Mortality and Hope: Liverpool 1 - Stoke City 0

photo by procsilas	via PhotoRee

Scott has some thoughts on this weekend's performance and more:

It was ugly. It was frustrating. It was close. And it was hard. But, in the end, thanks to Glen Johnson's brave header, Liverpool finally prevailed in the league. Many are pointing only to how hard it was. And still others, like correspondent Ed, are focusing solely on how poorly the Reds are playing of late. Ed and his ilk may, indeed, be right to do so because, let's face it, Liverpool have been simply awful over the last several games, and not much better before then.

 

But what I saw in this game, after what I hope and pray was the bottom of Liverpool football during a first half that saw nary a shot on goal, was the faintest glimmer of hope. Sure, Johnson's staple-stitch inducing header (for which, no doubt, he will receive a Purple Star) finally garnered 3 points. But more important to me was the 4 or 5 occasions in the second half when Liverpool produced legitimately dangerous passing combinations in and around the penalty area that showed they have not completely forgotten how to play attacking football in the forward third. May it be a harbinger of similar style….

 

o I think Gerrard's time as a starter is rapidly coming to an end. Quite frankly, his mobility is starting to remind me of what I see playing on Monday nights with Ed and the others of our generation. There comes a point when leadership can no longer overcome an aging body. Giving Emre Can an extended run of games seems to make sense. Stevie, you will always be our favorite talisman but the time is drawing near for us all to accept your mortality.

 

o Kolo Toure is proving himself once again. If he just keeps it simple and avoids the occasional aneurism, he can help our defensive efforts.

 

Phew!

photo by notsogoodphotography	via PhotoRee

 

 

In which Scott finally exhales:

 

Simon Mignolet and Asmir Begovic put on a goalkeeping clinic during Liverpool's hosting of Stoke City last Saturday.  After the Belgian initially waffled (tee hee) on a cross that Peter Crouch was able to lay off for Robert Huth to slam against the crossbar in the 8th minute, Liverpool's 'keeper was then solid throughout before foiling Jonathan Walters' attempt from the penalty spot in the game's final moments.  For his part, Stoke's Bosnian only allowed one of Liverpool's 11 shots on goal to escape his considerable reach.

 

Only once did I seriously question Mignolet and that was when, in the 17th minute, he was far too casual with the ball at his feet and nearly had his clearance snuffed out by the rapidly approaching Stoke forward.  But his save in the 42nd minute on Walters' excellent shot was simply brilliant.  Unfortunately, his efforts were matched at the other end by Begovic who stood up to Jordan Henderson's effort in the 34th minute and somehow reached the youngster's shot in the 63rd minute.  All that before a circus-act save on Steven Gerrard's freekick in the 79th minute.

 

As a Liverpool fan, the contest was enjoyable and comfortable for most of the game before frustration began to set in later on.  While the final statistics show Liverpool controlled the ball 55% of the time, that's not how the game felt.  Aside from against-the-run-of-play chances, the Reds really bossed proceedings until the final stages.  Even so, they were unable to penetrate the penalty area during the first 10 minutes until Sturridge's first goal was waived off for him being a half-step offside from the freekick.  Minutes later, Kolo Toure announced himself to Anfield with a  banging header from a corner that dented the crossbar.

 

25 minutes in, Stoke City began to claw their way into the competition but Liverpool were still controlling tempo and possession by winning the ball back remarkably quickly.  In fact, as the game wore on, that was the most noticeable aspect of Liverpool's play.  It was almost as if there were a rule that whoever lost the ball had to sprint and sprint, with those nearest swarming too, until they won it back.  That type of pressure led to Daniel Sturridge being with the ball at the top of the box to score a cracker by 'megging the defender and beating Begovic at the far post.  Sturridge, incidentally, was excellent, running at defenders with the ball, running selflessly without the ball and just generally being a nuisance for Stoke.

 

Overlooked: Four Who Missed Out on the PFA Team of the Season

photo by Tom (hmm a rosa tint)	via PhotoRee

By now we all know who made the Professional Footballers Association 2013 Team of the Season, but what about those who didn't?  farlieonfootie sends our crack reporting team in search of those who fell just short:

o Michu: How can the league's fifth leading scorer be kept off the team, particularly by the likes of Eden Hazard...?  Sure, the Frenchman showed some fancy footowork, but 17 goals can't -- and shouldn't --be ignored.  If the awards had been announced midway through the season, Michu would likely have won PFA Player of the season hands down.  Yes, he cooled off somewhat in the season's second half, but let's not forget what he did and what he meant to his team.  A certain oversight.

o Asmir Begovic or Simone Mignolet: It's tough to distinguish between the two, as they made spectacular save after spectacular save virtually all season long.  Injuries took their toll on Stoke's defense, and Sunderland is Sunderland -- but look at what their 'keepers did....  Think about how bad Stoke would be without the big Bosnian in between the sticks.  Hint: they failed to score in 15 of their games this season; that's relegation material if ever we heard it.  And as for Sunderland, 11 clean sheets with that motley crew is pretty damn impressive.  We love David De Gea, but come on -- someone give these two some love, as well.

Best Served Cold: Round 19 in the BPL

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o If revenge is a dish best served cold, Adam Johnson's missile at Sunderland must have been slippery as ice. At least that's the way it appeared as the shot skittered underneath Joe Hart's arm and into his net to beat the City 'keeper on his near post for the winner at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday.

o Stoke City, as encapsulated on one play, a Jonathan Waters goal that sealed the Saints' Boxing Day victory over the Scousers: a) long throw in; b) the ball head flicked from one Stoke player to another; c) the ball controlled with the chest; d) the ball volleyed in mid-air off right foot; e) Stoke players celebrate when ball hits the back of the net. Never touched the ground....

o Victor Moses has made quite an impact on the Chelsea attack, giving it the teeth and incisiveness that its fancier attackers lack. For all the ooh-ing and ahh-ing about Oscar, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard, it's been the addition of the former Wigan man who has made the Blues' offense really turn over. While the other boys are dancing, Moses takes the ball directly at the opposition, requiring a ton of defensive cover, and allowing his fancier teammates to be operate more freely. Full credit to Rafa Benitez for recognizing this, and bringing into the starting lineup a man that former boss man Di Matteo seemed to overlook too often.


o But if he got that one right, oh, man, do we think he has the next one wrong: Perhaps it's just us, but the only thing more ridiculous than the thought of David Luiz playing midfield is the actual sight of David Luiz playing midfield, hair billowing in the wind. The Brazilian looks really good -- almost like he belongs there -- until he gets into the final third with the ball and has absolutely no idea what to do with it.  We also witnessed a lot of standing around and watching other players near the 18 yard box. It's hard to tell if Rafa is doing this just to pull our collective legs, or just to piss off the Chelsea faithful, but this is an experiment that looks as if it could go badly wrong.

o Least intimidating sign in any English Stadium, at any level: "This is Loftus Road."