Liverpool vs Sunderland

Ronan|Raven

Liverpool played really well, Alonso was immense and made two great passes for the goals and his all round play was good. Crouch was about to score! only for the intervention of two sunderland players and should have had a penalty, which he may have messed ;-D Sissoko imho was unlucky to be sent off, two harsh booking imho. One of which he never even touched the player involved. Benitez should have subbed him though and avoided the possibility.

Tusky

mike65 wrote:

Well it was slightly harder work than it should have been but 2-0 will do, good to see Luis Garcia on the scoresheet on his return.

We're fourth w00t!

Mike.

Where did you watch the game ? woooo 4th! Lets hope we can get a good result against Wigan on Sunday.

Ronan|Raven

watched it on TPS FOOTBALL a french channel

Mark

http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.php?cat=video&file=_Canal_plus__20051130_224115-1.mpg

2 minute highlights, 19 megs

Vokes

Ooooh, nice assist by Alonso for Gerrards goal.

And poor Riise, he never just wants to slot it past a keeper, always has to smack it

Jivin Turkey

So another decent performance from Liverpool and they move up to fourth. Seven clean sheets in a row, five league wins in a row, ten goals scored.

While Sunderland started brighter, and kept the ball for long periods towards the end after the sending off, they never really threatened.

Alonso was sublime, arguably now the most complete midfielder in the league. His pass for Gerrard's goal was exquisite. Gerrard was unlucky to shave a post with an equally class move earlier in the half.

The sending off for Sissoko has been coming a few weeks to be honest. A few times in the last few games I've felt he has been walking a tight rope. Luckily this didn't cost us, and hopefully it will be a wake up call for him to curb his enthusiasm. Neither foul was particularly cynical, and it put a blotch on what was another decent performance from him. I really feel this guy has serious potential, he was strong on the ball and made some lovely turns, distribution could improve though.

Crouch drew another blank, but again caused problems, could have had a penalty. While it's pleasing to see him do well again the goal has to come soon for him.

All in all, I'm very pleased. In league terms the team has come on leaps and bounds from last year. Our two games before Japan are very winnable, Wigan and Boro both at home. Its a pity that the WCC will break up this good run, but hopefully we can hit the ground running post Christmas with home ties again versus Newcastle and WBA, and an away day at Everton sandwiched in between.

Liverpool to win ten league games on the trot? To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't bet much against it.

Davei141

Poor crouchy, robbed by a cynical challenge that should of arguably been a straight red. Great performances from alonso and gerrard, lovely finish by garcia.

ButcherOfNog

Awesome pass by Alonso for Gerrard, I can't see Wigans midfield living with Liverpools at the weekend, we should completely overrun them in the middle of the park. As for Sissoko, that tackle that he got sent off for? Couldn't see him even touch the player, might be a case for an appeal.

missingtime

I'm really getting sick of the strikers at the moment. I mean look at United tonight. Saha back after how long and straight away he scores. John O Shea has scored in his last two games.
I'm all for strikers need confidence and I think Rafa is doing right thing by constantly playing Crouch. But he needs to go for it the next game. And the others have to stop bouncing balls off his head, instead get them to his feet. He has decent control for a tall lad.

Thanx 4 The Fish

Am looking forward to the Wigan game, Xabi looked superb again, his range of passing is incredible, that one over his shoulder for Garcias goal was sublime. I hope that everybody in the Kop is as much up for young Crouch as they have been for tha last few weeks. Looks like the Wigan game could be a cracker, Wigan look like they are on the way back and the pool are having their best run for some time.

The Salisbury will be rocking come 11am on sat morning.

Tusky

Alonso is an absolute legend. Both of those passes were top class. Actually, both of the finishes were really nice too. Is the Wigan game being televised ?

Thanx 4 The Fish

It is the early kick off so I would imagine it will be on Sky. Bloody early matches, getting up at 7 on a Saturday...

missingtime

Sky Sports One 12:45.

It'l be a good one alright. I'd like us to hammer them though. Let them know who they are playing against

Tusky

Really makes me want to get sky digital. Its so bloody expensive though. Might go round to the pub to watch it, though I hate being in a pub that early on a Saturday/Sunday.

missingtime

Theres a pub just opened in the student accomodation where I live so hopefully they might show it in there. I know how ya feel about being in that early but it might give me some incentive to get up in the morning.

galwaydude

2:0 just as i predicted

Roll on wigan, a 3:0 win even though the wigan reserves beat newcastle last night.

Alonso is back to his best and garcia seems to have found his scoring boots.


So much for the theory that the spanish boys alonso and garcia wouldnt be risked due to the harsh conditions of the north east. 4th place now and we seem to get getting there nicely.In jan we will get simao and a CB.

Rafa we trust.

seabee

Just watched the highlights there (Thanks Mark). Alonso's pass for gerrards goal was brilliant.It's a pity Riise's shot hit the bar..it could have been a contender for goal of the season

redspider

A good result for Liverpool, who played reasanably well. Great to see Alonso back and playing well, some superb passes. Benitez stuck with the 4-4-2 formation which is working wonders. Now, if only he would have listened to those of us that were espousing this formation when he was forcing Liverpool to play a 4-2-3-1, which arguably lost us points, anyway ..... as I've said before, Benitez is able to correct his ways, but why he makes them in the first place I just cant fathom. He is a risk taker.

Back to the game. Lets be honest, Sunderland are very very poor. Examples of this are their two full backs. Both goals were caused by their lack of pace, as they were beaten by Garcia and Gerrard. In their defence, it has to be said that both Liverpool's goals were very well finished. These are the types of finishes that I like to see Liverpool doing - smart, deft, skill. Great finishes worthy o all the best teams.

Riise's chance was a good one, but here again Sunderland's backing off flattered us as they let him stroll up the pitch unchallenged.

Liverpool's backline were once again very solid, helped in no small part by the role that Sissoko plays in breaking up the play in midfield. He paid the penalty for that though with his two yellows. From the replay though, and partially in his defence, he did seem to get something of the ball in the 2nd foul. I didnt see the first. So, perhaps worth an appeal, if nothing more than to help his confidence a bit. Alonso I presum also did his fair share in tackling and interception.

Morientes, from what I heard, didnt show much. For those of you that are waiting for him to put in good displays, it will be a long wait. He is well off sharpness and pace and I see no way of him regaining it. He might do at Arsenal but I digress.

Crouch: by all accounts fulfilled his role, which does not include scoring. As I said in a post elsewhere, goals are not the be-all and end-all. However, I would be of a strong opinion that a different striker in that role would do a better job, AND get some goals too. Perhaps a lot of goals.

Cisse: in Benitez's bad books again.

Overall, Liverpool still lack in one key area, and that is up front. Not a good sign on Benitez's signings as that is the area where he has done most of his investment with Morientes and Crouch, which are more or less "duds". He has to buy a striker in the Jan window, and perhaps he should sell one. As Cisse was the first in, even though he can probably be the most lethal of those 3 strikers and the one that cost the most, he is the most likely to go.

Kewell: again by all accounts, didnt contribute much

galwaydude wrote:

2:0 just as i predicted

yes, but what happened to your scorers ?!?!


Overall, a comfortable win, an away win at that, and one that puts them in 4th spot and deserving of it too. This should give the team the confidence they need to continue to get good results in the league against the lesser teams. Against the top teams, I think that without Baros we are perhaps worse off than last season, and it remains to be seen if Gerrard will play out wide on the right against the likes of Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal and the difficult CL games.

Things are in a good position at the moment and we should be in a good position to really claim a top-4 place.

redspider

galwaydude

ah if i predicted the correct scorers as well i wouldnt be stuck where i am !! I would be minting it in the bookies

Pigman II

Whats Liverpools record for consecutive clean sheets?

galwaydude

i think its 7 now in all competitions, havent conceded sice the palace game in october in the carling cup.

Pigman II

Yeah I knew that. I'm asking what their 'all time record' is in order to see how close they are to breaking it currently.

p.pete

Pigman II wrote:

Yeah I knew that. I'm asking what their 'all time record' is in order to see how close they are to breaking it currently.

Don't know the answer but it's our best run since 87/88 season afaik. We'll not come close to breaking any records I'm sure but it's a delight to see. Inevitably we'll concede one eventually but I actually feel strongly that the team will be in a position to react strongly when it does happen.

Shouldn't get too carried away though, Wigan managed to be 2nd for some time with a strong defence and easy run of games - seems to be the way the season is going.

Vokes

Not sure about the all-time record consecutive clean sheets but in comparison to last season the team had 18 clean sheets in 60 matches and already this season it's something like 17 clean sheets in 26 matches!

Iago

redspider wrote:

Crouch: by all accounts fulfilled his role, which does not include scoring. As I said in a post elsewhere, goals are not the be-all and end-all. However, I would be of a strong opinion that a different striker in that role would do a better job, AND get some goals too. Perhaps a lot of goals.


redspider

Taken from a feedback forum

Peter Crouch: Good Or Bad?
I need to throw my hat in the ring because I am in two minds about this Peter Crouch fella who plays for us. On the one hand he has been an integral part of a team that has claimed 18 points from the last 21 available in the premiership, has gone 6 games without conceding a goal and has qualified for the next round of the chumps league with a game to go.

On the other hand a striker that doesn’t score goals is a bit like a girlfriend who won’t get her underwear off. She might do all sorts of intricate stuff around the area but if she isn’t hitting the target you have to question your loyalty to her.

It’s a bit of a quandary really. Crass comparison but there you have it.

Tusky

Iago wrote:

On the other hand a striker that doesn’t score goals is a bit like a girlfriend who won’t get her underwear off. She might do all sorts of intricate stuff around the area but if she isn’t hitting the target you have to question your loyalty to her.

rofl

mayordenis

rofl . . . yes
but what an amazing analogy, no?

~Rebel~

Iago wrote:

On the other hand a striker that doesn’t score goals is a bit like a girlfriend who won’t get her underwear off. She might do all sorts of intricate stuff around the area but if she isn’t hitting the target you have to question your loyalty to her.

Hehe, Love it!

redspider

Iago wrote:

On the other hand a striker that doesn’t score goals is a bit like a girlfriend who won’t get her underwear off. She might do all sorts of intricate stuff around the area but if she isn’t hitting the target you have to question your loyalty to her.

Well lads, if a woman doesnt score in 19 matches or whatever, I for one and I suspect many of you wouldnt be waiting around until the January transfer window to chuck her - the nearest window would do ! ;-)

Mind you, if she had several friends that you were scoring with on a regular basis you might just put up with her. Maybe. Or chuck her,keep her friends and get a new girlfriend. Thats what we would all do.

All-in-all, I would be looking for more danger in and around "the box" (pun intended!).

redspider

copacetic

p.pete wrote:

Don't know the answer but it's our best run since 87/88 season afaik. We'll not come close to breaking any records I'm sure but it's a delight to see. Inevitably we'll concede one eventually but I actually feel strongly that the team will be in a position to react strongly when it does happen.

Shouldn't get too carried away though, Wigan managed to be 2nd for some time with a strong defence and easy run of games - seems to be the way the season is going.

the record I think is 10 games and it was the winning 87/88 season..