Liverpool muscles out Chelsea

Liverpool vs Chelsea (7 Nov 2010)

Two big giants of English football took to the field on Sunday evening for one of the important games in the Barclays Premier League. Chelsea, the league leaders with 25 points in their bag travelled to Anfield, Liverpool to take on the merseysiders. Liverpool's form this season has been disappointing, losing home games to Blackpool and the one in the league cup. But with back to back wins against Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers the mood in the team was quite upbeat.

Roy Hodgson had put out his best team to take on Chelsea. Chelsea kick started the first half and were control of the game till the eleventh minute. Liverpool's best striker, Torres struck form at the right time. A superb pass by Dirk Kuyt was neatly put into the back of the net by Torres. Terry was beaten for pace and so was the Chelsea goalkeeper, Petr Cech. Twelve minutes gones Liverpool were in the lead, to the surprise and astonishment of the players and spectators alike.

The Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelloti had kept his best striker Drogba on the bench. Chelsea looked dangerous even though they were a goal behind. Just before half time superman Torres gave the merseysiders another delight with a sublime curl, the ball gradually curving into the back of the net. Liverpool were up by two goals and the mood in the bench was upbeat.

Anfield erupted.

At half time Drogba was brought in for Kalou because the Chelsea manager felt that being two goals behind to Liverpool at their home turf was not to be taken lightly. Lucas, Mereilles and Gerrard all played their roles well, passing and moving forward and trying to score another goal to put the game beyond the reach of the Blues. Young boy Martin Kelly was plying his first major game of the season for Liverpool in the right fullback position. Carragher and Skrtel taking care of the central defence.

Chelsea were unlucky when Anelka's shot scrapped Reina's gloves and hit the crossbar. The ball was till open for Drogba to put it into the net but Jamie Carragher ensured that Liverpool maintained a clean sheet. Just 15 minutes before half Kuyt made a good run with the ball before passing it to Rodriguez who almost finished the game for Liverpool but Cech's outstretched leg denied them the third goal. Full time gone Liverpool could hold off Chelsea with a two goal margin.

The Barclay's premier league is still wide open for anyone to win. Chelsea weren't allowed to run away with the points. Liverpool's classic performance on Sunday will definitely be an eye opener for them and other teams as well. They now sit at the ninth place with 15 points in their kitty.

Liverpool leaps out of 'Relegation Zone'

Bolton Wanderers vs Liverpool (31 Oct 2010)

Liverpool's season has not brought out the usual cheers for its fans. Until last week the English giant was lingering in the bottom of the table with just 9 points in the bag. This poor performance by Liverpool can partly be attributed to the ownership and financial worries at the merseyside club. But yesterday's match against Bolton Wanderers brought some respite for the fans and the manager.

Putting up a strong squad Roy Hodgson wanted to get an easy 3 points at the Reebok stadium but was given stiff resistance by the Wanderers. Bolton started off the first half with more confidence than Liverpool and almost over 50% of the on field action was happening at Liverpool's end. Holden tested the Liverpool goalie with a flash kick but Reina was quick to spot the ball and punch it away. Bolton looked more and more aggressive as the game progressed. Liverpool's upfront attack looked meek and non threatening. Big names like Torres and Joe Cole looked impressive on paper but couldn't deliver.

Bolton on the other hand had a couple of good opportunities to take an early lead but failed to capitalize on any. With skipper Kevin Davies and defender Matt Taylor playing some good football. First half gone the scores were tied at 0-0.

Kevin Davies was just centimeters away from giving Bolton the lead in the second half from a free kick. He headed the ball perfectly but just shy of the goal. Liverpool improved its opportunities and played more attacking football in the second half of the game. Steven Gerrard, Rodriguez and Torres playing some good pass and move football. However neither of the teams could break the deadlock until the 85th minute. Joe Cole had to be substituted with Ngog because Cole had pulled a hamstring. The Chelsea midfielder has not yet delivered the quality he possesses to get Liverpool the victories much needed in the Premier League.

There is saying in football 'Never judge too quickly in football, wait until the last minute'. The same came true. Some superb skills by Torres and diligent passing to maxi Rodriguez ensured Liverpool that they left the Reebok stadium with full three points. Rodriguez was quick to latch on to the pass from Torres and slot it into the net past the Bolton keeper. This victory even got Liverpool out of the bottom three and now they sit at #12 in the table with 12 points, 13 points behind league leaders Chelsea.

Liverpool needs to ensure that they continue winning and not drop points from their future games to secure a place in the top 6 else next season the hope for a Europa qualification will seem bleak. Manager Roy Hodgson says' this victory might be the catalyst for his side's revival this season'.

La Roja triumphs

Netherlands vs Spain - World Cup Final 2010,11 July 2010
Soccer City, Johannesburg

Thirty two nations, ten venues, 64 matches and a month long of football fever- all these came to an end on the 11th of July 2010 when Spain reigned supreme and lifted its maiden world cup title. The final between the Dutch and the Spaniards was deemed to be a tough one for both the sides. The Netherlands were the dark horses to win the tournament but Spain were indeed one among the favourites to win the tournament.

The closing ceremony at the Soccer City, Johannesburg was a real delight to watch. The stadium designed in the shape of a 'Calabash'- the Afrikan pot was occupied 100 percent. The ground was turned into a giant screen with the aerial lights providing some eye catching visual imagery. The hour long closing ceremony will remain in the minds of the millions of television viewers and spectators who were present there. Former president Nelson Mandela graced the occasion by making his presence felt along with his wife. Columbian singer Shakira entertained the spectators with her sleezy hip movements, dancing, shaking and singing along with the African local band and the whole crowd was dancing to the tune of  WAKA WAKA. Africa's wildlife was presented with dummy elephants making their way to the water hole. The best moments in this month long soccer feast were also displayed and at last the whole of Africa said Thank You in a number of different languages, this being a sign of faith that the FIFA had in Africa for hosting the world cup tournament.

The Netherlands and Spain were in for a tough task ahead of them. Both these teams were vying to get their hands on the trophy for the very first time, the only difference being that the Dutch were in the finals on two previous occasions but failed to lay their hands on the most coveted prize in football. The Spaniards on the other hand were never in a world cup final.

The Dutch played really physical football right from the time the whistle was blown to start the game. Van Persie, Nigel Di Jong and Van Bommel receiving yellow cards within the first half hour of the game. Nigel Di Jong must have been shown a staright red but a nasty stamp on Xabi Alonso's chest in the first half. Spain too had its share of yellow cards, Puyol and Ramos getting into the referees books.

Spain were dominant, keeping the ball to themselves and playing possession football. Iniesta and Xavi the midfield maestros were simply superb, showcasing perfect power,skill,balance and technique. The Dutch rattled the Spanish players with constant fowls and giving away freekicks now and then. Robben had the best shot on goal in the first half, cutting in  from the right and drilling the ball hard into the near post with his powerful left foot but Iker Casillas had his eyes wide open and he had to because its The most important match and mistakes will cost either team dearly.

Half time gone both the teams were locked up with a 0-0 scoreline, neither side being able to break the deadlock.

Fifteen minutes after the first half both teams were out on the pitch, refreshed and raring to go at one another. As the match progressed it became more and more nastier. Constant fowls, display of the yellow cards and clashes among players marred the free flowing nature of this beautiful game. The Dutch received five more yellow cards and the Spaniards received three.

Robben broke free from the defence and was one on one with the Spanish goalkeeper but couldn't put the ball into the Spanish net. The trailing left foot of Casillas denying Robben his goal. The Dutch were distraught and Robben just couldn't believe it. All Robben had to do was chip the ball over Casillas' head instead he went for the shot and thereby ruined his country's chances to go ahead. Ramos on the other end couldn't keep the header down in the 77th minute from a corner kick. The Dutch were confused by the Spanish set piece and Ramos was suddenly left all by himself.

Robben missed another chance in the 83rd minute when he raced past Puyol to get to the ball but failed to control it properly and put it past Casillas. Puyol must have been sent off at this point of time but the referee didn't quite seem to notice the foul he had committed. Robben was tugged from behind and pulled by Puyol,preventing him to regain his balance to take the shot. Horrendous refereeing indeed and when Robben protested he was shown the yellow card. That just summed up Robben's and Netherland's day.

Full time gone and not a single goal on the score cards the game went into extra time. The players were indeed weary and tired but thats the price you pay for playing your hands on the coveted trophy in football.
Fabregas was brought in in place of Alonso and he too missed his chance of giving Spain the lead in Extra time.

Both the goalkeepers (Stekelenburg and Casillas) were indeed heroes and deserve a lot of credit.

in the 119th minute Heitinga received his second yellow and was sent off. The Dutch were down to ten men and seemed to succumb to the marauding Spanish Aramada. When it looked like the match would indeed be settled on penalities Andries Iniesta lunges forward and drill in a shot into the far post and into the Dutch goal, breaking Dutch hearts all over the world.

Spain had achieved the impossible, the reigning EURO champions were crowned the World Champions. Spain went beserk the fans got even more crazier and the whole nation went into a state of euphoria.

Spain became the second nation after West Germany to lift the EURO and World Cup titles back to back. They were the better side indeed, they played sublime football, showed great character and displayed courage at the highest stage.

Germans too good for Maradona's team

Argentina vs Germany - World Cup Quarter-Finals 2010

The clash of the titans in football is always awaited with much anticipation. The press, media and other sport talk shows get into all sorts of comparison, pulling out statistics and discussing tactics with the football pundits as to who would emerge 'The Winner'.

This particular quarter final saw one of the best European nations taking on one of the finest South American Nations. Germany with their young squad were up against Maradona's well experienced team with the world's footballer of the year Lionel Messi leading the forefront for the Argentinians. The venue was set in the coastal city of South Africa- Cape Town. The Germans were clad in their other kit, sporting the black and golden colours where as the Argentinians were in their traditional sky blue and white stripe shirts.

Germany got off to a dream start when Bastian Schweinsteiger took the free kick and delivered the ball right into the six yard box for the 20 year old Thomas Muller to head the ball right into the Argentinian goalkeeper's legs and then deflected into the net. Three minutes gone and the Germans were upbeat and in the lead. For the first in this world cup Mr. Maradona looked a worried man and it was also the first time that Argentina were behind.

The Germans could have easily doubled their lead but Klose miscued the shot and it went over the cross bar. Argentina were in top form in later part of the first half, launching onslaught after onslaught but the solid German defence denied them anything. Tevez, Messi and Higuain looked unimpressive. First half gone Germany were in the lead.

Argentina regrouped themselves and showed some attacking football in the second half. They needed a goal to come back in the game and take the game to Germany. Crisp defending by Lahm denied the Argentinians a chance to score, had Lahm not cleared the ball at the vital moment Argentina would have gone level. The young German squad were in top form in this world cup, destroying their opponents ruthlessly. Miroslav Klose scored the second goal for the Germans in the 67th minute and virtually sealed any comebacks for Argentina.

The Argentinians needed some magic from their hero Messi. Messi tried hard,dribbled well, took on the German defenders single handed but luck was not on his side. He couldn't find the back of the German net. Argentina's woes got worse as the game progresses. In the process to score goals their defence was exposed and was lackadaisical. Schweinsteiger making an easy run into the box and delivered a low pass to Friedrich who tapped the ball into the Argentinian net.

The scoreline read Argentina 0 Germany 3.

The German onslaught didn't stop end there. Their hunger for goals and the desire to kill their opponents produced another goal from Klose in the 89th minute. The Germans had reserved their berth for the semis and were on cloud nine. The Argentinians were distraught.

Another South American was sent home packing. They follow the shoes of Brazil who exited the world cup yesterday when they were ousted by Netherlands.

Could the Germans win the world cup for the fourth time? They await either Paraguay or Spain in the semis. If they continue this killer form then Germany could go all the way and come out with top laurels and the $30 million prize at South Africa.

FINAL SCORE LINE: GERMANY 4 ARGENTINA 0

Young German team runs riot

FIFA WORLD CUP 2010

Germany vs Australia 13 June 2010

The world cup match between Germany and Australia was the second match of Group D, the match kicking off in Durban. The German squad chosen was the youngest ever in Germany’s world cup history. The Socceroos on the other hand had a squad with many of its players in the thirties. The stadium at Durban is a wonderful piece of architecture and one of the best venues of the ten built for the world cup 2010.


The Socceroos had an early chance from a corner kick in the first half, Tim Cahill heading the ball first and Richard Garcia striking it directly at Philip Lahm. This instance shows the importance of stationing a player at the far post when a corner kick is taken. After this chance it was the Germans who had the lion’s share of the possession, dominating the game and making those quick cheeky and well timed runs past the Australian defenders.

It was just a matter of time before Germany went ahead with a goal from Podolski in the eighth minute. It was superbly struck shot from Podolski with his dangerous left foot. The sheer power with which it was struck took the ball past the Aussie keeper who managed to get a right hand to it.




Germany would have doubled its lead in no time but a miss from Klose from 6 yards denied the Germans their second goal. Confidence was brewing up in this young German side and in the twenty seventh minute a well executed cross from Lahm and a bold header by Klose gave the Gemans their second goal. This was Klose’s eleventh world cup final goal. He is one of the favourites for the ‘golden boot’ title at this world cup. The Aussies struggled to crack the solid German defence leave alone find their target. Fisrt half gone the Germans were leading two goals to nil and were in high spirits.




The second half provided more excitement for both the spectators and player alike. The Germans took the game to the Aussies right from the first minute of the second half. The passing, the crosses, the runs past the Aussie defence were all executed to perfection by the Germans. The Germans doubled their lead with two more goals in the second half and put the game beyond Socceroos’ reach, Muller and Cacau putting their names on the score sheet. The woes of the socceroos doubled as Tim Cahill was shown a straight red by the strict Mexican referee in the 56th minute for a harsh tackle on Schweinsteiger, the Aussie team was reduced to ten men.






Final score line; GERMANY 4-0 AUSTRALIA






Germany now sits on top the table in Group D, followed by Ghana who also registered a win against Serbia. The Aussies being the underdogs of the tournament face an uphill task of making it to the second round.

Europa Cup semifinals 2010

Liverpool vs Athletico Madrid ( 29 April 2010)

Liverpool's 2009-10 campaign has been rather disappointing and slightly above average, they being knocked off the Champions league, FA cup, Carling cup. Also the title race for the Barclays Premier League is far from their reach. Only salvation which they can obtain is by winning the Europa Cup but things didn't quite happen the way they wanted.

Athletico Madrid, the spanish club travelled all the way to the port city of Liverpool to take on 'The Reds' in the second leg of the Europa Cup semifinals. Liverpool having lost the first leg in Spain was hoping to regain some ground. Torres was out with an injury and the Liverpool squad lacked quality.

Liverpool kicked off the first half towards the KOP end and within 10 sec of the game Benayoun got a chance to put them ahead but the angle was acute and some good goalkeeping by the Athletico keeper kept Liverpool at bay. Liverpool dominated the first half, but couldn't quite capitalize and surge ahead on the score board. Daniel Agger's brilliant header from a Gerrard free kick was turned down by the linesman because Agger was just off. Good work by the Athletico defence.

Athletico had a couple of chances too, Garcia smashing a full volley but Reina did good to push the ball for a corner. Aguero had a brilliant chance when he rounded off Reina but couldn't place the ball rightly fro Diego Forlan to score.

In the 44th minute Liverpool went ahead with a Aquillani goal. The italian did well and the finish was good. Aquillani, the 20million pound transfer was at last on the score card with his first goal for Liverpool.

The danger of an away goal still loomed large at Anfield  because if Athletico scores even one goal, Liverpool would have to bounce back by scoring two.

The second half was evenly balanced with both teams surging ahead and creating chances but neither team could convert them into goals. The match was carried into another extra 30 minutes after the second half was over. The teams were tied at 1-1 aggregate.

Yossi Benayoun gave Liverpool the much needed second goal 95 minutes into the game. The execution was superb and finish brilliant,hard and low into the bottom corner of the net.

Anfield Erupted !

But celebrations lasted only 7 minutes as Forlan clipped the ball past Reina into the net to break all Liverpool hearts. Sloppy defending by Johnson and unmarking of Forlan by  Carragher cost Liverpool a chance to be in the finals of the Europa League.

Liverpool tried hard to score the third but Athletico held their nerves till the end. So another European night at Anfield had ended in disappointment for Liverpool.

Final Score: Liverpool 2-1 Athletico Madrid

Aggregate: Liverpool 2- 2 Athletico Madrid

Athletico move ahead based on away goal.

Red Devils overpower the Reds

ManU vs Liverpool ( 21 Mar 2010 )

Liverpool travelled to the city of Manchester to take on ManU over the weekend fixture. The match was important for both teams. ManU had to win to get back on top of the Barclays Premier League table to dethrone temporary leaders Arsenal. Liverpool on the other hand had to win because the race for the fourth spot was getting tighter with each and every game played.

Liverpool kicked off the first half and had dream start,Superman Torres heading the ball into the net within five minutes and giving Liverpool a clear advantage over their bitter rivals. Old Trafford was shell shocked, the ManU fans dumbstruck and absolutely silent. But within minutes Mascherano committed a silly foul on Valencia, pulling him behind when he was making a run into the box. Valencia was clever enough to get into the box before going crashing to the ground. The result, ManU was awarded a spot kick. Rooney steps up to take the shot but before that Torres expressed his disgust by kicking the area marked for keeping the ball. The Liverpool goalkeeper leapt the correct way and prevented the ball from going into the net but Rooney made no mistake in slotting the ball on the rebound. ManU were level with ten minutes of the game gone.

ManU created more chances than Liverpool in the first half. Park Ji Sung, the South Korean International missed a dolly header from a cross by Valencia. Barring the first 20 minutes, which was explosive the rest of the game in the first half didn't bring out any excitement as both teams were playing it safe and defending the ball well.

Liverpool's formation had two players honing the CDM (Centre Defensive Middle) role. This was kind of a negative thinking from the manager since Torres was left alone upfront and a striker cannot do much without people from the mid-field supplying with him with crosses.

The second half saw a superb goal from Park Ji Sung when about 60 minutes of the game was played. The nature of the cross from Darren Fletcher was brilliant and Park Ji Sung made no mistake in heading the ball past Reina. Liverpool's defense were caught unawares once again even though Rooney was completely shielded by Carragher.

With ManU in the lead Liverpool had little control over the game. But two simple chances fell for Torres who on any other day would have put the ball past the goalkeeper. Torres' touch on both the chances was heavy and gave the ManU defenders a chance to clear the ball from the area. Had Torres converted both these chances Liverpool would have given ManU some tough competition.

A couple of substitutions by Rafa in the last twenty minutes didn't help Liverpool much. The urge to score and attack was not at all prominent in the Liverpool squad. The referee blew the final whistle after five minutes of injury time and ManU were jubilant. They were once again on top of the Premier League Table and are now eyeing for the 19th English title. By winning the title this season they would surpass Liverpool wrt number of English tiles and become the greatest club in the history of English football.

Liverpool's failure to qualify for the Champions League next season would mean exit of many of their top players. Financial resources would be cut down and there might be a chance for a financial crisis in the world's sixth richest club. Some drastic measures are needed to take Liverpool out of this crisis and only time will tell how?

FINAL SCORE: MANU 2- 1 LIVERPOOL

Superman TORRES to Liverpool's rescue

Liverpool 2 - Blackburn Rovers 1

This season ( 2009-2010) has been particularly a difficult one for Liverpool. The hope for a title challenge has long faded away and now even the place for the fourth spot seems to be a difficult one. Liverpool took on Blackburn Rovers this weekend at Anfield. Liverpool, confident from their win in the Europa League were looking back to be in winning ways in the Barclays Premier League. Blackburn were coming to Anfield with a good home record and sought to get anything out of the game.

Liveerpool's line up looked impressive with Gerrard playing in the centre middle role and Kuyt and Torres playing upfront. Liverpool had some nervy moments in the first half. Pederson striking the ball with mighty force but right into the hands of the Pepe Reina. Kalinic had another wonderful opportunity when he stole the ball away from Lucas, shoving him to the ground but failed to curl the ball past the Liverpool goalie. Pederson had another chance but once again Reina was there for Liverpool with a double save.

Liverpool steered by Gerrard went up by one goal during the first half. It was captain courageous who started and finished the move with a super cool finish. Minutes later Carragher made a mistake of handling the ball inside the box and giving away a cheap penalty kick for Blackburn. Andrews made no mistake in converting the spot kick. Blackburn was level and Liverpool were finding themselves once again in murky waters.

If Liverpool was to win the game then no other than Torres had to come up with something special. The Blackburn goalkeeper found himself in no man's land when Maxi Roriduez passed the ball to Torres who made no mistake in putting it into the empty net.

Liverpool no doubt won the game and at the end of the day it was the points that mattered. But the manner in which Liverpool won was not convincing enough. For a club with such rich history and reputation the match should have been a cakewalk, with at least three to four goals scored. Liverpool has often allowed opposition teams to come back into the game even when Liverpool has the lead. This has cost them points and more than that a top four spot at the moment.

Ofcourse football is a crazy game and nothing can be said until the last game is played. Fortunes can turn in and turn against any team's favour. Liverpool with 10 games in hand still has a wonderful opportunity to finish the League in the top four spot.

Go ahead Liverpool.

Arsenal end poor show at Emirates

Arsenal vs Liverpool (10 Feb 2010)

Luck was not favouring Arsenal football club of late. With a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa and consecutive defeats at the hands of Manchester United and Chelsea, the mood at Arsenal football club was morose. On top of that they had their mid week fixture with back in form Liverpool squad. The stakes were high and both clubs needed the three points.

Arsenal kicked off the first half and displayed some brisk football with deft one touch passing. They had a couple of chances to score and surge ahead but didn't convert any of them. The first one came from a Fabregas freekick, which was headed over the bar by Gallas. Arshavin managed to squeeze the ball to Nicklas Bendtnar who stroked the ball with vengeance but only to find it rising above the woodwork. Liverpool was playing Nogog upfront because Torres has not fully recovered. Liverpool did not get as many chances in the first half as Arsenal did but displayed some quality in their style. At the stroke of half time it was 0-0 at 'The Emirates'.

The second half had more action in it with Liverpool threatening to score on a break exposing Arsenal's vulnerability but some timely defending from Gallas saved Arsenal's day. Nogog had to do a better job upfront and this was a brilliant chance missed. Minutes after Liverpool's break Rosicky missed an easy chance at the other end. This time the fault was with Rosicky as had taken the ball far too ahead for the Liverpool goalkeeper to grasp it.

But Arsenal was not settling for a draw and scored the only goal of the match. A superb cross from Rosicky and a brilliant header into the goal from Diaby sealed Liverpool's fate. The lack of firepower upfront for Liverpool was evident. Babel tried his best but the ball rattled the post, denying Liverpool of any points from the game. Liverpool's final chance came in injury time when they got a freekick 30 yards outside the box. Steve Gee stepped up to take it but only to find the ball bounce off the Arsenal wall. Television footages showed that Fabregas had intentionally put up his hand to block the ball but bad luck for Liverpool that the referee didn't notice it. Liverpool sure should have got that penalty for the foul done by Fabregas.

Arsenal now sit at position 3 in the table, just 6 points behind league leaders Chelsea. Who might know Arsenal might walk away with the glory after all the hardwork done by Chelsea and ManU to claim the number one spot and the Barclays Premier League Title

Liverpool on recovery path

Liverpool vs Bolton Wanderers (30 Jan 2010)

Liverpool faced Bolton Wanderers at Anfield in their weekend fixture. Liverpool's season has been jittery with too many ups and downs, the latest being FA cup exit in which they lost to second division club Reading. Rafa Benitez had put up a side which has the skill and the ability but completely lacking in confidence. David Nogog replaced Fernando Torres upfront as the striker, partnering with Dirk Kuyt.

Liverpool began the first half, shooting at the KOP end. Bolton Wanderers' strategy was to pin down to Gerrard and Muamba was doing a pretty good job at it,shadowing Steve Gee wherever he went. Bolton got two excellent chances in the first half,one coming from Cohen who couldn't put the ball past Reina. Thanks to ever-dependable Carragher who didn't give Cohen enough room to take the shot properly. The next brilliant chance came from Chung Yung Lee who did a neat work of getting past the Liverpool centre backs and also around the Liverpool Goalie but last minute brilliant work by Krygiakos saved Liverpool from the agony of trailing Bolton at Anfield.

Liverpool was fierce in their approach whenever they came cloe to scoring but lacked the killer touch. Some brilliant moves by Gerrard were blocked off by Zat Knight, Kuyt was just a yard away from converting Insua's cross into a goal. Liverpool found themselves ahead just minutes before the first half ended- Courtesy The Dutchman: Kuyt. Even though the goal was scrappy it was enough to bolster Liverpool's confidence. Bolton's defender Steinsson could have cleared the ball off the goal line but the ball some how found its way back into the net.

A one goal lead always causes anxiety for the team who scored it. Liverpool could have sealed the game early in the second half when Ngog missed a lollypop chance from six yards, the ball bouncing off the goal post. Bolton didn't threaten Liverpool much in the second half. This forced the Bolton manager to bring in Ricardo Gardner, Weiss and Elmandor to step up the Bolton attack.

Insua's shot was deflected off Kevin Davies before rolling past Jaskeleinen for a second Liverpool goal. Rafa could now breathe easily given that Liverpool will not commit silly mistakes to refrain them from claiming all three points.

Even though Liverpool came out victorious they lacked the ability to finish Bolton off. Liverpool could easily have scored four to five goals, given the amount of chances they had in the match. Liverpool now sits fifth in the table with 41 points just one point behind Tottenham Hotspurs. Aston Villa is on 40 with a game in hand and Man City are with 38 points with three games in hand.

If Liverpool fail to qualify for Europe next year the club's financial situation may be in jeopardy and this could mean many of the top players might leave Anfield. Now that Liverpool has won three of their home games in a row their confidence is high and hope that they take their good form in the remaining games.

'The Reds' go Wolf hunting @ Anfield

Liverpool vs Wolverhampton ( 26 Dec 2009)

Liverpool finished off their last match in 2009 in style when they beat the visitors (Wolves) by two goals to nil at Anfield. Liverpool's squad for the match on boxing day* was an interesting one. Aquillani, the 20 million pound buy started because Mascherano had received a straight red card last week against Portsmouth and will be missing the next three fixtures.

*- In the English Premier League the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day.

Dirk Kuyt was rested because Liverpool has its important fixture on Wednesday against Aston Villa which they cannot afford to lose.

The Wolves kept Liverpool at bay during the first half although Liverpool had more than 50% of the ball possession. Gerrard had a couple of shots on target but some superb goalkeeping by Marcus Hahnemann denied Captain Courageous any chances. Johnson also had his share of shots on target but of no avail. Liverpool though having a strong squad failed to exploit 'The Wolves'. This is because Liverpool were lacking in confidence, their seven defeats so far in the Premier League plus an early exit from Champions League was taking a toll on the player's mental strength as well as their boss Rafa Benitez.

Wolves threatened to score a couple of time but Reina's instincts and goal keeping skills denied them.

Both teams went into the first half with a score line of 0-0.

Liverpool had to find some inspiration from somewhere and who better to look up to other than their Captain Steve Gee. Some deft work by the left fullback Insua provided the perfect cross into the box for Gerrard,who pounced on it and got to it before the Wolf midfielder Milijas and heading the ball past the Wolf goalie. Anfield went beserk and so did the Liverpool players.

Wolves tried hard to salvage something from the game; Jarvis, Milijas and Ward giving their best shot and trying to take the game to Liverpool but Liverpool's defence was stunning and denied Wolves any chances.

Lucas was pulled down by Ward just before the penalty box. This earned him a second yellow card and Ward was sent off. The funny thing that happened here was that the referee by mistake yellow carded another defender instead of Ward, arousing the anger of the Scousers and the players alike. He then corrected his mistake and Ward was sent off the pitch.

Liverpool needed another goal to seal the game and this was provided by the Israeli playmaker Benayoun. Benayoun's shot on target was well crafted and was deflected by the Wolf defender before finding its way to the back of the net. Liverpool led at Anfield by two goals to nil.

Rafa made a couple of substitutions,bringing in Pacheko and Kuyt to replace Benayoun and Aquillani. Pacheko is a tiny, young and promising striker for Liverpool and Rafa wanted to give him some practice before infusing him in the main squad.

With the win over Wolves,Liverpool now sit with 30 points and are 7th in the table,12 points behind league leaders Chelsea. Rafa needs to make some strategic plans to revamp Liverpool and infuse confidence to his brilliant squad so that they come out on top at the end of the season.

Portsmouth stun Liverpool ( 19 Dec 2009)

Portsmouth took on Liverpool in their Premier League fixture this weekend. Liverpool's boss Rafa Benitez had put up a defensive side to take on Pompy. Liverpool's dismal performance this season gave a psychological edge to Portsmouth to go all guns firing against Liverpool and also with Avram Grant taking charge of Pompy,they looked bright with full confidence.

Liverpool had the lions share of the ball possession in the first half and also dominated the game for the first half hour. Torres came close to scoring when he swirled the ball over the goal post. The condition of the pitch was not in its best form, being frosty and many of the players had trouble controlling themselves leave alone controlling the ball. Dirk Kuyt especially had a tough time,slipping time and again and failing to keep the ball in control. Kuyt had to change his boots to cope better with the conditions.

Portsmouth started taking the game to Liverpool after the first 30 minutes. Their first real chance came when Yebda crossed the ball into the box for Piquionne but Agger spotted the danger and flicked the ball with his head for a corner. Just before half time Belhadj scored for Pompy, taking a shot from a close range and from a very tight angle. Reina,the Liverpool goalie was a mere spectator as he watched the ball swoosh past him to the back of the net. With one goal down Liverpool another defeat was looming large at their faces and they had to score to get back into the game.

Mascherano was sent off for a rash tackle on Ben Haim.Half time gone Pompy lead at Fratton park and Liverpool's woes doubled.

Liverpool's chances of a comeback were thwarted by a clever strategy adopted by Portsmouth. Pompy made sure that the ball stays away from key players like Gerrard, Torres and Kuyt. Pompy were in fact successful in doing that and kept Liverpool at bay. A momentary lapse in concentration cost Pompy almost a goal. Gerrard broke through the middle and struck the ball hard, the ball taking two deflections along its way almost reached the back of the net but some quick reactions from the young Pompy goalie denied Gerrad and Liverpool the goal. Torres too had his share of chances,dribbling past Pompy defenders to shoot the ball into the net but too many touches of the ball in fact spoiled his chances of taking a kick at the ball.

Pompy made life for Liverpool even more miserable when Piquionne scored the second goal and sealed Liverpool's chances of taking anything from the game. Liverpool's defence looked pretty ordinary and lacked the usual quality.

Liverpool have lost seven of their Premier League game so far and the threat of a top four spot is looming large. With Champions League out of their reach Liverpool's only chances of qualifying for next year's Champions League if they do not finish in the top four is if they win the Europa Cup. The pressure is certainly on the Merseysiders to perform.

As far as Portsmouth is concerned, the win over Liverpool has infused the team with confidence but more importantly it has given them solid three points. This means the other bottom teams have to play catch-catch before it gets decided who will get relegated this season.

Arshavin haunts Liverpool yet again

Liverpool-Arsenal (13 Dec 2009)

Liverpool hosted Arsenal at Anfield on Sunday for the Barclays Premier League fixture,this being one of the fixtures in which the top flight teams clash for glory and dominance. Liverpool's boss Rafa Benitez put out his strongest squad,Fernando Torres making comeback after a gap of six weeks. The midfield line up consisted of Steve Gee,Kuyt,Benayoun,Mascherano and Lucas. Arsenal's squad looked meek with Persie and Bendtnar missing and Asravin trotting as the lone striker upfront.

Liverpool started the match with 24 points in the bag and Arsenal with 28 points. A win would get Liverpool or Arsenal closer to the league leader Chelsea. Both teams had the advantage because both Chelsea and Manchester United dropped points this weekend.

Liverpool started the first half with much agression,attacking right from the first minute. Five minutes under the first half a superb partnership between Torres and Gerrard almost put Liverpool in front but the rustiness of not playing for a long time held Torres from finishing a lollylop chance,giving the ball straight into the hands of the Arsenal goalkeeper. Although Arsenal's midfield was impressive the lack of a talented striker upfront denied them any chances of taking a good shot at the goal. Walcott looked helpless against the solid Liverpool defense and Fabregas and Nasri weren't getting the balls into the right spot for Arshavin to take a clean shot.

Just before half time Liverpool got a freekick about 30 yards from the goal. Fabio Aurelio's freekick was not punched clear by Alumunia and it fell nicely for Kuyt who nudged the ball into the goal post. Lucas sensibly stepped out of the way,allowing the ball to drift into the net. Had he touched the ball Liverpool might have been denied the goal because Lucas was in an off-side position. Liverpool went into the first half with a 1-0 lead.

The second half was a much better one for Arsenal. Liverpool's right fullback Glen Johnson gifted Arsenal with an own goal and one powerful strike by the tiny Russian (Andrey Arshavin) turned the tables in Arsenal's favour. Liverpool fought hard for a comeback,making crucial substitutions like Aquillani and Ngog to increase their attacking force but of no avail. Arsenal had weathered the Liverpool storm at Anfield and emerged victorious. Arsenal now move into the third spot with 31 points,six points behind Chelsea. Arsenal also have the advantage of a game in hand.

Liverpool's run of bad luck in the months of November and December continued for the third season. Statistics show that Liverpool drops most of their points during these two crucial months. Rafa needs to rework his strategy and needs to make sure that Torres and Gerrard are fit for the rest of the games so that Liverpool can clinch the top four spot. Not doing so will eliminate them from next seasons UEFA champions league.

Liverpool still under pressure

Liverpool- Manchester City ( 21 Nov 2009)

Liverpool,who started as serious contenders for the Barclays Premier League this season,find themselves lingering at no. 7 in the Premier League table. Manchester City on the other hand spent big bucks this summer in getting top players into their squad but have not reaped the benefits of it 100%. Both teams went into the Saturday's fixture with all guns blazing,the Liverpool boss under tremendous pressure to change things around for Liverpool.

The first half started off well and 'The Reds' looked confident. Steven Gerrard was back in the squad although budding Torres was missing. Liverpool almost scored within the first 4 minutes when Steve Gee's freekick was headed towards goal by Skrtel. But a brilliant save by Shay Given denied Skrtel his first Liverpool goal and also preventing Liverpool from taking a lead early on. Liverpool had the lion's share of the possession and continued to dominate. Liverpool's misfortune continued as Agger was injured during a clash of heads with the City defender and had to be carried away on a stretcher. Babel injured his ankle during a clash with City player Di Jong. Babel was in pain and could not carry on further and was replaced by Yossi Benayoun.

Man City also had a couple of chances to score but failed to produce any quality from the shots. The first real chance they got was when the ball dropped to Barry but he neither powered the shot nor tried to head the ball into the goal, rather heading it towards the Liverpool keeper,who punched the ball away. The second chance came when Man City were on cruise mode and Stephen Ireland let the ball run to Shaun Wright Phillips,who hammered the shot but well away from its target. Both teams failed to break the deadlock and were stranded at 0-0.

Liverpool scored a goal within the first ten minutes of the second half. David Ngog was fouled just outside the penalty box and Steve Gee's free kick was nipped in by Skrtel. Liverpool were 1-0 up and hoped to grab all three points. Man City's boss knew that his tactics were not working at Anfield and substituted Barry for Tevez. Man City, now armed with three strikers were pushing forward to gain an equalizer. Liverpool were forced on their back heels and being 1-0 up they didn't wan to risk going forward. But this strategy of Liverpool proved fatal. Man City was building the pressure and it was just a matter of time before they scored. Two goals,one from Adebayor and the other from Ireland put Man City back on track. A tremendous comeback for a team who were a goal down. 

Liverpool's lack in defending from set pieces has time and again proved costly. 'The Reds' never keep a player protecting the posts when the opposite team takes a corner and this has given the opposition a chance to exploit 'The Red's' weakness.

Liverpool showed great character in getting the second equalizer and it was Benayoun who was at the right place at the right time to slot the ball in. It took Liverpool just 74 seconds to repond with an equalizer. Liverpool showed great chararcter as they always have but the match ended in a draw. Liverpool had a last chance in the final minute to snatch victory when Lucas had a free header from a Gerrard corner kick but didn't capitalize on it. The final score Liverpool 2 Man City 2. Neither team gained any advantage and are still in their respective 7th and 6th places.

Liverpool desperately need to rework their strategy this season. With the Premier League hopes fading away Liverpool needs to ensure that they finish in the top four so that the Champions League spot is not lost next season. Man City and Tottenham Hotspurs are hot on Liverpool's heals for grabbing that 4th spot and Champions League spot.  

Liverpool slips down further

Sunderland vs Liverpool ( 17 Oct 2009)

Liverpool slipped further down the table in the Barclays Premier League this weekend. After consecutive losses, one to Fiorentina in the Champions League and the other one to Chelsea in EPL, Liverpool didn't look confident at all. Their weekend game was with Sunderland at 'The stadium of Light'. With Gerrard and Torres injured Liverpool's spine looked weak.

Sunderland (nick-named Black Cats) started off the first half quite impressively, Darren Bent drilling the ball past the Liverpool goalie, to give the Black Cats an early advantage in the game. The Liverpool goalkeeper had only himself to blame. The ball actually deflected off a balloon,completely taking Reina off guard and deceiving him. Reina should have busted the balloon before the start of the game but he didn't and Liverpool eventually paid for that mistake.

The Black Cats were the better team in the first half. They showed a lot of courage to take on one of the big four teams. The confidence exhibited by them and the aggression shown clearly proved that they were in no mood to let Liverpool snatch away points from them in their home soil. Liverpool's performance lacked the fire needed to come back from behind. Rafa had gone in with 3 centre backs ( Carragher,Skrtel and Agger),which back fired on him. Kuyt worked hard but without support from the midfield was found chasing the ball almost all the time. Babel and Benayoun, the only playmakers in the squad that took on the Black Cats weren't 100% effective with their tricks. The Sunderland defense on the other hand was strong, tactful and showed the determination to keep Liverpool at bay. Cattermole, Reid, McCartney and Malbranque were particularly impressive in their performance against Liverpool.

The second half was no better for Liverpool. They struggled to find the elusive equaliser, though they played a much better game in the second half. Liverpool attacked up front and had plenty of ball possession but couldn't find the back of the net. Things didn't change for Rafa even when he brought in Voronin, to supplement Kuyt and Babel. Sunderland's strategy to hold on Liverpool worked well and they never over did things. At the same time Sunderland didn't sit back and allow Liverpool to bombard them. The Black Cats got ample opportunities to write off Liverpool completely by scoring a second and even a probable third goal but Reina good goalkeeping kept Sunderland at the slender one goal lead.

It is sad that Liverpool couldn't capitalize on Chelsea's loss to Aston Villa earlier in the day and inch closer to them. Liverpool now sit 8th in the table below Sunderland and 7 points behind league leaders ManU. Liverpool needs to get some good players in the January transfer window, so that they don't lose matches when Gerrard and Torres are not playing. Summer buy Aquilani if completely fit could turn the tides in Liverpool's favour. Unless there is some ramp up in Liverpool's strategy the Barclays English Premier League Title could elude them yet for another year.

West Ham United vs Liverpool (19 Sep 2009)

'Hammers hammered down by Torres'

Liverpool took on West Ham United in a late kick off match yesterday. 'The Reds' travelled down to West London for their weekend's fixture. 'The Reds' were high on confidence after getting back on track in the EPL after a poor start and also a win in midweek in the Champions League bolstered their confidence even more. Liverpool's record against WHU has been impressive,with Liverpool winning over 80% of their games against WHU.

Liverpool's squad was quite strong,Mascherano coming back after completing international duties. Liverpool were strong favourites to win this game but WHU also had a decent line up to challenge Liverpool. The Liverpool defence looked shaky in the first half,completely unlikely of them. Carragher made a terrible mistake of giving the ball away to Hines who did everything right to put 'The Hammers' in front but was unlucky because the ball hit the post and bounced back into Reina's hands. Thus Liverpool survived a scare in the first 2 minutes.

Liverpool's dominance in the game was clearly visible albeit their poor defence. Gerrard,Torres,Kuyt and playmaker Benayoun were switching play beautifully. Liverpool had a couple of shots on target but couldn't find the ball past Green,also Tomkins,the WHU centre back was constantly marking Torres and not allowing him room to do his tricks. But in the 19th minute Torres' brilliance paid off,Tomkins was beaten for pace and Torres chipped the ball past Green into the net, Green was astound by this piece of brilliance and kept his hands up in the air for a couple of minutes as if to say to his defenders "Hey dude,don't blame me.If you give him (Torres) room and get beaten for pace this is what he'll do.

No doubt why Torres is the best striker in the Barclay's premier league. Liverpool's lethargic defending was exposed in the 23rd minute when young kid Hines beat Carragher for pace and made his way in to the box only to find the Liverpool defender shoving him off to the ground. Alas! WHU get a spot kick. Diamanti steps up and kicks the ball neatly inside but this penalty was a controversial one and needs debating. Diamanti slipped and might have slightly touched the ball with his right foot before kicking it in the back of the net with his left. Now this counts as double touch and the kick is nullified but WHU were still awarded the goal.

30 minutes gone both teams were 1-1,both the teams were raring to go and did not want to sit back and relax. In the 40th min Captain Courageous rises above the rest to head the ball into the net,Kuyt flicking it a little bit to make sure that the ball goes where it is intended to go. Bang! Liverpool had taken the lead back,only to find 'The Hammers' equalizing within minutes from a set piece in a penalty corner. Liverpool have always had problems with set pieces. If one has noticed there would be no Liverpool players guarding the posts and this is a bad practice because if you don't get to the ball first in the air then there is every possible chance that you opponent will find something from the penalty kick and ball could find its way back in the net.

Half time over the score read WHU1-1Liverpool.

Liverpool started the second half with over 60%ball possession,dominating territorially but couldn't find the elusive goal to take them into the lead. Babel was brought in for Kuyt and the Dutch man did his work in giving the cross to Torres who executed the job with sheer skill. Liverpool were back in the lead for the third time. The goal from Torres was indicative of the quality he possesses,shrugging off two defenders to head it past Green into the bottom corner,Oh boy that needs some skill.

Liverpool strengthened their defence in the second half,locking out the WHU forwards from making the run. Glen Johnson did a wonderful job in giving no room for the young kid Hines,who was brilliant on the pitch,no room to take WHU level with Liverpool for the third time. The full time whistle was blown and the score remained the same WHU 2 Liverpool 3. This takes Liverpool in the top four,placing them 3rd in the standings till Sunday's fixtures are played.

! Go Liverpool !

BIG Clubs, Rules & Football

The recent ban by FIFA on Chelsea FC from signing players till Jan 2011 comes down as a warning to all the big clubs around the world to show some respect for the rules and regulations prescribed in the FIFA rule book. Chelsea FC apparently lured young talent Gael Kakuta from French first division club Lens by offering him a huge sum of money,thereby making him break his contact with Lens.

The world has produced many great footballers and will keep producing them. Only when young talent is recognized early can it be nurtured and given the right platform to showcase it on the world stage. Of late many clubs (especially the BIG clubs) have started scouting for players as young as 9-11 years old with extraordinary talent and who if inducted and given a contract with the club would bring bigger and greater laurels to the club. This is good in one sense but this too has its own ramifications. First,the young footballer is unaware of the expectations from him and continues to train in the usual way with the club. Suppose he is not able to deliver the quality expected from him then he is put on the club’s reserve team, denying him to play in major matches and also not allowing him to leave the club because of his contract. This young chap could have easily secured a place in the main team of another first or second division club and would at least get to play in most of the matches rather than warm the bench.

Secondly if the young guy gets seriously injured,which could threaten his football career then his contract with the big club remains a big question mark because the big clubs want results and would never hesitate to scout for better talent to replace this poor chap. Many a time young talent is spotted by the lesser known clubs in the world and they take all the pains in bringing up the young player and wait for years for the fruit but all of a sudden this young player is lured away by the BIG clubs who tempt him with great career prospects and money. This is absolutely outrageous because in doing so the top clubs always remains at the top as all the great players want to play only in the top league and would not settle for anything less. But if that is the case when would the lesser known clubs make into the top flight? What happens to their investment in the young talent whom they manged to find with great difficulty? What happens to the hopes of thousands of fans of that small club? What happens to the dreams of the small clubs to win titles?.. All these questions remain unanswered and the domination of BIG clubs continues.

Of course all players are allowed to choose which club they want to play for but there are some rules by which they must abide. The same applies for the clubs too. A player under a contract with a club can move to another club only if the clauses mentioned in his contract are not satisfied or his present club mutually agrees for the transfer. Under no circumstances can the player or club take own decisions to terminate the contract before the stipulated contract period. Any breach in the contract would be subject to serious ramifications from the Football Governing Body. The same has happened to Kakuta,who has not been allowed to play for 4 months and Chelsea has been penalized from signing any new players. Now this could spell even greater disaster for Chelsea because the other players of the club could leave at the end of the season when their contract expires and leave Chelsea FC with even lesser man power.

FIFA has been right in imposing such a hard decision on Chelsea FC because they want football to be a clean game,fair for each and every club and not be dominated by the BIG clubs alone. This also serves as warning to all the clubs that rules and fair play come foremost before laurels and recognitions and money alone cannot make a club win trophies.

One way for clubs to increase young talent in their squad is to have their own local training academy, nurture young talent from their own area and community and cherry pick those who show a promising future for the club. Of course scouts are allowed to pick youngsters from other countries and regions but not at the cost of the lesser known clubs and in cases where they need a particular youngster from a lesser known club the BIG clubs must act according to rules and have the player transferred in an appropriate way rather than luring him away from the club that picked him.

Liverpool edge past Bolton (29 Aug 2009)

Liverpool,having lost two out of their three games this season were a bit rusty and needed to get some points in their bag to contend for the title. 'The Reds' travelled all the way to Lancashire to the Reebok stadium for their away game against 'The Wanderers'. Liverpool had to win this game to stay alive in the title race else their hopes for the English title could be laid to rest for another season.

The atmosphere at the Reebok was amazing and Gary Megson's side had the pressure on them selves for having lost the last 6 or 7 EPL games. Liverpool started with a decent line up,I would not say their strongest side but quite a competent one. Liverpool, this season has always struggled with set pieces, having conceded goals from cheeky penalty corners and free kicks. This has cost them two vital games and more importantly championship points. This game also was no different. In the 33rd minute Bolton got a penalty corner, which was not cleared away by Liverpool;thereby the ball landed right in front of the goal post for Kevin Davies, to push it inside the net. Bolton were up 1-0;leaving the Liverpool fans in jitters about the ability of their squad. Liverpool's best buy this season,Glen Johnson put Liverpool back in the game with a stunning strike which left the Bolton Goalkeeper a mere spectator,to watch the ball drift sweetly past the goal line. Liverpool were ecstatic but needed more out of the game. Half time gone both the teams were tied up at 1-1.

The second half resumed with Bolton making a comeback ,with Cohen scoring a goal and giving Bolton a 2-1 lead. The second goal was lolly pop to Cohen who made no mistake in slotting the ball past Reina. Liverpool's defence was called into question again for the second time in the match. This can be attributed to the lack of a solid partner to Carragher, with Agger injured and Skrtel injuring his jaw in the opening fixture Rafa probably was left with no choice but to experiment with his reserve players. Kyrgiakos filled in Skrtel's shoes and did quite a good job,keeping in mind that this was his first EPL game with Liverpool in the main team.

Liverpool once again finding themselves behind increased the pressure on Bolton,forcing Bolton to defend deep. The turning point in the game was when Sean Davies was sent off ( having received a second yellow card) and Bolton was reduced to ten men. Liverpool capitalised on this opportunity and equalised within 8 minutes,this time Torres doing a wonderful job in flipping the ball past the Bolton keeper. Kuyt's contribution to this goal must not go unrecognized as it was he who controlled the ball off his chest from a cross by Gerrard and made it available to Torres to complete the rest of the task. Once Liverpool had equalised the tempo was scaled up manifold and Bolton were under siege from 'The Reds'.

Gerrard had a couple of screamers kissing past the goal post, which on any other day would have gone down as a typical Gerrard goal. Liverpool also had a couple of penalty decisions turned down,the referee doing a wonderful job and not succumbing to pressure. With 80 minutes gone Bolton was just hoping to get something out of this match but one can never write off Captain Courageous. Steve Gee stepped in and fired one hell of shot at the left top corner,giving Jussi Jaskeleinen no chance to even get his fingers on the ball. Liverpool were up 3-2 and thanks to their ever inspiring captain.

Liverpool now with 6 points out of the possible 12 sit seventh in the table and have to keep their tempo going; no slip ups would be permitted if they want to have a taste of the Premier League Title, which has eluded them for over 20 years. Bolton on the other hand have yet to register a win and sit just one position above Portsmouth in the League table in the bottom half.

LIVERPOOL begin the 2009-10 season on a low note

The 2009-10 BARCLAYS Premier League has begun with full gusto with each team battling it out,some to stay alive in the most coveted league of England,some vying for silverware and the others playing for the sheer revenge and humiliation they suffered against the other teams last season. Liverpool travelled all the way down to London,to take on Tottenham Hotspurs in the first game. Liverpool's bench strength was weak compared to Spur's but the main team looked pretty strong. With Xabi Alonso leaving for Real Madrid this summer there was a big dent in Liverpool's midfield. Harry Redknapp started off with Keane and Defoe,leaving Crouch (former Liverpool) and Pavlyuchenko on the bench. Both teams payed homage to the late Sir Bobby Robson before kick starting the match.

The first 20 min of the game lacked lustre from both the teams,Liverpool playing in their typical defensive style. Spurs had a couple of chances to score in the first half,Keane failing to convert a lolly pop header from a superb cross by Luca Modric into the six yard box.Kudos to Pepe Reina for showing some goalkeeper instincts. Keane also had another chance of taking Spurs in to the lead but superb keeping skills from Reina kept Spurs at bay. Liverpool's lone striker Torres wasn't impressive at all,failing to control the ball leave alone put it at the back of the net. Liverpool's best chance in the first half came when Captain Courageous (Gerrard) tried to score from outside the box into the far corner of the post but the ball just went wide of the post. Tottenham had another chance from a corner when Jermaine Defoe was unmarked and headed in a powerful header which just went wide. With half time nearly approaching and both teams locked in at 0-0 it seemed as though the game was heading for a goalless draw. In the 43rd minute Spurs got a free-kick which taken by Huddlestone but he made a complete mess of it,rebounding off the Liverpool defensive wall but Ekotto took the return shot and slotted it BANG into the net,giving Reina no chance to stop the ball or rather get a hand to it. With half time gone Spurs were leading 1-0 at White Hart Lane.

Liverpool started the second half with more aggression and desire to equalize first and then then to score a couple of more goals. The pressure was on them because out of the 'Big Four' the other three had won their opening fixtures and to win the title this season no slip ups would be acceptable to them. Johnson made a timely run into the penalty box,going past the Spur's goalkeeper,Gomez only to be tripped by him and winning Liverpool a penalty kick. Steve Gee stepped up and slotted the ball neatly into the back of the net. Liverpool were now level , charged up, invigorated and stepping up the tempo and pushing forward for another goal. But Spurs responded positively with another goal from a free kick and this time it was Sebastian Bassong who headed the ball past Reina,into the net and giving Spurs the vital lead. Liverpool tried hard to equalize but of no avail, substitute Benayoun doing some amazing tricks and trying to score a few goals for Liverpool.

The match ended with Spurs winning their opening fixture comfortably. The guys from the back had won Spurs their opening game,doing an amazing job. Liverpool's hopes of the title, which has eluded them for nearly 20 years looks jittery but there is still lot more football to be played and I do hope that Liverpool would shed back this bad memory and start their next game on a positive note.