Everton take Merseyside derby spoils & points

Sports - Football - Premier League - Everton 2:0 Liverpool

American businessmen and new Liverpool owners John W. Henry and Tom Werner had to watch their new team struggle against their local rivals and start their reign with the Reds on the losing side and in the relegation zone, 19th position behind Wolves on goal difference.


Everton started with clear intentions and dominated the first half in possession and chances. Tim Cahill gave his side the deserved lead in the 34th minute with a fine right-footed turn-curl shot off a Seamus Coleman cross into the box, a solid strike over and past Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, giving Liverpool a lot to do and a lot to think and work on at half time.

It didn't take long though for things to get even worse for the Reds. Mikel Arteta's strike off a Laighton Baines corner, curled right past Reina from just outside the box after Sotirios Kyrgiakos headed the Everton corner back leaving Arteta with too much space and no cover.

Replays showed the Everton forward Ayegbeni Yakubu in an offside position, not involved in play but possibly and seemingly blocking Reina's view of the ball. It would have been harsh not to give the goal though.

This controversial setback seemed to finally get Liverpool going, pushing Everton back more, enjoying more possession and giving Tim Howard more to chew on than before. But it wasn't meant to be, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard drawing frustrated pictures of themselves, falling over and losing the ball or putting it out wide and high more than too often.

Roy Hodgson's late changes saw a little if some effect. Ryan Babel and Milan Jovanovic both caught Howard and his defenders out late on, but were not able to turn their advantages into the net and into goals.

The last mintues were tense but the home side held through - Jermaine Beckford walking on thin ice the last few minutes with some ill indiscipline, could have nicked another goal in to make it three but lost out to Reina in the end.

David Moyes and his side definitely ended up the happier though with two goals and three points in the bag, showing Liverpool that change takes time, a long time.

Hodgson, Henry and Werner must have gathered and should know by now that it is going to be a long road to walk on this season, that's for sure. Don't do anything hasty and stupid now, work and walk on.

Everton: Howard; Baines, Heitinga (Hibbert 72), Jagielka, Distin; Neville, Coleman, Arteta (goal 50; Beckford 74, booked 76), Cahill (booked 29, goal 34); Osman (Bilyaletdinov 46), Yakubu.
Subs not used: Mucha, Shokdran Mustafi, Magaye Gueye, Baxter.

Liverpool: Reina; Konchesky, Kyrgiakos, Carragher, Skrtel; Raul Meireles (booked 31), Gerrard, Cole (Babel 80), Maxi (booked 19, Jovanovic 85), Lucas (Ngog 71); Torres (booked 88).
Subs not used: Jones, Aurelio, Kelly, Spearing.

Everton-Liverpool 1st half stats:
Attempts: 5-2
On target: 3-1
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 5-2
Free kicks: 6-7
Possession: 54%-46%

Everton-Liverpool 2nd half stats:
Attempts: 3-8
On target: 1-6
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 3-5
Free kicks: 3-3
Possesion: 44%-56%

Sky Sports stats:
Everton-Liverpool Passing Success: 67.9%-84.3
Tackles/Success: 29/72.4%-24/62.5%
Action Areas: Everton 10%-41%-49% Liverpool (first 10 minutes)
Territorial Advantage: 48.9%-51.1%

Referee: Howard Webb
Man of the match: Tim Cahill

Match Summary: Everton 2-0 Liverpool

Sports - Football - Premier League

Full-time Summary: Everton 2-0 Liverpool

The Reds' new owners had to watch their new team struggle against their local rivals, losing 2-0 against Everton at Goodison, leaving them in the relegation zone, in 19th position behind Wolves on goal difference.

Full match report will follow...

11: Free kick just outside box, Arteta against the wall, back towards Cahill, Jagielka puts a good chance high and over.

14: Distin turns & feeds it past the goal, too easy, too much space, deflects out for a corner, Liverpool have to weather early storm.

23: Torres heads Joe Cole's cut in cross over, first effort on goal.

24: Lucas kicks over from corner.

28: Reina stops and picks up Yakubu's shot from 18 yards out, low to his right

31: Meireles shot blocked by Heitinga.

33:26: Coleman brilliant start retains possession, cross into box, pass back, unstoppable, right-foot curl-turn shot, by Tim Cahill, solid strike over & around Reina, 1-0.

41: Torres getting in his team mate's way in the box, chance wasted.

45: Strong Osman shot into Reina's gloves.

HT: 1-0

46: Maxi nicks one into Howard's gloves, on target.

49:17: Arteta right foot strike in, curled right past Reina from just outside the box, after Kyrgiakos headed back corner, too much space, no cover, 2-0. Yakubu in offside position blocking Reina's view? Active? Involved? Offside? Obviously not, 2-0 it stands.

58: Torres loses the ball once again... Can Liverpool create anything like a threat? So far, no's the answer...

60: Soft, low corner by Gerrard, easily kicked out... Hodgson pondering a change... Nest corner sizzles out to nothing again for Liverpool... More possesson by the Reds though, have to keep up work rate if they want to catch up...

62: Torres pulled back by Jagielka in the box? Soft, sad, shame...

63: Low shot by Meireles, easy hold for Howard.

65: Rodriguez to Torres, thumps it high.

68: Joe Cole finds space but puts it high and over too.

68: Last 10 min possession: Everton 42%-58% Liverpool

69: Howard spills Meireles shot, Everton shivering?

77: Beckford kicks ball into goal after the whistle has gone, cheeky and risky after he had just been booked.

79: Beckford goes down in the box v Skrtel, no contact evident, no penalty.

83: Howard gets finger tips onto Gerrard cross, corner.

84: Free kick right side of the box, headed out by Kyrgiakos, goal kick.

85: Beckford shot off Kyrgiakos for a corner, soft.

86: Gerrard shot wide, Hodgson looking frustated, rightly so, Liverpool's new owners looking on.

87: Torres shot saved by Howard, delayed shot, past defender, not bad.

89: Beckford goes down dramatically against Skrtel, Everton take their time, put very wide, nearly hitting the corner flag.

92: Should have been 3-0, Everton break free, Beckford all the space in the world puts it high and over.

93: Babel catches Howard by surprise, Ngog puts one wide seconds later, corner taken quickly, another corner from that. Everton defending mad, Meireles puts one wide after Jovanovic's shot is cleared by a defender. Intensive last minutes, but all for nothing in the end.

95: Beckford breaks late on but loses it to a Red defender, Reina's ball in the end.

FT: 2-0

Everton: 24 Howard; 3 Baines, 5 Heitinga (2 Hibbert 72), 6 Jagielka, 15 Distin; 18 Neville, 23 Coleman, 10 Arteta (goal 50; 16 Beckford 74, booked 76), 17 Cahill (booked 29, goal 34); 21 Osman (7 Bilyaletdinov 46), 22 Yakubu.
Subs not used: 1 Mucha, 30 Shokdran Mustafi, 19 Magaye Gueye, 37 Baxter.

Liverpool: 25 Reina; 3 Konchesky, 16 Kyrgiakos, 23 Carragher, 37 Skrtel; 4 Raul Meireles (booked 31), 8 Gerrard, 10 Cole (19 Babel 80), 17 Maxi (booked 19, 14 Jovanovic 85), 21 Lucas (24 Ngog 71); 9 Torres (booked 88).
Subs not used: 1 Jones, 6 Aurelio, 34 Kelly, 26 Spearing.

Everton-Liverpool
1st half stats:
Attempts: 5-2
On target: 3-1
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 5-2
Free kicks: 6-7
Possession: 54%-46%

Everton-Liverpool
2nd half stats:
Attempts: 3-8
On target: 1-6
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 3-5
Free kicks: 3-3
Possesion: 44%-56%

Other stats:
Action Areas first 10 minutes: Everton 10%-41%-49% Liverpool

Referee: Howard Webb
Man of the match: Tim Cahill

HT Summary: Everton 1-0 Liverpool

Sports - Football - Premier League

Half-time Summary: Everton 1-0 Liverpool

Everton dominated the first half with more possession and chances, giving Liverpool a lot to do and a lot to think and work on at half time.

11: Free kick just outside box, Arteta against the wall, back towards Cahill, Jagielka puts a good chance high and over.

14: Distin turns and feeds it past the goal, too easy, too much space, deflects out for a corner, Liverpool have to weather an early storm.

23: Torres heads Joe Cole's cut-in cross over, first effort on goal.

24: Lucas kicks over from a corner.

28: Reina stops and picks up Yakubu's shot from 18 yards out, low to his right

31: Meireles shot blocked by Heitinga.

33.26: Coleman brilliant start, retains possession, cross into box, pass back, unstoppable, right-foot curl-turn shot from Tim Cahill, solid strike over and around Reina, 1-0.

41: Torres getting in his team mate's way in the box, chance wasted.

45: Strong Osman shot into Reina's gloves.

HT: 1-0

Everton 24 Howard; 3 Baines, 5 Heitinga, 6 Jagielka, 15 Distin; 18 Neville, 23 Coleman, 10 Arteta, 17 Cahill (booked 29, goal 34); 21 Osman, 22 Yakubu.
Subs: 1 Mucha, 2 Hibbert, 30 Shokdran Mustafi, 7 Bilyaletdinov, 16 Beckford, 19 Magaye Gueye, 37 Baxter.

Liverpool 25 Reina; 3 Konchesky, 16 Kyrgiakos, 23 Carragher, 37 Skrtel; 4 Raul Meireles (booked 31), 8 Gerrard, 10 Cole, 17 Maxi (booked 19); 21 Lucas, 9 Torres.
Subs: 1 Jones, 6 Aurelio, 34 Kelly, 26 Spearing, 14 Jovanovic, 19 Babel, 24 Ngog.

Everton-Liverpool
1st half stats:
Attempts: 5-2
On target: 3-1
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 5-2
Free kicks: 6-7
Possession: 54%-46%

Other stats:
Action Areas first 10 minutes:
Everton 10%-41%-49% Liverpool

Referee: Howard Webb
Man of the half: Tim Cahill

Yank Drama - Is the ownership fiasco over?

Sports - Football - Premier League - Liverpool

I would like to think it's over, but don't want to believe it quite yet. There are still the doubts - the bad experience of the past three weeks/months/years, the insecurity, scepticism, inconsistencies, obscurity, hypocrisy, lack of professionalism, lies, deceit, scam, broken promises, ... There is always that thought in the back of the head wishing "please, not the same all over again!".


I remember the day George Gillett and Tom Hicks took over, I had tears in one eye and an expecting, hopeful, glowing stare in the other. Like I wrote in my blog nearly two years ago, it seemed like the priorities and powers had and have shifted, away from the game and the fans to a couple of business men who have nothing to do and no knowledge and concept of the sport apart from money money money.

It's turned the sport into a drama saga, a soap opera. When you turn your telly onto Sky Sports News in the morning, it is not what happens on the pitch that dominates but what goes on behind the scenes, on the board. You wonder who will have it off with whom next, what big shake- and takeover, fight/bust-up/backstabbing will be next in the headlines, who with whom, who against whom, what, why, how, ... Like the big duff-duff at the end of each EastEnders episode you are left wondering how they will follow up on that big bang and what will happen next.

Chelsea

Chelsea and Roman Abramovich started off the new money-talks trend in June 2003 setting a shiny, high-flying example of how to splash the cash and live it out big style - a bit like Dallas or Days of our Lives, the mommies of all American soap operas. It seemed and seems all too perfect, you just wonder if and when the botox-ridden faces are going to crack, the perfect mirror frame will shatter to pieces and burst the bubble.

Manchester United

Malcolm Glazer bought out and gained control at Manchester United in June 2005 and in contrast to Chelsea and their beloved Russian billionaire, the American business man and the Red Devils never saw eye to eye. A bit like The Jerry Springer Show, the fans kicked off with chairs flying and temperaments burning (amongst other stuff). The water has grown still for the moment, on the surface, but it's just a question of time when the troubles will erupt again. A club-record loss of £83.6m announced in their annual financial results this month doesn't help the cause exactly and certainly won't help to keep the calm either.

Manchester City

In contrast to their city rivals, Manchester City have done a better job of trying to emulate the rise and shine of big spenders Chelsea after former Thailand prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's company was bought out by Abu Dhabi-based Abu Dhabi United Group Investment and Development Limited in September 2008. New owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan excelled in big-spending, outdoing Chelsea and Manchester United, easy. Overspending and overachieving, City finished last season in 5th position and evolved to serious holy-top-4-Champions League-slot-contenders this season. Even more as with Chelsea though, it is only a matter of time when (not if) the bubble will burst. We will see how far they can grow before they have to fall...

Arsenal

Last but definitely not least of all the ownership drama sagas, Arsenal make the most moderate, sane and rational teams of the lot. The Gunners are the third most valuable football team in the world after Real Madrid and Manchester United according to an evaluation by business magazine Forbes in April 2010, valuing the club at $1.181bn (£768m), excluding debt. The largest shareholder on the board is American sports tycoon Stan Kroenke who has tried to break the peace and has made a couple of attempts and bids to take over the club. He hasn't succeeded - yet. We will see what happens in the next episode...

Back to basics, back to Anfield?

That brings me back to my club Liverpool and their next episode. I hope all the promises and expectations are met this time round - clearing the debts, strengthening the team, finding the way to a new ground (which brings me to a whole new issue and topic, I am for keeping, refurbishing and expanding Anfield and all its history) - only time will tell.

In the meantime, I send a big thanks to New England Sports Ventures (NESV) and their head John W. Henry, our chairman Martin Broughton, Managing Director Christian Purslow and Commercial Director Ian Ayre for holding through, sorting out and taking over the mess Hicks and Gillett left them with.

But I also dare to warn them, we will not just sit back and watch, we will make our voice heard as we have done all the way. I am with Spirit of Shankly (SOS), soon to be Spirit of Shankly-ShareLiverpoolFC (SOS-SL), have joined, spoken and listened to them and hope they will do the same. Take this as a warming as well as a warning welcome:
You WILL NEVER walk alone!

Berbatov hat-trick spoils Liverpool comeback

Sports - Football - Premier League - Man Utd 3:2 Liverpool

What a show - a show of two very different halves! Liverpool started frail and clumsy as always against a strong and pacey United side and just when it looked like they were going to make a comeback and take the sting out of United's surge, their Bulgarian striker upset the Scousers' plans with a hat-trick, the first United player in 64 years to do so against Liverpool.

The Red Devils took the lead in the 42nd minute after a comfortable half against a below-par Liverpool side, Dimitar Berbatov heading a corner in, Fernando Torres covering the striker on the wrong side and looking like a very bad and sad marker behind him. Paul Konchesky seemed to have handled the ball before it crossed the line, in an apparent attempt to save it, but nobody noticed or cared as the ball passed and the goal stood anyway.

Torres showed a weak display again, falling and moaning, not knowing what to do with the ball the few times it came his way, again looking like he wanted to be everywhere else but on the football pitch, a too familiar sight this season.

The second half United continued to dominate, Nani's explosive shot from the right edge of the box hitting the right post. Berbatov doubled the lead on 59 with a brilliant overhead shot off a Darren Fletcher cross from the right which looked impossible but went in off the crossbar past a motionless Pepe Reina, definite candidate for goal of the season.

Roy Hodgson made his first change, bringing on David Ngog for an inconspicuous Maxi Rodriguez and changing the formation to two up front. Only seconds later, Jonny Evans conceded a penalty with a needless tackle on Torres, Fletcher pointlessly ranting on about the decision to referee Howard Webb and had to be ushered away.

Skipper Steven Gerrard netted the spot kick comfortably sending Edwin van der Sar the wrong way. This finally got Liverpool's hopes and determination up and going, leading to some feisty action and attacks and a bulk of crunches, tackles and bookings. The game picked up in pace and atmosphere.

John O'Shea was lucky not be sent off when he was the last man to bring down Torres just outside the box. Booked and a free kick conceded, it was between him and Fletcher whom Gerrard squeezed the ball, curling it past them and into the back of the net and making the impossible possible - could Liverpool grab a win?

At 2-2 the chances for a perfect comeback looked much better than only ten minutes before the free kick at 2-0. It was United who looked all over the place, as if they were impersonating the Liverpool side of the first half.

Changes were made to save at least the one point for the Scousers, but Berbatov thought and made sure otherwise heading O'Shea's cross over Jamie Carragher, past Reina into the back of the net six minutes from time.

It is still zero points in the end for Liverpool, their worst start to a season in 18 years, down to 16th in the league, the situation looks everything else but rosey, but at least they showed some determination and will to fight back and win it, which has been missing of them most of the season so far.

Meanwhile Sir Alex Ferguson will be relieved that his side didn't throw away the points again like against Everton last week, his side up and comfortable in third, three points ahead of Tottenham and one behind Chelsea at the top (before their game in hand against Blackpool).

Man Utd: Van der Sar; O'Shea (booked 69), Vidic, Evans (booked 63), Evra; Nani (Gibson 88), Fletcher, Scholes (booked 68), Giggs (Macheda 82); Berbatov (goals 41:23, 58:36 & 83:36) (Anderson 88), Rooney (booked 57). 4-4-2
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Brown, Owen, Smalling.

Liverpool team: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky (Agger 82); Maxi (Ngog 62, booked 66), Poulsen, Meireles (Jovanovic 79), Cole; Gerrard (goals 63:38 pen & 69:50), Torres. 4-5-1 (to 4-4-2 with Ngog)
Subs not used: Jones, Babel, Kyrgiakos, Lucas.

1st half stats
Man Utd-Liverpool
Attempts: 7-2
On target: 1-0
Offsides: 2-1
Corners: 5-1
Free kicks: 3-9

2nd half stats
Man Utd-Liverpool
Attempts: 5-5
On target: 4-2
Offsides: 0-1
Corners: 0-0
Free kicks: 6-7

Sky Stats
Man Utd-Liverpool
Possession: 47%-53% (38); 49.5%-50.5%
Passing Success: 84.4%-83.2%
Tackles/Success: 14/71.4%-19/73.7%
Action Areas: Man Utd 8%-54%-38% Liverpool (10)
Territorial Advantage: 59.8%-40.2%

Referee: Howard Webb
Man of the match: Dimitar Berbatov

All fo(u)r joy at Anfield ahead of big clash

Sports - Football - Europa League - Liverpool 4:1 Steaua Bucharest

After one weak display after another, Liverpool knew they they had to boost their form and determination in preparation for their big Premier League Super Sunday clash ahead against their Northern rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford.

They couldn't have wished for a better start when Joe Cole swooped in on an ugly clumsy backpass by Octavian Abrudan to make it 1-0 after just 26 seconds of play.

But the red storm didn't last long, with the all too familiar clumsiness and carelessness sneaking into their game again, giving their Romanian opposition less to worry about, less pressure to work against.

With eight changes made to the side that drew against Birmingham on Sunday with a lacklustre display and lack of passion, Jay Spearing was one of the youngsters given the chance to impress and so he did.

But in one of thos moments-to-forget, he slipped and to let Bogdan Stancu through to slid a pass to Cristian Tanase who was too quick and broke through between Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Martin Kelly and put the ball up, over, and past a helpless Pepe Reina.

Steaua kept solid and Liverpool more and more frustrated to take them through to half time all square at 1-1.

It took a controversial twist in the second half to turn the game around for Liverpool. Kyrgiakos staged a dramatic tumble onto the ground although replays showed Pantelis Kapetanos hardly touched him - the latter seeing yellow and the prior winning a penalty for his dramatic improvisation for David Ngog to net it comfortably and give the Reds a lucky lead.

But this lucky turn of events seemed to have put Liverpool into gear - finally! Steaua fought hard, not breaking down easily even after the game turned against them. But even their stubbornness and bullishness couldn't stop sub Lucas Leiva's superb right-footed strike from outside the box into the bottm right-hand corner to make it 3-1.

And to put salt onto the Romanians' wound, in injury time, Ngog squeezed between four yellow shirts in the box, looking like he was going to cock it up and waste it, but put a quick solid right-foot shot into the left corner of the net instead, his second goal of the match and sixth of the season - a promising trend in comparison to his eight in total last season.

Let's hope this 4-1 win will also be a promising indication of what is to come and what Liverpool side will turn up at Old Trafford on Sunday...

Liverpool: Reina; Kelly, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Konchesky; Spearing, Meireles, Maxi (booked 63, Pacheco 85), Cole (goal 1, Eccleston 88); Babel (Lucas 78 goal 82), Ngog (goal 55 & 91). 4-5-1
Subs not used: Jones, Johnson, Carragher, Shelvey.

Steaua Bucharest: Tatarusanu; Emeghara (Nicolita 20), Abrudan (booked 44), Geraldo, Latovlevici; Radut (Surdu 73), Angelov (Eder 52 booked 90), Bicfalvi, Tanase (goal 13), Stancu, Kapetanos (booked 55). 4-5-1
Subs not used: Lungu, Gardos, Gomes, Apostol.

1st half stats
Liverpool-Steaua Bucharest
Attempts: 5-3
On target: 3-2
Offsides: 2-1
Corners: 2-1
Free kicks: 5-7

2nd half stats
Liverpool-Steaua Bucharest
Attempts: 9-2
On target: 6-1
Offsides: 1-0
Corners: 7-0
Free kicks: 4-9

Sky Stats
Liverpool-Steaua Bucharest
Possession: 54.8%-45.2%
Passing Success: 84.3%-77.6%
Tackles/Success: 22/81.8%-21/66.7%
Territorial Advantage: 59.9%-40.1%

Referee: Cesar Muniz Fernandez (Spain)
Man of the match: Joe Cole

Dire draw for the Reds at St Andrew

Sports - Football - Premier League - Birmingham 0:0 Liverpool

Apart from the last 20 minutes of the first half, this was a pain to watch once again. Liverpool were all over the place and nowhere at the same time.


Scott Dann, Roger Johnson and Liam Ridgewell did well to frustrate the hell out of Fernando Torres who was made unscheinbar and abwesend by their coordinated work and cover.

The Spanish striker just looked out of place, like he didn't want to be there. In contrast, the only player who seemed to be present and making an effort of the game, looking omni-present nearly was Pepe Reina.

He produced three top-notch saves that looked impossible to stop, like the shots had already passed him and he beemed them back out, denying Cameron Jerome and Craig Gardner.

The second half continued in the same trend. Liverpool could have been three or four goals down if it were not for their Spanish keeper - who had a nightmare international friendly outing midweek, 4-1 against Argentina - from zero back to hero.

Roy Hodgson tried to defend Torres and to look onto the positive side after yet another subdued performance.

Alex McLeish was left a happy but a bit frustrated/ruing man and rightly so - Birmingham showed a good, strong performance which deserved more out of the match but lacked the cutting edge to take advantage, score and bank all three points.

Birmingham are now 17 Premier League games unbeaten at home (12 months) whilst things will get evrything else but easier and better for Liverpool with a trip to Old Trafford up next in the Premier League after their Europa League encounter against Steaua Bucharest midweek - Liverpool looking everything else but strong competitors with only two goals in their opening four league games this season.

We will see if Hodgson's hopes and optimism will pay off or whether he'll have to dream on and eat his words...

Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Konchesky (Agger 78); Maxi, Lucas (Meireles 76), Poulsen, Jovanovic; Gerrard; Torres. 4-4-1-1 Subs not used: Jones, Kyrgiakos, Pacheco, Babel, Ngog.

Birmingham: Foster; Carr, Johnson, Dann, Ridgwell; Bowyer, Gardner (booked 29), Ferguson, Larsson; Jerome; McFadden (Zigic 90). 4-4-1-1 Subs not used: Taylor, Murphy, Jiranek, Marcos Madera, Fahey, Derbyshire.

BBC stats:
Birmingham-Liverpool
Attempts: 15-14
On target: 3-8
Corners: 4-3
Free kicks: 9-8
Possession: 53%-47%

Sky Stats:
Birmingham-Liverpool
Attempts: 15-10
On target: 2-3 Offsides: 2-1
Corners: 4-3
Free kicks: 9-8
Possession: 44.3%-55.7%
Passing Success: 70.9%-78.2%
Tackles/Success: 22/63.6%-12/83.3%
Territorial Advantage: 50.3%-49.7%

Referee: Mark Halsey
Man of the match: Pepe Reina