Mid Season 2014/2015 of Liverpool FC

Mid season has come to an end and we’re facing new year. At the end of 2014 Liverpool’s position is in 8^th. Not good enough. We were facing some problems. Daniel Sturridge has a series of injury. After had an injury in August, he had another injury, and another injury. We were really struggling. Sturridge was our 2nd top scorer last season, after Luis Suarez, so his role is very important for us. Unfortunately in the other side, our other strikers, Rickie Lambert, Mario Balotelli dan Fabio Borini haven't showed their best performances yet.

I admit this season is not as smooth as last season, but we're still fighting. We have been in an even more worst position before. No matter where LFC's position, I will always support them. Nevertheless, there are some issues that I want to stress about LFC's performances until mid season 2014/2015. We are pretty bad when facing set pieces, either it's from corner kick or free kick. That is our weakness and in the first three months our opponent used that weakness very well. Every time we have set pieces, my heart's beating very fast and somehow I always have a bad feeling about that, which then result in a goal. That hurts.

Overall our weakness this season is still the same like the last season. It's in the back. And unfortunately, our manager Brendan Rodgers didn't recruit a lot of players in that position when transfer window opened last summer. We recruited a lot of midfielders than defenders. And that cost us. When Rodgers recruited some new midfielders in transfer window, I was just hoping that he did the right thing and could make LFC more competitive. But, it wasn't. After our second match this season, we're really have to fight hard.

Fortunately, when we're entering December, it gets better. Lazar Markovic and Emre Can have shown what their capable of, even though I think they could do more. Sterling, whose done a great job replacing Sturridge's role, continue on showing his determination and great skills. Along with Adam Lallana, Philipe Coutinho and Jordan Henderson. Even though in the other side, our new strikers still haven't showed their best performances, but we're getting better. And I hope it will continues better and better. In this winter window transfers, I'm hoping Rodgers will recruit top defenders. We really need to fix our defense line.

In the mean time, there is also a big news coming from LFC's captain, Steven Gerrard. He will leave LFC at the end of the season. It's a heartbreaking news, even though I know someday sooner or later it will come, but it still make me in shock. When I knew the news for the very first time, I don't know how to react on that news. A denial, maybe. Until 2-3 days later, finally I can embrace Gerrard's decision and accept that it's his time. This is the time when he will leaving LFC, at last. I can not imagine how LFC would be without him, because my love for LFC grow along with his performances on the pitch. First time I know and love LFC is because Michael Owen, but it continues to grow along with all of the LFC players from more than 15 years ago until now. That includes Steven Gerrard, of course. I know his retirement will open the door for existing players and young players to come forward and show their best. A few young players from Academy already had the chance to show their performances, like Jordan Rossiter, and I think Rodgers need a player like him to fill our loss.

Anyway, we still have about six months to end this season very well. I know we have to work hard. As long as all of the players have a great collaboration and understanding among each others, I think we will be fine. Keep on marching, Reds!

You'll Never Walk Alone!

New Season Is Coming!

New season has come. That means the new battle has begun. Because we’ve Champions League coming up also. After five seasons, finally we could get the chance to play in Champions League again. It’s so relieve. That’s why Liverpool FC need consistency in every game this season.

A lot of changes happened in Liverpool FC squad in pre-season. We’ve lost our vital player last season: Luis Suarez, whose got transferred to Barcelona. When I heard the news, frankly it didn’t surprise me at all. After incident in World Cup, when Suarez bite Italian player, I gave up on him. That’s the third times he’d done that. It’s kinda hard to forgive him, even though he was our top scorer last season.

So, when I heard Suarez’s transfer, I only response: Oh, well. I know it’s gonna be tough to find a player like him. In football, there’s no man alike. Suarez had made great, unimaginable, superb, and sometimes ridiculous goals last season. I’m really grateful for what he’d done for Liverpool FC. Thank you for having three awesome years with us.

So, what’s next then, after losing our top scorer? Liverpool’s manager, Brendan Rodgers, has come up with eight new players (when I post this blog). They are Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Dejan Lovren, Emre Can, Lazar Markovic, Javier Manquillo, Divock Origi, and Alberto Moreno. Those players mostly are midfielder and backs. We only have one new striker: Rickie Lambert, while Origi is going back to Lille for one year.

To be honest, I don’t know most of them. I only can recognize Lallana and Lambert, who play for Southampton last season. Actually, Lovren was also in Southampton, but his name did’t ring me a bell. From all of those players, I’m really excited when Liverpool FC signs Lallana. He play really well last season for Southampton. Tough and determined player. I remember Liverpool FC vs Southampton’s match. Lallana was the motor of Southampton game. When he moves and get the ball, I always said to Liverpool FC players: Stop him! Stoooopppp hiiimmm! So, when I heard that Lallana is coming to Anfield, I'm really excited. Unfortunately, he got injured in pre-season, so he won’t be able to play in Barclays Premier League’s first match.

Anyway, there has been a bunch of analysis of what Liverpool FC's gonna be this season. In the midst of a lot of saying that we haven’t found a player that match the capability like Suarez, I’m pretty confident about this season.  Yes, I do think we need more strikers, at least one more with a great skill. We can’t depend ourselves to Daniel Sturridge. He’s a great player but we need another one, so we have plenty of choice in the front line. But, looking at the squad today, there’s a lot of room to grow for another players. Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling couldn’t be stop, and continue to blossom in every match. Jordon Ibe has proved himself as one of the contender that need to be watch out in pre-season. They are young players that always amaze me in every game.

Liverpool FC has done a good job in pre-season with 5 wins and 3 losses. Yes, it wasn’t a straight wins. But, I’m pretty satisfied with it. And how about this season? Well, Steven Gerrard has decided to retire from England’s national team, that means he can focus on Liverpool FC. Both Liverpool FC’s new and young players have shown their best in pre-season. We’ve won the last pre-season match against Borussia Dortmund with 4-0. Lovren and Manquillo caught my attention on that match. Well done, lads!

So, facing the new season 2014/2015? Just bring it on! Reds army is marching and coming for you! We are ready!

LFC Tour 2013 (First Half)

Liverpool got a corner. At first, I saw Downing already took a position to had one. But then, he canceled it. When I saw to the other side of the field, apparently Gerrard whose take the corner.

In these videos you will see Gerrard's movement on the pitch. Yes...I frequently take some shoots of Steven Gerrard, hehehe. You probably already know what my reasons are. What more reasons I can say? He is our Captain Fantastic :D.

45 minutes went by so quickly. Liverpool leads 1-0. In the second half Liverpool add a goal from Raheem Sterling on minute 88. I'm sorry I can't upload until the end of the game, because the duration of my shoots in second half were over a minute. As I told you before, I can't upload a video that have a duration up to 2 minutes. All I can say is I'm very happy that Liverpool FC got the chance to visit Indonesia and know more about Liverpool FC fans in here. I'm really looking forward and can't wait to have them here again on the next tour. If Allah permit me, I also really..really..want to watch Liverpool FC match in Anfield someday. YNWA.

Liverpool FC vs Indonesia XI (Coutinho Goal and Indonesia XI Counter Attack)

The game just started 10 minutes, and Coutinho already scored a goal for Liverpool. I didn't realize when I record the match, I would record Coutinho's goal. So when he did, I was soooo excited. After scored a goal, Coutinho spontaneously went to the back of the net and had his celebration over there. Huff....I just wish that he could come to my side of pitch, at that time. :D

Indonesia XI were playing really well, too. In some time they were manage to penetrate inside Liverpool area and made Liverpool FC players have to defend very deep. Indonesia XI made some great opportunities, too. Unfortunately, it didn't end with a goal.

Pre-Match Liverpool FC vs Indonesia XI (Part II)

Hello again! It's really nice to say HI! to all of you again :). It's been...errrr, how many months I have disappeared? Ooow..five months. Wow, time went by so quickly. Didn't realized I have gone that long. So, where have I been?  Finishing my research for my master degree. Period. And after it's all over a few weeks ago, finally I can update my blog again. I'm soooo gIad I could come back again :D PS: Actually I have prepared some drafts to post since August, but I haven't got the time to add some writings.

Btw, let's begin again to what I left off five months ago. We're gonna (still) be talking about LFC Tour in Indonesia. Yes, it's been a while, but I have to finish what I started. Even though, I really..really want to talk about Liverpool performances this season, some of Liverpool players like duo Suarez-Sturridge, Coutinho and Henderson, also Luis Garcia's retirement. But...I still have works to do: to finish my story about the first LFC Tour in Indonesia.

Anyway, these videos were taken right before the match. All of Liverpool FC and Indonesia players came out to do some trainings. Again, all of Liverpool FC players had their training on the other side of pitch where I stand. Unlucky me :(. But, I still manage to capture some of their actions from my cam.

As I mentioned before, Liverpool FC bring some new players to this tour. When all of Liverpool FC players had their training, Vetri asked me which one is Iago Aspas, new recruit from Celta Vigo FC. I tried to zoom in and found him doing shuttle runs. Even though he did a good work on tour, unfortunately he didn't manage to keep his position lately. Anyway...after warming up around 30 minutes, all of players went back to changing room. And then, 10 minutes later, they came back to the pitch. Without a doubt, we sing along Indonesia Raya (Indonesia national anthem) and You'll Never Walk Alone to start off the game.