Anfield Roar - March 2014 by Anfield Roar

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OMG! Somebody slap me! It’s hard to believe that there are just nine games to go and pundits, supporters and people on the streets are talking – genuinely – about LFC winning the title this year! It’s unbelievable how far we have come in such a short time. I would’ve dealt on 4th place before the start of the season: just enough to make sure we keep Luis happy, and give a solid foundation from which to build, buy a few more players, and slowly climb onwards and upwards over the next three seasons, before winning the league in 2018. And that was in my dreams! Suffice to say, we have surpassed all expectations this season. Granted, the fact that we are in the mix is also partly due to the lack of any of the ‘big (spending) boys’ to find any real consistency or form. They have dropped almost as many silly points as us. What an exciting time to be an LFC fan! So exciting, in fact, that it pushes the incredible news of Anfield Roar fanzine down into second place: this month we have an EXCLUSIVE interview with the one and only Ian Rush! Ian Rush, kids, was the greatest goalscorer that we have ever seen in an LFC shirt. He was and is an absolute legend, and his interview makes for compelling reading, and was an absolute pleasure! Also in this issue is a consideration of what makes us the topscoring team in the Premier League, a look at our loan signings, as well as Steve Gerrard-Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Sterling for England, and all the usual favourites. And finally a challenge for you: if you like more than one article in this mag, I challenge you to forward it to at least two fellow LFC fans. Let’s spread the word! YNWA

Message from the Editor

Excited for the new season!

Postbox

Fan rants and opinion

Exclusive Interview: Ian Rush

After all the hard work, is a top four spot within our grasp?

Keep Calm & Walk On

With just 9 games to go weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re sitting pretty, and could be on for the title!

Scoring Goals

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a goal machine right now - where has it all started to go right for us?

Johnson for England

Should Glen Johnson be on the plane to Brazil this summer?

Sterling for England

Support is growing for Raheem Sterling to be unlocking international defences...

Married at Anfield Would YOU get away with having the wedding at Anfield?

On the Pitch

A look back on the last month’s games. We’re in it to win it!

Victory over United

Emma Rhodes re-lives our glorious victory over Manchester United.

In from the cold: Borini & Reina

How have they done out on loan, and should we be expecting them back next season?

Investing in Kids

We’re returning to the ‘Liverpool Way’ with our emphasis on giving youngsters a chance

The Month Ahead

We preview the big fixtures, and predict the results (and we’re only slightly biased!)

Focus on: Steven Gerrard

He has earned the love of the fans, and is now making waves in his new position

Best of Youtube

Our pick of the best Youtube footage picks up Luis Suarez at his best.

As Clear as Day Even Gavin is starting to get excited about our title chances!

Dear Anfield Roar, Liverpool ARE in the title race. One slip-up from City and Liverpool control their own destiny. Liverpool ARE one of three teams vying in a very tight title race that could go decisively in favour of any one of them. Liverpool ARE in the best form of the three. We're a very good side who might just achieve the 'impossible' of moving from 7th to winning the league in one easy step. It's a satisfying season whether we finish 1st, 2nd 3rd or (worst case) 4th because we're back mixing it with the big boys and we have a plan. David Donnellt, Liverpool ________________________________________________________________ Dear Anfield Roar It was a good win against an abject United. But that's it - we're still only an outside chance at the title. We've pretty much wrapped up top four after today so that's mission accomplished. If we play well and have a bit of luck we have a chance of winning out - which is pretty much what we'd need to do to get a shot at the title. But we've played well and been beaten by both City and Chelsea already this season. Hope is great, but it certainly hasn't turned into expectation yet. Sam Thompson, Fazackerley 6

POSTBOX Dear Anfield Roar, One of the most curious things about football fans is the way so many of them assume things will just remain the same forever. I've never understood it - but over the past decade and more, it's translated into the most ludicrously disparaging treatment of Liverpool: as some antiquated club stuck in the past. And it's also translated into laughable presumptions among many Man Utd fans that their own club's success would just go on forever and ever. Some even concluded that Liverpool were no longer their biggest rivals - but as by far the two biggest clubs in England, of course they are. And as United's only rivals in terms of sheer size, they were never going to stay down forever. Sport is cyclical. Man Utd went 26 years without winning a league title; then won 13 in the next 20 years. Liverpool won 11 titles in 18 years; yet have gone the last 24 years without winning any. History tells us that nothing lasts forever; Empires fall and rise elsewhere; and this is as true in sport as anywhere else. Liverpool's appointment last season of a very bright, young, innovative manager, who would transform their style of play and has a deep, intrinsic, emotional feel for the history of the club was ridiculed by many. Laughably, having inherited an oil tanker which would take considerable time to turn around, Brendan Rodgers was being depicted as wholly out of his depth only last season. Well, the boot's on the other foot now. Suddenly, Liverpool look in rude health on and off the pitch, under owners who've already transformed the Boston Red Sox. Yet these excellent owners, who really understand their business, were being slagged off even by Liverpool fans when they got rid of a dinosaur named Dalglish who'd just led the club to its joint worst league campaign in half a century. Liverpool might win the league this season, or they might not: the chances are, they won't. But they're back now: this is no false dawn at Anfield. Financial Fair Play will help their future prospects considerably; and so will a style of football which is becoming more effective and dynamic with every passing week. Carl Rogers, Hale

POSTBOX Dear Anfield Roar, I thought BR would be another mistake like Hodgson, and after the initial first few games and the stuff he said it certainly looked that way, but hold my hands up now, I couldn't have been more wrong! Rodgers looks like the real deal as a coach. Am not entirely convinced of his transfer dealings (Sturridge aside, as he was a steal), but if he can turn decent players into exceptional players once he's got his hands on them, that will do for me. The days of any side being a shoo-in for Champions League football are over, I think, as there are now the traditional "top 4", City, Tottenham and perhaps, under Martinez, Everton, all in the mix. So we should be pleased if we qualify, but not take it for granted that we're "back". Rodgers deserves huge credit for the work he has done over the last 2 seasons. We were at an all time low just 2 years ago, we have spent huge amounts of money on players who for the most part weren't Liverpool players. Our squad was paper thin and without Luis we were looking more and more like a championship side. Less than 2 years down the track the side are playing the best football in the country, have created more, scored more and are in the title race with a good chance of winning it. YNWA Andrea Sproggan, via email

This is a new community section of our Fanzine, where we highlight issues or news on behalf of other LFC fans around the world to show that we are, indeed, not walking alone. Liverpool Want Your Scarves Liverpool have launched a campaign to mark the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster by asking fans of all clubs to donate a scarf as a sign on unity. The club will hold the Hillsborough Memorial Service on Tuesday April 15 and want Liverpool fans as well as followers of other teams and sports to donate a scarf. Each scarf will be laid out for the Hillsborough Memorial Service on the pitch of Anfield in the shape of the number ‘96’. People are invited to send in any type of club scarf, no matter what sport they represent, and are requested to do so to reach Liverpool no later than Tuesday 8th April. Liverpool Fans Sue Police A group of Liverpool football supporters are suing the police for more than £1million after they were 'wrongfully imprisoned' on their coaches on the way back from an away game. Members of Spirit of Shankly claim their human rights were violated during the 4-hour journey from a match against Sunderland. The fans, including disabled supporters and mothers with young children, say they were not allowed to go to the toilet at motorway service stations because the officers escorting their coaches would not let them off. SOS is launching legal claims against Durham, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and Greater Manchester police forces over the incident in March 2011, which involved 500 fans travelling on 12 coaches. If you have an issue or idea that you would like to share with fellow LFC fans, then please get in touch!

a Gary McParnaby talks exclusively to Liverpool living legend Ian Rush. Is he better than Sturridge and Suarez? Two years ago, Manchester United finally surpassed Liverpool for having the record number of Championship titles. When Liverpool last won the title (1989-90), it was as inconceivable that we wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t win the title again for over 20 years as it would be for a United fan now to think that they can put their lucky pants away until 2036. But kids, we were once the Manchester United of yore. In fact, United were the New Liverpool in that respect. We won the league ten times in the 14 seasons between 1975 and 1990! Imagine that! There were obviously plenty of different generations of winning teams, and there are a myriad of LFC legends from that era, but one man who stands above most of the rest (he was voted the third best LFC player of all time in a recent poll) is Ian Rush. A legend both in his own right, but also as a double act alongside King Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush holds the record for scoring the 10

IAN RUSH most goals for LFC. When you consider how many great strikers we have had, that is some accolade. He won two European Cups, five League titles, three FA Cups, and five League Cups, and scored 346 goals in 660 games over 15 seasons at LFC (19801996). We recently caught up with Rushie, armed with a few questions from the Facebook group â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I love Liverpoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Hi Ian, what are you up to these days? I'm currently the official ambassador for Liverpool Football Club. I travel the world, helping to promote the brand Liverpool has such great supporters across the globe and so many of them, it's a brilliant thing to be able to do. I really enjoy travelling the world with the Club.

Then and Now

I'm also Elite Performance Director at the Welsh FA, which again I really enjoy. I really like the grassroots side of football and getting involved with that. Both of these roles keep me going. CURRENT PERFORMANCE You obviously know what happens behind-the-scenes and you must get to see the team training. Have you been surprised by their progress this season and how high in the league can we finish? I think if you'd have given us top four at the beginning of the season, we'd be very happy. But now, the way that the team has performed this season, we're looking to get even better than that! It hasn't surprised me as we've got the talent there, the thing is bringing it together as a team. I think Brendan Rodgers has done a great job in getting the team spirit focused on that and to be successful at the top, you need that. 11

IAN RUSH It's good having individuals, but to play as a team is more important and I think that's what Brendan has fostered and that's why we're playing so well this season. If Liverpool get into the Champions League next season, considering how young the current squad is, do you think we'll do well? I think we should take one step at a time really. We need to focus right now on securing our Champions League space and if we do that, I'm sure Brendan will look in the summer at what's needed, if anything, to do well in the competition.

It's good having individuals, but to play as a team is more important and I think that's what Brendan has fostered and that's why we're playing so well this season. SCORING GOALS What's the best goal you ever scored? I don't have a favourite or best goal. People ask me this question all of the time, but goal-scoring was my job and every goal I scored was important. I got the same feeling with every goal - whether I scored from 20 yards out or one yard out. Would you say you are LFC's best ever striker or if not, who? Well, I'm technically LFC's best ever goal scorer, as I've scored the most goals! Throughout the years, there have been some great players, but if you're going on goals, I've scored 346 of them. Do you ever want your LFC goal scoring record to be broken? I think records are there to be broken, and I think if you'd have asked Roger Hunt when I broke his, he'd say that's just what happens. 12

IAN RUSH If you're a Liverpool supporter, if it is broken, it means LFC have been successful and it's nice to see that. But, to break such a record, it means you have to stay loyal to the Club and also free from injury, so we'll just have to wait and see. Who's the best player you ever played with at LFC? Obviously, it was Kenny Dalglish. We had a great understanding together and he helped me in my game.

LFC TOP SCORERS 346 286 241 228 183 172 170 158

Ian Rush Roger Hunt Gordon Hodgson Billy Liddell Robbie Fowler Kenny Dalglish Steven Gerrard Michael Owen

If you could pick one player from the team of today to play alongside, who would it be? The standouts for me are Gerrard and Suarez. In my day, I played with Kenny and I was lucky enough to do that. How would you compare the SAS partnership to the Rush and Dalglish partnership? The SAS partnership is similar in a way, but myself and Kenny did it for years. A great part of a successful partnership is having both players scoring, which myself and Kenny did, and so does Sturridge and Suarez. It's great to watch â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but ask me that question in a year or two, then you can start properly comparing them to myself and Kenny!

How do SAS compare? Ask me that question in a year or two, then you can start properly comparing them to myself and Kenny! Do you think Rush and Suarez would be a good partnership and who would score the most goals? Great players can play with anyone as they can adapt to the situation and that's what it's all about. Suarez is similar to Kenny, so certainly, I could play with Suarez and perhaps I might be the main goal scorer. But I think Suarez would come in with his share.

IAN RUSH WINNING LFC used to win everything, how did you used to motivate yourself for Stoke City away on a Tuesday night? As a player, it's your job to play and do your best at all times, whether that's on a Saturday against Manchester United or whether it was Stoke on a Tuesday night in the middle of winter. You have to be professional. Which trophy gives you the greatest satisfaction? When you first win the league is always going to be pretty special. My dream as a young boy was to win the FA Cup and it came true for me, which was brilliant. Individually, it would have to be the FA Cup as it was my dream growing up, and to score in the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;86 FA cup final was fantastic. But to win the league is very special. Ronnie Moran used to say winning the league is your bread and butter and that's the hardest thing to win.

Everton came to watch me and their manager said I wasn't good enough! EVERTON You were famously a boyhood Everton fan, would you have ever considered playing in blue? When I was at Chester in the early days, Everton came to watch me and their manager said I wasn't good enough! When I signed for Liverpool, it was a completely different situation, I just wanted to do well for the Club and once I realised what the atmosphere and the supporters were like, I didn't want to play for Everton then. Expertly written by: Gary McParnaby Send your feedback editor@anfieldroar.com 14

Is this our year? George Way looks at how a remarkable season has panned out. The 2013/14 season has been utterly remarkable; the entire football supporting population of England have been treated to a year of surprises and truly shocking results. No fans have enjoyed it more than that of Liverpool, as the men in red have experienced one of our best seasons since 2009 when Rafa Benitez guided the Reds to a second place finish. Since then, it has been mainly suffering and gloom on Merseyside â&#x20AC;&#x201C; under the reign of Hodgson and Dalglish, the Reds have slipped into mid-table mediocrity. Now though, thanks to the brilliance of Liverpool coupled with the demise of certain other teams, it seems that we are back, but the real question now is, for how long? Based on the evidence of last season, I would have to say not very long at all; in the past Liverpool have only showed class in fits and spurts, but without ever holding on to any run of form. 15

KEEP CALM Nevertheless, the Premier League is a completely different situation, and (on viewing only this year) it would be hard to rule Liverpool out of the title race. It is important not to discount the class of the opposition they face, Chelsea in particular, but perhaps the Reds could try and learn a lesson from their rivals. Perhaps the current leaders would be a good place to start; whilst Chelsea have had millions of pounds worth of players brought into the club, the secret to their success goes deeper than that. On the surface, one reason for their success in recent years can be noted – though some may confuse it with arrogance, ambition has almost became bred into the DNA of the London club. So, if Liverpool do want to carry on as they have, they will have to try and replicate this – and to do this, the senior squad members will be responsible for encouraging the less experienced players. Thankfully for the Reds, we have such senior players in our ranks; the likes of Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, and even Kolo Toure have the respect of younger players. In regards to Kolo Toure, he could be the perfect man to inspire a title charge – the Ivorian has the incredible record of winning the Premier League title with every club he has played for in England. And then, captain fantastic: Steven Gerrard’s thirst for a league title is well documented, and this desire could be the springboard for a push for 1st place. It would seem that this charge for a 19th league title has already begun; the Reds haven’t registered a defeat in the Premier League 16

KEEP CALM since December. This form is almost unrivalled in England, and if it continues, it would be hard to see past a top 2 finish. If, at the start of the season, anybody offered Brendan Rodgers a finish in the Champions League places, I am convinced he would have taken it. But now, following massive wins over our closest rivals, it would seem that now is the time to believe.

If it continues, it would be hard to see past a top 2 finish on Merseyside. Indeed, belief is growing; with every passing weekend, Liverpool edge closer to top spot – one of the most significant games will perhaps be the 3-0 obliteration of Manchester United at Old Trafford. Games such as these can only be a good thing as the Reds emerge with a huge confidence boost and all 3 points. However, as it stands, even if Liverpool do manage to take maximum points from every game, the Reds still may not finish up on top. Therefore, Brendan’s men may find themselves relying on others to slip up: and ultimately, I cannot see this happening. And so back to the initial question: can Liverpool hang on? Though it pains me to say it, I believe that this year we may have made one too many mistakes early in the season, failing to beat Villa and West Brom, for instance. I think I speak on behalf of most Liverpool fans when I say that we have the quality to win the league, but equally I don’t think that City and Chelsea will drop the points to lose it. Regardless, anything could happen, we just have to sit tight and stay hopeful. Expertly written by: George Way - you can send your feedback to us and we’ll pass it on - editor@anfieldroar.com 17

SCORING GOALS Aizaz Sheikh takes a look at just why weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve suddenly become a goal machine of a team. Averaging 2.6 goals a game, the one thing you can almost guarantee with Liverpool is that they WILL score. They pretty much concede one a game too, but (boring) Chelsea aside, so do pretty much everyone else. In the last 10 Premier League games, Liverpool have scored 2, 5, 2, 4, 1, 5, 3, 4, 3 and 3. One of the 5's was against Arsenal. One of the 4's was Everton. The latest 3 was Manchester United, and there was a 5 against Tottenham earlier in the season. So, where did this come from? After all, Liverpool ended the 201112 with 47 goals in 38 games. The last 10 games alone, plus that 5 against Tottenham yielded 37. Trying to rationalise what has happened is never going to be scientific. If it was so easy to define, every team in the land would be doing it. To summarise in a word, and I have to apologise to the Rafa Brigade out there, if they are still out there, it's fair to call this a revolution. A real revolution. 18

GOALS History has taught us that revolutions centre on two major components - key people and key moments. Sprinkled with time, patience and a bit of the ol' good fortune. Luckily for Liverpool, this masterpiece to date has had all the right ingredients.

Liverpool ended the 2011-12 with 47 goals in 38 games. The last 10 games alone, plus that 5 against Tottenham yielded 37. The essence of what has begun now started in the summer 2012. June 1st to be specific. Liverpool unveiled Brendan Rodgers as their new manager. It's easy to forget that so many traditionalists wanted to see King Kenny given a longer crack at his 2nd coming. And it didn't start too well, but Rodgers didn't sign for the short term. As a training ground coach, he needed time. And, as he specialises in working with young players, he needed patience. That patience and faith took a shot when early season results went against him. Also, the PR disaster that was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Being: Liverpoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; beamed across TVs worldwide. No one suffered more than Brendan. His canvas painting and dodgy envelopes (surely one had Stewart Downing in there!!!) the butt of all jokes. 21 months later, everyone who doubted Rodgers is eating their words. Of course, he still talks a great game, but he backs it up at Melwood. He is no longer (just) known for his words and quotes. People are talking about aggressive attacking play and intricate tinkering. His in-game management continues to improve. And, the way he has turned around the careers of Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling are borderline genius. Most impressive is his ability to admit mistakes, and with humility, move on. He doesn't have to ram an idea down your throat to the detriment of the team and his own career. He tries something else. 19

GOALS The next piece of the puzzle is, of course, Luis Suarez. In summer 2012, Suarez went from being a talented yet wasteful striker to becoming Liverpool's *new* Kop King. Rodgers again played his part, but so much credit has to go to the Uruguayan himself. He worked on new aspects of his game. Above anything else, he rose to the occasion, and became a role model to the young attackers around him. He is now peerless in the Prem. We add a drizzle of patience in next - let's not forget how bleak the start of 2012-13 was. Fans were restless. During that run, one Liverpool fan on BBC's 606 show, called for Brendan's head, labeling him a 'charlatan'. Liverpool Facebook fanpage 'The Spyin' Kop' started losing followers. Taking the most pro-Rodgers stance I saw, the page started to voluntarily ask fans who were bashing him to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;unlikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; their page. The next moment in time is the January 2013 transfer window. In came Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge. The attacking part of the concoction took a major step-up. Sturridge has never looked back - he scores goals, he makes goals, and even on off days, and he has them, he is a total menace. He has carried the team on his back at times, you can argue, he has been Liverpool's star man. At least over the whole season. We'll touch on that in a bit.

Sturridge has never looked back - he scores goals, he makes goals, and even on off days, he is a total menace. Coutinho's been more hit and miss but has brought flair and fantasy to the team. Coutinho's been more hit and miss, but he represented two major things. One, he brought flair and fantasy to the team. In particular, towards the end of last season. He made teams think about more than just Suarez and Sturridge, and gave Brendan some breathing room to try new things. 20

GOALS He also represented something else. In the summer of 2013, when Luis Suarez was all but out of the door and on a one-way journey to the Emirates, Coutinhoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presence was massive. He became Liverpool's poster boy. He, far too early, became the darling of the Kop. Yes, until Suarez wrestled that status back, Coutinho became Liverpool's fantasy man. He was selling more shirts than Suarez, Sturridge and even Gerrard. You can still see that an Anfield. After Suarez's bite, Sturridge and Coutinho came in to their own, spearheading the attack with distinction. The end of 2012-13 saw some marvellous performances from the pair, and the team in general. Liverpool were an attacking force, and they did it without their star man. The next moment in time is summer 2013. Liverpool dug in their heels to keep Luis Suarez. In the moment it showed that the owners and management had developed a steely determination. The real pay-off would come later.

Off the field, there were many transfer targets that went amiss. An off-season, which in terms of recruitment seemed a total flop, was in fact one that built stability. Keeping Suarez was better than a major signing. And no incoming talent of real quality meant players continued to prosper. Was this the plan the whole time? 21

GOALS Rodgers' training ground work was paying off. Jordan Henderson continued to go from strength to strength. Raheem Sterling was building himself up in the gym, and although his season started a little sketchy, the seeds were firmly planted. At Melwood, Jon Flanagan was pushing hard for a first team place. On the pitch, Sturridge took over, inspiring the Reds to three 1-0 wins. Losing the next game to Southampton, at home, proved to be a humbling experience. Liverpool roared back, winning 5 of the next 6. The first game in the run saw the return of a revitalised Suarez. El Pistolero (is he still called that) was back. If key moments led Liverpool to where they are right now, there were 3 more in the span of 14 days that rocketed their belief as a team. Incidentally, 2 of them were in defeat. Blitzing Tottenham was the first, but the brave away defeats to Man City and Chelsea told their own story. Depleted by injury Liverpool went close. They could, and should have won the Man City game. After the game Rodgers touched on his pride at the progress. Even in defeat, we were all starting to believe. So what happened that led to the goal blitz? All of the above. In writing this article I searched for statistics and trends. I looked at systems and formations. None of the above told the whole story. The story is bigger than that. The story is one of synergy and evolution. People and moments. Time and patience. Added together, the story could be a masterpiece. More than anything, the story is of restoring our pride and belief. We are Liverpool, and we are planning to stick around. In the flashiest, most entertaining way possible. YNWA Expertly written by: Aizaz Sheikh Tweet us your thoughts - @anfieldroarmag

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www.liverpooltees.com 23

GLEN

FORENGLAND

JOHNSON

Michael Reid thinks that the right-back spot should be given to Glen Johnson in Brazil this summer... He’s a footballer that splits opinion of football fans and pundits across the country. He’s rarely in the media spotlight, unassumingly playing his football whilst studying for his degree in maths. But just how good is Glen Johnson? Since he arrived at Merseyside for around £17m in 2009 from Portsmouth (well, £10m plus the waiving of the £7m owed to Liverpool by Pompey for the purchase of Peter Crouch), Johnson has been a regular in the Liverpool starting XI, playing 163 league, cup and European games in this near 5 year period. The full-back, now at 29 years of age, is undoubtedly a footballer who has always had great ability. He has won 2 League Cups, an FA Cup, even a Premier League title in his Chelsea days and has earned exactly half a century of England caps. However, with the Greenwich born defender reaching the dreaded 30’s at the start of next season, the question that needs to be asked is whether or not he still has what it takes at the highest level. And does he still warrant his high wage package? 24

FOR ENGLAND The answer is open to debate. Johnson is a virtual certainty to go to the World Cup in Brazil this summer, and indeed will most likely be in Roy Hodgson’s strongest eleven – he is unquestionably better than the man who seems to be his main rival at right back, Kyle Walker. Having said this, the international game and club football are two very, very different things, and many argue that he is not good enough for Liverpool anymore, particularly with (I’ll say this quietly) the prospect of Champions League football next campaign.

His statistics make impressive reading this season – 83% passing accuracy, 55.6% duels won, 50% shooting accuracy - all highly respectable. To start to judge this, let’s take a look at his numbers. They make for impressive reading this season in truth – 83% passing accuracy, 55.6% duels won, 50% shooting accuracy - all highly respectable. Then for those who argue he isn’t good enough defensively, 86% tackling accuracy, more than 2.5 clearances per game and committing an average of less than 1 foul a game are all stats that suggest otherwise. With this in mind, it would seem any negatives in his play are to be found when you look beyond what the Opta boffins say. A major criticism of our number 2 is his attitude, more specifically the effort he puts in over 90 minutes. Does he try hard enough to sprint back after he gets forward? Does he really look like he puts his heart and soul into every performance? Has he actually improved with experience? All of these are valid doubts, and perhaps Johnson would be a better footballer if he had the work rate of somebody like Jordan Henderson for example.

FOR ENGLAND He has always had the talent to be one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest full backs and yet has never quite got there and that can only be down what can only be described, even if a little harshly, as laziness during a game. Even in his offensive style for which he has such a great reputation, Glen Johnson loves to cut inside, whether this is onto his left or right foot. He is incredibly two footed but this means he seems to want to join the likes of Suarez and Sturridge in the middle of the pitch rather than provide natural width as many modern day full backs are required to do, whether he plays left or right back. This becomes a huge problem if he, or another player in a red shirt, loses the ball, and the opponents break on the wing, Johnson is primarily supposed to be defending. How many times in a game does Lucas, or more recently, Steven Gerrard, have to cover the wide area Johnson has left unoccupied when opponents are on the counter? Probably far too many. But despite this, whether you agree or not, Glen Johnson is, and always has been, one of the best full backs in the Premier League. There is a reason that, regardless of who the England manager is, Johnson has always been picked to start major international

FOR ENGLAND games. There is a reason that Rafael Benitez, Kenny Dalglish and now Brendan Rodgers have stuck by him for five seasons. The professionals see the qualities he has that very few other full backs possess. His end product is reliable, his aerial ability for a wide man is impeccable, his speed is as quick as any winger the Premier League has thrown at him in his career. I could go on and on really.

There is a reason that Rafael Benitez, Kenny Dalglish and now Brendan Rodgers have stuck by him for five seasons. For Liverpool right now however, his most important quality is undoubtedly his experience – he has been there, done that and bought the t-shirt. He has a Premier League winner’s medal – the importance of which cannot be understated bearing in mind Liverpool’s position in the race for this title with just nine games remaining. He has also played Champions League football, again the experience of which could be invaluable for if he is still with Liverpool next season and should we qualify for the tournament in 14/15. This is something not many Liverpool players, and certainly none of the clubs other right backs, possess. And this, is why Glen Johnson is still an important player for club and country. Expertly written by: Michael Reid Feedback? Send your feedback to : editor@anfieldroar.com

RAHEEM

FORENGLAND

STERLING

Paul McFarland gives his backing to a youngster who is fast making a name for himself. Will it be enough? Raheem Sterling for England. In my opinion it's a must. This time last year I would've said ‘No, not yet it's far too soon…’ but now, how can you leave him out?! On 24 March 2012, Sterling made his senior Liverpool debut as a substitute in a league match against Wigan Athletic, aged 17 years and 107 days, becoming the secondyoungest player ever to play for the club in the process. On 1 May he made his second appearance, again as a substitute, against Fulham. On the final home game of the season, he made another substitute appearance in a 4–1 win against Chelsea. Believe it or not, he then made his senior debut for England on 14th November 2012, starting in a friendly away to Sweden! But too much, too soon, and shortly after playing for England, he seemed to lose his way.

Old Friends... 28

FOR ENGLAND Whether this was down to Raheem's head being turned by stuff away from the football pitch I'm not sure. But if memory serves me right Brendan Rodgers came out and said as much at the time. So what's changed? Well for me it seems like Rodgers has taken Sterling to the side and either talked to him in a fatherly way (or just gave him a good old fashioned bollocking!), then left him out of the team so that he had time to get his head on straight.

Raheem's all round game has taken a step forward. He has found that confidence again to run at - and take the ball past players at pace. Since the start of the 2013/14 season he has slowly but surely started to get his form and starting position back, and now he seems to be a completely different player - his all round game seems to have come on loads. All except his attitude haha: When he pushed that Manc-loving clown Howard Webb in the FA cup match against Arsenal: Priceless. That's up there for me with Shelvey telling Fergie to do one the other year. Jonjo is a legend in my book. Not that I condone such things. Well not much :-). But Raheem's all round game has taken a step forward for the better in my opinion: he has found that confidence again to run at and take the ball past - players and learnt when to cross and when to drive into the box. Even when he doesn't have the ball he seems to be getting himself in the right places, and he's not afraid to stick a tackle in.

FOR ENGLAND So he fully does deserve his latest England call up, and if he continues playing the way he has been of late then I don't see any reason why he shouldn't go to the World Cup as part of the England squad. At the minute would he be in the starting eleven for England. Indeed, I think England would do well to have as many LFC players as they can muster, because we are the only team showing any sort of form or consistency at the moment. I think most non-LFC supporting England fans might suggest otherwise (as they probably donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get a full flavour of just how good he is from the TV highlights each week), but the people in the know, LFC fans, would give him an emphatic YES because in truth, there is no-one better to play in that position at the minute. Expertly written by: Paul McFarland Feedback? Send your feedback to : editor@anfieldroar.com

SNAPPED! Liverpool star Jordan Henderson slums it with Sunderland fans at Wembley The Liverpool star snubbed the luxury boxes to watch his boyhood club lose the Capital One Cup final from the stands. Fabio Borini had given Sunderland the lead before Manchester City came surging back to win 3-1.

WOULD YOU GET MARRIED AT ANFIELD? Paul Baker reckons he would have got married at Liverpool’s stadium—and thesedays it will only cost you a mere £5000. Some of us of a certain age can remember when football grounds were for watching your team play football at 3pm on a Saturday, and hopefully picking up 3 points! Then off home to watch Match of the Day. There was no transfer window, and playing for England for a massive honour! Life did feel simpler back then. If your club was lucky enough to have a wealthy Chairman, then the Manager would have the means to be able to sign halfdecent players and you could hopefully challenge for the title and F.A. Cup. Then basically overnight Sky TV brought up all the rights and everything changed. Life would never be the same again. 31

MARRIED For the most part, aside from no more free Football on TV, the TV money has greatly improved the quality of the game: the level of football on offer in the Premier League is sometimes world class and the best players in the World are willing to ply their trade at the top clubs. The average wage of a player in the top flight before bonuses, is well over £1 million per year! Of course some earn a great deal more then that figure. This is one of the reasons for the sky high match day ticket prices. QPR now have a players wage bill higher then Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund! The current group of young English players would have a chance of doing well at this year’s World Cup, if it was not for the present England manager and his defensive tactics. Last Wednesday against Denmark (A Country who failed to qualify for the finals) was unfortunately another example: we would do better in Brazil by giving BR the job for the tournament. But that’s by the by. With the increased money coming into the game, so the costs have rocketed. Some PL clubs spend 70% of turnover on players wages alone, and most clubs run at a loss because of this. There will be some owners who will be losing sleep over the impending introduction of the UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations.

Clubs are looking to new areas to grow revenues Clubs can now no longer rely on the rich old Chairman (think Blackburn Rogers and Jack Walker). Instead, revenues are being sought from all areas of the business to enable the team to maintain and compete at the top level. One example of this is the length and breadth of the world that Prem Clubs are willing to visit on pre-season tours in desperate search of a few dollars. 32

MARRIED With this is mind, clubs are looking to new areas to grow revenues. At our club, it is now possible for you and your intended to tie the knot! Prices start from ÂŁ4650 for the special day. I have no doubt that the team at Anfield would ensure that your big day is perfect and a truly memorable one. (For anybody interested in getting married at Anfield, there is a Wedding Fair on Sunday 6th April from 11am.)

I, for one, would happily have tied the knot at Anfield, however I am not sure the better half would have been so keen on it the first time around. On broaching the subject, purely for research only, she did agree that if we were ever to renew our vows that she would not be against the idea of Anfield as a venue. I took that as a point well earned, similar to getting a score draw at the Nou Camp! YNWA Expertly written by: Paul Baker Feedback? Send your feedback to : @paul_baker

How did Liverpool do on the pitch over the last month? Janoo Wasan guides us through our wins, draws and losses... Liverpool 4 - 3 Swansea City 23/02/14 Following a 5th round FA Cup exit at the expense of Arsenal in their last game, Liverpool looked at the Swansea game fully focused on the only competition they remained in - the domestic league. The reverse (away) fixture where Liverpool faced Swansea was a game marked by many goals (and former red, Jonjo Shelvey), and this fixture was ‘almost’ no different. Liverpool started strongly, scoring just after 3 minutes with a goal from in-form striker, Daniel Sturridge. Raheem Sterling won possession from Swansea man, Angel Rangel, and threaded a ‘Coutinho-esque’ throw ball, splitting the Swans high defensive line, leaving Sturridge with only Vorm to beat. Sturridge calmly rounded Vorm and slotted the ball into an empty net to give Liverpool the early 1-0 lead. Liverpool continued to attack and just 17 minutes later, once again, the Reds found the net to extend their lead to 2-0. 34

ON THE PITCH Sturridge breezed past Taylor before cutting inside from the wing and found Jordan Henderson just outside the box. Henderson calmly received and placed the ball precisely into the top right corner of the net, leaving Vorm rooted and Swansea helpless. At this stage, Liverpool, comfortably up 2-0 in 20 minutes looked like they were going to annihilate the Swans, as they have done to many sides thus far this season. But that wasn’t the case… The next 10 minutes bizarrely saw Swansea level. Just 3 minutes after Henderson’s goal, the Swans managed to pull one back following a stunning strike from former red, Jonjo Shelvey. Dyer played the ball in towards Shelvey, who struck the ball first time into the back of the net (off the crossbar), beating an outstretched Mignolet. The Liverpool fans acknowledged Shelvey’s strike (and time at the club), giving him a warm ovation. Shelvey acknowledged the fans and his former club, respectfully muting his celebration. 4 minutes after Shelvey’s goal, Swansea were level thanks to Wilfried Bony and unfortunately, Martin Skrtel who deflected the ball helplessly into his own net, leaving Mignolet and the rest of the fans frustrated. Mike Jones harshly awarded the Swans a free-kick following a Martin Skrtel challenge on Shelvey. Swansea capitalised on this free-kick and Liverpool’s poor defending when De Guzman’s free-kick was met by the head of Bony, who nodded onto Skrtel’s shoulder, sending the ball past a unsighted Mignolet. At this stage, Swansea had more control of possession and the momentum going into the end of the first half. 35

ON THE PITCH However, it was Liverpool who broke away into the lead again after 36 minutes. The combination of Suarez and Sturridge (SAS) once again showed its magic. Suarez, on the wing, floated a cross in the box towards Sturridge, who nodded powerfully past Vorm to restore Liverpool’s lead at 3-2. The Liverpool fans breathed a sigh of relief going into the second half and were more confident at the break. The confidence of the fans were knocked down once again in this rollercoaster game when, just after the break, Mike Jones awarded Swansea a penalty as he deemed Skrtel to be unfairly challenging Bony in the air. Bony made no mistake, cooly slotting the penalty past Mignolet. At 3-3, a frustrated Liverpool, following individual defensive errors, sought to attack and get the crucial 4th goal. At this stage in the game, Swansea seemed fairly content to sit back and further frustrate the reds. Liverpool persevered and after 74 minutes, the reds were fortunately rewarded with a goal. Gerrard, sitting in his deeper midfield role, played a brilliant 40 yard cross field ball to Suarez, who controlled and shot at goal. Williams desperately blocked Suarez’s somewhat scuffed shot, but Henderson followed up and only after a second attempt, following a desperate save by Vorm, was Henderson able to put the ball over the line and secure the 3 points for Liverpool. MOTM: Henderson - He ran tirelessly once again pressing the Swansea midfield, but also made room for himself, getting into good positions during Liverpool’s attacks, and was rewarded with 2 deserved goals.

ON THE PITCH Southampton 0 - 3 Liverpool 01/03/14 Many Liverpool fans were wary of this tricky encounter against Southampton away from home following Liverpool’s shock 1-0 home defeat against the Saints in the reverse fixture. Moreover, following a rollercoaster of a game against Swansea the previous week, which exposed Liverpool’s defensive frailties, fans were increasingly anxious. Liverpool, however, started the game like any other - confidently and raring off the blocks. Just six minutes into the game, Sturridge went through on goal and decided to square the ball to Suarez, who looked to score. Jose Fonte made a timely interception to prevent Liverpool from capitalising on their bright start. At the other end, there was a soft penalty appeal after a Flanagan shoulder-barge on Lallana. The ref didn’t award the penalty to the frustration of the home crowd. Liverpool capitalised shortly after and opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Sturridge looked to link up once again with Suarez, however, once again, Jose Fonte stepped in and intercepted Sturridge’s pass. This time however, Fonte inadvertently touched the ball into Suarez’s path, and before he had time to react, Suarez instinctively latched onto his mistake, sending the ball into the corner of the net to give the Reds a 10 lead. Following Suarez’s goal, Southampton began to settle as they looked for the equaliser. They went very close on two occasions. On the first, Chambers combined well with Lambert and sent Lallana through on goal with only Mignolet to beat. Lallana did beat Mignolet, but was unfortunate to see his effort come back off the 37

ON THE PITCH far post. On the second occasion, Lallana again had an opportunity from close range, and this time, if it was not for the fine reactions of Mignolet. Following the restart, Southampton continued on from where they left off in the first half, pressurising Liverpool, but it was not before a tactical decision that the next goal came. In the 57th minute, Rodgers took off an ineffectual Coutinho for Raheem Sterling, who had been dropped to the bench in place of Joe Allen. It took less than a minute for Sterling to have an impact on the game.

It took less than a minute for Sterling to have an impact on the game. Suarez turned past his defender and latched onto a seemingly unthreatening forward pass before unselfishly cutting back to Raheem Sterling, who smartly placed the ball in the back on the net with his first touch. At 2-0, Liverpool were more confident with their advantageous 2 goal cushion and calmly played out the rest of the game. Though both sides did have a few chances, neither side looked as if they were going to score. However, in the 90th minute, Suarez, with his tricky footwork and skill, earned Liverpool a stoppage-time penalty, which Gerrard struck into the top right corner to round off a 3-0 win. MOTM: Brendan Rodgers - It may be strange to give the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Man of the Matchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; award to a manager and that is not to say that none of the players are worthy of the award, but rather, it is to credit Brendan Rodgers for his tactical decisions before and during the game. 38

ON THE PITCH Manchester United 0 – 3 Liverpool 16/03/14 Liverpool went to Old Trafford in an unfamiliar position – ahead of their rivals in the league, and contending for the Premier League title. Their rivals, Manchester United were having a torrid season and sat unpleasantly in 7th place. This made an already historic and monumental fixture in the league all the more significant. Also, the fact that league leaders Chelsea had lost the previous day to Aston Villa made the tie even more important.

Liverpool went to Old Trafford in an unfamiliar position – ahead of their rivals in the league, and contending for the Premier League title. With a lot of pressure riding on the game, Liverpool started better than their rivals – just 2 minutes into the game, Daniel Sturridge sprinted past the United defence before skewing his shot just wide of the mark. This was an early warning to Man Utd of Liverpool’s quick and speedy attacks. Moments later, Suarez latched onto a pass from John Flanagan and, once again, sprinted past the United defence, only to be unfairly hustled off the ball by Fellaini. To the surprise of many fans, Suarez stayed on his feet as he tried to wriggle away from Fellaini’s rash challenges, but replays do suggest that Liverpool could’ve been awarded a penalty. Another chance fell to Liverpool’s striker, Daniel Sturridge shortly after, but he scuffed his shot. Liverpool’s continual pressure and dominance was soon rewarded when Rafael (who was already on a yellow card) handled the ball in his own box as Suarez attempted to get past the Brazilian. Clattenburg pointed to the spot. 39

ON THE PITCH Reds Captain, Steven Gerrard stepped up to the spot and guided the ball past De Gea to give Liverpool their deserved 1-0 lead. Though Liverpool had the lead and the advantage, Man Utd were lucky to still have 11 men on the pitch, as the ref was hesitant to show Rafael a second yellow. Following Liverpool’s goal in the 34th minute, Man Utd responded in almost typical and tradition fashion, and had a fairly strong end to the half. They began to add more flair to their attacking play and their best chance came when Rooney forced a top save from Mignolet following a cut back. However, though United ended the half more strongly, they began the second half in a similar fashion to the way they started. Just moments after the restart, United found themselves in more trouble when Phil Jones clumsily clattered over Joe Allen in the box. Again, Clattenburg had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Gerrard stepped up again and placed the ball past De Gea to extend Liverpool’s lead to 2-0. Following his goal, Gerrard celebrating by sprinting over to the Liverpool fans and recreating his ‘camera kiss’ celebration. United might have had a penalty themselves when Glen Johnson seemed to handle the ball in his own box as he attempted to clear whilst under pressure from Robin Van Persie, but fortunately for the reds, Clattenburg’s view was obstructed. United began to get frustrated as the game and the decisions in the game began slipping from them.

ON THE PITCH United became increasingly frustrated when they gave away a third penalty following what appeared to be a dive from Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge. Clattenburg was forced to send Vidic off, as he awarded the Man Utd defender his second yellow card of the game. Gerrard, looking to get a hattrick – a historic hattrick of penalties – sent De Gea the wrong way but was denied by the post. The chances continued for Liverpool as De Gea brilliantly saved a close-range Suarez effort from almost point blank range. Liverpool almost had themselves a 4th penalty when Sturridge’s standing foot was clipped by Carrick, but surely the reds couldn’t get a 4th penalty at Old Trafford?! Towards the end of the game, Liverpool sealed the victory with a goal from Suarez. Sturridge’s misplaced shot was well received by Suarez, who was in through on goal and placed the ball past De Gea to give Liverpool a morale boosting and deserved 3-0 win. MOTM: Steven Gerrard – The Liverpool captain really turns up to the big games. He shows why at 33 he still deserves a place in the first-team squad and why he is an integral part of Liverpool FC. Though he narrowly missed one of his three penalties, he is still undoubtedly one of the best penalty takers in England.

“To dominate the game like that was very pleasing. I thought we could have had more goals, I thought we were really aggressive in our game going forward and with a better final touch or final ball we might have finished them off even more.” BR Expertly written by: Janoo Wasan Tweet Janoo - @janoow10 41

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Emma Rhodes takes a closer look at what the victory over Manchester United means. Whilst Liverpool have been thriving, beating clubs such as Spurs and Arsenal by an excess of 5 goals, Manchester United have not had the greatest of seasons. David Moyes has managed to break records with Manchester club, alas none he may be too proud of. This season has seen United face record losses against teams such as Wigan, Swansea, West Brom and even Manchester City. Liverpool’s trip to Old Trafford was met with excitement after Chelsea’s loss against Aston Villa, meaning the fight for top four is looking even more realistic (with some even talking of the title!) Sturridge had an early attempt within the second minute but couldn’t quite manage to get the right angle, putting pressure onto United early into the game. Liverpool should have then been given a penalty after Jones and Fellaini pulled two bad tackles on Suarez in the box but Liverpool were only given a corner. 43

BACK IN? Liverpool continued to look the stronger team but Sturridge missed a great chance in the nineteenth minute as Rooney also tried to push forward but failed. Only moments later Rafael rewards a penalty to Liverpool from a handball as Suarez stops his run. Gerrard lines the ball up and scores a great goal in the right hand side of the net proving his determination of pushing the Reds further. Celebrations were short lived as Gerrard gained a booking for his tackle on Fellaini who stood up revealing a bloody head. If the first half was anything to go by, this was certainly going to be a typical clash for these teams: high pressure, emotion and an incredible number of bookings! During half time referee Clattenburg attempted to offer more clarity on his decision of clearing Rafaelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand ball, explaining that if the ball was going in on target he would have given a yellow card, despite that offense being deserving of a red, causing much confusion.

He notched his first goal with a 20 yard thunderbolt in the dying moments to earn his side a 2-1 win, and himself a place in local footballing folklore Jones showed Unitedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s panic making a bad tackle on Allan giving Liverpool another penalty allowing Gerrard to happily comply with a second goal for the visitors and giving the camera another infamous Stevie kiss! After a fantastic pass from Henderson, Suarez runs towards the goal but slips and misses an opportunity to put his name on the scoreboard only to make the same mistake minutes later during a risky tackle from Rafael. 44

UNITED Flanagan keeps up the strong challenges as he goes in a little forceful against Rafael who continued to roll around the floor. Shortly after Van Persie was caught offside, Liverpool take the ball back to United’s end to see several attempts. Rafael dodges another bullet with additional foul tackle on Suarez but Vidic receives a yellow for his tackle, proving Luis is seen as the biggest threat. Moyes decided to bring on Cleverley and Welbeck for Fellaini and Januzaz hoping to bring the score line to something a little more favourable for the home team. That hope was very short lived as Vidic is sent off after Sturridge falls to the ground but luckily for United, Gerrard fails to get his hat-trick, hitting the post. Moments later United escape another penalty given to the reds as Carrick fouls Sturridge, surrounded by the opposition.

He notched his first goal with a 20 yard thunderbolt in the dying moments to earn his side a 2-1 win, and himself a place in local footballing folklore After Van Persie hits the net (from the outside again) fans are getting more and more anxious. Rightly so as Suarez forces his way through to score in his knitted boots as Liverpool fans seen waving a banner Reading ‘Moyes is a football genius’. United players such as Van Persie just did not show up and Liverpool now can focus on their continued campaign for top four positioning as Moyes and Co are left to identify again what they are missing. Expertly written by: Emma Rhodes Feedback? Send your feedback to : editor@anfieldroar.com

In from the cold? Our writers analyse the performances of our boys on loan Borini & Reina - and discuss whether a come-back is possible

FABIO BORINI After an unfortunate injury-hit debut campaign for the Reds, the emergence of Daniel Sturridge following his move, and the summer signing of Iago Aspas, the news that Fabio Borini was to be loaned out to Sunderland for the season wasn’t really one that surprised many Liverpool fans. It would also be fair to say that there wasn’t exactly a great deal of excitement on Wearside when his move was announced on deadline day. In fact, you’d have been pushed to find anyone inspired by the move. Ask the question now though, and there is not a chance you’d find a Sunderland supporter who doesn’t hold him with the highest regard.

BACK IN? Despite being signed by then manager and fellow countryman Paolo Di Canio, Boriniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playing time was limited under the short lived tenure of the madcap manager. Following his sacking and the subsequent appointment of Gus Poyet, Borini had to start from scratch again and impress another new manager at a club about to embark on a relegation battle. He had a battle on his hands to earn his place in the starting lineup with competition from main striker Steven Fletcher and the big money summer signing Jozy Altidore. Fletcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s injury woes and the indifferent form of the bulldozing American opened the door to the young Italian, who really took his chance when it came, and at the best possible time. Coming off the bench in the Tyne-Wear derby at home to Newcastle, the striker notched his first goal with a 20 yard thunderbolt in the dying moments to earn his side a 2-1 win, and himself a place in local footballing folklore.

He notched his first goal with a 20 yard thunderbolt in the dying moments to earn his side a 2-1 win, and himself a place in local footballing folklore Boriniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impact in that match, coupled with his impressive desire, aggression and movement saw Poyet place a lot more faith in him, his cameo sub appearances became starts, and then full 90 minute games before long. Despite a somewhat meagre total of 3 league goals, the striker has impressed, and saved his best for the clubs memorable League Cup run, which saw him net his biggest and arguably his best goal yet in the final against eventual winners Man City. His pace and desire saw him get beyond the much bigger Vincent Kompany before forcing a mistake from the Belgian, which he punished showing great composure to finish with aplomb. 47

BACK IN? It was this eye catching goal that really showed what an asset Borini can potentially be. Whilst it seems unlikely Borini (or any other strikers in Europe) would be able to dislodge Sturridge or Suarez from the Reds starting XI, Borini could prove to be a more than capable backup option should injury or suspension hit the either of the SAS. Borini has said himself he “belongs at a big club” and will no doubt play his heart out and give his all on his return to the club, such is his character. The need for competition will only increase next season, with Champions League football almost guaranteed, so squad depth will be crucial if we are to potentially mount an assault on four fronts.

“What a good character Fabio is. He’s someone that any manager would like to have in his team. At the beginning, I remember when I played him and then I couldn’t play him. I didn’t have words to explain why he wasn’t playing. He’s a very special character that would be in any XI in any team.” Poyet on Borini Rodgers’ faith in Fabio is apparent, expressing his delight at the progress he has made on loan thus far, and how he will play a part at the club next season. It is this faith and confidence shown in him by Rodgers that Borini craves, and which brings out the best in a young man who could well have a bigger role to play at the club in the near future than many may have imagined this time last year. Expertly written by: Ronan McCourt You can tweet your responses to @anfieldroarmag

BACK IN?

PEPE REINA Once arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premiership, Pepe Reina has found himself frozen out at Liverpool. After a possible move to Barcelona did not materialise, Reina was sent out on a season-long loan to Napoli to make way for Simon Mignolet, who in fact arrived from Sunderland in June 2013 as a prospective replacement for Reina should he move back to Spain. Despite enjoying a fairly productive season so far at Napoli – the Italian club are third in Serie A – it seems unlikely that the Spaniard will be returning after writing an open letter in which he thanked the fans and the club for his time in Liverpool. Understandably, Reina pointed out in an interview: “they have a young goalkeeper in Simon Mignolet and the manager prefers him to me.”

“A lot has been made about me informing the club that if an offer came in from Barcelona that I would have liked them to consider it. But I had also spoken to the club about the possibility of extending my contract if the offer was not made. I told the manager that I wanted to play for Liverpool and that Barcelona would only become an option for me if the opportunity arrived.” Reina However, the 31-year-old had grown into a popular figure at Liverpool during his eight-year stay, and fans will certainly remember him fondly if he were to leave on a permanent basis at the end of this season. Here follows, then, a brief tribute to a much-loved Liverpool goalkeeper who’s Anfield career does not deserve to end on the anti-climax that it seems set to. 49

BACK IN? On arriving eight years ago in the summer of 2006, Pepe Reina brought with him an excellent reputation from Spain, but remained fairly unknown to the average English fan. He quickly endeared himself to the Kop with his excellent shot-stopping and handling abilities. Yet the Spaniard’s true quality derived from his distribution. Capable with both feet and possessing highly accurate kicking and throwing, Reina brought a unique capacity to the Liverpool goal. He was often the instigator of lethally fast counter-attacks, claiming the ball from an opposition attack before sprinting to the edge of the box and releasing an inch-perfect pass to a teammate in almost any position on the pitch. Undoubtedly, the Spaniard is still the best in the world in this aspect of goalkeeping. After a successful first league season – Liverpool finished third and Reina won the 2005-06 Golden Glove with 20 clean sheets – the former Barcelona and Villarreal keeper became a club hero when he saved three out of four penalties in the 2006 FA Cup final shoot-out. With elder fans holding romantic memories of former players, it is often difficult for their modern counterparts to eclipse past legends in the minds of the traditional supporters. However, Reina’s early stats arguably place him above Ray Clemence, one of the greatest goalkeepers in Liverpool’s history. By conceding just 29 goals in his first 50 games, the Spanish international broke a 35-year-old Liverpool record previously held by Clemence. Reina’s outstanding form continued over the next two seasons, collecting a second successive Golden Glove award in 2006-07, before becoming the quickest player in Liverpool history to keep 50 clean sheets in the following year. 50

BACK IN? Although Reina’s form dipped at times in the subsequent seasons leading up to his departure, he remained one of the most highly rated keepers in the England. Such was the club’s faith in him that he did not miss a single league match for five years until he was sent off against Newcastle in 2012. It is frustrating for any Liverpool fan to see such a successful Anfield career reach such an unsatisfying and anti-climactic conclusion. Perhaps, though, it is fitting that Reina has left for Napoli to be reunited with Rafael Benitez, the man who brought him to Merseyside back in 2006 and has been described by the goalkeeper as “the best manager I’ve worked with.” Ultimately, he will be remembered for his consistent performances during the Benitez years, and will without doubt be recognised as one of the most loved goalkeepers in the club’s modern history. Pepe was not only a talented individual and true professional, but also one who shared in the culture and faith of Liverpool Football Club. True to his selfless and loyal nature, Pepe Reina now only asks of the fans: “keep on inspiring the manager and the players just like you always have done and help Liverpool to become the club that you deserve once again.” In respect to a new Liverpudlian icon, let’s honour his word. Expertly written by: Thomas Jordan Tweet Thomas - @teejbusbys1 51

Investing in Kids Ivan Emanuel wants us to keep on investing in kids - when they are good enough they are old enough! As the majority of you have probably noticed, Brendan Rodgers’ football system is based around the development of young players: Flanagan, Coutinho, Henderson, Sterling and so on. In a more simple way of saying it: if the lad deserves to play, he will play, no matter how old he is! At the moment, it seems that this ‘investing in our future philosophy’ is the key to success. Yes, I know it sounds like a bad banking advert, but bear with me and I’ll try to bring some light upon this matter. Let’s start with a look at the other option, the ‘spend enormous sums of money to buy quick success’ way, embraced by Chelsea, Manchester City and many others. Of course, it can be said that 52

INVESTING these teams have had success in the last years, but literally, at what cost? City’s so called success: One Premier League title and an FA Cup came courtesy of over £1 billion spent since 2008. To be frank, yes, that’s what football has become these days: a money driven machine. You’ve got the cash, you buy the good players, and then, eventually you win… or do you? If we go a bit more down the table, out of the top four, we will meet Tottenham: ‘a small team from London’. Daniel Levy spent over £100 million on players in the last summer, and with what result? They are getting demolished every time they play against a top four team. So, I believe that this means it’s not always butterflies and rainbows when you splash the money. But is it better if you would choose to ‘educate’ – as BR likes to say – your own players from a tender age? Yes! I mean, just look at our team this season. We haven’t been big spenders, (though we have spent money where we had to – to keep Suarez), but the results show that it’s more than adequate to invest time, club values and belief in a player, rather than just buying him for a huge amount of cash, thereby putting huge pressure on him, and ending up with a monumental flop and waste of money (Andy Carroll). We’ve had our fingers burnt in recent seasons, so hats off to BR and the owners for trying to bring back ‘the Liverpool Way’ and the way he has implemented his philosophy in such a short time. Thanks also to the players, for giving us the opportunity to believe, and to dream again. I think I have said enough, as Liverpool’s position in the table speaks for itself. YNWA! Expertly written by: Ivan Emanuel You can tweet Ivan at @emy_2good 53

Gary McParnaby looks at the matches coming up - will we still be in with a shout after these…? So. Nine games to go, and if we win them all, we will be within one point of the top of the League. It’s squeaky bum time, but the famous Sir Alex, mastermind of football, and the co-creator of the current dismal United team, is no longer in it to win it. I’ve predicted all season that we will be winning most of our games each month, and, sure as heck, this month is no different! Without any cup campaigns to draw our focus, it’s all about the Prem. We have four matches against mediocre opposition that, if we had beaten last season would have made us happy and guaranteed a great night out, but, given our current form, will raise little more than a wry smile. Then we have one match that might, just might win us the title… Cardiff away is not the easiest place to head to in search of points – but it is by no means the hardest either. And with a week to prepare, BR and the boys will have had ample time to find the flaws in the Bluebirds team. The big question will be whether we score more four goals. Personally, I fancy us to get five. And another clean sheet will help us maintain momentum. Next up is Sunderland. At the Stadium of Light they have caused us a few problems, but there will be no beachballs at Anfield, so they won’t even get a sniff. 54

FIXTURES Similarly, Spurs at home is the sort of game we should be winning. Sherwood is all mouth and no tactics, so it might be a fiery affair, but we’ll completely out-play them. Winning this one will probably (*I haven’t done the maths!) secure us Champions League football, so there will be a party atmosphere at Anfield, and the following day we will be linked with another 40 world class players. Taking centre stage for the second game in a row, LFC should be able to travel to Upton park without any fear. West Ham will scrap away, but Stevie G will be all over the park, and even their long-balls to Andy Carroll won’t get past/over him. Coutinho will come good again with an exquisite volley and a dazzling backheel. And finally, the biggie. Man City are coming to town. This fixture used to scare you (Admit it!), but now we are more than capable of beating this expensively assembled force. By this point, City will already have dropped the points we require them to drop, so winning this will firmly put Liverpool in the driving seat. Woe betide anyone who gets in the way of Gerrard when he realises we have a chance of winning the title… So, all in all, another brilliant month to be an LFC fan! YNWA! Comp Prem

Opposition Cardiff (a)

Date Sat 22nd Mar

Time 15:00

Predict WIN

Prem

Sunderland (h)

Wed 26th Mar

20:00

WIN

Prem

Tottenham (h)

Sun 30th Mar

16:00

WIN

Prem

West Ham (a)

Sun 6th April

16:00

WIN

Prem

Man City (h)

Sun 13th April

13:30

WIN

Expertly written by: Gary McParnaby - you can send your feedback to us and we’ll pass it on - editor@anfieldroar.com 55

Focus on:

Steven Gerrard Ross Webber takes a closer look at the new role of Liverpoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heartbeat, and how he has made the position his own. Since the turn of the year, Steven Gerrardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role has changed somewhat, adopting the defensive midfield position. And, as expected given his versatility, the skipper has taken it by storm. Since he was shifted into a more defensive role by Brendan Rodgers, Gerrard has adapted immediately. At 33, he is no longer the gut-busting box-to-box midfielder that he once was, but Gerrard certainly has a major influence on the field. Andrea Pirlo last month suggested that the Liverpool captain had all the tools to play in that deeper role, and so far Gerrard has proved the Italian right by impressing in his new position. One attribute needed to perfect this role is passing ability, and no one can deny that Gerrard is one of the best in the business in that department. The skipper has a 60.4 passes per game average with an 85.6 completion rate. His long-range passing abilities are also as visible as ever with willing runners in Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling latching on the end of them.

GERRARD It would be a cliché to label Gerrard as the perfect “quarterback” of the Liverpool team, but his passing capabilities are as good as anyone’s and his new role majorly suits that.

“The intelligent players adapt - and Steven Gerrard has the ability to do that. He is an excellent passer of the ball, possesses an intelligent football brain, and has great vision. He has all the qualities to play a deeper role." Pirlo on Gerrard After a few shaky games defensively when first adopting the role, Gerrard has gradually discovered an understanding with both centre backs. The skipper is often the first to pick the ball off of Simon Mignolet in the Liverpool goal, allowing Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger to draw the opposing striker(s) away from the ball. After consecutive clean sheets, it is evident that Gerrard’s shift in position has helped the team in defence, offering a shield in front of the back four in the absence of Lucas. When Liverpool played Stoke back in January, it was clear that Lucas had been used in more of an attacking role, almost switching positions with Gerrard. Since the Brazilian’s injury, Joe Allen has featured a number of times also in this more advanced role.

Competing with Lucas

Against Manchester United, Rodgers fielded a diamond formation, with Gerrard’s security allowing Allen and Jordan Henderson to run things in front of him. Both Allen and Lucas were originally brought into the club to be used as attacking options, and with Gerrard filling in defensively, we may now see the attacking attributes of the pair in more detail. We will no longer see the marauding figure of a Gerrard of old – a 57

GERRARD Gerrard that would notch 15+ goals every season. However, despite moving into a deeper role, the skipper has already converted 10 goals in the Premier League this season. That’s just one less than both Robin Van Persie and Rooney. Albeit some of the goals often come from the penalty spot - and he could have had a hat trick of them against United – but it is still evidence that Gerrard is still a threat in front of goal.

The Gerrard of old...

The Liverpool skipper could arguably play in any position on a football field, and Rodgers has even suggested he could play as a centre back in future given his versatile nature. For now, he has proved he his more than comfortable in a defensive midfield role and Liverpool have benefited massively in this move. The one medal missing from Gerrard’s collection is the Premier League and following their comprehensive 3-0 victory over United, this is his best chance to earn one with Liverpool. Gerrard is a top top player – only an idiot would suggest otherwise.

Expertly written by: Ross Webber Ross’s site is liverpoolnewsandviews.tumblr.com 58

This month weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re focussing on the best of Luis Suarez hopefully heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be adding to these in the next few years!

Goals from 2012/13

2012/13 was his most productive season yet. Sit back and watch the goals!

YOUTUBE Freekick against Zenit

He scored two free-kicks in our final Europa League game of the season, and made us believe that anything was possible. If only... Goal & Dive

Everton fans love to slag Suarez off for diving. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have loved to have seen their faces when he scored against them and did this...

Send us your favourites - @anfieldroarmag 60

As a Liverpool fan, and someone who writes extensively about the club, it has become increasingly difficult to avoid the big question; can we win the title? Up until the past two games I have always replied with a categorical 'no' but even I must confess that I am slowly becoming a believer. I'm not saying it will happen, but we do have one hell of a chance! As the old clichĂŠ goes, goals win games and as long as we continue to score at our current rate it is impossible to rule out a first triumph for 24 years. Clearly Chelsea and Manchester City remain highly-fancied as a result of their extensive and expensively assembled squads, not to mention the fact that they both have recent experience of being crowned champions. However, our back-toback 3-0 away victories over Southampton and Manchester United have ratified the possibility of a long overdue reunion between the league trophy and Anfield. I've always been someone who feels that a reliable defence is crucial to winning titles and for large spells of 2013-14 this area of our game looked likely to undermine our challenge. Not so at St Mary's and Old Trafford. Recording two consecutive clean sheets at such challenging venues - places where we have terrible recent records - is incredibly encouraging. In the previous seven games, by contrast, we had managed just one shutout and conceded on 12 occasions. At 35 goals against, 61

CLEAR AS DAY we have let in more than anyone else in the top seven except Tottenham Hotspur. It came as little surprise to me that only once in the last thirteen years have the Premier League champions conceded in excess of 40 goals during a season; United last year (43). Getting the balance between attack and defence right has always been a tricky juggling act. Plenty of teams that should have won a league title, such as Kevin Keegan's Newcastle United of the mid1990s, failed as a consequence, at least in part, of not being able to do so.

Can we win the title? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not saying it will happen, but we do have one hell of a chance! So far nothing has hindered Liverpool's scoring potency and ridiculously Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge's combined total of 43 goals is more than 13 whole top flight teams. Our current overall tally of 76 goals is more than any other Premier League side in the competition's history at this stage of a campaign. It is also a figure which surpasses our full-season totals in every previous year, since the top flight restructured in 1992, except one; 2008-09. That particular season, when Rafa Benitez's men netted on 77 occasions, represents the only other time the league title has looked even remotely like coming home in recent times. Ultimately, despite only losing two games, Benitez's side had to content themselves with finishing as runners-up, primarily as a result of drawing too many games (11 inc. seven at home). 62

CLEAR AS DAY Liverpool finished the season on 86 points, a figure which would have seen us crowned champions in 2010-11, and such an amount is almost certainly going to be enough to win it again this time around. With 62 on the board and nine games to go, we can reach a maximum of 89. Should we win all our games then only City can mathematically amass more. Such a winning run is unlikely of course but just the fact it is being discussed shows how far we have come in such a short space of time. The trip to Cardiff City this weekend will be our third consecutive fixture on the road and another competent, all-round display will be required to keep the momentum going. Like most supporters, a return to the Champions League was my primary ambition at the start of the season and, even when top at Christmas, I didn't expect anything more than perhaps 3rd.

Managerial greats?

It could be that we endure an end of season slump but if such solidity at the back can continue then I really can see Brendan Rodgers delivering the one prize we all want. It would be a phenomenal achievement for the previously unproven Northern Irishman to join a fabled list of Kenny Dalglish, Joe Fagan, Bob Paisley, Bill Shankly, George Kay, Matt McQueen, David Ashworth and Tom Watson. Expertly written by: Gavin Day - tweet him @superbag Visit Gavinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s site at http://www.liverpool.vitalfootball.co.uk

FULL TIME

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