IT would have been hard to imagine a 5-0 scoreline for Liverpool away to Tottenham last year, or a few weeks ago when they were losing to Hull City for that matter.
But Brendan Rodgers will have to be given the credit for galvanising the side again to immediately bounce back with 2 wins and at least 4 goals scored against Norwich, then West Ham.
Of course, the win against the Canaries could be regarded solely as the Luis Suarez show, but the West Ham victory was the entire side grinding out a result which was flattered only late on with two excellent goals for the 4-1 scoreline.
Now this thrashing of Tottenham at White Hart Lane could be downplayed by many as Liverpool’s good fortune of coming up against a side low on confidence this season, but a 5 goal margin is more than just luck and the opposition not playing well; it was a performance dripping with character. Especially from young Jon Flanagan, who people may forget is still only 20. He had the task of keeping Aaron Lennon quiet and while the winger hasn’t quite lived up to the potential he promised ever since bursting on to the scene, he could have proven more than a handful for an inexperienced full-back.
This was a thorough professional however, entrusted by Brendan Rodgers to do the job and the maturity shown by the youngster would be highly encouraging for anyone in the red half of Merseyside.
Of course there is the more seasoned youngster in Raheem Sterling who has been showing signs of steady improvement. This was displayed in abundance on Sunday in the way he kept going past defenders in a number of different ways. His lack of experience and composure might still have shown at times though when it came to putting the final ball in to the box. A slight over-excitement at finding yourself in a telling position sometimes affects your concentration.
It’s an overwhelming feeling which goes away with more games and Sterling has shown evidence of that steadily happening in the right direction this season. Rodgers would undoubtedly be looking to work at his game more to make him more direct with his passing, which could allow him to use his pace and find space behind defenders more often. That is already progressing quite well and with time, it should only get better. He did make up for the occasional lack of sharpness to completely go around a defender by slipping it through the legs for the cut-back which Suarez crossed in for Jon Flanagan’s volley.
Liverpool were, at times, scrappy with possession though and another side with better fortunes than Tottenham’s right now might have punished them. The defence was allowing Tottenham to find space in between the centre-backs to get in to the box occasionally and that will be another area Rodgers would want to shut out. The backline did come through where it mattered though. They cleared every possible danger and the much beleaguered Joe Allen seemed to be joining Lucas Leiva in picking it up from the edge of the Liverpool box.
While the first 3 goals were a combination of Liverpool’s persistence and Tottenham’s frailties, the final two goals were an example of simple passing and effective movement.
Luis Alberto had just been brought on and it only took him a few touches before a pass from the midfield found him with space, as well as two defenders beginning to run at him. His quick eye for the pass releasing Luis Suarez did most of the work for that goal. Once Hugo Lloris decided to come out of his area for it, there was only thing a player of Suarez’ caliber was going to do, and he did so with an assured clip over the keeper’s head.
The last goal was icing on a very tasty cake for Liverpool and Raheem Sterling’s reaction after slotting in from a timely Suarez through-ball almost personified a subtle embarrassment.
It’s not every day anyone scores 5 without reply against a side of Tottenham’s pedigree in recent years, certainly not in their backyard. It might have been a tad flustering and surreal for a side that struggled against Hull City and almost lost the Merseyside Derby but for Daniel Sturridge’s late equaliser.
It’ll also have to be a timely reminder that Liverpool can be good and get the right results if they apply themselves and take the initiative. At the same time, lackadaisical performances from anyone in the squad could result in a humiliation to the 6-3 tone suffered by league leaders Arsenal this weekend at Manchester City.
With away fixtures against The Citizens and Chelsea coming up in the immediate future, it will be handy to remind the players of both sides of this particular coin. For now though, Rodgers and his men will enjoy returning to 2nd spot on the table, and two behind Arsenal.
The summer saw uncertainty over Luis Suarez’s future and the very public declarations of aiming for a top 4 finish.
A couple of points behind the league leaders with Christmas looming won’t be a half bad sight now.
I remember coming on here about 9 months ago and suggesting that BR needs time etc. Got shot to pieces by the usual lot. “Rogers is a championship manager” “got sacked by reading “etc etc etc . where are you now haters????
I think they are waiting, almost hoping, we slip up (badly) against two of the best teams (on paper) to shoot you down again.
I think some of them also wanted AVB in charge, I wonder what the anti Rodgers & Pro AVB brigade think now, given developments over the past 72hrs?
Aaron the boring troll . Nobody cares what you say .
Idiot
Please re-shake your stick if you did it a few moment ago. You are a disgrace in this site.
You cant talk, first youre wankin over Van Persie and then you disrespect a club legend like Gerrard. Yana Yana the plastic fan!
I apologise for boring everyone, I just really hate Aaron. For no reason. I just want to troll him/her.
Idiot Aaron using different names , but still trolling.
Typical pleb Craig posting the ‘i told you so’ comment. Most fans were willing to give BR at least two years, you just make up garbage to make urself look like the ‘loyal’ dignified fan when your just a pleb!! Show us the links where anyone wanted BR sacked then??
“Rodgers has wasted all the good work of our youth team. Wisdom, Sterling, Kelly, Suso, Flanno & Robinson all nowhere to be seen, all have gone backwards. Rodgers is a cheque-book manager, he cant coach or motivate these lads so just signs more to ‘solve’ the problem. Its a disgrace to see these kids careers thrown away by an inept coach.”
Do you not include yourself in the most fans section?
Slagging the manager off after just over a year and a bit is not giving him two seasons, now is it?
Craig is right a lot on here were calling for Rodgers to be axed after 3 games last season.
Neither was anyone, show us the links or are we just making it all up mr no sheep? And dont tell me you became a big fan of Flanagan after a couple of games when you were praising Cissokho signing.
Don’t have a clue what the first point of your reply means.
And as said I still don’t think Flanagan has enough pace or ability going forward to be a full time liverpool LB/RB. But I do think he is strong enough in defence to play in the prem.
Ha hahaha . Clueless no sheep – the same clown who wanted Liverpool to get rid of Suarez because ‘he is not that good ‘
Good to c your tears have finally dried up 3 days after thrashing spurs. Must have been a difficult start to the week 4 u….
Hopefully for u the nightmare will be over soon and we will be ordinary again. Whinging whining tool
Ha ha ha ha
I couldn’t be happier me . Your the tool that always whinges here . What a fool ozred is .
Come on all together now, lets get into the festive spirit….
‘Yana yana the plastic fan….
He loves to wank over Van the man…’
Lol
You’re idiot.
lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol
Should change the title to “Liverpool discover benefits of excluding Steven Gerrard”
Lol lol lol lol
i tnk without stevie our midfield wl b better composed n shaped, they mark well n gain d ball easily n ws nt afraid going foward. I tnk its tym stevie plays just 15mins tl he retires. YNWA
Steven Gerrard is a liability to LFC, as team member and financially. Extending his contract was a mistake by FSG.
Bit of a childish retard , aren’t you yana ??? Turning into quite the troll , yes ?
Dont worry Yana, weve had a whip round and bought you a topless poster of Van persie you can stick on yer bedroom wall and dream about. Ha haaaaa haaa!! Ya little ijiat!!
Yana u must b an idiot…wonder y lfc v got a useless fan lyk u tank God nobody knws u exist…
Yana , Diego and troll hunter should all fu ck off and join their gay lovers in the men’s room .
Idiot
So now troll hunter has a new game to play.
Posing as me, posting messages, then responding to his own messages trying to make me look bad.
Told everyone you had no friends and you now have just proved it.
Small minded, pathetic weasel.
Yana, no sheep and diego don’t be fooled by troll hunter’s new game. He needs all the fun he can get, doesn’t get out much you see.
Boring troll aaron , making stuff up now .
Is your life really this pointless?
Is yours ? Even troll hunter makes more intelligent comments than you . Clown !!!
Homophobic Aaron is at it again. When he runs out of brain cells he resorts to childish name-calling. Grow up ya pleb!!
Weird how you say name calling telling someone to grow up, then finish your own message calling someone a pleb. The irony of it all.
Oh err, sorry to lower myself to your level, i should have known better!
Aaron. You ARE A troll . Go troll hunter !!!
What are you some kind of teen cheerleader, put your pom poms away and calm down.
Idiot
Diego… even if I posted about gay lovers, which, troll hunter (new game of his) just did, how is that homophobic? Please explain.
If I said.. join your girlfriends in the girls room, is that (no it isn’t) sexist? I look forward to your rational reasoning. Not holding my breath tho.
Still trolling , calling people names . Pretending it’s someone else now .
Immature idiot.
S Gerrard(33) should be rested more that is for sure, he has been a amazing great loyal servant to club and is a legend. But he no longer has the legs, mobility or pace he was blessed with 3-5 seasons ago. He has carried the club for fifteen years , now you can see its effects. In All honesty apart from S Gerrard’s class dead ball / set pieces
against mobile centre midfield’s S Gerrard(33) has looked like a passenger in the middle of the park.
Allen(24) and Henderson(23) offer mobility, a bit of pace to side and the fluidity in the centre of park the highpressing game Rodgers wants team to implement works well with mobile players. S Gerrard(33) is no longer mobile, he does not have the legs or pace anymore.
So he should be used wisely in games: And if Allen and Henderson can maintain their performances against Tottenham in the next 3 games then when S Gerrard(33) gets back he should start on the bench. And Gerrard(33) should not automatically be recalled to starting line up.
You posted this 2 weeks ago
“Whereas the likes Lucas (26) DM, Henderson(23) CM , Allen (24) CM, IBE(17) LW / LWF, Aspas(26) LW / LWF, Moses(22) RW /RWF and Stering(18) RW / RWF are nowhere near the calibre,class or Quality of Coutinho(21) , Gerrard(33), Sturridge(24) Or Suarez(26”
Flanno has played just a few games mainly because Cissokho has flopped otherwise Flanno wouldnt be in the side, Wisdom, Kelly and Robbo are also on the fringes, i was the one calling for the youth to be given a fair crack but they will only get in if either other players like Cissokho flop or get injured. Whats your response to that or are you gonna move onto a different subject like you usually do?
I go off topic? Can you show me where I gone off topic with you?
My reply to Denis is about gerrard,Henderson and Allen you come back with Flanagan and cissokho, then say I will go off topic. What are you like?
Wisdom and robbo are onloan and are not in the squad!
Do you know why teams loan their youth out to lower clubs? Cause it sound like you don’t.
As for Kelly, he is just back from a major injury and not played for a long time, which means he lacks fitness and sharpness, he got a some action a few weeks ago but was way out of his depth, he needs time and I reckon a 6 month loan with option to take him back if needed would be best.
As for Flanagan and IF cissokho wasn’t a flop he wouldn’t be playing. Ha. And IF one of your dads had a vag you would be for a normal family. IF. Is that some sort of joke? Rodgers has said if your good enough your old enough. I will explain that for you, if you are the best player in your spot you will play age does not matter.
It’s not if your the youngest player in that spot you get
to play. Think that is where you are getting confused.
Hope I gave you some help. X
Ha ha ha ha
More idiocy from little no sheep. How can anyone take seriously the opinions of a village idiot who thinks Liverpool are a better team without Suarez ?
Of course Craig was immensely loyal to Uncle Woy too because all managers eventually come good now dont they eh? Yeah alright mate, always trying to have the moral high ground now arent we?
How would you know if i was loyal to woy?
Even if i didn’t think he wasn’t right for the job, i wouldn’t come on here and moan about it.
I only ever came on here when i noticed stupid comments from the likes of you. How many different names have you had on this site now??? You must be running out of ideas by now.
Come on Brendan lad, shut these losers up once and for all
So you did back Woy then? Or not? Make up your mind or are you just another hypocrite like the rest of them. You wait until there is a good run of form and then cry ‘i told you so’ before hiding away for a few weeks. So you supported Woy and backed him to the hilt then or what? Just like you back BR until a few bad results?
by the way digger you better get in as many easy starts excuses as you can before the chelsea game, cause after that game we have had the toughest first have of the season, playing all the teams in the top half away from home, except for united and Southampton.
what will you and you band of crying men, cry about then?
Ha ha ha ha ha
There is only one fool crying around here . That’s braindead no sheep.
Waaah waaah , bleat bleat
You are this site’s number 1 clown
So yet again you dont respond to my Flanno/Cissokho comment so yes you are going off topic as usual. Its always the same with no sheep. And by the way did anyone seriously think the majority of fans were optimistic after BRs terrible first season? Of course Craig and No Sheep were kissing his rear end frequently after he finished 7th, yeah whatever!
Digger you bell-end I responded top your post above, but as usual you pretend not to see it like the joker you are.
FIND YOUR POST ABOUT ME GOING OFF TOPIC, THEN SCROLL DOWN.
Please don’t hesitate to ask for help if you can’t under stand those simple instructions.
Ha ha ha ha .
You really are this site’s biggest clown no sheep. You have never once made an intelligent comment.
Maybe you should get some help ? Never went to school , did you ? Hmmm ?
I think Brendan has almost done that, good results against City/CFC must make some think twice about ridiculing BR again… this season at least.
Performing well, some mistakes, yet flying high.
If it was Rodgers fault we lost to Hull et al, must be Rodgers who has helped guide us to where we are now, surely.
By the way, does anyone know if our easy start is over yet? Lol
Still trolling ? And boring everyone
Idiot
well said lad.
well said lad was for Craigs post
Diego and realist, stop moaning and bickering and support your team. You wanted BR to fail,it didn’t happen so move on and enjoy the recent success that a championship manager,not good enough for reading has brought us.