From 17-year-old Reserve Player to Household Name

The diabolical conclusion to the transfer window which saw Brendan Rodgers thoroughly starved of financial support from the executive side of the club in his pursuit of Clint Dempsey – who eventually found his way to Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day – was a huge cause for concern for Reds fans. It was clear that Rodgers would be forced to dip into the gold-mine that is the Liverpool academy to fill his first team squad until he can bolster his options in January.

Three youngsters have gone straight from the U21’s side to the starting XI this season. English winger Raheem Sterling, defender Andre Wisdom, and Spanish playmaker Suso have all been drafted into the first team to fill the gaps left by the departing Dirk Kuyt, Maxi Rodriguez and Andy Carroll, as well as the injuries to Fabio Borini, Martin Kelly and Jose Enrique.

Game Recap of Fixtures with Anzhi, Everton and Swansea

Liverpool 1-0 Anzhi Makhachkala

After finally getting that illusive first home league win of the season against Reading, Liverpool welcomed Russian super-spenders Anzhi Makhachkala to Anfield in the Europa League. Brendan Rodgers recognized the strength of the Dagestan outfit and fielded a strong line-up of his own including the likes of Daniel Agger, Martin Skrtel, Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez.

The Reds were on the front foot for most of the first half but struggled to make a breakthrough. Jonjo Shelvey missed an excellent opportunity to give Liverpool the lead but could only scoop his shot over the bar from 18 yards with only the keeper to beat after great work from Suarez. Liverpool were also denied a host of penalty appeals, the most forceful being when Glen Johnson was tripped from behind just as he was about to pull the trigger from six yards out.

Recent Games Round-up Part 3

Liverpool 2-3 Udinese

After finally securing their first league win of the season with the 5-2 thrashing of Norwich, Liverpool’s attentions shifted to the Europa League and the visit of Italian side Udinese.

Jonjo Shelvey was making his first appearance since his sending off against Manchester United, and it took him 23 minutes to make his mark as he headed in a floated cross from the much-maligned Stewart Downing – who was also making a rare start. The lead stayed with Liverpool until half time with Udinese posing little attacking threat and little evidence that they would be able to get back into the game.

Recent Games Round-up Part 2

West Brom 1-2 Liverpool

Liverpool travelled back to the Hawthorns in an attempt to gain revenge for their season-opening 3-0 drubbing against West Brom with a tie against the same opponent in the Capital One Cup. Brendan Rodgers used the cup competition to throw youngsters and new signings into the deep end yet again, with Sebastian Coates, Andre Wisdom, Jack Robinson, Dani Pacheco and Samed Yesil all awarded a starting spot, as well as opportunities for new signings Nuri Sahin and Oussama Assaidi.

The game started in the worst possible fashion for the Reds as Gabriel Tamas capitalized after reserve goalkeeper Brad Jones had dropped a lofted free kick, with replays showing that the Australian keeper was in fact struck in the face by West Brom defender Jonas Olsson just as he went up for the catch. 

It took only 14 minutes for Liverpool to reply though, with Sahin firing in a speculative shot from thirty yards only for Ben Foster to make a complete hash out of the save and could only watch the ball bounce into the back of the net for the Turkish internationals first goal for the club after his loan move from Real Madrid.

Recent Games Round-up Part 1

It has been a while since I last had a match report write-up, so I am going to quickly cover all the games I have missed since the draw with Sunderland.

It will be split into three parts with the first covering the games against Young Boys and Manchester United, part 2 will cover the Capital One Cup game against West Brom and the trip to Carrow Road to face Norwich. Part 3 will cover the next Europa League fixture against Udinese, and the two back-to-back home league games against Stoke and Reading.

Sunderland 1-1 Liverpool - Match Review

Liverpool couldn’t find their way passed a stubborn Sunderland defense as the Reds are still looking for their first league win of the season. It was a game which Liverpool deserved to win but in some way or another Sunderland held out for a point.

Steven Fletcher gave Sunderland the lead in the 29^th minute after poor defensive play first from Luis Suarez and Glen Johnson, and then from Martin Skrtel who let Fletcher get around him and tap Craig Gardner’s cross into the empty net. It was against the run of play, which is becoming a nasty habit for Rodgers and his team.

Liverpool struggled to muster a response for the remainder of the first half, but they did have two penalty appeals with Johnson first being hauled to the ground only for referee Martin Atkinson to wave away his appeal, and then when Suarez was seemingly clipped by John O’Shea the striker was booked for diving.

Liverpool 0-2 Arsenal - Match Review

Liverpool succumbed to their second defeat of the season with an abysmal showing against Arsenal at Anfield. Goals from Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla either side of half time sent a lack-luster Liverpool back to the drawing board.

Both sets of fans were left frustrated and disappointed over their clubs lack of activity on transfer deadline day, and this game was always going to show which team had more glaring gaps in their squad.

Unfortunately it was Liverpool who were found wanting as they produced another performance on-par with their opening day defeat to West Brom.

The first half was relatively even, with both teams showing flashes of excellent play but were generally sloppy in possession. Powerful midfielder Abou Diaby caused the most problems for the Liverpool defense as he broke through the midfield with ease time and time again.

Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City - Match Review

Liverpool were left bitterly disappointed as Manchester City snatched a draw at Anfield in a game the Reds really should have won.

After City dominated the first 15 minutes, Liverpool took control and opened the scoring with Martin Skrtel’s thumping header 11 minutes before half time. An error from Martin Kelly got City back in the game on the 63^rd minute as Yaya Toure turned the ball into the net.

The score was not level for long, as it took only three minutes for Suarez to curl in a sublime free-kick after former Evertonian Jack Rodwell had blocked a shot with his hands. However, any hopes of coming away with three points were dashed as Skrtel played a blind back-pass to Reina, which Carlos Tevez pounced on and slotted into an open net after rounding the goalkeeper.

It was a harsh lesson for Liverpool’s defensive unit to learn, as two individual mistakes essentially cost the entire team the three points. There was nothing wrong with the general play or the tactics; it was just lapses in concentration which cost them.

West Brom 3-0 Liverpool – Match Review

The new Premier League season got off to the worst possible start for Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool at the Hawthorns.

Recent 3-0 and 3-1 victories over FC Gomel and Bayer Leverkusen respectively had fans in an optimistic mood ahead of the new season, but Liverpool were punished for a combination of poor individual performances and wastefulness in front of goal, as West Brom embarrassed the Reds in a 3-0 win.

Zoltan Gera opened the scoring with an absolute beauty, volleying the ball into the top corner after Martin Skrtel only half-cleared a corner. Two penalties in quick succession essentially defined the game in the second half, with Daniel Agger given his marching orders by referee Phil Dowd for the slightest of nudges on Shane Long as the Irishman ran through on goal.

Long missed the penalty but earned his side another one moments later, catching Skrtel in possession inside his own area before the Slovak tripped him up. Odemwingie took the subsequent spot-kick and West Brom were 2-0 up while Liverpool were down to 10 men.

Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku finished the scoring with a close-range header as Liverpool went out with a whimper. 

Liverpool 3-1 Bayer Leverkusen – Match Review

Liverpool wrapped up their pre-season preparations by welcoming back living legend Sami Hyypia to Anfield.

The Finn, who made over 450 appearances for Liverpool over a 10-year spell at the club, is now testing his managerial prowess with German side Bayer Leverkusen.

Both Hyypia and Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers selected relatively strong teams and a good mix of experience and youth, with youngster Raheem Sterling getting another pre-season run out for the Reds.

And it was Sterling who opened the scoring within three minutes. Jose Enrique slipped a through ball in between the Leverkusen right-back and center-back, which Sterling raced onto before skipping away from another challenge and slotting the ball into the far corner. It was the perfect start for Liverpool as it settled down the team who then got into a calm passing rhythm.

Liverpool 3-0 FC Gomel (4-0 on Aggregate) – Match Review

Liverpool confirmed their place in the Europa League play-off qualifiers with a confident and dominant performance against FC Gomel in Anfield’s opening fixture under the leadership of Brendan Rodgers.

Goals from home debutant Fabio Borini, Captain Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson sent the Belarusian side home without really getting a sniff of goal all night.

The biggest positive from the night for Liverpool fans will have been the appearance of Daniel Agger after several days of speculation linking the Danish defender with a move to Manchester City.

Agger, sporting his new “YNWA” tattoo across the fingers of his right hand, had a relatively simple night alongside center-back partner Martin Skrtel. Both brought the ball forward to good effect, essentially starting attacks from the back. The two wing-backs in Johnson and Jose Enrique had a great night, constantly bombing forward and getting themselves heavily involved in many attacks, culminating in Johnson’s beautiful 20 yard volley in the 71^st minute.

Closing the Chapter on Alberto Aquilani

On August 3, it was finally confirmed that Alberto Aquilani had left Liverpool to join Fiorentina in a permanent deal. This follows two years straight of constant speculation about where the Italian international’s future belongs.

Aquilani was brought in from hometown club Roma by Rafael Benitez in the summer of 2009 to replace outgoing talisman Xabi Alonso, who had just finalized a £30mil move to Real Madrid. Liverpool only paid 5mil Euro’s up front for Aquilani, with the following 15mil Euro’s all being paid within the next two years in installments.

Despite being highly rated, Aquilani arrived on Merseyside carrying an injury and did not make his debut for Liverpool until October 28, 2009 with a substitute appearance against Arsenal in a 2-1 Carling Cup loss at the Emirates.

He went on to make 26 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool in the 2009/2010 season, scoring two goals in the process. His link-up play was excellent once he re-gained his fitness and many fans believed he would go on to form a formidable midfield alongside Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard.

FC Gomel 0-1 Liverpool – Match Review

Brendan Rodgers first game in charge of Liverpool ended with victory, but FC Gomel of Belarus did not make it easy for the Reds. Despite controlling large chunks of the game and creating many chances, Gomel struggled to convert anything past Brad Jones in goal. Instead it was Liverpool who will take a slender lead back to Anfield next Thursday thanks to a 30-yard belter from Stewart Downing – a sight Liverpool fans will be hoping to see a lot more of this coming season.

Rodgers went with a stronger line-up than what most fans had been expecting, but a lack of cohesion meant a deeply frustrating first half, with Joe Cole being forced off injured the main incident from a Liverpool point of view. Gomel, on the other hand, created numerous half-chances and was unfortunate not to go into the break with at least a one goal advantage. 

Liverpool Need More than Dempsey to Replace Carroll

News that Liverpool had accepted a £2mil loan offer from West Ham United for Andy Carroll – with a view to a £17mil permanent move should the Hammers stay up – was widely met with disappointment but not shock by Liverpool fans.

The England striker had finally started to hit top form towards the end of the season, with important goals against Blackburn Rovers, Everton and Chelsea. He followed up those impressive performances with a ruthless header against Sweden in the European Championships in a 3-2 win.

The appointment of Brendan Rodgers as Liverpool manager at the beginning of June meant that the Reds would be playing an attractive brand of football based around possession this coming season. Alarm bells began ringing immediately for Liverpool fans regarding the future of Carroll at the club. The worry is that Carroll will struggle to adapt to a more possession-oriented style of play, but at the same time fingers can be pointed at Danny Graham, who played a similar role to great effect for Rodgers’ old side Swansea last season.

Youngsters Take the Chance to Impress on Tour

A vast number of academy and reserve players were given the chance to impress new boss Brendan Rodgers during Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the US. Every single one of these youngsters saw game time in at least one of the friendlies; scheduled against Toronto in their hometown, Roma in Boston, and Tottenham Hotspur in Baltimore. The likes of 16-year-old Jordan Ibe and 17-year-old Ryan McLaughlin earned their first starts for the club in the games against Toronto and Roma respectively.

A number of senior players were also involved to guide the starlets through the experience, with old heads Jamie Carragher, Joe Cole, Martin Skrtel and Alberto Aquilani just a few of many senior players filling the squad. There is no doubt that their presence helped the younger players to get acclimatized to their new surroundings and a new standard of football.

The positive note from the tour is that pretty much every youngster impressed during their time on the pitch. However, naturally a few will stand out from the rest and five players stuck out and impressed more than others. The following five players can hope to push for a regular spot in the match squad this coming season.

Liverpool 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur – Match Review

The big names were back as Liverpool closed their tour of the US with a friendly against fellow Premier League outfit Tottenham. The game was held at the home of the Baltimore Ravens in the M & T Bank Stadium. Liverpool fans were excited to see the likes of Steven Gerrard, Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing back in the squad as well as new signing Fabio Borini.

Despite the stadium being used to hosting the American take on football, it was two Champions League qualification hopefuls taking part on Saturday. Both sides struggled to get going in the sweltering heat, and the slow pitch did the tempo of the game no favors. It is therefore not surprising that the game was littered with misplaced passes and lacked any quality chances. The 0-0 result was a fair reflection on the game, with Tottenham shading the first half and Liverpool having the better of the second half. 

Dan Smith vs. Exeter U-18's

Here is a little match compilation of new academy signing Dan Smith who joined Liverpool from Crewe Alexandra a few months ago.

He performed exceptionally well in a recent 8-1 demolition of Exeter. Composed on the ball with an eye for goal, he already looks a good pick-up for Liverpool.

America’s Football Knowledge Exposed at Fenway Park

I approached the home of the Boston Red Sox at around 6:10 p.m. and people were flooding into the stadium from every angle. The T – Boston’s underground system – was packed to the point where it was difficult to breathe when standing. Fans donning Liverpool shirts could be seen even before entering the city limits. It almost felt like a real European game.

Only it wasn’t. As my 3 friends and I searched for the entrance to our standing area, it was remarkable how many random football shirts were on show in and around the stadium. I spotted Porto, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Aston Villa, Barcelona, and – this one takes the cake – even two or three Everton shirts. A few fans were also wearing international shirts, with Argentina, Mexico, England and understandably the United States well represented. 

Liverpool 1-2 Roma – Match Review

Liverpool continued their pre-season preparations as they met AS Roma on Wednesday night at Fenway Park in Boston. After a first half littered with misplaced passes and scuffed chances from both sides, the game picked up in pace and quality in the second half. Michael Bradley opened the scoring in the 63^rd minute, before Alessandro Florenzi extended the lead seven minutes later. Charlie Adam fired in a consolation goal for the Reds with ten minutes remaining but ultimately Roma ran out deserved winners.

The first half began in unspectacular fashion, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut chances. Pablo Osvaldo spurned a great chance when played clean through on goal after an error from Jay Spearing with Peter Gulacsi diving to his right to deny the Italian striker – the first of a number of impressive saves from the Hungarian stopper.

Joe Allen Could be Integral to the Rodgers Revolution

Swansea midfielder Joe Allen has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool in recent weeks, with it seemingly only being a matter of time until he links up with former manager Brendan Rodgers on Merseyside.

According to reports, Swansea Chairman Huw Jenkins is looking for £15mil for one of their most prized assets, with Liverpool not looking to spend anything above £10mil on the talented midfielder. A compromise is expected to be made, with new Swansea manager Michael Laudrup admitting that he will not force the 22-year-old Welshman to stay at the Liberty Stadium.

Liverpool 1-1 Toronto - Match Review

Today marked the opening game of Liverpool's pre-season campaign with a fixture against MLS outfit Toronto FC. After a drab first half of few chances, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers made 11 changes to his line-up at half time and the pace picked up in the second half.

Toronto took the lead in the 58^th minute through Quincy Amarikwa after substitute keeper Peter Gulacsi could only parry Sergio Camargo’s effort. It took only 11 minutes for Liverpool to hit back, with Adam Morgan tapping into an empty net after great work from fellow youngster Raheem Sterling. Both sides had openings and half-chances before the final whistle, but ultimately the spoils were shared.

Is Brendan Rodgers Following the Liverpool way?

After a lengthy and extremely public search for a new manager following the sacking of Kenny Dalglish in May, Brendan Rodgers was finally unveiled as Liverpool’s new boss on June 1. He was given immediate support from principal owner John W. Henry, as well as Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, with whom he worked with at Chelsea from 2004 to 2007.

Rodgers hit the ground running as Liverpool boss, immediately endearing himself to Liverpool fans across the world with his charisma and fantastic showing of respect for Liverpool and knowledge of its history.

The Andy Carroll Conundrum

With it looking increasingly likely that Andy Carroll will be moved on this summer, fan reaction has been widely split on if this is a bold statement of intent from Rodgers, or his first big mistake.

It's no secret that Carroll has struggled to settle on Merseyside after his big money move from Newcastle on transfer deadline day in January 2011. Brought in as a panic purchase after Fernando Torres decided to jump ship, it was never going to be an easy task living up to immediate expectations, especially after arriving at Anfield with an injury.

Introduction

Hi everyone,

My name is Patrik and I am 20 years old. I was born in Sweden, raised in England and am currently a college student in America.

I have been a fanatical Liverpool fan for as long as I can remember and I love sharing my thoughts on games, incidents, transfers and just about anything concerning Liverpool.

This is my first Blog attempt so I hope it goes well. I hope you enjoy my insights and please share this Blog with anyone you think might appreciate it!