What a fantastic win for LFC! For a while, it seemed like the Reds would waste yet another opportunity to capitalise on favourable results (Chelsea/Arsenal/Man United), but the players dug in and ground out the win, and make no mistake, this is a potentially game-changing victory for Liverpool.
This result reminds me of Liverpool's 3-2 away victory over Portsmouth during the excellent 2008-9 season.
Like tonight, the Reds went behind twice, and really had to dig in hard to secure the victory, which came courtesy of a 90th minute goal from Fernando Torres.
Prior to that game, the Reds were on a dire run of only one win in six games (4 draws/1 defeat), and that victory galvanised the club, and set in motion an outstanding sequence of results that took LFC to within four points of the title.
Tonight's result could have a similar galvanising impact, and hopefully, the confidence and belief gained from the win can propel the Liverpool into a consistent run of results. One thing's for sure: with Man City and Chelsea still to come to Anfield, will get extremely interesting over the next couple of months.
Post-match reaction:
Brendan Rodgers
"We had to show immense character today, which shows the hunger and appetite for the game.
"We're very focused on continuing to improve our performance. We made more defensive mistakes, and we need improve on that."
John Aldridge
"That is a massive win for us. What a great pressure penalty by Gerrard. Different class! It takes big balls to step up last minute of a game of massive importance".
Neil Mellor
"Great result to come back from trailing twice and take a massive 3 points so late!"
Glen Johnson
"Wow, that sounded like a very close game. Massive 3 points. Well done lads!"
Daniel Sturridge
"What a game and a great result! [We] showed a lot of character today"
Steven Gerrard
"It's a great win for the lads. I don't think we defended well enough, but we showed plenty of guts and didn't give up, and if you do that, you get the breaks"
Martin Skrtel
"It wasn't an easy game for us. We know the performance wasn't the best, but the most important thing is getting the three points"
* A couple of defensive mistakes cost Liverpool goals again. After Toure's latest error, it seems likely that Daniel Agger will replace him for the next game. I like Toure, though. He's a solid defender, and if he'd made those two mistakes 8 months apart, no one would be on his case.
* Only one goal in the last six games for Luis Suarez, but thankfully, other players are chipping in with goals at crucial times, and Suarez still continues to have a massive influence.
* Daniel Sturridge - what a player! Scored in every games since his return from injury, and showed his top-class finishing skills again today.
* What an amazing through ball from Gerrard to set-up Sturridge's goal. One of the best defence-splitting passes he's ever produced in an LFC shirt. Genius.
* Another solid game from Cissokho, though his final ball in attacking areas continues to be woeful.
* Great to see Joao Teixeira get some pitch-time. Looked composed on the ball, and could've scored two goals.
Author: Jaimie K
This result reminds me of Liverpool's 3-2 away victory over Portsmouth during the excellent 2008-9 season.
Like tonight, the Reds went behind twice, and really had to dig in hard to secure the victory, which came courtesy of a 90th minute goal from Fernando Torres.
Prior to that game, the Reds were on a dire run of only one win in six games (4 draws/1 defeat), and that victory galvanised the club, and set in motion an outstanding sequence of results that took LFC to within four points of the title.
Tonight's result could have a similar galvanising impact, and hopefully, the confidence and belief gained from the win can propel the Liverpool into a consistent run of results. One thing's for sure: with Man City and Chelsea still to come to Anfield, will get extremely interesting over the next couple of months.
Post-match reaction:
Brendan Rodgers
"We had to show immense character today, which shows the hunger and appetite for the game.
"We're very focused on continuing to improve our performance. We made more defensive mistakes, and we need improve on that."
John Aldridge
"That is a massive win for us. What a great pressure penalty by Gerrard. Different class! It takes big balls to step up last minute of a game of massive importance".
Neil Mellor
"Great result to come back from trailing twice and take a massive 3 points so late!"
Glen Johnson
"Wow, that sounded like a very close game. Massive 3 points. Well done lads!"
Daniel Sturridge
"What a game and a great result! [We] showed a lot of character today"
Steven Gerrard
"It's a great win for the lads. I don't think we defended well enough, but we showed plenty of guts and didn't give up, and if you do that, you get the breaks"
Martin Skrtel
"It wasn't an easy game for us. We know the performance wasn't the best, but the most important thing is getting the three points"
* A couple of defensive mistakes cost Liverpool goals again. After Toure's latest error, it seems likely that Daniel Agger will replace him for the next game. I like Toure, though. He's a solid defender, and if he'd made those two mistakes 8 months apart, no one would be on his case.
* Only one goal in the last six games for Luis Suarez, but thankfully, other players are chipping in with goals at crucial times, and Suarez still continues to have a massive influence.
* Daniel Sturridge - what a player! Scored in every games since his return from injury, and showed his top-class finishing skills again today.
* What an amazing through ball from Gerrard to set-up Sturridge's goal. One of the best defence-splitting passes he's ever produced in an LFC shirt. Genius.
* Another solid game from Cissokho, though his final ball in attacking areas continues to be woeful.
* Great to see Joao Teixeira get some pitch-time. Looked composed on the ball, and could've scored two goals.
Author: Jaimie K
Great win for us but if we are gonna stay in that top four we have to improve defensively. I would usually say keep a winning team but Toure is making silly mistakes. Do we bring Agger back in?
ReplyDeleteSince the start of 2014 we have the best record, only two draws from our last 7 games. So we are already on a good run. Southampton and Utd away will be tricky games, but things are looking good. Hope we can beat Arsenal Saturday.
ReplyDeleteNot sure your point about that if Toure made the mistakes 8 months apart people wouldn't be bothered. First of all, fans are fickle and have long memories with fuck-ups. Secondly, trying to minimise the seriousness of his mistakes in that manner is logically equivalent to me going "Aspas scored twice in pre-season, if he scored them in our last 2 games, people wouldn't be on his back". I think that whilst it can be easier to persevere with poor form from an attacking player, you can't really risk it with a defender- even more so a centre-back. I think Kolo's form has waned over the past few months. At the start of the season I thought he was a revelation but after he got injured he hasn't really recaptured that form.
ReplyDelete1 down 6 more wins out of 12 to go for reaching the 70+ mark...if we get
ReplyDeletethem before april then we can start to dream of the holy grail.
Let's hope it's the start of a good away form, Sturridge talking about the faith to win make me think that even though we don't say a word about it, the team believe they can take the title, which is good.
ReplyDeleteTottenham seems to start to click, with their squad they look more dangerous than everton/Man U to me, but let's look for the 3rd rather than the 5th.
And finally i'd like to see raheem, stevie and coutinho given a rest against arsenal, give the bench some game time. The cup would be great but let's look if the squad can do it.
There was a moment in the game that I loved which showed me that this team is going to get better toward the end of the season. I came when we got the 2nd goal and the younger players were celebrating then you see Suarez with the ball in his hand pushing them apart to get back to kick off so we can get the winner. I really hope this win will give the younger players the taste to keep treating the final 12 game like cup finals. I listened to Boris Beckers interview the other day about winning Wimbledon at 17 and the way he handled the big moments with no fear. Hopefully this mix of experience and fearless can carry us of the line for 4 place and beyond.
ReplyDeleteThat was a massive win for one massive reason. We dug deep and won an away match we were supposed to win, but were having trouble with. Championship caliber teams do that...and we did. Awesome result and well earned.
ReplyDeleteWe looked poor in the first half, so gald we picked it up in the second.
ReplyDeleteFlanagan did his best impression of Johnson tonight. It's in them tight games you see how good players really are. Sterling has a long way to go and attacking wise Henderson becomes useless when we're chasing the game looking for goals. That Ukrainian winger would've added a lot of quality and end product which Sterling lacks, mainly because his age.
ReplyDeleteThese are the games that won Manchester united their titles. They did this probably 3 times a season on average, and they were the bunch of 3 points that left them finishing the league from 3 to 9 points in front of second.
ReplyDeleteI highlighted Oxlade Chamberlain's fall before contact last week, does Sturridge do the same?
ReplyDeleteIn both cases defenders rashly committed a needless tackle and forwards forced referee to make the decision
Is it cheating or good forward play? I think the latter
The MF scored 2 of the 3 goals. That is a notablde achievement. Also was anyone else just a little excited by Texeira's aggressive play?
ReplyDeleteNot sure if players should be making religious statements on the pitch either. Politics or religion should not come into it
ReplyDeleteRichardson's celebration
Harmless and players do it all the time without taking their shirts off: crossing themselves, kneeling towards Mecca...whatever...it's harmless...move on.
ReplyDeleteHarmless to you maybe. I object to it
ReplyDeleteKaka, Foula, Lampard etc etc. The point is political, religious it's been about for a while.
ReplyDeletePat...we won the game...let it rest till tomorrow mate...enjoy the win.
ReplyDeleteI know. Kaka "belongs to Jesus"
ReplyDeleteMore like he belongs to his dads church
No, just politics or religion
ReplyDeleteYou should just mind your own business, take that wet blanket off and enjoy the win.
ReplyDeleteWell it doesn't harm anyone...
ReplyDeleteSounds just like one religion bothers you. You are no different than those you object to...you do realize that right?
ReplyDeleteMoyes doesn't get this, or at least he doesn't seem to. He's now talking about "luck" when the reality is that in the past United just found a way to get it done. Who knows what magic Alex Ferguson wove to get his team to produce those late goals for all those years but Moyes can't hide from this one. I think the truth is that he just doesn't know how to win those kinds of games other than through the brute force methods he used at Everton. Thankfully Rodgers is a smarter tactician and we're seeing the results of that.
ReplyDeleteAlex Ferguson helped them create their own luck. Moyes doesn't. The commentators mentioned it's possibly a 'good point' for United. How so? Before the game, they were 9 points off fourth. Now they're 11. If Utd are happy with that draw, it just brings light to how far their mentality has fallen.
ReplyDeleteI would submit that he has made more calm, level-headed defensive plays that have been taken for granted. Remember what our back four was like when we felt the need to sign him. Do you want that back?
ReplyDeleteGreat win tonight. Last 3 seasons we'd have drawn or lost that game. That pass from gerrard was very special and who better to be taking a last min pen! That turn from Suarez as well... I've run out of superlatives. The boy's a genius
ReplyDeleteI think, for CL, our task is plain & simple - beat Spurs at home & avoid defeat at Old Traford. With the big GD (+34), we are actually 1 point further away for those 2. I was thinking that our defensive weakness cost us last 2 draws (almost cost 3rd in a row), otherwise we would have been at top with 12 matches to go & all 3 rivals facing mid week European matches. During Jan, we didn't strengthen our defensive side, don't know how much, but it 'll cost us something this season.
ReplyDeleteI agree, it's a sports field, religion and politics have no place on it. I don't see why people are so eager to know people's sexuality these days as well. I care about what players are doing on the pitch not who they're screwing off it
ReplyDeleteNo. Not yet. Agger just returned from fitness. Everyone has been harping
ReplyDeleteon Kolo's mistakes but nobody praised him when he created 2 valuable
assists in Everton and Arsenal games.
Even in this Fulham match,
that mistake aside (I personally blamed it on the terrible pitch
condition), Kolo was defending fantastically well! He kept Bent in his
pocket, and anticipated every single attacks that came his way.
Watch the game again, and look at Kolo closely. His positioning, anticipation, composure is top class.
Why not just focus on the football and the important win for LFC?
ReplyDeletesakho will be back for next league game hopefully, but agger this weekend. hopefully enrique and johnson are back soon. a starting back four(Sakho/Agger which ever you prefer) could do us wonders for a solidifying 4th and maybe a push upwards
ReplyDeleteGreat overview Jaimie. Well fought out game and a good but desperate win. Please stop making it hard yourselves LFC. The mighty reds prevailed today.
ReplyDeletewho cares if we had defended properly he wouldn't have got the chance to do it anyways.
ReplyDeleteWith Agger back, Toure didn't do himself any favors to keeping that place. These mistakes (unlike Skrtel's which is also bad) are not the "ok he could have closed down, tighter marking, stronger, etc", they are the passing the ball to a striker in front of goal and scoring an own goal despite little pressure behind (the striker was 2 meters away). It's lack of concentration and if you are a good player you do not do that twice (conceding twice as a result) in 3 games. That will cost us. In fact he cost us 2 point and nearly cost us 3 today. My take is if alot of us are flogging Cissokho, Allen, Moses, Toure shouldn't be spared. The punishment for these mistakes is to put him on a bench and I believe alot of coaches do that so that others get a chance to shine.
ReplyDeleteYeah but his concentration is awful and his mistake puts the team in immense pressure. It also gives confidence to Fulham. As a professional player, the pitch is one that he gets used to. This is not his 1st game in EPL, he's a veteran and he cannot keep making these mistakes. Anyway, Agger will replace him this Saturday and see if our defense improves.
ReplyDeleteOur biggest problem in 08/09 was playing for the draw instead of the win.
ReplyDeleteThis season we have shown how ruthless Rodgers is making his team.
In 08/09 after 26 matches we had 55 points with 15 wins, 10 draws and 1 loss.
This season we have 53 points with 16 wins, 5 draws and 5 losses plus we are scoring like there is no tomorrow.
Rodgers deserves nothing but praise, this is only his second season and already it is giving our best EPL season (08/09) a run for it's money.
There is no doubt that Rodgers is the right man for the job!
Of the back four, I thought Flanagan had the weakest game. Some poor positional play as well it could be argued that some blame for both goals could be attributed to Flano. Young enthusiastic but has much to learn.
ReplyDeletehear, hear!
ReplyDeleteWe are not in Europe, so Stevie, Raheem and Coutinho will rest when our rivals are busy in Europe, even better, Spurs is in the Europa which means bad Sunday's for them
ReplyDeleteThis win comes down to self belief. The team believed they were better than Fulham until the final whistle. I would put this down to Rodgers effusive, sycophantic, mini eulogies, overpraise IN public. Rodgers and the players have been working with Dr Steve Peters and the incremental and consistent improvements are starting to show. In tight games it about hunger and belief. The team showed they had that last night. Often said that The Special One is a brilliant man manger, I would say Rodgers is better.
ReplyDeleteYeah agree we need Sahko back, he gives us a bit more pace and physicality.
ReplyDeletePolitics yes but religion can arguably have a place on the sports field as that player may feel the reason they are playing well on the pitch is down to their "God" or "Gods" depending on religion as they are just thanking them for making them play well. I am not a religious person but I can see how it can be used on the pitch. However bringing anything political onto the pitch is just stupid unless it's something like abandoning a massive game for that said country to show a point of something like apartheid but that's not a celebration so that doesn't really count.
ReplyDeleteWhat a difference makes a goal! Had we drawn everybody would be pissed and slating the team and BR too hard. I think it was quite a poor performance from what we expected to have. Now we know its official we will play sht after thumping a top team! 32 goals conceded in just 26games its very poor, thankfully we scored many to cover that up. Mignolet and toure should def.go on bench, cant afford losing more points due to them. Suarez where is he? I know his work rate is still good but whats up with the goals? Dont wanna witness a win like that ever, and why stevie took his shirt off after scoring, not the first time he does is it? Getting booked for no reason, is stupid for me, and when was the last time he scored from open play? Cissokho had a good game? Sorry but what do you see good in him just what? I should be blined then! Anyway we should be doing this way more often, win after not playing good.
ReplyDeleteYou don's seem positive that's for sure!
ReplyDeletedefending or lack of it, will be our undoing.
ReplyDelete