Liverpool vs Newcastle United Match Report
They are two clubs going through a period of transition and the match at Anfield was penciled to be an indicator for how Liverpool and Newcastle would fare as the season progressed. The Magpies are ahead with regards to their transition plans and are aiming to challenge for the coveted forth spot in the Premier League this season while the Reds are still adapting to the methods of their progressive young manager Brendan Rodgers and would settle for a top six finish while they lay foundations for the future.
Newcastle arrived at Merseyside with 18 long years without a win weighing heavily on Alan Pardew and his players. Pardew has been bullish in his match preview claiming that his team is good enough to snatch three points from the Reds.
Liverpool on the other hand are slowly building momentum with the Anfield club undefeated in the last 4 league games racking up 8 points of a possible 12 in the process.
This would also be a very special game for one Steven Gerrard who would make his 600th appearance in the famous red shirt. The Liverpool captain who led the club to the historic Champions League triumph in 2005 is guaranteed eternal legendary status amongst the Anfield faithful for his commitment and achievements throughout the “barren” years.
Brendan Rodgers stuck with the starting 11 who played at Everton in the club’s last Premier League encounter with Pepe Reina and Glen Johnson still injured. Pardew on the other hand, rang the changes by deploying a 4-5-1 formation with Vurnon Anita at Right Back, James Perch in Defensive Midfield and Papisse Cisse cutting in from the left wing as Demba Ba led the line.
The match would turn into a typical Liverpool performance at Anfield as the Reds dominat ed possession with Luis Suarez at the hub of everything positive while Sterling continued to grow in stature and importance despite his young age. Jose Enrique produced one of his better performances this season as he constantly overlapped down the left wing but could not offer the same impact as Glen Johnson.
But once again, Liverpool failed to turn their possession into goal mouth action and were punished by a slick counter attack down Newcastle’s right flank with Hatem Ben Arfa dribbling past Enrique and Sterling before crossing to Yohan Cabaye who controlled the ball beautifully before rifling the shot into the opposite corner past Brad Jones.
That shot was Newcastle’s first and only shot in the first half.
The second half started similar to the first with the Reds pushing forward without significant danger to Krul’s goal. Rodgers decided to bring on Jonjo Shelvey in place of the tiring Nuri Sahin who started the game brightly as the advanced midfielder but faded as the match progressed.
After a couple of miscued passes by both sides, the ball fell to Jose Enrique’s feet who produced an accurate long range pass to Luis Suarez. What the Uruguayan did next is simply miraculous. Suarez controlled the ball off his shoulder, then off his chest before rounding Tim Krul and coolly slotting into the empty net.
Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool scoring via route one.
Liverpool’s number 7 is enjoying his most prolific spell in a red shirt having scored 10 goals so far this season in all competitions, 7 of those goals in the Premier League.
The goal resulted in an immediate shift in the energy around Anfield with the players brimming with confidence and purpose.
Within minutes of the first goal, Luis Suarez picked up the ball on the right wing, darting past Coloccini before squaring the ball to Jonjo Shelvey who couldn’t apply the finishing touch. Suarez was at it again minutes later as he set up Raheem Sterling but the youngster took an extra touch which allowed Steven Taylor to block the shot with a sliding tackle.
Suarez ran circles around the Newcastle captain and at the end Coloccini lost his cool and tackled Suarez with his studs showing. The referee and his assistant were unanimous in decision and a strait red card was branded.
Liverpool continued to push after the magpies were reduced to 10 men with Shelvey heading straight at Krul from a Stewart Downing cross from the left wing. Luis Suarez almost produced the last telling touch of the game with a deflected free kick which bounced over the Newcastle bar.
A Liverpool winner was not be.
Rodgers was generous in his assessment: "I thought our performance was outstanding. In the first half our possession and intensity was relentless, we had some chances but we just switched off before half-time.”
"I'm really pleased about how our game is developing. The patience in our game.” Rodgers continued. “It's important we move the ball quickly through the lines, which we're doing. And importantly we're creating chances while playing this way.”
Liverpool are certainly improving under the Northern Irishman but “Outstanding” might not be the most appropriate adjective to describe their performance against Newcastle.
In his latest interviews, Brendan Rodgers is repeatedly mentioning the “two or three” attacking players the club needs to improve the squad. He maintained that stance in his post match interview by stating: “That's five draws now in 10 leagues games, and of those draws we should have won at least three. Once we can turn those draws into wins by converting the chances... But that's about players, the type of players you need. If we can get that over the next couple of windows it bodes really well for us.”
"It gives us great hope going forward that once we get that profile of player in it's going to finish off a lot of great work from us."
Liverpool continue to recreate their “pass and move” identity under Rodgers but are yet to iron out a few repeated flaws. The Reds are still looking vulnerable on the counter attack, especially down the left wing. They are failing to make use of the large number of set piece plays they are gaining throughout the game. And crucially, the midfielders are not breaking forward properly and are leaving Suarez isolated upfront. Finally, Liverpool are far too reliant on Luis Suarez.
The Reds are still a work in progress but in Suarez they have a someone who might drag them up the table until Rodgers gets the reinforcements he desires.
