(A) Anzhi Makhachkala - Post Match Thoughts

Final Score: Anzhi Makhachkala 1-0 Liverpool
Anzhi Makhachkala Goal: Lacina Traore (45)

Losing will never be a good thing or seen as thus, nor should it.  As fans we want our teams to win every game they play.  There are always extraneous circumstances surrounding any match what with injuries and suspensions  it's just that the value of squad depth and rotation means that only exaggerates the situation.  We went into the game with not only an understrength side but also a change in formation that they'd have to get to grips with in order to conquer what is at present the second best team in Russia.  In normal circumstances, this would also mean doing so on their own turf but UEFA and their regulations meant this game had to be played in Moscow.  That being said, we were still the outsiders and would still have to do a remarkable job in order to take something from the game. So that we did enough, that we were more than a match for our opponent - albeit were never going to take advantage of that superiority - isn't that something to be positive about?

On what I was told was a mild night in Moscow at just two degrees, the opening exchanges would have done little to warm those playing or watching inside the ground. We were composed and quiet  making short simple passes to allow us time to ease ourselves into the game at our own pace.  Not that our opponents had any intentions of coming out of the blocks with any real tempo themselves, for they were happy to keep passing it around in their own half while we sat men in position behind the ball as it played into our hands perfectly.  Up front, Adam Morgan showed very early that he was going to be a willing runner and not someone who would stay rooted to the penalty spot and this helped us as we were able to push them a little further back as their defence had to be aware of his - and the subsequently Shelvey and Cole's - presence.

As far as chances went, Anzhi were far more willing to play the ball forward than they were at Anfield and as such created something early on.  The ball broke to Tagirbekov on the edge of the penalty area on the left hand side.  Whether he meant to shoot or was trying to whip the ball around for Eto'o isn't clear, but it was in the end neither and Jones picked the ball up with ease.  Because they were being very patient in waiting for a spot in midfield when the defenders had the ball, it allowed us to apply some serious pressure when they would try to probe further up.  Owing to the state of the pitch though that became difficult for both sides as passes were much more difficult and anticipating them meant to account for any bobbles on the pitch.  Tagirbekov's earlier chance was led to by a missed interception and a few minutes later Jamie Carragher came for one that he didn't meet but fortunately Brad Jones was on his toes and collected it at the feet of Lacina Traore.

Despite the presence of some very inexperienced players out there, we showed a great amount of composure and no sign whatsoever of any fear or intimidation.  The midfield was compact and organised, with Shelvey and Henderson doing enough so that young Connor Coady wasn't overworked and we were starting to get it wide and play with Flanagan and Downing getting more of a look in.  Thanks to an over hit Downing cross it was Flanagan who found himself with time and space on the right hand side but his return ball was cleared also.  Wild clearances like this were symptomatic of the fact that Anzhi weren't particularly protective of possession and as such constantly gave the ball back to us.  When we did get it back Jonjo Shelvey looked to be the one dictating it the most in the middle of the park as he was by far the most confident of the midfield three.  There were a couple of times Rodgers would have been wanting Jonjo to reign that in however as more than a few passes went astray and gave up any pressure that might have been building.

Because of the space we were guarding and weight of numbers down the middle, they looked to go down our right hand side with a few switches of play. Even when they did get behind because of the fact that we were playing three at the back one of them was always spare and could help out, like when Zhirkov tried to get around Flanagan and he held him off long enough for Wisdom to come in and take the ball. Moments later they tried the aerial route with Lacina Traore but again two came out to meet him and he rather easily gave the ball away.  Certainly if their plan was to target Jon Flanagan it wasn't working, he was looking particularly strong and determined in the tackle and on more than one occasion set us off on the break.  They were very weary of how much of a threat we could pose in this manner, as evidenced by Christopher Samba's hefty challenge on Joe Cole after Morgan and Shelvey combined to send him off down the right hand side.

Though they were slow and patient in their own half, Anzhi were showing far more than they had at Anfield recently in that they were actually capable of going up the gears somewhat.  Some good passing looked to have presented them with an opportunity down the right hand side but Downing was in position to cut the final ball out, which was important in that for the system to work both fullbacks had to do their defensive duties.  Downing had been a decent outlet and continued to show that despite all the criticism is continuing to do what's asked of him, even if he'll never be a world beater.  With the arrival of the twenty minute mark, it was evident that we'd not only gotten to grips with the changes in formation but also it was causing problems for our opponents.

A lot of the pressure we exerted in the first half was as a result of solid midfield play and good movement from Adam Morgan, who was relentless.  I've heard so much about Morgan being a finisher and nothing more - whatever that constitutes - but the few chances he's had in the first team show that he's eager and willing not only go into deeper and wide areas to he can receive or battle for the ball but also create space for others.  In fact, he should have had an assist to his name at around the twenty three minute mark.  Having popped up on the left hand side with his back to goal to be an outlet, he was then moments later on the right where he picked it up and slid in a defence splitting pass for Jordan Henderson.  At this point there were any number of things he could have done with it.  Certainly a shift of the shoulder would have left the goalkeeper for dead and an open goal, but one one one you expect a save to be made.  Henderson however had no intention of shooting and tried to play it back at an impossible angle.  Anzhi cleared the ball, having been massively let off the hook.

Having coped so well up until this point, Anzhi were becoming impatient, playing impossible through balls at difficult angles in hope more than anything else.  They did manage to get in behind briefly, having sucked Stewart Downing in there was a gap for them on the right hand side.  Fortunately Downing reacted quick enough to not only delay Logashov's cross but track him as he went behind, which allowed Stewart to come in and clear it as they tried to play it back to him.  Jones had been having a fairly comfortable night up thus far and after that break into our penalty area we one again set about keeping the ball and making short easy passes, frustrating them immensely.  This led to Jonjo Shelvey getting the ball out wide with time and space but his cross wasn't great.  We'd played arguably the better football but Gabulov in goal was equally as untested as Jones.

Nobody has more of an idea how frustrating it is when a side has players back behind the ball.  Even at it's most basic it's incredibly difficult to deal with.  Here it was good to see us using it for our advantage for a change, really having a solid wall behind the goalkeeper that Anzhi found no luck whatsoever in trying to break down.  Guus Hiddink was forced to concede one thing to Brendan Rodgers in that his starting formation and tactics had completely gotten the edge over his side right from kick off.  In changing Ahmedov for Gonzalez and trying to add more cohesion as well as a threat to Anzhi's play, at the very least we had forced our opponents to throw away their initial game plan.

So many of the wounds we've suffered this season have been of our own making.  Here it genuinely looked like Anzhi's only way in.  Wisdom's first touch let him down and forced him into giving away the ball.  From here Zhirkov was through and played in Eto'o on the edge of the box.  Even here there were still three our four Liverpool shirts in and around the box trying to get back at him but his shot was instant and the save from Jones was good.  Following this, Seb Coates looked to have dealt with the situation well, bundling his way past a few Anzhi players only for them to get it back off him.  There was a scramble of sorts in and around the penalty area but the eventually Downing was able to step in and clear.

At the other end, once again Joe Cole was finding it difficult to have any real positive effect on the game.  It was unlike his infamous League Cup performance the other week in that here he was coming up against a defence - Chris Samba in particular - who he could get nothing out of at all.  Such was his frustration that he at one point went down with a dive so laughable that the only thing preventing everyone the world over from condemning it was that English players never ever ever dive.  Their change of shape had now made it very clear that when we had the ball we would have to go through two banks of four but our movement was still good enough to work space out on the flanks.  The one problem with that - as we saw against Swansea - is that Henderson's delivery isn't his best feature and so his crosses were consistently cleared with ease.

Joe Cole meanwhile finally had something to smile about - on his birthday no less - being awarded a cheap free kick on the edge of the box.  From the set piece he could have even had the perfect present but he couldn't quite work the header onto goal from what was a very difficult angle with the ball behind him and having to stoop to make contact.  As the half closed we came back into it as an attacking force and looked very good, Shelvey finding space in between their midfield and attack as well as Wisdom putting a very good ball into the box.  Neither of which would ultimately come to anything but it was a sign of how at ease we were with the way things were going.  With all the good things we'd done in the first half, it was with more or less the last kick that we undid them.

A straight ball played into Lacina Traore on the edge of the box.  If you were being really harsh, you could suggest that if Carragher is closer to Coates, there's no room to play that ball in, but that's not where we went wrong.  Coates' missed interception is painful, with Traore in on goal and then Brad Jones comes out to make the strikers mind up for him instantly, lobbing it over his head to give Anzhi the lead.  We would have plenty of time to mull over it in the dressing room as this was the very last action of a half we'd - right up until the end - had a great deal of control over.

With forty five minutes left to go and a goal needed at the very least to take something back to Liverpool, the second half began a lot quicker than the first.  Both teams had upped their game with more active pressing in their half, which raised the tempo from the easy paced initial opening to proceedings.  Once again Adam Morgan was getting involved, linking up well with Joe Cole on two occasions.  Firstly a good pass to set free Cole on the break only for him to be flagged offside; it was a tight call and had the official let it go then he was in on goal.  Another chance came for Morgan this time with some good work down the left hand side culminating in Cole playing him through, only for the subsequent shot to hit the side netting.

Everything in the game had gone up a level, except perhaps the quality.  Both ourselves and Anzhi were guilty of not putting enough care on the final pass, which only added to the very fractured nature of the game.  That being said it was starting to get more open, with the more ferocious pressing of the ball there were also a lot more gaps to exploit all over the park.  Once again we were able to create something, the ball being played through to Adam Morgan inside the penalty area but he was crowded out and Shelvey shinned the rebound completely from the edge of it.  With all these half chances that were coming our way, Anzhi looked to get even more on the front foot and began playing balls over to Traore in an attempt to keep it away from their goal.  His general play seemed to get a lot better in the second half, especially the way he held the ball up for them and not only made it difficult for us to get anything going but also allowed them to build more attacks of their own.

Of the two goalkeepers on display, Brad Jones was the one being asked the more questions now.  Shelvey and Carragher were a little half hearted on the left hand side of the pitch and Gonzalez nipped in.  They played it across cross the field and eventually it came to Eto'o, who curled a shot right into Jones' grateful arms.  Traore moments later had a chance of his own to double their lead, playing the ball through the legs of an overly eager Jordan Henderson to create half a yard and then firing wide.  With the game very much still in the balance despite Anzhi having the better of the chances it was time for Brendan Rodgers to make some changes.  Suso came on for Connor Coady and Adam Morgan was taken off for Dani Pacheco.  What this did was switch around the midfield, allowing Suso to operate at the point of the midfield triangle but left two forwards in Joe Cole and now Pacheco.

In order for the subs to have any influence on the game, it would have helped if we could get hold of the ball to any great degree.  Anzhi pushed us back and forced the wing backs to be permanent fixtures alongside the back three and the midfield almost collapsed onto them.  Their pressing of the ball was relentless and we were unable to figure a way out of it with no outlet whatsoever.  Joe Cole did a lot of admirable running in trying to cause them problems but they played around him with ease.  One avenue we really had to exploit was the counter attack. Suso picked the ball up and looked brilliant in going past a few players, the first time we'd really seen it in the second half.  In the end he held onto the ball for too long however despite having players in space and was crowded out.

Dealing with such immense pressure on the ball, it really helped that one of the players being brought on was Suso.  Such a technically gifted footballer, he really made a difference in being able to play around the challenges that were coming in and around him and this in turn allowed us to try and threaten them some more as the game went into the final stages.  Everything centred around the Spaniard.  He helped keep alive possession on the edge of the box after they'd half cleared it, a transition in between Downing and Flanagan crosses who were now being encouraged to get further forward as opposed to being pushed back.  At the other end he was helping out too, tracking back and fouling Samuel Eto'o to stop Anzhi going any further on the break.  For all our building pressure however, it was our opponents who should have scored next.  Traore laid it out wide and continued his run into the box - something a surprisingly few amount of forwards do - and when the cross came in he met it powerfully, but it was at Brad Jones and he was able to get a hand to it.  If we were in this position, it'd be about now I'd be anticipating the equalizer.

It had taken far too long but finally Gubulov was being called into action.  Suso drifted inside brilliantly and unleashed one from a fair distance.  It was well hit and forced the Anzhi goalkeeper to save, but he only parried it right in front of Joe Cole.  Gubulov to his credit smothered Cole and made it difficult for him and so ultimately he wasn't able to make the most of the chance and instead of a goal we got a corner.  That turned out to be Joe Cole's final action of the game and most probably his final act in a Liverpool shirt.  Any anger I feel toward the transfer is not in regard to the player or the man, I wish him well on his future endeavours as come the transfer window he will almost certainly be away from Liverpool.  Someone who has just started his career at the club, Ousamma Assaidi came on his place as we looked to try and take a positive point to go with the performance back with us.

Another chance for Anzhi to wrap the game up, another one squandered.  This one was inexcusable.  Traore was put through one on one with Brad Jones and looked to have five days to make his mind up.  When the ball drifted wide it seemed like this could very well be our day and that they'd spurned too many opportunities to put the game beyond all doubt.  We pushed people forward now liberally and coupled with their now reluctance to come out and try to win the ball, the midfield was very thin from both sides and there were plenty of gaps outside their penalty area in which the game was played.  All their clearances were rushed and needless and we continued to press for something to give us hope.  A set piece just outside the box could have been that chance to savour something but Shelvey rather summed up our night offensively by hitting a free kick so wide it was in more danger of hitting the corner flag.

Hiddink had made it clear that his side were content to play on the break from now on.  Jonjo Shelvey was forced back to deal with one such break, clearing it to set us off on another attack before moments later Brad Jones had to come out and claim one.   Ultimately however, we created only one real chance of note.  Dani Pacecho found space just outside the box and played in Suso.  His cutback was met by Jordan Henderson which was blazed well over.  If the first team is a collection of players that suffer greatly from a lack of cutting edge and composure it's only natural that this fringe team would be dealt a similar fate.  Coady and Morgan battled very well and Suso looked like a revelation when he came on, further underling to his manager that he would be better suited in field.  The idea of leaving out our major players in this game given how tight this group is would have been a difficult one but ultimately what was necessary.  Also, things aren't bleak on that front either thanks to a favourable result in the other game so qualification is still very possible.  We now have the added advantage of having gotten something out of the group - albeit not the way we would have wanted - and rested all of our key players in what's going to be a tough game coming up.  Chelsea need to watch out for we have a record at Stamford Bridge of late and it's not the kind of record that they'd like to hear.

(H) Newcastle - Post Match Thoughts

Final Score: Liverpool 1-1 Newcastle
Liverpool Goal: Luis Suárez (67)
Newcastle Goal: Yohan Cabaye (43)

Talk of frustration, missed opportunities and a lack of a cutting edge.  Just another day at Anfield.  Given all that had been made of Newcastle not winning here for so long and on the back of a miserable performance against Swansea in the cup, I have to admit I was fearing the worst.  In that sense, things unfolding in the way they did - that typical manner of having all the play but being unable to capitalize - wasn't the worst that could have happened.  At the very least we've not lost two in a row and the setback in confidence that would have given us with a really tough couple of games in the next seven days, I can be thankful for small mercies.

Before the game, it was a chance to honour Steven Gerrard who was making a landmark 600th appearance for the club.   He's probably the best player I'll ever see play for Liverpool - it would be very interesting if anyone could get close - and I have nothing but love and respect for all he does for the football club, even if I don't always see eye to eye with him on certain aspects of his game.  When we did kick off - following a particularly rousing rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone - there were no signs of the same kind of sluggishness which began the game in midweek and festered right throughout.  Newcastle looked a little cautious and allowed us early possession, while Gerrard and particularly Sterling were getting on the front foot immediately.  We did a good job of pressing them and keeping the ball high up the pitch without over committing and the first real chance came just minutes in when Sahin and Sterling linked up to play in Suarez.   The ball was cut out by Coloccini for a corner which prevented an almost certain goal.

All the early play came from those in a red shirt.  Jose Enrique was getting forward often and combined with Gerrard effectively to create some pressure in their half of the field.  Just ahead of him Raheem Sterling looked perhaps the most likely player to create something and having laid it into Luis Suarez the Uruguayan could maybe have had the case for a penalty.  Coloccini did catch him with his trailing leg and it would have been harsh given that Suarez went one way and the ball the other, but I've seen them given.  What was particularly effective about our domination of the early exchanges was how the midfield played into it.  There was a lot of grass in between their midfield and defence and that we had a  man extra it allowed us the comfort of always being able to find that space.  Nuri Sahin was supporting the attack well and passing the ball around very effectively while Gerrard and Allen really put themselves onto the Newcastle players and in turn forced mistakes.

A lot of our play this year has seemed to focus on one side of the pitch.  We're very lop sided when Glen Johnson plays and today were very much the same with Jose Enrique going and Wisdom staying.  Similarly Newcastle purposely overloaded on their left hand side in an attempt to get Cisse into the game, knowing that there would be space in front of his fullback to receive the ball but also it was a lot easier for them to bypass Suso also.  In trying to get a foot on the ball, they really congested that part of the pitch and were successful in calming things down somewhat, purely by their strength in numbers.  One of the things they weren't doing however was coming onto the ball.  When receiving the ball from Brad Jones in goal, Joe Allen was allowed to turn with it and see the play in front of him whereas most teams like to put pressure on this outlet.  What that did was play into our hands and allow us a fair degree of control.  Unfortunately as Newcastle were growing into it we weren't as good on the ball and began to give it away, which in turn only helped them find their feet even more.

It took some time in coming but they did put our defence under pressure.  Santon was released by Cisee out on the left hand side but his cross wasn't great and we were able to clear even after they'd collected it up on the other side.  The warning was there - as if we needed reminding - that we'd been playing some decent football, this was a side who only needed one or two chances to make us pay.  In that sense there was something of a stalemate with Newcastle happy to let us come on to them and our inability to use that and overwhelm them completely.  Everything was a little more open now with both teams fairly settled, both Suarez and Ben Arfa shooting at goal within moments of each other but neither with any real quality to give either goalkeeper cause for concern.

With the game becoming more of a contest, Newcastle for the first time were suddenly caught with numbers high up the pitch.  It was the only time we really got in behind them when Sahin set Suarez away but Steven Taylor did just about enough to make things difficult, forcing him wider than he would have wanted and also preventing the pass away to Sterling.  The eventual shot was forced away but it wasn't before long that Suarez was involved again.  Always causing problems for Coloccini just by being around, this time the ball simply wouldn't drop for anyone with Joe Allen coming onto it but unable to make any clear contact and it going wide.  An injury to James Perch stopped the game for a few minutes to allow Newcastle a bit of a breather and after the change it was Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel who were running with the ball out of defence, trying to get us to pick it up again after the delay.

We were guilty of it against Swansea and here they were doing themselves no favours whatsoever.  Tim Krul's distribution seemed to be very off and his kicking was a little aimless.  Newcastle do have some big players who were - on occasion - able to get it down and make something of it but on the whole all it did was give us the ball back and allow us the chance to start again.  We probed without any real dynamism, Enrique on the left hand side before Gerrard on the right.  On the occasions in which we had numbers in the box the quality of delivery was not of a great standard and whenever we did get in behind, there was nobody there to capitalize.  After having been forced into the change, the new look midfield of theirs was also coming to grips with the game a lot better.  Anita marshalled it very well as they were cutting balls out that were previously being played into Suarez's feet and the whole team had moved up a few yards.  Suarez was being forced to come deeper to pick it up and when he did Coloccini wouldn't allow him to turn and also they were playing Cisse and Ben Arfa a little narrower, allowing the full backs to get beyond them but more importantly adding extra numbers into the middle so that Gerrard, Allen and Sahin wouldn't have quite the same influence over the play.

There was good and bad things happening all over the pitch, no more than a few seconds apart.  Jose Enrique did really well to out muscle Ben Arfa - just brushed him aside with ease - and then ran up the pitch to give the ball away.  Moments later Suso did something similar, taking it away from his man with a brilliant first touch only to play a poor pass intended for Suarez and allowing them to have the ball. All over there wasn't quite the same buzz about the team as there had been in the early stages and they were starting to win the second ball a lot better too.  Suso wasn't having his best game and at times they certainly tried to exploit that side of the pitch but still he had one of the better chances, linking with Sterling and Gerrard on the one occasion we did manage to play the ball into that area just outside the box but despite shrugging aside a few players Suso could in the end only earn a corner.

To say it was a sucker punch would be an understatement.  The kind of thing that you have to laugh about or you might want to cry, especially given that it all came from a foul throw.  These are the kind of things that very rarely get given these days by officials, despite the fact that they happen all the time so in that sense just seeing one actually be called was something special.  Then came the goal, which really was special.  They switched it out wide to Ben Arfa who had Enrique for company and Sterling helping out but neither made a decisive challenge and then he drove into the box and over hit his cross.  Cabaye took it with one touch, sorted himself out and pinged it beyond Brad Jones.  Their first shot with about a minute to go until half time and it was the opening goal.  Sickening, but all too familiar.

You could see in the aftermath of the goal that we were a little rattled.  Gerrard gave it away almost instantly but put off Cabaye enough to make him rush the shot and sky it over.  Suarez did try to create something out of nothing just like they had done and though his chest control was good, the turn and finish was off and in the end it just trickled wide.  The last chance of the half did actually fall for Newcastle, a free kick for handball against Suso wasn't dealt with effectively by Gerrard or Allen and Steven Taylor tried to profit but his attempt at a finish went nowhere near Brad Jones' goal.  As the players went off for half time it was that same old sense of having been completely in control of a game and being punished for not making it count.

Right from the start of the second half, there was a real sense of urgency.  Within the first three minutes, Suarez had already created a couple of problems for them and both Sterling and Gerrard had won corners.  Their clearances were always frantic and aimless, allowing us to continue applying the pressure at all times.  Such was the eagerness with which we were playing, it very nearly got Raheem Sterling in trouble with the referee, after a challenge with Papiss Cisse left the Newcastle man in some pain.  Steven Gerrard did come over and have a word, probably saving the youngster from a booking and it was good to see the captain being able to contain the situation.

Demba Ba was a player who had been an injury concern coming into the game and so when Newcastle were forced into making another enforced substitution, it just added to the continuing momentum that we were building.  We were hunting them down without the ball now, Suso really working hard and forcing Krul into kicking it high and long; giving us some more possession.  On the whole Tim Krul is a goalkeeper who has done very well and I think is very good but on this occasion - all game - he looked very unconvincing.  Corners and free kicks whenever he tried to claim anything it never looked as though he was in command of the situation and was lucky to get away with one when Martin Skrtel jumped up with him and the ball found Daniel Agger but a foul had been given.

As the second half wore on, a strange paradox had began to evolve.  Newcastle were sat so deep and inviting the pressure on, to the point where there was just too much time left to employ such a tactic while at the same time we were guilty of being a little slow and one dimensional with very little movement in the forward areas - Suarez aside.  One thing that always does up the tempo is when one of our defenders makes the step up and fortunately both Skrtel and Agger are very good at this.  There was a real sense of pressure now as Suarez had a shot just wide and then linked with Sahin who also couldn't quite find the target.

As a result of the way the game had been going, Newcastle were going to have to make the most of whetever they did manage to get on the break and very nearly did when Sammy Ameobi went around Martin Skrtel only for the defender to just about recover.  They grew back into it a little with a series of free kicks and corners, relief from being encamped in their own half if nothing else.  It was here that Brendan Rodgers made his first change and it was an interesting one.  Given that Krul hadn't looked great with the floated ball and there wasn't that much space in the middle of the park, Assaidi or Downing might have been an option.  Instead it was Jonjo Shelvey who came on for Suso and immediately following this, the goal came.  Completely out of the blue.  Absolute genius.

Jose Enrique was having a very frustrating game.  Our attacks slowed down somewhat whenever he'd get involved and his passing left a lot to be desired.  Still, there's no denying that the pass to Suarez was a really good one and what the Uruguayan did next, was out of this world.  Controlling it on his shoulder while holding off Coloccini and then going around the goalkeeper to poke it home, it really was one of the best goals I've seen for some time and a true testament to the sheer amount of talent Suarez possesses.  Naturally that gave us a massive boost.  There was a real energy about the team and the way the game was going now.    It had also opened the game up massively.  Within moments of scoring, Suarez should have had an assist for a second goal.  Having won the ball from Coloccini not once but twice, he laid it back across what was an open goal for Jonjo Shelvey, but he was off balance and couldn't make a connection other than have it go helplessly back to Krul in goal.  It was turning into the Luis Suarez show.



The game had been set up and what time remained was all about whether or not we'd get the winner.  Shelvey, Suarez and Sterling were all involved as the energy was visibly lifted all around Anfield.  The one chance Newcastle had to relieve the pressure was when Nuri Sahin gave away a cheap free kick.  I've never seen one player be penalized in one game for more questionable fouls than Sahin here.  Pretty much every challenge seemed to be one where he'd win the ball but because you're not allowed to tackle these days he'd get pulled up for it.  A few moments later and Sahin's work would be done for the day with Stewart Downing coming on in an attempt to bring some fresh legs on and try and win it.  Suarez set through Raheem Sterling on the break and but for a Steven Taylor lunging block would have given Krul some major problems.  It was the second really good chance we'd had since the goal and were we in front then Newcastle could have no complaints.  As it was, time was on their side and running out for us.

Sammy Ameobi was perhaps the biggest threat we faced in the closing stages, forcing a save out of Brad Jones.  On the whole we'd marshalled their attacking players very well, Skrtel and Agger having another very solid afternoon.  What we have seen so far this year is that we can be our own worst enemy defensively.  Andre Wisdom didn't get much purchase on his headed clearance and it came to Cisse who shot wide when he had a lot more time and space and Jose Enrique nearly pushed the self destruct button completely having given it away to set Newcastle on the break.  The ball was played through to Ben Arfa on the right hand side of the penalty area and had he laid it back across Cisse would have scored.  Fortunately he was a little more greedy and the extra time he took allowed us to get the block in.

Luis Suarez would be a worst nightmare for defender in this kind of mood.  All game he was in their faces and full of activity in trying to make something happen.  At one point it was taking three defenders to try and block him out, so no wonder Coloccini decided he'd had enough of him.  As the ball was played down the side to him, the Argentine defender went for a stamp right down the back of his legs, and was promptly shown a straight red card for it.  With the man advantage we looked to see if we could make full use of it.  Gerrard played a magnificent cross field ball to Sterling who could only force a corner.  After which another set piece from Gerrard gave Shelvey a chance at the back post but he fired straight at Krul.  By the end of the game, Jonjo could quite easily have had a hat trick with another chance with his head this time with what was more or less the last kick of the game.  As much as we tried to force another goal in, a combination of good defending and impetuousness on our party without that extra quality meant that we had to settle for a point.  As for what we can take, we can take heart from the performance as a whole and rejoice in what was an absolute wonder goal from Suarez.  We must also know despite that we can be better and we have to show more of a killer instinct if we are to really push on, but that's only something that will come in time.  Now we take the very long trip all the way to Moscow.  A real European adventure awaits.

(H) Newcastle - Pre Match Thoughts

                                           Premier League

                                        Sunday 4th November 2012
                                                  Anfield

                                     Liverpool VS Newcastle

Right now Liverpool Football Club feels as if on the edge of something.  After the crushing defeat by Swansea and our less than stellar points total, things really could go downhill very fast.  The real shame of all this is how quickly people would forget all the positives and the need for patience that everyone reiterated over and over prior to the season beginning.  Funnily enough, it's been in the big occasions this year in which we've done well, albeit got nothing to show for it.  Victories over Man United, Man City and Everton could have been victories but for very small margins and in spite of all the good performances we need to start picking up points.  A good result against a top side could do wonders for confidence whereas defeat - especially with a trip to Stamford Bridge waiting next week - would really harm the team.

There are so teams - far too many - that come up against us and seemingly have some sort of voodoo power over us.  Likewise Newcastle just can't seem to get one over on us to the point where before they went down to the Championship, it was incredible the sheer number of consecutive matches in which we'd manage to beat them.  In recent years, they have managed to address the balance at St James' but it's here - at Anfield - that they just cannot seem to get any kind of result.  Newcastle haven't managed to beat us at home in eighteen years and given the way our form has been in recent years, it's hard to see when they won't get have a better chance.

As far as the team is concerned, the only real question marks will be over Pepe Reina and Glen Johnson.  I'm curious to see exactly what will happen when Reina does retake the number one spot from Brad Jones who - the first goal against Everton apart has performed admirably - and whether we look as solid as you'd expect or we'll need a few games to get back into a rhythm again.  Johnson on the other hand we need back in as soon as possible, for all that he gives us in an attacking sense and the fact that all our other options at left back are something of a compensation.  Playing Jack Robinson would be a little risky with Wisdom the other side - not that the manager would shy away from such a decision - while Jose Enrique seems to be far short of the standard required to really have an impact.

Once again our opponents have a key player who has been reported to be potentially missing out on today's game but will ultimately find his way into the line up.  It's rather repetitive now and no-one really believes any kind of report when it comes to players recovering from injury to play but Demba Ba - who does have serious problem with injuries - does seem primed to come back in, despite reports to the contrary.  He and Papiss Cissé have been lethal in front of goal for the last eighteen months and it's imperative that our defence is at it's best in order to stop them for if they get even so much as one chance it's likely they'll put it away.  With players like Ben Arfa and Cabaye, it's also possible that we may see a shake up in the rest of the team, with Downing more likely to offer cover that could stop Ben Arfa running rampant as opposed to Suso who wouldn't be best utilized both going forward and back and Henderson or Shelvey in place of Sahin which could also add a little more steel than we've had recently.

Last year they surprised everyone, in showing the league that you don't have to spend massive amounts of money in order to challenge for top European places.  In some ways what they did was the opposite of what we were trying but ultimately we both fell short.  This season the test will be whether they can keep up with that added expectation that dragged Newcastle teams down in the past while we're trying to adapt to a new manager and a different way of doing things.  Results yesterday mean that there's a big chance for either side to catch up having not started the season the way they would have liked.  With people everywhere looking to push the panic button, the last thing we need now is to give anyone any further reason to do so.

(A) Everton - Post Match Thoughts

Final Score: Everton 2-2 Liverpool
Everton Goals: Leon Osman (22), Steven Naismith (35)
Liverpool Goals: Leighton Baines O.G (14), Luis Suárez (20)

The first Merseyside derby with Brendan Rodgers in charge was an absolute roller-coaster ride that ended with that familiar sense of not having quite managed to have a points tally that matched up to our performance.  As far as the team was concerned it was disappointing that Glen Johnson was unable to recover from the injury picked up in the Europa League but a chance for Jose Enrique to pick up where he left off against Reading, other than that it was a little surprising to actually see Pepe Reina on the bench but showed faith in Brad Jones who fully deserved his chance.

It ended with an incorrect offside decision and so it began.  Everton played the ball in directly to Steven Naismith who was ahead of all the red shirts only for Jose Enrique to concede an early corner.  From here the counter attack looked very much on but Enrique's follow up pass as he tried to bend it round for Sterling was poor.  The early exchanges were every bit what you would expect, with their players putting us under constant pressure but we were bright enough and always on the look out for the next pass.  Though it was a little congested in midfield, Everton did have their share of the ball.  What we did look to do was get in behind them very quickly when taking it off them.  Enrique played in Suarez down the left hand side and while he was able to take it in and face up with Jagielka, the pass then back to Suso slowed the move down, with the young Spaniard watched carefully for his eventually cross to arrive safely into the hands of Tim Howard.  At the other end a ball through very nearly put Naismith in on goal but he too was watched carefully by Martin Skrtel, with Brad Jones alert enough to come out and take it off his toes.

Everton's movement in attacking areas was going to have to be watched carefully given what was evident in the opening few minutes.  Naismith popped up all over the place and tried to make a nuisance of himself as often as possible while Fellaini was always a threat and an option should Everton choose to use him.  On the other side, Kevin Mirallas created the first real opening of the game.  Picking the ball up on the half way line, he strode forward and simply kept on running.  Direct, full of pace and energy, his dangerous looking cross was knocked over the top by Skrtel for a corner, of which a second quickly followed.  For us, Suarez was making his usual drifting movements, always keen to be involved as much in the build up as the goal itself.  One thing we were always able to do with him was get it to stick and build a platform but from here it broke down somewhat, with Sahin and Sterling having a breakdown in communication and the Turkish midfielder having it taken from him having stood on it for too long.  Both teams were a little rash in possession, although it was a credit that this was mostly due to the pressure being applied by the side without the ball.  Having just about settled into the game things were about to get a whole lot better.

A simple ball in by Suso down the left hand side completely unlocked their defence and Enrique was in.  He took hold of it and flashed it across the box, where Raheem Sterling went down under a challenge.  Before anyone could even put their hands in the air and enquire about a penalty, Suarez picked it up and took over. In trying to drill it into the far corner, the ball hit Leighton Baines and into the Everton net to give us the lead.  Scoring at Goodison Park is enough to anger the Everton faithful but Suarez's celebration went one better.  After Moyes had been talking up in the press all week about Luis and diving, the Uruguyan having provided the goal ran over to the technical area and flopped in front of the Everton bench, is it any wonder we love him?

With almost no real goalmouth action prior to the opener, it rattled the home side and equally gave us a little boost in confidence.  They managed to pin us back with a succession of throw ins down by the penalty area on the right hand side but we stood up to them and eventually managed to clear.  When Sterling went running away on the counter, it was nothing more than a release of the pressure but the free kick that Leon Osman gave away would punish Everton even further.  Steven Gerrard's ball in was good, Everton's marking was not.  Luis Suarez headed the ball beyond Tim Howard to double the lead and send the reds into dreamland.  It then very quickly turned into a nightmare.

People talk about being completely switched on and concentrating for the period directly after you score a goal so much so that it's a cliché.  Here proved exactly why such sentiments exist.  Fellaini and Naismith combined to win a corner, for which Brad Jones came and failed to command the situation for the first time in a long time and was punished for it.  His punch back to the edge of the box fell straight to Leon Osman who took a touch to set himself and slotted the ball into the corner.  Everton with a goal back and a lot of  impetuous, backed by their supporters and a renewed energy from the players.  At this point Brendan Rodgers would have wanted his men to get on the ball and settle things down, both the tempo and the occasion needed cooling, unfortunately we were unable to get it off them.  The one chance we did manage to wrestle control, Suso went for the booming long pass to Sterling on the counter rather than holding onto it.  Though the intentions were well meant - to try and get back at Everton on the break - simply trying to keep it and away from them is something that will come with experience.

Everton were direct and looked menacing whenever they went forward.  Mirallas in particular looked to be causing problems whenever he was involved with the play.  The pressure was mounting and Skrtel was forced to head wide for a corner.  Having punched the set play that lead to Everton's goal, Jones decided that this time he would come out and claim it only to not quite get there in trying to force his way through a load of bodies.  Fortunately the referee looked kindly on him and awarded us the free kick.  With the game having been almost turned by a sudden goal for the home side, another one for us would almost certainly do the same.  As ever it was Suarez at  the heart of the matter, taking the ball inside and shooting agonisingly wide.  In an attacking sense that was pretty much all we had.  It was all Everton.

Andre Wisdom has been such a rock in his early Liverpool career it's very easy to forget that he is still learning and developing.  Every footballer will have games like these and that it just so happened to come in the derby is unfortunate but ultimately understandable.  Mirallas was giving him a real hard time on the flank and when he was caught on the ball Everton nearly went through for their second, only for Jelavic to get his ball through to Fellaini wrong and the Belgian to knock it just wide.  Another wave of attack wasn't far away, this time it came when Leighton Baines was too quick for Sterling and forced the youngster into making a challenge that would ultimately earn him a booking.  Fellaini was now seemingly the centre of the universe with the football being drawn toward that rather large afro of his.  A thorn in our sides at every juncture, it was increasingly difficult to deal with as our midfield flattened out a little and became incredibly disjointed.  Allen and Gerrard were appearing on the right, with Sahin at times trying to get up alongside Suarez.   Not that they weren't trying to do what was needed and get us back some composure in the game but it left us ragged in the middle which in turn allowed them a little more freedom and space in the attacking third.

Crowd pressure can sometimes get to referees, it also on occasion works against them.  When Joe Allen tried to play through Sterling and he collided with Leighton Baines once more, the Goodison Park faithful were baying for a red card.  In spite of the protests from the fans - and indeed Tim Howard who ran a fair few yards to give his say on the matter - Sterling was instead given a talking to by Andre Marriner.  At least now we were starting to get out of our own half a little bit more often.  Though the atmosphere had not yet died down there was more of a sense that there was only one team trying to score, Sahin and Suarez linking up inside the box after Suso had driven the ball inside.  From this small shoot of recovery came the hammer blow.  Andre Wisdom was unfortunate to concede a throw in that came off an Everton boot and from here we were made to pay.  Mirallas put in a poor ball from the right, so much so that it hit Fellaini.  He was the only one to react to it however as the entire defence shut off completely and his cross was converted by Steven Naismith.  Two goals up and the game was now level.

At this point, the game was poised to turn into an absolute mess.  With ten minutes left to go before the break, another Everton goal would really test our mindset and so it was important that at the very least we were strong enough to see it out.  Gerrard tried to make some inroads on the right, before Sterling and Enrique linked up on the left.  Either side there was no way through and they came back at us once more.  Sitting deeper and deeper defensively, we started to invite them onto us and were nearly made to pay after Mirallas' cross was so powerful it forced a save from Brad Jones.  Having tormented us for most of the half, even Luis Suarez  had dropped so deep to help out and at one point and gave away a free kick on the edge of the penalty area which we were just able to handle it.

Just about hanging on in there, Mirallas came again before half time.  Absolutely destroying Andre Wisdom with a spin on the ball only to earn a corner and nothing more, he then hobbled off the pitch clearly in some pain.  Skrtel dealt with what followed before Sheamus Coleman fired over. Breathing a sigh of relief, there was still time for a little amusement as the referee would admonish someone for diving.  All the talk prior to - and even during - the game, it was Everton captain Philip Neville who was found trying to con the referee.  Disgraceful scenes.  With three minutes of added on time in the first half there was still room for one last attack and it was Gerrard on the end of it.  The ball was bouncing and incredibly difficult to take on the volley but still the Liverpool captain tried to shift his body in position only to hit it very high and wide.  It would have been the perfect end to forty five minutes of madness in which we rode out the early pressure, scored twice and then very nearly completely melted in the face of oncoming pressure.  There was a lot for both Brendan Rodgers and David Moyes to take in and still another half to play.  It's in times like these that managers earn their money.

More often than not very little actually changes at half time, visibly anyway. I've seen games where momentum has shifted and even turn around completely during the interval but it's only on a rare occasion that the actual team itself change that drastically.  That's what happened here as Brendan Rodgers sent us out  having made two substitutions and also a brand new change in formation.  Jonjo Shelvey was on in place of Suso and Sebastian Coates was brought on for Nuri Sahin, which meant that we were now operating with three at the back with Wisdom and Enrique the wing backs.  3-5-2 or 5-3-2 depending on whether or not we had the ball, either way it was still impressive and bold to see the manager make such drastic changes rather than letting the game drift any more.

As you'd expect, Everton started the half looking to get back onto the front foot and re-establish the dominance they were enjoying at the end of the first.  They too made a change during the break but this was forced on them with the injury to Kevin Mirallas meaning he could not continue and Magaye Gueye was on in his place.  One of the substitutes looking to make an early impact was Jonjo Shelvey.  He was on the ball and running with it quickly, laying off Andre Wisdom who nearly found Suarez.  It was the kind of move we were lacking in the first half as Shelvey was able to get into the space in between defence and attack that Sahin couldn't seem to find.  A few minutes later and the first real chance to add to the scoring came and it was a golden chance for Raheem Sterling.  A ball through in behind the left hand channel by Jose Enrique found the young striker now one on one with Tim Howard but not only did he not get his shot on target he fluffed it completely and skied it well over.  Someone with more experience would have been able to put that away and that's not a criticism, just something that will only change with time and learning.

Although Everton were enjoying a lot of the possession in the initial exchanges of the second half, defensively we were doing a much better job of keeping them away from Brad Jones' goal.  They were still causing problems around the penalty area however with Jelavic forcing a save and the ball squirting out to Baines.  Skrtel challenged him and though it was rash the referee didn't answer the crowds howls for a penalty.  Coleman fired over and after that we were a little more composed.  Having three centre halves enabled one of them to step out from the defence and pick off the passes before they could even be a problem, while the midfield was doing a better job of getting to grips with theirs and exerting some real pressure of their own.  Joe Allen is not someone whom you'd normally associate with tough tackling and getting stuck in and it's not that he doesn't have it but rather the way we want to play you'd hope he never has to show it.  There are always occasions whereby you need to have a little steel however and he really showed it here, getting involved in battles all over the park and coming out on top in a lot of them.

Though we had not fully extinguished their presence within the game it was certainly more of an even contest and we weren't quite as hanging on as at the end of the first half.  Suarez as ever was being a perfect outlet, dragging Jagielka out wide before one of those trademark runs across the byline into the penalty area before Distin blocked the shot.  Also on the break Sterling was always going to be a problem to contend with his pace, so Jagielka then brought him down to earn a booking - even though Shevley's ball through would never have found him.  From the resulting free kick Steven Gerrard was in the mood to do his best Gary McAllister impression, trying to cause a problem for Tim Howard some thirty five yards out, with the ball bouncing directly in front of him before being cleared.  Following this Everton came again, with Fellaini being the one looking to cause havoc in amongst our defence.  Three chances in quick succession ended with Coates just about doing enough to force him to head it wide, with the crosses coming from both sides after we were unable to properly clear.

Despite having kept them at arms length for the majority of the time, all it would take - as we'd seen in the first half - was one lapse in concentration to result in a goal.  Much like their second, the ball was played down the wing, only it was on the right hand side and not the left.  Jose Enrique missed it and they were in, only this time Martin Skrtel reacted well and challenged Jelavic preventing him from what could have been a tap in.  We had become a little sloppy in possession and were giving away cheap free kicks to allow them to build up the pressure some more now.  Joe Allen was too eager in his trying to win the ball back and the following Baines set piece was met by Jelavic who caught it too well.  Unlike Suarez in the first half - who glanced it - Jelavic caught it full on and head wide.  Moments later another challenge resulted in further Everton pressure when Agger pulled Fellaini - and then rather comically handballed it - but this time there was no real end product to be found.

With just over twenty minutes to go, Rodgers made his final change and once again it was a little out of the ordinary.  Jordan Henderson came on for Andre Wisdom to play at right full back.  What this would do was allow us the chance to step up ten yards or so and give us some footing inside the Everton half.  Right inside their half, Suarez was again causing problems for Sylvain Distin.  This time it was an untimely boot right at the base of his heel with Luis' studs going right into the defender's achilles after slipping slightly while trying to harass him at the back.  The crowd wanted a red and indeed it did not look pretty on replays but - and maybe I'm being naive - I don't think it was intentional.  Suarez had his hand up in apology immediately but that wouldn't change the fact that it was a bad challenge and earned him a yellow card.

It's happened to us on a few occasions this year where the game appears to be there for the taking and you can't quite get the goal so impatience sets in and it was starting to happen to Everton as we went into the final quarter of the game.  We had good numbers back as well as an imposing shape and as such it was difficult for them to find a way through in quite the same way as they were in the first half.  Their crosses were now becoming a little aimless and attempts on goal more desperate, with Jelavic trying to scissor kick the ball and coming closer to knock off Daniel Agger's head.  At the other end with there a little more space in their half, Jordan Henderson was able to get free on the right but was - having delayed his cross once already - unable to put anything in of real quality.  Coleman did likewise for Everton at the other end having cleared our corner as the game was starting to get a little stretched and then Steven Gerrard set Jonjo Shelvey away.  The midfielder carried it half the length of the pitch and was practically invited to shoot as no-one closed him down and so he obliged.  Both Suarez and Sterling could have been played in but when the space opens up like that you can't pass up those opportunities.

As we went into the closing stages the game was still firmly in the balance but lacked any real fluidity.  Coates was riling the home side with his aggressive challenges as much as Fellaini was pushing his luck for Everton.  Having only just about been cleared - however unsurprisingly - it was a sign of just how much he means to David Moyes' team as to how everything was still going through Fellaini, who was constantly on the move.  Martin Skrtel was forced into serious action when he played a ball through to Gueye and then Distin slid in on the Slovakian.  Skrtel was quick to react in charging down Baines - whom the ball had arrived at the feet of - and made sure it was a corner and nothing more.  Though the threat of an Everton winner did seem to loom large, for the most part in the second half we had done an excellent job of making sure Brad Jones had very little to do.

Whether it was a part of the managers plan or something that evolved naturally out of Everton's growing frustration, with under ten minutes to go there was suddenly a second wind from us.  We looked a threat once more, even in situations where the danger looked to be far away.  Jose Enrique's ball was over hit and Jordan Henderson did nothing more than force Gueye into playing - and then losing - it.  His cross was tucked back onto the edge by Daniel Agger and Gerrard's shot looked to be going in but for the intervention of Jagielka.  The crowd were aware that there was a chance they could lose this and the tension added to their frustrations.  One man who was feeling it was Slyvain Distin, who had to contend with Luis Suarez continually on the move.  Dragging the defender out wide, Suarez managed to brush by him on the edge of the box only to put in a weak shot that was blocked anyway.

Despite being on the edge of a derby day red card, Raheem Sterling handled himself pretty well in the aftermath.  The chance he missed was one that he will not look back on with any fondness but in terms of trying to do a job for the team in difficult circumstances, there was no doubting the desire and fight of the lad who was right at the death still causing problems for them.  Having not been able to get the ball back after we'd gotten onto the front foot, Everton will have been glad to see Sterling shoot miles over.  It was one of those where you want someone to take the responsibility of trying to score but still he should have done better and it released all the pressure.  With a couple of minutes to go, it looked like Everton had very little left.  Whenever they did get onto the ball, there were enough red shirts back in position to deal with anything and surprisingly enough there appeared to be a lack of desire for many of their players to get into the penalty area.  Four minutes of injury time remained.  Just enough for another controversy.

The midfield had done a good job in the closing stages of keeping the ball away from Everton and not allowing them to build up anything.  Joe Allen was all over the place while Steven Gerrard and Jonjo Shelvey roamed and made sure to do whatever they could.  With Gerrard on the receiving end of another soft foul, it looked like we'd be eating up the seconds that remained but the free kick did offer one last chance to overload the penalty area.  The ball in was good, Coates' climb over a defender and header back was even better and Suarez's finish should have been the match winner.  It would have been glorious and a spectacular boost for Brendan Rodgers and the team.  What seemed like several minutes later however, the assistant referee raised his flag.  The goal didn't count.  Suarez was on side.  The temptation to suggest that had anyone else scored it, the goal may have counted is massive, but we'll leave it at that.  This is why some managers prefer to be lucky than good.

With a minute to go there were still a couple of half chances for a hero on either side.  Joe Allen once again magnificent on the defensive end of things before Sterling went through half the Everton team but was unable to find either Shelvey or Suarez who still managed to race onto it and fire wide.  Full time then and the difference between three points and one is rather poorly dictated to us by the officials.  Things like that leave a very sour taste in my mouth as we need to start picking up the points.  That being said I can take comfort in the fact that Rodgers had the nous and the bravery to stop the rot at half time.  He's shown on numerous occasions already this season that he isn't afraid to do something out of the ordinary and that willingness to try is something that should be applauded.  I just hope we have something to show for it at the end of the season.

(A) Everton - Pre Match Thoughts

Premier League

                                            Sunday 28th October 2012
                                            Goodison Park

                                       Everton VS Liverpool


The struggle for supremacy is a never-ending one. Ninety minutes of madness, of memories that will last a lifetime but in the end all that matters is who was most recently victorious. Our victories against Everton last year, despite how sweetly they tasted at the time ultimately mean nothing. What matters is today. What matters is now.

This fixture appears to have come at a pivotal time for both clubs. We're still trying to shake off the poor results that started our season; and nothing would kick us into gear quite like a win over our nearest rivals. Everton meanwhile have - for the first time in a long time it seems - started the season magnificently. Having already beaten Manchester United here, another three points today would really solidify their optimism and underline David Moyes' ambition to finish as high up the table as possible.

What with this being such an important game, both managers have had causes for concern coming in regarding fitness. Having made the gamble of playing many of his first team on Thursday against Anzhi, Brendan Rodgers would still have hoped to have given Steven Gerrard in particular more rest. We've seen recently how his time needs to be managed and what can happen if he is not up to par, and for me there's a compelling argument for putting him on the bench and starting with Sahin-Allen-Shelvey - that would be a bold move however.

On the blue side of things, Mauroanne Fellaini has been out with an injury for some time. Not only would it be a great boost for Everton were he to come back in but it would give Moyes plenty more options in attack and Brendan Rodgers a hell of a lot more to think about. He is such a threat in and around the penalty area, I would love his name to be absent from the team sheet but I sincerely doubt he'll be as unhealthy as reports are suggesting.  Players who are a doubt always seem to make miraculous recoveries against us.

Aside from the burnout issue caused by the game in midweek, there are a couple of niggling injuries that could cause selection headaches. Glen Johnson was taken off at half time on Thursday and the hope would be it's not too serious, especially with the way he has been playing of late. Also, there could a dilemma be regarding who plays in goal. A fit and firing Pepe Reina is one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, but he has not been at that level for some time now. Brad Jones has come in and had two clean sheets in a row and despite the calibre of opposition, I think even if Pepe is fit Jones deserves to keep his place. The last thing Reina needs right now, despite how much he'll want it, is a game of this kind of scrutiny.

Usually with a derby there's a certain guarded bullishness. Some of it is just bluster but in my experience - Roy Hodgson aside - there has never been that much of a cause for concern until now. This is Brendan Rodgers first Merseyside derby and David Moyes' fifth Liverpool manager he has tested his skills against. For all the talk of a season of transition, Everton are settled in both identity and ambition. They have been playing good football and collecting good results lately, against everyone but us. If they really want to stake their claim and put a marker down, this is the day to do it. A win would light the fuse for either team.  Either way, there are bound to be fireworks.

(H) Anzhi Makhachkala - Post Match Thoughts

Final Score: Liverpool 1-0 Anzhi Makhachkala
Liverpool Goal: Stewart Downing (53)

From potentially hanging on by a thread to now looking in complete control for progression to the next round.  Fortunes change fast in the world of football and by fielding a strong eleven the message from  Brendan Rodgers that he wanted to give both the competition and our opponents a lot of respect - even with a Merseyside derby to contend with - was loud and clear.

European games tend to be a lot more methodical and everything - at least on face value - is at a much slower pace.  With that in mind, coupled with the fact that Anzhi backed off almost immediately, it didn't take  long for our assured passing game to begin, albeit with no real tempo.  Shelvey was keen to get forward right from the off while Sahin and Gerrard sat a little deeper and with Agger allowed to stride forward and dictate the play.  The couple of occasions they did manage to get onto the ball it was a complete reversal in approach, hitting it high and hopeful.  One of the good things about all those we had in defence is that not only are they athletic but all of them are strong enough so that this wouldn't be an issue.  Wisdom in particular is incredibly encouraging with his confidence and overall dominance.

Though we weren't getting the ball forward to him as often as he would have liked, Suarez - as ever - was looking lively.  He's a perfect outlet on the counter attack, able to not only create something for himself but skilled enough to hold it up while the rest of the team catches up with play.  Gerrard meanwhile was a little looser with his passing than you would have liked, but this was early on and it was more of a case of rustiness than trying something overly elaborate.  Anzhi worked very hard off the ball - which was a large majority of the time - and made it difficult for us to get it into any real area of danger.  Suarez did have one chance, linking up with Glen Johnson - who spent most of his time in the attacking part of the field - but the eventually shot was handled well by the goalkeeper.

Without going overboard, as far as first impressions go, Oussama Assaidi has made a very bright start to his Liverpool career.  He's everything you would want in a player that arrived for a fairly modest fee and offers something we've been lacking in the wide areas for some time now.  If we can get him isolated with the full back, his ability to go either way and create space with quick feet and an even sharper mind then that's something that could really hurt teams.  Assaidi does appear to have a lot of tricks in his locker and aside from having a genuine goalscoring touch - and even that's too soon to really be able to tell - Brendan Rodgers may have unearthed a gem.

Referees get far too much attention for the job they are doing.  If you're even aware of who the man in charge is, then he's not doing a good enough job of controlling the game.  Despite the fact that they make life increasingly difficult for themselves - what with something that is an incredibly challenging task in the first place - one thing that helps is when everyone knows early on exactly what to expect.  Bas Nijhuis, our Dutch official for the evening, was keen to let play continue at every opportunity.  Stewart Downing out muscled Yuri Zhikov and nothing was given, likewise a similar challenge on Luis Suarez moments later.  Both would have probably been fouls in a domestic setting and while it's not ideal to have things go unpunished, so long as both teams are playing under the same circumstances in the end what happened was it let the game flow.

It's been a while since Nuri Sahin arrived at Anfield from Madrid and having now had a chance to settle into the team, it does appear as if he looks a lot more comfortable with what's being asked of him.  Against West Brom in the League Cup, he took on the attacking role and really dominated the game but there were other times when it appeared he wasn't quite to grips with the more physically demanding stuff that was required of him. There had been signs of it in previous matches but here it looked more natural as he was constantly available for a pass and quick to cover on the handful of occasions in which they tried to break on us.

The shape of the team on the ball is something of a complete turnaround to that which we line up with initially.  It begins and ends with the fullbacks.  Glen Johnson goes high up and becomes practically a wide forward, while Wisdom tucks in a little and there's something of a back three there - with either he or one of the midfielders on hand at any given moment should anything dangerous arise.  Though we did have a lot of the ball, there was very little in the way of real quality from either side as both teams took their time to get into it.  Being the home side we had the more natural bite to our play, especially when our off the ball pressure allowed us to run at their defenders.  Despite having numbers back, there were plenty of occasions where we could exploit gaps in between their midfield and defence in playing the ball through to Suarez but every time we did someone was quick to come out and make sure he couldn't turn to face goal.  One such incident on the twenty minute mark saw Christopher Samba booked for a challenge on Suarez, the exact type of foul you don't want to see on your only recognised forward.

One aspect that will really have pleased the manager was the sheer hunger and ferocity with which we pressed the ball and looked to win it back.  Gerrard and Shelvey were taking turns in getting forward and while we had decent support for the attack it did play into their hands a little and made the area surrounding the Anzhi goal very crowded indeed.  The one time we managed to steal the ball in transition and counter it did look as if there would be some reward as Suarez laid the ball through to Shelvey on the edge of the box with very little in front of him.  Unfortunately the resulting shot was a little reckless and went flying over the bar.  Having bedded their way into the game, Anzhi were looking more comfortable and did start to threaten but you would have to say that it was difficult for them to get anything other than half chances.  Eto'o as you'd expect was at the heart of what little they did create but he was dropping so deep to receive the ball in the first place there were so many players in between he and the goal it was asking too much of even someone of his ability.

With so many men behind the ball, after the half hour mark and only infrequent pressure on the Anzhi goalkeeper, there was a degree of impatience that crept into the play.  Suarez and Downing were both guilty of playing passes in an attempt to force the issue that just gave the ball back to our opponents.  They did have one decent opportunity from a free kick that was resoundingly cleared by Gerrard.  From here - for the first time in the match - there was a huge gap down the right hand side that could have been exploited, were the pass of any quality whatsoever.  As it was we were able to keep them at arms length while being fully aware of their growing confidence.  Defensively they worked extremely hard and funnelled our play into the middle where there would be too many bodies in the way for anything to arise.  Both Downing and Assaidi were forced inside but what we managed to do was stay patient and moments later Glen Johnson got in behind.  What happened next was unfortunate, with Johnson about to pull the trigger he was either clipped by the defender behind him or miscalculated and ended up poking a leg out at fresh air.  A penalty would have been harsh but it was a reminder that if we kept our heads there was enough there to be encouraged by.

The three in the middle had gone a little quiet as we approached half time.  Sahin in particular was finding things increasingly difficult as time went on with a few challenges that left him cold as the game passed him by somewhat.  Finding space was at a premium and so when Daniel Agger came bursting through into the Anzhi half and kept going, the invitation to shoot was too great to pass up.  I've seen up close just how good of a shot he has on him and while this wasn't his best effort, if they would continue to allow him such freedom then that would come back to haunt them.  Just before the half was over there was another final step up in the pressure off the ball as we looked to profit with the interval looming.  However, there wasn't the same kind of application when we did manage to get it.  The final chance of the half fell to Smallov when Anzji countered with real purpose for the first time but his drilled effort went just wide.  Goalless at the break and every bit as tight as it had promised to be.

As the players emerged for the start of the second half there was a new face ready to join them.  A move that came completely out of the blue, Raheem Sterling came on for Glen Johnson meaning Stewart Downing was now playing at left back.  Whether or not this was a tactical switch and Johnson is simply being rested for Sunday I'm not sure but I certainly hope it's nothing more than that.  Things were quiet when they did get under way for the second half, both sides again taking a minute or two to feel their way back into things.  It was a bounding Martin Skrtel that brought things to life, with Samuel Eto'o ball watching on the edge of his penalty area the Slovakian defender burst through with the ball and fired a really powerful shot at Gabulov who just about prevented it from then going beyond him.  What that had done was wake both the crowd and team up.  There was another, even better chance following that when Stewart Downing's clearance was flicked on by Sterling and Shelvey put Gerrard in only for his header to go just wide.  There was a sense that the momentum was building inside Anfield.  It was about to get even better.


I'm at a loss to explain exactly why I like Downing at left back so much.  Perhaps it's because he's not allowed to drift through games anonymously and it forces him to play a semi-prominent role in the game.  It's not something you're ever likely to try against a Man United or Barcelona - unless injuries ravaged the team -  and such he's more than capable of doing a job there.  So far he's done more than that, he appears to have found his goalscoring touch again, with his second European goal of the season lighting up Anfield.  It was a sharp switch of play after a free kick on the right hand side that saw Downing pick the ball up on the left touchline.  After facing up with his defender for a second, he drifted inside and fired a curling shot beyond the goalkeeper to give us the lead.

So many times we've seen this season that in the minutes immediately following a goal, it's imperative that the team remains focused.  Not only that, Suarez very nearly doubled the lead with a powerful shot of his own from the edge of the box.  Having been allowed the space to pick up the ball in the first half, he's clever and skilful enough to leave himself that extra half a yard that allowed him to turn and get the shot away.  Three sides of the ground thought it was in but sadly the lead remained only by the solitary goal.  Anzhi's response to going behind was a little puzzling.  While they were getting a decent share of the ball, there was no real craft about their play and it didn't appear as if there was any real idea as to how to break us down.  Whenever they tried to play a hopeful ball in to try and cause havok, we had the strength to deal with it and persist with trying to win or at the least get a block on the second ball.  What didn't help was the fact that Eto'o was getting further and further away from goal.

As if a switch had been flicked, the game was alive and there was a bright tempo to our play both on and off the ball.  The lead allowed us to sit in a little and catch them on the break, which looked like giving them problems on every occasion.  Assaidi and Suarez combined to put in Shelvey, who was at a difficult angle and maybe could have found Suarez, although that's potentially being overly critical.  When they did get it, the hunger and desire to win it back was there for all to see, Gerrard chasing defenders some thirty yards to put a foot in before the monolithic like figure of Andre Wisdom would step in and have the power to make sure no Anzhi player would be coming near the ball.  It really is an endearing sight to see this essentially teenage boy play with such intelligence and a grasp of the game beyond his years.

With the pattern of the game now set and our main attacking threat being the counter, it meant that Anzhi had a decent amount of possession.  They were camped somewhat just outside our penalty area without every really looking dangerous, quite literally on the outside looking in.  Shelvey had another half chance on the counter before Guus Hiddink decided it was time for a change.  The six foot eight inch Lacina Traore came onto the pitch, his first contribution that rarest of gifts; a foul throw.  With an decided height advantage now at their disposal, Anzhi's play continued to be ever more one dimensional.  For some reason this prompted Eto'o to drop even deeper, to the point where he was the covering midfielder when Sterling tried to counter attack them.

It wasn't as if everything was perfect however.  Nuri Sahin had been something of a non factor in the second half and was growing increasingly frustrated.  It wasn't a case of the midfielder doing anything particularly wrong it's just that after a couple of contentious fouls given away, you could see that he was desperate to have more of a positive impact on the game.  Also, the lead wasn't exactly formidable and all it would take was a lapse in concentration for the game to potentially change completely.  Which is exactly what very nearly happened when Downing played a ball along the ground across the penalty area as we tried to play it out of the corner rather than just blasting it up field   The panic set in immediately and when Eto'o was played in it was with great relief that Jones claimed his shot fairly comfortably.

By now the earlier pressure had eased off a little and we were allowing them to have it in their own half.  A ball over the top looking for Traore might have caused a problem had his first touch been any better but Skrtel had him fairly well marshalled anyway.  Time was on our side now and with just over ten minutes to go Joe Allen came on for Jonjo Shelvey in an attempt to add some fresh legs and also someone who would protect the ball with what time did remain.  Simple short passes were the order of the day and as we played it around in our own half, Skrtel and Agger had split so wide that they looked part of a back four with Gerrard and Sahin as the centre halves.  Though there was pressure applied, we were good enough to play around it and create a chance for ourselves.  A corner was headed straight at the goalkeeper by Agger, who then followed up the play by heading it out of his hand before he could distribute and putting it into the net.  Rather than a goal bonus, this earned him a yellow card.  I'm not sure what the rules are in this situation specifically but I always thought that if he only had it in one hand then it was fair.  As it was, the lead remained at only one.

Having not been able to underline our superiority, Anzji were starting to knock on the door however and had really upped their game as it entered the final stages.  A succession of corners raised the tension inside Anfield and the play that followed forced Martin Skrtel into action after Gonzalez had made some room for himself down the right hand side of the penalty area.  Soon afterwards Daniel Agger was made to react when Anzhi managed to create some space on the left hand side and his challenge prevented it from making it's way to Traore.  Brad Jones didn't have a save to make but the pressure was certainly building.  We dealt with it primarily out wide with Assaidi and Sterling being the outlets.

Perhaps things would have been different had we taken a few more chances but regardless of the worries about playing Steven Gerrard for ninety minutes, he was still working hard as the game came to a close.  Despite spending the majority of his time chasing it at the back, Gerrard did find the balance in getting forward, having a typically powerful strike on the edge of the box that could very well have sealed it.  Allen and Sahin joined in, putting themselves about and coming into space so that we could see out the minutes that remained.  Sterling did have one final chance to wrap it up on the break as we went into injury time but he overplayed it and tried to go around too many bodies rather than playing it back to Suarez and keeping hold of it.  After losing at home to Udinese last time out, this victory and Young Boys managing to defeat them in Switzerland now mean that we top the group and suddenly qualification looks a little brighter.  Whether or not that will come at the expense of a performance in the league remains to be seen.  I certainly hope not.  It's Everton that await.

(H) Reading - Post Match Thoughts

Final Score: Liverpool 1-0 Reading
Liverpool Goal: Raheem Sterling (29)

The third win at Anfield.  Not this season, this year.  It's quite staggering just how poor we've been at home over the last couple of years and this was yet again another one of those games we should win comfortably on paper.  Nothing is ever that simple but it was still nice to get over the line, whether it was convincing or not.  The only way we're ever going to have any kind of intimidation factor at home again is by doing it one game at a time.  One win at a time.

Of all the potential casualties of the international break, Pepe Reina was not ever among the likely candidates.  Missing this game would be the first league game he has missed through injury in his six years at Liverpool.  Replacing him was Brad Jones who was the only change from the same side that came up against a brick wall in Stoke what now seems like a lifetime ago.  The likes of Gerrard, Suarez, Agger and Skrtel being able to make it into the line up was one thing, being able to show the same kind of fluidity and ability that was needed and expected to win the game was the much more important question.

Whether they were pumped up for the occasion or trying to stop us from getting any early momentum, Reading started the game very energetically.  There were feet flying in everywhere and passes being made without any real thought for where they were going and as such they gave the ball away on a frequent basis.  Two half chances were cleared either side of the penalty area as we set about getting into position early and trying to bed into the game.  Once we got our foot on the ball everything suddenly looked a lot more precise and Reading set about their defensive shape by flooding the middle of the park.  What this did - even as early as the first couple of minutes - was put great emphasis on the need for width to get in beyond their narrow defence and Glen Johnson is a player who needs no invitation to get forward.  On the other side, Suso has a completely different set of skills but is likewise able to cause a side problems, finding space pick the ball up and try to catch out their defence with his vision and passing.

Passing it back to the goalkeeper and not only having the skill but being able to remain calm in those situations is something we've had a problem with so far this season.  It was good to see that even when there's a different man in between the posts not only do the same rules apply but that he was able to execute what's required without any difficulty.  The composure we were able to show at the back when under pressure was not replicated on the other side of the field.  Reading were happy to clear the ball anywhere so long as it was away from their goal and repeatedly gave us another chance to start again and come back at them.  Glen Johnson was heavily involved, with he and Suarez unable to get a clear cut shot off before also linking up with Sterling and Joe Allen.  What this territorial advantage did, with having one of the midfield three come over and assist the two wide players was give us a real presence in and around their penalty area and as such defenders were constantly having to be on the move.  As well as dominating the left hand side of the pitch, their movement and constant shifting of defenders would also allow other players like Sahin and Suarez a lot more space in the middle where it was getting very congested.

In a game where we were likely to dominate anyway and in need of some support from midfield, it was very encouraging to see Nuri Sahin get so far forward so early on.  There was space all over the wide areas to exploit and the Reading defenders seemed happy to allow our players to cut inside and get toward the penalty area.  Both Suso and Glen Johnson were able to get shots away at the goal and although neither was of particulary good quality, it was good to see that we weren't afraid to take the shot on if it was being offered to us.  In the case of Suso particularly it was a surefire sign of confidence, having come into the side, done so well and earned himself a new contract.  Only one time in the first twenty minutes or so did Brian McDermott's men have any real chance to exert anything in an attacking sense and that was when Joe Allen was forced into conceding a free kick as they were breaking.  Not only did it come to nothing but an almost immediate counter attack gave Sterling a chance to take the lead.  Sahin was fouled, putting pressure onto the Reading midfield.  Play was allowed to go on and it broke to Suarez, who ducked inside the defender and played the ball just behind Sterling, forcing him to come inside where all the defenders that were back had gathered.  Despite having been on top since pretty much the first kick of the game Reading had defended superbly and because of it McCarthy in goal was as yet untested.

The role of the back up keeper is a strange one.  Goalies in general need to have a heavy amount of concentration but when you're not playing every week that can be hard to maintain.  It was good to see Brad Jones with the little he had do be very confident and clear with his decision making, quite audibly giving Skrtel a shout to come for a cross and asserting his authority.  If at one end we were being very commanding, at the other it was a moment of indecision that kept the game goalless.  Sterling was given the ball on a breakaway and had two choices, either take his man on and shoot from a tight angle or lay it across the box for someone else to have a better chance.  In the end he dallied and the chance quickly passed with Reading again getting numbers behind the ball.

After a clash with Steven Gerrard forced Karacan off with an injury, there was a little lull in the game as the delay took a little out of the rhythm.  Suarez tried to take advantage of this initially by attempting to catch out their goalkeeper with a deft chip that went harmlessly over, but was still the kind of imaginative play that would keep them guessing.  In the minutes that followed, chances came thick and fast and they were almost all variations of the same opportunity that Sterling spurned moments before.  One that was almost identical before another chance on the far side that Suarez was unable to find Sahin, who had been tracked well to the defenders credit.  We were suddenly being very sharp in our play and it was a case of third time lucky, from a piece of magic by Suarez and finished off brilliantly by Sterling.  Wisdom's defensive header was simply in the direction of Luis Suarez, but once again he had the kind of imagination and vision that those around him don't have.  He flicked the ball over the defenders head into the space that Sterling was running onto.  One touch to get it out of the feet, the other to slot it into the far corner.  It was a clinical finish of a forward much older than seventeen.  The first league goal of what will almost certainly be many for Raheem Sterling.

For the first real time after the goal, Wisdom was able to get forward and we tried to play it down the right hand side.  Whether it's the fault of the midfield, for not linking up as fluently with he and Suso or whether it's just a fact that neither of them are natural wide men either way, the play wasn't working anywhere near as effectively on that side and forced Suarez to drift out to come and get involved rather than take up a position inside the penalty area where he can finish off the play.  A second did nearly follow for Luis as he picked up the ball a long way out and thundered it toward goal.  The keeper was beaten but unfortunately for the Uruguayan and the majority of fans inside Anfield it went just wide.

With about fifteen minutes to go in the half, Reading looked very much like a side who hadn't won a game yet so far this season.  A team that was waiting for something to happen rather than believe they had the capability.  We did let them back in it somewhat by giving away soft fouls and not being quite as hungry for the ball as we were prior to the goal.  Luis Suarez did manage to put a smile on the face of the fans however, by actually having the benefit of a refereeing decision on the edge of the box.  Ironic cheers rang out all around Anfield and it was a shame he couldn't have followed it up by burying the free kick into the top corner, which would have put the game all but to bed by the half way stage.  The game ended much in the same way it had begun, with Glen Johnson at the heart of the attack, forcing a save out of McCarthy and then earning a corner with an effort moments later.  Having been given one decision by an official, right on half time Suarez should have had another.  A collision with Kaspars Gorkšs leaving him with a dead leg but no free kick, much to the ire of the crowd.  It was to be the final act of a half that would see Raheem Sterling become our second youngest ever scorer in the league, but ended rather ominously with our only fit and recognised striker limping his way to the dressing room.

It wasn't a perfect sight, but the image of Luis Suarez emerging for the second half - albeit somewhat uncomfortably - was a sign of relief if nothing else.  There's no need to take any chances with him at this point so the fact that he was able to continue in any sense was good.  He was involved very early on as well  immediately looking toward the referee for a foul not given as he contested a header with a Reading defender, before being put through down the right hand side.  Suso and Sahin linked up well before Suarez was sent clear, his ball across found Raheem Sterling but still there was work to do.  He touch a touch to get it out of his feet but though it stung the gloves of McCarthy, he was able to keep it out.  There was visible pressure from our midfield, far more so than in the first half - mostly because the game was passing them by -  with Steven Gerrard in particular really aggressive in his attempts to win the ball back high up the pitch.  Glen Johnson - as he had been the entire game - was in the thick of the action having two chances in quick succession.  At this point it was clear that no Reading player was going to be able to stop him, all he needed was that final piece of skill to get it beyond the goalkeeper.

Mistakes this year have cost us greatly and it was a miskick from the goalkeeper that could have doubled our lead.  The ball went straight to Suarez some fifteen yards outside the area, he teased the defenders in front of him one way and then the other.  Instead of laying it off to Nuri Sahin who was clean through, he tried to go around the defender and the save was made.  From this good chance came a great chance for Reading, Guthrie playing a ball over the top for McCleary.  One on one with the goalkeeper, Brad Jones came out and stayed up strong, making himself big and saved the eventual shot to concede a corner rather than anything else.  From one end to the other, Suarez again this time down the left hand side, tried to play the ball to Gerrard who moved as he was playing the pass.  Frustration all around Anfield and suddenly as the game was becoming more open, our lead was looking very slender indeed.

Though in truth he had very little to do - even despite the mounting tension - everything Brad Jones did was to perfection.  When he came for crosses he was positive and made sure he wasn't going to fumble and when McAnuff fired a shot from the edge of the box he palmed it far away from any danger.  A player who hadn't quite had the same impact was Nuri Sahin.  His initial movement was fantastic but had failed to really put a mark on the game in any significant way.  That's not a dampener on his obvious quality as within a flash of his boot he suddenly sent Sterling away down the wing.  Had his cross then been converted by Suarez instead of being blazed over, everyone would have congratulated the Turk for opening up their defence in the first place.  As it was, his afternoons work came to an end shortly after with Shelvey coming back from suspension being subbed on in his place.  The change nearly came off right away, with Jonjo and Suarez linking up to force a corner.  Despite creating good chances, despite our opponents having not had any real joy, somehow the game remained in the balance.

A more adventurous side would perhaps have induced more menace.  That's not a dig at Pogrebnyak either, who I think is a good Premier League striker and worked very hard but much like Suarez, when the burden of scoring is so high on one player sometimes they can do too much.  We didn't have it easy, at least, that's the message the crowd were giving off anyway.  So many times at Anfield the fans have had a rejuvenating effect and give our players almost superhuman powers, but I've also seen the gloom set in and that feeling of inevitability that something bad is going to happen - which half translated to the players.  Defensively we weren't at our sharpest - apart from Brad Jones who was always on his toes - but Reading were giving us no reason for such alarm.  It's a sign of the times in that we haven't won at home so much lately that the desperation to get that win leads to it feeling a whole lot harder than it should be.

The actual chances that were being created were all Liverpool.  Reading would have a succession of set pieces or pounce on a loose pass but when we broke, we did so in numbers and were able to get at the heart of their defence.  Gerrard had a shot that forced a save, likewise Suarez.   Glen Johnson again was the furthest Liverpool player up the park when a free kick was half cleared and he linked with Sterling before following up on Agger's blocked shot.  Another change was made, this time Jose Enrique making another step in his rehabilitation, coming on for Suso with about twenty minutes to go to stretch the game out on the left hand side, with Raheem going right.  The change looked to have had an effect instantly with Gerrard, Wisdom and Sterling doing the same kind of good work we were doing on the left in the first half.  With just over fifteen minutes to go, all we had to do was keep the ball like this and remain composed.  Sounds a lot easier than it actually was.

When a manager makes a change, there are any number of different things he's trying to do.  Jose Enrique's introduction to the team breathed so much life into proceedings just by having a player who was prepared to stay wide and run in behind.  Three times in the space of five minutes, Jose was able to not only get on the ball but really make things happen, including one chance that Luis Suarez really should have buried.  We were now sat very deep, allowing plenty of scope for the counter attack.  What this did do was invite Reading onto us a little and that in turn did make everyone a little nervy but not only were Reading unable to capitalize, we had the quality to keep the ball in and around at the back under some serious pressure.  Jordan Henderson came on in the closing stages for the goalscorer Sterling just to add some extra security and fresh legs down that side but by now the only real outlet they had was Jason Roberts tussling with Martin Skrtel and seeing if he could get the referees attention.  Brad Jones must have been the most comfortable man in Anfield for while the anxiety could be felt all around the ground, there was never anything to bother the Australian goalkeeper.  A first home victory in the bag for Brendan Rodgers then and a second clean sheet in a row.  Everything is as it was as it has been all season, we're capable of playing some great football but we're also not quite the finished article.  Only now the points are starting to come along.  We need to keep collecting.