Last week was such a rousing success I decided to give it another shot with the live blog. Today's match: Liverpool vs Reading, live from Anfield.
Team news: Liverpool have really nailed down a starting 11 it seems. Torres, Kuyt, Babel, Gerrard, Monster Masch seem to always be in the squad now. No complaints here. Xabi Alonso is back from watching the birth of his out of wedlock child. Congrats! Apparently, there is no such thing as birth control in Europe. Reina in goal, Carra, Skrtel in the central D. Fabio A and Arbeloa on the flanks.
00:21 - And we're off. Right away, Fabio gives the ball away and Reading crosses...Great start. I love turnovers 10 seconds into the game.
3:30 - Nando is looking for his 20th Prem goal of the season...A feat last achieved by Robbie Fowler in the 1990's. Let's have a moment of silence for a Liverpool legend. And celebrate the best goal celebration of all time:
4:19 - Corner kick-esque free kick for Reading. GOAL!!! Some dude, I can't pronounce his name or spell it (Matejovski?), scores his first goal for Reading with an incredible one-time blast from outside the box. I'm stunned. 1-0 to Reading. Shit, that sucks. Reading looking for the double over the Reds.
7:24 - Xabi Alonso fouled outside the Reading box. This will be an inviting chance for Stevie G. Can he hit back? A resounding no, as they try some passing nonsense and the eventual shot it is deflected.
10:00 - Babel in to the box, crosses to Nando. Ball out for a corner. Nothing doing, Reading clear.
12:22 - Nando is through from a Gerrard pass, but Marcus Hahnemann (sp?) is out quickly to deny the Spaniard. Big stop for the big, bald American.
14:27 - Terrible pass from Kuyt to stall a prospective break. Never a good thing when Sloth from the Goonies is playing for your team.
18:48 - MONSTER MASCH!!! GOAL!!! 1-1. His first ever for the Reds. Dekes around his defender and unleashes hell from his right boot. Just outside the box, his 20-yard cracker curls inside the right post and into the back of the net. A pulsating blast. Game on!
22:40 - Matejovski with the high boot about 30 yards out. This is a tasty distance for Stevie. Let's see what he can conjure up. Fabio is also standing around. I hope he doesn't go near it. Well, Fabio does and produces one of the most embarrassing free kicks of I've seen in a long time. I love throwing away decent chances. Just like I enjoy getting kicked in the junk.
26:38 - A little room for Babel, who tries his luck from outside the box. His effort is well wide and he quickly lapses into a dark, gloomy depression.
29:15 - Babel has one of the hardest shots in the leagues. I have no proof of that, but after watching almost every Liverpool game this season, I say that with confidence. Anyway, blasts another ferocious drive, but its saved.
29:49 - GOAL!!! NO. Waved off. Babel got his head on a Gerrard cross and drove it into the goal, but he was judged to be offsides. Looking at the replays, it was a good call.
32:19 - Good interplay by Liverpool outside of the box. Arbeloa feeds in a low cross to Kuyt who volleys narrowly over the goal. One-Eyed Willy looks on from his long forgotten pirate galleon with disgust.
34:57 - Bloodied, Arbeloa must leave the pitch. Obviously, the Woodsman was grazed by a wayward ax or saw. He returns a moment later, hopefully with a tetanus booster.
37:37 - Liverpool applying constant pressure, but not making much progress. Just as I type that Kuyt and the Woodsman work a 1-2 and get a corner out of it. First attempt is cleared behind the goal by Reading. Number 2 leads to nothing either. I can't recall the last time Liverpool scored on a corner kick. It's been a while maybe longer than Alan Smith goal drought. Burn!
40:44 - Announcer just used the term "Over-egging the pudding." A great phrase that I'm immediately bringing stateside.
43:35 - Perhaps a final flurry from Liverpool. Nice jinking run by Babel leads to a corner, but once again it is cleared without much difficulty.
45:25 - After a Reading turnover deep in their zone, Alonso tries an audacious left footed volley that surprises a stranded Hahnemann (sp?). A narrow miss; just a yard wide from being one of the top goals of the season.
HT - All tied at 1. Two great individual goals from each side should ensure that the final 45 minutes are as enthralling as the first. Judging from the way the final minutes of the half played out, I can't see Liverpool not scoring again, but stranger things have happened. Back after a bowl of Apple Jacks.
2nd Half kickoff - The Apple Jacks were kind of a let down. I didn't really have enough for a full bowl, so I tried to drag out half a bowl into something that it wasn't, ruining the experience completely. My Saturday is in shambles.
47:30 - NANDO NANDO NANDO!!!! GOAL! Free kick clipped in by Gerrard, Nando with a fairly open header perfectly place in the bottom left corner of the goal. 2-1 Liverpool. 20 league goals for Torres. +5 to the Boner Counter. We are over 1000 ladies and gentlemen. When I'm old, no need for Viagra. Just load a couple of Nando videos on YouTube v.42 and let nature takes its course.
54:33 - Babel decides to take on the entire Reading defense and manages to win a corner. Short corner taken, Kuyt wins a header, but directs it wide.
56:24 - Blatant dive by Monster Masch, but he gets away with it. Ronaldo would be proud.
61:55 - Great feed from Nando to Babel. Step-over from the Tower, beats his defender but blasts over the crossbar. God that would have been sweet and could have killed off the game. Alas, that will have to wait.
63:15 - We almost didn't have to wait long. Wayward back pass from Reading almost gifts Stevie G a goal. But Hahnemann was quick off his line to deny the marauding Gerrard.
68:10 - Weird stoppage in play. The ref just blew the whistle. Something went down, maybe a streaker? No, it was Skrtel. He had somehow managed to tumble over the advertising panels on the sidelines and they were letting him come back into play. That was generous, but lest we forget: he is Skeletor, he doesn't need any handouts.
72:07 - 35-yard pile driver from Fabio. Rebound headed goal wards by Nando, but just wide. That would have been something special from Fabio. You can sense another goal is coming.
73:14 - Kuyt, obviously on the same wavelength as me, tries his best to give Liverpool a two goal advantage. Unfortunately, his best sucks so he slices his shot way wide.
76:32 - Reading showing some life and I'm starting to get a little nervous...Can Liverpool hold on in these last 15 minutes? The fucking better or else I might just pack it in for the day.
77:50 - Gerrard and Bikke are in each other faces after a slight nudge from Bikke brought down Gerrard. That was intense. Almost a headbutt situation, luckily it didn't come to that and cooler heads prevail.
80:07 - Dirk comes out of the game, replaced by the Scientist. We can only assume that he is going to spend some quality time with Chunk. Game still very much in doubt and I'm starting to dread the worst. Please do not let Reading nip a point here.
82:25 - Ginger Legend comes in for Babel. Rafa trying to shore up the defense and try to hit Reading on a counter attack. This will be an anxious last 5 or so minutes.
87:30 - Liverpool backing off right now, looking to soak up the Reading pressure. I appreciate their willingness to make me sweat it out.
88:50 - Alonso in an acre of space with a chance to kill the game, but he fires well wide and well high. We can only assume that he baby is keeping him up at nights. Into the final minute of regular time.
90:00 - 4 minutes of extra time...Seems like a lot. But what do I know, I've only been watching the entire game.
91:35 - Free kick for Reading in a promising position. I'm going to be heated if they score here. Dave Kitson volleys from a really good free kick. Blocked by Gerrard behind the goal. Corner punched clear. Liverpool can't break cleanly though. Less than 60 seconds left.
93:34 - Final throw of the dice by Reading. Hahnemann has joined into the attack. Long free kick upcoming for Reading with everyone single player in the box. Vital that Liverpool win this header...They don't but Reina is able to collect the ball. The Reading goal is empty and Alonso tries his luck from 75 yards. Close, but no own-side goals for the new father. There it is, the final whistle! Liverpool hold on to win 2-1.
Another match winner from Liverpool's record buy, Fernando Torres and a gritty home win. Those are the type of games that they will need to keep winning as they try to solidify 4th place.
Fletchinator's live blog record is now 2-0. I'll keep this up until they lose.
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