ONCE again I have decided to leave it a couple of days to let the dust settle on another Premier League game before discussing my thoughts, and thankfully we all find ourselves in a better place than after the previous game!
I must admit in the run up to Sunday I was living in dread. The Champions were coming to town with their squad most managers would crawl over hot coals for and we were still licking our wounds from the Hawthorns and calming down from the intensity of Tynecastle.
Understandably we still carry some of the fragility from the back end of last season which was evident against West Brom and against one of the most potent attacking forces in world football we were always going to have to stand up and be counted.
I fully expected City to approach the game with a high tempo and pressing game somewhat mirroring the approach from Hearts but with the added quality from the likes of Toure, Tevez and Kompany.
I felt that we weathered the early storm well enough, especially in light of losing Lucas so early, before going on to boss the game. It is easy to see how Rodgers is setting us up to play and that we are really starting to reflect this on the pitch and take control of a game. For me this is a continuation from last year under Kenny, who initiated the long awaited return of pass and move, and Rodgers has picked up the ball and run with it towards the next level.
At this point there is a confession I must make…..I, Tim Williams, have a man crush on Joe Allen. This guy is the epitome of how Rodgers wants to play the game and is the key to it. It was no surprise that we looked more settled in Edinburgh on Thursday when he came on and that we looked so comfortable in possession on Sunday. He is gifted with a wonderful first touch, an awareness of what is around him and a passing ability that enables the recipient to be thinking of what to do with the ball rather than how to control it. His skill defensively was put to the tast against the behemoth that is Yaya Toure, both mentally and physically, and he came out on top. It is also worth noting that his presence in the side also limits the detrimental effects of losing Lucas (at time of writing I don’t know how bad his injury is), whose season ending knock last year preceded our terrible form. No coincidence. Allen, like Lucas allows those around he to play, to express themselves and an outlet if needed, I for one am looking forward to them cementing a partnership with the likes of Stevie and Sahin being given the freedom to rip teams apart. Right, although I don’t want to I need to stop talking about Allen and move on!
A further refreshing sight from the last couple of games was the pace and energy of Raheem Sterling. I have lost track of the number of times I have bemoaned a lack of pace in our squad, a valuable asset that those around us seem to have in abundance. From my playing days before my injury I was pretty darn quick and pace was able to hide other failings in my game, and then after the injury when I moved further back I used to hate coming up against pace. Attributes such as the pace which Sterling brings and the physicality and presence that Carroll brings are crucial to any successful side but they cannot be stand alone.
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What we have seen, Sterling has been able to adapt his game to Rodgers style to compliment his natural skills, and perhaps a failing to do this in training is what is pushing Carroll out of the door. His work rate and defensive play was just as, if not more, impressive than his offensive abilities we all know about. I felt he suffered from poor refereeing at both ends of the pitch but again did not let this affect him. Sterling is very much the template now for the likes of Suso and Morgan to follow and progress.
As individual performances go I was mightily impressed with Coates, a giant of a man who in my opinion is one of the best tacklers I have seen. I still think we see a slightly nervous approach initially but this is to be expected, the fact that Rodgers selected him for this game ahead of Carragher will do him a world of good. I thought Shelvey bounced back very well from what I am sure he will admit himself was a very shaky performance in Scotland. To think that we bossed the game against the Champions without Agger, Lucas and Sahin for example is a massive statement despite the result. What the result does show us is that we are still missing that crucial element top teams have and that is luck. We blundered twice and City scored twice. You make your own luck and if we continue to play this way, to this tempo and control the bounce of the ball, the goalkeeper error, the defensive mistake and the refereeing decisions will follow. The challenge is to reproduce this kind of performance week in and week out regardless of the opposition, to find the level of consistency required to challenge at the top end.
For me, the most crucial aspect of the game was the responses to conceding. Towards the end of last year and against West Brom we have been shaken badly by conceding yet Sunday against this calibre of opposition Suarez curled a delicious free kick in moments after Yaya equalised and Shelvey was inches away from slamming home a 3rd following Tevez’s goal. We need to get back that belief that we will score which will result in an opposition goal being less daunting, and whether we bring in ‘goalscorer’ or embrace a system where more clearcut chances are created, it is vital for the crowd and the team to know that we can take our chances.
Before I go I just want to share a of factoid I saw on twitter from @Optajoe in that the average age of the starting XI on Sunday was our youngest since 2003 at 24 years and 364 days, and this team bossed the English Champions.
Again, all Sunday shows is progression; we are heading in the right direction but it will take time to get to our destination so we need patience and to make the noise that wowed Yaya Toure. You’ll Never Walk Alone!
Come find me on twitter @timdibs
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I remember Joe Allen toe punting the ball and it turned into a beautifully accurate through ball to Sterling, I just collapsed on my sofa in awe. Brilliant, brilliant signing.
Fresh tenacious young side. Arsenal visit on Sunday a massive test. 3 points points totally the objective. For me Sterling starts of course, Sahin comes in for Lucas and Assaidi for Borini. 3 points in the bag.
I seen no reason to buy Allen, we were already well equipped in midfield, having seen him play, he is class. After 2 games, what would his value be now.
I am really impressed with Rodgers on and off the field. If FSG can provide the funds, he will lead us to our former glories. New players this year should include Sterling, he is like a new signing. Suso looks just as promising, when he develops a little more physically. We are definitely heading in the right direction, success or no success this season.
Allen has been a great signing. I watched him a great deal during the Olympics and was mightily impressed with how controlled the game and he is always so ware of the next pass before he has received the ball. This guy is one we have been looking for since Alonso.
Lucas is Mascherano, Allen is Alonso and Stevie G is errrr Stevie G. Then add Sahin and Sterling along with Suarez and Borini. What a midfield and forward line…..nice! Great options along with Shelvey, Henderson, Assaidi, Carroll etc, which will all have their time.
Come on you reds. YNWA
Yes, sundays performance has the fans buzzing for a change, but let’s not get carried away, it’s still work in progress. There were some impressive performances, specially from the youngsters, Allen had Toure in his pocket most of the match, (no mean feat) Sterling, Shelvey and coates were also easy on the eye, that combined with a huge game from Skirtel (one mistake we’ll overlook) made a very good team look ordinary. Just have to keep improving, get the confidence and push on from here. YNWA.
I don’t agree with Johnny in saying that it was pointless to buy Allen, signing of the season for me. On Sunday I can remember saying “what a pass” pretty much everytime time he passed forward. Insane player! Can’t wait to see the potential of sterling, if that’s what he’s like on PL debut, things will only go up! YNWA!
Joe allen look very promising …. hope he will success in Liverpool
YNWA
spearing is not our class so he must leave.
I would say Joe Allen is a much better player than a certain Jordan Henderson and he is cheaper too.
I hope BR can continue to be more astute in the market unlike KD which blew 85 mill on a bunch of dudes (20 mill alone for a winger who offers us 0 goals, 0 assist). I had said many times that KD’s blunders would come back to haunt us for years to come and we are already seeing that effect already.
Another thing which BR could learn from KD’s mistake is, stop blaming the goal post and referees. I agreed with the statement you make your own luck. Hitting the post one or twice is luck, 30 odd times is sheer ineptitude. Champions like our rivals Manure never do that. Over the years A.F had bad starts injuries to half his first team but he never used that as an excuse.
BR, please remember 2 games on with no win and we lost to a team that 3-0 that is mid table at best (what am i saying, thanks to KD, LFC too is a mid table team these days). Playing an easy on the eye passing game alone according to your fame “philosophy” does not get you points. Scoring and winning does.
Oh, i also noticed your old team has a new manager with new players and they are winning. Seems they did not need as much time as you do to get things going.