Review: Liverpool 0-0 Stoke

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Liverpool’s miserable home form continued on Saturday against Stoke, as they were held at Anfield against Tony Pulis’ side. Yesterday’s stalemate means that the Reds have now drawn on 7 occasions at Anfield this season in 11 league games. This record, for a team looking to play in the Champions League, is simply not good enough.

Kenny Dalglish, earlier made a strange team-selection, naming a 5 man back-line with Dirk Kuyt as the lone striker. Daniel Agger was not named in the squad as a precaution, while Maxi Rodriguez was left out again.

The Reds dominated possession in the first half, but failed to produce any clear-cut chances. The first chance of the game fell to Mathew Etherington whose effort was easily saved by Reina. Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson were the next to have shot’s on goal, but to no avail as the Stoke defense continued to frustrate the home side.

Although Liverpool had control of the game in terms of possession, the lack of bodies in the Stoke penalty box ensured that the Thomas Sorensen and Stoke’s back-line had not much to worry about. The lack of attacking threat from Liverpool forced Kenny Dalglish to bring on Andy Carroll for Stewart Downing in the 58th minute, and his entrance immediately lifted the crowd. Carroll made his aerial presence felt immediately when there were a couple of shouts for a penalty but Howard Webb was unmoved, much to the disgust of the Liverpool fans. Then came the best chance of the game, when late on, Jose Enrique’s deflected cross found an unmarked Dirk Kuyt, who guided his header wide from 8 yards out.

It was yet another frustrating day for Kenny Dalglish’s men as the men in Red have now been held 6 times in their last 8 league games at Anfield. Liverpool have now found the back of the net just the 24 times in the league this season, which is fewer than the number of goals scored by Blackburn and Bolton, who are currently struggling in the bottom-half of the table.

It is now a well documented fact that Liverpool have serious problems in front of goal and if Liverpool are to finish in the top 4 this term, then Dalglish will need to spend on a quality striker this January.

You can follow me on Twitter: @UmarKhurrum.

8 Comments

  1. Any chance of the top 4 has soundly receded after the inept showing against Stoke.Management appear to have NO aspiration to be at the top looking at their inability to rectify our having no strikers capable of scoring – indeed no strikers whatsoever! We are now on the inexorable path down down down the table to probably finish about 9 or 10 as others show more ability to rectify whatever is lacking in their teams. That is something Liverpool appear completely incapable off doing. Questions must also be asked as to why we have an Academy when there appears to be no recruits capable to step into the first team? Teams such as Arsenal dip into their reserves and blood young strikers quite adequately. It seems we have decided that the League cup is the way to sneak into Europe wimpishly! What happens when we are out of that as we surely will be on the present toothless showing?

  2. as i said in my other comments, liverpool is becoming an average team and in more accurate term as mid table team. We know that liverpool is in the building process but after spending more than 100 million pounds they should easily overcome average teams. For a team to win they must control the midfield but liverpool midfield is unable to do that and lack of stern and creativity. Strikers do not get any clear chances and their style of play is very stale and easily can read by the opponents. Furthermore the team seriously lack of creative strikers. If liverpool have met other strong teams last night instead of stoke, liverpool would have been soundly beaten. They never learn againsy stoke and in first leg they lost and on return leg just managed a boring draw. 8 draws and lack of goal is not acceptable for a team that spent more than 100 million pound.
    Charlie Adam is a huge flop! he should never start a game! Maxi and Bellamy should always start. With this kind of performance liverpool will only finish between 8th or 6th this season! Its very amazing the team top management unable to notice this glaring problems. King Kenny is like Steven Gerrard who is a legend and cannot be critized and said doing the wrong things for Liverpool football but the sooner he realise it the better it is. Liverpool will not going to qualify for champions league this season, but as real red fan, i think my waiting has to prolong for another year.

  3. i am not quite sure of something but i have a feeling that Kenny doesnt seem to let his under-performing british signings understand the major reason being contracted to Liverpool.I heard Kenny said sometimes that little progress is better off but well little progress isnt bettter off in this regard when you have spent 100-120millions and yet your team goal ratio is as close to relegation strugglers in blackburn and bolton..Teams that have spent quater amount of what we have spent like Newscastle have higher goals than us..this to me and to the fans expectation isnt acceptable something must be done urgently to rectify it..i would have argued we bring in our reserve team players at least they would play their hearts out and with great passion as they would see it as a rare opportunity to nick a berth in the first team..

  4. This is now beyond concern, it is very worrying! I understand there are 51 points still to contest for and teams have won the league on 86 points but this team simply doesn’t give that sort of confidence. What is happening to LFC is beyond sad. We are witnessing players standing-by as spectators instead of making runs and pulling defenders away. And yet, these are the players that are rewarded with a place in the team week-in week-out. Maxi may not have the stamina of a Jordan Henderson but he at least knows what runs should be made and where he should position himself. Why are these things not clear to LFC mangement? I know Kenny is a proud man but I also believe he is capable of seeing where he has gone wrong. I ask of him not to continue to damage any chance this team has of CL football!!! Please, this is now beyond painful for some of us!

  5. The same problems we had in past we still have now as we have not enough width, speed, creativity in side and we do
    not have an out and out finisher in the 1st team.

    Henderson,C Adams are both good central midfielders but do not offer alot of skill or creativity, good passers of ball but do not score enough or create enough chances.

    The club needs 7 players in: Between now and the next summer transfer window:

    1: CB: To Compete with Skrtel and Agger for starting position, As Carragher is on his last legs and way past his best and Coates and Wilson will/could be the centre back partneship of club in next 4-5 years time.

    So C Samba Of Blackburn, S Kjaer Of Wolfsburg Or Hummels of B Dortmund: One of these centre backs should be brought to club for £5-£15M.

    2: DM: C Tiote Of Newcastle, M’Villa Of Rennes, Fernando Of Porto, Moussa Sissoko Of Toulouse, B Matuidi Of PSG OR E Banega Of Valencia, One of these tough, strong, dominative,combative defensive midfielders needs to be brought to club to compete with Lucas and Spearing for DM Role at club for £10-£19M

    3: AM: Diego Of Wolfsburg, Willian Of Shakhtar Donesk, Valbuena Of Marseille,Coutinho Of Inter Milan, C Eriksen Of Ajax Or M Gotze Of B Dortmund: One of these creative attacking midfielders needs to be brought to the club for £15-£25M.

    The next 3: 4,5 AND 6 are to sort out the problems we have had at club for last 5 seasons: Lack of Raw Speed, Pace,Width,Skill, Class,Quality,creativity,Delivery and Consistency on either wing:

    4:David Junior Hoillet(21) Of Blackburn for £6-£10M RW/LW
    5:Ola John (19) Of FC Twente for £5-£9M
    6:Diego Capel Trinidad (23)Of Sporting Clube De Portugal For £8-£16M = £19-£35M worth of speed, pace, skill and creativity who will supply Carroll, Suarez and Co with Regular consistant service

    7: A FD: Finisher: Out and Out fix in box or someone who scores 10-20 goals a season and has 5-10 assists also during season:
    Higuain Or Benzema Of Real Madrid, L Lopez Of Lyon, G Rossi Of Villareal, E Negredo Of Seville, Cavani Of Napoli, Hulk Of Porto, L Podolski Of FC Koln, Llorente Of Athletico Bilbao, L Remy Of Marseille, Pato Of A.C Milan Or Soldado Of Valencia: One of these strikers should be brought to club for £15-£32M.

    We spent £83M on 4 average English players: Adams, Carroll, Downing and Henderson.

    Henry should allow Commolli and K Dalglish to spend between £54M and £126M on 7 quality class players who will change club from top 8 side to top 2 top 3 side.

  6. whew… good thing Swansea win today… Nathan Dyer and Scott Sinclair even played better than our Downing and Carrol… not world class but won’t cost you a fortune, sign them both, since Kenny loves English players >.<

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