The Liverpool Offside: All Posts by Jordan J. KeebleZeppeline, Trinken, & Pink Badeshortshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51345/ltos-fav.png2024-03-23T20:44:39+00:00https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/authors/jordan-j-keeble/rss2024-03-23T20:44:39+00:002024-03-23T20:44:39+00:00Sven-Göran Eriksson On “A Memory For Life” After Managing Liverpool Legends
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<img alt="Liverpool Legends v Ajax Legends" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/-r0cOwTKDTLgrveE6-8W587XwS8=/0x0:5929x3953/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73228507/2106902668.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The former England manager lived a dream at Anfield on Saturday by managing the Liverpool Legends match. </p> <p id="r3FNoR">Ahead of the Merseyside Derby on Sunday at Goodison Park, <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> took advantage of an empty Anfield during the men’s international break to host another one of their LIverpool Legends matches to benefit the LFC Foundation. This time the Reds played host to the Ajax Legends, with favorite players like Fernando Torres and Daniel Agger coming back to perform once again in a red shirt. </p>
<p id="xtMPmB">As reported previously, former England national team manager Sven-Goran Eriksson was <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-news-coverage/2024/2/13/24071685/official-sven-goran-eriksson-manage-liverpool-legends-vs-ajax-march-23-pancreatic-cancer-diagnosis">invited</a> to live out a lifelong dream of managing Liverpool. Eriksson joined Ian Rush, John Aldridge, and John Barnes as the manager of the Legends this time around, helped lead the Reds to a 4-2 victory despite going down 2-0 in the first half. </p>
<p id="Z9pO1L">“I think everybody was a winner today and it was beautiful, absolutely fantastic, incredible: everything from <em>You’ll Never Walk Alone</em> and the rest of the match, and a good win – we were 2-0 down and won 4-2!” Eriksson <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.liverpoolfc.com%2Fnews%2Fmemory-life-sven-goran-eriksson-reflects-anfield-experience-lfc-legends&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fliverpooloffside.sbnation.com%2F2024%2F3%2F23%2F24109827%2Fliverpool-fc-miscellaneous-sven-goran-eriksson-on-a-memory-for-life-after-managing-liverpool-legends" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">said</a> of the experience following the match. </p>
<p id="Uc2j3u">The Swedish manager was full of praise for the whole day, including Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard making an appearance after traveling all the way from Saudi Arabia. </p>
<p id="Vx77V1">“He [Gerrard] is the boss out there – of course [he still has it]! We were all the time the better team, I think, so it was a fair result. But this [Anfield] is fantastic,” Eriksson continued. </p>
<p id="qMxeFs">“I think we were the better team even in the first half, even if we were 2-0 down. You always worry when you lose but as I said, very good first half and extremely good second half. A good win, a fair win, but the big winners are everybody here.” </p>
<p id="ZQ8hZE">Playing in front of a sold out crowd of 59k fans, it was the fans that Eriksson called the real Players of the Match. Their ticket sales would benefit the LFC Foundation as well as the official former player’s association Forever Reds, with those numbers set to be revealed at a later date. </p>
<p id="0GwS4H">“I think the Man of the Match is the public, the crowd, but it was a good football game to look at. They [the players] can still play football. Very good,” Eriksson added. </p>
<p id="XlDB5p">“They are not 20 years old anymore and it’s good football, extremely good football. It’s fantastic, they come from all over the place, all over Europe and he [Gerrard] is coming from another part of the world to do this and it’s fantastic.</p>
<p id="c1hmAc">“[It is] a memory for life.”</p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2024/3/23/24109827/liverpool-fc-miscellaneous-sven-goran-eriksson-on-a-memory-for-life-after-managing-liverpool-legendsJordan J. Keeble2024-03-17T02:33:56+00:002024-03-17T02:33:56+00:00FSG Targeting Benfica’s Technical Director For Second Club Endeavor
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<img alt="Web Summit 2019 - Day One" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UNW_BwweM5DnrLbameYXhlWGc2U=/0x0:3691x2461/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73212585/1180059686.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo By Sam Barnes/Sportsfile for Web Summit via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>He wouldn’t be working with Liverpool, though. </p> <p id="vpKzeJ">Fenway Sports Group has been hard at work towards the next stage of their sports ownership endeavor. The firm will have to evolve with the departure of Jürgen Klopp on the horizon, and they’ve already solidified one step in bringing back Michael Edwards as the new CEO of Football. </p>
<p id="0xvnyc">It has now become clear that one of the reasons Michael Edwards returned in the first place is to spearhead the acquisition of a second football club for FSG, and we already know he’s aiming to bring Bournemouth’s Richard Hughes along as the new sporting director. </p>
<p id="jnskzx">Additionally, David Ornstein at The Athletic <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheathletic.com%2F5344269%2F2024%2F03%2F16%2Fpedro-marques-who-liverpool-fsg%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fliverpooloffside.sbnation.com%2Fliverpool-fc-transfer-news%2F2024%2F3%2F17%2F24103559%2Fliverpool-fc-rumours-fsg-targeting-benfica-technical-director-pedro-marques-second-club-ownership" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">reports</a> that Edwards and FSG are targeting Benfica’s technical director Pedro Marques to add skills and expertise for that second club effort. </p>
<p id="Ru1Scf">“I believe that to remain competitive, investment and expansion of the current football portfolio is necessary,” Edwards said at the announcement of his new position. </p>
<p id="EThBYe">Marques himself would work directly with FSG in this role, then, rather than for <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a>. He had already done work with the Boston based firm with being instrumental in the signing of Darwin Núñez, as well as having a relationship with Edwards’ mentee Julian Ward. </p>
<p id="khjJrU">Marques started his career as a youth coach for for Sporting Lisbon in 2004, and ten years later moved to an analysis role for City Football Group - where he cut his teeth on one of the more complicated multi-club models. So he has a wealth of knowledge of what it takes to run multiple clubs with varying ranges of success. </p>
<p id="H8Euiq">He left CFG in 2018 to join Benfica as a youth technical director before becoming the senior technical director. A wealth of experience with developing a thriving youth program will also no doubt be seen as a benefit for FSG, after the foundation that Klopp built in fostering the Liverpool Academy system. </p>
<p id="M6o7F5">Of course, nothing is confirmed or complete just yet, but with a new chapter set to begin in June with a new manager, the future for FSG and Liverpool seems a little brighter. </p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-transfer-news/2024/3/17/24103559/liverpool-fc-rumours-fsg-targeting-benfica-technical-director-pedro-marques-second-club-ownershipJordan J. Keeble2024-03-16T20:00:00+00:002024-03-16T20:00:00+00:00Niamh Fahey: “It’s Important We Bounce Back Quickly”
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<img alt="Liverpool Women Training Session" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/F9X05Lq2fEO9Cg88iYT04PQ_Xes=/0x0:7955x5303/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73212151/2086551910.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The captain is ready to focus on beating West Ham on Sunday in the league. </p> <p id="f8h7bN"><a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> Women have a chance on Sunday to forget the disappointing loss from last weekend when they host West Ham at Prenton Park. After being dumped out of the Adobe Women’s <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fa-cup">FA Cup</a>, the league is still going and that’s what captain Niamh Fahey’s focus is on now that she’s back in action from injury. </p>
<p id="2T4Vc5">“Last Saturday’s FA Cup exit against <a href="https://fosseposse.sbnation.com">Leicester City</a> was a really disappointing day for us. We weren’t anywhere near the levels that we’re capable of and so we were very frustrated because we really wanted to progress through to the semi-final. For whatever reason we weren’t good enough on the day,” the captain <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.liverpoolfc.com%2Fnews%2Fniamh-fahey-we-have-bring-best-version-ourselves&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fliverpooloffside.sbnation.com%2Fliverpool-fc-women-news-results%2F2024%2F3%2F16%2F24103247%2Fliverpool-fc-women-team-news-niamh-fahey-its-important-we-bounce-back-quickly-west-ham-fa-wsl" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">wrote</a> in her program notes for Sunday’s match. </p>
<p id="g4XWAE">“That game has gone now and the only thing we can do is look to respond positively and so it’s all about the next game. It’s back to the league with another three points up for grabs and that’s what we’ll be going for. It’s important that we bounce back quickly as the girls have tended to do whenever we’ve had a blip this season. We’ve been focused on having a good training week and working hard to get ready for the test posed by West Ham.” </p>
<p id="9gsNvS">Liverpool, thankfully, have been able to recover from any bad results quickly this season and hopefully this weekend is no exception. West Ham will indeed be a tough opponent as they have no doubt worked on the mistakes from the last time the two teams met earlier in the season. West Ham last hosted Liverpool in October and that match ended in a draw with the Hammers scoring late to steal those two points. </p>
<p id="YTnD73">“Like a number of teams, West Ham strengthened after Christmas, and they will be a different team to the one we faced away from home in the first month of the season,” Fahey continued. </p>
<p id="g8mkgt">“They have brought in a lot of experience during the window and have already picked up some really good results in beating Arsenal and drawing to <a href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com">Manchester United</a>. However, we have to focus on ourselves and make sure we’re ready to bring the best version of ourselves.</p>
<p id="oJ8kfV">“We’re having a good season and have already surpassed last season’s points tally so it’s been progress again, but we are fully aware that we’re not the finished article or where we want to be yet.”</p>
<p id="ICcuPj">The important thing is that the ladies have improved match by match, even from their losses. They have already improved their place in the table over last season and even with injuries like Fuka Nagano adding difficulties, optimism is still high within the squad. Ceri Holland coming back from her suspension will also be a huge boost for the team that Fahey notes. </p>
<aside id="qABoEC"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Liverpool Women Manager Provides Update On Fuka Nagano And Ceri Holland ","url":"https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-women-news-results/2024/3/16/24102593/liverpool-fc-women-injury-news-update-on-fuka-nagano-ceri-holland-west-ham-fa-wsl"}]}'></div></aside><p id="dr9JsP">“However, we have been making progress every year and it’s good to have continued that. Now we want to keep pushing on to finish as high up the table as possible and see if we can break into that top four. To do that it’s about taking small steps and taking one game at a time and first up it is West Ham,” added the Irishwoman. </p>
<p id="DnK8U0">“Ceri Holland should be available again after serving her suspension and it will be great to have her back. The whole sending-off at Brighton was unlucky in the first place so she’ll be raring to go. Ceri’s a big player for us and it’ll be great to have her energy back as well so that’s a big positive for us.</p>
<p id="obJsqc">“Sunday is St Patrick’s Day so hopefully Irish eyes will be smiling on us! It will be an extra special day for myself, Leanne Kiernan, our strength and conditioning coach Colm Smith, and all our Irish fans if we can get the win, so we’ll be doing everything we can to make sure it’s a good one.”</p>
<p id="FUKYB9">Liverpool Women host West Ham on Sunday, 17 March, at 1pm GMT at Prenton Park. </p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-women-news-results/2024/3/16/24103247/liverpool-fc-women-team-news-niamh-fahey-its-important-we-bounce-back-quickly-west-ham-fa-wslJordan J. Keeble2024-03-16T03:01:16+00:002024-03-16T03:01:16+00:00Liverpool Women Manager Provides Update On Fuka Nagano And Ceri Holland
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<img alt="Liverpool Women Training Session" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0saeIKavSM1bR-Ibp7ytcWGhAX8=/0x0:5731x3821/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73211038/2015535099.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Japanese midfielder has been struggling with a muscle issue in the past weeks. </p> <p id="ysynCJ">Football fans always have to take the good with the bad ahead of new matches. <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> Women face West Ham at Prenton Park on Sunday and while there is one exciting update ahead of the match, that news is definitely tempered with some disappointing news from Matt Beard as well. </p>
<p id="Vxyc2B">Let’s break the bad news first. Japanese midfielder Fuka Nagano will be <a href="https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/fuka-nagano-injury-update-0">unavailable</a> on Sunday as she continues to battles a muscle issue. </p>
<p id="ohLYDK">“This weekend will be too soon for Fuka,” <a href="https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/full-watch-matt-beards-pre-west-ham-press-conference">said</a> Beard at his pre-match press conference. “She had a little bit of pain still on deceleration today in training, so she’ll be out. She’ll be fit for the week after. We were told sort of seven to 10 days, maybe two weeks at the most.</p>
<p id="dPTlJQ">“It has been eight days now, so from that side we expect her to be available again next week.</p>
<p id="AJaFgA">“Obviously we’ve got Gemma Bonner suspended, and then Taylor Hinds is probably a couple of weeks away now.”</p>
<p id="A2PEMh">The good news? Ceri Holland has fully served her suspension following her red card against Brighton & Hove Albion back in February, and will be back on the pitch on Sunday. </p>
<p id="2M1xPT">“We’ve obviously got Ceri Holland back from suspension, which is a plus because to lose Ceri and Fuka out of your midfield at the same time was a tough one,” Beard continued. </p>
<p id="1VSqO5">The Red Women will be looking to bounce back with gusto following their loss to <a href="https://fosseposse.sbnation.com">Leicester City</a> in the Adobe Women’s <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fa-cup">FA Cup</a> last weekend, and to keep their season rolling on as well as it has been. </p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-women-news-results/2024/3/16/24102593/liverpool-fc-women-injury-news-update-on-fuka-nagano-ceri-holland-west-ham-fa-wslJordan J. Keeble2024-03-14T21:47:25+00:002024-03-14T21:47:25+00:00Liverpool 6, Sparta Prague 1 - Match Recap: Seven Minutes In Heaven
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<img alt="Liverpool v Sparta Prague - UEFA Europa League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Anfield" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sji9YLs39OdfoIiUgA4K9RBvmAM=/0x91:1832x1312/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73207939/2076705383.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>A look back at the key moments in Liverpool’s great victory over Sparta Prague in Europa League action. </p> <h2 id="h.cy9vu8hi9cop_l"><strong>Liverpool 6 - 1 Sparta Prague</strong></h2>
<h5 id="1ErhBE">Liverpool: Núñez 7’, Clark 8’, Salah 10’, Gakpo 14’, Szoboszlai 48’, Gakpo 54’<br>Sparta Prague: Birmancevic 42’</h5>
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<h2 id="uwUmF3">Pre-Match </h2>
<p id="yBugGA">MOHAMED SALAH IS BACK IN THE STARTING LINEUP. Our Egyptian King hasn’t started since January 1, and now he makes his return to the starting XI against Sparta Prague after coming off the bench last week. Of course, this is only halftime for this round of the UEFA Europa League, playing under the lights of Anfield will surely help push the Redmen into the next stage. Most veterans of the squad, like Virgil van Dijk, Luis Diaz, and Alexias Mac Allister, are on the bench in preparations of Sunday’s <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fa-cup">FA Cup</a> match against <a href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com">Manchester United</a>, but that doesn’t mean that Mo is up there alone shepherding all the kids. Darwin Núñez, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Andy Robertson (who is captaining this outing) will hopefully be the combination we need to make sure Prague don’t fancy themselves. </p>
<h2 id="7cATo5">First Half</h2>
<p id="sQDxrV">Prague have certainly come out swinging in this first half, taking possession quickly and holding on for dear life. That lasted all of 5 minutes, though, before <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> wrestle back control and find the first <strong>GOAL AT SIX MINUTES IN. </strong>A silky bit of build up play around the Sparta Prague final third and <strong>Darwin Núñez opens the scoring, </strong>and not even a minute later <strong>Bobby Clark</strong> gets the <strong>second</strong> <strong>with his first senior goal</strong>! We’re less than ten minutes in and 2-0 up, which bodes well for the rest of the match. </p>
<p id="M0KvAb">Am I just going to have to list the goals? Because now at 9 minutes in, <strong>Mo Salah scores for himself, </strong>making his tally 20 for the season<strong>. </strong>It almost feels unfair, watching the Reds push Prague off the ball and steamroll them into a 3-0 deficit barely ten minutes in. The away fans, to their credit, are singing their hearts out despite the dismal start by their squad. Another five minutes past and finally after a bad spell, <strong>Cody Gakpo gets his contribution to make it 4-0. </strong>Genuinely hilarious backfoot play from everyone, we are jogging around and taking our time with every play. Defense is finally tested around the 18 minute mark as Prague get into our final third, and do their best to dance through, but Conor Bradley and Jarrell Quansah do well to shut them down. </p>
<p id="r6QdsA">Of course, now that we’re up 9-1 on aggregate, things have slowed down considerably with Liverpool becoming more conservative to preserve that lead. Letting Prague have just one wouldn’t be <em>so </em>bad, just to spice things up a little bit, either. There is also, still, somehow, an hour left to play. The doesn’t mean that Liverpool will stop trying to score, though, as Salah gets close to the face of the goal, lays it off to Darwin and our Uruguayan just dinks it over the net. Oh well, he already got one. </p>
<p id="3CaF96">There it is, Wataru Endo gets beaten as the deepest defender and Sparta Prague get <strong>one goal</strong> in to make the score 4-1 through Veljko Birmancevic and his headband. </p>
<h2 id="Cc6xxC">Second Half</h2>
<p id="ZQvbcU">Liverpool make a couple uncharacteristic halftime changes, bringing on Harvey Elliott for Darwin, James McConnell for Wataru Endo, and Kostas Tsimikas on for Joe Gomez with thoughts likely on Sunday’s match against rivals. When you’re up 9-2 on aggregate you can make decisions like these with confidence then. Darwin gets to rest those legs (although you know he’s annoyed about it) before terrorizing Manchester United. Joe Gomez, unfortunately, won’t get a chance for his first senior goal today but there’s always Sunday. </p>
<p id="GNFbcy">It didn’t take very long for Liverpool to <strong>score another, </strong>as Dominik Szoboszlai also gets in on it, sending the aggregate to 10-2 with the score on the day 5-1. Just insane. The Reds are back in full flow, playing in first gear and just jogging circles around Prague. Even something as simple as a corner, with a poor clearance by the visitors moving towards Harvey, who shoots it right at goal to get Gakpo a <strong>brace and Liverpool have SIX GOALS! </strong></p>
<p id="jXzfmb">Prague make a couple of changes at 56th minute, trying to stop the bleeding of goals, but with half an hour still to play there are likely more to come. Even after captain Andy Robertson has moved to centerback (!!!). Liverpool decide to make a defensive change in bringing on Virgil at the 65th minute, to hilariously preserve this lead and let the big man just get a little warm up in those legs. Virgil replaces Quansah, who had just received a yellow card despite winning the ball in a tackle. Klopp got a little heated arguing for the kid and earned himself a yellow card too. So much intensity even when we’re leading 6-1 is what we’ll miss most. </p>
<p id="GP7VDu">Klopp makes a final change at the 73rd minute, bringing on another Academy graduate in Mateusz Musialowski for Bobby Clark, with Musialowski making his senior debut in Red. Sparta Prague also make a change, taking off Markus Solbakken after he got a ball to the head. Either Liverpool have decided to be merciful or Prague have been able to rally defensively but the game has slowed considerably (from its already slow tempo), and it looks like we might be left with the 6-1 scoreline. </p>
<p id="aEA7D7">Even at the 90 minute mark Jürgen is asking “are we done yet?” but there is only one minute of added time. </p>
<h2 id="OQZ19N">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p id="42aQGy">Liverpool EMPHATICALLY did the thing, with a new record home win in the Europa League. With an 11-2 aggregate wrapping up this round of the league, and what looked like a warm up match against Manchester United on Sunday, Liverpool are into the next round. At least the Sparta fans get a good night out and some time in a great city. </p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2024/3/14/24095692/liverpool-6-sparta-prague-1-uefa-europa-league-2024-result-recap-cody-gakpo-mohamed-salahJordan J. Keeble2024-03-09T21:00:00+00:002024-03-09T21:00:00+00:00Matt Beard: “We’ve Let Ourselves Down”
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<img alt="Liverpool v Leicester City - Adobe Women’s FA Cup Quarter Final" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UUbkKbRpa1fxFKLPEbYqpEyQdMw=/0x0:5586x3724/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73194759/2071079436.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The manager voiced his frustrations after the loss to Leicester City, throwing them out of the FA Cup. </p> <p id="kntVea">It was a frustrating Saturday afternoon for <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> Women, as they unfortunately lost to <a href="https://fosseposse.sbnation.com">Leicester City</a> in the quarter finals of the Adobe Women’s <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/fa-cup">FA Cup</a>, tossing them out of the tournament. Jutta Rantala’s double was the difference maker when the Red Women didn’t take the chances they did have. </p>
<p id="8AeIx2">“Frustrated for so many different reasons. I felt our use of the ball wasn’t what it has been, first half especially, first 10 minutes,” manager Matt Beard <a href="https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/matt-beards-verdict-frustrating-womens-fa-cup-elimination">said</a> post-match. </p>
<p id="tUbxMg">“When you don’t get control of the game, it becomes a bit like a basketball match – it was up there, up there. It was a frustrating afternoon. We’ve had chances to score and haven’t taken them, and obviously we’ve been punished with the two that we gifted them.” </p>
<p id="KclMEU">A couple of those chances came in the first half, with Mia Enderby seeing her shot go wide and Marie Höbinger missing from the edge of the box in what would be just the beginning of the disappointment. Sometimes, though, you’re just unlucky in football. </p>
<p id="S9Y0Ju">“Mia [Enderby] clean through, pulls it wide. And then obviously Marie [Höbinger], where the goalkeeper gives it to her on the edge of the box. On another day we probably take them, but for whatever reason it’s been one of those days for us today,” Beard added. </p>
<p id="vwxOVP">“I felt we had good control in the first half, especially once we weathered that first 10, 15 minutes. But then everything was too rushed. I know time is against you but you just need to relax and make sure we connect the passes. But the turnovers were just too much.”</p>
<p id="jAtTxN">One of the biggest factors in Saturday’s struggles was Fuka Nagano’s absence through injury, in addition to Ceri Holland’s ban. The Japanese international has been dealing with a hamstring issue and was deemed unable to play on Friday afternoon. Two important midfielders missing was just something the squad couldn’t work around. </p>
<p id="iljWJ7">“Yeah, we lost Fuka yesterday. Obviously Ceri [Holland] suspended as well. But at the end of the day, we’ve got the squad depth here to be able to cope with things like that,” the manager explained. </p>
<p id="xfQdEL">“We definitely lost Fuka’s control of the ball and the game, in the sense of connecting the passes and her reading of the game. But it’s not an excuse, we’ve got good squad depth here and just for whatever reason it’s not clicked today.”</p>
<p id="YYunlU">There were a lot of changes made during the match to try and get the result needed, but it ultimately only added to the frustration of the day. </p>
<p id="mRDRx6">“Obviously we made a lot of changes at the top end of the pitch, we ended up going to a front three, obviously to try to do that,” Beard said. </p>
<p id="i7YqFK">“But sometimes you’ve got to give the opposition credit. I think they defended really well, especially stopping the crosses going in. It’s a bad day at the office for us and one we have to just move on from quickly. </p>
<p id="wV40YK">“We’ll be fine. Whenever we’ve had a setback we’ve always regrouped and gone again. So I’m confident in us doing that. We turn our attention to West Ham now and make sure that we’re ready and focused for that.” </p>
<p id="8VGqFJ">The Liverpool Women next face West Ham at Prenton Park on March 17. </p>
<p id="IBPt4a"></p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-women-news-results/2024/3/9/24095570/liverpool-fc-women-matt-beard-weve-let-ourselves-down-leicester-city-womens-fa-cupJordan J. Keeble2024-03-09T00:30:00+00:002024-03-09T00:30:00+00:00Leanne Kiernan and Diogo Jota Talk About Their Female Role Models For International Women’s Day
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<img alt="Aston Villa v Liverpool FC - Barclays Women’s Super League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bn7whoDlwaXSI4IBVyd9nz-SPtY=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73193233/2049915038.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The two star strikers talk about their biggest role models to celebrate the holiday. </p> <p id="g8iVjc"><a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> recognized International Women’s Day on Friday as part of their Red Together inclusion initiative with a <a href="https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/diogo-jota-and-leanne-kiernan-share-their-female-role-models-international-womens-day">pair of videos</a> celebrating a couple of role models that have helped two of our strikers become stars. Leanne Kiernan and Diogo Jota both spent time recognizing the women that helped shape them into the players they are today in heartwarming videos. </p>
<p id="XiQ1WQ">Jota named his mother, grandmother, Brazilian player Marta, and Olympic marathon runner Rosa Mota as his female role models, saying: “My grandmother helped a lot raising us. I had the feeling of being loved, and it is special to have that bond with your mother and grandmother.</p>
<p id="iN6SIT">“Rosa was a very good athlete – she still is – and Marta, who made a big difference in women stepping up into football.”</p>
<p id="aHlC9S">Kiernan also named her mother as her role model, and then included Liverpool Women’s captain Niamh Fahey as her sporting idol, saying: “[Her mother] made me the person I am today and gives me all the advice I need to tackle the world. I know deep down that I wouldn’t be here without my mother and all these women that really put everything into me, and I’m very grateful for that.</p>
<p id="LDsS0b">“[Fahey] is a very good person as a leader and as a captain. She is one of the reasons I came to the club, and I know my <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com">Liverpool FC</a> experience wouldn’t be the same without her.”</p>
<p id="lNC2vY">In addition to the interviews with the players, LFC, LFC Foundation and the club’s official partners will be hosting a range of inspiring events and activities to celebrate International Women’s Day and recognize the incredible achievements of women and the importance their contributions make.</p>
<p id="oj9cWx">These include educational events and football tournaments delivered by LFC Foundation with local schools for young girls; staff events promoting women’s health and wellbeing; and the chance to discover key insights and inspiration from LFC Women’s record goalscorer and first official women’s ambassador Natasha Dowie.</p>
<p id="OUuVES">To read more about the club’s International Women’s Day activities, go <a href="https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/liverpool-fc-celebrates-international-womens-day">here</a>.</p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2024/3/9/24094933/lfc-team-news-watch-leanne-kiernan-diogo-jota-talk-female-role-models-international-womens-dayJordan J. Keeble2024-03-02T18:30:00+00:002024-03-02T18:30:00+00:00Digging Deeper Into Liverpool’s 0-1 Victory Over Nottingham Forest
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<img alt="Nottingham Forest v Liverpool FC - Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jsMQT-qtLIJ1L4dyjPrYQuZBg8E=/186x0:7211x4683/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73178141/2053412280.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by John Powell/John Powell</figcaption>
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<p>With a victory over Nottingham Forest in the books, we take a closer look at what it all means for the Reds.</p> <p id="C39wfD">When it looked like <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> wouldn’t and couldn’t do the thing against Nottingham Forest, Darwin Núñez appeared and made the thing happen. Liverpool went a whole 90+ minutes without scoring and in the last corner of the game, Darwin popped up and finally found the back of the net. That kind of transcendence has little words to describe it, so I’ll do my best to talk about the other points of the match. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="FRISjj">
<h2 id="h.3mx5mnycd4z_l"><strong>Talking Tactics</strong></h2>
<p id="8jAzsS">Joe Gomez is turning into quite the utility man, isn’t he? Starting out in the #6 position today in midfield while Andy Robertson and Conor Bradley took over the wings, he put in a decent shift defending the midfield and recycling the ball. In fact, his ability to shift positions and keep Forest mostly docile was one of the bright spots of the match, other than Darwin. And then Klopp brought on Endo, took off Roberston, Gomez shifted back to left back, and continued to do a job there too. No fuss. Everyone even stopped shouting at him to shoot! </p>
<p id="OwM0YT">Cody Gakpo, on the other hand, had a frustrating match and probably should’ve come off earlier than he did. It’s a shame because this is a run where he should really thrive and he got a bit into his own head in a couple of instances. That sort of wastefulness costed us until the last moment when Darwin saved the day. How many times am I going to mention that Darwin saved us, again? Probably a lot. </p>
<aside id="6dUC3D"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Nottingham 0, Liverpool 1 - Match Recap: Nunez Saves Liverpool At the Death ","url":"https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2024/3/2/24088250/nottingham-0-liverpool-1-epl-2024-result-recap-nunez-szoboszlai"}]}'></div></aside><h2 id="h.pjyo5qdjjdqn_l"><strong>How The Fans Reacted</strong></h2>
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<p lang="fr" dir="ltr">ALLEZ ALLEZ ALLEZ <a href="https://t.co/8EREWSA22l">pic.twitter.com/8EREWSA22l</a></p>— The Anfield Wrap (@TheAnfieldWrap) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAnfieldWrap/status/1763975977615380531?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">ARE YOU NOT FUCKING EMBARRASSED <a href="https://t.co/Qo0t4cPFC6">https://t.co/Qo0t4cPFC6</a></p>— Blayne (@badopinionsguy_) <a href="https://twitter.com/badopinionsguy_/status/1763974861829890234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2024</a>
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<p id="pYG49r">Does Ian Rush count as a fan? Of course he does. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">What a moment! Get in!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/LFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LFC</a> big 3 points! <a href="https://twitter.com/Darwinn99?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Darwinn99</a> and the team <a href="https://t.co/yzwfRKuWM9">pic.twitter.com/yzwfRKuWM9</a></p>— Ian Rush MBE (@Ian_Rush9) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ian_Rush9/status/1763973981462261926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2024</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"A sh*t Andy Carroll." <br><br>"Sign on." <br><br>"Back to your sh*thole."<br><br>If a fan base ever deserved a 98th minute winner against them, by none other than Darwin Nunez...it's Forest fans.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NOTLIV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NOTLIV</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Liverpool?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Liverpool</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NottinghamForest?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NottinghamForest</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EPL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EPL</a> <a href="https://t.co/kkOi6MO7v8">pic.twitter.com/kkOi6MO7v8</a></p>— LFC Photo (@LFCphoto) <a href="https://twitter.com/LFCphoto/status/1763973976580079715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2024</a>
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<h2 id="I9j5vV"><strong>What Happens Next</strong></h2>
<p id="pLn7S2">Liverpool travel to Prague mid-week for the Round of 16 in the Europa League and then come home to face <a href="https://bitterandblue.sbnation.com">Manchester City</a> on Sunday March 10. The title race is still on and if we can get even one point off from City, we can keep our heads above water for a little longer. Now with Darwin and Domink Szoboszlai back from injury, and Mohamed Salah on his way, reckless optimism is starting to take hold. </p>
<p id="jW7tZW">It’s March. We’ve got this. </p>
<h2 id="zXd6Te"><strong>How The Managers Reacted</strong></h2>
<p id="gAqn7m">Just gonna end with this one. </p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jurgen Klopp on the 'shit Andy Carroll' song: "I would not sing a song like that. I would not try to wind Darwin up."</p>— David Lynch (@dmlynchlfc) <a href="https://twitter.com/dmlynchlfc/status/1763980066600481252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2024</a>
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https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2024/3/2/24088513/nottingham-forest-0-liverpool-1-epl-2023-24-tactics-narrative-other-applicable-wordsJordan J. Keeble2024-03-02T17:00:27+00:002024-03-02T17:00:27+00:00Nottingham Forest 0, Liverpool 1: Man of the Match
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<img alt="Nottingham Forest v Liverpool FC - Premier League" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qG1X6OvJCXcCf3KwazwBnPINUaI=/0x0:3990x2660/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73177926/2053321572.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>With a frustrating win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League in the books, we want you to help us choose Liverpool’s man of the match.</p> <p id="KHSzzK">The injury crisis continues, and though it shows signs of letting up, Saturday’s match against Nottingham Forest came too soon for some players. No matter, as Jürgen Klopp gave a Premier League start to Bobby Clark, and moved Joe Gomez to midfield once again.The first half was a snoozefest outside of some great saves by Caoimhin Kelleher and well Divock Origi doing Divock things, just not for us.</p>
<p id="eoXUll">Darwin Núñez and Dominik Szobozlsai both made their returns from injury after vaulting over some barriers at Wembley last weekend, and added some more attacking prowess in the second half, and for a while there it looked like nothing would happen. And then, just at the literal last gasp, 98’ in, Darwin makes magic happen. </p>
<p id="Ts0pHo">Now let us know how you saw it. We’ve narrowed down the options to a few of the players we thought had the best performances for the Reds, now make your choice and vote for who you think should be the Man of the Match—or take to the comments to let us know that we got it wrong by not even including the <em>real</em> man of the match in the options.</p>
<p id="hVqNfX">And as always, a reminder that for anyone visiting on Apple News or Google AMP and looking to cast a vote who can’t see the poll, you can make it visible by navigating to the front page of The <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> Offside and loading the full version of the story from there.</p>
<div id="zJywOe"><div data-anthem-component="poll:12267707"></div></div>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2024/3/2/24088428/nottingham-forest-0-liverpool-1-epl-2023-24-motm-vote-rank-best-worst-performancesJordan J. Keeble2024-03-01T21:30:00+00:002024-03-01T21:30:00+00:00Beard Report: “We’ve Got To Make Sure The Team Are Fully Focused”
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<img alt="Liverpool Women Training Session" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7LhtJwd1s0biuGF7aEGDKl9PsUU=/0x0:6972x4648/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73176714/2050843478.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>LFC Women Manager Matt Beard looks ahead to the meeting with Aston Villa on Sunday and getting back into league play. </p> <p id="xIWfwF">After another international break, the <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> Women’s team are back in action on Sunday, traveling to face <a href="https://7500toholte.sbnation.com">Aston Villa</a> in the Women’s Super League. The Red Women went into the break sitting fifth in the table, just two points away from fourth place <a href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com">Manchester United</a>, and will be looking to squeeze that gap even more after beating Brighton & Hove Albion. </p>
<p id="fSu0of">“It was very pleasing for us to go into the international break with the win at Brighton & Hove Albion and it was an important three points,” Matt Beard <a href="https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/matt-beard-aston-villa-trip-brighton-win-and-taylor-hinds-fitness-update">told</a> the club website in his weekly column. </p>
<p id="4FQxbP">“I think it was a good team performance because the conditions were really tough. The pitch was very wet and you lost your footing underneath it, so we had to change things at the last minute after the warm-up. We were a bit more direct than what we would normally be.</p>
<p id="BrAB5j">“It worked as it got them turned and us in their half of the pitch, and led to set-plays for us. I always knew if we were to win the game, because of the conditions it would be on a transition with them playing out and a set-play.”</p>
<p id="QIo1SF">Beard was quick to point out that the standout star of that match was Ceri Holland, with the midfielder scoring the goal that would put Liverpool in the lead, and how important she is to the squad as a whole. Holland received a red card in that match so she’ll be banned for the next two games. </p>
<p id="oGl7Xo">“If I look back on the first half, we probably could have had a few goals from corners and then Ceri Holland got the goal with them playing out, so it was an important three points because we hadn’t won in the WSL since Christmas and it keeps us in touch with Manchester United,” Beard continued.</p>
<p id="vmFxSc">“Ceri has goals in her without a doubt, but she has done a lot of unselfish work for us this year. Her forward runs stretch defences and create opportunities for others and we have been really pleased with her performance level.</p>
<p id="WHzt8Z">“Unfortunately, we will now be without Ceri for the next two games. The red card was harsh and I don’t even think the first booking was a foul because it was a great tackle.” </p>
<p id="q1wR9R">The conversation turned to Sunday, though, and the tough opposition that they face in Aston Villa. Villa are currently 8th in the league and six points away from Liverpool, and are also riding high off the back of two wins before the break. </p>
<p id="qbqrym">“On Sunday, we head to face Aston Villa in the WSL at Walsall’s Poundland Bescot Stadium (kick-off 2pm GMT). This is going to be a tough test for us. They are in good form at the moment and they have turned their season around,” the manager explained. </p>
<p id="qgWEQF">“It’s going to be a difficult afternoon, they have got some world-class players in their team and we know what to expect, but we are looking forward to it. Earlier on this season, we produced a really good performance when we beat Villa at Prenton Park, but we have to remember they had a lot of key personnel missing and they have got a lot of them back now.</p>
<p id="PL2pks">“Obviously they will be missing Rachel Daly, who has been pivotal to them, so we need to make sure we take advantage of that, but they have still got some world-class attacking players in their team.” </p>
<p id="OKqOFS">The first match after an international break is always tough, after different players being away and playing different styles, and Beard hopes that the squad is able to put that all aside easily. </p>
<p id="AZFiPL">“It’s tough sometimes after an international break, both physically and mentally, for the players having to play two games in such a short space of time and then playing at the weekend, so hopefully we will get them all back healthy,” Beard said.</p>
<p id="B0XuY8">“We’ve got to make sure the team are fully focused and back on Liverpool duty and, as always, we will give it everything we have got on Sunday.</p>
<p id="rCg4VE">“On the injury front, Taylor Hinds is back running on the pitch. She won’t be available this weekend but I don’t think she is a million miles away.” </p>
<p id="3ZrLug">Liverpool visit Aston Villa on Sunday, 3 March, at 9am EST/2pm GMT. </p>
<p id="06l5h7"></p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/liverpool-fc-women-news-results/2024/3/1/24087861/liverpool-fc-women-beard-report-got-to-make-sure-the-team-are-fully-focused-aston-villa-fa-wslJordan J. Keeble