A comfortable win against Toulouse in the second leg of Champions League qualifier. With Liverpool leading 1-0 from the 1st leg, we didn't hold back on the slender lead and went on scoring 4 goals, with a 5-0 aggregate score entering the group stages of the Champions League 07/08.
We started really well, keeping the ball and possession and we got ahead early in the game. Peter Crouch, who finally given the chance to start, scored his first goal of the season.
Sami Hyypia added the second with a typical header from a corner. Despite suffering from a broken nose, the big Finn had no problems scoring.
Dirk Kuyt was hardworking the whole day. He got paid for his efforts at the end with 2 nice goals. It's great to see all the strikers scoring for us.
The most encouraging thing is the fact that Rafa was able to rotate his squad and still playing well as a whole team. That's what we call squad depth. I hope this continues and I'm enjoying our football now.
This is the time when football has to take a back seat when you could see the sufferings from others.
Antonio Puerta, Sevilla and Spanish right back, had unfortunately passed away due to heart problems. Puerta, who won back-to-back UEFA Cups and the King's Cup with Sevilla, collapsed after jogging back towards his own goal 35 minutes into Saturday's game against Getafe.
Although he was able to walk off the pitch he collapsed again in the changing rooms and had to be given cardiac resuscitation before being taken to hospital.Sadly, he was unable to hang on and has left us.
Condolences to his loved ones and it's always sad to see such things happening.
In Liverpool, a 11 year old boy, Rhys Davies, was unfortunately killed and shot a week ago. He was an Everton fan and this brought the whole city together. When these things happened, we don't really care which club you support or how much differences you have among the clubs.
The family of Rhys Davies, was in Anfield this morning and a piece of music, also known as Johnny Todd, is used by city rivals Everton was being played ahead of Reds' traditional athem, You'll Never Walk Alone.
My deepest condolences to his loved ones and family, I hope that the truth would come to light very soon.
A game which we needed to win and we did with a 2-0 win over newly promoted Sunderland. Roy Keane's side has been working very hard and this game was no exception. They made Liverpool worked hard for the points under the hot weather.
Surprisingly, Momo Sissoko finally scored for us! After so long, he managed to put the ball into the net with a nice long shot!
We had many great chances throughout the game but just couldn't convert our chances into goals. That gave Sunderland some hope as they tend to gain more confidence further into the game. Torres and Voronin had great chances while Pennant was awesome throughout the game.
Alvaro Arbeloa was the one who I wish to praise. Quiet player but does his job well. He has been selected in every game so far for Liverpool. This tells me that Rafa believed in him and he's playing even better in every game. Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia was injured in this game and he has to makeshift to be centre-back in the later part of the game. Arbeloa did it brilliantly and because of that, Liverpool manged to score the second, the killer goal.
Counter attack by Babel and Pennant which led to a pass to Torres who lays it off to Voronin, who finished it steadily. Sunderland goalkeeper had made several outstanding saves throughout the match, we could have score more not because of him.
It's a comfortable win. A game which we must win and 3 points are in the bag. We have 7 points out of 9 and I believe it's not that bad. We have to keep it going. With hope in your heart, walk on.
Though Garcia left us, but I guess his heart is always with us. That's his letter to us.
Dear Reds,
First of all I'd like to apologise for not having been back in touch sooner, but I needed to take some time to take on board all the recent changes and then to put down these words for you.
I'm sure you will understand.
I would rather this be a letter of thanks and gratitude, not simply a goodbye.
Yes, that's right, gratitude, because that is the word that best sums up my feelings for you all.
Taking the decision to change clubs hasn't been easy. Not easy at all.
I've experienced three fantastic years at the club and in the city. Three years in which together, the fans and the team, we have accomplished some fantastic achievements, and I'm sure that these successes will continue to be repeated in the near future.
You know that I like a challenge and that I don't just settle for second best.
Back then Liverpool Football Club gave me the opportunity to be part of an ambitious plan to put the Reds back at the summit of the game.
I think that together we managed to achieve that.
As I said, I do like challenges and in spite of the fact that at that time I was playing for my home town club, one of the biggest in the world, I wanted to be a part of that project that was being presented to me by Liverpool, and so I accepted the challenge.
Now, after three seasons in the Premier League and having won some major trophies, the chance came up for me to return to La Liga and be part of a new project at a club I already knew.
The idea of enjoying things in a Spanish club like we experienced together at Liverpool over these last three years appealed to me, and that's why I accepted the offer.
I want to thank everyone working at Liverpool Football Club for how well they have treated both my family and I, making us feel at home from the very first day to the last.
I also want to thank the management, coaching staff and directors for the opportunity they gave me back then to be part of such an important and well-loved club as Liverpool. A club which has helped me to grow as a footballer and where to date I have enjoyed the biggest success of my career.
Without a doubt, this success has been possible thanks to the outstanding group of players with whom I've been able to share a dressing room over the last three seasons.
I'm not going to mention anyone specifically, because I think that the secret of this team's success has been exactly that: nobody wanted to stand out above the rest and there has always been a great togetherness in the squad, which made it into something more than a group of players, it was a group of friends.
Thanks to all of you for your help and your friendship.
I've left until last the thank you which for me is the most important: Thank you to the supporters.
Your support allowed me to settle quickly at both the club and in the city, and you made me feel really at ease with you all right from the word go; that's the kind of help that you notice most of all during the difficult times, of which there have been a few during my time here.
I'd like to especially thank you for making up a song for me and you should know that every time I heard you singing it, it was like an extra injection of strength and motivation, even helping me to overcome pain occasionally during a game.
Your unconditional support is the thing that ensures that this team manages to pull through in the most difficult circumstances; and I can assure you that the whole squad is aware of this and thanks you for it.
A football club isn't just made up of players, coaches and directors. More than anything else it's the supporters who make a club, and that perhaps is the ingredient which best distinguishes Liverpool Football Club from every other team. The supporters.
Because if one thing has remained obvious to me after these few years, it's that with supporters like you, Liverpool Football Club will never walk alone.
I really hope that the club wins lots of major trophies in the future; I'll be following it all from a distance, with the pride that you can only get from having been a Red and played for the home team at Anfield – a ground that every football fan must visit at least once in their life.
Thank you for everything. Yours most sincerely,
Your friend, Luís García
He's one of the best players Liverpool can ever have. Will not forget him despite his short span here. All the best, Luis!
Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1 Torres, 16 min - Lampard, 62min (pen)
A game which Liverpool dominated, a game which Liverpool wanted to win, a game which clearly shown who deserved to win. Sadly, the game were robbed by referee Rob Styles. Poor decision making, showed cards without thinking and this cost us 2 points.
Liverpool started well in front of Anfield, the first home game of the season against the giants, Chelsea. What can you ask for more? Good passing, switching flanks and we managed to get a goal early in the 16th minute.
New record signing, Fernando Torresshowed the fans why we bought him for. Pace, strength and clinical finishing were what he did. Got the ball from Captain Stevie, sudden burst pace outrun Chelsea defender, Ben Haim and shot past Petr Cech. That's what we have been lacking of for so many years ever since Michael Owen left us.
Chelsea was left shocked and they were clueless of what to do. They made a change which brought in Pizzaro playing upfront with Drogba. They created some great chances but failed to convert them. Liverpool defence was able to hang on.
Sadly, or I should say controversially, Rob Styles generously awarded a penalty to Chelsea which nobody else thought it is. Neither did Chelsea players argued, nor Jose Mourinho off his bench moaning. Malouda just jumped at Steve Finnan and fell. What the f***? It's a penalty? I'm sure many Liverpool fans would be thinking of that.
The team worked really hard. Pressed Chelsea in every area and I believe Chelsea was not able to handle us. We did everything well except the fact that we didn't score the second goal. However, it seems that Chelsea was not able to score against us until the dubious decision went against us.
I guess it's part of football and we have to accept it. Poor decisions are always there and sadly for this case, it happened against us and we have to pay for it. Many positives from the match can be seen. We played well and were a better team than Chelsea for the 90 minutes. I believe as long as we continue playing good and better football, we will definitely be there, no doubts.
For Rob Styles, I've nothing much to say about him. He might be the man who costs us this 2 points which may be crucial at the end of the season, we shall see. I believe he needs to attend some pressure management course on how to handle pressure. If not, don't be a referee.
Jamie Carragher has declined McClaren's invite back to international football. Read more.
It's a decision beneficial for Liverpool and personally, I'm glad to see our vice-captain ending his services for England and stood by his decision despite persuasion from England coach, McClaren. England has not been treating our number one guy good, leaving him out despite him being fit and I don't believe he's worse than the likes of John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ledley King etc.
So what's the point of giving your services to a country which don't appreciates you? England has been poor over the years and I don't think McClaren will not make it any better. If England plays Carragher and loses, somehow, blame will be on Jamie and I truly feels that he don't deserves such treatment.
A good decision Carra, they only needs you when they realised you are gone and the rest are injured. Winning trophies for Liverpool is definitely a better option.
Aston Villa 1 Liverpool 2 Barry, 85(pen) - Laursen, 31(og), Gerrard, 87
The opening match of the season. Expectations, hopes, comments are just some happening every season. As usual, Liverpool is also those who really needs to live up with it. They started the journey last night, at Villa Park.
With the new away strip, Liverpool came up on top and dominated most of the game. With Gerarrd and Alonso in the middle, Villa didn't trouble much in the first half. Instead, we managed to get a goal. Laursen's Own Goal
Torres' shot was well-saved by the keeper, and credit to Kuyt, he didn't give up and kept going, causing Laursen deflecting the ball into his own net.
Villa came up in the second half. Probably due to Martin O Neil's half time talk. They were faster on the ball and caused several problems. Liverpool defence was unable to clear the ball on many occasions and eventually, Villa equalised.
Jamie Carragher was the culprit with a handball offence. He was awesome the entire game except for that moment.
Fortunately, Carragher's mistake was being covered up by fellow teammate, Steven Gerrard. Took the ball just outside the penalty area, causing a freekick from Petrov. Up step Gerrard, and the rest is history.
What else can I say about Gerrard's quality? He's definitely going to improve and lead us to more victories.
On the whole, we deserved the win. However, there are much rooms for improvements for the team. Next home game will be the titans clash with Chelsea. We need to play better and be more clinical against the Blues.
A good 3 points in the bag and the journey continues..
Yes, majority of us believe that the partnership of Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano suits Liverpool the best. However, the number of votes for Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso was not that far from the first.
I really wonder Rafa would play who in the middle. Will Gerrard be placed on the right again? Or Alonso will have to be on the bench when Gerrard plays in the middle? It's a good headache for Rafa, with so many options. More options is better than none.
Whoever plays, as long as we produces results, nobody will make any negative comments on the team. I do not care who plays in the middle. 3 points and advancement to the next round are what it really matters.
With a week more to the new season starts, Liverpool didn't waste much time on concentrating on their football, making sure the team gel with the new signings. Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard scored the goals for us that night.
Louis A devoted Livepool fan from Singapore, who has been supporting Liverpool since he was 5 years old. Anfieldreds is born on 23th November 2006. Anfieldreds is about Liverpool football club news, previews, Louis' views and comments. Feel free to email me at llzz_18@hotmail.com and give me your comments anytime. Enjoy.
