side came alive in the second period.

Although Suarez's shot was deflected onto the base of the post after a world-class turn and Bellamy headed Downing's cross into Ruddy's arms, the game completely spun on the introduction of Grant Holt on 56 minutes. The rugged 30-year old Norwich skipper made an instant impact, beating Reina plus two Liverpool defenders to reach Anthony Pilkington's tremendous right wing cross and power a header into the Kop end net. Reina made a mistake by coming for the ball and may have been able to prevent Holt scoring had he remained on his line, however that fact should not detract from the quality of the Norwich number nine's header.


Reina compensated for his error five minutes later though, as his stunning one-handed save denied Holt what appeared destined to be a certain second. The roles had been reversed and the Canaries were now in the ascendancy, threatening Reina's goal and refusing to settle for a point. After 71 minutes Hoolahan drove over from distance, before Reina had to be off his line quickly to thwart a counter-attack that otherwise would have seen a Norwich attacker go one-on-one with the Spaniard.

Referee Peter Walton refused to point to the spot four minutes from time after Barnett had sent Adam crashing to the turf, instead penalising the centre midfielder for supposedly diving. With the hosts getting desperate, two last gasp, gilt-edged chances were created. First, Carroll headed Henderson's cross agonisingly wide of the post from a few yards out. It was a glaring miss from the out of sorts Geordie, who would normally convert that type of chance in his sleep. Then, his superb strike partner Suarez excellently turned Gerrard's cross goalwards with a first time volley. Only a top quality save from Ruddy could deny the Uruguayan the winner and preserve Norwich's point.

Prior to kick off manager Kenny Dalglish insisted that the threat posed by Paul Lambert's side was comparable to that of last weekend's visitors Manchester United. Few believed the Scot at the time and, had Liverpool took the many first half opportunites they created, the players could have made their manager's pre-match comments sound foolish. Unfortunately, Norwich punished them for failing to do so in the second half, netting an equaliser at a key stage in the match and going on to claim an identical result to that of United the previous weekend.

If the Reds are to compete with the likes of United, City and Chelsea for a place in the top four then results like this simply must be cut out. We must start taking our chances and killing teams off rather than allowing them a route back into the contest. Of course, the Canaries deserve congratulating for their resilience and forward-thinking style of play but Liverpool shouldn't have given them any possibility of getting back into the match after that first half performance.

A killer instinct must be developed soon if we are to keep up with the Premier League's forerunners.

YNWA

FSG Takeover: One year on

A year ago this month Liverpool fell to an unacceptable 2-0 defeat in the Merseyside Derby in the first game under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group. Principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner watched on alongside Ian Ayre and Martin Broughton as the Reds were overawed and easily beaten by the Toffees. They must have then been astonished to here manager at the time Roy Hodgson describe that display as the best performance under his reign.


The initial surge of optimism that had surrounded their dramatic takeover was followed by a loud and unmistakable crash back down to earth, as the reality of the task facing them became increasingly, and worryingly, clear. Undeterred, FSG set about their task with gusto. Admitting their ignorance regarding the mechanics of football they humbly swatted up about the beautiful game and avoided the terms ‘soccer’ and ‘franchise’ at all costs.

This approach paid dividends and led to wise decision making. As well as appointing the vastly experienced Damien Comolli as Director of Football and promoting astute businessman Ian Ayre, they crucially replaced the hapless Hodgson with club legend Kenny Dalglish. Consequently, when the Reds returned to Goodison Park at the start of this month the outcome was reversed, goals from Carroll and Suarez securing a two-goal victory. This reversal reflected the massive reversal of fortunes the club has experienced both on and off the field only 50 weeks into FSG’s ownership.

Off the pitch FSG have brought the club back from the brink of financial oblivion and stabilised our finances, wiping out the majority of the massive debt piled onto the club by the previous parasitic pair of American owners and drastically reducing the Reds’ interest payment on their debt, which had cost us roughly the monetary equivalent of a Luis Suarez (£25-30 million) a year.

This has had beneficial effects on the pitch as well as, after paying off the debt accrued under Hicks and Gillett, FSG have invested heavily in the squad, purchasing proven quality players of the calibre of Luis Suarez, Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing. They have concentrated on buying young, talented and preferably British players with Premier League experience. In spending big in this area they have revitalised and added fresh impetus to the squad short term and have increased the long-term potential and value of the squad.

FSG made perhaps their biggest decision so far during their reign in January when they finally sacked Roy Hodgson and brought in Kenny Dalglish, originally on a temporary basis and eventually permanently when they witnessed our sudden change of fortunes following his return to the Anfield dugout.


Hodgson was simply never going to succeed at the club and his departure became inevitable, with many fans complaining that the owners gave the former Fulham manager and current West Brom boss too much time to prove himself. These same supporters than voiced their displeasure at Henry and co. taking until the middle of May to appoint Kenny as permanent manager. Although with hindsight they probably should have acted more swiftly in both of those cases, considering they were (and still are) new to the sport it was perfectly reasonable that they took their time over making two important decisions.

Similarly some, frustrated with the delays experienced under Hicks and Gillett, have criticised FSG for failing to take significant steps forward regarding the stadium issue. However, the majority realise that leaving our home of 119 years is a massive decision and one that cannot be taken lightly. Upon takeover Henry and Werner appeared intent on remaining at Anfield because of its history and character and looked set to renovate it to expand the seating capacity and increase match day revenue.


They had previously employed this strategy with Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Park with huge success, selling out every ball game for the last five years. However, with difficulties arising from the housing that surrounds Anfield, it now appears more likely that FSG will decide to proceed with building a new stadium, as Ian Ayre searches for businesses to purchase the naming rights to any new ground. Although no final decision has been made and the Americans will continue co-operate with the local council and consider all options, it appears we may have to say goodbye to our historic and storied home sooner or later.

For bringing in club legend Kenny Dalglish as manager, providing financial security and investing heavily in the playing squad FSG's first year as owners will be remembered fondly. Most importantly though, following the ousting of Hicks and Gillett and arrival of Henry and Werner, unity has returned to the club. No longer is a civil war erupting in the background while the team struggles on the pitch. Finally, the owners, manager, players and supporters are all singing from the same proverbial hymn sheet, adhering to the Liverpool Way and working as hard as possible to return the Reds to where they belong; in the Champions League and competing for the title.

What a difference a year makes.

A year is a long time in football.

The clichés are countless but, thankfully, FSG have resisted the temptation to recite empty platitudes and have instead concentrated on delivering results both on and off the field.

Long may the good times roll!

YNWA

Reds go down to Gers defeat

Liverpool’s hastily arranged mid-season friendly match against Ally McCoist’s Rangers ended in defeat last night, as the Reds went down to a Lee McCulloch strike mid-way through the first period. The rationale behind organising a friendly unusually taking place in the middle of the campaign and between two important Premier League fixtures was that it would enable the Reds’ new signings to experience something emulating a European match and prepare them for upcoming seasons when they’ll hopefully be competing in the real thing.

As a result Dalglish, who was returning to his home city of Glasgow, picked a relatively strong starting line up, with the fit again trio of Johnson, Agger and Aurelio claiming a place on the team sheet alongside the likes of Lucas, Bellamy and Carroll, as well as debutant keeper Alexander Doni. Meanwhile, former Gers Charlie Adam and Danny Wilson started as subs.

Unfortunately, Doni was arguably man of the match as the outfield players were understandably disjointed due to rarely playing with each other and Rangers, who remained in the ascendancy until the closing stages, regularly tested the former AS Roma stopper, forcing him to make several saves in order to keep the visitors in contention.

This onslaught began 18 minutes in when a low drive from Ortiz forced the first save of the night from Doni, before Whittaker eased past Coates and tested Liverpool's back up keeper once again shortly after. It was a case of third time lucky for the Gers when the Reds failed to clear a corner, affording McCulloch the opportunity to lash home, which he took all too easily.


Dalglish's defence hadn't learnt their lesson though as there was a big let off ten minutes prior to the interval when Davies unsuccessfully attempted to lob Doni after a long ball from the back took out our entire back line. Going forward we weren't much better either, as the Merseysiders only meaningful sight of goal saw Maxi's effort blocked by the Scottish side's defence.

At the break McCoist made five changes while the visitors remained unchanged, however the pattern of play wasn't altered and the hosts continued to dominate the Reds' poor second-string side. After 56 minutes Doni did well to tip Lafferty's shot onto the post, and also managed to prevent the ball rolling over the line. However, his heroics came at the cost of a dislocated finger, and young Danish keeper Martin Hansen swiftly replaced him.

Just after the hour mark a good chance went begging for the Reds after a mistake from Ross Perry let Maxi in. Unselfishly he tried to release Carroll but unfortunately it was intercepted. Either side of Lafferty hitting the cross bar and Rangers skipper David Weir, who was making only his second appearance of the season, striking a nice volley off target, Dalglish made seven changes, introducing former Rangers players Charlie Adam and Danny Wilson. The Ibrox crowd, who had spent significant sections of the evening booing former Bhoy Craig Bellamy, showed Adam their appreciation of his nine years of service to the club by giving him a warm welcome.

The number 26 inspired a late Liverpool push, as Skrtel knocked down his good ball into the box to Jordan Henderson, whose effort was deflected wide. The resulting corner was header over by Carroll. The tall Geordie than tumbled over in the box but his cries for a penalty fell on deaf ears, as the Reds' brief resurgence towards the end proved fruitless and couldn't rectify their earlier errors.

Overall this friendly, designed to allow youngsters and players on the fringe of the first team to stake a claim for a starting place, will be quickly forgotten as nobody performed well enough to give Kenny a selection headache ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash at home to Norwich City.

For cash-strapped Rangers the revenue generated from attracting a crowd of over 27,000 will be the main positive from the match. For Liverpool a greater sense of perspective should be acquired. As the footballing world concentrated on the two Manchester clubs competing in the Champions League, this contest scarcely received a mention in the national media. While those up the M62 were dining at the top table of European football, we were succumbing to a disappointing friendly defeat. How far we fell under Hodgson and during Rafa's final year was re-emphasised last night.

The need to qualify for Europe next season could not be more apparent, if only to avoid arranging another meaningless mid-season friendly.

YNWA