The Flat Back Four

Three Leading Lights Of Newcastle's 2011/2012 Season

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:11:00 +0000

Newcastle started this season strongly, confounding critics and pundits in the process. When Andy Carroll left for better pastures with Liverpool, everyone predicted the end of the road for Newcastle. Alan Pardew had his detractors and now he is actually being considered to be Capello's successor as England manager.

However you look at it, Newcastle, being a historical and colourful English club, they are exactly where they should be this season. The Toon Army are where they are this season due to the superb efforts of three foreign players.

Tim Krul's performance this season has been sensational. Against Manchester United, he was the reason Newcastle salvaged a 1-1 draw. 45 saves this season with six clean sheets marked him out as one of the outstanding keepers in the Premier League this season. Krul's stellar performances again shunts the unlucky Steve Harper into his all-too-familiar no. 2 spot.

The silky Yohan Cabaye looks like a player more suited to playing in a Manchester United or Liverpool team than Newcastle's. This post in NUFC Blog expertly highlights the importance of Cabaye to Newcastle.

Demba Ba started out slowly in a Newcastle shirt and every fan was baying for his head back then! Now every fan wants to kiss his head. The Senegalese striker has scored 14 goals in 15 Premier League appearances this year for Newcastle, that's 56% of all Newcastle goals!

Chieck Tiote's strong performances since his return, has got Newcastle winning again. The much sought-after midfield enforcer has reiterated his intention to stay at Tyneside and that's a boost for Alan Pardew.

The loss of the prolific Ba and combative Tiote to January's African Nations Cup will hurt Newcastle's bid to stay in seventh spot, though they do have a five point lead over Stoke City.

Alan Pardew have said no striker addition in January, so Hatem Ben Arfa, Shola Ameobi and Leon Best will have to shoulder goalscoring duties while Demba Ba attempts to win the African Nations Cup with Senegal.

Can Newcastle maintain their excellent season without the goals of Ba?

Unlucky Reds Home Form Are Reminders Of Rafa's Title Chasing Season

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:18:00 +0000

Liverpool huffed and puffed once more but came up against another excellent goalkeeping display. A feat that Mark Bunn probably will and could not repeat even if he tried. The journeyman goalkeeper showed far better reflexes than Paul Robinson have had this season to deny Andy Carroll a confidence-boosting goal. As if to add insult to hurt, Blackburn defence only had Chris Samba as the experienced defender, the rest were youth team players elevated to emergency first team action!

SIX home draws have surely dampened Liverpool's hopes for a Champions League spot. Drawing against the Wigans, Fulhams and Blackburns of the Premiership are of course nothing new for the mighty Reds. We should remember that home draws against inferior opposition costed Liverpool the Premiership title. There is a strange Benitez resonance to this season's results and this problem to kill off the lesser Premier League teams at home is rearing its ugle head again.

The Reds need to be ruthless like Manchester United if they want that fourth Champions League spot.

Inferior teams will always come to Anfield and "park the bus". It is up to the home team to break down the opposition. Liverpool have the ability through Maxi, Adam and Suarez to open up defences, the return of Steven Gerrard will add more attacking instincts from midfield. Against Blackburn, Steven Gerrard's more incisive and direct passing helped Liverpool maintain attacking momentum. A fit and mobile Gerrard with his renowned finishing ability, is what's needed for Liverpool to overcome any team which will defend.

Andy Carroll will eventually come good....BUT it definitely won't be with Liverpool. Though the Kop faithful have been patiently encouraging him to make good on his promise, the fact remains that Liverpool plays more enterprising and fluent football without the big giant.

A move across the Mersey to Everton would be ideal for Carroll...the Toffees love big men, and Andy Carroll can be a cult hero in the same vein as Duncan Ferguson.

A loan deal perhaps with Jack Rodwell moving to the Reds? That's a win-win deal for both clubs!

Premier League's Forgotten Men Emerges Impressively During Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:20:00 +0000

The Christmas fixtures brought about a change in team line ups. Clubs which could afford to rest key players relied on their bench to tide them over this hectic time. This meant first team starts for a trio of Premier League superstars who have somewhat faded from this season's football action.

Dimitar Berbatov, Fernando Torres and Yossi Benayoun made the most of rare starts to remind the Premiership world what they are all capable of. In a word, these forgotten men impressed during the Christmas period.

Dimitar Berbatov had a happy Boxing Day afternoon, scoring a well-deserved hattrick at Old Trafford. He has now scored four in two games and looking sharp although he has hardly played this season. Particularly his second goal deserved special mention, languidly dragging the ball past a Wigan defender and firing high past in-form Al-Habsi. The Red Devils have now scored ten goals in two matches, and they are looking back to their rampaging best. Those "hard-fought" 1-0 wins are banished into the United archives.

Yossi Benayoun is technically on loan from Chelsea to the Gunners. Against Wolves, he gained one assist as he threaded a through pass to Gervinho to finish. He was full of running throughout the game, but could not exert enough influence to get Arsenal the winning goal. The Telegraph went as far as to say Benayoun outshone the talismanic Robin Van Persie, but that was against Villa.

Fernando Torres' troubles with Chelsea continue against Fulham, though I am not convinced that he is entirely at fault. After all Chelsea is a graveyard for world class strikers, isn't it? Furthermore, with the larger than life shadow of Didier Drogba and the slow "Italian-styled" play at Stamford Bridge, it was a recipe for disaster for Nando. Nevertheless, he acquitted himself pretty well against Fulham, bagging an assist as he laid the ball on for Mata to score. He could have scored the winning goal had it not been for a great save from the excellent David Stockdale. In the right team, El Matador is still a force in the Premiership.

These three top players could walk straight into any other Premiership side if they chose to leave. For now, Berbatov, Torres and Benayoun will patiently sit on the bench and try to impress their respective club managers when asked to play.

Cole And Aquilani Regain Form Away From Anfield

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:44:00 +0000

Joe Cole was the flagship signing of the ill-fated Roy Hodgson era, and he was a Rafa signing that Hodgson inherited. For me, like Bellamy, Cole was not given chances to impress at Anfield. It was also unfortunate that he got sent off in his very first game for Liverpool against Arsenal. His Liverpool career seemed to go downhill since then. Hodgson clearly preferred a method of play that stifles any kind of flair and creativity hence Joe Cole watched as Liverpool faltered under Woy.

Alberto Aquilani was brought in (was it a rash Benitez signing?) in the hope of appeasing the Anfield faithful after the sale of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid. Then from Roma, Aquaman walked into Liverpool, still nursing an injury. It took the Italian a while to get accustomed to the pace and strength of the Premiership but at the tail end of 2009/2010, Aquilani showed glimpses of why he is nicknamed "Il Principino" with some masterful performances.

Both these players have grabbed their chance for a new start with relish. Cole and Aquilani are now mainstays with Lille and AC Milan, becoming vital cogs as the two clubs chase trophies in their respective leagues.

Cole is recapturing the form which earned him 56 England caps. His telepathic understanding with Belgian wonderkid, Hazard have revitalised Lille who were struggling in the early part of the season. While Lille fans was despairing the loss of Yohan Cabaye, Joe Cole have been impressive enough to ease that pain. French football have been kind to English footballers, Glenn Hoddle was a successful export and now the classy Cole is creating a place for himself in Ligue 1.

Aquilani is now starting regularly for the Rossoneri, scoring one goal and contributing six assists in 15 games. When he reaches 25 games, Milan will be obligated to buy the classy Italian. In the much slower Italian Calcio, he has looked extremely comfortable and composed, sliding through balls to team mates with ease.

Joe Cole and Alberto Aquilani, two players who would have added much needed flair to an otherwise "British-styled" Liverpool midfield.

Five Excellent Goalkeeping Displays Thwart Liverpool's Champions League Aspirations

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:18:00 +0000

Liverpool have been terribly unlucky this season in front of goal. This fact all Liverpool fans know. 17 shots against the woodwork and four saved penalties testify to the Reds' dominant and yet strange lack of goals. Also Luis Suarez is the Premiership striker with the most number of attempted shots to goal (75) but only scored five goals. Nevertheless El Pistolero is Liverpool's top scorer this season with just eight in all competitions, underlining why Liverpool's supremacy in matches are not being converted into three points.

There is one other reason that has dented Liverpool's Champions League ambition. Excellent goalkeeping displays by the opposition has kept the Reds from winning at least five of their six drawn matches thus far. Under Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool have taken the game to the opposition whenever possible. And it has only been fantastic goalkeeping displays which have stopped Liverpool from winning against Manchester United, Norwich, Swansea, Manchester City and Wigan Athletic.

This is how these clubs' outstanding goalkeeper have kept out the rampant Reds...

Four saves from David De Gea

Luis Suarez, Jordan Henderson and Dirk Kuyt forced acrobatic saves from the young Spanish goalkeeper. De Gea took the opportunity in this highly charged match to emphasize his world-class shot-stopping abilities. The former Atletico Madrid keeper have a long and tough road ahead to successfully replace Edwin Van der Sar, but this match against Liverpool showed his boundless potential.

Eight saves from John Ruddy

John Ruddy made a staggering EIGHT saves against the mighty Reds. A last minute flying save from a Suarez volley denied Liverpool victory that they deserved at Anfield. Luis Suarez discovered a human brick wall in the Canaries' goalkeeper. Being an ex-Evertonian, Ruddy must have pleased the Blue half of Merseyside immensely.

Five saves from Michel Vorm

A snip of a signing, considering how much the former Utrecht goalkeeper has done for the Swans. Against Liverpool, Vorm saved twice from Suarez and once from Glen Johnson to deny the Reds a rare victory at Anfield. "Penalty Killer" Vorm has helped Swansea stay out of relegation trouble so far in the Premiership and is the unfashionable custodian with the most clean sheets.

Six saves from Joe Hart

Hart displayed outstanding reflexes to save everything that Liverpool threw at the Citizens. Super saves from Adam and Carroll brought respect for the England number 1. Crucially, with a very good defence in front of him, Hart has managed to keep his concentration and focus in games, pulling out great saves when needed. The legendary Peter Schmeichel have this steely quality and Joe Hart is on track to be as good as the giant Dane.

Nine saves from Ali Al-Habsi

Wigan have relied on the brilliance of the Omani keeper all season. Al-Habsi turned in a performance which might make Chelsea and AVB sit up and take notice should Petr Cech continue his erratic form in goal. His saves against Kuyt, Adam and Johnson earned the Latics a point and some much needed confidence going into the tough Christmas and New Year fixtures.

If none of these five goalkeepers stepped up their game, Liverpool would have put ten extra points on the board. Those points could have pushed them up to third in the table and only four points behind the Premiership leaders, Manchester City. It is not a coincidence that Al-Habsi, Vorm and Ruddy are among the top five best goalkeepers in number of saves and save percentage.

Some respite is in store though on Boxing Day. The second-worst defence in the Premiership comes to Anfield. There is no reason to suggest why Liverpool will not wipe the floor with Steve Kean's beleagured Blackburn. Paul Robinson lacks the agility that he had in his heyday and so Anfield will eventually be rocking to a resounding victory over Rovers.

Liverpool, though looking dominant under the Dalglish II, will need to strengthen in the January transfer window. Adding an attacking "media-punta" midfielder and a "fox-in-the-box" striker should be the last two missing pieces in the Reds' rebuilding jigsaw.

Which explains Liverpool's reported pursuit of Mesut Oezil and Xherdan Shaquiri,doesn't it? I'd plump for the brilliant Pato instead if he is available...

Liverpool Homing In On Fourth Spot With Villa Win

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:44:00 +0000

Liverpool have taken more points off Aston Villa than any other team in the Premiership, 68 points to be exact. Villa have let in seven goals through opposition setpieces prior to their match against the mighty Reds. And so, it was inevitable that Liverpool would get three points against the toothless Villans and that the goals came from corners meant that Liverpool exploited Villa's weakness.

Bellamy was fantastic throughout the match and poignantly in that 15-20 minute first half spell, Craig Bellamy was involved in everything that was good about Liverpool. He created one and scored one, Kenny Dalglish could not have asked more from the veteran Welshman.

He even took on the role of a playmaker as he sprayed passes left and right in that dominant Liverpool first half spell. The Reds have been excellent away from home, winning five of their eight away matches.

A significant outcome of the win against Villa was that Liverpool did better with their cornerkicks than in any of their previous matches. Charlie Adam, who may have been bought to boost the Reds' setpiece plays, was conspicuous for not taking any part in the goals. Alex Ferguson last season, commented that Adam's corner kicks were worth 10million themselves. It's a good thing that Dalglish did not pay that kind of money as Adam's corners have not garnered any goals.

Jonjo Shelvey's performance deserved a particular mention here. In previous posts, I have highlighted the lack of midfielders supporting Suarez in attack. Though given a surprise start, Jonjo showed why he could be the most natural successor to Steven Gerrard in a Liverpool shirt. He displayed strong running from midfield and could have scored a goal, if Suarez had played him in. Henderson was bought for that kind of dynamism but Shelvey showed a lot more willingness to surge forward than the England U-21 captain ever did.

Andy Carroll came on as a late substitute for Luis Suarez, and once more, seemed to find it hard to get into the rhythm of the game. To be fair, it is an acquired skill to come on late in a game and make an impact. Sadly, Carroll is looking more and more like a late panic buy in the wake of Torres' shock transfer to Chelsea.

All in all, Liverpool is homing in on fourth spot in the Premiership table with dominant displays after dominant displays. With Villas-Boas second-guessing himself constantly, Chelsea is there for the taking.

I am still waiting for that elusive emphatic win though. Maybe Wigan will be the team that will fall to a long overdue four-goal victory for the mighty Reds.

Swansealona's Urgent Search For Prolific Striker

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Leroy Lita had the chance to cover himself with glory against Villa last week. After superbly turning the Villa defender, he dragged his shot just wide of the post. That sums up Swansea's problem in their first Premiership season. This lack of a cutting edge may eventually drag the Swans back into a relegation dogfight.

Against Blackburn, Swansea must sought to make their customary lions' share of possession count. This is the sort of game that City must try and score a handful to improve their poor goal difference. Blackburn has the second worst defence in the Premiership and Lita will get another chance to bury a few this time round.

Swansea has impressed everyone in the Premiership with their slick passing and ability to control a match. Their finishing must get better and it's time for Brendan Rogers to delve into the transfer market to find a prolific goalscorer. The Welsh side have failed to score in seven of their 13 matches, underlining their need for a genuine striker of Premiership class.

I suggest Rogers to try the following approaches,

Go back to his old club, Chelsea and ask Nicolas Anelka to join him on a loan.
Try and convince Dimitar Berbatov that his future is better served playing football rather than sitting on the United bench.
Raid troubled Blackburn and entice upcoming Scottish star, David Goodwillie to join.

Option 1 and 2 could work, but will be costly for a club the size of Swansea, though it could be worth the risk as staying in the Premiership brings multiple financial benefits. A bit short-termism in my opinion and yet fully necessary to ensure the Swans do not slip out from top-flight football.

Option 3 is a signal of the intent that Rogers is serious about building the quality of the squad and making sure that it is a progressive squad geared for a long stay in the Premiership. David Goodwillie have not had too much playing time at Blackburn and with Rovers struggling, Steve Kean had preferred The Yak upfront. Goodie is a talent that needs nurturing and Brendan Rogers could be the man to get the best out of Scotland's best young player.

Swansea are looking to heap more misery on Blackburn this weekend and if they manage to prise Goodie from Ewood Park this January, the Swans will be on their way to Premiership survival.

Liverpool's Unbeaten Run To Stretch Against Fulham

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:27:00 +0000

Other than against Bolton, Liverpool played their best football of the season against an out-of-sorts Manchester City last weekend. Due to their physical exertions in the Champions League, the Citizens looked short of match fitness and were sluggish against the mighty Reds. But that does not take away a great performance by Liverpool at Anfield. Another draw at Anfield though sooner or later, the Reds will put things right at home no doubt.

It is Liverpool's away form that has been awesome this season and even without Lucas, if Kenny Dalglish gets his lineup right, it will be another three points. Maxi and Bellamy have been excellent every time they have started and Suarez clearly enjoys playing with these two as they create space with their intelligent movement.

Maxi scored a hattrick against Fulham last season and he could well do it again if he starts. A repeat of the 5-2 result of last season may be wishful thinking but all the omens are there to suggest Liverpool are peaking in time for the Christmas schedule.

Defensively, they have tightened up, the Agger-Skrtel partnership have the right balance of composure, aggression and thoughtful ball distribution. The classic defensive pairing of a ball playing defender (Agger) with a physical stopper (Skrtel).

In midfield, Charlie Adam is fulfilling the promise that Liverpool fans want to see. The Scot is looking more mobile, his running with the ball has vastly improved in his last two matches. He looked slimmer as well and that could explain his newfound ability to cover more ground, even helping out defensively as he did against Chelsea and Manchester City.

In attack is where Liverpool is probably strongest. Who would have thought that post-Torres?! The star attraction is and always will be Luis Suarez. The "wee man" was superb the last time he played against Fulham and he is the main threat. Fulham defenders are not known as the quickest in the Premiership and surely they will struggle to contain Liverpool's Duracell-powered Uruguayan. Aided by Bellamy who now seem to have an eye for a pass and Maxi whom we know have an eye for a goal, El Pistolero will be looking to end his worrying six-match goal drought.

Against Chelsea and City, Liverpool looked sharper and fitter and I have a feeling that on Monday evening, Fulham will feel the full force of Dalglish's Red Army. For added motivation, the Liverpool players will want to make light of the disappointing news caused by Lucas' serious injury.

Big Hair Season In The Barclays Premiership

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:20:00 +0000

This season has been special for many reasons, one of which is the chance to watch Manchester City emulate the great Arsenal "Invincibles" and get through the season undefeated. The second reason has been the insane results, the 8-2 Red Devils win over the Gooners being the highlight. The third reason and focus of this article is how some Premiership players have embraced the "Big Hair".

Not since the time of Kevin Keegan have players sported "Big Hair" with such aplomb. This season of 2010/11 is truly the season of "Big Hair".

Leading the way in terms of skill, controversy and divided opinions is the much maligned David Luiz. The Brazilian was bought to be the new Ricardo Carvalho and he almost succeeded until last season's match against Manchester United where Ancelotti blamed him for the defeat. Since then, Luiz has been a walking timebomb in the Chelsea defence. A shame, as Luiz and Torres were meant to be the new faces of Chelsea future.

Benoit Assou-Ekoto is the flashy leftback for Tottenham, known more for his flamboyant hair than his footballing skills. Redknapp only plays him because he needs Gareth Bale to provide Spurs with more attacking option.

Marouane Fellaini is a cult hero at Everton but it took him a while before he won over the Goodison Park faithful. Now, Fellaini still gives away silly fouls and picking up strange yellow cards, but his hair gives the Belgian a persona that warrants his Evertonian hero status.

Going great guns with Newcastle this season, Fabricio Colocini adds some lustre to the Toon defence. The Argentinian struggled initially when he came to Tyneside. Learning about English football in the less pressured Championship allowed him to come back stronger and this has proven to enhance his reputation in the Premiership. His defensive displays this season alongside Steven Taylor has made him stand out, his big hair makes him hard to miss on the pitch.

It has been a wonderful season for the hair enthusiasts. It is another reason to follow the Barclays English Premier League.

Daniel Sturridge Emergence As Goalscoring Threat For Chelsea

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 03:41:00 +0000

Daniel Sturridge scored yet again in front of AVB at The Bridge against Liverpool last weekend. What more does he HAVE to do to earn a permanent place in Chelsea frontline? AVB has so far persisted with both Torres and Drogba while only allowing Sturridge to shine as an impact substitute or on the right of a front three.

And shine is what the young lad has done and kept on doing repeatedly. He has scored six goals this season and he is the Blues second best goalscorer behind Lampard. Even when not playing in his favored position, Sturridge strike rate (43%) is better than Torres, Anelka, Kalou and Drogba combined.

It is fair to say that Daniel Sturridge is now a goalscoring threat for Chelsea. Andre Villas-Boas can rely on him to deliver on the promise that Sturridge evidently has. The question now is whether he can shoulder the responsibility of leading the Chelsea attack. Based on current form, he seems to be the best striking option available to Chelsea with Torres misfiring and Drogba a pale shadow of his usual rampaging self.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man? Robin Van Persie excelled when Arsene Wenger gave him more responsibility at the tail end of last season. Sturridge is just waiting in the wings (literally!!) for AVB to entrust Chelsea title hopes on his young shoulders and the Portuguese manager should do it now.

United Then Chelsea And Now Liverpool Can Dent City's Title Charge

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:24:00 +0000

Liverpool employed speed merchants against Chelsea last weekend, with Johnson, Bellamy, Maxi and Suarez all starting against the Blue Champions. It turned out to be shrewd decision by Dalglish and his coaching team as the Reds pressed high up the pitch, robbing Chelsea players of time and space to move the ball.

Charlie Adam was especially instrumental in the win over Chelsea last weekend. Though his corner kicks are yet to reach the heights and standards that he set at Blackpool, his passing against Chelsea finally resembled Xabi Alonso, the player he was brought in to replace.

In recent seasons, Liverpool has become a team feared by title contenders and this season is no different. Without any real aspirations to be Premiership champions, the Reds are still "spoilers" as evidenced by victories over Arsenal and Chelsea. Only Spurs out of the top six have beaten Liverpool. At Anfield, Liverpool are unbeaten, but has not been able to turn home advantage into wins rather than draws.

Mancini is wary of the Liverpool threat but with City scoring two goals or more in every game, the stylish Italian will loathe to curb his side's attacking tendencies. That could work into Liverpool's favour as Chelsea found out to their detriment last weekend. Liverpool soaked up the Chelsea pressure in the second half and launched a devastating counter attack to clinch the match.

Suarez is clearly a key man, although he has not performed as well in his last three matches and so he is due another explosive performance. Although there will be temptation to play Carroll, I believe that Dalglish's best side is the one against Chelsea. With Bellamy and Maxi in the side, there are other goal threats apart from Suarez, making Liverpool more dangerous. Against City, the speedy movements of Suarez and Bellamy can be a problem for the City defence.

Lucas Leiva has had an outstanding season though his work has gone unnoticed and unappreciated by some quarters of Reds' fans. Much like the legendary "water-carrier" Deschamps, Lucas' role allows the creative talents of Adam, Downing, Suarez and Bellamy to flourish. Even with all the dirty work, the Brazilian rank as one of the best passers in the Liverpool side, with an 85% passing average in his last six games.

Lucas is currently the top tackler in the Premiership and his abilities to break up a very fluid City midfield will launch a few potent Liverpool counter attacks. Liverpool scored two goals from three shots at goal against Chelsea, that shows they have worked hard to their finishing.

Fact is, Liverpool likes playing the big teams and will relish the chance to bring Moneybags City down to earth. With the form that the Reds are in, City could be heading for their first defeat of this season's campaign.

Newcastle Must Not Waste Their Goal Chances Against Red Devils

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:31:00 +0000

Newcastle lost their incredible 11-match unbeaten streak against Manchester City last weekend. Yet, Alan Pardew's Toon Army had played very well. Just that they were up against a superior Blues side that was world class in all department, from Joe Hart in goal right up to Sergio Aguero in attack. There is no misery or shame in losing to an awesome team like City.

However, Manchester United is a slightly different animal. Wounded after a demoralising 6-1 derby defeat, the Red Devils have tightened up, preferring to win efficiently. And with a midfield clearly the weakest among the top six Premiership clubs, Newcastle United must fancy their chances against Fergie's side.

Typically top Premier League sides do not let you get away with missing chances, and the Magpies found this out the hard way against Mancini's men. Three gilt-edged opportunity botched by Demba Ba, Ben-Arfa and Guthrie could have changed the final outcome of last weekend's match, and Newcastle must take heed of this. In Demba Ba, they have a forward with a 42% goals/shots ratio and he is the in-form striker to watch.

It is clear that midfield is where this match will be won, and with Obertan, Guthrie, Tiote, Cabaye, Ben-Arfa and "Spiderman" Jonas, Newcastle have the aggression, technique and creativity to rule the midfield area. This should provide the platform on which Demba Ba can enhance his striking reputation.

Tim Krul has been nothing short of fantastic this season, with 30 saves already. His displays have been the difference for Newcastle drawing and winning by a one goal margin. The Magpies' have won five matches this season by a one-goal margin, further underlining the commanding presence of the Dutch custodian.

Newcastle must look to get on top of a weak Manchester United midfield and that's the path to a rare three points at the Theatre of Dreams this weekend.

Swansea Looked Like Barcelona Against Liverpool

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:01:00 +0000

Once again, Liverpool flattered to deceive. At Anfield, against a Swansea that does not travel well, the mighty Reds laboured to a disappointing draw. An out-of-sorts Liverpool performance was made worse because of a superb goalkeeping display by the Swans' Michel Vorm. His two saves from Suarez highlighted his sterling performance. Another worrying observation was that a poorly performing Luis Suarez automatically meant a disappointing Liverpool.

The Reds used to be known as a two-man team when Gerrard and Torres were in Liverpool red. Now, Liverpool is looking like a one-man team with El Pistolero. When the Uruguayan performs, Liverpool performs. Against Swansea, he seemed strangely lethargic but yet was still the Reds' most dangerous player.

To be honest, Swansea passed the ball extremely well. The Swans hardly lost possession and Liverpool were made to work very hard to get the ball back. So, when Daniel Agger commented "we were like headless chickens", he was spot-on. Barcelona turned possession football into an art-form and if Swansea had Messi instead of Danny Graham. the Swans would have left Anfield with three points.

The jury is still out on Andy Carroll. For me, he had a good game in terms of link up play and bringing players into the game. However, in Liverpool's desperation to involve Carroll, the players gave up their slick pass and move game plan. The exhillirating movement that tore Bolton apart seemed like a distant memory now. Lest we forget, Carroll's two goals this season has been due to amazing passes rather than pinpoint crosses. So Liverpool must forget about hitting Carroll with the first ball but play the pass-and-move more.

The partnership of Lucas and Adam is clearly not giving Liverpool extra man in attack. Adam, like the legendary Andrea Pirlo, likes to sit and direct traffic with his superior passing range. This meant that Liverpool lacked bodies in attack and even when Carroll wins headers in the box, there is no Reds midfielder able to run on to it. The absence of Steven Gerrard who can get into the opposition penalty box was sorely missed. Kenny Dalglish must be wishing he'd worked harder to keep Raul Meireles who is exactly the box-to-box player that Liverpool need right now.

Liverpool were expected to pick up maximum points in their last three matches. They only managed five, considering that it was Norwich, West Brom and Swansea, it is definitely four points dropped. Four points which could have pushed the Reds up to fourth in the Premiership table! Reds fans must be wondering what could have been.

At least, their next match is against Chelsea, and Liverpool typically crank up another gear when they match up against the big teams. All hopes are hinging on a big Luis Suarez performance, as when he plays well, Liverpool plays well. As for Carroll's near miss, the consolation is that Torres also blazed over in similar position at Blackburn so all is not lost.

If only Glen Johnson's rapier-like strike had gone in.....

Collective Rear Guard Action Stretches Toon Unbeaten Run

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:15:00 +0000

Newcastle United kept up their unbeaten run with a 2-1 win over Everton. That's eleven matches already and tongues are complimentary at the prowess of Alan Pardew in building a solid team spirit in spite of losing Kevin Nolan, Andy Carroll and Joey Barton in the summer. The Magpies remain the only other team yet to be beaten this season.

Last weekend's win was a result of Newcastle's ability to dig deep and defend as a team. The collective defensive display from Tim Krul to Demba Ba secured a vital win for the Toon army, sending them into the international break sky-high in confidence.

Ryan Taylor's spectacular winner made sure that Newcastle had something to defend and they did that in excellent fashion. The loss of Marveaux and then Cabaye forced Pardew to revert to a second-half defensive system designed to repel everything that Everton could throw at them.

It was all Everton in the second half, but the Toffeemen lacked the firepower and pace to stretch Newcastle. Ex-Evertonian Dan Gosling came on and he was instrumental in keeping Everton at bay. It was his "arm" which deflected a goal-bound Saha shot. Gosling was like a sweeper, mopping up everything defensively. Newcastle managed to ride their luck and when Ben-Arfa came on, he was impressive in keeping the ball, using up precious minutes on the clock.

Pardew did exactly what he needed to do to get a result. Fortunately, Newcastle had that valuable Taylor goal to defend, and they did so efficiently. However, injuries to Obertan, Marveaux, Tiote and Cabaye will be cause for concern as their next match will be against the other unbeaten team, Manchester City. Yohan Cabaye makes Newcastle tick and without the Frenchman, the Magpies looked rather ordinary.

On a more positive note, Hatem Ben-Arfa is getting close to full fitness on the evidence of his performance against Everton. His mercurial and incisive play will be crucial against the Citizens, assuming if Cabaye cannot recover from his groin strain.

Toon Ba Loves Scoring Diving Headers!

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:53:00 +0000

Demba Ba almost did not make it to the Barclays Premier League. His hat-trick against Stoke ensured that Tony Pulis will continue to rue "the one that got away". But then would Demba Ba fit in at Stoke with their rugged, physical and direct footballing style? I doubt it.

The Senegalese however is excelling at Newcastle after a difficult start to the new season. Luckily for Newcastle, Leon Best did his utmost initially to allow Ba time to settle at Newcastle. And since then, Demba Ba goalscoring form has been superb. The football statisticians have listed Ba as the most efficient goal scorer currently in the Premiership with 47% conversion rate.

At Hoffenheim, he does his business on the ground, scoring with backheels, long shots and solo runs. In the Premiership, he scores incredible headed goals. That underlines the versatility that Ba possesses and confirms his ability to adapt to the harsh demands of top flight English football

His first goal at Stoke was a spectacular diving header that he expertly directed away from Begovic. For once, Obertan delivered a teasing cross that Ba could attack.

And what about the wonderful view of Demba Ba flying through the air last season, scoring against Liverpool in that memorable 3-1 win.

The Toon striker loves scoring diving headers and who could begrudge him when he succeeds to score and give the on-field photographers some highlight reels.

Newcastle must continue to do well under Pardew to keep Ba as his reputation grow with every game he plays. I wouldn't be too worried about this season as the Magpies are destined to be a top ten side come May 2012. It is the dreaded "second season syndrome" that the Toon fans should be wary about.

Suarez And Carroll Partnership Blossoms For Liverpool

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:41:00 +0000

Luis Suarez never has a bad game. A body of perpetual motion, the Uruguayan's movement and elusiveness remain Liverpool's most dangerous attacking threat. El Pistolero's immensely positive contribution in games are often tinged with slight regrets. He does not score as many goals as he should have, considering the amount of chances he creates game in game out. Having said that, his presence in a Liverpool red alone is worth the admission fee to the match as he gives his all and tries his all for the team and for the fans.

True to form, the wee man, Luis had a major influence against West Brom. His very presence in the Baggies' penalty box frightened the life out of Olsson and forced Jerome Thomas into conceding a penalty. A penalty that allowed the Reds to take early control of the match against their former manager's team.

But as the half went on, West Brom grew stronger and the confidence began to show in their football. Liverpool needed to stamp their influence once more on the game and right before the stroke of halftime, they did just that.

On a counter attack break, the fantastic Lucas launched a perfect ball out wide to Suarez. El Pistolero's great vision helped him first-time a pass nonchalantly right onto the path of a "through-on-goal" Carroll. Even without playing regularly, Carroll still knew where the back of the net was as he flicked the ball expertly past Ben Foster into the Albion goal. That effectively ended West Brom's challenge and meant that three points were in the bag for the Reds.

In the second half, the signs were there that Carroll and Suarez are beginning to solidify a blossoming partnership. The awareness of each other's position in the opposition half and flicks were coming off, and if this continues, more goals can be expected of this "little and large" act. A win achieved significantly without both Carragher and Gerrard....we were seeing the future Liverpool team in action as it were.

The Reds have not won an away match without referee intervention and so gaining three points "legitimately" on Saturday will be a boon to Kenny Dalglish and Liverpool. Liverpool is putting a little unbeaten run together and they will want to bring this good form into a reunion with Torres' Chelsea two weeks from now. Another explosive match should be in store at The Bridge, Suarez is in good form and the Chelsea defence is in disarray at the moment.

The Reds attacking play deserved more than their paltry 14 goals suggest. There is a gnawing feeling that a team will be on the wrong end of a Reds mauling soon...could Swansea be in for a Reds hammering, I wonder....

Adam Johnson's Stunning Strike Glosses Over Citizen's Gritty Win

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:50:00 +0000

Mancini and his Manchester City have shown us many sides to their character this season. They are resolute in defence, even without the collossal Nigel de Jong. City have shown that they are not content to sit back on a lead. They have served up game after game of excellent attacking football, never resting but always probing. And against Wolves, they showed that they can be patient, they confirmed that they have believe in themselves and more importantly, City proved that they too know how to win while playing "ugly".

This match against Wolves at home, was supposed to be the crowning glory of an excellent week as Mancini's City came back expecting to bask in the adoration of their fans. Unfortunately, Wolves proved tougher to subdue with Welsh No. 1 Wayne Hennessey equal to everything that Aguero, Silva, Nasri and Dzeko threw at him.

In the end, Manchester City had to wait before they scored their customary three goals against Premier League opposition. Adam Johnson racing all the way from defence, collected a pass from Yaya and fired home a 20-yard curler past the Wolves keeper.

Super Mario came on three minutes before Vincent Kompany received a red card for a professional foul. If the Italian had come on, hoping to add to his burgeoning goals tally, he was in for a shock as his captain was given his marching orders. Once that happened, Balotelli changed his approach to the game and selflessly put the team first. He kept a cool head whenever he was in possession, using up precious minutes on the clock. His cult figure status received a further boost when he belatedly robbed a Wolves player, held the ball up while waiting for support, released it to Yaya Toure and Adam Johnson did the rest. When he's not setting fires to bathrooms, Super Mario has the intelligence and instincts of an excellent footballer.

The one blot is the impending loss of City captain, Vincent Kompany for the next three games. The Citizens coped well without the big Belgian in the last 15 mins against Wolves. Against Liverpool, however, Kompany's giant presence and excellent positioning will take some compensating. Mancini and Platt must make sure the tactics are spot-on against Suarez and the resurgent Reds.

Captain Vantastic's Derby Hattrick Makes It 29 Out Of 28

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:07:00 +0000

A high scoring game was not something that I had expected from a Chelsea-Arsenal derby match. Then again I had forgotten that Arsenal does not know how to defend this season nor did I remember that Chelsea has yet to keep a clean sheet this season. And so, we were treated to an eight-goal slugfest in which the Blues and the Gunners went after each other blow-for-blow until that defining John Terry slip. If blame throwing would be allowed, Florent Malouda's right foot must take sole responsibility for this heavy Chelsea defeat.

And so Arsenal's inspirational Captain Vantastic struck a much deserved hat-trick against their London rivals. He also scored his 29th goal in 28 matches, a remarkable record huh? He must surely be the most in-form striker in the Premiership, ahead of even Kun Aguero and Super Mario. The flying Dutchman has had so many injuries in the last two seasons, we had forgotten just how good he really is. This season RVP's goals has lifted Arsenal from the bottom three into seventh place.

A super sub last week, his timely introduction against Stoke allowed Arsenal to finally motor across the finishing line, thanks to his two goals. Two weeks ago, his sublime freekick gave Arsenal a hard-fought victory against Sunderland. His talismanic qualities this season, coupled with his non-committal contract talks surely must be making the Arsenal board worried.

On Saturday, as Chelsea pushed hard for an equaliser, Van Persie ended Chelsea's defiance with a trademark left foot swerving shot that left Petr Cech grasping thin air. His goals, once again, are the reasons why Arsenal are now on a three-match winning streak.

After a disastrous start to the season, Arsene Wenger's Arsenal is now climbing up the Premier League table. Mikel Arteta is doing well and brought some experience into that Arsenal midfield. Andre Santos' goal capped a fine Arsenal afternoon and now the Gunners can clearly claim they are now back to their best.

Perhaps being out of the media limelight has been good for Arsene's charges, now that they are back in the big time, I wonder how Arsenal's fragile mentality will welcome the unnecessary media pressure.....

Manchester United In For A City Mauling?

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:38:00 +0000

Sir Alex Ferguson, in retrospect, bottled it at Anfield last weekend. In contrast, Roberto Mancini decided to freshen up after the international break and Manchester City got their just reward. It is the "noisy neighbours" who are stepping onto the "prawn-sandwiched" 75,000 capacity-filled Theatre of Dreams as the Premier League leaders.

United starts and finishes all their games strongly. Their movement and quick passing right from the get-go, often forces the opposing teams to make mistakes. The Red Devils also finishes matches very well. No team in the Premier League (bar Liverpool two seasons ago) has ever come back from losing positions more times than the "comeback kings" of Manchester United. This is reflected by their 22 goals scored at the 0-30 mins and 66-90 mins period.

City has a more controlled game, a bit like an Italian team. Their patient buildup play usually stretches defenses and creates numerous goal mouth opportunities. The Citizens have scored 19 goals between the match periods of 31-75 mins, showing that they kill off the opposing teams while able to conserve energy in preparation of the next game.

Both teams have been playing football that is exciting, full of flair and entertaining to watch. The Manchester Derby has been highly charged in the recent seasons and this meeting at Old Trafford will have the added significance of Premiership leadership at stake.

David Silva has been City's best player so far and his creative influence will have a big bearing on the game. It would not surprise me if United assigns Phil Jones to man-mark the Spanish playmaker. But as Everton would attest, Silva's great movement can shake off the best defenders. His able midfield partner, Nasri is also a big dangerman for the Red Devils. Either way, Manchester City's midfield has quality in both departments, defensive and offensive.

Dzeko and Aguero are the league's most lethal finishers, with a respectable 35% and 38% goal conversion rate respectively. Aguero did well in the Champions League match, scoring the winning goal and will want to have a deciding say in this top-of-the-table Manchester derby. The Argentine's partnership with Dzeko is flourishing and this frontline offers directness, speed, deceptiveness and physical presence. United's defence allows lots of chances and De Gea's world class shot stopping abilities will be put to test by City's ruthless efficiency in front of goal.

The Red Devils must start like a house on fire at Old Trafford to have any chance of besting their noisy neighbours. Exerting an early advantage at home is United's best option towards three points and I am sure Sir Alex would be demanding a good forceful 20 mins from his boys.

I fear that Manchester United with their slight blip in form, could be in for a City mauling this Sunday. As such, it is Ferguson rather than Mancini who could look at his team sheet and decide to put out the same defensive-minded team like against Liverpool.

The Talismanic Robin Van Persie

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:49:00 +0000

When Robin Van Persie stalled on his Arsenal contract talks earlier in the month, there were tremors felt everywhere. Clubs were perking up their ears, waiting for new development. Arsenal fans were quaking....dismayed that yet another "home-grown" star is on the verge of leaving. Arsenal has not been known to keep their stars with huge wage packages and therefore it will not be hard to imagine the departure of the Dutch star come end of this season. After all, Arsenal in recent times, have turned into a selling club, more intent to balance finances than winning silverware.

It has been frustrating times for RVP. Hardly fit last season, he has been in sterling form in this campaign. The one bright spark for Arsenal all season, Van Persie was Arsenal's talisman again against a stubborn Sunderland at The Emirates. His two goals put the gloss on an indifferent and difficult Arsenal performance as Sunderland worked extremely hard to thwart the famed Gunners' short passing game.

Arsenal still look shaky in defence, even with the addition of Mertesacker and Andre Santos. Sessegnon had an excellent game tormenting the whole of the Arsenal backline but his efforts were let down by a lack of adventure from his Black Cats' team mates.

The Dutchman's freekick winner took Arsenal out of the bottom half of the Premier League for the first time this season. RVP has clearly put his younger volatile nature behind and has stepped up to lead Arsenal out of their current troubles. However, his task is of a one-man nature as none of the current Arsenal squad are good enough to help RVP achieve his goals i.e. to be a Champions League winner. Andrey Arshavin and Tomas Rosicky are fading forces and cannot be counted on to support the world class Dutchman. Theo Walcott in his sixth season with the Gunners, continue to flit in-out of games and clearly need to show more consistency in a season.

Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain represent the next exciting batch of Arsenal superstars and these youngsters desperately need the quiet leadership and experience that Van Persie can provide. A Gunners' side comprising of Szczesny, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere and Ramsey with RVP's sublime skills have the potential to be Premier League champions in 2-3 years time. The most complete striker in Arsenal since Dennis Bergkamp, will Van Persie afford to stick around to help the next batch of youngsters try to reach the achievements of the Invincibles?

The talismanic Robin Van Persie is the last jewel in Arsene Wenger's stable. What would Arsenal life be without Robin Van Persie? It's a thought that makes every Gooner shudder.

Are We Finally Seeing the Mature Super Mario?

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:43:00 +0000

Mario Balotelli is knuckling down to life in the Premier League. How else can you explain two accomplished performances in his two latest outings? Scoring goals has always been easy for the Italian, his attitude has always been questioned. This season, however, he has let his boots do the talking.

With Tevez sulking, Aguero injured and Dzeko returning from international duty, Super Mario made his second successive appearance in Man City colours. He repaid Mancini's faith in him with a goal and looked to be the one player capable of unlocking the Villan defence. If anyone can get the best out of the temperamental Italian, it is his old Inter boss who knows Balotelli better than anyone.

Balotelli have learned from his earlier outbursts and now is contributing to Manchester City's relentless pursuit of the Premier League title. Although City have had fairly easy opposition (apart from Spurs), their attacking play has been breathtaking and the likes of Aguero, Dzeko and Balotelli have to be credited for making the Blues an awesome attacking unit

Roberto Mancini rested some of his bigger names and yet put out a strong team.

Nigel De Jong's hard tackling allowed City to win control of midfield and from then on, there was only one winner. Adam Johnson impressed again as he has done in every game for the Citizens, scoring another excellent goal and assisting on two more. Owen Hargreaves' first Premier League appearance went well, he even made two crunching tackles just to prove that he is fully recovered.

Manchester United had better watch out as the Blues are in confident form and is in a rich vein of form!

Super Mario, it would seem, has grown up this season, right in front of our eyes. It's bloody time he did something meaningful with his God-given talent. A Premier League winner's medal beckons for Man City's cult hero.

Chicharito Breaks Anfield Reds Hearts

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:40:00 +0000

I don't know what Sir Alex Ferguson was thinking, but he showed no respect for Liverpool by fielding an understrength lineup. No Nani, no Rooney, no Hernandez and no Anderson. By playing two defensive midfielders in Fletcher and Jones, Liverpool should and could have done a lot better than just a draw. The return of Steven Gerrard was the focus of the match and though he wasn't quite the marauding midfield giant of previous seasons, he was still our Steven Gerrard. He started the match as the most advanced of the midfielders and ended it playing as a defensive midfielder.

The first half was rather lethargic which could be expected considering the heavy international schedule last week. The match could have been so much more interesting had Luis Suarez scored instead of shooting straight at De Gea. Kenny Dalglish left Andy Carroll out of the starting lineup which seemed like a poor decision, given the quality of Steven Gerrard's corners and crosses. I would put my money on Carroll scoring if it was he and not Henderson's head had met Downing's delicious injury-time cross.

Charlie Adam's forceful run was deemed unfairly halted by Rio Ferdinand, resulting in a hotly disputed freekick. At that crucial moment in the game, there was a growing feeling that Liverpool was about to grab the iniative and score that all-important first goal. As if scripted, Gerrard stepped up and bent the ball through the wall, past David De Gea. The Reds looked headed to a fourth successive home win over their rivals.

Patrice Evra was at it again, rousing up controversy whenever he could. The Red Devils current skipper has a history of claiming racist abuse, and he decided to try that "old" trick against Luis Suarez. Mind you, that kick on Evra's knee was cynical at best and love him as we all do, El Pistolero walks a very thin line between genious and devious every single game. I won't be surprised if the brilliant Uruguayan cops a sending off before the end of the year. Still, Suarez is the reason Liverpool are currently in the top six of the Barclays Premier League.

Again, Liverpool's inability to finish the numerous chances created as a one-goal lead is never enough in the Premiership. Ferguson threw in the heavy artillery, bringing on Rooney, Nani and then Hernandez. With Liverpool's suspect defence and Lucas subbed, Gerrard did not stop Chicarito from scoring a poacher's goal - only United's second chance in the entire game.

David De Gea has firmly put behind his nightmarish start to English football with yet another outstanding performance. His four crucial saves were every bit as important as Chicarito's goal, if not more. De Gea's saves against Suarez, Kuyt and a raking Henderson volley particularly underlined his ability as a world-class shot-stopper. King Kenny was rightly full of praise for the young Spaniard.

In the end, Liverpool would feel that this was a case of two points lost, while United left Anfield in a hurry, satisfied that they had picked Liverpool's pocket. The Reds are left pondering what could have been, considering they created the better chances and had far more possession.

Manchester City Shows Strength In Depth While Berbatov Blows Bubbles

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:59:00 +0000

Roberto Mancini had learned from the Fulham lesson and as David Platt said, Mancini freshened up his team after the Champions League defeat at Munich. He rang in changes for the match against Blackburn and the replacements repaid his faith in them by scoring four goals against Rovers.

Mario Balotelli, Samir Nasri and Adam Johnson together with David Silva were the difference in another routine match for the Citizens. Everytime Adam Johnson plays, he always makes an impression on those who watch him. Fabio Capello obviously feels the same way as I did since he selected Johnson for the England squad.

With Tevez and Dzeko benched for their Munich outburst, Balotelli took his chance and produced another excellent performance. He even afforded a smile after his goal, and this is a player who does not celebrate goals. Mancini has got the Premier League's most talented squad and he must utilise its potential to its fullest advantage.

In contrast, Manchester United looked to have "peaked" a little too early (and it's perfect timing too, since their next match will be at Anfield). David De Gea's punishment for stealing a doughnut was to warm the bench while Anders Lindegaard kept goal against Norwich.The young Dane did save United a couple of times and in general, looked quite solid especially when he made ex-United player Anthony Pilkington miss the target.

Again Dimitar Berbatov was left blowing bubbles on the bench while Park Ji-Sung and Valencia were preferred. Wayne Rooney looked off the pace after his enforced lay off and the classy Bulgarian could have added a bit of magic in this game. Without Ashley Young, the Red Devils did not get going until late in the game. Anderson and Wellbeck got on the scoresheet and that glossed over a performance which was two or three notches below United's previous high scoring matches.

I can't wait for the Manchester derby match end of this month. It will surely be a mouthwatering encounter, although Kun Aguero will most likely miss this match. Even at this stage of the season, the destination of the Premier League could be decided by the Manchester club that wins the derby. This puts an extra significance to the upcoming United v. City match.

Who could forget how Mickey Owen came on as a substitute and broke City hearts with a deft finish two seasons ago? With both teams having so much attacking threat, this season's Battle of Manchester could be Vincent Kompany's golden chance to lead City to a glorious victory.

Dirk Kuyt's Vision Created Andy Carroll's Derby Goal

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:22:00 +0000

My buddy, Ed and I continued our almost weekly dissection of Liverpool's weekend performance after a friendly game of indoor futsal. Now Ed is a guy with a rather thought provoking mind. While we were both thrilled that "The Beast" Andy Carroll opened his Premier League account this season with a brilliant derby goal, he remarked how Dirk Kuyt's excellent run and "dummy" duck created the room for Carroll to rifle the ball past Tim Howard.

That got me thinking. Did the Dutchman know what he was doing when he ducked under the ball as Enrique cut the ball back from the byline? Or was it just that the ball was hit at a speed that Kuyt had no choice but to avoid contact with the ball? I watched again the video replay of Carroll's first goal for Liverpool to make up my mind. In the lead up to the goal, Kuyt ran to the near post taking Distin with him, he knew Carroll was centrally placed, showed great vision by avoiding the ball, allowing Carroll to pick his spot with a sweet left footed finish.

Kuyt should get the credit for fantastic vision and the assist rather than Enrique.

So, numerical advantage or not, Liverpool got their second win on the road and looking primed for the grudge match against Manchester United two weeks from now. Particularly pleasing was that both Reds strikers scored. Also of note was that Carroll is now getting on the end of some excellent Charlie Adam corners and the goals will start to come. Now all Liverpool need is some goals from midfield and that will surely give opposition defences more to worry about. That's something that is expected from a fully-fit and match-ready Stevie Gerrard.

Gerrard came on late in the game and had to play a disciplined game as a deep-lying midfielder.

With two wins on the trot, the international break once again come as an unwelcome rest for the Reds. However with Manchester United coming up next at Anfield, there is little doubt that Kenny Dalglish will not let his Red army slack off. The Reds do have to take the chances that will inevitably come against the Red Devils otherwise United can score from their devastatingly quick counter attacks.

An exciting match is in store. Liverpool-Man United matches in recent times are also tinged with red cards and with Luis Suarez in sinister form, Anderson, Evra or Jonny Evans had better watch their tackles!

Reds Back To Winning Ways And Ready For Merseyside Derby

noreply@blogger.com (TheFlatBackFour) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:56:00 +0000

Finally Kenny Dalglish have Steven Gerrard back and in time for Derby day! Couple that with the excellent showing of Andy Carroll against Wolves and the Reds are looking capable of beating Everton this Saturday. The right back position is now solid once more with Martin Kelly back from injury and though Carragher and Skrtel are still weak links in central defence, Everton's lack of bite upfront will suit Liverpool as they sought to make it back-to-back wins.

Young Jordan Henderson should make way for the Liverpool captain and Luis Suarez must be preparing to prosper from Gerrard's passes this weekend. Thus why the magical Uruguayan was upset, he wanted some playing time to forge an understanding with Steven Gerrard. Instead, El Pistolero will need to work on developing that telepathy with Stevie G on the training ground.

Without Gerrard, there has been a distinct lack of Liverpool midfielders getting into the penalty box. Charlie Adam and Jordan Henderson have all scored from the edge of the box this season but none has regularly featured as an attacking threat in the opposition's box. Gerrard's forceful running often takes him ahead of the last striker and that adds an extra dimension to the Reds' attack.

Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez partnership can be as lethal as Gerrard and Torres once was.

At Goodison, Everton will try to stifle Liverpool's midfield but Suarez' brilliance and movement will prove too much for Jagielka and Distin. With Gerrard bursting a lung to get in the box at every opportunity, Liverpool's attack will have an added potency to it. It's about time Liverpool started converting the chances they create game after game, the Merseyside derby would be a great place to do that.