Liverpool’s Subs vs. West Ham – A Tactical Assessment

Your team is down by two goals (in embarrassing fashion, no less). The system and tactics, if any, are hardly clicking. The personnel have not fully, truly settled into the game. The home support roar as they demand more from their beloved club, yet over in the opposition’s end, they rightfully cheer. In football, when...

Liverpool’s 2014 Summer Signings – One Year On

Believe it or not, quite a few Liverpool fans were pretty content with the club’s business as the transfer window closed a year ago. Yes, we were all still mourning the departure of Luis Suarez, but Liverpool showed plenty of intent by spending £117m on nine new players as they looked to build a...

Ranking Liverpool’s Summer Transfer Business

Well, the international break is sadly upon us and Liverpool, alongside the rest of the Premier League, are four games deep into their long season. Four games sounds like a reasonable time to take stock so the international break will probably be welcomed by many managers who are completing last minute checks on their...

The More Things Change, the More they Stay the Same for Liverpool FC

Seven points from three games represented an excellent start to the new season for Liverpool Football Club and, its embattled manager, Brendan Rodgers. A battling if blunt display against Stoke, followed by an unconvincing showing against Bournemouth had delivered 6 points from 6, before the Reds turned in an impressive display away at the...

It Is Not All Bad For Liverpool Football Club

Saturday morning, the buzz around Liverpool Football Club was huge; if we were to win vs West Ham United we would be on 10 points from 12 without a single league defeat. The game was seen as a huge opportunity to go into the international break on a massive high. Unfortunately, a poor performance...

The Trouble With Anfield… Is Me

‘The word fanatic has been used many times. I think it’s more than fanaticism. It’s a religion to them. The thousands who come here come to worship, it’s a sort of shrine, it isn’t a football ground.’ – Bill Shankly Makes you think, doesn’t it? Last season, I took my niece to her first ever Liverpool...

Brendan Rodgers – That Familiar Feeling, Dejan Vu

The scars of 2014/2015 season had not even healed properly just yet but West Ham showed a complete lack of disregard to this fact when they faced the Reds at Anfield, coming away 3-0 victors. Old wounds have been reopened and the window is no longer open so Liverpool aren't able to buy another...

What Does Markovic’s Loan Move Tell Us?

So Lazar to Fenerbache is done. The move irks anyone who believes the Serb has talent that should have been managed to blossom for Liverpool’s benefits. But to see him being paraded as the evidence of failure of last summer’s recruitment by some journalists is preposterous. He may have cost a fortune but his...

Daniel Sturridge: Must Only Return When It’s Right

Following on from some recent speculated reports in the press, Liverpool FC released photos of Daniel Sturridge back in light training at Melwood, as the striker continues his rehabilitation from injury. He underwent hip surgery in the United States back in May and had begun his rehabilitation there. Pictures were circulated of Sturridge running...

Same Old Brendan, But It’s Really FSG’s Fault

Before I start let me premise this article by saying I know its only four games into the new season. I accept there are injuries and some new players to fully settle into the squad/club. It’s early days and none of the big clubs, bar Manchester City, have had a good start and there’s...

Rafa vs Rodgers – Comparing Their First Three Years

Brendan has just begun his fourth season as manager and his first three years have been full of great expectations with limited success. It is hard to pinpoint exactly how well Rodgers has performed whilst in charge. In three seasons under Rodgers, the Reds have finished in 7th, 2nd and 6th, with two cup semi-finals...

Did Jordon Ibe Need a Loan Move More Than Markovic?

Realism and fantasy are often blurred when casting judgement over a player that plays for your club. In a quixotic world Jordon Ibe would be a starter, he'd be single handedly winning games and we as fans would be laughing at the fact Manchester City paid £49 million for an inferior player. In the...

Five Observations From Liverpool’s Defeat to West Ham

Football never fails to surprise me. Only five days ago the Reds put in a monumental team effort against Arsenal to pick up a well deserved point, with many thinking we were unlucky not to come away with more. Today we have been embarrassed at Anfield against a side who hadn't won here in...

Liverpool 0 – West Ham United 3: Player Ratings

Liverpool suffered a shocking home defeat against West Ham United, their first home loss of the season. Liverpool were severely lacking in all departments of the game and suffered a deserved loss. Simon Mignolet - 5  When it comes, it comes by the truckloads. Mignolet conceded his first goals of the season as the defence...

The Importance Of Emre Can

Emre Can is not just a classy beast with magnificent hair or one of those people with a certain magnetic charisma about them, but he could also be a very influential player for Liverpool this season and hopefully, many more to come. Prior to the Arsenal game, Brendan Rodgers spoke of a need to "dominate the space"...

A Day in the Life of…

It’s been three years and more now since I got the job. The weight of expectations from the company is heavy indeed. Upper management have been proven to be ruthless with the other departments so far, particularly with my counterparts back at Headquarters in Boston, the company’s home soil. Well, they did headhunt me...

Why Liverpool Should Take the Europa League Seriously

The Europa League. It's a competition that splits opinion. Nothing new amongst the Liverpool fan base but belittling a European competition is a new one to me. Many fans this season want Liverpool to concentrate on the Premier League and try to finish in the top 4. It's admirable, but is it realistic? Will Liverpool...

Liverpool v West Ham Preview | Predicted Line-Ups and Facts

Seven not-so-pretty points in Liverpool’s first three matches is a promising start.  The new signings are starting to gel with the rest of the team.  Six new faces in the first XI and a new formation have created a different atmosphere at the beginning of this season, and the train of success doesn’t seem...

Clyne and Gomez – Positions Boxed Off?

It may only be three matches into their Liverpool careers but things couldn't have started much better for Anfield new boys Nathaniel Clyne and Joe Gomez. Three matches. Three clean sheets. Zero defensive errors leading to a shot by the opposition. This is quite a contrast to the team that ended last season conceding six goals...

The Defensive Spine – Ten Years of Decisions

All football clubs make decisions based on scouting, word of mouth etc, on players they believe can improve their football side now, or in the future where they look to unearth new gems, the next Messi, the next Zidane, you hear quite a bit from fans and the media, but in reality very small...

The Emirates jinx continues for Liverpool

The trip to North London to face Arsenal provided Liverpool with a wonderful opportunity to make a bold statement of intent against a potential title rival that would make the rest of the Premier League sit up and take notice. Two wins from two against Stoke and Bournemouth may have been a start that...

Why Roberto Firmino Has To Start From Now On

His full debut finally arrived. After Brendan Rodgers had given us snippets of our new number 11 in the previous two league games we finally got to see Roberto Firmino unleashed from the start against Arsenal. I for one wasn't disappointed. He was only on the pitch for an hour but his impact and...

Liverpool Are Learning Lessons Quickly

Liverpool have started the new term in fine fashion. While others are still getting their feet under the table, the Reds are immediately gaining good grades with solid, if unspectacular, performances. Having been handed a less than satisfactory report card last season, Liverpool have learned from the mistakes made and are setting out to...

Five Observations from Arsenal vs Liverpool

A repeat of last season's result at the Emirates was never on the cards. Personally, I could not see Liverpool exposing themselves in match three of the season and Arsenal were still in first gear so momentum was not on their side. It was a little eerie for me. Anybody who follows me on...

How Important Should Set Pieces Be For Liverpool?

Set pieces are generally under utilised in the modern game. On numerous occasions recently you hear managers say their new £20 million target man can aid their team defensively but let's be honest, that's not why you're spending that money. Let's be honest, If you're spending £20/30 million on a striker you want him...

Why Signing Benteke Represents Giving Up

When it was first confirmed that Liverpool’s interest in Christian Benteke was not going to waver, the news was mostly met wih despair from Liverpool fans. He represented everything that they didn’t want from a new signing. A target man from a lower league team with an expensive buyout clause that everyone knew would...

Arsenal v Liverpool Preview | Predicted Line-ups & Facts

Six points in six, Liverpool stand near the top of the table two fixtures into the new season. Admittedly, the level of competition has ranged from mid-table to newly-promoted for the Reds. The narrative of the campaign so far, however, is top teams struggling against weaker opposition. Arsenal can, of course, count themselves among...

Two Wins From Two – Where’s The Optimism?

We’re two games into the 2015-16 Premier League season and Liverpool have a 100% record, keeping two clean sheets in the process, yet there are still plenty who are intent on grumbling about something or other. “Crap that, wasn’t it,” I overheard one Liverpool fan say as they left Anfield on Monday night. There were...

Arsenal v Liverpool: a Gooner’s view

As a prelude to the upcoming Arsenal v Liverpool match at The Emirates on August 24, I thought I'd try and give us Reds fans a slightly different perspective on what is a big game for both clubs by speaking to Arsenal fan, Stephen Lewis. I've known Steve for around ten years and can...

Is Brendan Rodgers Evolving The Back Three Idea?

Not many positives can be taken from last season if we're being honest. An unbeaten streak sandwiched between two below average runs is how you could describe our Premier League season. Two semi-final appearances in the domestic cups could be seen as a positive but the performance put in against Villa was underwhelming to...