The Liverpool Offside - Matchday: Sterling Goal Wins It For LiverpoolZeppeline, Trinken, & Pink Badeshortshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51345/ltos-fav.png2012-10-20T18:07:48+01:00http://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/rss/stream/32913172012-10-20T18:07:48+01:002012-10-20T18:07:48+01:00Liverpool 1, Reading 0: Sterling Goal Wins It
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<figcaption>Clive Brunskill</figcaption>
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<p>Raheem Sterling's first-half goal and solid goalkeeping from Brad Jones proved enough for Liverpool to hang on against Reading at Anfield as they earn just their second win of the season.</p> <blockquote>
<p><b>Liverpool 1: </b><em>Sterling 29'</em><br><b>Reading 0</b></p>
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<p>There weren't any significant changes to the outfield portion of Brendan Rodgers' first eleven back from the international break--things were unchanged in front of goal, with Glen Johnson on the left side of defense and Andre Wisdom on the right, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel in the middle, and a midfield three of Joe Allen, Nuri Sahin, and Steven Gerrard. Luis Suarez again found himself flanked by Liverpool's two teenaged talents, with Suso right and Raheem Sterling left; no surprise there, but slightly confusing was the absence of Samed Yesil, who many assumed would be elevated to the bench after Fabio Borini's injury. The biggest change was obviously in goal, where Pepe Reina was deemed unfit to play, which meant that Brad Jones started for the first time in a Premier League match for Liverpool.</p>
<p>The start was fast and open, with both sides exchanging possession somewhat carelessly in the early going before Liverpool settled into dominance. It resembled the Stoke match at times, with Reading content to sink back deep in their own half and pack the penalty area, forcing Liverpool to create something beyond extend spells of possession and chances on the periphery.</p>
<p>A number of chances were wasted by indecision, with Raheem Sterling offending on at least two occasions and Luis Suarez finding space but not the target. The Uruguayan couldn't force Alex McCarthy into more than one save on the day, but did come close on a lob from the edge of the area and managed to set up Nuri Sahin with two chances in a matter of minutes.</p>
<p>Thankfully Sterling got what proved to be the eventual winner just inside of the half-hour mark, as a lovely one-touch dinked ball over the top from Suarez sent him into space beyond the Reading defense. There was plenty left to do, however, and the young winger did well to outpace a defender and get a shot off. His effort actually went through the legs of Shaun Cummings and beat McCarthy at the far post, giving Liverpool the lead and Sterling his first competitive goal in a Liverpool shirt.</p>
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<p>Chances came in the time remaining of the first, with a strike across goal from Suarez that narrowly missed the pick of the lot, and Liverpool entered the break well on top but without a comfortable cushion. They carried the upper hand into the second half, with chances again coming for both Sterling and Suarez. As is so often the case, it looked only a matter of time, but as the minutes wore on and without a second goal upon which to rely, <i>only a matter of time</i> swung in the direction of a Reading equalizer.</p>
<p>The visitors mostly took their chances on the break and from set pieces, with a free kick after a soft booking for Daniel Agger providing the first nervy moment of the half. That came with more than thirty minutes remaining, and it was a trend that would continue--shaky moment at the back or in possession, Reading coming forward in numbers, and a finish that seemed just around the corner.</p>
<p>Liverpool huffed and puffed at the other end, with Jonjo Shelvey (who'd come on for Nuri Sahin) failing to control a wonderful cross-field ball from Suarez just in front of goal and McCarthy denying Glen Johnson at the near post after Daniel Agger very nearly poked in. The introduction of Jose Enrique gave Liverpool's attacking hopes a boost, with the freshly-fit Spaniard creating a handful of chances shortly after coming on.</p>
<p>Just as frustrating as it was that the inevitable Liverpool second never came, it was relieving that Reading shared their host's profligacy, and a number of confident Brad Jones saves and clearances saw out the match safely, with Liverpool getting just their third Anfield win in the calendar year.</p>
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<p>Unremarkable doesn't have to mean disappointing, and on a day that Liverpool managed to get all three points, there's not too much room for rock-kicking and pouting. It was a match we expected them to win (I think), and--despite a number of problems that continue to linger--they did, and in a season that's seen struggles and errors lead to dropped points on far too many occasions, today's win is something to be celebrated.</p>
<p>That doesn't mean the problems or shortcomings are overlooked; as far as celebrations go, this one's accompanied more by relief than unbridled joy. <i>Death by football</i> is a wonderful idea and something the club will certainly aspire to, but at a time when wins have proven hard to come by and reasons for optimism are obscured, <i>death by hanging on by the skin of their teeth</i> will do.</p>
<p>No surprise that nearly all involved had their ups and downs, as that produced a display from the collective that was simultaneously encouraging and unnerving. From front to back it was the case--Sterling was the best up front but lingered too long at times, Suarez only got one of ten shots on the target, and Suso, while showing some wonderful decisions in the passing game, isn't yet ready to occupy a flank on his own without increased support from the fullback.</p>
<p>Nuri Sahin was invisible other than the chances he missed, and while neither of Joe Allen and Steven Gerrard were poor, neither exerted the type of influence they're capable of. Liverpool were at their best at the back; Wisdom did very well yet again, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel were solid if a little spacey at times, and Glen Johnson had another very good performance at both ends. Jose Enrique had a resurgent performance on the left in a more advanced role, and it'll be interesting to see what happens over the next few weeks as he works his way back. Most of the plaudits are reserved for Brad Jones, who won't keep Pepe Reina out of the team once he's fit but managed to put in his most confident performance in goal for Liverpool yet, keeping just the second clean sheet of the season in the process.</p>
<p>There weren't any fireworks, and this wasn't a win for the ages. But it was a win for right now, and that's what Liverpool are in need of. Good start to the weekend, and a great way to start to build momentum ahead of a busy two-month stretch.</p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2012/10/20/3530338/liverpool-1-reading-0-recap-premier-league-sterling-goal-anfield-Ed-2012-10-20T10:00:20+01:002012-10-20T10:00:20+01:00Matchday: Liverpool v. Reading
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<figcaption>Michael Regan</figcaption>
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<p>Liverpool host Reading as the Premier League season gets back into full swing. </p> <p><b>Kickoff: </b>3:00PM BST/10:00AM EST</p>
<p><b>Ways to Watch:</b> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.foxsoccer2go.com/">FoxSoccer2Go</a> (subscribers only); Fox Soccer Channel <i>on delay</i> at 3:30PM EST.</p>
<p><b>Preview:</b> <a target="_blank" href="http://liverpool.theoffside.com/2012/10/19/3526018/match-preview-liverpool-v-reading-10-20-12">Liverpool v. Reading</a></p>
<p><b>Comment:</b> <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/account/setup?community_id=373" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Join the conversation on the Liverpool Offside</a></p>
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<p><b> Liverpool:</b></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Jones<br>Wisdom Skrtel Agger Johnson<br>Allen Sahin<br>Gerrard<br>Suso Suarez Sterling</p>
<p>Bench: Gulacsi, Shelvey, Henderson, Downing, Assaidi, Carragher, Enrique</p>
<p><b> Reading:</b></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">McCarthy<br>Cummings Shorey Gorkss Mariappa<br>Karacan Leigertwood Kebe McAnuff<br>Guthrie<br>Pogrebnyak</p>
<p>Bench: Taylor, Gunter, Pearce, McCleary, Robson-Kanu, Le Fondre, Roberts</p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2012/10/20/3528916/matchday-liverpool-v-reading-Ed-2012-10-20T03:08:28+01:002012-10-20T03:08:28+01:00Overnight Open Thread: Five Questions
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<figcaption>Clive Brunskill</figcaption>
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<p>Five questions to pass the time ahead of kickoff at Anfield.</p> <p><b>1) Who starts with Luis Suarez up top?</b></p>
<p><b>2) JonathanJoseph--in or out?</b></p>
<p><b>3) Back line, from right to left?</b></p>
<p><b>4) Most important matchup, individually or otherwise?</b></p>
<p><b>5) First goalscorer, first sub, and first booking? All the points forever if it involves the same person.</b></p>
<p><b>Bonus: How many references to <i>Brendan Rodgers' Failed Tenure as Reading Boss</i> do we hear?</b></p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2012/10/20/3528760/overnight-open-thread-five-questions-Ed-2012-10-19T20:01:03+01:002012-10-19T20:01:03+01:00Match Preview: Liverpool v. Reading, 10.20.12
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<figcaption>Mike Hewitt</figcaption>
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<p>Liverpool host Reading tomorrow, looking for just their third league win in 2012 at Anfield and their second of the new season. The guests are winless and sit in the 18th spot, but have produced two draws in their last two and are more than capable of giving their hosts a test.</p> <p>Despite some of the questions about form and fitness, the end of the international break is something to be celebrated--there's certainly no joy to be had in the concerns that Liverpool are left with after an abnormally unfortunate two weeks, but there's at least football that we care about to be played, and the requisite optimism about things changing <i>for real this time</i>.</p>
<p>There's no reason to believe that they won't except for the fact that they haven't, and if recent international breaks are any indication, we might need to extend our patience a bit beyond tomorrow. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/reading" class="sbn-auto-link">Reading</a> are certainly a side that Liverpool should expect to beat, especially at Anfield, but their form after international breaks gone by combined with their dismal league record at Anfield in 2012 makes for a decent bit of discomfort ahead of a day that we'll otherwise be looking forward to.</p>
<p>We can also add in the most recent meeting between these two sides back in 2010, in which a scrappy Reading side fought back in the final minutes to knock Liverpool out of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win. Neither goalscorer from that day is still with the club--<span>Shane Long</span>, who got the winner, now falls over regularly and takes poor penalties for West Brom, and Gylfi Sigurdsson, who got the equalizer from the spot in second-half injury time, is at Spurs after a flirtation that nearly saw him follow Brendan Rodgers from Swansea--but manager Brian McDermott is, as he had taken over in a caretaker role less than a month earlier after Rodgers had left the club.</p>
<p>McDermott has guided the club back to the Premier League after a near-miss in the 2010-2011 season, mostly on the strength of a positive style that saw them secure promotion in mid-April. That hasn't panned out particularly well quite yet in the top flight, with only three points from their first six matches. They've managed draws with Swansea and <a href="https://cominghomenewcastle.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Newcastle</a> in their last two; they went 2-0 at the Liberty Stadium before giving up two in seven minutes, and against Newcastle they had twice taken the lead only to concede <span>Demba Ba</span> equalizers on both occasions.</p>
<p>They'll be close to full strength tomorrow, with only striker <span>Noel Hunt</span> a doubt with a heel injury and goalkeeper Adam Federici out. <span>Pavel Pogrebnyak</span> will lead the attack and <span>Jobi McAnuff</span> will support from the left flank; those two, along with defender <span>Kaspars Gorkss</span> are the only players in the side to start each of the club's first six matches. Against Swansea they had Hunt to support Pogrebnyak and both got goals, and if Hunt's absent they could call on Jason Roberts, who came on for Hunt in Wales.</p>
<p>For Liverpool:</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Reina<br>Wisdom Skrtel Agger Johnson<br>Allen Sahin<br>Gerrard<br>Suso Suarez Sterling</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The aforementioned questions to emerge from the international break are significant--<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110848/pepe-reina" class="sbn-auto-link">Pepe Reina</a> might not be fit to start, <span>Andre Wisdom</span> had to come home early from U21 duty, <span>Glen Johnson</span> and <span>Steven Gerrard</span> both played a full 90 on Wednesday in Poland, and, most notably, <span>Fabio Borini's</span> ruled out for at least three months after suffering a broken foot. He joins <span>Martin Kelly</span> and Lucas on the longer-term injury list, exacerbating the club's concerns in attack.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I don't know that Wisdom's injury concerns are significant enough to keep him out tomorrow, as the early exit was more precautionary than anything else. He had been involved in a nasty challenge against Stoke and played through pain for the rest of the match, and it just never healed to the level that would have allowed him to take part in the two-legged playoff with Serbia. Hopefully he's ready to go tomorrow, which would push Johnson to the left on the other side of <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110183/daniel-agger" class="sbn-auto-link">Daniel Agger</a> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110728/martin-skrtel" class="sbn-auto-link">Martin Skrtel</a>, the latter of whom had his own fitness concerns to deal with over the break.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I'd to see <span>Jordan Henderson</span> feature tomorrow after successful spell as captain of the U21s over the past two weeks, but I'm guessing that Gerrard plays despite his shift in Poland, joining <span>Joe Allen</span> and Nuri Sahin, both of whom started for their countries midweek as well. <span>Jonjo Shelvey</span> would appear to be ahead of Henderson as well, and if there's room to be made for him it'll probably be at the expense of Sahin. Allen and Gerrard are two of five outfield players under Brendan Rodgers to start every league match, and unless Gerrard or Shelvey pushes up to join the attack, Sahin seems the odd man out.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">That could very well happen, but if it does it leaves more uncertainty as to who flanks <span>Luis Suarez</span>. Raheem Sterling's struggled in his past two matches and looks to be behind Suso on form, but the recently-resigned Spaniard hasn't featured much on the left and would have to head there if Shelvey or Gerrard plays on the right. An unchanged midfield and attack seems the most likely, though, which would mean a Suso-Suarez-Sterling forward line, with hopes that there's more success for them than the last time out.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Whether it's winning ugly or winning pretty, Liverpool are in a spot where they're going to have to start getting results. The opposition certainly determines how likely achieving the result will be--Norwich allowed far too much space for an active, aggressive style to exploit, and Stoke suffocated with a overly physical, verging on assaulting style. Reading will be open, for sure, but it's at Anfield, and they might be a bit more conservative despite <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Liverpool's</a> lack of home success. Despite how difficult it's been, it's still frustratingly simple--Liverpool need to get goals from someone.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Tomorrow's match is going to be a challenge to watch, as there's no listings stateside or in the UK. Kickoff is set for 3:00PM BST/10:00AM EST, and we'll have the matchday thread up late tonight/early tomorrow. Please chime in with any ways to watch in your location in the comments thread below or on the overnight open thread, and I'll try to include whatever's legal in the <i>Ways to Watch</i> section tomorrow. Team sheets will be included an hour before the start time, and we'll be up and running here and <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/lfcoffside">on Twitter</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Hope you all have a nice end to the week, and we'll get the weekend going together, hopefully in style.</p>
https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/2012/10/19/3526018/match-preview-liverpool-v-reading-10-20-12-Ed-