Liverpool slump to third successive home defeat

Sports - Football - Europa League - Liverpool 2:3 Udinese 

Liverpool failed to capitalise on their dominance once again as Udinese came from behind to stun the home side leaving Anfield with a 3-2 Europa League win. 

 

Brendan Rodgers' side dominated the first half with some neat interplay and nice one-twos. The Reds took the lead on 22 thanks to Jonjo Shelvey's thumping header off Stewart Downing's cross. 

But the half-time-lead and confidence did not last long, 32 seconds after the restart to be exact, when Italian skipper Antonio Di Natale struck the equaliser into the top corner. 

Liverpool crumbled into bits after that, Sebastian Coates putting one through his own net on 70 minutes thanks to a glancing header as he challenged Maurizio Domizzi, and Di Natale starring again providing Giovanni Pasquale who made no mistake of drilling a 25-yard rocket past a helpless Pepe Reina to make it 3-1. 

Substitute Luis Suarez got the Reds' hopes of a comeback up and going again after he fired home an unstoppable free kick 15 minutes from time. 

But the Uruguayan's strike ended up being nothing but a consolation goal as Liverpool fell to their third successive home defeat, ruing missed chances and fruitless dominance and team play once again. 

Rodgers' men completed over three times the passes of their Italian opposition which shows their control and dominance. But as long as this does not lead to more and affect the scoreboard, it all comes to nothing. 

Udinese were everything the Reds were not - streetwise, hard-nosed and ruthless when presented with a chance. The Italians are the first side to beat Liverpool at Anfield in Europe since Fiorentina in December 2009, ending an unbeaten run of 13 matches. 

As far as Rodgers is concerned, his men are breaking all the wrong records and that has to change. Quickly.  

Liverpool 2-3 Udinese (1-0) 

Liverpool Goals: 22:06min Jonjo Shelvey (33), 74:08min Luis Suarez (7). 

Udinese Goals: 45:31min Antonio Di Natale (10), 69:57min Sebastian Coates (16) OG, 71:54min Giovanni Pasquale (26). 

Liverpool: 25 Reina; 49 Robinson, 23 Carragher, 16 Coates, 2 Johnson; 33 Shelvey, 24 Allen, 14 Henderson (8 Gerrard - 65.); 11 Assaidi (7 Suarez - 65.), 29 Borini (31 Sterling - 79.), 19 Downing. 4-3-3 
Subs not used: 1 Jones, 4 Sahin, 37 Skrtel, 47 Wisdom. 

Udinese: 1 Brkic; 11 Domizzi, 5 Danilo, 17 Benatia (bkd 66.); 26 Pasquale, 66 Pinzi (bkd 68.) (88 Willians - 70.), 7 Agyemang-Badu, 6 Faraoni (bkd 91.); 27 Armero (22 Lazzari - HT), 10 Di Natale (14 Ranegie - 85.), 37 Pereyra. 3-4-3 
Subs not used: 25 Padelli, 16 Coda, 31 Fabbrini, 75 Heurtaux. 

Sky Stats: Liverpool-Udinese 
Attempts: 11-5 
On target: 7-3 
Corners: 7-6 
Free kicks: 9-7 
Passes: 757-241 
Passing Success: 91.3%-71.8% 
Tackles: 18-21 
Tackling Success: 77.8%-66.7% 
Territorial Advantage: 52.8%-47.2% 
1st half Possession: 79.7%-20.3% 
2nd half Possession: 71.9%-28.1% 
Possession: 74.5%-25.5% 

Referee: S. Johannesson 
Man of the Match: Antonio Di Natale

Reds win eight-goal thriller in Switzerland

Sports - Football - Europa League - Young Boys 5:3 Liverpool

Jonjo Shelvey scored twice as a young Liverpool side beat Young Boys 5-3 in their opening Europa League group match in Switzerland. In a topsy-turvy, roller-coster-ride encounter, Brendan Rodgers saw his side twice ahead in the first half, before coming from behind to start Group A on a winning note.

 

Rodgers left most of the big names back on Merseyside, and saw his side take the lead in comical fashion when Stewart Downing's cross from the right found Christoph Spycher's head to deflect in off his own team mate Juhani Ojala.

But Liverpool's lead did not last long thanks to their own defensive frailties. Jose Enrique took the ball past an oncoming Brad Jones handing it to Raphael Nuzzolo instead of clearing it, the Young Boy curling it home gratefully to make it 1-1. 

Spycher and Ojala got in each other's way again when Andre Wisdom headed a Red corner into the bottom right-hand corner of the goal, a textbook conversion to make it 1-2 at half time. Ojala got his second goal of the night when he headed in Raul Bobadilla's cross like in slower motion to make it 2-2 on 52.

 

The home side then took the lead when Bobadilla beat Jamie Carragher to pass the ball to Gonzalo Zarate who tipped the ball over Jones and in, a sweet finish to a nice counter attack after a Liverpool corner. The defensive nightmare continued when Sebastian Coates headed in a corner to equalise for the visitors and super-sub Shelvey netted twice in the last 15 minutes, both similar and neat finishes set up by Fabio Borini and Jordan Henderson.

This game was a load of fun to watch, had plenty of action to talk about, very entertaining!  From defensive fiascos, farces and chaos to crucial, important and decisive substitutions and neat finishes, this match had anything and everything in it. 

Rodgers will come away from this with a smile but plenty of headache with it too! The Irishman can be glad with the win and his gamble to play the youngsters and leave out the main men did not backfire on him!

Young Boys Goals: 37:38min Raphael Nuzzolo (29), 52:03min Juhani Ojala, 62:28min Gonzalo Zarate (19).

Liverpool Goals: 3:17min Juhani Ojala (3) OG, 39:52min Andre Wisdom (47), 66:23min Sebastian Coates (16), 75:36 & 87:03min Jonjo Shelvey (33).

Young Boys: 1 Wolfil; 23 Sutter, 22 Veskovac (bkd 80.), 3 Ojala, 16 Raimondi (bkd 17.); 13 Zverotic (20 Frey - 81.), 17 Spycher, 19 Zarate (2 Gonzalez - 65.), 8 Farnerud, 29 Nuzzolo (14 Schneuwly - 69.); 9 Bobadilla (bkd 85.). 4-5-1

Subs not used: 27 Benito, 7 Vitkieviez, 10 Constanzo, 33 Lecjaks.

Liverpool: 1 Jones; 47 Wisdom, 23 Carragher, 16 Coates, 3 Jose Enrique; 14 Henderson, 4 Sahin, 30 Suso, 11 Assaidi (33 Shelvey - 67.), 19 Downing (31 Sterling -77.); 12 Pacheco (29 Borini - 62., bkd 82.). 4-5-1

Subs not used: 42 Gulacsi, 22 Wilson, 36 Yesil, 49 Robinson.

1st & 2nd half stats: Young Boys-Liverpool

Attempts: 4-3 & 7-8
On target: 1-1 & 4-4
Offsides: 1-2 & 0-1
Corners: 1-4 & 3-2
Free kicks: 7-5 & 3-8
1st half Possession: 38.9%-61.1%
FT Possession: 44%-56%
1st half Passing Success: 83%-91%
FT Passing Success: 83%-88.9%

Referee: Michail Koukoulakis (Greece)
Man of the Match: Jonjo Shelvey