Liverpool FC: Five of the Best From 2011/2012 [video]

DESPITE a season of consistent profligacy in front of goal, Liverpool FC managed to score enough in order to afford themselves a pretty impressive list of top notch goals. Indeed, Luis Suarez could have made-up the list all on his own, when making the headlines for all the right reasons.

From that, we look at Live4Liverpool’s top five strikes of the last campaign and, in order of quality; we give you number five down to one:

NUMBER FIVE:

Glen JOHNSON vs Chelsea

(Barclays Premier League, Stamford Bridge, 20th November 2011)

A victory against Chelsea, especially in recent years, is always one to savour. Just when you think the rivalry between the teams could not get fiercer, Fernando Torres decided to make the move from Anfield to Stamford Bridge and the bitterness between the two sets of fans is at an all-time high – perfect time for a last minute winner then. With all the talk of current Chelsea players Torres and Raul Meireles returning to face their old clubs, it was inevitable an ex-player was going to have a say in the outcome of the game. Strangely enough, it was one that had slipped under the radar. Glen Johnson, Chelsea’s first signing under the ownership of Roman Abramovich, popped up in his attacking full-back position to keep his cool, and calmly slot the winner in the 87th minute to bring a broad grin to every Liverpool fan across the world.

NUMBER FOUR:

Craig BELLAMY vs Manchester City

(Carling Cup semi-final second leg, Anfield, 25th January 2012)

With the game on a knife-edge, and a place at Wembley on the line, this Carling Cup semi-final needed one flash of brilliance from Craig Bellamy to settle it. In the return leg, and after a 1-0 Liverpool win at the Etihad, Man City led twice through Nigel De Jong and Edin Dzeko and a win of any sort for Mancini’s team was enough to take them through. The Liverpool fans were desperate to see their team return to a cup final after a six-year absence from the winner’s podium. This goal from Bellamy, after a great one-two with Glen Johnson, provided exactly that for the Reds as they went on to win the Carling Cup in a thriller against Cardiff City the following month.

NUMBER THREE:

Luis SUAREZ vs Stoke City

(Carling Cup fourth round, Britannia Stadium, 26th October 2011)

The Britannia Stadium on a cold Wednesday night is apparently the perfect platform for the greatest players in the world to stand up and be counted. It is often questioned whether Lionel Messi himself would be able to handle the conditions of a blustery evening in the Potteries. However, our own Luis Suarez provided a match-winning performance against Stoke to fire Liverpool into the fifth round of the Carling Cup. After finding themselves 1-0 down via a Kenwyne Jones strike, Liverpool fought back through a Luis Suarez brace to secure their safe passage to the next round. This goal, Suarez’s first of the night, slots in at number three for its sheer class. Not only does Suarez manage to nutmeg Ryan Shotton, but the Uruguayan then audaciously attempts to bend one round Thomas Sorensen from a ridiculous angle with the successful attempt here for you all to see.

NUMBER TWO:

Sebastian COATES vs Queens Park Rangers

(Barclays Premier League, Loftus Road, 21st March 2012)

The towering Uruguayan centre-back was signed primarily to keep the opposition from scoring, however, in this game; he showed the world what he was capable of at the other end of the pitch – and in scintillating style. Having come on as a substitute, Coates made the most of his first-team opportunity by netting a fantastic goal. A scrappy corner in which QPR had failed to clear was the scene for one of the goals of the season and to watch the 6ft 7” defender fly across the air and orchestrate such a magnificent strike was a sight to behold and one which proves that Liverpool FC have on their hands a central defender that can certainly play football.

NUMBER ONE:

Luis SUAREZ vs Norwich City

(Barclays Premier League, Carrow Road, 28th April 2012)

A tough decision was made between Coates’ wonder strike vs QPR or this particular goal by Luis Suarez. The decision was made simply down to the amount of skill and precision needed to perfect this goal in the style in which Luis Suarez managed in an effortless manner. Not only was this goal simply marvellous, it was a special moment for both Suarez and the fans of Liverpool as it was the goal that secured the Uruguayan his first Liverpool hat-trick – a memorable moment for any player. Having terrorised both Norwich’s defenders and John Ruddy in the Norwich net with two goals of great quality before this strike, the 40-yard lob from Suarez put the icing on the cake for what was a superb overall performance from Liverpool’s number seven.

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