Starting XIs Wolves formation and personnel were as expected. With O’Hara injured and Henry suspended, Edwards was partnered by Frimpong and the new signing Jonsson in midfield. Up front, Fletcher was chosen ahead of Doyle, with Kightly preferred to Hunt on the right. Jarvis continued on the left. Before the match, I said that I’d [...]
By Mihail Vladimirov. Liverpool 2 Man City 2: Heading to Wembley Starting XIs Liverpool went with the same formation they have started every big game with this season – the 4-1-2-3. There were no surprises in the starting line up either, with the only question mark before the match about how the front three would [...]
Liverpool had a very good record against Bolton Wanderers, winning their previous ten meetings in the league. However, the Trotters broke their duck with a convincing win against the Reds. Motivational Issues A lot of people have questioned whether Liverpool were ‘up’ for this game, and it’s a fair criticism. It is here we should [...]
By Paul Tomkins. When arguing that Rafa Benítez was doing a good job (and often a very good job), I often observed how wrong it was to expect Liverpool to automatically return to the glory days. Too much had changed between 1991, when Kenny resigned with the Reds reigning champions, and 2004, when Rafa arrived. [...]
Before this match there had been just 11 goals scored in seven Premier League matches between Liverpool and Stoke. Added to Liverpool’s recent scoring problems, perhaps the lack of goals should not have been that unexpected. First half Tony Pulis did not cause any surprises with his starting eleven, but he did change from his usual [...]
The opening As they had done in their previous meeting, both sides continued with similar tactics to the match they had just played. Manchester City started with their 4-4-2 with inverted wingers, while Dalglish stuck with 4-1-2-3 as he has done in almost all of the “big” matches. In the league meeting it was City [...]
By football lawyer, Daniel Geey @FootballLaw. (Not that it should matter in terms of the veracity of the points he makes in terms of the glaring inconsistencies in the FA’s report, but it’s only fair to note upfront that Daniel is Liverpool fan). Further analysis of the media’s treatment of the case (and racism in [...]
Manchester City had only won one of their last 13 league games against Liverpool, and Andy Carroll had scored four in three starts against the league leaders, but those promising omens were not borne out as Liverpool slid to their second heaviest defeat of the season at the Etihad. Before the first goal Neither side [...]
The omens were good. Newcastle had failed to score in their last five league games at Anfield, and Gerrard (although he was on the bench) had scored six in his last eight against the Magpies. Kuyt had also scored in each of his last three league games against Newcastle, bagging a further two assists. The [...]
Blackburn’s recent record had been abysmal. They had won just one of their last 17 away league games, and had failed to keep a clean sheet in 20 matches. Liverpool, however, are having trouble putting teams away; they are unbeaten in their last eight home matches, but have drawn four of them. And they have [...]
