AS Roma vs Liverpool

"After taking over the club in October 2010, chairman Tom Werner and principal owner John Henry made no secret of their desire to bring the team to Boston and on July 25, that wish will finally become a reality when the Reds of Liverpool face Italian giants AS Roma at the home of the Red Sox. The game, part of the historic ballpark’s 100th anniversary celebrations, is not the first ‘soccer’ game to be played at Fenway - 18 games have been played there since 80,000 fans turned up to see the New York Yankees of the American Soccer League beat Celtic 4-3 in 1931 - and while there may not be as much riding on this game as when the two teams met in the final of the 1984 European Cup, fans will still be desperate to see their team emerge victorious". www.LFCtour.com, 2012

Liverpool's First Half Team


Gulasci
Enrique
Carragher (c)
Skrtel
McLaughlin
Spearing
Shelvey
Aquilani
Sterling
Eccleston
Cole

Once again Brendan Rogers has mixed up all the players looking as though to see the abilities of the players in adapting to the players around them but also to see the fruits of their training in the first few weeks.


The First half saw the defence work hard as the ball was given away a few too many times allowing the opposition to attack. Gulasci did very well to make some one-on-one saves.


Shelvey - A Good few attacks from Shelvey with his footwork to get through the defence, he's really shown some quality in this game. Time and time again, Shelvey see's himself weave the ball in and out the feet of the defence and had a few shots but not yet successful on finish.
Spearing - seem to be making too many mistakes as he's not looking up, not playing the right ball, forcing the ball forward instead of playing it safe back to the defenders and generally not had a good game, he is better than this and I think he knows it too.


Raheem Sterling - racked up a yellow card for a silly mistake of running too early into a free kick however his game play was impressive though not quite the same as the game against Toronto however he has shown consistency.


Cole - had a beautiful chance as he tried looping the ball over the keeper from a well placed ball from Aquilani however it just hit the crossbar, making the plays and being inventive with his crosses but overall he has shown he is worthy of playing in the starting XI.


Overall the first team showed some brilliant chances and brilliant team work with a little trouble in midfield where Spearing and Shelvey were struggling to control the middle however Shelvey showed some real strength in attacking; and what seems to be something he learned from Gerrard's books. Aquilani showed his worth with picking out Eccleston and Sterling who were both moving very well. Eccleston lost out on a few chances but he is showing huge leaps of improvement. They kept a clean sheet in the first half and it was upto the second team to do better and score some goals.



Liverpool Second Half Team

Jones - Gulasci
Wilson - Enrique(59)
Agger - Carragher (c)
Sama - Skrtel (59)
Flanagan - McLaughlin
Lucas - Spearing(59)
Adjordan - Shelvey (59)
Pacheco - Aquilani
Suso - Sterling
Morgan - Eccleston
Adam - Cole




Second half - Rogers decided to change a few players around leaving a few players on, maybe to check out different tactics however, the experiment also left them wide open in some areas which Roma exploited. A brilliant shot from a tight angle off Michael Bradley gave Roma a goal ahead, while a second goal from Florenzi made it even more difficult for Liverpool to get back. With ten minutes left to go, Adam first touch from a collected loose ball from Pacheco, curls the ball low into the far right corner to bring Liverpool's hopes back up. Goal wise that's all there was.


Just as the first half, Shelvey played a well in the 15mins he played, having taken a free kick that was well taken just a little off the target; the distance would require the ball to be kept low and he did so very well.




Pacheco - well set-up play a few minutes into the second half, lack of control but good thinking. A second set-up saw Pacheco make his way down the left hand side with a beautiful cross but Suso unable to finish. With his acceleration and ball control, he will be a brilliant back up or a link up with Enrique. His set-up for Adam's goal cannot be overlooked, in the right place at the right time to give Liverpool a chance to get back into the game. The last few minutes of extra time saw the youngsters a little to anxious to try and score making few tackling errors.


Flanagan - made some interesting runs up forward on the right hand side and provided some good crosses, defensively needs to keep his head up and check the players around a bit more but otherwise a decent game. Worth sending him off to get some experience maybe at a championship team as I feel that's probably what he is lacking.


Morgan - got caught a few too many times offside, maybe too ambitious with a goal after the last game but the attacking prowess was good to see.


Adam - seemed to be doing well moving forward while his ability to pick out players on the run, he also played very well alongside Shelvey, both worked well, knew each others game and their partnership paid off. And then his goal to get Liverpool back in the game was one you would expect from him and nothing else.
Lucas - took quite the tackle from Bradley but seemed to take it well, glad to see he's looking fit, and his tackles are as strong as ever. It was good to see him holding down the midfield as he once did and supporting the youngsters was a major necessity.


The End score Finished Roma 2-1 Liverpool. Disappointing result but with Roma sporting much more of their starting eleven with Liverpool changing the team around so much, not too much was expected of them. They made some good chances, particularly Shelvey and Pacheco played well. For overall performance, I would place Shelvey as my Man Of The Match.
This game was always going to be a tough match and with Rogers wanting to see the youngsters abilities, this was a great opportunity to use as Roma was never a weak team to begin with and there are a lot of positives to take away from this.

Toronto holds off Liverpool to a 1-1 Draw in Friendly

Toronto holds off Liverpool to a 1-1 Draw in Friendly
Liverpool started their pre-season game against Toronto




With a huge selection of the youngsters featuring in this game with few first team players.




First Half Team

Jones

Enrique
Sama
Wisdom
Carragher

Adam
Spearing
Aquilani

Eccleston
Ibe
Pacheco


Second Half Team

Gulasci

Skrtel
Robinson
Wilson
Flanagan




Adorjan
Shelvey
Suso




Cole
Sterling
Morgan




As Rogers mentioned in his conferences, and the formation he succeeded with at Swansea; they played a 4-3-3 with the midfield filled with the more experienced players while he played all the youngsters up front to see what they were capable of and to see whether they would do well along side current strikers.
Brendan Rogers has really given all the youngsters a chance with playing them all in this game with the more experienced players in tactical positions to help the youngsters.




Pacheco shows some real skill on the left hand side attacking well with a crucial shot in the last 5 minutes which could have been a turning point. Wisdom showing his keen eye to spot out players.
First half drama comes from a handball that was not given to Liverpool as Enrique played through 2 players and a one-two with Pacheco, Enrique takes a shot and it is deflected away by a Toronto Defender. 
Over all in the first half, Liverpool were dominant in possession however there were a lack of chances being produced or utilised. It was very encouraging to see the youngsters fitting into Rogers style of play. With the quick feet of Pacheco and the strength of Eccleston there were some serious skill being seen.
Ibe showed some real skill with his accurate crosses and really put pressure on the Canadian defence.




In the second half the entire team was switched over playing more of the younger players.
The first half started well, with the team really putting pressure and opposition and making a lot more chances than before with the help of Morgan and 
Wiedeman's ball parries off Gulasci as he couldn't keep his hands on it allowing Amarikwa to knock in an easy goal.
Morgan showed some brilliant skill with his first shot getting passed 3 players and really making a difference.
But Sterling gets played in and takes the ball past 2 defenders and the goalie with Morgan to finish a brilliant team effort goal.
Lucas came on for Adorjan to get his first game since his injury earlier on in the previous season. The crowd went wild to see the Brazilian on the pitch and it seems as though he was as good as ever but it did seem he was taking it a little lightly but I'm sure it was for precaution.
Liverpool continued to press on with Sterling making some excellent runs down the left but to no avail as Toronto began to double their numbers around him making it difficult for the youngster to play anyone through.




Roger's will be pleased to see what was displayed today and I'm sure everyone was impressed with the younger group of players and a nice sight to see Lucas back.
If Sterling really is to be given off on loan to give him some more experience, it would definitely do him some good but from his performance he seemed more than capable to deal with the Premier League.




More talks surround the possibility of Dempsey coming to Liverpool, Bellamy to leave for Cardiff City and Skrtel being linked away but nothing has yet to be shown. Talk of Walcott coming top Anfield has also been played down and Robin Van Persie has not been link yet.




To be fair, two halves of excellent quality but the second showed a lot more pace and attacking options and not only from the goal but his overall performance, Morgan get my vote for Man of the Match.

More Rumours and Chit Chat! Dempsey, Walcott, Carroll and American Tour!

More talk keeps coming as Dempsey and Walcott are said to have made agreements on fees however the signings themselves may take some time.
Andy Carroll still a Geordie?


With Maxi Rodriguez and Dirk Kuyt gone, Liverpool were in dire need of a winger and it seems BR has hit it on the nail as (of writing this) Walcott is said to be making his way to Liverpool on a fee of £15million.


Walcott's move from Southampton to Arsenal was a necessary move for him to be seen as a threat on the pitch. from 2006 he has improved, playing for England, he showed just exactly what he was capable of when he got himself a goal in the Euro 2012.
Did playing in the England squad persuade him to look at Liverpool as a smart move?
Playing along side, Carroll, Glen Johnson, Henderson, Downing and captained by Gerrard; one could say something felt right.
His pace and general game play has made him one of the Gunners favourite players and with Robin Van Persie also on a possible move out of the club, are Arsenal ready to let go of Walcott too?


Compatibility - As far as I can tell, Walcott would fit in nicely in the style of football BR intends to bring to the club just as much as Maxi and Kuyt would have fitted. Though I do not compare Kuyt and Maxi to Walcott as if he was just trying to fill their boots as each player has their unique ability and Walcott has that unique footwork and technique that is hard to find in any young player.


At only 23, he still have plenty of development in him and with the way he is going, I can only imagine what he would be capable of in the next season.


Liverpool have rejected a bid for Andy Carroll from Newcastle who seem to wish to bring him back to the north east however with a small bid of 13million, Liverpool were quick to say no thank you.
There are rumours of a new bid being put forward, how different it would be, we are unsure. Andy Carroll has expressed his determination to stay at Liverpool, putting it on the table clearly that he does not wish to be sold and would only take a loan move reluctantly.


Andy Carroll's progress at Liverpool didn't seem to shine that well, with Suarez, Bellamy and Enrique taking the lime light of the better signings Carroll has faced some serious criticism with his lack of form and goals however towards the end of the season, Carroll started picking up. His performance at Euro 2012 proved he was still capable of some brilliant goals when it counted.


Dempsey is said to be a definite with the signing and transfer taking longer than expected, it seems Carrolls place in the first team, maybe squandered.


Whether you believe any of the rumours, personally I do hope the story of Walcott is indeed true as I have been a fan of his skills and abilities and would happily accept his moving to Anfield should such a thing happen.


Speaking of Americans, Liverpool's squad set off for America for their tour this afternoon from John Lennon Airport, the team sheet was released as follows:

Goalkeepers

Peter Gulacsi
Brad Jones
Danny Ward

Defenders

Daniel Agger
Jamie Carragher
Jon Flanagan
Stephen Sama
Brad Smith
Glen Johnson
Jose Enrique
Martin Skrtel
Danny Wilson
Martin Kelly
Ryan McLaughlin
Andre Wisdom
Jack Robinson

Midfielders

Charlie Adam
Alberto Aquilani
Joe Cole
Suso
Lucas Leiva
Stewart Downing
Steven Gerrard
Jordan Henderson
Jonjo Shelvey
Jay Spearing
Raheem Sterling
Jordon Ibe

Strikers

Adam Morgan
Andy Carroll
Daniel Pacheco
Krisztian Adorjan
Fabio Borini
Nathan Eccleston

Brendan Rogers has a made a point that he will be checking out the youngsters to see what they're capable of first hand and after only a couple of weeks actually training with them, BR has high hopes for the youngsters.

Their first game is against Toronto FC at the Rogers Centre on 21st July at 4pm (local time)

For more information on the liverpool American Tour, visit this place

That's all from me for now!

I'll keep you up-to-date with all the latest news on LiverpoolFC.

I'm Andy, signing off!

YNWA

BORINI IS IN!

The first signing for Brendan Rodgers is Fabio Borini! For an undisclosed fee but thought to be in around the 7.5million euro mark, Borini has been given a full medical today and his own number 29 while signing everything in a number 6 top.
Borini is only 21 and has been hailed as the next Inzaghi.


For his first full interview at Melwood click here


Maxi has officially left Anfield, as sad as it is, he has been a player of immense talent and he will be missed with Kuyt also gone, Liverpool will be looking for a winger who can make the runs and create the crosses.
Maxi is said to have made the decision after talks with Rodgers on a mutual agreement, in which it seemed to be family related rather than any kind of dispute though the actual story has not been disclosed.


Moutinho is also on the target list for Liverpool and is said to be free at the moment so will be up for grabs but with interests coming from all directions Liverpool will need something outstanding to secure a hold on him.

What's the catch up?

Ok so here are the latest reported rumours...


Andy Carroll has had one of his friends shout out that he has no intention on leaving Liverpool and intends on fighting for his spot to prove himself and to be part of BR's plans.


Maxi Rodriguez is now apparently having talks with Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys, an Argentinian team, seeing as Maxi was not a big part of Kenny's Team however he could be a part of BR's... Talks are still continuing. Would you like to keep him? I know I would like to. He plays well with Bellamy and Suarez having the same style of upbringing in football style and both have pace to strike the heart of any defence. It was a shame he was not featured in Dalglish's team.


Liverpool are apparently on the forefront for Sturridge, what do you think of this buy?


Suarez, Skrtel and Agger to sign a new extension contract.


Rumours are that Reina may want to leave after reports of Spanish teams want him, LLoris is an apparent target for the club to replace him but I don't think we're in too much of a hurry with Doni and Jones both proving they're more than capable. We also still have Gulasci in the back should things go eerie.


Suso is hoping to impress BR and get a spot in the first squad. With Sterling also making the same rate of work to impress the new boss it seems we may actually see more of the new youngsters playing next season.




Fulham's Dempsey has been in the papers quite a lot and yet to have any confirmation about contact with Liverpool but that doesn't strike the whole story down. The price tag is in the region of £7.5. some reports are claiming a swap for Andy Carroll for Dempsey AND cash, which personally makes no sense.





Who would you like to see playing in the new squad? Who would you like to see be signed?
Leave your comments down below!

Kind of a Review of 2011/12

This season we have seen some manic changes with the hope of glory under the reign of King Kenny but this season has shown the resilience of the Premier League. We can always look at this year being the lowest of the season but there is a lot to learn from and for people to look and say, it was shocking and terrible, one things we all know is the terrible luck we've had.

This season we've had some highs and some lows with results and it has been a huge development time but there is a lot that needs to be done. We all knew that this season was a season of building but the number of chances we had and not consolidated those has been a disappointment.

As a team we've had a lot of work done, we saw a lot of passes that gave the opposition the chance to score and many times we have seen them take advantage of it.

But player wise, we have a collection of fantastic players that need to be more of a team than a work alone man.

Results, beating the big teams and failing against the weaker sides, as wins against the top teams, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, but then to lose or only draw at home against the likes of Blackburn and Wolves, teams who were at the bottom and struggling for form.

But the positives are what we need to look at and the negatives is what we need to learn from.

But lets have a look at the top performers and the under performers.

In no particular order, each player chosen have been one that has influenced games and made an impact on the team as a whole.

Jose Enrique - The best buy out of all the players. A player who has started essentially every game and made an impression from the first game. His ability has done nothing but improve, worked well up front along side the strikers to provide and has ensured Liverpool to have one of the best defensive record this season and a reason why no goals have come from his side of the pitch. Enrique has nothing to prove but to prove himself the best in the world with his ability, his tackles has been brilliantly done, clean and strong and committed into those tackles. his eye for a running forward has ensured Liverpool to survive a not so successful frontal assault on the opposition.

Next season we can see a lot more from him, with nothing to hold him back, but with only Jack Robinson as our only backup, injuries could be a concern should anything happen to him.

Gerrard - The Skipper, our Captain Fantastic, with him back on the seen, Gerrard had retaken his armband and led the team to some amazing games, scoring a hat-trick against Everton and setting up some beautiful goals throughout the season. At the Euro 2012 he captained England to the quarter finals but were defeated on penalties by Italy, however his own record of 3 assists just shows his ability to pick out the players.

At 32 Gerrard will be leading Liverpool to many more victories and with only the Premier League cup out of his grasp, he will be ensuring everyone does their bit to win the league this season.

Skrtel - The Most Consistent Player of 2011/12. Skrtel has exceeded his goal tally hopes for the season and having played a crucial part on the central defence along side Agger, Johnson and Enrique, Skrtel has made a name for himself and made himself an idol and future legend of Liverpool FC. His own abilities and control in the back has ensured the back four have been strong enough to hold off even the deadliest of attacks.

Although he had a stint with a red card that saw Liverpool fall to 9 men against Spurs, he was back and playing his role in scoring goals as well as keeping our net clear of any balls.

Suarez - El Pistolero! The one and only Suarez, scoring more fantastical goals than ever. Having done well for Uruguay in winning the Copa Del Rey and securing a place in the next world cup, Suarez has scored the goal of the season and even with his 8 match ban, has shown his qualities. Hitting the woodwork this season seemed to have been on the practice regime as a large number of shots seem to ping off it.

He is an integral part of this team and needless to say, we will be seeing a lot more from him in the future.

Agger - Agger, having finished his campaign in the Euro 2012 on a high, captaining Denmark to a group stage exit, he proved to everyone that he was a defender to be feared. Along side Skrtel, Agger was the central backbone of the defence ensuring nothing got through easily or at all. and the partnership between the two has been brilliant. With Carragher coming closer to the end of his career, we will be looking towards these guys to lead the defence.

Bellamy - After a quick signing before the deadline, Bellamy has been linked to many teams including a signing for his old club Cardiff City but with Liverpool wanting to keep their choices open and strength at an all time high, Bellamy is an essential member of the squad. With Rogers at the Helm, you'll be seeing a lot more of Bellamy playing not just a role he is most familiar with but a role he is best and personally I hope to see him upfront along side Carroll and Suarez a lot more. Everyone sees him as a player that can cross balls in but they also forget his ability to run with the ball and his pace to attack down the middle from the sides. His footwork with the ball is not quite the same as Suarez but his ability to keep up with Suarez and support him up front will be necessary.

Coates - Having only appeared in a few matches, Coates has shown his skills and ability and proven that he is a top class player, having scored the only goal needed to ensure Uruguay a place in the World Cup and setting up 3 goals for Suarez in the Copa Del Rey, he has huge potential. With his height he will be essential in the box along side Carroll. his beauty of a goal against QPR was, not only his first for Liverpool but one of mine and I'm sure many of yours, favourite goals of 2011/12. Next season will be an interesting time, having a squad of such ability and attacking prowess.

Those were the players that have done well, but what about the others?

Henderson - A player of confusion would be the best way to put it. throughout the season, Jordan Henderson has been a player said to be a player of huge potential, a player of accuracy and a player who has excellent ability to spot out the gaps in defences but this season has seen him confused, not knowing what to do with the ball. Towards the end of the season he seemed to pick up and his chance to play on the England squad has given him the chance to improve a lot. Hopefully we shall see some of that improvement on the field for Liverpool.

Spearing - With Lucas out we had to turn to Spearing and at first I was quite enthusiastic about letting the younger players to have a go but disappointment fell as he was sent off for a silly tackle and then his performance fell and fell. Giving the ball away far too many times, pushing too far forward than he should and  not landing the tackles and giving away free kicks far too easily. He is not a player I would say we are in need of as he lacks the practice and intelligence to know when to and when not to commit to a tackle.

Carroll - Many could argue that he was doing badly, some would say we weren't utilising him properly, but at the end of the day, if you are not providing or scoring, then you are not doing your job as a striker or player. saying that he improved dramatically towards the end of the season, scoring last minute goals to ensure wins and scoring in the Euro 2012.

Downing - Personally I don't think he has done terribly badly, as he did his job, he made his runs, supported, crosses were on target and scored goals but his problem was seen as his fault for not landing a ball on Carroll's head but even he knows that you cannot cross a ball into an area when no one is about. Having trained with the England squad I'm hoping to see a lot more from him in the next season, hopefully more crosses similar to the accuracy of Gerrard himself, hopefully he'll be able to get some tips from him.

That is the round up for the players, if you have any more comments about the players leave them down below and lets discuss :)

Performance. Under performed, simply put, Liverpool are better than this, the team knows this, the Managers know this and the way we hesitate in the final third was terrible. With only Bellamy and Kuyt willing to make the runs, we were limiting the chances we had and the amount of time taken to wait for those people to move forward meant the defences of the opposition were able to reorganise to stop any attack we had. The defence did well and were the most consistent out of the positions while our striking force were extremely lacking. Chances were not being taken, no hope for goals at all and this seriously needs to be address. The Centre needs more work on their communication as they were not able to hold  the centre giving the opposition too much space and far too much possession in that area.

Red Cards. This season has seen to many, and 1 is already too many though not always avoidable and with Suarez having his 8 match ban, that put a huge strain on the team making things harder for themselves.

Penalties. How many did we miss? Carroll, Suarez even the reliable Kuyt. Disappointment but with the Penalties, it is difficult to say, it is a hit or miss, no other way about it.

Luck. Stressed so many times, Liverpool have had some terrible luck this season having so many goals disallowed, bans, red cards, this season has not been a lucky one. But next season we see Lucas return, Gerrard at full strength, a new manager and a new approach that we hope to see Liverpool return to their former glory. Luck has a little to do with the game but in the end it is the players so we will be looking at how well the team does on their America Tour over the Summer and keeping on top of the transfers of this season.

To start off.

Gastron Ramirez has been said to sign for Liverpool by the end of the week.

Diame also said to be linked with Liverpool

Kuyt has left for Fenerbahce. :(

Aurelio has moved... somewhere.

Players rumoured to leave: Maxi :( though he has mentioned that he has intended to stay, 

but we have heard this before from many players, but lets hope he does not

Jack Robinson (on loan to Norwich or Bolton)...meh.... ,

Bellamy (Cardiff City) but again, he has reiterated his intention to stay at Liverpool.

So that's it for this wek, I'll try to keep this more updated with the America Tour and transfers, but until then, this has been Andy Lai signing off!

YNWA...