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.