Facts can tell a story. However they're also open for interpretation. We're now ten games unbeaten in the league, winning 6 of these and have scored 16 goals in the process and conceding just 4. 6 of these games are without our so-called talisman Luis Suarez, after his biting ban on Ivanovic. However, others will argue that these bare facts are deceptive and to an extent they're right. Two narrow wins against Villa, and 1-0 wins over Stoke and QPR are nothing to shout about. 6 of those 16 goals were scored against an abysmal Newcastle side. We also had 3 goalless draws, against Reading of all teams, West Ham and Everton. Arguably our best result is a 3-1 win away at Fulham, hardly a result to shout about.
As I say, stats can be read either way. Nevertheless, as our season is now well and truly underway, I feel that looking at more than just the stats is the best way to establish where we are right now. With the exception of the Reading and Fulham games, I've watched all of these games live, including all 3 at the start of this season and (if I'm honest) all but one of our pre-season fixtures. I feel well placed to talk about our current position.
Personally, I think that the majority of this run of games isn't overly impressive. The only games we actually should be impressed by at the back end of last season are the 6-0 demolition of Newcastle (as well as we've played in a very very long time) and the 3-1 win over Fulham, which could and should have been more. However, trends that appear in those games appear to be carrying over to this season. And this is understandable, after all, it is largely the same team of players that are playing the matches.
Nevertheless, I have been impressed to a degree by what I have seen so far this season. Obviously, there is room for improvement, but there are a lot of positives to take out of our opening 3 fixtures, as well as plenty of points to learn from. One thing that is consistent from last season is the scoring form of Daniel Sturridge. which has been sensational. 15 goals in 19 appearances, with 5 assists to boot says it all. Anyone who wants to complain about the quality of the opposition should note his contributions in games against United, Chelsea and City, all of whom he scored against, plus his first career hat-trick against Fulham. It may be early in his Liverpool career, but the quality of some of his goals, especially his close control against Villa on Saturday is very exciting.
Another player who looks an absolute gem is Phillipe Coutinho. His range of passing is incredible, he has excellent ball control and he is developing an understanding with Sturridge. Whilst his goals tally is only 3 in 16 appearances, he has latched up 8 assists in that time, one every two games. Both of these two are very astute signings from Brendan Rodgers.
Another impressive signing is goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who has performed heroics in both of our opening Premier League fixtures to keep us in the game, denying Walters from the spot and Benteke in the Villa match. Whilst his ability to deal with crosses has looked a little bit suspect, he is undoubtedly a world class shot stopper, one of the best in the league.
In all 3 of our opening fixtures, we have played very well in spells. Against Stoke, we were dominant for long periods and created many chances. Against Villa, we were a lot less in control, but nevertheless we were very well disciplined and rarely looked threatened by them. Last night against Notts County, we should have eased through, but poor finishing, poor refereeing and defensive errors conspired against us.
This brings me to some of the negative areas regarding our start to the season. Against Stoke, for all our chances, we didn't kill the game. We hit the bar, had a goal (correctly) disallowed for offside, Henderson could have had a hat-trick and Coutinho had a really good chance just after half-time where he should have at least hit the target. But, we didn't finish them off and then a really stupid mistake from our vice-captain (great choice by the way, I'm very pleased for him and he's been one of the first names on the team sheet for a while now) meant that I was convinced we'd blown it. Typical Liverpool. But, Mignolet's heroics rescued the three points.
Against Villa, the problems were slightly different. We scored the goal midway through the first half and then shut up shop. To be fair to Rodgers, Villa are a lot more dangerous on the counter attack than Stoke with Agbonlahor, Weimann and Benteke and we were away from home and we defended very well, Villa rarely looked like threatening. But nevertheless, we needed a second to kill the game and once again, I was starting to think that we were going to throw it away. It took a last ditch stop from Mignolet to ensure we walked away with the three points.
Notts County had the potential to be an unqualified disaster. When Sturridge scored a fantastic goal to make it 2-0, I thought that was the game in the bag. But even against lower league sides, if you don't take your chances, you can be punished on the break. We hit the post three times, their keeper made a couple of good saves and we were unfairly denied at least one penalty, and had a close offside go against us. But then things went completely wrong and some brilliant counter play from County got them back into it, Arquin playing like a man possessed. However, as harsh as it is on the young lad Wisdom, he could have prevented both goals. The first one, it was he who was bullied by Arquin who he was picking up (although Toure arguably should have had better awareness of what was behind him) and for the second he could and should have blocked the shot on the line (Glen Johnson however will be annoyed he was caught so badly out of position up the pitch).
With Cissokho, Toure and Allen all coming off injured and leaving us down to 10 men having made 3 chances before Toure pulled his groin, I was starting to think this night was becoming a nightmare. At this point, I was sure that this would be the moment we became a laughing stock again. I knew our great start to the season wouldn't last. But then County are denied a penalty (I think this one could've been given either way and in any case we had a very similar one in normal time, not to mention one even better shout) and Sturridge goes down the other end and scores arguably the jammiest goal of his Liverpool career so far. It was going to be our night after all. Henderson's superb nutmeg and gloss managed to put a bit of gloss on it.
It was a lesson we needed to learn. Don't finish your chances and you will drop points. We've been guilty of this on so many occasions over the last couple of seasons but so far this season, we'd gotten away with it. Last night, I like to think that the players might finally realise that even 2-0 up against a side who have 1 point in 4 games at the bottom of League 1, you have to take your chances.
But, the key thing for me is this. These are the sorts of games that the Liverpool of two/three seasons ago and hell even last season would have been drawing or worse losing. I kept expecting us to stay true to form and mess up but we haven't done it yet. We've escaped unscathed. Two wins out of two in the league and we're 2nd. We're into the next round of the League Cup. Only just, but we are. We are three games into the season and we've come out on top in every one. We have two straight clean sheets in the league and the worse case scenario going into the international break is that we are 1 point behind Chelsea and United and level on points with City. We'll be ahead of Everton whatever happens and we'll either be ahead of Arsenal or level on points with both Arsenal and Spurs. And all this is assuming that United beat us on Sunday.
Kolo Toure's injury is a huge blow, but I am a massive fan of Martin Skrtel, assuming he's fit and he is more than capable of filling in. I think you'd be a fool to bet against Sturridge scoring on Sunday and Rodgers is capable of the kind of defensive discipline that frustrated United on Monday night against Chelsea. And all this is without Luis Suarez, who when he gets back into the side, I'm hoping will continue to be the Tour-de-Force he was last season.
All in all, I am very happy with the way we are progressing. In truth, this is as good as I've felt about Liverpool going into a league season since we came 2nd in 2009. It remains to be seen whether we can challenge for 4th spot and we'll probably learn more about that on Sunday but we're most definitely in better shape than we were when Brendan joined just over 12 months ago and this is a season that I think we can finally come good.
Also, on a non-football related note, Last Stand of Dead Men comes out tomorrow, and I am fucking excited.
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