Liverpool-Stoke Match Report

Every minute of the match was dominated by Liverpool, both when it comes to possession and when it comes to goal chances. But they didn’t play good enough and Stoke played very well defensively. Liverpool had good movement and made good runs, but Kuyt was the only one in the penalty area and the rest of the players just stayed outside it. Downing and Henderson didn’t play well at all in their positions. As right winger Liverpool had Glen Johnson and I think that he played quite well, but he could have been more offensive and daring.

Steven Gerrard was all over the pitch like usual, and I think he played well, but he is such a good striker that I think he should play higher up and not in the defensive midfield like he did in the first half of the game. I think that the other players put too much responsibility on him instead of trying to do something on their own. Gerrard’s crosses were pure class like always, but Liverpool didn’t have enough people in the penalty area to make use of that.

José Enrique played very well on the left and he did some good runs, passes and tackles. I think that he always plays well and it’s not often he makes any mistakes.

Kuyt was alone, very alone in front of the goal, but he moved well and he looked like he knew what he was doing, but he needed help up there. Another problem was the lack of unexpected moves that Suarez always give, so the Stoke players had no problem to control the opponents.

Stoke just had one real chance on goal in the first half and they focused completely on the defending which they did really well. If they got the ball they kicked it as far away as possible and then went back to keep defending when the Liverpool players came in a new wave.

Nothing really dangerous happened in the first half and in the beginning of the second half Stoke looked just a little more offensive. Both teams made some changes, Carroll came on for Downing, Whitehead came on for Palacios and about ten minutes later Bellamy came on for Henderson and Wilkinson on for Woodgate. The atmosphere got better and the audience started singing and making themselves heard and with that the game became a bit faster and more open. Liverpool got many corners, but the big Stoke players didn’t have much trouble to win the nick duels.

Before the end of the game Stoke made another change when Fuller came on for Etherington. After four minutes of stoppage time the game came to its end without any goals.

Over all Stoke played well defensively and got what they came for and Liverpool played bad attacking football. Liverpool needs a good striker who can make use of all the chances the other players create, and the other players need to get into the box a lot more than they do and they also need to get more precise and sharp when it comes to making crosses, passes or shoot on goal.

A frustrated Dirk Kuyt.