Showing posts with label Gera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gera. Show all posts
Brendan Rodgers's first Premier League game in charge of Liverpool ended in a 3-0 defeat at West Brom as Steve Clarke gained revenge on his former employers in style.
Zoltan Gera put the hosts ahead with a wonderful long-range chest and volley late in the first half, before Peter Odemwingie added a second from the spot after Martin Skrtel fouled Shane Long just before the hour mark.
Long had only just missed a penalty himself, taken after Dan Agger brought him down, the Denmark defender sent off for denying a clear run at goal.
Playing the final half hour a man light took its toll as loanee Romelu Lukaku headed a third on his debut, with the Baggies denied a fourth by good goalkeeping from Pepe Reina.
Despite acquiring a highly-rated young manager and several new signings, Liverpool showed no improvement from last season: Luis Suarez was as skilful - and wasteful - as ever, spurning a handful of good chances after wowing the crowd with his dribbling ability.
Meanwhile his team-mates constantly gave the ball away, Steven Gerrard responsible for the incident which saw Agger dismissed and the likes of Fabio Borini, Lucas and Stewart Downing constantly failing to find their destinations.
The Baggies, meanwhile, had a new manager of their own as former Reds assistant Clarke finally started his career as a number one. The hosts were tidy in possession, direct on the counter attack and solid in defence, but they were helped by a shaky Liverpool defence that constantly got its wires crossed.
The first half was even and entertaining, with Liverpool seeing plenty of the ball but making few telling passes, West Brom more accurate as both sides created some decent opportunities.
The first went to Liam Ridgewell, who toe-poked over after a fine passing move involving Claudio Yacob, a free-transfer debutant who controlled the midfield and effectively snuffed out Gerrard.
Liverpool did have their moments but, as per last season, were wasteful, Suarez particularly guilty as he headed over from point-blank range after a fine Glen Johnson cross, before firing one effort straight at Ben Foster and another well wide as he continued to show great dribbling but poor composure in front of goal.
The Uruguayan did unleash one rasping drive that was well-saved by Foster, but his frustration was all-too evident as he picked up a booking for dissent late in the half.
That came after the Baggies had opened the scoring, and it was some goal too as, after Liverpool cleared a corner, Gera took the ball on his chest before firing a wonderful volley into the top corner.
Gera’s shared delight with his fans came with context: the Hungarian returned to West Brom from Fulham last summer, but missed the majority of the season through injury.
Rodgers needed to liven things up in the second half. While they started directly and promisingly, the bad habits of last season – poor final balls from Downing, Gerrard going missing, Suarez unable to match his ability with any kind of finish – all resurfaced.
There were two new signings but neither had their best game. Joe Allen was the most composed of Liverpool’s midfielders but had little overall impact, while Fabio Borini had a poor Premier League debut, missing one good chance, taking a few dives but otherwise AWOL.
Liverpool were committing bodies forward but that just played into West Brom’s hands. The over-commitment was punished when, just before the hour mark, Gerrard gave the ball away: Long raced clear, was fouled by Agger, winning a penalty as the Dane was shown a straight red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity.
When Long finally stepped up to take the spot-kick – Liverpool had replaced Downing with Jamie Carragher in the interim – he practically passed the ball into Reina’s arms, one of the worst penalties you will see.
Self-destruction does not come lightly to Liverpool but, when it does, it is usually spectacular. With Agger gone, it was Martin Skrtel’s turn as the Slovakia defender dithered on the ball in his own box, allowing Long to nick it away from him before tripping the Ireland forward for a second penalty in almost as many minutes.
Long stepped aside for this one and it was a good decision as Odemwingie smashed a ferocious low spot-kick past Reina.
James Morrison then missed a Suarez-style sitter after unselfish play by Marc-Antoine Fortune, but Liverpool continued to commit - while the bravery of introducing Joe Cole was commendable, that too ended in farce as he re-injured his hamstring minutes after coming on.
That was the signal for Liverpool to turn full-circle back to last season as Andy Carroll was thrown on, the long balls subsequently chucked high into the Baggies box. In the meantime, West Brom had added a third as on-loan Chelsea striker Lukaku rose unmarked to head home his first Premier League goal, courtesy of a lofted cross by Ridgewell.
Lukaku had a few more half chances to add to his tally, as did Youssuf Mulumbu and Fortune, who forced an excellent stop by Reina.
The away fans were leaving in droves but they missed little as both sides willed on the final whistle, West Brom having done more than enough and Liverpool just desperate to go home.
It was a very important win on Saturday.
Overall, I think Fulham played well and we played well too. They put us under pressure because Gera and Kamara combined well and their midfield was efficient, they played quite a direct game to expose us with balls behind our defenders.
We needed not only quality but sprit and resilience and we got it. We scored two exceptional goals from Samir Nasri that were a combination of touch, intelligence, special talent and calmness. He needed to be patient to finish in both situations and he did very well.
I'm happy because when Samir joined us he had a game that was based on coming to the ball, but now he has so much more variation in his game.
Samir's game is improving and of course he is more efficient. What is important when you are a manager is that you want to get the best out of players and I always was a strong believer in him. Many people questioned me when I took him here, but he is showing that he has exceptional talent and I think there is more to come from him.
Johan Djourou came on for Laurent Koscielny when he was concussed and I have to say, Johan is doing very well. He has been out for a year and as you may have noticed, I have rotated him a little bit. We do not want to lose him and a guy that has been out for a year cannot play three games a week.
From the start of the season, Johan has gone from strength to strength and on Saturday, in the difficult period when we had to defend in the air, he was dominant. He has not only shown dominance but also personality. That's why I am very happy. He came here as a midfielder and we transformed him into a centre back.
I was asked after the game whether we can go on to win the title and I feel we are good enough. Every single team struggles to be consistent and at the moment, we are where we are despite losing three home games. That means every game is a cup final and if you are not ready for it you will not take three points.
We have the spirit and the quality but we face tough opponents and it will be down to consistency. We are a long way from winning the championship at the moment but the only thing I can say is we have the spirit and the desire to fight for it.
Goals from Youssouf Mulumbu and Marc-Antoine Fortune gave West Brom a 2-1 win over Fulham at the Hawthorns that put the Baggies in the top four of the Premier League and extended Fulham’s woeful away record.
An unlucky own-goal from Scott Carson had given the Whites an early lead but the home side refused to compromise their philosophy as they played their way to victory, with all the goals coming in the first half.
Fulham, who have not won away in the league since August 2009, took the lead against the run of play when, on nine minutes, former Baggies midfielder Zoltan Gera’s excellent long-distance drive smacked the inside of the post and went in off the head of the unfortunate Carson.
Until that point West Brom had bossed possession while Fulham barely left their own half, but it should have been 2-0 to the Whites soon after the opener when Diomansy Kamara drilled wide after a dreadful pass across the face of goal by Gonzalo Jara had put him in.
The Baggies continued to play their attractive brand of passing football and it reaped dividends in some style when, on 17 minutes, the impressive Mulumbu capped off a slick move with a low finish past Mark Schwarzer, the livewire Chris Brunt weighing in with a superb assist.
Steven Kelly cleared Jonas Olsson’s header off the line as the home side looked the more likely, and they took the lead on 40 minutes with Brunt again the principle architect.
The Northern Ireland international’s inch-perfect through ball released Jerome Thomas on the left side of the penalty area, the linesman’s flag stayed down and he cut the ball back for Fortune to roll a low finish into the bottom right.
Paul Scharner headed into the side netting in injury time as the half-time whistle blew to the relief of Fulham’s players.
Fulham came closest to an equaliser after the break when a Jonathan Greening corner skipped off the head of Gera but flew clear of the assembled bodies on the edge of the six-yard box.
Mark Hughes spotted the deficiency and brought on Andy Johnson, absent since January with chronic injury problems, as Fulham continued to hem the Baggies back.
But the Baggies could have extended their lead as first Brunt found James Morrison unmarked at the far post but Schwarzer kept out his low finish, then Scharner fired just wide after superb centre-forward play by substitute Roman Bednar, while Thomas was denied a good call for a penalty when Kelly slid into him from behind, taking man before ball.
Fulham had lost their rhythm and when they did get a chance to break their promising counter fell apart when Moussa Dembele again tried a complicated turn with options either side of him.
West Brom almost got a third with an uncharacteristic route-one move as Morrison raced on to a Carson punt that left the visiting defence floundering, the Scot firing just wide as Schwarzer made himself big.
The visitors cranked up the pressure in the latter stages as Carlos Salcido’s excellent cross just missed the outstretched boot of Johnson and Nicky Shorey putting behind as Bjorn Helge Riise prepared to tap in at the far post.
But West Brom were able to weather the late storm to hold on for a deserved win, their fourth so far this season.
