Liverpool, You'll Never Walk Alone!

nice win in the supercup, though not a major trophy its still another trophy at the end of the day

Another year has passed since we last drew out each Champions League side into their respective groups, and now we take a look at the groups drawn a year later. Liverpool as expected had been placed into the 1st seed, a big boost from last years 3rd place seed.

There have been many changes at the club since they won it last year. The biggest of the lot being Gerrard managing the Reds. The man who lifted the cup after an emphatic win over Chelsea last year will look to once again lift the trophy for a second year running. Not only as player and captain, but as manager.

Anyway, straight to the groups, here is how they will all look like ahead of the coming campaign. From Group A to Group H, here they all are.

Group A: Manchester united, Paris Saint Germain, Beskitas, Anderlecht.
Group B: Liverpool, A.C. Milan, Frankfurt, Kobenhavn.
Group C: Dortmund, Sporting, Vitesse, Atletico Madrid.
Group D: Real Madrid, Napoli, Toulouse, Spartak Moscow.
Group E: Manchester City, Benfica, Marseille, APOEL.
Group F: Cheslea, Ajax, Schalke, IFK Mariehamn.
Group G: Barcelona, Juventus, Stromsgodset, PAOK.
Group H: Grasshoppers, Bayern, Celtic, Shakthar.

So the current holders of the competition have been drawn into a fairly easier group here with Frankfurt and Kobenhavn amongst those they will play. They will also play their first Champions League group match against A.C. Milan who they famously beat in the Champions League Final of 2005 but lost it to the very same team two years later.

The most exciting group among the eight that are there looks to be Group C, a group full of solid sides. Not world beaters as good as Bayern and Real Madrid, but solid and very capable sides like Atletico, Sporting and especially Dortmund.

Our prediction is that this year will see Dortmund and Real Madrid face up to each other in the final, Madrid coming out on top to win their 11th Champions League trophy. The current holders will come close but will go out to either one of these two sides in the final.

Have an accessible group, fight for first place with Milan! I wish you much luck!

You should qualify no problem, the game against Milan will be good

easy group Aaron..you should destroy them!

COMING UP: Liverpool vs Aston Villa (PREM)
Liverpool vs A.C. Milan (UCL)
Sunderland vs Liverpool (PREM)
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace (COC)
Liverpool vs Chelsea (PREM)

The first three games of the Premier League started really well for Liverpool despite having to face Manchester City and Arsenal in those first three. They won two of those games and lost the won in between to Man City after the Red's were taught a lesson on finishing by Negredo.
Could Liverpool get a few more victories under their belt and keep up with the other teams near the top?

The first of the five games to be played within the next two-three weeks was Aston Villa at home. A team who were nearly relegated last season, and they showed every sign of a Championship quality side as Liverpool trounced them.

Lorenzo Insigne opened the scoring 16 minutes into the game. A long through ball from Jordan Henderson sliced open the Villa back line, the ball swerved around Ron Vlaar and met Insigne who took a small touch and cut in from the left side. The Italian dribbled the ball a little further and struck it past the keeper.

Liverpool made it 2-0 early on in the second half and yet again it was their new signing Lorenzo Insigne who made the finish to a brilliant move from the rest of the team. The goal was a little like the first but it was Luis Suarez who picked up the assist and watched on in joy as his new team mate cut in again and use his trademark 'cut in and shoot' move to double Liverpool's lead. A lead which became the winning scoreline.

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Liverpool got back to the Champions League now as they started their journey on the way to the Final in an attempt to retain the trophy. They didn't get off to the greatest start in this first group match. They didn't lose however.

A.C. Milan looked to spice up the game with their finely pieced attack of Balotelli, El Shaarawy and Matri. Liverpool also made a huge effort to piece together a goal but it didn't come for either side.

Whilst Milan got their chances, they will regret not making the most of them but no more than Liverpool will as the Scousers actually dominated the game 60/40. They'll feel they have gotten away with the point though, Liverpool's attackers because whilst they performed to a really poor standard, their counterparts in defense put in a group performance of the highest quality and ensured A.C. would not get through.

It was back to the Premier League, and the travelling seemed to really take it out of the lads. The defenders that is. The attackers didn't do anything...However, whilst the attackers had their rest, the defenders made the effort to keep fit and prepared for the next game.

They pulled off heroic tackles, blocks and vital interceptions to keep Sunderland at bay all through the match, and Liverpool's forwards, or should I say midfielders managed to get just the one goal which got the team another three points to take home.

Allessandro Florenzi scored the winning goal from a long range placed shot, when Sunderland got shot of a Liverpool corner. It only fell to the Italian who finessed it though every player in the way and into the net.

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The lads kept the form for a strong Crystal Palace side in a Capital One Cup 3rd round encounter. Liverpool took the lead on thirty minutes with a Raheem Sterling shot which deflected off of Harlee Dean and beat his own keeper.

Luis Suarez put the game beyond this young Palace side just before the half time whistle went. The Uruguayan attacker made it through the Palace defense in a one on two situation. He had no trouble running at the palace defender and lifting up and around Speroni into the top corner either.

Hugo Almeida, put Palace back into the game with a header which teamed with a Harem Boateng cross from deep but the Eagles still had to walk back through the tunnel without the next round of the competition to look forward too.

The biggest game of the season so far would most likely be this one as Liverpool were made to host Chelsea at Anfield in their first clash since the Champions League final. This was a big chance for Steven Gerrard to get one over on his new rival Mourinho, and a chance for Liverpool to set Chelsea back a few points.

Liverpool could be considered the better side here. In fact, a much better side. The Chelsea team performed pathetically all throughout. It was evident they would perform this way as well when Liverpool's ever improving striker Borini burst the game open in Liverpool#s favor.

Late in the second half, the little Italian made it two goals in one against this big side to win the game himself. Undoubtedly, this would give him a huge confidence boost for coming matches and it'd show Gerrard just what he is capable of.

Fernando Torres is a player, prone to missing the target these days. Especially against his former club Liverpool. When his team came to town and were beaten by two Borini goals, he finally managed to break the curse and scored against Gerrard's team late in the second half.
This would definitely not please the Liverpool fans, or manager. BUT, what matters to them is that they beat the 'rent boys' as they put it, and rubbed it in that 'lady boy's' (Once again as they put it) face.

Gerrard's View

This month all round was probably as good as it gets. I am a little disappointed that we couldn't get a win over Milan because we were dominant throughout the game and I am sad to see our strikers couldn't find the target.

I am happy they got back to their old selves though because later in the month they tore pretty much any team apart that they faced. Palace, and Chelsea to name a few.

I am not happy with the defense though. Admittedly, I think I could be using Diego Reyes and Emre Can A LOT more and I think I definitely will considering 1. Can hasn't been given his fair chance, and 2. I signed Reyes for a reason and that was to solidify the defensive responsibilities in the midfield.

I haven't played him near enough times as I should be, to match the money we paid for him. I think in the coming weeks we shall see Florenzi and Henderson rotate often as Can and Reyes rotate between themselves just behind either Florenzi and Henderson.

Great update!

Gerrard, overseeing his new Liverpool squad in their huge 2-1 victory over Chelsea

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If you were to ask a Liverpool fan, last season would go down as one of the best in their teams history. After winning the Premier League and the Champions League, it would come as no surprise to hear the Liverpool manager speak of his optimism as far as the Premier League is concerned.

However, Liverpool have a new and very inexperienced manager in Steven Gerrard, so actually, this time it does come as a little surprise to hear the Scouser state that he thinks his team can win the league, push on, and become even better in Europe as well as England.

There are many great teams in England. Liverpool obviously being one of them, but they don't have the kind of money Chelsea, United and Manchester City do so it will be ever so hard for them to keep up. Money, is the soul reason we don't think Liverpool will do what Gerrard thinks they will.

Many fans around the world have their opinion on money in football. Some believe it ruins it. Some believe it makes it a lot better. But just about everyone believes that it will forever set apart the big boys from the minnows. Liverpool are by no means minnows, and they do have money, just not enough of it to compete year in year out. This is just our opinion though. We do hope Steven Gerrard can prove us wrong and show the World you don't need money to be successful. Here is what the Liverpool man said earlier on.

"I think this season we can definitely win the league. You saw us last year. We were absolutely brilliant. The only thing that has changed here since the end of last year is the manager and a few quality additions to the side. If we can win the league with our slim squad last year we can do it with ease this year.

I don't mean to sound over confident because there are teams like Chelsea, United and City that will punish us if we let complacency into our side. The boys no the gameplan though. They know what is expected of them year in year out, they have it drilled into their heads day in day out. 110% every game. No exceptions. When ever I get a rare game myself, my mindset remains the same as theirs. 110% every game.

I want to bring to this club what previous managers couldn't. Rodgers could easily have done it, and it's a shame he is no longer with us at Liverpool but it's time to move on, Push on, and bring the fans what they want. Glory.

We want to give them everything we can to ensure they get the bragging rights over United...City, Chelsea. Our fans, have gotten the brunt of everything because of the teams failures over the past few years and now it's time to repay them for keeping supporting the club, the team. For having faith in us. We will repay them."

Whether the determination Gerrard shows will be enough to see glory that he wants arrive at Anfield will remain to be seen until the end of this year. Mind you, he's already seen glory. Maybe not the most prestigious achievements but nonetheless Liverpool and Steven Gerrard are the holders of the Community Shield and the UEFA Super Cup. Soon they could see the Club World Championship Cup in the Anfield trophy cabinet as well as the Capital one cup, the FA Cup, and the Premier League.

Liverpool are competing on all fronts possible and have so far been 100% successful. If they keep up the form they are in, their fans could see as many as SIX pieces of silverwear coming their way by the end of the season.

Great, detailed update! I think that you can win the title this season, and maybe some other pieces of silverware as well

Nice update, well done on the result against Chelsea

COMING UP:
Kobenhavn vs Liverpool (UCL)
West Ham vs Liverpool (PREM)
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace (PREM)
Frankfurt vs Liverpool (UCL)

Liverpool would be welcomed to the Parken stadium to play Kobenhavn in the Champions League at the beginning of the month. A game which they really should be winning if they’re to earn some more points in the group and keep up with Milan and Frankfurt before they pulled away from the Reds.

Liverpool ended up triumphant at the end of the game thanks to two goals. The first goal of the game came from the Frenchman Mamadou Sakho who hit the net with a powerful header from Coutinho’s 25th minute corner.

Lorenzo Insigne scored the second and last goal of the game when he was brought down on the edge of the box by Frode Backe. Liverpool were awarded a free kick, and used a little trickery from it.
Luis Suarez ran up to take the free kick but sort of back heeled the ball to Insigne who hit the top right corner with a thunderous shot.

It was time to continue their run of form in the Premier League now, and if Gerrard wanted his comments to at least seem true, his team would need to win away from home to beat West Ham United.

Doing that, was no problem for Liverpool. They scored just one minute into the game, Lazar Markovic with a powerful long range strike which bulged the net soon after the game had gotten underway.

Mamadou Sakho kept consistent as well, as he scored the second of the game with another header from a Coutinho corner. Once again in the 25th minute of the game. West Ham pulled one back in the second half and would you believe it, Andy Carroll would be the man to head in West Ham’s first against his former club and bring them back into the game.

There was no way back for the Hammers though. Luis Suarez was back to haunt them again when he put Liverpool even further into the lead and well away from the reach of West Ham. Suarez made the most of United going down one man after Winston Reid’s dismal hack on the striker, and he broke free of the Hammer’s back line and made it 3-1.

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Another match Liverpool should be winning. Crystal Palace at Anfield. The Red’s managed to surpass through the Eagles to make it to the next round of the Capital One Cup last time around, but could they get what they need again?

Three points and a place at the top of the table was at stake here, but none of that mattered to Liverpool. It was just another game that they had to give everything into. And from start to finish they did that no problem.
Lazar Markovic scored a minute into the game again. The Serb winger has found his form in recent games and he had no trouble finding it again when he was put one on one with the keeper by Coutinho. With the lightest of touches, he turned an opportunity into one of the sharpest of finishes we had seen all season from Liverpool.

Coutinho had to leave to the field in the second half after he was injured by Scott Down who clipped the Brazilian in the heel, leaving the lad on the floor in agony. Reports After the game suggested he had snapped his Achilles tendon, but those reports remain inaccurate.

Liverpool had to carry on with the game without their ‘Brain’ but they found another creative source in Suso who came on for Coutinho. The Spaniard (Suso) created the second goal, and nearly made a few more for main striker Borini. The second goal was scored by the Italian. A headed goal from an early Suso cross sealed the game in Liverpool’s favour.

Lastly, Liverpool came up against Frankfurt. A team seemingly overachieving in this group, and the Bundesliga. They do have a decent squad, but have done really well to get where they are. Liverpool would need to be at their best to see off Eintracht and luckily they were! Just…

Takashi Inui opened the scoring with a goal from 20 yards. Liverpool defended a corner remarkably well and saw that it would go back out to the wing, but only as far as Makoto Hasebe who released the ball quickly into the box. The attack was again thwarted but went out to the edge of the box where Takashi was stood. He blasted the ball but had his shot blocked, the ball came back and he took his second chance with open arms, touching the ball back down, moving across to the right and slamming it home.

Liverpool found a way back into the game. A player who had apparently snapped his Achilles in the last game was back and in the form of his life for Liverpool. He was playing really well all throughout the first half and made a few clear cut chances which were unfortunately blazed either wide or over by Liverpool’s attackers. Enough was enough Coutinho thought, and he decided he’d finish the move himself. He picked up the ball on the half way line and ran straight at the back line which he tricked by playing the ball to his left where Suarez was. Suarez used the momentum of the ball to spin it over the defenders and into the path of the Brazilian, and the ‘brain’ brought it down nicely and finished the move to level the scores, with just one touch. Superb stuff!

Four minutes later, Liverpool turned the game on it’s head, just as we hit the 30 minute mark. Luis Suarez scored the goal to give Liverpool their lead which ultimately won the game. His effort from just a few yards out was created by one of Henderson’s deflected shot. From the shot, the ball hit the post, and Luis Suarez only had to tap the ball into an empty area of the net, which he did.
Mamadou Sakho, disappointed Liverpool by getting sent off in the 90th minute, so the solid French defender will not feature in the next Champions League game at home to Frankfurt.

Gerrard’s View

We’ve taken another step in the right direction here. Four wins in four is fantastic, and we are on the fringe of qualification to the Champions League Round of 16. As well as that, we’re top of the table. I couldn’t as for much more effort from the boys, they have done fantastically so far.

It’s only early in the season still though so we must keep focused. We have a long battle ahead, and we must, must, must put everything into every game. It’s going to be a long season but if we can keep on winning and keep on taking home the points, it’ll be worth it. I see glory at the end of this long, long season.

Some really nice updates here Aaron, and a great month!

Great results and wonderful detail, keep it up!!

Neal & Pompey: Cheers lads!

You've done pretty good with Liverpool, well done