From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2007–08 season is the 116th season in Liverpool F.C.'s existence, and is their 45th consecutive year in the top-flight, and covers the period from 2007-07-01 to 2008-06-30. Having finished third the previous season, Liverpool had qualified for the UEFA Champions League final qualifying stage.
[edit] Team kit
The team kit for the 2007–08 season was produced by adidas and the shirt sponsor is Carlsberg. The home kit featured Liverpool's traditional all-red livery, which was retained from the previous season. The club's away kit was white with red trim, and the third kit was black with red trim.
[edit] Regular season
[edit] August
Liverpool began their Premier League season with a trip to Aston Villa, which they won 2–1. This was followed by the first leg of the Champions League qualifier, at Toulouse. The game, unusually played on a weekday afternoon, was won 1–0 by Liverpool.[1]
Next came the first home game, a Premier League game against Chelsea. Liverpool took a lead through Fernando Torres's first goal for the club, but Chelsea hit back with a penalty, which was disputed by Liverpool,[2] ending the game 1–1.[3] Referee Rob Styles appeared to book Michael Essien twice without sending him off, similar to Graham Poll at the 2006 World Cup.[2] Mr Styles later admitted to have made an incorrect decision to award the penalty and, unusually, apologised to Liverpool for his mistake. He was subsequently dropped for the next gameweek.[2]
The third league game of the season, a 2–0 away win at Sunderland, was notable for Momo Sissoko's first (and only[citation needed]) Liverpool goal, after more than two years. This was also the Reds' 7,000th goal in League football.[4] The following Tuesday saw Liverpool play Toulouse at Anfield, in the second leg of their Champions League qualifying tie. Before kick-off, the Everton song 'Z Cars' echoed around Anfield, in memory of 11 year-old Rhys Jones, a local boy who had been shot dead the previous week. The game finished 4–0 to Liverpool, and the team thereby qualifed for the group stage courtesy of a 5–0 aggregate scoreline over both legs.[5]
[edit] September
Liverpool won their first game of September against Derby 6–0.[6] This was Liverpool's biggest league win since April 2003, when they beat West Brom by the same scoreline,[citation needed] and took them to the top of the Premier League table.
After a two-week international break, Liverpool's next league game of the season was away to Portsmouth. The match ended in a 0–0 draw, after Pepe Reina saved Nwankwo Kanu's penalty kick.[7] The following week, the home league game against Birmingham, ended in a similar goalless scoreline.
In between those two league draws Liverpool travelled to F.C. Porto, to begin their Champions League Group A campaign against another team that had previously won the competition. The game, which ended 1–1, saw Jermaine Pennant sent off after receiving two yellow cards.[8]
Liverpool got back on a winning track when they travelled to Reading for a League Cup third round tie. Liverpool beat their hosts 4–2, with Fernando Torres scoring his first hat-trick for the club.[9] This was followed up with a league success, away to Wigan at the JJB Stadium, where Yossi Benayoun's 75th minute strike — his second in two games — was enough to secure three points.[10]
[edit] October
October's first fixture was the visit of Marseille, Liverpool's second Champions League group stage match. A spectacular individual goal from Marseille midfielder Mathieu Valbuena handed Liverpool a 0–1 loss, their first of the season. Disappointed Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez described the match as possibly the worst performance by the club under his management.[11]
Liverpool remained at Anfield for their following game, the league visit of Tottenham. A last-minute, injury-time, equaliser by Fernando Torres earned the team a 2–2 draw to preserve their unbeaten league record.[12] However, Liverpool bounced back to win the away derby to their fierce rivals, Everton.The match at Goodison Park was a contentious game, with the referee's performance heavily criticised by Everton manager David Moyes.Dirk Kuyt scored two penalties that saw Liverpool come from behind to win 2-1.[citation needed]
The third of Liverpool's Champions League group games was a trip to Istanbul, the city where they had famously won the trophy in 2005.[citation needed] However, on this occasion Liverpool fans had little to celebrate as their hosts Besiktas dealt their side's chances of progressing in the competition a serious blow by winning 2–1.[13] The highest seeded team in their group, Liverpool were now bottom of their quartet with only a point from their first three qualifying games.[citation needed]
Liverpool finished the month with a pair of home fixtures. The league visit of Arsenal yielded a 1–1 draw[citation needed], whilst the League Cup visit of Cardiff City, who featured Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler in their line-up, gave the Reds a 2–1 win and Nabil El Zhar his debut goal for the club.[citation needed]
[edit] November
Liverpool began the month of November with a 0–0 draw away to Blackburn Rovers, further extending their unbeaten run in the league.[citation needed] They followed this by finally injecting life into their Champions League campaign with an emphatic 8–0 victory over Beşiktaş J.K. at home. A hat-trick from Yossi Benayoun, a goal from captain Steven Gerrard and two each from both Ryan Babel and Peter Crouch gave Liverpool fans something to celebrate as Liverpool established a new record for margin of victory in a Champions League match. The previous best, of 7–0, had been held jointly by Arsenal and Juventus.[14]
On the 10th of November, the Champions League win was followed up with a Premier League one, as Liverpool beat Fulham 2–0 at Anfield. Fernando Torres came off the bench to break the deadlock in the 81st minute, and Steven Gerrard scored a penalty won by Peter Crouch four minutes later to seal the victory.[15]
After another international break, the team's thirteenth league game, on 24 November at Newcastle, brought bad fortune to their hosts. Steven Gerrard, who had been booed by the Newcastle fans for his part in England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008, opened the scoring for the Reds and two more goals from Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel gave Liverpool a 3–0 win.[citation needed]
The team ended the month by hosting their penultimate Champions League group game, the must-win visit of F.C. Porto. Liverpool won 4–1 and, as Fernando Torres scored the first two Champions League goals of his career, club captain Steven Gerrard set a personal milestone of his own by equalling Michael Owen's club record of 22 goals in the Champions League.[citation needed]
[edit] December
The club kicked off a busy month by registering a 4–0 league win against Bolton Wanderers at Anfield.[citation needed] This win stretched Liverpool's winning streak to five games, during which they scored 21 goals and conceded just one, and continued their unbeaten league run.[citation needed]
However, this unbeaten start to the league season was cut short the following week, when the visit to Reading resulted in an unexpected 3–1 defeat. After the hosts converted a penalty for a challenge that television replays showed had occurred on the line, Steven Gerrard equalised for Liverpool before two second-half goals from Reading handed Liverpool their first league loss of the season.[citation needed]
Three days later, yet again needing a win to guarantee their survival in the competition, Liverpool travelled to Marseille for their final Champions League Group A fixture. Marseille had previously hosted English teams in Europe on six occasions and won all six times,[citation needed] and only needed a draw to progress themselves. However the team registered their second 4–0 win of the month to finish second in their group and progress to the competition's final sixteen phase.[citation needed]
On Sunday, 16th December, Liverpool hosted their fierce rivals Manchester United in a vital Premier League match. The match ended with a 1-0 victory for Manchester United their 4th win in their last 5 league visits to Anfield, giving the latter a nine point lead over Liverpool in the Premier League table. The only goal was scored by Carlos Tévez. Arsenal beat Chelsea 1-0 later in the day to give themselves a ten point lead over Liverpool at the top of the premiership.
Liverpool travelled to Chelsea for their Carling Cup quarter-final on Wednesday 19th December. They were beaten 2-0 through a deflected goal from Frank Lampard and an injury-time goal from Andriy Shevchenko. Peter Crouch was sent off for the Reds after a two-footed tackle on Mikel John Obi.
Three days before Christmas, Liverpool hosted Portsmouth looking to get their Premier League campaign back on track after two successive defeats. Liverpool continued a record of remaining undefeated at Anfield against Pompey since 1951, by triumphing 4-1. Fernando Torres scored twice to continue his good run of scoring, while the other goals came from Yossi Benayoun and an own goal, which was scored by Sylvain Distin. On the Boxing Day fixture, Liverpool managed a 2-1 victory over Derby, with goals from Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard respectively, before playing out a goalless draw at the City of Manchester Stadium in their final game of 2007.
[edit] January
Liverpool's first game of 2008 was a home game against Wigan Athletic which ended in a 1-1 draw.[citation needed] This was followed by their first FA Cup game of the season, the third round tie against Luton Town which also finished 1-1. A week later, in the replay, Liverpool beat them 5-0 at home, in which Steven Gerrard scored his 2nd Liverpool hat-trick. On January 26, 2008, Liverpool defeated Havant & Waterlooville 5-2, despite going behind twice in the first half.[citation needed] After that they travelled to Upton Park, where they faced West Ham looking to get back to winning ways in the Premier League. However, an injury time penalty from Mark Noble saw them slump to a 1-0 defeat, their third of the league season.
Martin Škrtel was the first signing by Liverpool in the January transfer window. The undisclosed fee was rumoured to be £6.5m which would be the highest amount paid by the club for a defender.[citation needed] Mohamed Sissoko, who had found himself playing fewer games after the arrivals of Javier Mascherano and Lucas[citation needed], transferred to Juventus, and Jack Hobbs, who had played some first team games this season[citation needed], joined Scunthorpe United on loan until the end of the season.[citation needed]
[edit] February
Liverpool's first game of February was against Sunderland FC at Anfield, which was won 3-0.[citation needed] On the 10th, Liverpool travelled to Chelsea FC's Stamford Bridge and played out a 0-0 draw.[16]
Liverpool played Barnsley on 16th February in the FA Cup fifth round and lost 2-1 at Anfield, followed by Inter Milan on 19th February in the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen first leg, winning 2-0.
Their last game of the month against Middlesbrough on 23rd February produced a 3-2 win for Liverpool, with a Fernando Torres hat-trick.
Liverpool's first game in March was away against Bolton which they won 3-1 through an own goal by Jussi Jaaskelainen as well as strikes from Ryan Babel and Fabio Aurelio, his first for the club. On the 5th, Liverpool played against West Ham United. Liverpool won this game 4-0, with a goal from Steven Gerrard plus another hat-trick from Fernando Torres, making him the first player in over 60 years to net hat-tricks in successive home games.[citation needed] Three days later Liverpool beat Newcastle 3-0 at home, the goals scored by Jermaine Pennant, Torres and Gerrard. On March 11, Liverpool became the second English team in a week to win at the San Siro by winning against Inter Milan 1-0, with Torres again the scorer. Back in league football Javier Mascherano scored his first goal for Liverpool[citation needed] and Fernando Torres scored his 20th league goal of the season, becoming the first player at the club since Robbie Fowler to do so as Liverpool won 2-1 over Reading. However their 7 match win-streak was brought to an end when they lost 3-0 against rival club Manchester United. Javier Mascherano was sent off by referee Steve Bennett for dissent after Mascherano questioned the controversial booking of Fernando Torres. Liverpool's final fixture of March was against Everton at Anfield. Torres scored the only goal early in the match, and Liverpool held on to win 1-0, giving them a 5 point lead over Everton for fourth place in the Premier League standings.
On 1 April in the Champions League, Liverpool faced Arsenal for the first of three consecutive meetings, a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium, Dirk Kuyt scoring an away goal. On 5 April they drew 1-1 once again at the Emirates, Peter Crouch scored for Liverpool but Nicklas Bendtner scored for Arsenal,[17] while Damien Plessis made his debut.[18] In the third game, Liverpool beat Arsenal 4–2 (5–3 on aggregate), to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. In the following game, Steven Gerrard scored in his 300th Liverpool appearance in the Premier League in a 3-1 home win over Blackburn Rovers. The following Saturday, Liverpool put out a weakened side against Fulham FC ahead of their semi final first leg with Chelsea and won 2-0, with Jermaine Pennant and Peter Crouch getting on the scoresheet. On 22 April, Liverpool played Chelsea at Anfield in the Champions League semi final first leg. Liverpool looked to be going into the 2nd leg with a 1-0 advantage through Dirk Kuyt, but in the final minuite of stoppage time, John Arne Riise accidentally headed a Salomon Kalou cross into his own net, giving Chelsea a slight advantage through the away goal. The next Saturday, at Birmingham City, Liverpool again put out a weakened side before the 2nd leg with Chelsea. Damien Plessis started again, and Liverpool fought back from 2-0 down to 2-2, with Crouch and Benayoun scoring. That point secured fourth spot for Liverpool. The next Wednesday Liverpool played Chelsea in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge, but lost 3-2 in extra time (4-3 on aggregate), sending Liverpool out of the Champions League.
On 4th May Liverpool beat Manchester City 1-0 at Anfield. On the last day of the Premier League Liverpool won 2-0 away at Tottenham Hotspur, with Andriy Voronin scoring his 6th goal of the season, and Torres netting his 24th league goal of the season, breaking the record of the most goals scored by a foreign Premier League player in a debut season.
[edit] Game Log
| August |
|
| Competition |
Home team |
|
Score |
|
Away team |
Venue |
Kick off |
|
|
| September |
|
| Competition |
Home team |
|
Score |
|
Away team |
Venue |
Kick off |
|
|
| October |
|
| Competition |
Home team |
|
Score |
|
Away team |
Venue |
Kick off |
|
|
| November |
|
| Competition |
Home team |
|
Score |
|
Away team |
Venue |
Kick off |
|
|
| December |
|
| Competition |
Home team |
|
Score |
|
Away team |
Venue |
Kick off |
|
|
| January |
|
| Competition |
Home team |
|
Score |
|
Away team |
Venue |
Kick off |
|
|
| February |
|
| Competition |
Home team |
|
Score |
|
Away team |
Venue |
Kick off |
|
|
| March |
|
| Competition |
Home team |
|
Score |
|
Away team |
Venue |
Kick off |
|
|
| April |
|
| Competition |
Home team |
|
Score |
|
Away team |
Venue |
Kick off |
|
|
| May |
|
| Competition |
Home team |
|
Score |
|
Away team |
Venue |
Kick off |
|
|
[edit] Top scorers
[edit] First-team squad
[edit] Transfers
[edit] Loaned out
[edit] Reserves and U-18s
[edit] Summary
The reserves side were crowned champions of the Barclays Premier Reserve League North this season on 7 April 2008, the 17th Reserve league title for the club. They became National Champions after beating Southern Champions Aston Villa Reserves 3-0 in the Premier Reserve League Play-off Final at Anfield on 7 May 2008. The reserves also reached the finals of Liverpool Senior Cup and Lancashire Senior Cup and won the international football tournament Dallas Cup. Krisztian Nemeth who scored 9 goals in 12 matches is the Top Scorer in the Premier Reserve League North. The Under-18s finished 5th in the Premier Academy League and qualified for the last 16 in FA Youth Cup. Nathan Eccleston is the best scorer in youth team this season who scored 18 goals.
[edit] New players
After the departure of Steve Heighway, Dutchman Piet Hamberg came in to run the academy. As well as some changes to background personnel, the reserve and youth sides were bolstered by several new players:
[edit] Players this season
[edit] Reserves
- Squad Numbers refer to players' first team squad number (for season 2007-08), where applicable. Reserve and youth games are 1-11.
[edit] Under-18s
|
|
| Year |
Name |
Pos |
Nat |
Profile |
| 2nd |
Gary Mackay Steven |
MF/DF |
 |
View |
| 1st |
Sean Highdale |
MF |
 |
View |
| 1st |
Alexander Kacaniklic |
MF |
 |
View |
| 1st |
David Amoo |
MF/FW |
|
View |
| 2nd |
Michael Collins |
FW |
 |
View |
| 2nd |
Michael Scott |
FW/DF |
|
View |
| 1st |
Nathan Eccleston |
FW/MF |
|
View |
| 1st |
Marvin Pourie |
FW |
 |
View |
|
[edit] Records
- Mohamed Sissoko's goal against Sunderland was not only his first (and only) goal for the club but also Liverpool's 7000th league goal.[34]
- The 6-0 defeat of Derby was the first time Liverpool had scored 6 in the League since April 2003 in a 6-0 win of West Brom.
- The 8-0 victory over Besiktas was the biggest ever win in the Champions League surpassing two previous 7-0 victories, by Juventus and Arsenal.[35]
- The 4-0 win over Marseille was Liverpool's biggest away win in the Champions League Proper.
- The 2-0 win at Anfield against Inter Milan was Liverpool's 100th win at Anfield while playing in European competition.
- Liverpool has scored a hat trick in every competition they have played in this season.
- Liverpool is the first Premiership team to have scored 100 goals in all competitions this season.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ VORONIN SHOOTS DOWN TOULOUSE. Liverpool FC. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
- ^ a b c Rob Styles official fiasco. ESPNsoccernet. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
- ^ LIVERPOOL 1-1 CHELSEA. Liverpool FC. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
- ^ Sunderland away match analysis. Liverpool FC. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
- ^ Toulouse second leg. Liverpool FC. Retrieved on 2007-12-21.
- ^ Bevan, Chris. "Liverpool 6-0 Derby", BBC Sport, 2007-09-01. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
- ^ McNulty, Phil. "Portsmouth 0-0 Liverpool", BBC Sport, 2007-09-22. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
- ^ Sinnott, Joe. "Porto 1-1 Liverpool", BBC Sport, 2007-09-18. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
- ^ McKenzie, Andrew. "Reading 2-4 Liverpool", BBC Sport, 2007-09-25. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
- ^ Soneji, Pranav. "Wigan 0-1 Liverpool", BBC Sport, 2007-09-27. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
- ^ "Reds display frustrates Benitez", BBC Sport, 2007-10-04. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
- ^ Sinnott, John. "Liverpool 2-2 Tottenham", BBC Sport, 2007-10-07. Retrieved on 2007-10-08.
- ^ "Champions League round-up", British Sky Broadcasting, 2007-10-24. Retrieved on [[2007-10-26]].
- ^ Liverpool revived by record triumph Uefa.com
- ^ Liverpool 2-0 Fulham bbc.co.uk
- ^ ESPNsoccernet - Match: Chelsea vs Liverpool - English Premiership
- ^ Bevan, Chris. "Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool", London: BBC, 2008-04-05. Retrieved on 2008-04-05. "The Gunners made a lethargic start and fell behind to Peter Crouch's powerful finish into the bottom corner. Nicklas Bendtner levelled when he met a Cesc Fabregas free-kick and powered his header past Pepe Reina."
- ^ "Live - FA Cup and Premier League", London: BBC, 2008-04-05. Retrieved on 2008-04-05. "Liverpool make eight changes, handing French midfielder Damien Plessis his debut."
- ^ liverpoolfc.tv: GUILLEM BALAGUE MEETS RAFA BENITEZ
- ^ a b Paul Anderson had worn #26 during 2006–07, but after he was loaned out to Swansea, Scott Carson took over the number. Carson was then loaned out to Aston Villa
- ^ Anderson completes Anfield switch. swanseacity.premiumtv.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-07-16.
- ^ Itandje arrives as Carson leaves on loan. liverpoolfc.tv. Retrieved on 2007-08-08.
- ^ Youth arrives from Liverpool. xerezcd.com (2007-08-04). Retrieved on 2007-08-04.
- ^ Trotters secure Guthrie loan. itv.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-21.
- ^ Liverpool winger loaned to Saints. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-07-12.
- ^ Lee Peltier was announced as holding the #37 shirt during 2007–08 closed season, but after he was loaned out to Yeovil, Martin Škrtel took over the number in January 2008 when he arrived from FC Zenit Saint Petersburg.
- ^ Yeovil sign Liverpool man on loan. news.bbc.co.uk (2007-07-29). Retrieved on 2007-07-29.
- ^ Johnson added to Magpies backroom. news.bbc.co.uk (2007-11-01). Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
- ^ Palace Sign Reds Striker. cpfc.premiumtv.co.uk (2007-08-30). Retrieved on 2007-08-30.
- ^ Starlet Sent Out On Loan
- ^ Hartlepool sign Liverpool's Antwi. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-06-29.
- ^ FC Twente lends Bulgarian keeper. fctwente.nl (2007-08-23). Retrieved on 2007-08-23.
- ^ Nade completes switch to Hearts. news.bbc.co.uk (2007-08-31). Retrieved on 2007-08-31.
- ^ Sunderland 0-2 Liverpool
- ^ Liverpool revived by record triumph
[edit] External links
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