PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL V EVERTON | EPL

PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL 1 : 0 EVERTON

On Tuesday night our mighty reds play Everton at Anfield in the 217th Mersey-side derby. With the dust hardly settled on the Sunderland game our boys will have to put it behind them quickly to make sure they give their all in this all important derby game. 

Everton haven't lost in the league since the 11th of January which was away to Tottenham. They recently beat Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham at home so they will be no pushovers on Tuesday night. 

Overall i think we can nick it, 1-0. We'll have to be at our best though, and i have full confidence that our lads can put the woeful performance at Sunderland behind them and get the 3 points. This game is being held on a Tuesday night after we reached the Carling Cup final this game was moved. This is our game in hand. Although history dictates that we aren't great with out games in hand i still think we can win. 

COME ON YOU REDS!

reaction: Sunderland 1 Liverpool 0 | epl

FLAT LIVERPOOL FALL TO BLACK CATS

Saturday saw Liverpool take on Sunderland at the stadium of light in the Barclay's English premier league. If you read my preview you would see that i was looking for a dominant Liverpool performance and sadly it was far from that yesterday.

In a game of few chances a flat and lifeless Liverpool watched the game pass them by in another "Bolton" esq performance. I can not hide my disappointment that our team did not show up at all and fully deserved to lose that game. For once i disagree with Kenny's post match comments stating that we didn't deserve to lose. It was another woe performance in my books and it really showed the lack of depth we have in the squad to be out played by Sunderland with Gerrard, Downing, Agger and Johnson.

Ok, the goal had some element of luck to it and Pepe can't be blamed for it, but i though our defense was ball watching, when i thought that they could of followed the ball in after seeing bounce of the post and then off Pepe. In this game you create your own luck, Sunderland made us play their game as far as tempo goes and dominated the middle of the park giving Suarez Bellamy and Kuyt nothing to feed off.

Everyone should be held accountable for that passionless, tired performance and after what happened at Bolton it really saddens me to see our Liverpool play like that again.

It's lack of depth, and performances like this that is the reason we won't be playing Champions' League football next season. I never thought we were ready for it anyway, and results like this weekends show exactly why.

YNWA

pic: safc.co.uk

prediction: Sunderland v Liverpool | epl

PREDICTION: SUNDERLAND 0 : LIVERPOOL 3

On Saturday we travel to the Stadium of Light to play Sunderland. On paper this game looks like the 3 points should easily go to us, but football isn't played on paper. This game has the potential for Liverpool to let loose and show the rest of the league we a building momentum towards top 4. The Black Cats are coming of a 1-1 draw with local rivals Newcastle, where as we have to bounce back from the 2-1 loss to Arsenal. 

This game has all the makings of a Liverpool cruise, but we said that about the Bolton game and look what happened. I'm cautiously optimistic that we'll do well and score 3 goals without to much trouble 3-0 to 'pool! 

YNWA! 

Reaction: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2 | EPL

RVP IS DOUBLE TROUBLE AS GUNNERS STEAL 3 POINTS AT ANFIELD

RVP is there any stopping him?

Liverpool came crashing down to earth yesterday as the were shown exactly how to find the net against a lucky, but efficient Arsenal side.

Our lads started brightly enough keeping possession well in the Arsenal half with Downing and Suarez causing the Gunners lots of headaches. It wasn't long before we had some action as Suarez was fouled by the Arsenal keeper and a penalty given. On second viewing i thought it was a pen, but a soft one. Szczęsny redeemed himself magnificently though saving the follow up spot kick from Kuyt and then denying him again as Dirk looked to plant home the rebound. A match winning double save from the Arsenal glove man.

Szczęsny the hero after a huge double save

A few minutes later, Henderson (who i thought had a great game) broke down the right wing leaving Gibbs for dead, a low hard cross came in that Arsenals center back Koscielny couldn't deal with slicing the ball back past Szczęsny 1-0! 'pool and good value for the lead.

Hendo Celebrates with his team mates after assisting in the opening goal

After the goal the play went on much the same, Suarez hit the bar 5minutes later and up till the 31st minute i thought that we did any excellent job of disrupting Arsenal's fluid passing game. They were little threat, and only a lack on concentration on our part gave them a way back into the game. Arsenal played an attack down our left side, Sagna took the ball forward and without Enrique clossing him down he whipped a great cross in for Van Persie to head past Reina at his near post. 1-1! Carragher was out muscled by RVP and without really ever breaking a sweat in our defense we found ourselves level. 1-1.

RVP Heads Arsenal level

After the goal we continued to dominate, create chances and make Arsenal look weak in defense.  Just before the half time whistle Kuyt had an excellent chance to send us ahead but his shot could only kiss Szczęsny's right hand post before being cleaned up. half time.


The second half pretty much took on the same pattern as the first. We did well keeping Arsenal quiet yet we couldn't quite find the winning goal ourselves. There was a massive 8 minutes of added time due to Arteta being stretchered of after an accidental collision with Henderson.  We dominated the game without really trouble Szczęsny to much, and i though we deserved to win it. Arsenal had other ideas and deep into stoppage time the sucker punch came when Song lofted a long ball to RVP who on a tight angle slammed the ball pass Reina again at his near post 2-1 Arsenal. The ultimate blow and i was pretty upset at the manner of the goal. To dominate so much and not finish Arsenal off has really been the story of the season for us, particularly at home.

Kenny threw Carroll on in a despite attempted to try and save a point but it wasn't to be and full time came with nothing but a whimper from our Liverpool lads.

Arsenal will take this, 3 points.

These are the days that you think, well it wasn't our night. Hitting the bar twice and missing a penalty should of seen us 4-1 up at half time, instead we walk away from this game with nothing, what can you say?
well i think we need to look at the positives. Hendo and Downing both had strong games, we out played them 95% of the time, and that's something to take from the game.

Reina needs to work on his near post positioning a bit, and our strikers still need to work on finding the net!

Overall i thought it was a game Arsenal stole from us, We didn't deserve lose this one yet here we are.
we now must look onto the away game at Sunderland and right the wrongs of yesterday afternoon.

FTK Mom: Szczęsny

 He had a great game for Arsenal in goal, and that double save sealed the deal. it should of been 4-1 at half time and thanks to his heroics they went on to win the game.








pics: liverpoolfc.tv, aresnal.com

prediction: Liverpool v Arsenal | EPL:

PREDICTION LIVERPOOL 2 : 2 ARSENAL
 
The Gunners visit Anfield on Saturday in the lunchtime kick off game. After our heroics in the Carling Cup Final and Arsenal's wonder performance in the north London derby i think we might be in for a cracking game.

Sadly news has come in that Stevie G is injured for the game, after only playing 32 minutes for England on Wednesday. Agger is also out with s fractured rib so i would probably pick carra as his replacement and we might see Henderson sit in the middle with Adam, Downing and Kuyt on the wings and Bellamy up front with Suarez.

With our tendency to draw games at home this season and nullifying the threat of Van Persie will be important in getting something out of the game  Also we must track the runs from deep by Walcott, give him time and space on the ball and he can tare any team apart.

I think there's goals in this, and with our current form at home a 2-2 result is on the cards.

YNWA

Reacton: Liverpool 2 Cardiff City 2 (3-2pens) | Carling Cup Final

The Boys in full celebration mode

LIVERPOOL BEAT CARDIFF IN SHOOTOUT DRAMA AT WEMBLEY

Another proud day in the history of our beloved Liverpool Football Club as we lift the League Cup Trophy for the 8th time making us the most successful club to win this tournament in it's history.

Stevie G Lifts Liverpool's 1st trophy in 5 years!

First and foremost i must express my deepest respect and admiration for Cardiff City, they gave us one hell of a game, never gave up and in my opinion didn't deserve to lose. Penalty shoot outs to decide games has always been a bit of a thorn in my side, i think it's a terrible way to decide games, but it's the only system we've got right now.




The game itself was tightly contested. Johnson had a chance to get Liverpool 1 up after just 3 minutes when his curling shot from outside the area hit the post. Apart from that early chance that's all we really offered going forward. Suarez looked a little over whelmed by the occasion, and Carroll wasn't getting any supply from out midfielders despite Downing perhaps having his best game in a red shirt. 20 minutes had passed when Cardiff took a surprise lead. A great counter attacking move saw Liverpool's defense at odds and Cardiff's Mason found enough space in the box to rifle a shot past Reina to make it 1-0 to Cardiff.  After the goal the pattern of the game remained the same. Liverpool possession countered by heroic Cardiff defending.

The second half was much the same, and getting frustrating predictable for my tastes, the slow build up play that ended up with Downing making forward runs with the ball to cross it into the box was easy for the Cardiff Defense to deal with. The equalizer eventually came after a penalty box melee saw the loose ball pounced on by Martin Skrtel who made no mistake from about 8 yards out 1-1 and game on! But it wasn't the cutting edge final stages of a game i was expecting. Bellamy was subbed on and had very little impact, but at no fault of his as 90% of our attacks game from the right hand side where Downing bossed it. It wasn't long before Liverpool looked out of ideas and full time came. 1-1

Extra time would really sort the men from the boys, as the two tiring teams looked to push on and win the game. It wasn't long before Liverpool took the lead when Kuyt burst into the box smashing his shot through the legs of the Cardiff keeper 2-1 pool! That looked to be it, as both teams tired. Cardiff were dropping like flies with cramp, but some how, and from some where they found that extra something to force penalties. Cardiff won a corner that wasn't cleared properly by Liverpool and it some how the ball was bundled over the line and in dramatic fashion Cardiff were level!! 2-2

There was little to no time left to get a winner and the game finished 2-2. My hat goes off to Cardiff, a heroic performance, especially in extra time when they all were dead on their feet to come back like that and force penalties really displayed how much character and determination that club has for success and i know they are welcome in the Premier :League any day!.

Stevie Consoles cousin Anthony

We all know how the penalties panned out with Stevie's cousin Anthony missing the crucial last kick to hand Liverpool the trophy

The Mighty Reds Dart of in celebration as Anthony Gerrard send his penalty wide

Overall i am really pleased that we won the Carling Cup, but in true Liverpool fashion we did it the hard way. Cardiff were worthy opponents and truly deserve all the plaudits for giving us a cracking game. This trophy can only catapult Liverpool on to further success, with Stoke in the FA Cup coming a 2nd Wembley final isn't so far fetched!

I'm so proud of the team for putting in 150% and bringing home the Cup!

YNWA