Aston Villa 0 Liverpool 2 - Resurgent Reds March On

After a good win against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, Liverpool was on the road again. They faced off against Aston Villa at the historic Villa Park ground. It was a pleasing 2-0 win against a team that has troubled the Reds in the past, no matter how toothless they have been. Since Brendan Rodgers took over, Liverpool has never beaten the Villains at Anfield and has only struggled to wins at Villa Park. But, goals from strikers Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert ensured a relatively comfortable outing.

Reds players celebrate with the travelling Kopites( Credit - ThisisAnfield.com)

There were a few mishaps along the way though with Christian Benteke causing problems. The Reds lack of ruthlessness was also on show with Raheem Sterling and Fabio Borini wasting presentable chances. On another day, the reds could have paid dearly but luckily, goalkeeper Simon Mignolet stood strong and Villa were spendthrift with their chances. On the brighter side, another clean sheet for the much-maligned Reds defence and a few confidence boosting goals for the strikers.

Fabio Borini has had a tough few months for Liverpool. From nearly being shunted to relegation dwellers like QPR and Sunderland to being repeatedly left out from the squad by Rodgers, Borini has endured a difficult spell. But, he was a constant menace on Saturday with some really smart runs and a well-taken goal. While Borini might not be the best or the most complete option, there is no doubting his desire to the cause. I find Borini to be a very smart player who knows where to be in the box. But, I feel that he panics when he gets an opening and ends up throwing it away. He can be a useful squad player for the Reds in the future but is not consistent enough to be the main man.

Fabio Borini nods in his first goal in 2 years for Liverpool
Credit -  bbc.co.uk

As said before, the defence went through a tough spell in the second half but came through it. Martin Skrtel had a really good outing and though Christian Benteke got a few chances, it was not because of the Slovakian’s indiscretions. In fact, Skrtel repeatedly beat the usually adept aerial threat Benteke in the air. While Skrtel might not have been the best performer in the past few games and is prone to lapses in judgement, he was resolute on the day. Mamadou Sakho was good but not his glorious best. The powerful Frenchman had a tough time dealing with Benteke and the marauding runs of Alan Hutton, winning only 20% of his aerial duels and allowing Hutton to make 10 crosses. His passing was also not as fluid as before but still at a high 87% rate. With that being said, Sakho stopped some very dangerous Villa counters and it was by no means a bad performance.

Phillipe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling, so often the stars of an often-disastrous season, had tough games today. While Coutinho showed flashes of his usual brilliance in the first half, he went missing in the second. This has been a common trend with Coutinho, especially in away games. But, this did show signs of abating in previous games so I would put it down to fatigue. Sterling, back from a winter break in Jamaica, looked lot at times and the maturity that has been so accustomed to the 20- year old was not there. I would put it down as an anomaly and am sure that he will be back to his best in no time. Both players struggled against the physicality of Columbian midfielder Carlos Sanchez who managed to stifle the two players many times, registering 6 successful tackles.

But, without a doubt, the two shining lights of the game were Lazar Markovic and Jordan Henderson. While Markovic shined last game with his attacking verve, his defensive grit was on show today. Playing in an unfamiliar right back position, Markovic kept the dangerous Gabriel Agbonlahor quiet throughout the game. Markovic is showing a diversity and dexterity to his game which has not been seen before. As for Henderson, the stand in captain produced a very solid performance. He ahs started to combine his tenacity with proficiency and is developing an end product to his game. He got another assist on Saturday and now has a total of 11 goals/assists. In the absence of talisman Gerrard, Henderson has started to step up and provide the goods for the Reds.

Last but not least,  Simon Mignolet also had a good game with one breathtaking save to put out Benteke. The Belgian still has some issues with crosses but had more assurance and authority against the Villains. Jordan Ibe, also, had a lively cameo and showed flashes of his blistering pace and he can be a useful weapon in tight games. Meanwhile, Rickie Lambert got a really good goal to his name. While the Liverpudlian might be severely criticized by many, he has shown that he can provide. He is doing what he was brought for: an impact sub to finish off dead games. It is good to see players performing their roles and the celebration with the fans was something to behold.

Rickie Lambert fires in ( Credit - thisisanfield.com)

All in all, another good win and clean sheet for the Reds. Even though there was a slight struggle, I put it down to adaptation to the pressing game. Many of the new signing are not used to such physicality and it is only natural that they drop off. But, I am sure that the players will eventually adapt. Now, the Reds approach a crucial stage of fixtures, which could make or break their season. In the next five games, they play teams all above them in the table and the small matter of a Merseyside Derby. This is wedged in between a League Cup semi final against Chelsea, an FA Cup tie and a nostalgic return back to Istanbul in the Europa League. Brendan Rodgers has belabored on the point that the Reds have found their “identity” and have “turned a corner”. Now, we will really find what the Reds are made off.

How do you think the Reds will manage in this crucial stage of fixtures? Do you think Brendan Rodgers can walk the walk after talking the talk? Write down in the comments section below. 

Sunderland 0 Liverpool 1 - Good Win For the Reds

After a frantic and hectic festive period, Liverpool faced off against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. This was the first Premier League game since Steven Gerrard called time on his glorious Liverpool career. Gerrard will go down in history as one of the greatest, if not the greatest Liverpool player. While it will be painful to see him go, it might be the best decision for all parties. Gerrard’s form has naturally declined because of age and Brendan Rodgers has criminally wasted him in a defensive midfield position. Gerrard would have been best utilized as an impact sub as fellow legend Frank Lampard is currently reveling in but because of because of abrasion between different parties, it does not look like happening. In the end, it will suit everyone as Gerrard can have the peaceful retirement he deserves and the team can move on. So, in the midst of all this, the Reds visited the Stadium of Light. Liverpool had already faced off against Sunderland before in a dour goalless draw. But, this time, the result and performance was much better.

The Reds won 1-0 in a tense but dominant encounter through a solitary Lazar Markovic goal. While the scoreline may indicate a tight win, the performance indicates that the converse is true. The Reds were denied a blatant penalty and hit the woodwork twice in addition to squandering a plethora of chances. On another day, it could easily have been a thrashing for the Black Cats. The fluency in the Liverpool play was back and the relentless pressing of last season witnessed a resurrection. The Reds created 14 chances and had 21 shots on the Sunderland goal (all stats per Squawka). While Costel Pantilimon had an uneventful outing in the reverse Anfield fixture, he was definitely worth his efforts today. There are a lot of positives to take from this game and things are finally looking bright for the Reds again.

The highlight was most definitely the performances of Phillipe Coutinho and Lazar Markovic. These two players were all over the pitch today pitching in with defensive work as well as pressing the opposition. Together, they had 11 tackles in mostly attacking areas of the pitch. Because of their effort and commitment, Sunderland was barely able to get out of their own half. These are the small things that influence games and today, these two were able to perfectly fathom the nuances of the match. It was particularly refreshing to see Markovic giving back to the fans after enduring a very turbid and turbulent opening months on Merseyside. While many have criticized the signing of Markovic due to price and experience, his talent cannot be denied as shown in this game. Despite being very influential in past games, Phillipe Coutinho is still very wasteful in front of goal. Coutinho had 4 shots on goal but only 1 on target, which is a 25% efficiency. If he can add those goals to his repertoire, he can be a star for years to come on a club as well as international stage.

On the defensive side of things, it was a fairly comfortable evening for the back culminating in a rare clean sheet for Simon Mignolet. The defense was largely untroubled except for one 5-minute spell after the Liam Bridcutt red card but great pressing and solid defending quelled that. This has not been said very often this season so this should give huge encouragement to the team. In the past few games, the rise of Mamadou Sakho has been nice to see. While detractors call him awkward and ponderous, he has shown his class with crisp passing and efficient defending. He had a 95% passing rate, which is even more commendable considering the very windy conditions. Against Sunderland, Sakho made 7 clearances, the highest in the game showing his tendency to bail his team out of trouble. Sakho was bought to be a stalwart in the defence for years to come and he is starting to show why.

In addition, Emre Can and Lucas Leiva had really good games. Can, deployed as a centre back in the first half and a central midfielder in the second, was solid in passing and tackling. He also brought the ball forward with assurance. His authority with the ball was apparent for all to see, especially when one serpentine run caused Liam Bridcutt to make a late tackle and get sent off. Like Sakho, Can also had a high passing rate with 92% finding a player in a Liverpool shirt. Can is touted as a future star but he has been unjustly ostracized to an extent this season. But, now he is getting a good run of games and is proving his mettle. The highlight of his performance was an exquisite pass to Fabio Borini in the first half. This shows that Can has vision as well which will bode well for the future.

Lucas Leiva provided yet another resilient performance seated in front of the defense. Lucas has impeccable reading of play and is quick with the tackle. This was fully on display in this game as Lucas recorded a tally of 4 successful tackles and 2 interceptions. There have been rumours of Lucas being replaced with Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph. If this move is to go through, it would be incompetence on the part of Brendan Rodgers as Delph is neither as a good a defensive midfielder as Lucas nor as good an attacker as Coutinho or Adam Lallana. Here is to hoping that this move does not happen.

All in all, it was a satisfying performance for all associated with Liverpool. Three points and a clean sheet is a good return from an away game and the performance was there as well. But, there have been frailties in the second half of games and this will be something Rodgers will have to watch out for. But, things are definitely on the up. All the new signings are seeming to settle and with valuable players to come back, things are turning up at the right point. But, it is important not to get complacent. Next, the Reds visit tormentors Aston Villa at Villa Park. It will by no means be an easy game. The Villains have given Liverpool quite a few problems in the past and it is imperative to not get self-satisfied. Also, it is crucial for Rodgers to get a few signings this window to bolster the squad. Otherwise, whatever slims hopes the Reds have of reaching the top four will vanish.