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traced from Reds: Liverpool FC first est. 25 june 1997 paths still being plotted scribed by journeymaster perrin |
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the
ongoing saga of liverpool fc S e a s o n 21 9 9 9 / 2 0 0 0 |
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S e a s o n dR e s u l t s|
Final
Premier League Standing 1999 / 2000
FA Premier
League FA Premier
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League
FA Premier
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League Liverpool dealt a crushing blow to Leeds United's title hopes by dismissing the second-placed Yorkshire side 3-1 at Anfield. Manchester United's 3-2 home win over Coventry City means that the league leaders have opened up a 6-point gap over Leeds. The Reds are now level on points with Arsenal and 3 points behind Leeds. In a pulsating match played at high speed, Liverpool, without their strikers Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler, were able to get the goals from midfield. Patrik Berger had already tested Nigel Martyn with a half-volley after just 6 minutes when the home side went ahead on twenty minutes. Dietmar Hamann claimed his first goal for the Reds when his long-range free-kick was deflected past the Leeds goalkeeper by Jon Woodgate. Leeds, however, have not gotten to their lofty position in the Premiership without an abundance of character and were able to battle their hosts to a tactical parity on the field for the rest of the first half. Lee Bowyer had a shot saved by Sander Westerveld on 28 minutes. That parity was extended to the scoreline on 63 minutes when new Leeds signing Jason Wilcox crossed to the far post for Bowyer to head home. The goal galvanised Liverpool into attack, and within minutes, the chances were coming. Erik Meijer, making a rare start in a Red shirt, fired an audacious cross-goal shot narrowly wide from an acute angle. Another of Berger's half-volley was beaten out by Martyn moments later. But the Czech international was on hand to restore Liverpool's lead on 70 minutes; he took a pass from compatriot Vladimir Smicer and smashed a brilliant left-footed drive from outside the box past the Leeds custodian. Almost immediately, Harry Kewell, who otherwise had a quiet game, broke into the box and forced a fine save from Westerveld. David O'Leary threw on Michael Bridges and Darren Huckerby as Leeds sought a second equaliser. But it was the Liverpool substitute Danny Murphy, for the last 2 seasons an outcast at Anfield, who scored the next and final goal. He controlled a loose ball and unleashed a shot past Martyn from outside the box in injury time. Short of firepower
up-front, it is doubtful whether Liverpool could sustain their
challenge for a place in Europe's Champions League in the crucial
upcoming pair of games against Arsenal and Manchester United (both
away). But the Kop could rightly take heart for the good things
that Liverpool did against Leeds. Smicer was diligent and full
of endeavour even if his touches did not come off always. Berger
was excellent; in this depleted Liverpool side, he looked like
the star of the team. But even stars need less glamorous team-mates
to complement them. For my part, I was most impressed with young
Steven Gerrard, who was fully committed in his play, resolute
in defending, composed in midfield and one certainly to make the
blood rush when he drives foward to support the attack from midfield.
This is certainly a good sign of the right things Liverpool are
doing in a season of transition. FA Premier
League FA Premier
League FA Cup 4th
Round
Liverpool 0 Blackburn Rovers 1 FA Premier
League FA Premier
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League FA Cup 3rd
Round FA Premier
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League Worthington
Cup Third Round FA Premier
League FA Premier
League Worthington
Cup 2nd Round 2nd Leg FA Premier
League Liverpool gained a point in a 2-2 draw at Filbert Street against Leicester City, but it could well be said that it was the Reds that managed not to win, helped as they were by both developments both on and off the field for Leicester. The Merseysiders arrived for a match with a team rocked by an internal power struggle within its board of directors. But the Foxes under the charge of Martin O'Neil are not a team which is divided on the field. And Liverpool were stunned by an early goal after 81 seconds from the home team, this time yet again from woeful defending. Dominic Matteo, the last man, gave the ball cheaply to Muzzy Izzet, and had it played through his legs to Tony Cottee, who looked a tad offside as he burst free into the box. The former Everton striker coolly chipped the ball over the onrushing Sander Westerveld. Liverpool, however, contrived to turn the match their way. Michael Owen, starting his first Premiership match in five months, headed a cross from Titi Camara from the right onto the frame of the goal on 13 minutes. But he proceeded to convert his next two chances. First, Patrik Berger was upended in the box after 23 minutes, and Owen stroke home the penalty. Six minutes before half-time, Camara, starting in place of the injured Robbie Fowler, made a strong run from defence and Matteo, with a touch of fortune, played the ball to Owen. The 19-year old England forward only needed to push the ball into an unguarded net for a half time Liverpool lead. By this time, Leicester were well-contained and posed only a threat at set pieces, where they headed several corners over. Emile Heskey did break through and score just before half time, but he was ruled offside. The match seemed to turn in the Reds' favour six minutes into the second half, when Frank Sinclair, who had been booked in the first half, brought down Camara and was sent off. But for some inexplicable reason, playing against ten men and defending a lead, Liverpool never got hold of the game and punished Leicester for the gaps in defense as they pushed forward. Certainly Liverpool did break with promising options, but each time they contrived to give the ball away or use it poorly. Towards the final quarter of the match, O'Neil sent Matt Elliot up front as an emergency striker, and the captain chipped a ball 4 minutes from the end into the box for Izzet, who scored and equalised for the Foxes, to the delight of the home crowd. Owen then forced a save off Pegguy Arphexad and then substitute Erik Meijer had his attempt blocked by the goalkeeper's leg. To compound Liverpool's frustration, David Thompson was red carded right at the death for a second bookable offence. Owen's double was in itself worth a celebration on his full return from injury. But for the team, it was a case of persisting footballing problems. They will need to improve. Worthington
Cup 2nd Round 1st Leg FA Premier
League Liverpool have committed their perennial hara-kiri against Manchester United yet again. Two own goals by poor England U-21 captain Jamie Carragher at the start and end of a terrible first half left them with too much of a mountain to climb against their archrivals at Anfield. The defence which so classily shut out Leeds United and Arsenal in preceding matches was all at sea in the first half, especially atrocious at defending swinging crosses from the flanks. Sounds like the Liverpool of the pre-Houllier revolution? Carragher was unfortunate to have had the final touch with both own goals; the bottom line was that Liverpool floundered whenever a dangerous ball was crossed into the box. The home side was in trouble from as early as the fourth minute. Dwight Yorke, winning possession at the edge of the box, sprayed the ball left to Ryan Giggs, whose dangerous cross was diverted into the net by Carragher. Liverpool's defence was caught asleep again in the box after 16 minutes, and almost paid for it, but Sander Westerveld managed to take the ball off Andy Cole when it seemed the England reject might score. The latter was not denied, however, two minutes later when, unmarked, he headed in a David Beckham free-kick and maintains his excellent scoring record against Liverpool. Sami Hyypiä gave Liverpool a priceless lifeline just 5 minutes later when he headed a free-kick into an empty net after Manchester United debutant Massimo Taibi flapped hopelessly at the cross. On 37 minutes, the referee, wired for communication with his colleagues, waved away penalty claims for handball in the United box. Taibi then made the first of his several significant saves two minutes later by pushing away a Patrik Berger drive from outside the box. The play then switched swiftly to the other end as Giggs was put through but Westerveld made a good save, while David Thompson was caught on replay (only) tugging at Giggs' jersey as he attempted to get at the rebound. Just when it appeared that the Reds would end the half just a goal behind, another Beckham free-kick was bounced around in a sea of mayhem in the box and went in last off Carragher. So much for United's defensive injury problems before the match. Liverpool were much improved in the second half as they pressed forward to make up a two-goal deficit but even so, the Anfield faithful had to endure a glaring miss in the 49th minute by Cole as United counterattacked. The treble winners were pressed back on the defensive for the rest of the half as Taibi made a string of crucial stops. He first denied substitute Vladimir Smicer in the 56th minute when he was put through, and then instinctively blocked Robbie Fowler's free header with his legs from the resulting corner. Titi Camara shot into the side netting from an acute angle on the hour before the Kop welcomed Michael Owen into the match. Almost immediately Fowler again was denied by Taibi, but at long last the Italian goalkeeper was beaten after incessant pressure. The excellent Berger was put through by Dominic Matteo, and he showed strength, balance and quick feet to take the ball into the box, holding off the challenge of Hennig Berg before slipping the ball into the far corner. Galvanised, Liverpool pressed, Manchester United resisted. The home team appeared to be helped by the dismissal of Cole on 72 minutes for retaliation on a foul by Rigobert Song. Owen broke free in the box ten minutes from time, beat Taibi in a race for the ball, but found the wrong side of the post with his toe-poke. And Manchester United held out and won, despite having less than half the chances that Liverpool managed to conjure. Gerard Houllier would now be pressed to make the changes to the backline, with Stephane Henchoz back from injury. Matteo did not look strong defensively and lacked the pace going forward at left-back. Song showed far greater commitment, and made some good tackles and a few niggly fouls on Cole as well, but even he did not have the guile of Veggard Heggem supporting the attack. There will be a strong case to rest Caraggher at centre-back. Liverpool
dug themselves a deep hole and produced a vain second-half battling
display to redeem themselves. Fans and players would want to look
forward instead of retrospection on yet another loss to the archenemy.
Last season, the Scousers lost their shape after that heartbreaking
defeat by United at Old Trafford in the FA Cup. We shall see if
Liverpool and Jamie Carragher have the strength of will this time
around to build on what was positive in this match for the rest
of this season. FA
Premier League For a fair measure of consistency, Liverpool built on their previous win over Leeds United to impressively dismiss Arsenal 2-0 at Anfield. In the same way that the Reds shut out Leeds at Elland Road last Monday, Arsenal were never in the game right from the start. Liverpool started at a furious pace, and the first real chance of the match fell to, and was taken, by Robbie Fowler in the 9th minute. Jamie Redknapp won possession in midfield, gave the ball to Patrik Berger, who released Fowler. The Liverpool striker ran forward a few yards and unleased a cracking drive which went in off the underside of the bar. He slipped as he shot, and after the match quipped ironically that the attempt might have gone into the stands if he had stayed on his feet. The home team continued to pile on the pressure; Berger and Titi Camara were impressive on the left and four minutes later, Redknapp miscued a Berger cutback. Fowler almost added to his tally after 33 minutes when he wriggled his way into the box but saw his fierce shot well tipped over by Alex Manniger. The Reds were dominant at the end of the half, when Fowler had a shot blocked in the box, while a sizzling drive by Berger from outside hit the outside of the post and bounded out for a goal-kick. The Arsenal forward line of Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry had little precious service in the match, and I could not recall a single worthy chance by the Gunners in the first half. Liverpool continued to dominate the second half. A thunderous freekick by Redknapp was punched out by Manniger on the hour, while Fowler, in the following move and looking suspiciously offside, hit the post with a well-placed attempt. Henry had the first real opportunity for the visitors after that, but his shot was well held by Sander Westerveld. The drama came near the end of the match. After their ill luck in striking post instead of net, Liverpool doubled their lead after 77 minutes when a Berger freekick from outside was deflected past a despairing Manniger. Into injury time, Arsenal were awarded a dubious penalty when Rigobert Song was adjudged to have felled Freddie Ljungberg in the box in the race for the ball. The Cameroon defender had won the ball before the momentum of his challenge tripped the Swede. Liverpool's good fortune, however, held; substitute Davor Suker could only weakly shoot towards goal, and Westerveld saved easily to end a miserable outing for the Gunners. What was important for Liverpool was the manner they won the match, dominating play and showing great teamwork defensively. Sami Hyypiä and Jamie Carragher were notably impressive at the back, while Song was able to neutralise the threat posed by Marc Overmars. It was nonetheless just as important that Liverpool's young midfield talents, David Thompson and Stephen Gerrard, showed energy and enthusiasm in tracking back to help out in defense. Psychologically it could be crucial for Liverpool to be able to dominate a match this way and get the result, unlike at Manchester United last season in the FA Cup. And of course, the return, in the last few minutes of the game, of England's golden boy, Michael Owen.
FA Premier League 24 August 1999 Leeds United 1 Liverpool 2 Goals: Song (20 mins o.g.), Camara (45 min), Radebe (55 min o.g.) Team: Westerveld, Song, Matteo, Hyypiä, Carragher, Thompson, Redknapp, Gerrard, Berger, Fowler, Camara.
FA Premier League 21 August 1999 Middlesbrough 1 Liverpool 0 Team: Westerveld, Heggem, Carragher, Hyypiä, Matteo, Staunton (Meijer 71), Gerrard, Redknapp, Berger (Thompson 65), Camara, Fowler.
FA Premier League 14 August 1999 Liverpool 0 Watford 1 Team: Westerveld, Heggem (Song 81), Carragher, Hyypiä, Matteo, Smicer (Riedle 62), Redknapp, Gerrard (Thompson 58), Berger, Camara, Fowler.
FA Premier League 7 August 1999 Sheffield Wednesday 1 Liverpool 2 Goals: Fowler (75 min), Camara (85 min) Team: Westerveld, Heggem, Carragher, Hyypiä, Matteo, Smicer, Redknapp, Hamann (Thompson 25 (Staunton 82)), Berger, Camara (Meijer 90), Fowler. |