Newcastle 1-5 Liverpool

Break was over. The Reds are three points clear at the top of the pile into the New Year. Let’s watch Liverpool thrashed the Magpies at St. James’ Park last Sunday (thanks to TIA for the link).

Videos are hosted externally, I’m not responsible for the content or the pop-up adverts.

Happy New Year 2009!

YNWA,
Red's Fury™

Read More

Blogging break

I will not be available to blog for at least three weeks starting from tomorrow until Christmas. But this doesn't mean that I will miss the Liverpool matches. I need to travel out of town in between the period mentioned and the hectic work schedules would kept me occupied for awhile.

I can be reach through Palringo Vocal IM at chat rooms, fortress anfield, fade to black and blogger. If you doesn't have Palringo on your PC, Mac or mobile phone. Get it here!

Till then.

YNWA,
Red's Fury™

Read More

Liverpool 0-0 West Ham United

English Premier League

1st December 2008

Anfield (H)

LIVERPOOL 0-0 WEST HAM

What a frustrating Tuesday morning as The Reds battled to yet another stalemate at Anfield. It’s 4 am live telecast, The Reds’ title credential puts to the test by West Ham. Clearly, we missed Torres up-front but that’s not an excuse for not winning the match.

Liverpool has a £20 million striker in Robbie Keane, and he barely got a sight of goal, that’s worrying. Rafa knows every visiting teams will be parking their bus in front of the goal, Stoke City and Fulham has given Reds the hints.

Rafa makes four changes to the starting eleven and opt for an attacking approach with Dirk Kuyt and Robbie Keane spearhead the line. Sami Hyypia back in the team, replacing Daniel Agger, while Javier Mascherano make way for Yossi Benayoun. Andrea Dossena continues at left-back as Aurelio out injured.

The bad form continues where winning home matches wasn’t an option but a must. If The Reds really wants to bring home the title come May, they need to start taking all the opportunities presented to them.

Despite the setback, Liverpool still move ahead of Chelsea in the league standing by a point. The Blues were beaten at home by Arsenal at the weekend.

The teams:

Liverpool: Reina, Dossena, Hyypia, Carragher, Arbeloa, Riera, Gerrard (c), Alonso, Benayoun, Kuyt, Keane

Subs - Mascherano, Insua, Kelly, Ngog, Babel, Leiva, Cavalieri
West Ham United: Green, Ilunga, Collins, Upson, Neill (c), Faubert, Mullins, Parker, Behrami, Cole, Bellamy

Subs - Noble, Boa Morte, di Michele, Tristan, Collison, Lastuvka, Davenport

Referee: P Walton

Conditions: Cold

Attendance: 41169

YNWA,
Red's Fury™

Read More

Liverpool 0-0 Fulham

English Premier League

22nd November 2008

Anfield (H)

LIVERPOOL 0-0 FULHAM

A day of stalemates and misery for the Premier League’s Big Four. Liverpool throw away a good opportunity to lead the Premier League when the Reds drew nil-nil at Anfield.

Chelsea and Manchester United, another casualties of the mid-week international friendlies, also failed to score in their matches. Arsenal suffered a heavy defeat in the hand of Manchester City, crashing to a 3-nil humiliation.

The decision to play Lucas Levia clearly backfired as Liverpool failed to control the midfield area during the first half. Rafa benched Xabi Alonso after the Spaniard featured for the full 90-minute in Spain’s friendly match.

Fulham, with one of the best defensive records in the top flight, have never won at Anfield and rarely looked like doing so this time.

But their dogged performance claimed only their second away point of the season and also secured their third goalless draw in eight visits to Anfield.

At least they had worked out how to contain a Liverpool side who lacked ideas and inspiration. Not even the return of Fernando Torres to the starting line-up helped much.

Benitez insisted his players must take collective responsibility.

He said: "We will always miss a player of Stevie's ability, but we did not beat Fulham because five or so players were all off form together.

"You cannot win games when that happens. He would have made a difference, yes, but it should not be an excuse.

"He is training now and I would expect that he would be fit to play against Marseille on Wednesday."

Fulham’s goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer pulled off to fine saves to denied Liverpool. A half chance fell to Robbie Keane where he fails to convert and smashed a shot straight at Schwarzer from eight yards out.

The Reds were turning the screw and the Fulham stopper had to be at his instinctive best again on 70 minutes when he pushed Dirk Kuyt's effort away after a volleyed cross from Albert Riera.

Dropping points at home wasn't an excused for missing some key players and the mid-week international friendlies. Rafa should always select his strongest eleven, not relying on those fresh legs and haven't started regularly. Hopefully, Rafa pulls his head together and get us through to the next round of Champions League.


The team:
Liverpool: Reina, Aurelio, Agger, Carragher (c), Arbeloa, Riera, Leiva, Mascherano, Kuyt, Keane, Torres
Subs - Alonso, Babel, Benayoun, Cavalieri, Dossena, El Zhar, Hyypia

Fulham: Schwarzer, Konchesky, Hangeland, Hughes, Pantsill, Dempsey, Bullard, Murphy (c), Davies, Johnson, Zamora
Subs - Baird, Gera, Gray, Kallio, Nevland, Stoor, Zuberbuhler

Referee: M Halsey

Join the live chat room, FORTRESS ANFIELD on Palringo during matchday. Don't have one? Get it here for FREE!

YNWA,
Red's Fury™

Posted using Windows Live Writer Beta

Read More

Preview: Liverpool v Fulham

V

Liverpool goes into today's match against the in-form Fulham as joint leaders of the Premier League.

Rafa Benitez has finally moulded a team which can challenge for the league title since 1990. With seven victories out of eight league matches, has shown that Liverpool can secure crucial victories even when not at their best.

Today's match also commemorate Steven Gerrard's 10-year anniversary of his debut for the club. But Rafa Benitez must do without Gerrard for the visit of the Cottagers.

Benitez confirmed: "Gerrard is not fit - he cannot play tomorrow(today).

The Liverpool skipper trained on his own at Melwood today as he battles to overcome a groin injury in time to be fit for the Champions League fixture with Marseille next week.

Meanwhile, Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is delighted Andrew Johnson is starting to live up to the expectation surrounding him as one of the club's most expensive buys.

Dickson Etuhu is in the squad for the first time since his move from Sunderland after recovering from a knee injury and Hodgson has no other injury concerns other than long-term absentee Diomansy Kamara.

And that has prompted Hodgson to make favourable comparisons with Fernando Torres ahead of the trip to Anfield, which is expected to mark the Spain international's return from injury.

Hodgson said: "It's not a gamble to sign a player with such a proven track record. Fernando Torres was coveted for several years by teams playing all over Europe before Liverpool agreed to pay the enormous transfer fee that Atletico Madrid wanted.

Torres and Keane are expected to start for Liverpool tomorrow, with the Reds also boosted by the return of Alvaro Arbeloa from suspension.

Daniel Agger will continue to partner Jamie Carragher in the centre of defence, with Martin Skrtel still sidelined.

Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano should start in the centre of midfield with Albert Riera, Yossi Benayoun, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel vying for starting berths.

Kick-off time: 3pm (UK time)

Join the live chat room FORTRESS ANFIELD on Palringo. Don't have one? Sign up FREE now!


YNWA,
Red's Fury™

Posted using Windows Live Writer Beta

Read More