Liverpool Story — August 2013

Hello everyone, welcome back to my Liverpool story, it’s time for another update! After an uneventful pre season I couldn’t wait to get started with a home game against Aston Villa. Before the game I sent Erminio Marra out on loan to Southampton to gain a bit of experience.

So we start the season at home to Aston Villa. I expected to win the game but was worried about Aston Villa’s pace up front, with Agbonlahor and Delfouneso. We started off pretty well, dominating possession and we should have scored but instead wasted a couple of good chances. We were punished right on half time, Reina rashly came out leaving an open goal, Naughton beat him to the ball and headed in. We hit back just 8 minutes into the second half through Andre Pierre Gignac, who smashed in from Gerrard’s pass. We grabbed the win when Fernando Torres turned and fired into the top corner. It was a deserved win, and a good way to start the season.

Torres picked up an injury right at the end of the game, but fortunately it wasn’t at all serious and he was fit for our next game which was away at Bolton. They employed a 4-5-1 formation and aimed to be difficult to break down. That didn’t happen though and we were 2-0 up inside 4 minutes. Steven Gerrard scored a header after just 30 seconds, and Sanchez powered in not long after. Bolton pulled one back but there was no stopping us, Gerrard grabbed his second with a tap in and Sanchez also scored his second, this time with a header. Torres scored when one-on-one and Gignac hammered in a free kick to complete an emphatic victory.

Next up was our final league game of the month, we were back at home to face Wolves. Once again we were superb going forward and got off to another great start through Glen Johnson, who’s run from deep was found by Silva and he finished nicely and Gerrard who scored a header from Gignac’s free kick. Matt Mills pulled one back for Wolves but Torres restored the two goal cushion with a bullet header. The Spain forward completed the scoring with a placed shot to ensure a 10o% start in the league.

So that concludes our league activity for August. Here is the table, where, after our great performances we sit top.

We weren’t finished for the month though, we had a difficult game against Valencia in the European Super Cup Final. I was expecting a tough match, but I was confident as one of Valencia’s current stars, Silva is now playing for us. With there only striker being an ageing Villa, I thought we held an advantage. I was proved right in the 39th minute when Gerrard’s header hit Torres and flew into the top corner. It was a fortuitous way to go ahead but I wasn’t complaining, and besides, we deserved it as we were the better team. The lead was doubled by David Silva, against his old club he slotted in cooly from a tight angle. After that it was one way traffic and we got our third through Gerrard who broke free of the defence and finished the game. Valencia had no reply to this and the ref blew the whistle, the cup was ours! I was very pleased, it means another trophy is added to our trophy cabinet! We have now one everything apart from the League Cup, which I really want to win this season.

After the game the news came out about our Champions League group draw. We have been drawn alongside Olympiakos, Bordeaux and Braga in a straightforward group that I expect us to qualify from with some ease.

 We have two international fixtures at the start of September, England are playing San Marino at home, before we travel to group leaders Switzerland in what could be a pivotal game. Apart from that we have three league games to play as well as our first Champions League game.

That’s how August was folks, September beckons and I am looking forward to it. The Arsenal game will be a tough one, it will be interesting to see how the players cope with their passing and movement.