(H) Hearts - Post Match Thoughts

Final Score: Liverpool 1-1 Hearts
Liverpool Goal: Luis Suarez (88)
Hearts Goal: David Templeton (85)

The relief is that there was no lasting damage.  The minimum - and I suppose it could be argued the maximum - that we were to gain out of tonight was progression to the group stages of the Europa League and we did that.  Not for the first time however, we made it incredibly hard for ourselves.

Much like the Manchester City game, an eyebrow was raised at the starting line up.  This was a much stronger team than I was expecting with the inclusion of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard, as well as a few other players who might have got a rest ahead of the Arsenal game on Sunday.  The message from Brendan Rodgers to Hearts was clear, we want to wrap this game up as quickly and unequivocally as possible.  It was pleasing to see Adam Morgan get his first competitive start for the reds however and I was looking forward to seeing him in action.

The game itself started much in the way you would have expected.  Both teams were lively and energetic and    it made for a frenetic opening.  After a few minutes we got on the ball a little better and began passing it around but Hearts pressed in numbers as we would advance into their half and we had to settle for keeping the ball at the back without overly threatening.  One player who did receive more of his fair share was Stewart Downing who - at left back - looked far more lively than the majority of his games played as a winger.  The shape of the side meant that there was always cover as he strode forward and when he did appeared to have a little more of an edge than we had been otherwise used to.

Though it had yet come to life from a quality standpoint, there was a real battle brewing in the middle of the park as Hearts did their best to disrupt our rhythm.  When we actually had the ball there was a real sense of our quality and purpose - even if there were just flashes - but we appeared a little casual in our pressing without it.  Our main attacking threat came from down the flanks as both Downing and Kelly got involved early on, but neither were able to work an opening to test MacDonald in the Hearts goal.  Adam Morgan - eager to impress no doubt - was so starved of possession he came into midfield to try and retrieve the ball only to be lucky to escape a yellow card for a rash challenge.  There was a definite cup tie feel to the game.

As time wore on, the possession count continued to rise in our favour.  We passed the ball around fairly well,    particularly Jonjo Shelvey who had two very good passes to the wide areas which led to half chances.  Stylistically it looked similar to American football, the way we would keep the ball in our own half, then advance it and regroup and then try to move it even further up the pitch before probing for any openings on goal.  Hearts to their credit were very well organised and had plenty of defenders in good positions that made it difficult to find any openings.  In fact, the two attempts of the opening twenty minutes were both at the Liverpool goal but they were efforts barely worthy of the name.  One had Reina scrambling a little but was always going wide and the other was tame and that took a slight deflection, rolling safely into his hands.

Territorially, we were beginning to operate for a concerted amount of time in a much deeper part of their half for the first time in the game.  The problem was that our final ball was lacking in any real quality, with Gerrard  shooting aimlessly at the Hearts back four and Kelly hitting a cross over everyone.  It was at the other end where the next big moment in the game would come as Carragher very nearly gave away a penalty, in trying to get goal side of Paterson he clipped him.  It was reminiscent of the spot kick given away by Daniel Agger at West Brom only this time the referee said no.  That moment did however give Hearts a boost of confidence in that the could scare us defensively and for a short period had us on the back foot.

With everything coming from out wide and John McGlynn's side flooding the middle, very little had been seen of our midfield in possession of the ball.  Gerrard for the first time decided against shooting on sight and very nearly opened the scoring as he danced inside two defenders and forced a good save out of MacDonald.  It was to be the only direct chance we would have for a while.  The football at this point, keeping the ball and your opponents at arms length is designed for two things.  Firstly to tire them out so that in the second half they will be easier to get at when we make a few changes and secondly that if a side with sufficient quality can go up through the gears quickly it will catch them out.  We did this to brilliant effect when Suarez played a great ball through to Martin Kelly.  The ball eventually came back to the Uruguayan and he drove inside the penalty area and cut back for Adam Morgan to put home into an empty net.  The referee did rule the goal out, judging Suarez to have taken the ball beyond the goal line but the move itself was spot on.

Approaching half time the tempo did rise somewhat.  Though it appeared Hearts were a little content to wait until later on to go for anything and we didn't particularly mind that, it was end to end football without really being gung-ho.  Half chances at either end led to a little tension and frustration on our part, in particular Luis Suarez whose sloppiness with the ball over the space of a couple of minutes spread to the whole team and gave them even more confidence.  There was no immediate danger presented by them but it was clear that they were growing into the game.  In response we went back to what we had been doing for the majority of the game in keeping the ball and again an opportunity wasn't far away.  Gerrard released Kelly in an almost identical fashion to Shelvey and Downing earlier on in the half but it only it led to a corner which was eventually cleared.  There was still time in the half for one great chance to open the scoring, Hearts had piled men forward for a free kick and our counter had them outnumbered.  Gerrard played in Morgan but he then overran it when a cutback would have almost certainly produced a goal.  Forty five gone at Anfield and even though we were going through as it stood, it wasn't quite as simple as everyone was hoping.

A subdued restart saw us neither side really do much of anything.  Hearts were very hungry and snapping at the heels of the short passes we were playing but we had both the skill and composure to make sure they were never able to cut them out.  Both teams fought hard both to get the ball and keep it and as a result the game became mired in constant skirmishes in and around the middle of the park.  It was a bizzare stalemate in that it was obvious we were going to have to be patient but in doing so played right into their hands at letting the clock tick down while the game was goalless.  Both of our fullbacks weren't as forward as they have been in previous games, whether that was to do with the inclusion of Downing or our midfield combination (it's much easier to be fluid out wide when you have a Johnson-Sterling combination for example, rather than Henderson and Shelvey who were constantly on the move) I'm not sure.  Downing and Kelly did start to come more into the game but their final delivery was lacking.

The issue of Luis Suarez is a very peculiar one.  On every evidence you can wish to cite of him at Liverpool he is not a clinical striker at all and yet pretty much everywhere else he has been.  What he is very much is the epitome of luxury and talent, in that he's so dangerous that when something simple fails it becomes very frustrating.  In the space of a couple of minutes alone he was guilty of overplaying on the edge of the box when a pass back or inside might have been easier and then when he got the ball back turned the defender brilliantly but was unable to make it count.  He did then have the best chance of the game, having been put through one on one with MacDonald but not being able to registering a shot.  In Suarez's defence, the goalkeeper and defender did force him wide but once he failed to take the shot the chance had already gone.  

It had longer than many would have predicted but the temperature was rising inside the Hearts penalty area as we started to turn the screw and look to finish it.  Suarez blazed another half chance wide, but this was one of those out of nothing opportunities that most strikers would lash out at.  We exerted a great deal of confidence in our play, probably the most comfortable I've seen us for a long time and certainly indicative of a team with a much bigger lead than they actually had.  This was a team that looked as if it were three goals to the good, let alone just the solitary one.  Without pushing or inviting Hearts onto us, the counter was being used more frequently now and looking punishing every time but always just inches away from perfection.  Sterling, Gerrard and Suarez all had half chances at best but the opportunities continued to come.  It looked like a matter of time.

So much so was our overall domination of the midfield and the lack of threat that came from Hearts at that period in the game, it could be said that an element of slackness developed in our play.  From being unlucky in being close to scoring, we were a little casual in assuming the goal would come perhaps.  In an attempt to sew up the tie completely, Fabio Borini came on for the industrious Jordan Henderson giving us a potential front four now.  To his credit Stewart Downing continued to make himself useful down the wing and get into good positions, albeit not being able to make any of them count.  Even with fifteen minutes to go there was very little in the way of urgency from our opponents.  There were moments of mild unrest as Hearts began to get onto the ball and have pot shots at Pepe Reina's goal but nothing that would cause any real alarm.  They sat back in numbers and waited continuously for something to happen.  Almost as if they knew what was coming.

A free kick on the edge of the penalty area led to a corner.  It was nothing we couldn't deal with as neither set pieces was particularly threatening.  When David Templeton picked the ball up on the edge of the box he was rushed to get any kind of a shot in.  He did manage to get one on target, and then the unthinkable happened.  Reina simply dropped the ball into his own net.  It was so against the run of play there's an element of inevitability there, because that's how football works sometimes.  With the game now headed into extra time, we were on the front foot immediately.  Sterling drove at their defence and forced a free kick which we were unable to convert, still the crowd and team felt the need for urgency.

So much was the goal a surprise, it actually caught Hearts unaware.  They didn't quite know what to do with the ball and went from frantically clearing it to trying to push on and deliver a knock out blow.  When one such break was halted by a combination of Gerrard and Allen it was to prove to be fatal.  Borini took the ball forward and played in Suarez just over the half way line.  A desperate sliding challenge was missed and Luis was running at goal now.  Direct and unrelenting, despite being played ever so slightly wide he continued onward into the penalty area and slid the ball through the gap left for him by MacDonald in the Hearts goal, levelling the game up at one a piece.  The message on his shirt of support for Lucas Leiva was a nice touch, every much as invigorating as the goal itself.  Anfield breathed a sigh of relief.

The dream had been shattered and with barely five minutes left to play even though they were a goal away from knocking us out, it didn't ever look likely.  We stood firm and were well positioned behind the ball, leaving it to Gerrard and Suarez on the counter who were themselves supported well by Borini and Sterling.  Playing it simple and keeping hold of the ball rather than running into the trap of overcommitting as our opponents had done moments earlier.  The clock was ran down in the right hand corner of the Kop as the referee blew a minute earlier than he had scheduled.  Were were a little scared and shaken? Yes.  Did we progress though to the next round?  Yes.

(H) Hearts - Pre Match Thoughts

                                           Europa League

                                            Thursday 30th August 2012
                                                  Anfield

                                        Liverpool VS Hearts

Tonight's game represents an appetizer.  Something to water the mouths of every Liverpool fan ahead of what will hopefully be a long and eventful European campaign to come.  Our opposition may not be the greatest test we'll face at home this season but with the tie firmly in the balance it will a classic case of professionalism from the side that Brendan Rodgers chooses to go out and establish our place back in Europe following last years absence.  Among all our problems at home, being able to host teams from around the continent feels good again.  It's good to be back.

If this were a league game, it would almost certainly be the likes of Wigan.  I say that not to disrespect Hearts but to illustrate the power of a European night at Anfield.  Much has been said over the years that if we could replicate - as a crowd - the sheer noise and power that we all know we're capable of in the Europa or Champions League on a domestic setting, very few would be able to handle it.  Having said that, it's only human nature that some occasions don't make the hairs on your neck stand up quite as much and that it's much easier to be riled for certain teams and games than it is for others.  I've seen the sheer might of this old stadium in Europe many times and the fact that it still manages to inspire awe from teams and people around the world is a measure of how high we were.  It's time to start doing that again.

Luis Suarez himself said that he watched Liverpool as a boy, because when you get to the latter stages of a competition like this people at the very least you're in the back of everyone's mind.  Atletico Madrid have been unable to make a real mark in the Champions League over the last few years, but have had one hell of a time in winning the Europa League twice in the last three seasons.  People remember winners, regardless of how poorly a competition may be marketed in the eyes of a few.  Tonight isn't about winning a trophy however.  It's about the start of an adventure across the continent.  To go to places and see people that we wouldn't otherwise come into contact with.  There are a number of delightful cities we could end up seeing over the next few months, but none of that can happen unless we emerge victorious tonight.

As seems to be the case with every game these days, Brendan Rodgers has a few questions to answer in regard to selection tonight.  With Arsenal coming to visit Liverpool in the league on Sunday and the need for early points still very important, it's very possible we may end up seeing the majority of the same squad that travelled up to Tynecastle last week.  Daniel Agger's suspension now having been served, he'll almost certainly partner Martin Skrtel on Sunday, leaving Jamie Carragher to come in alongside the impressive Sebastian Coates.  Jose Enrique could have some part to play given his lack of match fitness but it's far more likely Jack Robinson will play at left back again and hope to impress.  Should the game be wrapped up late on I wouldn't be surprised if the Downing experiment continued tonight either.

Jordan Henderson needs some game time having not featured much in the league recently but who plays alongside him could be something of a mystery.  Gerrard and Allen are prime candidates for being rested ahead of Sunday but it's likely only one of them will be whereas Charlie Adam and Jay Spearing both look to be heading ever closer toward the exit door.  Up top Raheem Sterling may be a little disappointed to be on the bench or even miss out altogether but I think that would put him as a favourite to play against Arsenal and would underline how much of an impression he has made on Rodgers since he arrived in the summer.  Hopefully Adam Morgan gets a chance to play more than the handful of minutes that he took part in last week and Andy Carroll - despite the endless speculation - has done enough to shake off the injury that put him out of the first leg*.

Whatever team is put out, we are in that precarious position of having such a slender lead nobody knows what approach to adopt.  A clean sheet guarantees progress but sitting back too much may be a mistake while on the other hand a cavalier approach could lead to us getting stung on the break.  Hearts will know that if they score at any time things will get very anxious with the away goal situation but for the most part will probably be content to keep the game goalless for as long as possible and try to silence the crowd.  As we go from the heat of the summer to the relative cold and damp Autumn, Liverpool can give some warmth to the hearts of their fans with progression into the group stage.  The adventure begins here.

*I hope for his sake he has.  Brendan Rodgers just told ESPN that he's having a medical with West Ham.  Apparently it will be a season long loan.

(H) Manchester City - Post Match Thoughts

Final Score: Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City
Liverpool Goals: Martin Skrtel (34), Luis Suarez (66)
Manchester City Goals: Yaya Toure (63), Carlos Tevez (80)

So much of what happened last week against West Brom was an echo of the worst pasts of last season.  Having dominated the possession for much of the first half only to succumb to a wonder strike and then capitulate after a few questionable refereeing decisions.  It could just as easily be argued that this game was more reflective of what was positive about Liverpool last year and while there's a justifiable sense of optimism, in the end it mattered for nothing.  There are reasons to believe that this season may be different however, it was clear of that even before kick off.

Very little in this day and age surprises.  If nothing else, it's certainly true of the way a manager picks his team.  There's so much pressure involved with every decision - that will be over analysed in minute detail - then it's no wonder most managers have a tendency to rein in their ambition.  Every now and then there comes a crossroads, upon which you'll be able to see if a coach has the courage of his convictions.  Playing Jamie Carragher would have been completely understandable, especially if you were determined to give Raheem Sterling his first Premier League start.  Brendan Rodgers chose to see what to prospects in his young squad were made of and in doing so showed a huge amount of faith in the ability of both Coates and Stirling.  They would not disappoint.

Of all the ways a team could start a match - whether that be imposing themselves on their opposition or holding the ball and easing their way into things - losing a member of the starting line up in the first two minutes might be one of the most anticlimactic.  For all the pre match optimism that Brendan Rodgers' bold selection had given, to have Lucas Leiva hobble off after two minutes was a huge blow.  Jonjo Shelvey came on to replace him and the midfield which had barely had a chance to get a foot on the ball had to immediately readjust.  Sufficed to say Man City had a lot of possession in the early going.  Kolarov and Milner were good options out wide, always ready to receive the ball and coupled with the strength through the middle of Ballotelli, City were by far the quicker of the two teams to settle.

Steven Gerrard was perhaps the one Liverpool player who saw most of the ball in the opening ten minutes and he looked determined to make something happen.  As such he was a little erratic with his passing but full of energy and had two early snapshots, although both were under hit and way off target.  Joe Allen on the other hand settled back into the hole created after Lucas had gone off injured and was a model of composure, as if he'd been given assurances that no City player could ever take the ball off him.  Skrtel too looked in imposing form, matching up well with Mario Balotelli save for one clumsy foul that he was lucky to escape a booking for.  Reina had yet to be tested but all in all City had started the game perfectly, trying to control possession and quieten the Anfield crowd.

It took a little to get going while but so long as the game remained goalless, we were always going to have a chance.  Suarez's movement and all around trickery caused problems from the moment we actually managed to have enough possession to get it up to him.  Our other real source of encouragement came down the left from a seventeen year old making his debut.  If Kolo Toure didn't know he was going to be in for a long afternoon, the first time Raheem Sterling got the ball at his feet and ran at him would have been an indication of things to come.  His subsequent ball into the box was so good it could very well have provided Borini with the opening goal.  Aleksandr Kolorov lunged in from behind and made it difficult for the Italian, but he will be disappointed at not even hitting the target.

After nearly conceding to the best chance of the game, Tevez created something out of nothing and very nearly gave City the lead immediately at the other end.  Having been put through by Samir Nasri, he was through on goal but looked to have overrun it.  Poking the ball beyond Pepe Reina from a tight angle appeared to have somehow gifted Tevez a goal only for it to come back off the far post and then safely into Reina's gloves.  The bounce of the ball and that no other City player reacted is exactly the kind of luck that we haven't seen a lot of.  In a game like this where the opening goal is so crucial, it's very much appreciated.

The game was starting to open up now, with virtually all of the Liverpool threat coming down the left hand side.  Suarez was his usual self but now he had someone alongside him in Sterling, who was causing Toure all sorts of problems.  At the other end Sebastian Coates had his one real cause for concern, dallying on the ball and allowing  Mario Balotelli the chance to get in there and conceed a foul.  It was virtually identical to the way in which Skrtel gave away a the second penalty to Shane Long but this was outside the area and City's free kick wasn't up to par.  For other players, this could have been a turning point after which they go into their shell and are never the same.  Fortunately Coates is made of stronger stuff.

City had been able to apply pressure by utilizing their wide men but at the from about the half hour mark had to deal with a threat going the other way.  Glen Johnson in particular - who had a magnificent game and already looks to be thriving in this system - combined with Suarez and Sterling on that left hand side of the pitch and visibly forced them back, leading to a chance for Borini which forced a corner and subsequent gestures for Anfield to get even louder.  Both the atmosphere around the ground was at such a level and the team itself appeared to go up a notch and for the first time in the game City were under a concerted amount of pressure.

One thing we failed to do on a number of occasions last season was score at the right time.  We'd have passages of play where we'd be on top of an opposition, without making it count.  When Steven Gerrard whipped a dangerous ball into the box and Kompany so very nearly headed into his own net, there was a palpable feeling that we had the game firmly in control at that moment and all it needed was a goal.  Step forward Martin Skrtel.  In actually he didn't so much step as gallop his way into the six yard box, rising to meet Gerrard's corner with an absolute bullet header that gave Joe Hart absolutely no chance in the Man City goal.  1-0 Liverpool.

For a team that had been in control of the game, some of City's players might have wondered how they were behind.  As it was, Liverpool had stepped up a level both as a team and those in the stands.  Buoyed by the goal and with ten or so minutes left until half time, if anyone was going to score next it would have been the team in red.  At this point Glen Johnson was giving James Milner an absolute nightmare down the left hand side, forcing him back on every occasion.  Meanwhile Joe Allen had become an absolute beacon in midfield, mopping everything up and then having the ability to make the right pass to set the team forward, it was a great sight to see against the league champions.  Unable to create anything of note, City had a flurry of set pieces late as the first half drew to a close but nothing that threatened to bring them back on terms.  Forty five minutes in and aside from a shaky start in which we lost a key midfielder, things were suddenly looking very bright around Anfield.

The second half began quietly, as if everybody watching new there was a storm brewing.  Sterling was harshly adjudged to have fouled Kolo Toure and he could have been frustrated with the way referee Andre Marrier seemed to be refusing him everything.  Still it did not deter him and force him out of the game but instead steeled his resolve to work hard and contribute, which he was doing both defensively and as a attacking force.  City kept the ball for the most part in the face of some excellent forward pressing by the front three with Borini pouncing on an attempted cross field pass which in turn nearly put Suarez in for a second goal.  The game was a lot more competitive than when it had first started with players on both sides determined to get in the face of their opposite number.  Once we did get a foot on the ball it was simply a case of playing sensible possession football, something Rodgers has promised since day one.

After the hour mark Mancini decided that changes were needed with his side having not troubled Pepe Reina to any great extent.  In the space a of few minutes two separate changes were made, Jack Rodwell coming on for Samir Nasri and Edin Dzeko replacing Mario Balotelli.  The substitutions had barely had any time to make an impression before City found themselves level.  It was a series of small preventable errors that eventually led to the equalizer.  From Gerrard being a little too anxious to break out and counter, to Pepe Reina's missed punch (which may or may not have taken a minor deflection off the head Martin Skrtel).  Once it had been unexpectedly missed by the goalkeeper, Martin Kelly tried to adjust his body in vain and it bobbled off him, allowing Yaya Toure to put the ball into the net and get City back on level terms.

The need for an immediate response was clear.  City were always likely - given their quality all over the park - to score at some point, so any idea of holding on to take stock would have been foolish.  Not least of all, teams are notoriously vulnerable just after having scored themselves.  Maybe this is why Gerrard decided to unleash one at Joe Hart from twenty five yards out.  After all, in the very same league game last year, we scored in a very similar manner when Joleon Lescott deflected a Charlie Adam effort into the net just after they had scored.  Whatever happened, Jack Rodwell put his his body in the way of Gerrard's shot - an arm to be precise.  Suarez and Gerrard stepped over the ball and after having had several disappointing efforts last week, this one was perfection.  City fans would have been concerned that the defensive wall may not have been correctly placed but to all those in red it didn't matter.  It curled around the wall magnificently and into the back of the net, gloriously restoring our lead.

Man City were now visibly angry, or Mancini at least was.  They pressed us virtually straight from kick off as high up the pitch as they could but fortunately we had the likes of Gerrard who could get us the ball and Allen who would keep it.  Jose Enrique had come on for Martin Kelly just before Suarez's goal to give us some attacking width down both sides and it looked like either he or Johnson might be the key in killing the game off completely.  Borini was working his socks off at this point, occupying defenders so that Suarez had pockets of space to drop into and generally disrupting their back line.  One last throw of the dice from the champions was to bring David Silva on, but for all their incredible array of talent it looked like we were the most likely team to score next.  Then the self destruct button was pressed.

Some people will watch what happened with Martin Skrtel and beg for him to hoof it forward next time.  Under Brendan Rodgers' that's not going to happen.  It was a catastrophic error that saw him pick up the ball just behind the halfway line, turn blind to knock it back to Reina only to give it to Tevez who promptly sidestepped Reina and put City level once again.  Genuinely other than that moment, our bald headed Slovak was an absolute monster at both ends of the pitch so while it's incredibly frustrating and stained an otherwise good performance, there was still time for us to win it.  We could also just as easily have nothing to show for all our efforts.

The pessimist inside me - and I imagine I wouldn't have been the only one - thought that there was only ever going to be one winner.  City had pegged us back twice, it was an inevitability that they would score again.  Thankfully, the Liverpool eleven on the pitch were having none of it and set about taking the lead for a third time.  This wasn't a team that felt sorry for itself, it was one hungry for three points and that's incredibly encouraging against a team where a point isn't necessarily a bad result.  Andy Carroll came on for the final ten or so minutes and by this points both teams were going at it on the counter.  He did have probably the best chance to win the game from a Suarez cross but didn't catch it right at all.  With four minutes added and neither side out of it the end was a little breathless although neither side managed to work a good opening.  For the second year running an encouraging draw against Manchester City at Anfield.  Hopefully this time - with the manager's bold selections, the way in which we approached the game as well as the likes of Agger, Sahin and Assaidi to come into the side - that optimism is well founded.

(H) Manchester City - Pre Match Thoughts

                                                      Premier League

                                            Sunday 26th August 2012
                                                  Anfield

                                Liverpool VS Manchester City

What is often referred to as momentum in sport can sometimes be attributed to the domino effect.  Winning - and losing - becomes a habit and as such, results in the immediate past have an effect on those in the future.  Having beaten West Brom last week Brendan Rodgers' men would be feeling confident, knowing that any result against the champions would be a positive.  Now there's a little more pressure on the side to get something and give the season the kick start it needs.

Because I'm an idiot who uses backwards logic, I'd feel a lot more comfortable if our record in this game wasn't as good as it is.  It's been nearly ten years since since Man City have emerged victorious at Anfield and when you consider the great strides they've made in that time it's not a bad run at all.  I have this impending sense of "they're due one", which shouldn't impede the thought process of a rational person as often as it does.  If they're going to win, it will because of the sheer weight of great players they have on display.  Fortunately for us they're missing arguably their greatest threat.  Sergio Agüero is out of the game and I'm sure - along with the rest of us - Jamie Carragher must be ecstatic.

The subject of Liverpool's number 23 has been one of great debate over the last seven days.  His performance after being brought on last Saturday will have only increased the volume of his detractors.  There's no doubt whatsoever that big games bring out the best in Carra but I feel that playing him today would be a severe regression, for the club and especially Sebastián Coates.  If we are ever going to learn about the credentials of the man - regardless of how raw his talent is - now is that chance.  Should he fail and we go on to lose, Rodgers will have at the least learned something whereas going with the safe option in Jamie Carragher not only do you lose that knowledge, the question will still need to be asked of Coates somewhere down the line.  

In spite of all the pessimism that's been floating around recently, it is after all our first home game of the season - one that I always look forward to.  Last year, Anfield wasn't so much a fortress as an all you can eat buffet for teams to come and gorge themselves on as many points as they saw fit.  Opposition goalkeepers in particular thrived, although today were up against one in Joe Hart that doesn't really need any more building up.  Of the many things that we have to put right, the home form is at the centre of all that.  It's the foundation to which the success of all Premier League teams - regardless of ambition - is based.  I don't know whether it's an advantage or not that we're playing all these big games at Anfield so early on in the season but if we do manage to get through it relatively unscathed then it may be just the confidence boost that we need when the likes of Wigan and Stoke come to town.

For all the excitement that our new signings have generated - and Sahin does titillate the footballing taste-buds - it's a product of the Melwood academy that's everybody is talking about.  Raheem Sterling has a long career ahead of him, but it does feel as if we're at the point where his story starts to come good.  I  watched the Hearts game again recently, he's the kind of player whom you could very easily get carried away with.  Not only does he deserve his place in the squad but has to be pushing for a first team place.  Starting him today - much like Coates - could be a little bit of a risk, but definitely one worth taking.

Both managers are known for the pragmatic approach to which they oversee their respective teams.  With that in mind it's not too much of a stretch to suggest that we may be in for a real tactical battle today.  While that's very possible, I think that this game may very well fly in the face of that and be a very high tempered affair.  The home crowd will be rocking and as such with high profile contests like these, we'll ride that wave of support and get in their faces very early on and not let off.  Having said that, the problem with Manchester City - more so than pretty much any other side in the league - is that they have the talent at their disposal to score at any time, regardless of how they're playing at the time.  A clean sheet in this game will be very hard earned, for either side.

Against certain teams, it's fairly easy to predict what will happen.  Both City and Liverpool are teams that bring with them a certain unpredictability although Mancini has moved great strides into making them a very cohesive, consistent unit over the last few years.   I know that we have the quality to disrupt them, Lucas in particular shone so brightly in this fixture last year that it virtually nullified all his doubters in one consummate ninety minute performance.  There are still questions to be asked, such as whether Steven Gerrard can bounce back from his performance against West Brom and how big a part - if any - will Andy Carroll have to play following Borini's ninety minutes against Hearts in midweek?  Whether we win or lose there will be people claiming it's either the end of the world or we're the greatest team ever.  Though I'm not a fan of going overboard, I sincerely hope it's the latter.

Martin Kelly: All The Right Moves In All The Wrong Places

At the heart of every iconic moment in the history of Liverpool Football Club, there are those who stand out.  Fom Billy Liddell to Steven Gerrard and beyond, we exalt their exploits as if they are the stuff of legend.  Despite our support and favouritism, the truly great are very few in number.  We are lucky in that some of the great exponents of this simple game have pressed their studs into the Anfield turf and we watch from the stands in awe.  That still leaves a very large number of people - even those whom we think of fondly - who don't posses those unparalleled talents.

There is a great need in the world of football to label things.  Fast and small? You're the new Theo Walcott.  Any half decent scoring midfielder/striker with a good agent these days has been compared to Messi at least once.  Almost ten years ago, Liverpool had on their books a versatile defender.  He didn't excel at anything in particular but had more than a grasp for the art of defending and gave you everything he had.  The arrival of a new manager with a different philosophy to all those before it spelled a change in Jamie Carragher's career that saw him - briefly - become one of the best defenders in Europe.  Could the same happen again with Brendan Rodgers and Martin Kelly?

If they are to make good on their childhood dreams of being a footballer, there are inevitably roadblocks that must be overcome along the way.  In Martin Kelly's case that obstacle came early on in the form of a serious back injury, which stunted his development by almost two years.  Spotted by the Liverpool scouts at the tender age of seven years old, he was originally a centre midfielder but his height and composure on the ball saw him move back to defence, where - throughout his years at Melwood - he has played every position along the back-line.  After receiving rave reviews as a member of Gary Ablett's title winning reserve team in 2008, Kelly would go that one step further and make his Liverpool bow, coming on in the last few minutes for Jamie Carragher in a Champions League game in Eindhoven.

Having made enough of an impression on Rafa Benitez to include him in a few Champions League squads, the focus now was on whether or not he could push for a place in the regular first eleven.  In an attempt to get some first team football behind him, the last six months of the 2008-09 season saw Kelly loaned out to Huddersfield town, during which he scored his first ever competitive goal.  This continual progress, coupled with the departure of Sami Hyypiä led Benitez to claim that there would be a chance for one of the youth team players to make that step up and he again found himself in the team for a Champions League game, only this time in the starting line up.  Being awarded Man of the Match was a step in the right direction but unfortunately it came at a price.  A groin injury picked up in that game sidelined Kelly for four months.

The summer of 2010 saw major change at Liverpool as Rafa went out and Roy came in.  Kelly's chances were limited to Europa League games although a starting role in a two goal victory over Chelsea at Anfield was quickly followed by a new three year contract shortly after ward.  When Kenny Dalglish came in the following January, things began to pick up quickly for both Martin and the rest of the team. An extended run in the first team made it so that first choice right back Glen Johnson was moved over to the left side of defence, such were his performances.  When it was all going so well, injury struck again.  A hamstring tear against West Ham would be the end of his season.  He had shown the Liverpool faithful what he was capable of, and was also in the process of doing it on an international level.

Ashton Gate versus Uzbekistan.  Hardly the most glamorous of opponents and locations, nevertheless Martin Kelly made his England Under 21 debut and scored in the 2-0 victory in August 2010.  Just over a year later and he netted two goals in as many games to take his tally to three in five.  He underlined his potential for goalscoring by netting the second against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge just a week later.  These performances - coupled with one against Arsenal at the start of the season which drew plaudits from Fabio Capello himself - saw him firmly on the international radar.  He had come back from injury time and again, each time determined to come back stronger.  He had never had a particularly bad game for Liverpool and so, an even bigger challenge was on the horizon.  Despite all of this, nothing could prepare him for the fury that was about to come.

Injuries along the back line had deterred England's preparation for Euro 2012.  Micah Richards had ruled himself out because he didn't want to be on any standby list.  Roy Hodgson turned to Kelly - someone he had worked with before and quite probably the best option of those who were left.  It was as if Hodgdon had picked a short sighted alpaca.  Radio phone ins and internet forums added fuel to the fire, questioning the decision.  It was as if the rest of the country as one stood up and said "I have never seen Martin Kelly play." coupled with the fact that Liverpool had underachieved the season prior - as well as a severe undercurrent of dislike for the club in general - saw Kelly as a scapegoat for a side that hadn't even played a game yet.  Which brings us neatly to what's happening now.

Brendan Rodgers' arrival and subsequent change of philosophy, coupled with the performance against West Brom at the weekend has seen Kelly at the heart of another debate.  Those writing off his ability are almost certainly writing premature obituaries, because there is room for him at Liverpool Football Club.  If Martin were playing for a mid table club, someone like Tottenham, Chelsea or Arsenal would have likely snapped him up during this transfer window, so we must be careful in not discarding or tarring him.  Scapegoat tags are very hard to get rid of and after the summer he's just had it would be unfair to add to any of that.  That being said, there is a conversation that needs to be had.  Sooner rather than later, Kelly has to be moved to the centre.

Maybe it's the comparisons with Jamie Carragher that put people off Kelly long term.  Even though these days people only ever talk about him in a negative light, while the comparisons are still valid they don't resonate as much in a Brendan Rodgers side.  The flaws in Kelly's game out wide are arguably as great as those in Carra's game in the middle of this system, but playing Martin in the middle negates both of those aspects.  He's much more comfortable with the ball at his feet however, and carries a far greater aerial threat.  I see no reason why moving him centrally shouldn't at least be attempted, other than the fact that it leaves us very light in the wing back positions - although this could be rectified in the coming week.  If Liverpool insist on leaving him out wide, there's a possibility they may hinder themselves in two positions rather than just the one.

It's unlikely that Martin Kelly will ever score a hat-trick in four minutes or inspire an Istanbul like comeback.  His career at Anfield to date has been largely inconspicuous, but every club needs players like this.  People who will give their all and get on with whatever it is they have to do, without being conscious of the limelight.  Over the course of a season contributions will be made by everyone, some will have to be greater than others because not everybody can be a superstar.  To ignore that input would be foolish because the likes of Gerrard and Suarez wouldn't be able to do what they do were it not for the contribution of a Kelly or Lucas.  Even the smallest star still shines brightly in the sky.

(A) Hearts - Post Match Thoughts

Final Score: Hearts 0-1 Liverpool
Liverpool Goal: Andy Webster (78 O.G)

Those expecting a classic were always going to be let down.  Much had been made prior to kick off of the inferiority of both our opponents and the league that they play in and as such, Tynecastle was always bound to be a little boisterous.  The starting line up had a nice blend of youth and experience, more or less as we expected.  Borini got his chance to impress in his favoured position and I was really looking forward to seeing what Sterling could do.  He didn't disappoint.

The first few minutes were always going to be about riding a wave.  West Brom did it on Saturday and - being a European game - Hearts were always going to come out of the blocks hard.  There was very little in those opening exchanges that gave any cause for alarm, save for a less than accomplished attempt at a tackle from Jonjo Shelvey.  For all the talent Shelvey does posses, this is one area of the game he needs to drastically change.  In particular the way he dives into these challenges, referees in the Premier League will not tolerate it.

Hearts controlled the early stages, without ever testing Pepe Reina in goal.  We kept the ball in patches, mostly playing through the left hand side and using Raheem Sterling as an outlet.  It's easy to forget just how young and raw Sterling is because for all the athleticism he possesses, there's a great deal of intelligence there in how he'll hold up the ball when necessary and go for the opposition's throat at other times.  Our only other player who had a great deal of possession was Charlie Adam, booed mercilessly throughout - by the opposition! - and certainly looking like a man with a point to prove.  It must be frustrating for all concerned, as Adam looks like a player whose confidence in himself is unyielding and feels the need to show it every time he's on the ball.  That he actually needs to prove to Brendan Rodgers this very point may encourage him to play this way even more, I can't think he's one that will ever subscribe to the theory of keeping it simple.

Ten minutes in and Hearts had Reina scrambling for the first time in the match.  The direct - in your face - style that they were implementing perfectly didn't translate to the creation of any real openings but as a result of their pressure had a succession of set pieces and speculative efforts from the edge of the penalty area.  This in turn made their fans turn up the volume even more and for large period of time we were simply unable to get a hold of the ball, let alone keep it.  If Brendan Rodgers was to be pleased about anything, it was that for all of their bluster the score was still goalless.

Having seemingly weathered the storm, we began to get a real foothold in the game and the pace of Sterling was a constant menace for the Hearts defence to have to deal with.   The home support become a little subdued as a result of our growing presence in the game but we were still a little untidy.  Neither Adam, Shelvey or Spearing got onto the ball with any real authority which forced Henderson to help out in that area of the park and in turn made Borini's task that much harder.  To his credit, he ran along the back line very well and was always an option for whomever had the ball.  Better supply and we might have been able to make more of the game than the few half chances that had been created.

After being pushed onto the back foot somewhat, Hearts turned up the pressure a little toward the end of the half.  Considering what happened at the weekend in being caught by a sucker-punch right on half time, it was important not to have a repeat.  As it happened, the reverse nearly came true.  Sterling's great vision saw him cut out a ball across the back line and put him through on goal.  Rather than take the shot himself he unselfishly laid the ball off to Fabio Borini, whose shot cannoned off the post.  It would have been the perfect end to a disjointed first half from our perspective and even though we had hardly been at our best, the game was still there for the taking.

With the second half underway, Hearts again went for it.  I thought we looked a little sharper from the restart and matched them very well despite the roars of the partisan home crowd.  Away from home - especially in Europe - you're going to have to accept that the opposition will have either the ball or dictate certain aspects of the game and as such all you can do is play well enough not to succumb to anything while under said pressure.  We did that quite well for the most part, and there was always room to step up a level and take it away from them.

Attacking wise, it was all about Raheem Sterling.  He continued to show why he's so highly rated and performances like these will do no harm to the general excitement surrounding him at the moment.  It was difficult to get a head of steam and exert some concerted pressure because the midfield were lacking in any real quality.  Charlie Adam was wasteful but at the very least he was direct and kept trying to make something happen.  Jonjo Shelvey on the other hand was lost completely, looking like he didn't really know what his role in the team was.  He was in that difficult "not quite defensive, not quite attacking" role in the middle of the park but will certainly have to do better than this if he wants more first team opportunities.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention.  If Brendan Rodgers is to make the most out of the players that he has at his disposal, playing the way he wants them to play, then the question of what he is to do in the full back area is one that keeps reappearing.  Bringing on Stewart Downing for Jack Robinson at the sixty minute mark was a bold move to say the least.  If the Europa League is to be a competition for which you experiment with the level of players that are used, then it can also be a chance to try little things like having Downing at left back - something which could in theory work to great effect against the lesser sides, given the system.

Though our first change may have been unusual, the second was much more straightforward.  Joe Allen came on for Jay Spearing, giving an assurance of passing to our indifferent midfield.  There's something - whether it's a mental thing or not - about having a player who simply doesn't give the ball away with regard to how at ease everyone around suddenly becomes.  When you hear Rodgers talk about resting with the ball, with Joe Allen it's easy to see how that works across the team.  With the game winding down, you could have been forgiven for thinking that Liverpool were actually winning such was their relaxed attitude in possession.  Of course, the return leg at Anfield next week made it so that there was no need to go overboard in chasing a winner.  And then the goal came.

We had overloaded their left hand side with Sterling, Downing and Adam all in close proximity to each other near the flank.  When Downing cut infield and gave it to Henderson, there was always going to be room for the fullback on the opposite side and Martin Kelly needed no invitation in bombing forward.  Jordan's ball out to him was sublime, cutting across the grass and landing right at his feet in full stride.  Kelly's cross was a good one and Borini's position meant that the defender was in the unenviable position of simply being in the way of the football.   When Fabio outstretched a leg and missed, the ball hit Webster and into the back of the net for a precious away goal.

There were just under fifteen minutes left to protect the lead and we appeared determined to hold the ball for what time remained.  Joe Allen stepped back in between the centre halves as we knocked the ball around at the back for a few minutes, happy to let the clock tick down.  Given that this was Hearts' big chance of getting anything out of the tie, I was a little surprised that they didn't mount any kind of onslaught.  There were a couple of - what you would barely call - half chances, but one goal down I suppose they're still in the tie as opposed to going gung-ho in the closing stages and running the risk of conceding again and almost certainly being out of it.

Overall, Rodgers will be very pleased with what he saw and what his team accomplished tonight.  They may have rode their luck in the early goings but even having said that Pepe Reina barely had a save to make.  We'll certainly hope to be a lot better than this in the second leg but in knockout football it's the result that matters most.  The crowd and tempo set by Hearts was always going to make it difficult but a team made up of youth and fringe players had it in them to get the job done and see it through to the end.

(A) Hearts - Pre Match Thoughts

                            Europa League Qualifying Round 1st Leg

                                          Thursday 23rd August 2012
                                             Tynecastle

                                       Hearts VS Liverpool

The only way to erase the memories of a game like Saturday is to get onto the pitch and create new, better ones.  Brendan Rodgers and his team have travelled up to Scotland in the hope of doing just that, while in the process hopefully getting a positive result to take back with them to Anfield for the second leg in a weeks time.

Much like the Europa League itself, the rivalry between English and Scottish clubs has seen better days.  The downfall of Rangers is only the tip of the iceberg and whereas players from the top clubs north of the border could easily come down and command a hefty transfer fee, more often than not in recent years they have been courted the Championship rather than the Premier League, a stark indication of their decline in quality.  With Rangers now having been demoted to the third tier, there is now room - however briefly - for someone to step up and take their place at the top table alongside Celtic.  It's unlikely any team will be well positioned to challenge them for the title - at least for now - but with a Champions League qualification spot up for grabs, Hearts are better positioned than most to rise to that challenge and take that injection of cash.  Tonight will be a major test of those credentials, to see whether they have what it takes to hold court with major European opposition.

After having been discarded at this stage of the competition by Spurs last season, Hearts boss John McGlynn will be determined to avoid a repeat of the five goal thrashing that saw them all but out of the competition even before the second leg.  Despite playing a reserve team throughout the competition last year, Tottenham played the majority of a senior side last year featuring the likes of Bale, Van Der Vaart, Lennon and Defoe so Brendan Rodgers will have to get the balance between youth and experience right if we are to take something out of tonight's game.  The one positive coming from Daniel Agger's red card at the weekend means that he is a certainty to play tonight, so at the very least we will have some experience at the heart of the team even if it's being used as a chance for others to impress.

Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, Martin Skrtel and Glen Johnson have all left out of the squad, Enrique may still have a slight knock and new signing Oussama Assaidi is cup tied having played in a previous round for Heerenveen.  The fringe players such as Andy Carroll, Jay Spearing and Charlie Adam are all potential starters but also there's room for the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jack Robinson and even Adam Morgan who has been linked with at the very least a place on the bench.  While it's important not to get too carried away with the supposed inferiority of our opponents (because everyone loves to joke about the SPL), the fans at Tynecastle will be more than pumped up for this one.  As such it will be an important step in the development of some of our younger players should they get the chance to feature.  We also have the safety net of a second leg at Anfield next week should things go wrong.

There's something about a European night that makes everything that much more exciting.  Travelling up to Edinburgh isn't exactly the most far flung journey we will have ever made but it's a stop along the way on a trip that will hopefully end in Amsterdam next year.  Nobody knows what's going to happen between now and the end of the season, there are people already who see this game as something of an inconvenience with what happened at West Brom and Man City laying in wait for us on Sunday.  It's almost certainly going to be difficult and after this stage it will only get worse.  However, we had no European football whatsoever last year and I was away during the two clashes with Gomel.  I've missed nights like these - and I fully intend to enjoy it.

(A) West Brom - Post Match Thoughts

Final Score: West Brom 3-0 Liverpool
West Brom Goals: Zoltán Gera (43), Peter Odemwingie (64 PEN) Romelu Lukaku (77)

If all it took was one game for all the optimism to disappear, it's obvious there wasn't much of a foundation for it in the first place.  There are still problems at Liverpool and the idea that Brendan Rodgers' arrival was - with largely the same team - magically erase all that which went wrong seems naive at best.  However, it is still the first part of what is sure to be a long and intricate process.  There were always going to be a few bumps along the way.

As far as team selection goes, everything was very straight forward there.  The opening exchanges were always going to see West Brom on the front foot.  Away from home on the opening day, we just had to hold steady and not do anything stupid for the first few minutes to encourage them to get at us.  They did press high up the pitch and for the first five minutes it was difficult for anyone to get a foot on the ball but after that we settled down into a passing rhythm.  Chances were few and far between but all of them seemed to centre around Luis Suarez.  On ten minutes a loose ball led to him turning a couple of defenders and firing straight at the goalkeeper from outside of the box and five minutes later he controlled a pass, and turned inside to produce a good save.

One thing that does stand out, and perhaps this is was only evident because it was the opening day of the season was how impatient we were in the final third.  To take such good care of the ball as we go from defence to midfield only to put an aimless ball into the box even though there's only one player in there seems incredibly counter productive.  The two main culprits of this were Gerrard and Suarez and it could be argued that they are the ones most likely to open something up so that they have that kind of license and in the case of Suarez that's fair enough because he created chances and forced Ben Foster into a few saves but Gerrard had nothing to show for it.  Often he would try something a little too difficult and we'd give the ball away.  It should be noted that not only is he capable of making these kinds of passes he has done his entire career, but it doesn't appear to fit in with Rodgers' philosophy of keeping the ball.  Whether this is something we'll have to try and iron out on a weekly basis or whether this was simply an over eagerness to hit the ground running, we'll have to wait and see.

Another, slightly more worrying note is the fact that our width in the first half - and this is where we played our better football - was provided almost exclusively by Glen Johnson.  Martin Kelly has come under some intense criticism for his performance but I think the problem with that is while he's being played in the same position he played under Dalglish, the role is entirely different.  Johnson fits this role perfectly be it on the right or left and was able to get down the flanks seemingly at will, to the point where he provided what should have been the opening goal for Luis Suarez, who jumped too early and headed over when he had a large area of the goal to aim for.  Stewart Downing - for all his flaws - started well, he looked lively while pressing and was getting involved.  Around the twenty minute mark however he simply vanished, lining up alongside Steven Gerrard twenty minutes later being the only thing preventing Brendan Rodgers from going into the dressing room to find him.  Borini is still new to the club and getting to grips with everything and everyone but he too had very little effect on proceedings.  He did remain a presence throughout but looked nowhere near as sharp as he would have liked and gave the ball away on a few occasions.

As for our other new boy - Joe Allen - he was the shining light of this game.  He and Lucas in the middle of the park were tenacious in the tackle and the most composed unit throughout the team.  There were times when Lucas looked a little shaky when under pressure at the back but Joe Allen had no such problems and even found time to make a good run into their penalty area, with Suarez unable to lift the ball over the defender to find him.  Their work helped negate a lot of the attempted West Brom pressure and for the most part we looked incredibly comfortable in dealing with what they offered.  Shane Long buzzed around and won a few soft free kicks but in terms of creating anything it didn't look like it was ever going to come.  Then came the wonder goal.  It was a succession of little things that led to it, from a contentious free kick to an innocuous corner and then it landed right at the chest of Zoltan Gera.  What followed would have - against any other opposition - been beautiful.  He struck it magnificently under pressure from Glen Johnson (who ran flat out, giving him no chance other than to hit it) and it flew into the top corner giving Reina no chance.  Nice to see that even though some of the personnel change, the narrative doesn't.  One slight note before half time, as Suarez got himself a needless booking.  Having seen this I'm torn.  I know full well that no other player would be booked under such a manner - Luis is one of those evil footballers after all - but I'm sure he must know it too and as such needs to avoid things like this.  A good first half performance was spoiled right at the end by one of those goals that we always seem to concede.  It was about to get a lot worse.

The second half started with much of the same.  Brendan Rodgers had clearly sent them out with a purpose as the tempo and intent on back back level was there to see from the off.  I've seen far too many teams in the past wait until it's too late before imposing themselves on the opposition and it would have been encouraging, if it wasn't for the fact that our willingness to put the ball aimlessly into the box continued.  In the opening ten minutes of the second half Skrtel, Johnson and Stewart Downing - who at least was visibly on the pitch now - all pumped the ball forward, looking for Borini or Suarez to make something happen.  I could understand putting the ball into an area and trying to overload it but we only ever had two men in that area and as such it was easy for West Brom to clear.  Still, the signs were there that we were dead set upon getting back into this game.  Then it all fell apart.

Having tempo and purpose to your play is one thing, overcommitting to early is another.  Ten minutes into the second half and they caught us high up pitch, Morrison played one ball through the middle and after Skrtel slipped there was always going to be trouble.  Agger tried to muscle in on Shane Long who was baring down on goal and probably fouled him outside the box, only for Phil Dowd to dish out a penalty and a red card.  This is the same referee who failed to punish Keiron Richardson at Anfield under similar circumstances on the opening day of last season.  Jamie Carragher was immediately summoned to replace Stewart Downing and fill the gap in defence.  Perhaps that gap was what played on Shane Long's mind as his awful penalty went straight into the hands of Pepe Reina.  Relief all round as we had been spared, it wouldn't last.  Barely anything of note had passed moments later when Shane Long caught Martin Skrtel napping and ran in front of his attempted clearance and then falling over.  Another penalty to West Brom.

A goal down and down to ten, the impatience we had shown earlier on in the game gave way to outright petulance.  Whether or not the first penalty was soft, we were given a reprieve and should have put our foot on the ball and taken the sting out of the game, something which we have the talent to do so.  As it was, trying to think four moves ahead perhaps led to Skrtel's lapse in concentration and instead of taking care of the ball he allowed Shane Long the chance to get there.  Having said all that I find it very difficult in admitting to a penalty when the one conceding it has no idea his opponent is even there.  I'm not sure how you're gaining an advantage there.  It didn't matter anyway, Odemwingie stepped up and made no mistake.  Two-nil to West Brom now and the dream of an opening day three points pretty much shattered.

The remaining half an hour or so wasn't pretty.  Both managers tried to affect what remained of the game with their substitutions.  Lukaku and Fortune came on to press upon the Liverpool back line and Joe Cole came on for Lucas.  It was a peculiar switch from Rodgers, not least of all for the injury Cole was about to pick up - but he cannot have foreseen that - but because it surrendered control of the midfield to West Brom.  Ten minutes after the penalty and they had the chance to wrap it up, Morrison skying over after Lukaku had laid it on a plate for him.  Joe Cole then did his hamstring and to his credit tried to continue but it - much like the game at that point - was a fruitless endeavour.  Before he could be taken off there was time for a third goal, a harmless shot ricocheted to Liam Ridgewell on the left hand side of the penalty area.  He clipped it to the back post where Lukaku rose up to put the ball away and with it the game.

In spite of an abject ten remaining minutes, Suarez and Borini linked well.  Despite not being in the game for times in the first half, Borini grew into it again but was unable to affect it in any real way.  The signs of a blossoming partnership with Suarez continued, with the Uruguayan looking like the main threat right the way through til the end.  Mostly it consisted of Pepe Reina having to deal with a West Brom full of confidence now taking shots at will.  The final whistle was a relief for all those associated with Liverpool to hear and hopefully we can draw a line under it, move on and never have to hear of it again.  To lose by three goals was a little harsh - for we dominated possession at times - but until that killer instinct is developed then goals like Gera's will always be on the cards.  We move on now, upward.  Things can only get better.

(A) West Brom - Pre Match Thoughts

                                                     Premier League

                                        Saturday 18th August 2012
                                        The Hawthorns

                        West Bromwich Albion VS Liverpool

One moment changes everything.  Whether it be for better or worse, something can ignite both out of nowhere or as a consequence of everything that has gone before.  The real beauty of it all is that nobody knows when it will arrive, or even if it will.  At the end of a long, arduous journey, everything could still be the same.  But that's the whole point.  Without taking that first step, you are condemned to a life without risk, without the opportunity at glory in spite of the pitfalls that await.  The adventure of Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool Football Club starts here.

Things change at a rapid rate in football.  It wasn't that long ago that both Steve Clarke and Brendan Rodgers were both on the coaching staff at Chelsea.  Even twelve months ago nobody could have predicted that on this day they would face each other in the dugout.  Both men arrived at this point under very different circumstances.  Rodgers surrounded by a warmth of good feeling following a wonderful season with Swansea, while Clarke will have to shake off that sense of disappointment that followed both he and Liverpool all season.  Not that any of that matters now.

It's hardly the most idyllic of locations for the season to get under way but even so, we travel down to The Hawthorns today safe in the knowledge that it's not one of the more taxing away days.   West Brom are one of many sides in the Premier League that have solid - if not unspectacular players - and without the kind of vociferous crowd that the likes of Stoke, Southampton or Sunderland can boast then there's very little to worry about, in theory.  Despite having a largely pedestrian team (Foster, Ridgewell, Mulumbu, Brunt) the Baggies do have credibility in the attacking areas of the pitch.  Shane Long, Peter Odemwingie and loan signing Romelu Lukaku will all have to be kept firmly in check if we are to pick up three points here today.  

As for ourselves, the team appears to be fairly self explanatory save for one or two exceptions.  Joe Allen may or may not feature from the start, with Jordan Henderson taking his place (whether that be from the start or after the sixty minute mark).  Assaidi has probably signed too early to play any part, although I would love to see a fifteen minute cameo should the circumstances dictate - purely in the interest of actually seeing him play.  Based on some of the pictures of the squad training yesterday there is also the idea that Martin Kelly will play in place of José Enrique with Glen Johnson - presumably - on the left.  While not ideal, I'm more than comfortable with everything that has been mooted thus far.  I'm also very keen to see Borini for the first time, having been out of the country during the Europa League qualifiers.  

Though it should be pointed out - and indeed rationalized a countless number of times - that today is only the first game of the season, last year we set the tone for the whole year in a rather frightening way in game number one.  Being away from home today should mean that we won't take anything for granted and I'm hoping for a professional display from the reds.  I don't expect an open, attacking game of football but there is definitely scope for a couple of goals in there.  From what I've seen already I expect we'll have a lot of the ball and have an almost iron grip on the midfield, but maybe some of that will be Steve Clarke conceding a lot of ground to us - especially in the early stages.  Without wanting to get too ahead of myself, I really am confident of success this season.  It's the opening day, and I'm allowing myself to dream.  This isn't going to be the season that defines Liverpool Football Club by any means, but it could very well be the start of an era that adds to our already well outlined past.  

Ninety minutes.  Thirty eight games.  All for one moment.  One life changing moment. 

Mike Marsh: A Link Through The Ages

Even the most cursory of glances around Anfield and you'll see a multitude of different faces.  Men - and women - of varying cultures and backgrounds all congregating together as one.  Fans are a separate entity from the team and the relationship between the two can be a difficult one at times for success on the pitch - while a good start - does not immediately translate into idolisation.  Rife with fickleness and ill-conceived opinion, while it is not vital for a player to curry favour with the fans it does make their task all that much easier having the power of a partisan crowd fully behind them.  It's for this reason that certain players will go out of their way - think Robbie Keane - to align themselves with supporters, only to have it come off as insincere.  Those that are genuine in their desire for the club to do well have to deal with an entirely different set of pressure.  One that comes from within.

At the highest levels in sport, desire only gets you so far.  Simply willing something to happen isn't enough, even if everything is in place for it to happen.  Because of an pre-determined alignment, even though a fan craves success more than somebody who has no affiliation, that does not mean they are better placed to achieve it.  The pressure of failure would be too much for many, should it occur a footballer may feel the pain of a thousand nameless faces whereas one who is so close to the support would be able to put names to those faces.  On the other side, it may be overwhelming to work in an environment awash with heroes and legends.  Surrounded by those who have been idolised from afar, how could anybody go about their job with any kind of detachment?  We might like our players and managers to have an affinity toward the club, but if they still need to be objective and professional - for that is their purpose.  If they are overwhelmed or sentimental by certain aspects then their judgement is clouded - to the detriment of the person in question, or even club itself.

Mike Marsh was a teenage boy from Kirkby and having just finished school without knowing what direction his life was to go, spent most of his free time with a ball at his feet.  He played for Kirkby Town on Saturdays and The Railway Pub on Sundays, where he was first spotted by Phil Thompson.  Following successful pre-season trials, the boyhood red would see his dream come true as he signed for Liverpool FC.  Going from a pub team to the top division in the country to play for your boyhood club, it's the kind of story that every young football fan the world over dreams of.  While it was an incredible tale it was still only the beginning, the rest of his story would not be quite as plain sailing however.

Having failed to make a single appearance in his debut season, Marsh would finally make his Liverpool debut some eighteen months after signing for the club.  Coming on as a substitute for Jan Mølby, despite now having a taste of first team football he would still have to settle for reserve team football for a few more years until finally breaking into the team in the 1991-92 season at the age of twenty two.  A couple of solid seasons followed on his way to making a hundred appearances, during which he managed to get himself an FA Cup winners medal and score in a dramatic come from behind win against Auxerre, before Marsh was sent off to West Ham along with David Burrows in order to bring Julian Dicks to Anfield.  A subdued end to a Liverpool career that started so idealistically but his connection with the club however, would remain as strong as ever right throughout.

Something of a journeyman following his days at Liverpool, Marsh would have four clubs in the next four seasons.  West Ham was followed by Coventry City and then a transfer to former boss Graeme Souness' Galatasary before joining Ronnie Whelan at Southend where he would go on to make eighty four appearances.  Relegation with the Shrimpers in his second season with the club was then compounded with a serious knee injury.  This would in turn prematurely end his professional career, for part of the agreement made with an insurance company payout that he received was that he never play league football again.  Onto the Conference he went, where another familiar face would be waiting.

A breif spell with Barrow was cut short by another acquaintance with a former Liverpool teammate in linking up with Jan Mølby at Kiddiminster.  Looking to enter the football league for the first time the Harriers ended up storming the division, winning it by a clear nine points and a goal difference of plus thirty five.  Marsh captained the side in his twenty four appearances for the club and scored four league goals for them that season but was forced to leave the club following their promotion.  A successful season at Southport in which he scored seven times was followed by another transfer to Boston United, during which he was once again part of a Conference winning side as well as now helping with the coaching staff.  In his final playing season, Marsh went to Accrington Stanley and made his mark once again as they went on to win the Conference North.  His journey as a footballer had taken him as a local lad from Kirkby all the way to the very top, to gradually slide back down the footballing ladder.  As a coach it would start to go the other way.

Barely two months passed into his time as a manager at Burscough before he was on his way.  Having barely even hung up his boots the summer prior, a poor start to the season saw him sacked in his first role in the dugout and it would be another two and a half years before he would be seen again on the touchline.  Following his experiences at Burscough, he now wanted no part of being a manager but instead was looking to assist in the development of players as a coach as well as his playing his part in the Liverpool Masters side.  Appointed at his former club Southend in July of 2006 but his stay was cut frustratingly short and after three months they parted ways.  His next chance came in February of 2008 when Northwich Victoria appointed him on their coaching staff.  His stay there would be fleeting after a short spell as caretaker manager exposed the depths to which the club were short of cash.

"At Northwich the players weren't paid for months and you can't go on working like that. I was getting phone calls from players saying they couldn't afford to pay their mortgage or put petrol in their cars to get to training.  When the chairman asked me to lay a couple of players off I knew then it was time to call it a day." - Marsh on his time at Victoria and why he left.

Spending his time between the Preston U14s and Accrington and Rossendale College, a call came in.  It wasn't quite as out of the blue and as dramatic as Phil Thompson stopping by to see Marsh play for The Railway pub but it that didn't matter, Liverpool wanted him back.  He was to help with the under 14's and after a brief spell combining that roles with a coaching job at Bradford Park Avenue in 2009 he was promoted to helping Steve Cooper with the under 16's.  It had been some fifteen years since he departed Anfield, a journey down a path nobody could have ever predicted and now he was back.  Football always has a way of giving people a second chance.

A few turbulent years later at the top of the club had done little to temper success at youth level.  Players like Conor Coady and Adam Morgan had progressed well and Marsh made the step up with them, moving on to manage the under 18's in the summer of 2011.  Now reunited with being reunited with Kenny Daglish - the manager that gave him his debut back in 1990 - Marsh continued the work of Pep Segura and ended the season having won fifteen of his twenty eight youth league games in charge.  The departure of Dalglish and subsequent arrival of Brendan Rodgers this summer has brought with it another summer of upheaval, but Rodgers has seen something in Marsh that he wants to have around in his new vision for the club.  Another promotion beckons and this season, Mike Marsh will be a part of the coaching staff at Liverpool Football Club.  His long journey had come full circle.

“For me it is very important to have people with the root of Liverpool in the their heart; the soul of the club." - Brendan Rodgers.

Ultimately, there needs to be that bond.  Something that joins together the team to it's fans and the past to the present.  Without that in place, it's impossible to build for the future because there are two sides of the club pulling in different directions.  Liverpool Football Club, as much as it is a brand known the world over, is a reflection of the city and it's supporters.  Roy Hodgson couldn't grasp that concept and - seemingly on purpose - continued to provoke the fans with his mindless rhetoric and is now gone.  Kenny Dalglish was the opposite, but he is now gone too.  The idea - like so much of everything else in football - is to get that balance right.  Mike Marsh is a man who was born and raised in Liverpool, grew up supporting them, played for them and spent his entire footballing career influenced by his boyhood club.  His story is not finished yet.  In fact, he has a central role to play in this new chapter in the history of the club.