L4L Match Report: LIVERPOOL 1 v 0 Reading

ON an unacceptable amount of occasions over the last 18 months, Liverpool have come away from Anfield with a disappointing draw or a demoralising defeat. Searching for positives from those particular matches was like trying to find a pound at the bottom of the couch.

Thankfully, in yesterday’s game, Liverpool recorded their first Anfield league victory of the season against what was, with the greatest of respects, a poor Reading side.

It should have been a matter of how many goals, not how many points, but a nervy finish was probably inevitable with the club’s well documented Anfield-based woes.

The opening half hour was one of Liverpool’s most eye-catching spells on home turf this season. They passed and probed constantly with some clever movement and tricky interchanges.

Raheem Sterling was Liverpool’s biggest threat from a tactical perspective, and prior to his goal, he was put clear down the left hand side on a few occasions but couldn’t produce a final product.

One example came on 24 minutes when he was put clear by Suarez, but he approached the opening with tentativeness, when instead of attempting a shot himself, he pulled it back for Nuri Sahin who blazed over.

Just when it looked like another afternoon of wasteful finishing, Liverpool broke the deadlock on 29 minutes. Suarez lofted a clever ball over the Reading back-line which put Sterling clean through; the youngster appeared to have wasted another chance when his nearest marker made good ground, but he held off the challenge well and struck a fine half-volley into the bottom left-hand corner.

It was relief for Sterling after some missed chances, and relief for the Anfield crowd. The poor home run has created a vicious circle, where the players are tentative in front of goal and the crowd becomes increasingly edgy as more chances are missed. It’s a collective pattern that makes a bad result more likely, but it’s hard to blame either party for their role in it.

Luis Suarez, inevitably, was Liverpool’s other main attacking threat. After a well blocked shot on 23 minutes, he attempted a sublime chip over Alex McCarthy, but it floated agonisingly over the bar. On 33 minutes, he also fired a stinging low shot just wide from 25 yards.

As usual, there were several refereeing incidents involving Suarez, and as is also usual, many challenges looked like blatant fouls whilst others looked a little more questionable.

There was an extraordinary moment just before half time, when Suarez finally won a foul on the edge of the box. The referee’s whistle was met by an awe-inspiring cacophony of ironic cheers from the Anfield crowd which quickly turned into a rousing standing ovation.

It was an awesome show of support for Suarez and it would have been an incredible moment if he had buried the resulting free-kick, but he could only fire straight at the wall.

After Liverpool’s complete domination of the first half, the second period quickly settled into a new pattern – where Reading began to look more threatening going forward and Liverpool slowly became more edgy, retreating further and further into a nervous shell.

Not long after the re-start, Gareth McLeary was put clean through on goal, but Brad Jones – deputising for an injured and out-of-form Pepe Reina – stayed on his feet well and blocked his shot.

Liverpool still threatened however and should have stretched their lead. On 64 minutes, a brilliant Suarez ball across the pitch left substitute Jonjo Shelvey clean through, but he got caught in several minds and mis-controlled when a goal looked certain.

Suarez joined the party on 77 minutes, when some good work from Jose Enrique – who looked a very good outlet on the left-wing after replacing Suso – left the Uruguayan with the goal at his mercy, but inexplicably he missed the target completely from eight yards.

The home side’s failure to wrap up victory set up a nail-biting finish, where Reading substitute Jason Roberts provided an alternative physical threat in the London club’s forward line, but they failed to produce any clear cut chances and Liverpool held on for victory.

Liverpool’s overall performance – particularly in the first half – meant that victory was well deserved. Whereas Stoke’s rearguard proved too frugal for Liverpool’s attacking play, Reading weren’t so organised and the Reds should have scored at least a few more.

But, with the plethora of terrible league results at Anfield providing a millstone around the players – and indeed the fans’ – necks, it’s probably understandable that Liverpool dropped ever deeper as the game wore on. It is worth pointing out that prior to today’s game, Liverpool had recorded just two home league victories in 2012.

An incredible statistic, however, there’s no point making too many excuses because Liverpool’s profligacy in front of goal must come to a conclusion.

That conclusion will either result in a sudden discovery of ruthlessness where the goals will flow, or alternatively, the club’s lack of striking personnel will heap ever more pressure on the manager and boardroom.

You can’t help but think that a more prolonged run of decent league form (and especially home form), with some goals for good measure, would lessen the tension, not only in front of goal but also in closing periods of tight matches.

It’s probably a bit premature to describe Liverpool’s recent run of two league wins in three as some sort of good form, especially when those victories sandwich a home defeat to Udinese in the Europa League, but a victory at bitter rivals Everton will begin to provide some momentum.

L4L Man of the Match: Glen Johnson. Arguably the most underrated full-back in world football. His distribution with the ball and overall contribution going forward is constantly effective and he is definitely a player that is taken for granted amongst the club’s fans. Brilliant display.

Follow me on Twitter: @antonyjlfc

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