We are still due to give a thrashing...we have Wigan and Blackburn coming up. <whiste> Although i don't look forward to Wigan games, they always **** us up!
At the start of December I would have taken 14 points minimum out of the 6 games. 15 points would be great especially if we are on a good winning streak to finally put that Fulham defeat behind us. We need all the points before we face City in the new year.
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http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/live...rpool-2-final-whistle-report-100252-29974582/ LIVERPOOL boss Kenny Dalglish celebrated his first league win as a manager at Villa Park as first-half goals from Craig Bellamy and Martin Skrtel ensured a comfortable victory over Alex McLeish’s side. Bellamy and Skrtel struck inside the first 15 minutes to seal the Reds’ fifth away win in the Barclays Premier League this season. But the star of the show was striker Luis Suarez who tormented the Villa defence and hit the bar and the post. Former Villa winger Stewart Downing was booed by the home fans after his £20million summer move but he and Craig Bellamy caused problems down both flanks. Villa missed the forward duo of suspended Gabriel Agbonlahor and injured Darren Bent and seldom looked like breaching what is the tightest defence in the Premier League with just 13 goals conceded. But they were also guilty of frequently giving the ball away and only skipper Stiliyan Petrov had composure in midfield. Villa started promisingly and Petrov curled a free-kick past the defensive wall and forced Pepe Reina to save away to his right. Downing managed Liverpool’s first effort on goal following a cross-field ball from Bellamy when he forced Brad Guzan to save at the foot of the post. Then after 11 minutes Downing played a part in Bellamy giving Liverpool the lead. His corner found Suarez inside the box and a back heel forced a fine instinctive save out of Guzan but Bellamy reacted first to the rebound for a simple tap-in. Villa winger Charles N’Zogbia was yellow-carded for bringing down Glen Johnson two minutes later. After 15 minutes Liverpool doubled their lead through Skrtel - and from another corner. Villa failed to pick up the central defender as he attacked a Bellamy cross and his glancing header flew past Guzan. Villa tried to counter-attack and Nathan Delfouneso had a 20-yard shot deflected wide and a long-range attempt from N’Zogbia was just off-target. Delfouneso teed up the over-lapping N’Zogbia whose shot contained plenty of power but flew into the side-netting. Charlie Adam was booked after 28 minutes for bringing down Emile Heskey. Two minutes later Bellamy was yellow-carded for fouling Alan Hutton to the right of the Liverpool box. But Delfouneso could not keep his header down from Albrighton’s free-kick. Villa were trying to get a foothold in the game but Liverpool continued to look more dangerous and Richard Dunne blocked a first-time attempt from Shelvey after he ran on to Suarez’s pass. Liverpool began the second half on the offensive and twice went close to adding to their lead. Bellamy’s pace took him clear of the Villa defence down the left flank and his cross was headed wide by Daniel Agger. Then Suarez showed sublime skill in evading the challenges of Dunne and James Collins and from 10 yards out he crashed his shot against the bar. Villa were giving the ball away too easily and a mistake by Stephen Warnock allowed Johnson time to line up a shot which was turned aside by Guzan. Reina was forced into a rare save in getting his body behind a low effort from N’Zogbia. But Suarez was denied by the woodwork again after chipping Guzan following a pinpoint 40 yard ball from Downing. Guzan turned aside Shelvey’s cross-shot and Adam had shot deflected wide when Shelvey was unmarked 10 yards out to his left. Dalglish brought on Andy Carroll after 74 minutes for Suarez who was given a standing ovation by the Liverpool fans. Villa substitute Barry Bannan appealed in vain for handball when his shot struck Agger and flew out for a corner.
If I hadn't watched the game and been told we'd won 2-0 I'd have been delighted. The only disappointment is that, as ever, we could have had more. How many more times are we going to rattle the woodwork this season? It's just got silly. Good performance I thought; Suarez was a bit quiet by his standards in the first half, better in the second. Shelvey seems to have benefitted enormously from his loan spell.
It's a tough one.. I think over the course of the season Spurs will be closer rivals than Chelsea but their isn't much between then at the moment
I agree Spurs are our closest rivals, but would love us to finish above Chelsea. We are being written off all over the place for top 4 with smileys being strewn everywhere at the thought of us getting a CL berth. I say keep it coming! Write us off at your peril!
I know and i really don't understand why! Pundits are just fickle really and change their mind on a few results, we'll win our next 3 and be nailed on to get 4th
Spurs are effectively eight points ahead of us as it stands, it is virtually us arse and chavs playing for 4th, so draw would be best from the game but a spuds win will help us out a lot.
I thought it was a pretty decent performance all round; controlled the play, created chances and solid defensively. The passing wasn't as good as other games this season but more than good enough to get the points! Looks like we can also add Shelvey to the growing list of positives this season, a really good performance from him where he both got into excellent scoring areas but also intercepted and broke up Villas play a number of times! The thing that really struck me today though was the way we harried and hustled Villa much like Utd do, also the team spirit seemed to come through today more than ever with players constantly patting each other on the head and giving encouragement. Really loved to see Dalglish as well appplauding Suarez off and both encouraging the subs and praising those coming off, we really look like a solid unit both on and off the pitch which will definately stand us in good stead!!!!
Played well today against an extremely off colour Villa team. I was impressed with our work rate and thought the defensive line looked solid and well up for it, both full backs solid at the back and Johnson doing his Digger impressions when flying forward We should get more goals from set pieces so was top drawer seeing Skrts get one and Agger bombing forward when the chance arose. In midfield Adam went about his business well, Downings performance was unspectacular but a definate improvement, Henderson had a good game as did Shelvey (both showing a maturity that surprised and pleased in equal measure). Up front Suarez grew into the game more and more and I just thought Bellers was great today. He really does give his all and he's such a wind up merchant he's bloody good fun to watch. The goals will come soon enough, our level of play seems to be improving month on month, far from perfect yet but we can all see that we now at least have the basis of a very good team/squad forming. We look good at the back, are playing good football and we need to just keep totting up the points over Xmas. I know we'd all like more goals but next 3 games we can win 1.0 for all I care Just remember the position we were in this time last year, with our club in it's worst state for decades both on the pitch and off it and think about where we are at now...can't fail to raise a grin really eh
Absolutely agree! They really are playing for each other, When Johnson hit that shot which was well saved Henderson gave him a playful hug (Make of that what you like) My only concern as always is we're still not finding the net from open play much, granted we were unlucky today not to get more but some of it is down to luck/bad finishing but at least today we got more players in the box, mainly Shelvey who I thought was excellent today. Wigan is our next must win game with Chelsea playing Spurs and as mentioned earlier in thread, if we drop points this victory will count for nothing. Excellent three points and a great performance to tip off a pretty decent weekend for us. Now for Suarez to get banned and bring down the good feeling?
Yeah it'll hurt but on the plus side Stevie G will be back soon...let's be honest we know the FA are taking so long because they need to be certain they can shaft Suarez as much as possible so we can just presume he'll be missing for a while. We have to learn to deal with these things as a team. Hopefully Bellamys sharpness will keep improving and we know Maxis good enough to come in and play a part. Carroll may still surprise a few and we know Kuyt and Downing have room for improvement this season. Maybe even a new face or two in Jan as well
Yep exactly. Their is still lots of potential in this team to score goals, even without Suarez I hope we're in for a pleasant surprise and Suarez doesn't get banned How they've delayed it is quite frustrating, If they were going to ban him it should of been weeks ago, We had a good run in for xmas and now we're nearing the end of the run they've chosen this time.. Oh and they've knocked off yesterday game while they were studying the mountains of evidence.. oh wait
Bellamy was brilliant. Suarez was just very good (instead of being superb!). Back 4 were solid. I was worried about the midfield but it looked tight enough. However, Villa were very poor. Good performance, good 3 points - bloody woodwork - again!!!!!
Think all 3 of Dirk,Carroll n Maxi will start v Wigan If Suarez isnt banned can see the side being Reina Johnson Skrtel Agger Jose Dirk Hendo Adam Maxi Carroll Suarez
Your leaving out Bellamy after that performance? For me he is a def starter for the next game no doubt. Let's get him back to his Blackburn days where he couldn't stop scoring ( and racking up points for my FF!)
