Results tagged “skrtel” from Liverpool Echo - Another Red Letter Day
FIGHT, passion and commitment.
That's the first way to battle out of a crisis of confidence that is seeping through Anfield at present.
When signs of footballing quality are in short supply, one of the initial things fans demand from their players is effort.
And to be fair to the Reds, last night, they gave us that in spades.
LAST night, Liverpool FC surrendered limply to a side struggling at the wrong end of the Championship.
Not only we beaten, at supposed fortress Anfield, but we were outplayed.
The Reds were palpably second best in terms of fight, commitment, ideas, creativity and skill.
Now is not the time for delusional hopes, skewed statements of how we just need our luck to change, but for cold, hard, plain facts.
It's only facing up to the reality that will possibly drag us out of this sorry, sorry mess.
AFTER many of our dismal draws or defeats this season, some fans have been quick to chirp up and say: "What do you expect, when the owners won't financially back the manager?"
A fair point, some would offer.
But dropping points at well-baked Spurs and being held at home to money-bags Man City is one thing. Being outperformed by a side five places from the foot of the Championship is quite another.
ANOTHER game, another absence of a win....it seems that we're in for a long hard season boys.
I ALWAYS have a sense of gloom when we get ready to play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
It's never been a happy hunting round for us, and Liverpool performances at their place often follow that samey path of lots of endeavour, but ultimately, a lack of real class that is necessary to topple the strongest squad in the Premiership.
PHRASES like 'a bad day at the office' were meant for games like this.
In truth, Liverpool never looked like having a real prayer in any stage of this match.
Right from the start we weren't at the same tempo as the Italians and they thoroughly deserved their 2-0 win.
BECOMING easy this playing at home lark isn't it?
Aston Villa aside, our three Premiership games at Anfield have so far finished 4-0, 4-0 and 6-1.
It's widely acknowledged that drawing games at home to mediocre mid-table sides cost us the title last year.
Now, on current evidence, that troublesome Achilles Heel seems to have been well and truly addressed.
SOMETIMES you feel a blog posted after one Liverpool match, could easily be copied and pasted for an entirely different Reds game and it would still be applicable.
Sloppy defenders being saved their blushes by Liverpool's two talismanic frontmen.
Question is, when are we going to learn from all of this?
IN THE last 12 months, any criticism of Liverpool has been along the lines of questioning us as a real attacking force.
But with seven goals conceded in our first four league games, is it time for questions marks to hover over our leaky defence?
ALL IN ALL, it was a hugely productive season for Liverpool, but one which ultimately ended in frustration.
So near yet so far to that first title in 19 years.
Still, there are many reasons for optimism that will mean we march into the next campaign with hope in our hearts.
Here, Another Red Letter Day presents its End of Season awards.
You can be certain it's been a good night for Liverpool when much-maligned full back Andrea Dossena sprints 60 yards to get into the box, controls and fires into the net of the best keeper in the world with aplomb.
IT'S BEEN a while since a league home game at Anfield has been looked forward to with such little anticipation.
Defeat to Middlesborough, following on from the draw against Man City the week before, had knocked all the fight of every fan alike, it seemed.
IF EVER there was a recipe for a dire night in Europe, tonight was it.
Struggling to keep in touch with Man Utd in the Premiership, rumours about Rafa's job sweeping the city.
But then this is Liverpool. And a 1-0 win at the Bernabeu cauldron against a bang in form Real Madrid side, when the rest of the world is sniping, is pretty much par for the course for us.
THERE were two emotions uppermost in my mind moments after having watched Liverpool snatch an improbable victory from the jaws of defeat at Portsmouth.
Elation that we had managed to secure three crucial points in such dramatic, kamikaze circumstances.
But frustration and anger that loyal fans were being forced to try and understand the inexplicability of one of the most baffling Liverpool starting elevens, and its resulting formation, in years.
AND so to Goodison as for the second time in a week we couldn't find a way to beat a much-depleted but battling Everton side.
No two games could have more perfectly summed up Liverpool's currentl failings in a season that still promises to deliver so much.
IT WAS all looking so rosy with four minutes to go.
Two points clear at the top of the table and Everton put to the sword.
But the negativity that runs through our play once again cost us. Massively.
There are only so many draws you can record, particularly at home, before a genuine title bid is seriously undermined.
IT was a bad weekend all round for Liverpool.
Two points dropped against up and under Stoke, largely through a lack of ambition to win a game that should have been perfectly within our grasp.
And Man United swatting aside a limp Chelsea to make it game on for the Premiership league title.
OUT with the amateurs, in with the professionals.
After Wednesday nights dire showing, the proper employees at our club showed how to control and win a game of football.
What could have been an arkward trip up the M62 ended up a fairly comfortable afternoon for the first teamers.
Firstly, apologies for a lack of bloggage in recent weeks as I've been sunning myself in warmer climes.
And what a filip to return home to a Liverpool side playing with such belief, purpose, and ultimately, adventure.
Rarely in recent years has a Liverpool win been celebrated with such unbridled abandon when the admirable Dirk snatched all three points for us on Sunday.
From the pits of despair in the first half to a second half onslaught which saw the better side deservedly taking all the spoils.
As one Echo colleague correctly remarked to me today: "We've now got leaders all over the pitch."
