Arsenal Vs Liverpool – FA Cup 5th Round Preview

The FA returns this weekend for the 5th round stage which will see all of the top 4 paired up in the draw with Chelsea travelling to the Etihad to face Manchester City and more importantly Liverpool travelling to the Emirates to face Arsenal for a place in the Quarter Finals and a step...

We’re Gonna Win The League

I have a stat for you… Liverpool, compared with the league table at the same stage in 2008/9, are actually closer to the top of the Premier League now than in that magnificent season. Cast your mind back to 08/09. It was, we thought, the time when most thought Liverpool would once again ascend to the...

Anfield Index Podcast Episode 14.5: Now You’re Gonna Believe Us!

Episode 14.5: Now You're Gonna Believe Us! Date: 12th February, 2014 Gags (@AnfieldIndex) and John Ritchie (@JohnRitchie84) sit down after the last gasp win against Fulham at Craven Cottage. There isn't much analysis, there aren't many stats but there's plenty of chatter about the game and some real belief from the Anfield Index Podcast? Could it be?...

Analysing Philippe Coutinho’s Masterclass vs Arsenal

After an all-action display of midfield dominance versus Everton, it’s fair to say that Philippe Coutinho underperformed in the following game against West Brom, so much so that many wanted him dropped for the game against Arsenal at home. Whilst he was largely anonymous at The Hawthorns he wasn't the only one, and the...

Liverpool’s Magical Attack vs Arsenal

Liverpool's attack is now being recognised as a complete and destroying movement. Although they are still at the heart, it's now not just the SAS who are being praised. As Liverpool power forward, everyone from the defensive midfielders forward are involved in how the Reds are just destroying the defences they come up against. The...

Searching for the Next Asian star | A chat with Ian Barrigan

Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Martin Kelly, Michael Owen. All of these former and current Liverpool players have something in common, they all came through the academy during Ian Barrigan's time at the club. Ian Barrigan is the head of local recruitment at the academy, this basically means he  goes out in Liverpool and the surrounding...

The Wool of Lime Street

Please note that this is a satirical short story, please read it with that in mind. “Seventy seven quid.” Gareth stared blankly at his train ticket lying in front of him, taunting him as he scanned the price over and over until it blurred into one blotch of ink. Lime Street return to Euston Station. Gareth knew...

Anfield Index Podcast 14: Football PORN

Episode 14: Football PORN Date: 10th February, 2014 This week the Anfield Index Podcast Team welcome back Dan Kennett and have a debut for Rebecca Parry to gush over the demolition of Arsenal, although Gags and Dan referred to it as "Football PORN". John Ritchie once again hosts the show whilst Dave Hendrick is a happy camper this...

Liverpool v Arsenal Preview | Key Men & Prediction

It is time for Brendan Rodgers to learn from his mistakes at the Emirates Stadium earlier in the season as Liverpool face Arsenal at Anfield. From the start of the reverse fixture back at the start of November it seemed that the Reds were on the back foot in the 3-5-2 formation they set up...

Joe ‘Welsh Xavi’ Allen: The solution to LFC’s midfield problems?

2013/2014 season, for Liverpool fans, has been a roller-coaster ride with the brilliance of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez in the goal scoring department while Liverpool’s midfield has been exposed quite a lot this season by teams ranked below us. Joe Allen, playing with Lucas Leiva and Jordan Henderson in the middle 3, dominated the...

West Brom 1 Liverpool 1 | Review and Match Stats

West Brom took points off yet another top of the table rival as Liverpool were held to a lacklustre 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns. The visitors went ahead midway into the first half through Daniel Sturridge only for veteran defender Kolo Touré to gift an equaliser to West Brom via a powerful Victor Anichebe...

Anfield Index Podcast 13: Opportunity Lost

Episode 13: Opportunity Lost Date: 3rd February, 2014 This week the Anfield Index Podcast Team welcome Jay The Red from City Talk 1059 FM Radio (Jay Riley) to talk about the transfer window and Liverpool's poor performance against West Brom. John Ritchie once again hosts the show whilst Dave Hendrick goes off of a rant about the transfer...

The Curious Case of Luis Alberto

The Rules of Luis Alberto: "1st RULE: You do not play Luis Alberto. 2nd RULE: You DO NOT play Luis Alberto."   Okay, so maybe that is a bit harsh on Liverpool’s number 6, but in light of recent injuries, fans have been calling out for Brendan Rodgers to hand Luis Alberto Romero his first Premier League start...

Philippe Coutinho’s Touch of Class Dominated the Derby

There’s nothing like an intense derby match to separate the wheat from the chaff. An evening kick-off which stirred memories of those famous Anfield occasions under the lights, and a battle for bragging rights on the pitch, on the streets, in the pub, and most importantly, in the league table. The clichés rolled off...

Liverpool’s Best and Worst January Transfers

Transfer deadline day has just gone and I have decided to look back at Liverpool’s transfer dealing since the January window became compulsory in 2002/2003 picking my 5 worst deals followed by my 5 best deals made by Liverpool Football Club. The Worst 5: Mark Gonzalez Mark Gonzalez was regard as one of Chile’s brightest young talents...

West Brom vs Liverpool Preview | Sterling Vs Amalfitano Stats

Liverpool travel down to the West Midlands for a Super Sunday match against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns. The two teams head into this game after very different results in their local derbies last time out. Liverpool demolished local rivals Everton 4-0 at Anfield on Tuesday night,with Daniel Sturridge scoring 2 goals in the...

Martin Kelly: Recovery

Martin Kelly has returned from injury at the perfect time for Liverpool. Liverpool are currently experiencing a defensive crisis, with Mamadou Sakho, Daniel Agger, Jose Enrique, Glen Johnson and Sebastian Coates all out injured. This leaves Liverpool with just five fit regular first team defenders. Without Kelly, this number would fall to four. His return from...

Is it time to re-open the case for the defence?

Editors Note: This article was written before the thumping of Everton and does not include numbers from that game. Back in September I wrote a piece about Liverpool’s defence and how we were blessed with some excellent defenders. How were were able to almost mix and match our defenders if required and how, even with...

Liverpool 4 Everton 0 | In-depth Tactical Analysis

A fantastic result at home, matched by a superb performance that could and should have been rewarded with more goals. Game plan One of the main changes Rodgers made in this match was to shift his focus to an area of the pitch he has often left open this season - midfield. Rodgers, significantly in certain...

Liverpool 4 Everton 0 | Review and Match Stats

Liverpool took a giant leap towards the top four as they downed local rivals Everton 4-0 under a floodlit Anfield. Goals from Gerrard, Sturridge (x2) and Suárez consigned Everton to the worst Merseyside derby defeat since 1982. Lining up with almost the same personnel who started the Aston Villa game - replacing Glen Johnson with...

Anfield Index Podcast Episode 12: Owned

Episode 12: Owned Date: 29th January, 2014 The Anfield Index crew are buzzing after Liverpool defeat Merseyside rivals 4-0! John Ritchie is joined by Gags Tandon, Jim Fishlock and Dan Shephard as they express their amazement and go through the major statistics of the game. Download on iTunes (Only subscribers will receive new episodes immediately) Host: John Ritchie Guests: Dan Shephard, Gags Tandon...

Why Allen, Aspas and Borini should look to Jordan Henderson

‘Overpriced’, ‘Useless’ and ‘Not good enough’ were just some of the phrases banded about a few months after Jordan Henderson joined Liverpool from Sunderland as part of Kenny Dalglish’s spending spree. Sound familiar? Well, it should, as these are the exact phrases that have been used to describe the first few months of Joe...

AI Podcast Episode 11: Time To Gamble

Episode 11: Time To Gamble Date: 26th January, 2014 On this week's episode John Ritchie and Dave Hendrick speak to Everton supporter David Downie to preview the Merseyside Derby. Day Trippers podcast host Trevor Downey joins the panel with Gags Tandon to review the Bournemouth game and talk about the current Transfer Window. There's all this and more...

AFC Bournemouth Vs Liverpool | FA Cup 4th Round Preview

The FA cup returns on Saturday as Liverpool fans make the 524 mile round trip for a 12:45 kick off against a team which they have never faced before. The Hosts Championship side AFC Bournemouth currently sit in 16th place in the table having not won in 4 league games. Bournemouth’s league record stands at 26 games...

Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen: The Dynamic Duo

Partnerships. Throughout the history of Liverpool Football Club, there have been many. Keegan and Toshack, Rush and Dalglish, McDermott and Souness, Aldridge and Beardsley, Fowler and Collymore, Hyypiä and Henchoz, Alonso and Mascherano, Gerrard and Torres, and of course the latest affiliation between Suarez and Sturridge. These combinations were/are at the heart of the success...

Reviewing Liverpool’s imbalance & openness in the 1st half vs Villa

 "It’s (the Premier League) less tactical, with more space, and more physical than in Spain. You don’t have to wait until the second half here for a game to open up and that is good for me." Michu Traditionally, people think of English football as direct, as physical, as high intensity and sometimes a battle. But...

Liverpool 2 Aston Villa 2 | Review and Match Stats

Liverpool’s title winning credentials were all but written off, as Aston Villa boldly walked into Anfield to run the Reds ragged in what was possibly Rodgers’ worst tactical blunder since taking over from Kenny Dalglish. Liverpool lined up with a two man midfield and Villa simply ran Gerrard and Henderson for the entirety of...

Liverpool FC: The evidence of mental fortitude

It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. - Invictus by William Ernest Henley The difference that sets apart individual champions in the sporting arena from their competitors is, almost certainly, the mental strength to win against all odds. Its...

AI Podcast | Episode 10: Let’s Never Talk About It Again

Episode 10: Let's Never Talk About It Again Date: 21st January, 2014 On this week's episode we are missing regular host John Ritchie who is off sick! Kosha (@KoshaV) is back on the show as well as a return for Marco, Andrew Beasley and Dave Hendrick as he returns from his Russia search of M'Vila. For the first...