Match Report: Liverpool U19s beat Basel to progress in UEFA Youth League

Liverpool U19s, just like the first team, had to beat Basel to progress to the latter stages of the UEFA Youth League. However the U19s had to win by two clear goals. Unlike the first team the U19s managed to do what was required. PJ Vaughan reports on the match.

Liverpool’s Jerome Sinclair celebrates scoring the third goal against FC Basel during the UEFA Youth League Group B match at Langtree Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool U19 3-0 Basel U19

UEFA Youth League

Tuesday, 9th December 2014

Swiss Misses

The first half was a cautious affair. Neither team dominated the play. Liverpool were almost the architects of their own misfortune on a number of occasions. Daniel Cleary, the Liverpool centre back, needlessly gave away possession deep in the Liverpool half on two occasions in the first half. On one of these occasions Albian Ajeti, the main danger man for Basel was clear through on goal, but he shot just wide. Ryan Fulton, the Liverpool goalkeeper, also made a fantastic save from Ajeti just after the half hour mark to keep the task easier for Liverpool.

Stalemate

Liverpool’s centre midfield pairing were struggling to get control of the game. It seemed both sides were happy to play counter attack football. Liverpool’s main danger man Sheyi Ojo was booked for a dive early on in the game, he tried to not let that affect his game. It was obvious that Basel had identified Ojo as was persistently fouled for the rest of the half, with a number of Basel players picking up bookings.

Jerome Sinclair also seemed to struggle with the physical side of the game early on. It was not until he switched with Ojo that he started to get more into the game. It was Sinclair’s run that created Liverpool’s best chance when he found Pedro Chirivella free in the Basel box. Chirivella probably took one touch too many and he his shot was cleared off the line. There is no goal line technology or extra officials at this level to determine if the ball had crossed the line.

A moment of brilliance

The first half was looking to be heading for stalemate until Ryan Kent picked the ball up in the left channel, dribbled past the Basel defence and powered a shot low into the Basel net. It was exactly what Liverpool needed before the half time break.

Liverpool’s Ryan Kent in action against FC Basel during the UEFA Youth League Group B match at Langtree Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda) Slow start to the second half

Liverpool struggled to make any clear cut chances in the second half. The Reds’ best chances seemed to becoming from set pieces. Cleary headed over and the referee was giving soft free kicks to Basel for the smallest infringements in the box. Ojo had one curled effort early in the half but the Basel keeper saved comfortable. As the half wore on it seemed Basel were the most likeliest to score. Nicolas Hunziker broke away from the Liverpool defence and he fired just over when it seemed easier to score.

Defensive frailties

The Liverpool defence were often caught out of position and were not getting the protection required from their midfield. Team shape seems to be a problem at all levels of the club. On occasions there was no midfielder sitting to stop a counter and neither had the legs to get back. Liverpool’s centre backs were being getting dragged to the flanks and leaving huge gaps in the middle. The fullbacks were not tucking in to stop Basel attackers cutting inside.

Anyone that watches the academy teams in the last couple of seasons will be well used to seeing defenders and goalkeepers giving away needless possession deep in the Liverpool half, that often leads to on one chances. There are serious questions that need to be asked how Liverpool defends both individually and as a team.

Super Adam Philips

As the game wore on it seemed less and less likely that Liverpool would get the second goal they required. They did not have a firm enough grip on the game and there were no clear cut chances being created. Basel were also dangerous on the break. A nasty injury to Sam Hart meant that there would be 13 minutes added time. Hart’s injury also meant the introduction of Tom Brewitt, who helped solve some of the defence problems.

Liverpool’s Adam Phillips celebrates beating FC Basel 3-0 during the UEFA Youth League Group B match at Langtree Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

However it was not until the introduction of Adam Philips that the game changed. Chirvella had tried hard all day but was not having one of his better games. Philips’ impact was instant. He picked the ball up on the right and delivered what could only be described as a Steven Gerrard-like cross. It was deadly accurate with a lot of pace and Dan Cleary only had to get his head on it to make it 2-0. Exactly the scoreline Liverpool needed to progress.

Two becomes three

Charles Pickel was promptly sent off for Basel on what looked a very soft second booking. Liverpool added a third soon after when Canos’ cross was headed home by Sinclair. Sinclair is a very natural instinctive finisher. I feel a loan move to a League One or League Two team would be great for Sinclair, as he needs to adjust to the physical side of football.

So I’m not quite sure how Liverpool managed to get the result but they did. It was far from a vintage display and Basel were not worthy of a 2-0 never mind a 3-0. But as they say, we will take it. It’s a shame the first team did not enjoy similar levels of fortune on Tuesday night.

Coming Up

Liverpool U18 take on Bradford City in the FA Youth Cup on Monday. The FA Youth Cup is a fantastic competition and hopefully Liverpool can get to the latter stages of it. It would be nice to see the club win more FA Youth Cups.

Player ratings

Liverpool’s goalscorers Jerome Sinclair, Ryan Kent and Daniel Cleary celebrate making it to the final found of the UEFA Youth League after a 2-0 Group B victory over FC Basel at Langtree Park. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Fulton 7, Whelan 6.5, Hart 6 (Brewitt), Cleary 6, Maguire 6.5, Rossiter 7 (Alexander), Canos 6.5, Chirivella 6.5 (Phillips), Sinclair 7, Kent 7.5, Ojo 6.5.

Unused substitutes: Firth, O’Hanlon, Ejaria, Marsh.

Man of the Match

Ryan Kent shaded it from Fulton, Rossiter and Sinclair. Kent has being a very consistent performer all season and just needs some more physical attributes to make the step up to the next level.

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Keputusan penuh separuh akhir Piala AFF Suzuki 2014



Vietnam 2-4 Malaysia



Alhamdulillah , kita jumpa Thailand di Final . Malaysia boleh !!



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Jimmy Case — ‘Hard Case’ Book Review: A must-read midfield winning blow

Released in time for Christmas, ‘Hard Case’, the autobiography of former Liverpool midfielder Jimmy Case, much like the player himself, demands your attention through its content.

Hard Case — The Autobiography of Jimmy Case

John Blake Publishing, 2014

• Available on Amazon in Hardcover and for Kindle .

Case, who retired at the grand old footballing age of 41 due to injury, conjures through this book the feeling of invincibility and hope that the formidable Liverpool side of the late 1970s, which was studded with stars such as Kevin Keegan, John Toshack, Phil Thompson and Kenny Dalglish.

Keegan provides a foreword, describing Case as “someone who has living his dream” playing for Liverpool, as a Liverpool supporter, and that is what makes this autobiography so endearing.

“He is just the person you would want with you in the trenches in a war…you’d look to your right and see Jimmy Case.”

Case speaks with an honestly and humility that comes from a local-lad who is substantially grateful for the position he was blessed with.

Across its 261 pages, Case regales the reader with anecdotes both comic and blue, in a rewarding read.

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Case begins at 23, as a Bob Paisley-led Liverpool sought to secure a treble as they faced Manchester United in the FA Cup final in the 1976/77 season.

The midfielder was joined by the likes of Terry McDermott and Steve Heighway in the starting line-up, of a game which Case describes as “the big one.”

“This is what I had dreamed about as a kid playing in the streets of Liverpool: walking out at Wembley Stadium to take part in an FA Cup final and, best of all, in a Liverpool strip. They had been my team for as long ago as I could remember.”

Liverpool lost that tie, and Case flashes forward to 1983 where, now as a Brighton & Hove Albion player, he lined up against Newcastle’s Keegan and McDermott in the third round of the competition.

Brighton won that game and later advanced to the final, defeating Liverpool on the way, but Case’s side eventually lost out, ironically, to United once more.

Paired with these tales of hope, and McDermott’s note-perfect Paisley impression, Case reveals the heartache that followed that final—the death of his mother.

“Success and the rewards that come with it are all well and good, but they don’t amount to that much if the people you love aren’t there to share it.”

This encapsulates Case’s storytelling, the joy of footballing success underlined with a nostalgic realism as hard-edged as stance on the pitch.

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Most interesting are his tales of starting out as Liverpool triallist, and his path into the first-team set-up.

Firstly, how he vowed to keep things simple and not tailor his game—a quality he was held in high regard, and rightly, for. Case links this with the recent success of Barcelona, who “got it right: when you have the ball, pass it to team-mate, and when you lose it, get it back as quickly as you can.”

He tells of training sessions, with Ray Clemence up front and Paisley in goal: “Paisley would always wear gloves and any shots that came in, he always punched them away, double-fisted.”

On the ‘This is Anfield’ sign, he remembers: “It wasn’t put there as a welcome to visitors but as a statement: You are here now and you had better be ready…and I was!”

These are tales that provide an intriguing insight into life beyond Anfield match-days, and can prove a rewarding companion for any Liverpool fan.

Importantly, too, Case brings this into present day. The Reds legend is measured in his praise of current manager Brendan Rodgers’ fortunes in charge of Liverpool, and provides an interesting perspective on the events of last season, and moving forward.

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The 2013/14 season was the closest most, younger Liverpool fans will have got to the triumphant days Case enjoyed in the side, and which Case concedes “took me back to those great European nights of the seventies.”

He suggests that Liverpool would have won the Premier League with the calming, organising Jamie Carragher in defence.

He bemoans the lack of a ‘Plan B’ that season, even claiming “now [Brendan Rodgers] has signed Rickie Lambert…I wonder if he was listening to me!”

He recognises the importance a thriving youth system, noting the rise of Raheem Sterling and Jon Flanagan; Flanagan, perhaps most like Case in terms of attitude within this current Liverpool squad, would surely take heart from reading this book.

Having won so much with Liverpool, and played in such a successful side overall, you would be hard-pressed to argue with Case.

Overall, ‘Hard Case’ serves as an amusing, in-depth, must-read detailing of a career which enjoyed some of the best days in the history of Liverpool Football Club.

Jimmy Case’s defining quality, beyond his endurance, was a remarkable shooting technique, which Kevin Keegan describes as “ten out of ten.” In his book, the former midfielder shoots hard and precise, and comes up with a winning blow.

• ‘Hard Case’ is available on Amazon in Hardcover and for Kindle .

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Manchester United v Liverpool: Gary Neville questions extent of Liverpool's spending

Brendan Rodgers: Gary Neville says he hasn't been given enough money

Gary Neville believes Liverpool's struggles this season can be put down to them not spending enough money over the summer.

The Sky Sports pundit and former Manchester United defender was discussing the Merseyside club’s failure to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League following Tuesday night’s disappointing draw with Basel.

And ahead of Liverpool’s trip to Old Trafford to face their bitter rivals on Super Sunday, he says the summer outlay of over £100million is small fry when you take into account the money they received for the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona.

He said: "They obviously sold Luis Suarez for £65m and spent (around) £100m on five or six players, so they spent £40m. That’s not even touching the sides of what the big European teams do, and are spending when they’re really going for it.

"When you’re talking about a big club and Liverpool winning European Cups over the last 30 years, building a new 65,000-seater stadium; £40m net is not 'going for it'.”

Brendan Rodgers paid large fees for Adam Lallana, Emre Can, Alberto Moreno, Lazar Markovic, and the injured Mario Balotelli over the summer, but none of those players started against Basel.

And while Neville says the manager must take responsibility for the signings, he says Rodgers hasn’t been given the budget that many of his rivals, including Louis van Gaal, have enjoyed.

He added: "Man United have done it, City have done it, Chelsea have done it, Real Madrid will do it.

"If you want to go big, go big, and that’s not big! So the idea that he’s spent a lot of money in great club terms, he’s not. He’s spent £40m.

"They took a star off Brendan Rodgers and he’s got five in return and he’s obviously picked them so he has to take responsibility for that. And he’ll accept that I’m sure.

"Big is going to sign a player for £80m. He hasn’t gone big; he’s touched the sides a little bit. The net spend is £40m, and I don’t see that as big net spend for Liverpool Football Club.

"If they measure themselves in terms of a club winning the Champions League, then they need to spend like one. Then they’ve got to enter that level and that level is not £40m net spend."

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Alhamdulillah .. Ke Final kita ... FT AGG MAS 5-4 VIE .. tak salah kan admin lari dari post pasal Liverpool sekejap .. hehe YNWA









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3 Proven Players Who Would Improve Liverpool Immediately

With Liverpool’s season in serious danger of completely derailing, we look at three realistic signings who could help transform the Reds’ season in January.

The January transfer window is fast approaching, and although Brendan Rodgers claims he won’t be signing any new players, there are areas of the squad that need addressing sooner rather than later.

Liverpool’s Champions League exit on Tuesday night was another low point in a dismal 2014/15 campaign so far, and looking at the current side, finishing in the Premier League’s top four or winning the Europa League, either of which would see them qualify for next year’s prestigious competition, looks very unlikely at present.

With that in mind, here are three players who would add immediate quality to the Reds’ side in January. With these three potential signings, plus the return of Jon Flanagan and Daniel Sturridge from injury, The Reds would be transformed.

ASMIR BEGOVIC

The Bosnian has been linked with a move to Anfield for a while, he was reportedly considered in 2012 when the club signed Simon Mignolet instead – with the Belgian continuing to struggle, a new goalkeeper is absolutely essential.

People often say the root of a team’s problems start with the ‘keeper, and that definitely applies to Liverpool right now. Mignolet is playing with no confidence whatsoever, and it’s rubbing off on the rest of the side. His kicking is poor, his decision-making is panicky and you are just waiting for the next mistake to come.

Begovic is one of the best ‘keepers in the Premier League, and has been for several years now. He is consistent, imposing and, unlike Mignolet, unruffled.

With no disrespect to Stoke, surely the lure of joining one of the country’s elite clubs would be too good to turn down. The 27-year-old would add a great amount to the side, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Reds’ leaky defence suddenly look more assured with him between the sticks.

YOHAN CABAYE

Cabaye has had a frustrating time of things since moving from Newcastle to Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain in January.

It looked as though the 28-year-old had made the perfect next step in his career at the time, but he has been little more than a squad player at Parc des Princes, with Blaise Matuidi, Marco Verratti and Thiago Motta always the preferred options in midfield.

A move to Anfield would surely suit the France international down to the ground, with more first-team football guaranteed. He would be a terrific signing.

Cabaye is a classy footballer who can star either in a deep-lying midfield role or as a box-to-box player. He has excellent creativity, can score goals but is also very adept defensively.

According to Squawka, he had a pass completion rate of 91 per cent in 2013/14, and 89 per cent this season. This proves how neat and tidy he can be in the middle of the park, which on recent showings has been a real achilles heel for Liverpool.

18 goals in 93 appearances was also a good return during his time at St James’ Park, while he made no defensive errors during his last two seasons at the club.

In many ways, the former Newcastle man is a combination of all the midfielders the Reds currently have at their disposal. He has Steven Gerrard‘s guile, Jordan Henderson‘s energy and Lucas Leiva and Joe Allen‘s understated reading of the game.

At 28, he is very experienced but also young enough to be at his peak for a few years still, and his quality and competitive edge would add so much to a functional-looking Liverpool midfield.

XHERDAN SHAQIRI

Like Cabaye, Shaqiri is someone playing at one of Europe’s top clubs, but failing to get anywhere near the playing time he would like.

The Bayern Munich man, who is seen as one of the most promising young wide men around, has two of the world’s best wingers in Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery ahead of him in the Bayern pecking order, and with Marco Reus rumoured to be moving to Allianz Arena next summer, his chances will continue to be limited.

The 23-year-old was of genuine interest to Liverpool in the summer but the move didn’t materialise. They should definitely make a January bid for his services.

Shaqiri, who has already scored 15 goals in 41 appearances for Switzerland, would add pace, trickery and goals in wide areas, which is something only Raheem Sterling is offering in the current Reds squad.

There are likely to be a few top teams keeping an eye on the Swiss star’s current situation, and if Rodgers managed to bring him to Anfield, it would give his side an extra attacking dimension.

January XI

Here is how Liverpool’s first-choice starting lineup could ideally look in January.

All three of the aforementioned players would add so much to the current side, whether it be shoring up the defence, adding creativity in the middle of the park or guaranteeing more of a threat in the final third.

Mamadou Sakho has to return to the side when fit, while youngsters Javier Manquillo and Alberto Moreno must be preferred to Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique.

Cabaye’s inclusion makes it easier for Gerrard to become more of a squad player, with the Frenchman bringing the vision lacking when the skipper is out, while a front three of Shaqiri, Raheem Sterling and the returning Sturridge has a devilish look about it.

Whether Rodgers does delve into the transfer market in January remains to be seen- it would be mad for him not to- but acquiring Begovic, Cabaye and Shaqiri would allow Liverpool to make a real push for a top-four finish and a Europa League run.

Who would your three ideal Liverpool signings be in January (within reason)? Let us know in the comments section.

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