Search the Community

LIVERPOOL 0 Stoke City 0 Report by Dave Usher at Anfield Scorer(s) – Half Time - 0-0 Venue - Anfield Date - Sun 7 Oct 2012 Star Man – Daniel Agger There's no place like home, eh? Just two wins at Anfield in 2012, and we've failed to score in two games against Stoke in L4 now. We actually do better at the Brittannia Stadium, probably because Stoke have to at least put on some pretence of trying to win the game in front of their own fans. At Anfield they aren't concerned with such things, they don't just park the bus, they use it to run over anyone in their path. It's difficult to look good against them, you just have to dig in and find a way to get the three points and we couldn't do it. It wasn't even a bad performance from us, it wasn't a particularly good one either, but overall we played ok and should have won. We had chances and the only time we looked in danger it was usually of our own making. I can think of three dodgy moments, all of which came after we'd presented them with openings due to our sloppyness. It's difficult to be too critical though, as the truth is very few teams manage to look good against Stoke. Arsenal, United, City, whoever you want to name all find it difficult to play their normal brand of football against Pulis' cloggers. It's not about the performance when you play Stoke, it's just about getting the three points and moving on to the next game. They're absolutely fucking horrible to play against and they will use any trick in the book - and plenty that aren't - to make it difficult for teams to get into any kind of rythm. Long ball, foul, long ball, foul, long ball, time waste, foul again, hit another long ball, foul some more.... it's fucking brutal stuff but it works. It's just constant disruption of the flow of the game, and it's extremely difficult to stop them doing what they do and just as difficult to do what you want to do. Having said that, it was pretty outrageous what they got away with, especially in the first half. Lee Mason is an absolute abomination of a referee, always has been and probably always will be. He didn't know how to handle this at all and Stoke's players took full advantage of his leniency. It started when Huth obstructed Suarez and then stamped on his chest as he lay on the floor. That happened on the far side of the field from where I sit, and yet I still saw it clearly. So how did the referee and linesman fail to see it? Or did they see it and just ignore it because it's Suarez? It was no accident, it was a completely deliberate act from a player with previous. Huth is a fucking animal, on the dirty bastard scale he sits right inbetween Andy Wilkinson (thankfully suspended from this game after elbowing Balotelli in the face the other week) and Ryan Shawcross. He should have been sent off for that but we didn't even get a free kick. He followed up shortly after with another crude challenge on halfway that left Suarez in a heap. This time at least we got a free-kick, but Huth again somehow escaped a booking. He did go into the book eventually when he hauled down Suarez as he ran towards goal, but he shouldn't have even been on the field at that point having twice escaped punishment earlier. It wasn't just Huth though, they were all at it although clearly he was the most blatant offender. It was just foul after foul as they took turns to break up the play. It got so bad that Mason eventually stopped the game and called over the Stoke captain Shawcross to tell him to get his players to pack it in. Ridiculous that, it's not fucking Rugby League (although Stoke's style is more suited to that than football), you don't call over the captain you deal with it yourself, you clueless, bald, Mitchell brother looking twat. If Walters is overstepping the mark, talk to him not the fucking captain. And if he does it again, then you book him. It's not rocket science. In between all the stoppages and fouls, we were trying to play our football but never really settled into any kind of groove in the first half. It was very disjointed at times and Stoke actually had the best chance of the half when Reina passed the ball to Sahin who was under pressure and misplaced his backpass. It went straight to Charlie Adam, but Reina was on him quickly and made the stop. Whelan was next to be presented with a gift by the Reds, as Reina misplaced a pass to Sahin but redeemed himself by getting back to turn Whelan's chip over the bar. Stoke created nothing themselves, but they didn't need to when we were making it so easy for them. It's difficult for Reina as he's instructed to pass the ball out rather than hit it long and that puts a lot of pressure on him. It's great when it works, but there's so little margin for error and it's only a matter of time before we concede a goal from this. Hopefully it happens in a game like last week at Norwich rather than in a close one when it could be decisive. Gerrard forced a good save from Begavic with a great shot from distance, Agger toe poked one inches wide from a lovely Suso pass, Sahin saw a goalbound effort inadvertently blocked Sterling after some magical play by Suarez and Skrtel had a penalty appeal turned down when his shirt was held by Shawcross. Clearly Skrtel is unaware of the rule that states that no Stoke player can ever be penalised for holding and pulling at set-pieces. Happens every week and it's never, ever punished. And whilst they're getting away with it they'll keep doing it. That should be Stoke's club motto actually. "If we can get away with it, we'll do it." Look at the time wasting from the keeper. He's got it down to a fine art. Step 1. Always make sure you take the ball as slowly as possible to the opposite side of the six yard box to where it went out. Step 2. Wait for both centre halves to drop in and show for a short one (because as everyone knows, Stoke just love to build from the back!). Step 3. End the pretence by motioning the centre halves away and then wait until they've plodded up to the halfway line. Step 4. Providing 30-45 seconds have been wasted, take the kick. How many goal kicks did they have in the game? Seemed like loads, especially in the 2nd half. That's a hell of a lot of time that the ball wasn't in play for. In fairness to Mason he did pull the keeper up on it. About 85 minutes in like, but better late than never I guess. The second half was better from our point of view, they had to reign the fouls in a little as the yellow cards eventually began to pile up, and as a result the ball seemed to be in play more than it was in the first half. We had a good spell just after half time in which we had a few good chances that we couldn't take. Johnson had a clear opportunity when he collected a great ball by Gerrard with a superb first touch but then shot too high with his second. Suarez almost scored what would have been one of the best Anfield goals in many a year when he turned just inside the Stoke half and ran right through three defenders before drilling a left foot shot inches wide. It was one way traffic for most of the second half but we just couldn't make the breakthrough. Sterling, Suarez and finally Skrtel all hit the woodwork, it was one of those days that we've seen so many of in the last couple of years. It's the same old story unfortunately, and this won't be the last time it happens. Goalscoring will be an issue, we knew that going into the season and the odd game like Norwich doesn't change that. With that in mind, I have to say I didn't particularly like the substitutions. Firstly, I thought Suso was very unlucky to be the first one taken off as he was arguably our best player at that stage. Sahin had been a bit of a passenger and I'd have took him off first. I imagine he came off the field thinking "What the fuck was that?". Talk about a culture shock, the poor lad won't have experienced anything like that before. I wouldn't have been sending on Joe Cole first either, I thought that was a little strange. Suarez was dropping deep a lot and that meant we often didn't have anyone in the box when we attacked. So Borini seemed a logical choice, but he didn't get on at all, as even when a second change was made it was Assaidi who got the call to replace Sahin with Cole moving central. The substitutions didn't improve us, we looked better before the changes. We needed a goal and Borini is supposed to be a goalscorer, why would you not get him on there to see if he could nick us one? That would have allowed Suarez to keep doing his thing without leaving us light in the box. We didn't need three midfielders, I know Rodgers swears by that as control of the midfield is the key to his tactical approach, but there's no competition for control of the game against Stoke as they simply aren't interested in playing through midfield. Cole was ok up until one horrific effort he ballooned into the Kop in stoppage time. That was almost unforgivable. Seriously, if he attempted that shot 1000 times, he'd not score once. It was an impossible shot to make given his body position and how the ball was dropping out of the sky. Just head the thing back into the box Joe, you're doing yourself no favours with that shit. Speaking of people doing themselves no favours, just what the hell was Suarez thinking with that dive? I've watched it again and it's exactly how I saw it at the time. He gets clipped, loses his footing briefly, regains it and then decides "fuck this I'm going down". It's embarrassing and he's let down everyone who's been sticking up for him. Whether it's his manager, his captain, Glen Johnson or the fans who've fought his corner, he made all of us look stupid in that one idiotic moment. The dive in itself was bad enough, but appealing for a penalty and then sitting there sulking when he didn't get it was out of order. Hopefully Rodgers will tell him that's completely unacceptable. I understand his frustration, referees continue to give him fuck all and defenders now know it's open season on him. You can kick him, stamp on him, drag him back, whatever you like, and all you need to do is complain to the ref that he's diving and making a meal of it and you won't get punished. It happens every week, and there's not a single, solitary ref in the country who's bucking the trend. We've seen in the last couple of weeks that it's perfectly acceptable now to karate chop him in the box and to stamp on him when he's on the floor. It's outrageous, it's disgusting and it's basically a form of corruption. It looks like Huth isn't going to be charged for the stamp, so what does that tell you about the authorities' stance on Luis Suarez? And yet no-one will be talking about it this week because the soft get went and gave them all the ammo they needed by diving and acting the twat. Had he not done that then the talking point from the game would have been Stoke's bully boy tactics and Lee Mason's tolerance of it. Instead he's given that baseball cap wearing fucktard Tony Pulis the opportunity to deflect attention away from his teams thuggish behaviour and set the agenda for the week by demanding Suarez is banned for diving. Pulis is one of Ferguson's chief arse lickers, and I'd be willing to bet they'll have a jovial phone conversation this week about all this. People who have read my Premier League Round Ups will often say to me "You don't like Stoke much do you?" No, I fucking don't, and this game is exactly why. They have no redeeming qualities at all. They're complete twats and they revel in being complete twats, they're absolutely brazen about it. Dirty, cheating, alehouse bastards, a modern day Wimbledon if you like without the personality. Having said all that, it's up to us to overcome that and we couldn't do it. We need to get better, and hopefully next time we face Stoke it won't matter how they approach the game because we'll take care of business ourselves. I'm going for Agger as the star man, he was solid in defence and was a danger any time he brought the ball forward. I liked Wisdom's performance too, very composed and rarely wastes a pass. Suso was class on the ball and stood up to the physical stuff very well, as did Sterling who didn't have much joy but got stuck right in against their big grocks and wasn't fazed by the physical stuff. I also liked him snubbing Whitehead's handshake late on too. Cheeky bastard hacked Raheem down deliberately, then offers his hand as though everything is fine and flips his lid when Raheem is having none of it. Fucking yard dog. Team: Reina; Wisdom, Skrtel, Agger, Johnson; Allen, Gerrard, Sahin (Assaidi); Suso (Cole), Suarez, Sterling:

What's his game at all? Constant snide little digs at us on his twitter page the usual blame rafa, poor roy thing...we are suddenly a shite team, i love the sky generation revisionism which bases history on the last 5 minutes, a new manager and 2 or 3 additions and we'll be right up there again, i truly hate agenda-driven hateful pricks like him with their absolutist opinions based on the flavour of the month pricks like this should be held to account why is he like this? he's not even a Manc # @Davidbriddon while we're throwing insults about, nice girlfriend, very pretty. 4 u....your tweet has been acknowledged, thank you 2 minutes ago via web in reply to Davidbriddon # @fletchico it was 9-0 fella, maybe you weren't supporting LFC then. anyway, you need to hear the whole context of the conversation, im right 4 minutes ago via web in reply to fletchico # @samhuxley lol. its just a view, I might be wrong, but I doubt it..... 6 minutes ago via web in reply to samhuxley # @Julian_Lee76 @natho_lfc Jules u know I got love for u fella, big club, yes, successful club? yes, mediocre club NOW? yes. needs restructure 8 minutes ago via web in reply to Julian_Lee76 # @KevOrf_5 your tweet has been acknowledged, thank you, 9-0.we played better in the semi final 4-3 wouldn't u agree? lets move on ehh? 10 minutes ago via web in reply to KevOrf_5 # @iHateTomHicks its not a problem...I always stand to be corrected, its just not too often 14 minutes ago via web in reply to iHateTomHicks # @thefootball_guy @GaryDoc i try to read and reply to all, abuse isn't welcome, loads of knee jerk reaction, but its a debatable subject 16 minutes ago via web in reply to thefootball_guy # @CoogsLFC u are a club in decline, but in denial, you need to rebuild, its clear to one and all, history spks for itself, its about now. 21 minutes ago via web in reply to CoogsLFC # @ashpope your tweet has been acknowledged, thank u, need i remind u of the 4-3? bitter No, honest? yes, its a view, u may disagree if u like 24 minutes ago via web in reply to ashpope # @Baby_Paw tell ur mum its called tough love, u gotta be cruel to be kind, its called...keepin it real, aka, the truth, 27 minutes ago via web in reply to Baby_Paw # @eeekaj @LFCTV good idea, live in a bubble where you all wear rose tinted glasses and the world is happy http://i53.tinypic.com/10oejw8.jpg 29 minutes ago via web in reply to eeekaj # @SparkesJ my ref was to a fan who said he wouldnt go to Man Utd match even thou he had a ticket, poor support when the team need it most. 31 minutes ago via web in reply to SparkesJ # no need for that, im just trying to do my job @SteveAClarke http://i53.tinypic.com/10oejw8.jpg 32 minutes ago via web in reply to SteveAClarke # @Bring_Rafa_Home errr my point, thats the past, your tweet has been acknowledged thank you 36 minutes ago via web in reply to Bring_Rafa_Home # @PaoloSantino86 your tweet has been acknowledged thank you, very original ladyboy. 37 minutes ago via web in reply to PaoloSantino86 # @alexmcguinness @Bring_Rafa_Home 3 world cups, 4 european championships, and your credentials, your tweet has been acknowledged thank you 38 minutes ago via web in reply to alexmcguinness # @JimmyJazz365 Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, Cmonson..... stop hiding behind your avatar and throwing cheap shots.... typical... heyho 40 minutes ago via web in reply to JimmyJazz365 # @WatchYourJaw prem league runners up? Cmonson, u were going broke last yr, glad 2 get rid of owners, now rebuilding. u r an average team now 41 minutes ago via web in reply to WatchYourJaw # @HenryOnAMission nah, midtable mediocrity, see if im wrong 44 minutes ago via web in reply to HenryOnAMission # @Arlarse your point? its not about what i achieved (nada) but your team, be constructive, Im entitled to my opinion, thats my job. about 1 hour ago via web in reply to Arlarse # @tracey152 your tweet has been acknowledged thank you, your as good as ur last season. about 1 hour ago via web in reply to tracey152 # @CraigD92 questioned a fan who has a ticket to man utd cup game at weekend and says he won't go..support is what it is, through thick n thin about 1 hour ago via web in reply to CraigD92 # @mrkidd85 times, telegraph, observer, mirror, sun, any of the them depends, what are you saying, anyone who reads the sun is what? about 1 hour ago via web in reply to mrkidd85 # @ScottSlater_ results speak for themselves..... about 1 hour ago via web in reply to ScottSlater_ # Bed time, try and answer rest of #LFC tweets tomorrow, shouldn't take long, most r like their team at present, #poor. Nitey nite sleep well. about 2 hours ago via ÜberTwitter # @iHateTomHicks 20yrs since u last won the league, champs league great, but its diluted with also rans who finish 2,3& 4th in domestic front. about 2 hours ago via ÜberTwitter in reply to iHateTomHicks # @zedda17 last season you would have been happy to see H & G sell up and leave, you need to rebuild, no divine right to beat anyone. about 2 hours ago via ÜberTwitter in reply to zedda17 # @MauriceFinn01 yawn.... about 2 hours ago via ÜberTwitter # @GaryDoc you don't say y, because I told the truth, ur a mid table team fact... Its not about what I did, irrelevant, its about #LFC correct about 2 hours ago via ÜberTwitter in reply to GaryDoc # @thefootball_guy be honest, it was a footballing travesty what happened in istanbul, u won though, end of. No problem, fans not realistic. about 2 hours ago via ÜberTwitter in reply to thefootball_guy # @mrvain37 I was below average, but still better than you, be constructive.. Anyone can bitch, slag and attempt to slag off, say something? about 2 hours ago via ÜberTwitter in reply to mrvain37 # @Natho_LFC u don't say why, grow up, wake up, ur an average team living in the past. about 3 hours ago via ÜberTwitter in reply to Natho_LFC

Basically, is there any? I've been there twice before and we've just driven straight to the ground and either gone into one of the hotels / Harvester's there or straight inside the ground. Getting the train down on Saturday and was wondering if there is any near the station / on the way to the ground, which are decent and not likely to see me have my head kicked in by one of the neanderthals who live there? Also, how far is it to walk from the station to the ground? Cheers