Okay, so i know we already have MOM threads after each match, but thought it would be good for us to do a player of the month also. Having only just thought about doing it we won't have one for August but we'll start with September. Below are recaps taken from the schedule and stats thread I do, in case anyone needs their memories jogging. So take a look over that if you need to and just post the name of your player for the month of September below.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sat 01 Sep, Derby County -- League-- H -- KO-15:00
LFC 6 – Derby 0 : (Alonso (26, 69) - FK, N/A), (Babel (45+1) - A:Arbeloa), (Torres (56, 77) A:Mascherano, Voronin), (Voronin (76) A:Kuyt) --- Bookings: none
Notes: Carrying on our great form from the Toulouse match, we destroyed a Derby side who haven't settled in well with the move from Championship to Premiership. Still missing Stevie and Carra it didn't make a difference, as we hit Derby for 6 and were unluck not to notch double figures. This match has done a lot of good for our goal difference and could mean a lot in a few months time.
Sat 15 Sep, Portsmouth -- League-- A -- KO-12:45 – Live: Sky Sports
Pompey 0 – LFC 0 --- Bookings: Alonso
Notes: Rafa picked a much changed team, leaving Babel, Torres and Gerrard on the bench some might call this result 2 points dropped because of these changes. We again conceded a penalty with a controversial decision given against Arbeloa Pepe continued his impressive penalty saving form, to keep us in the game. Both sides wasted chances in front of goal, portsmouth had arguably the best chance of the match, so to get a point might be considered a decent result.
Tue 18 Sep, Porto -- CL -- A -- KO-7:45 - Live: ITV
Porto 1 – LFC 1 (Kuyt (17) - A:Hyypia) --- Bookings: Pennant x2 (Sent off), Torres, Kuyt, Mascherano
Notes: Woeful performance, Rafa picked pretty much what some would call his full strength team less the injured Agger and they put on the most inept performance of the season so far. We were completely overrun by Porto in the first half, their wingers causing us particular problems. We conceded yet another penalty, when Reina was caught out by some slow defending from Hyypia. Not long after against the run of play we equalised through a well worked cross. Second half improved slightly but nothing spectacular, very easy to pick MOM for this one as only Dirk looked involved in the game.
Sat 22 Sep, Birmingham City -- League-- H -- KO-15:00
LFC 0 - B'ham 0 --- Bookings: None
Notes: A definate improvement on the performance against Porto, but we should have done much better against a much weaker team. Birmingham came to Anfield seemingly with the sole intention of getting a point and that is exactly what the got. They defended well all match, and our forwards (of which we saw all 4) barely troubled them. Equally we weren't troubled in defense the stats showing Bham had 1 shot on target all match. It is a worry that we still aren't able to break down teams who set out to defend, and it is something that needs to be worked on so more points aren't dropped in future. Definately 2 points dropped in this fixture.
Tue 25 Sep, Reading -- CC -- A -- KO-19:45 --Live: Sky Sports
Reading 2 - LFC 4 (Benayoun (23) - No Assist), (Torres (50, 71, 86) A:Leto, Riise, Gerrard) --- Bookings: Lucas
Notes: A very entertaining game of football, started slowly, and we were on the back foot for the first 10 mins or so. Competetive debuts for Leto and Leiva, both played decently enough for their first match, but the players everyone was talking about were Benayoun and Torres. A fantastic solo effort from Yossi, got us on the scoresheet but the main man in this match was Torres with a fantastic hat-trick, even though he received absolutely no protection from woeful referee Martin Atkinson. progression secured to the next round, lets hope this is the beginning of the return to winning ways.
Sat 29 Sep, Wigan Athletic -- League -- A -- KO-15:00
Wigan 0 - LFC 1 (Benayoun (75) - A:Pennant) --- Bookings: Mascherano
Notes: Following on from our previous 2 league matches, we were in danger of only walking away with 1 point, or even none from this fixture. Another case of toiling in midfield and in front of goal, but no end product. Torres missed a few good chances that we would normally have expected him to finish. After penalties not given at both ends, and a goal maybe harshly rules out from Wigan, the game was in danger of ending 0-0. The introduction of benayoun changed things, he showed a superb piece of skill after latching onto a Pennant through ball, he turned his defender twice to break the deadlock and bring all 3 points back to L4.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sat 01 Sep, Derby County -- League-- H -- KO-15:00
LFC 6 – Derby 0 : (Alonso (26, 69) - FK, N/A), (Babel (45+1) - A:Arbeloa), (Torres (56, 77) A:Mascherano, Voronin), (Voronin (76) A:Kuyt) --- Bookings: none
Notes: Carrying on our great form from the Toulouse match, we destroyed a Derby side who haven't settled in well with the move from Championship to Premiership. Still missing Stevie and Carra it didn't make a difference, as we hit Derby for 6 and were unluck not to notch double figures. This match has done a lot of good for our goal difference and could mean a lot in a few months time.
Sat 15 Sep, Portsmouth -- League-- A -- KO-12:45 – Live: Sky Sports
Pompey 0 – LFC 0 --- Bookings: Alonso
Notes: Rafa picked a much changed team, leaving Babel, Torres and Gerrard on the bench some might call this result 2 points dropped because of these changes. We again conceded a penalty with a controversial decision given against Arbeloa Pepe continued his impressive penalty saving form, to keep us in the game. Both sides wasted chances in front of goal, portsmouth had arguably the best chance of the match, so to get a point might be considered a decent result.
Tue 18 Sep, Porto -- CL -- A -- KO-7:45 - Live: ITV
Porto 1 – LFC 1 (Kuyt (17) - A:Hyypia) --- Bookings: Pennant x2 (Sent off), Torres, Kuyt, Mascherano
Notes: Woeful performance, Rafa picked pretty much what some would call his full strength team less the injured Agger and they put on the most inept performance of the season so far. We were completely overrun by Porto in the first half, their wingers causing us particular problems. We conceded yet another penalty, when Reina was caught out by some slow defending from Hyypia. Not long after against the run of play we equalised through a well worked cross. Second half improved slightly but nothing spectacular, very easy to pick MOM for this one as only Dirk looked involved in the game.
Sat 22 Sep, Birmingham City -- League-- H -- KO-15:00
LFC 0 - B'ham 0 --- Bookings: None
Notes: A definate improvement on the performance against Porto, but we should have done much better against a much weaker team. Birmingham came to Anfield seemingly with the sole intention of getting a point and that is exactly what the got. They defended well all match, and our forwards (of which we saw all 4) barely troubled them. Equally we weren't troubled in defense the stats showing Bham had 1 shot on target all match. It is a worry that we still aren't able to break down teams who set out to defend, and it is something that needs to be worked on so more points aren't dropped in future. Definately 2 points dropped in this fixture.
Tue 25 Sep, Reading -- CC -- A -- KO-19:45 --Live: Sky Sports
Reading 2 - LFC 4 (Benayoun (23) - No Assist), (Torres (50, 71, 86) A:Leto, Riise, Gerrard) --- Bookings: Lucas
Notes: A very entertaining game of football, started slowly, and we were on the back foot for the first 10 mins or so. Competetive debuts for Leto and Leiva, both played decently enough for their first match, but the players everyone was talking about were Benayoun and Torres. A fantastic solo effort from Yossi, got us on the scoresheet but the main man in this match was Torres with a fantastic hat-trick, even though he received absolutely no protection from woeful referee Martin Atkinson. progression secured to the next round, lets hope this is the beginning of the return to winning ways.
Sat 29 Sep, Wigan Athletic -- League -- A -- KO-15:00
Wigan 0 - LFC 1 (Benayoun (75) - A:Pennant) --- Bookings: Mascherano
Notes: Following on from our previous 2 league matches, we were in danger of only walking away with 1 point, or even none from this fixture. Another case of toiling in midfield and in front of goal, but no end product. Torres missed a few good chances that we would normally have expected him to finish. After penalties not given at both ends, and a goal maybe harshly rules out from Wigan, the game was in danger of ending 0-0. The introduction of benayoun changed things, he showed a superb piece of skill after latching onto a Pennant through ball, he turned his defender twice to break the deadlock and bring all 3 points back to L4.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comment