Okay, let's do it again.
First off, I can't remember where I picked up the facepack from. It was on a competing FM site, search around for EPL Polaroid facepack, something thereabouts. It's pretty good, looks clean. And while I'm at it, doesn't anyone have a recommendation for a couple good facepacks for Spain, France and Italy? I'm not too enamored with mine at the present.
Secondly, I'll quickly cover my winter moves: After a couple months of negotiations, Jonny Evans came over on a free from ManU. My plan was to slot him into the rotation at the back, with him, Mancienne, Agger, and Pablo all coming and going between the two centre-halve spots and right-full. So far, so good, as in five appearances he's put in some solid performances and picked up a goal in the league.
Rafael van der Vaart was begging out of Chelsea after Aguirre's sacking, and I was able to pick him up for 6.75m to provide cover for both Babel and Pandev. He's only made one appearance so far but I plan on rotating him in a bit more as the campaign drags on.
The big signing was Miguel Veloso from sporting for 29.5m, funded by the sale of Alberto Zapater to Tottenham after he rejected a move to Arsenal. I didn't feel I was getting enough out of my holding midfielder spot, and so far Veloso has put in couple good showings, although he didn't show up in a big match as we'll see later. Hopefully he can prove his fee was actually worth it.
Besides Zapater to Spurs for 21m, I also let Antwi walk for 12m from West Ham, Palombo to Sevilla for 9.75m, and a couple other second-team moves.
Right, so, following the Atletico collapse I picked up home wins against Blackburn in the league and Sochaux in the UEFA Cup, followed by a 2-1 win at the Reebok. Enter ManU for the league cup quarter-final, my second massive challenge of this competition. I attacked from the start and peppered Lloris early and often, but at the half it was still 0-0. Haven't not faced a true consistent attack on Reina yet, I gave the lads a bit of encouragement in the locker room, pulled Pandev (took a knock early) in favour of Michael Johnson, and set out to get the one goal I was sure would get the win. On 67 minutes Burdisso responded, netting on a ball that had rebounded off the wall on a Gerrard free kick and fell to him 25 yards from goal in the right channel. Absolutely cracking effort and we settled in for the 1-0 win.
The team suffered a bit of a let down afterwards, only managing a 2-1 win at Standard and a pair of draws, one at home 2-2 to Arsenal (after trailing 0-2 at the half) and 1-1 at Fulham. A trip to Pompey the following weekend resulted in the first loss since the trip to Old Trafford. Holding on 1-1, Reina saved a Defoe effort in the 91st minute only to have it bound off the legs of Daniel Agger and into his own goal. A terrible way to get my first negative result but the team responded well. A 3-0 thrashing of Charlton that could've been far larger and 2-0 away to Brentford in the 3rd round FA Cup led into the League Cup semi first league, home against Man City.
Burdisso struck on 33 off a corner by Alonso and Torres netted at 62 to give us a comfortable 2-0 lead. City responded at the 65th, but Gerrard put the game out of reach with a rocketed solo effort in the 83rd, blinding Joe Hart with a shot from 30 yards. Chad Evens of City added a consolation goal in stoppage time but I was a step closer to my first cup final with the club.
City didn't get much of a break before I thrashed them 5-0 in the league just three days later. Goals from Torres at 20 and Pandev at 34 gave the appearance of a rout, but Daniel Agger drew a red card at 36 minutes after a ridiculous foul that led to a 2-weeks wage fine. The team didn't back down though, and Torres netted twice more before the half to complete his fourth hat-trick of the campaign with Gerrard finishing out the scoring with one at the 60th.
Two more league games—draw at home against my old club Newcastle and a 3-1 win at West Brom—and it was the second leg semi, three games out of my past five now against City. Michael Johnson slotted home a penalty in first-half injury time and Torres capped the match with a goal in the 78th. Reina with a MOTM performance, stopping 7 shots and sending Torres the long ball to set him free on Hart for his goal.
A fourth round FA Cup win over Plymouth away and two more league wins against relegation candidates Middlesbrough and Burnley before a short international break. The fifth round draw pitted me against (guess who!) Everton at Goodison, the third such matchup already this season. I faced the daunting challenge of four cup games (2 UEFA, FA, Carling Cup final) in just 10 days coming out of the break. First off, a trip to Germany to take on HSV. A 2-1 result was as good as I could ask as I rested a few key players leading up to the Everton show down just two days later. This time, I'm sad to say, my boys just couldn't get up for it. We looked flat the whole match, exhausted from the match in Germany and many of my top players had also competed in EURO qualifiers just three days before the Hamburg trip. Arteta struck on 31, beating Reina on a ball he should've easily handled. I tried to get them up at the half but to no avail, as Andy Johnson netted at the 67th. I made two changes at the 77th in an attempt to chase the match, bringing on Michael Johnson for the nearly invisible Pandev, and Nemeth for Veloso, who had easily his worst match in his short time so far at the club. Nothing could be made of the match and Tim Howard stopped all advances, included two very good chances from Torres late on. I was out of the FA Cup at the fifth round, and in the worst possible fashion.
The team was able to rebound with a 5-0 win over HSV in the second league of our UEFA Cup tie. Torres with a brace, Burdisso with his sixth of the season, Babel and Pandev with their eighth and ninth of the season respectively. We face West Ham in the next round, with a league game between the two sides sandwiched between the UEFA Cup rounds.
The League Cup final saw my side against Fulham. The Cottagers set up shop early, intent on not letting us jump ahead early. But Michael Johnson, on for the injured Xabi Alonso, broke down the Fulham backline and grabbed us an early 1-0 lead with a beautiful strike at the 12th. That goal alone proved enough as Fulham were unable to test Reina all night, zero shots on net. Liverpool 1 – 0 Fulham, and I had my first cup win with the club. Thanks and praise poured in including a message from the new Wolves physio, a Mr. Robbie Fowler. Perhaps a new staff addition for the summer?
And that's where I stand. Let's do some screenshots, eh?:
Sitting pretty cozy atop the league. It'd take a serious slip up for me to fall back to the pack right now.
Holy shi*t! Ashley Young is leading the league in red cards?!?! Certainly happy with the number of names I have on there, plus Skrtel leading the division in tackles. How about that?
The home tactics with a pretty typical lineup. Pablo's only down for six days or so, no big deal. Johnson also gets a lot of time at CAM, with Alonso at his usual CM spot and Veloso and Digard at the holding spot. Still wondering if the 29m was a good buy or not... Oh well, it's done.
Woo! They love me!
Gerrard, continuing to set the world on fire. Can't say enough about his play this season. And then there's this:
Yep, don't really know what else to say that the numbers don't. He's already set the in-game Liverpool record for goals in a season and it's February. Incredible.
And while I'm here, just have to give a bit of thanks and love to my Gers. Absolutely incredible season they're putting together, and we couldn't ask for a better matchup in the final. Just amazing, really is. And David Weir, mustering up the old-man strength to get out there last night and put on another great performance for us. I believe that was his 57th match of the season in all competitions.
Mon the Gers! Anything right now for the quadruple.
Woo update 
Linear Mode
