Vs. Stoke City - January 14, 2012

This has been billed as a game where Liverpool is to get revenge for their defeat at Stoke, earlier in the season. Its a strange lineup with Andy Carroll missing from the side. With no Suarez available, Dalglish has chosen to go with no "striker" as such. Kuyt and Gerrard are not strikers anymore. Henderson being marked as a forward on the team sheet is not encouraging either.

Within the first 15 minutes, Liverpool has seen 3 corners being awarded without any result. The Reds are playing a deeper line of defense to accommodate the extra strength in midfield. However, it appears the home side players are intent on getting the score sheet. In quick succession, first Downing and then Gerrard had shots from outside the box, not troubling Sorensen. After a while, Henderson took on his weaker left foot to shoot from all of 20 yards. The home side has not seriously tested the Stoke goalkeeper in the first 40 minutes of the game. However, Matt Etherington had a shot requiring intervention from Pepe Reina after a superb solo run.

With Reds packing the midfield, Stoke are being limited to swift counter attacks with Ehterington providing the pace from midfield to the final third. However, Carragher in the middle of defense has looked as reliable as ever. Another home game so far where we have not been able to create clear cut opportunities, even though we have looked the more threatening side.