The season did begin in a low with Liverpool Legend, Kenny Dalglish sacked as the manager. Also many players, who were instrumental last season, especially in the League Cup triumph, left too, such as Fabio Aurelio, Dirk Kuyt, Maxi Rodriguez and Craig Bellamy. However former Swansea manager, Brendan Rodgers entered the helm and demanded change in this historical football club. He brought in not only many players like Oussama Assaidi, Joe Allen and Fabio Borini but he brought a ‘New Footballing Philosophy’ to Liverpool which will ensure success in coming years according to the Irishman. We did see glimpses of that philosophy at the USA tour in games that ended in a draw or defeat versus Toronto, Roma and Tottenham. Many weeks later in a Europa League qualifier against FC Gomel the Kop did witness what was to come. Stunning performance from the Reds gave the fans hope of what was to come, the match ended 3-0 to a beautiful yet devastating Liverpool.
The league season finally began away at the Hawthorns where
there was confidence in the air for the travelling fans. Liverpool hadn’t won
an opening day fixture in four seasons but it wasn’t going to change. West Brom
were too good for Liverpool on the day defeating them by 3 goals to nil and it wasn’t
the start Brendan Rodgers’s Reds hoped for especially with the high
expectations. The following week the champions Manchester City came to Anfield for
the first home game of the season. Liverpool finally began to tick with goals
from Martin Skrtel and an exceptional free kick from star-man Luis Suarez.
Liverpool’s dominance was cancelled out by a poor back-pass to City’s Carlos
Tevez who finished with ease, Liverpool were so close to a win but a point
versus the champions isn’t too bad.
The mediocre start continued as defeats to Arsenal and Manchester
United followed. The Sixth league fixture did see Liverpool earn their first
win of the campaign away to Norwich. Similar to last season Liverpool thrashed
the Canaries 5-2 and Luis Suarez scored another hat trick against them. October
and November saw Liverpool win just twice in home games against Wigan and
Reading. Other than that Liverpool either drew or lost. Draws against strong oppositions
such as Chelsea and eventual League Cup winners, Swansea were hard fought. Furthermore
a two-all draw against local rivals, Everton, saw the Reds robbed off a goal
when Luis Suarez’s late winner was disallowed for an offside that was incorrectly
given. Liverpool also tasted a defeat at
White Hart Lane, where the game started off poorly which cost Liverpool gifting
Spurs the win. However they did play some quality football in those matches,
unfortunately that was to be the story of the season. Unlike last season where
Liverpool hit the woodwork in nearly every match, this season it was; Dominate
matches to draw or lose.
December arrived in which was to be the most inconsistent of
months for Liverpool. There were some low moments in the month where Liverpool
lost twice 3-1 at home to Aston Villa and on Boxing Day away to Stoke City.
There were some high nervy moments in the month, such as the 1-0 Udinese win in
the Europa League which sent the Reds to the knockout stage or the 3-2 West Ham
win. What’s more is that Liverpool did begin to kill off matches rather than
hit and miss chances. Rare wins at Anfield came twice in the month, in a 1-0
win vs. Southampton and a 4-0 drubbing vs. Fulham. The calendar year which
Liverpool wanted to forget finally came to an end with a 3-0 away win to QPR;
this was a sign of what was to come in an impressive second half of the season.
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