LFC vs West Bromwich Albion, Sunday 13th December, 16:00

[Will]

Down Memory Lane

 

YNWA takes a look back at previous memorable home meetings as we prepare to entertain West Bromwich Albion for the 64th time in the League on Sunday. We have a pretty good record against them at Anfield, having won 34, drawn seventeen and been beaten eleven times.

 

Most recently

Adam Lallana bagged is first reds strike to open the scoring on the stroke of half time as we won 2-1 in October 2014. Saido Berahino equalised from the spot after the break, but Jordan Henderson struck the winner. Luis Suárez scored a hat-trick, his first at Anfield, as we thumped the Baggies 4-1 a year earilier, with James Morrison pulling one back from the spot before Daniel Sturridge completed the scoring. Fernando Torres scored his fiftieth goal at Anfield, the only strike of our meeting in August 2010. The visitors later had James Morrison sent off. This was our 2,000th victory in the top flight.

 

Peter Odemwingie bagged the only goal in April 2012 as the Baggies won in L4 for the first time in 45 years, when Jeff Astle struck the only goal to complete a League double over us. We lost again in February 2013, when Gareth McAuley and on-loan Romelu Lukaku both struck late on after Steven Gerrard had seen a penalty saved. Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho made his reds bow from the bench, with his compatriot Lucas Leiva playing his 200th reds game, while Glen Johnson reached a century of League games for the club. We dominated the match but only put the ball in the net once, when Luis Suárez was correctly ruled offside early on.

 

Rare strikes

Robbie Keane netted his first two League goals past ex-red Scott Carson as we won 3-0 to hand Rafael Benítez his 150th win as reds boss in all competitions. The scoring was completed in injury time by Álvaro Arbeloa, who struck his second and final goal for the club. In September 2004, Steve Finnan scored his only reds goal and Luis García bagged the first of his thirty strikes in what was our 2,000th home League game. Steven Gerrard was also on target in a 3-0 victory, our fiftieth League defeat of Albion.

 

In February 1979, Ally Brown headed in one of only four opposition goals in the League at Anfield that season. However, goals from Kenny Dalglish and David Fairclough ensured that we won 2-1 to replace the visitors at the top of the table. Gerry Byrne grabbed his fourth and final reds goal in a 2-2 draw in January 1966, with Gordon Milne also on target. Tony Brown struck one of his eight goals against the reds, with John Kaye netting the last of his four past us.

 

Crouchie again

Peter Crouch headed our hundredth home League goal against Albion in December 2005 as we won 1-0 to secure our tenth consecutive League victory. This was the third consecutive game that Crouchie had notched in, inside a week.

 

More 4-1 victories

The Baggies paid their last visit to Anfield before their recent returns to the Premiership in November 1985 under the charge of England World Cup winner Nobby Stiles, but left on the wrong end of a 4-1 scoreline. Transfer-listed Paul Walsh set up Steve Nicol, Jan Mølby and Mark Lawrenson to score before himself netting. Garth Crooks had headed the Baggies in front, one of his four against the reds and their last goal at Anfield for more than a quarter of a century, with ex-red Graeme Souness in the crowd. Geoff Strong opened the scoring in January 1968 before Tommy Smith’s foul on Jeff Astle handed the visited a penalty. Bobby Hope hit the bar but a re-take was ordered after Tommy Lawrence moved off his line too early. Tony Brown then converted the spot-kick. However, Roger Hunt bagged a 22-minute second-half treble as we again triumphed 4-1.

 

Gordon Hodgson scored one of his seventeen reds hat-tricks as we won by the same score in March 1932, when Gordon Gunson also netted. Billy ‘Ginger’ Richardson bagged the first of his nine strikes in fourteen outings against the reds.

 

Reds debutants galore

Defender Richard Money made his reds bow from the bench in our 4-0 win in September 1980. Terry McDermott scored from the spot after Bryan Robson had punched the ball over the bar, with David Fairclough bagging a brace and Graeme Souness also on target. In August 1979, centre-half Colin Irwin made his debut in our 3-1 victory. David Johnson bagged a brace, with Terry McDermott also on the scoresheet. This was our 1,500th home League game. Chris Lawler made his reds debut in March 1963 as we drew our third consecutive League game 2-2, with Roger Hunt netting and Ronnie Moran scoring from the spot.

 

Full-back Frank Lock and forward John Evans, both newly signed from Charlton Athletic, made their reds bows in a goalless draw on Boxing Day 1953. Right-back Jimmy ‘Parson’ Jackson debuted in a 2-0 win in November 1925, with Cyril Oxley grabbing his first two goals. Defender Herbert Craik played his only ever reds game as we lost 3-1 in September 1903, with Jack Cox grabbing our consolation. George Dorsett struck one of his five goals against the reds, with Charlie Simmons and Fred Hobson also on target. Forward Sam Raybould made his reds bow as we won 2-0 in January 1900, thanks to a brace from Hugh Morgan.

 

The pig lands

Keeper Tommy Lawrence made his 116th consecutive League appearance in January 1970, with Chris Lawler and the Baggies’ Tony Brown notching in a 1-1 draw. He then lost his place to Ray Clemence.

 

More big wins

Berry Nieuwenhuys, Gordon Hodgson and Fred Howe all scored in a 5-0 thumping of the Baggies in September 1935, with Lance Carr bagging a brace. Full-back Jim Harley made his debut in this game. 35 years earlier, Archie Goldie, John Walker and Tom Robertson were all on target as we triumphed by the same score, to add to a brace from Sam Raybould.

 

Dismissed

Russell Hoult became the first Baggies keeper to be sent off in a League game for 107 years in September 2002. Joe Murphy made his debut as a replacement, and saved Michael Owen’s resulting penalty. However, Milan Baroš and John Arne Riise scored in our 2-0 win.

 

Other memorable meetings

Kenny Dalglish netted the only goal of our meeting in April 1982, with Joe Fagan taking charge of the reds in Bob Paisley’s absence through illness. Gordon Hodgson played his 300th reds game as we were held to a 1-1 draw in November 1933. Sam English netted our goal. We were held to a goalless draw in September 1913, with half-back Ralph Holden playing his second and final reds game.

[Will]

West Bromwich Albion (h) - Double Agents

 

YNWA takes a look back at some of those who have represented both the Baggies and Liverpool, as we prepare to welcome West Bromwich Albion on Sunday.

 

Current double agent

Centre-forward Rickie Lambert signed in June 2014 from Southampton for £4m. He scored three times in 36 reds games before moving to the Hawthorns last July, so far netting just once in fifteen outings.

 

The management

Steve Clarke took over as Head Coach for the Baggies in June 2012, being awarded a two-year contract, but was sacked in December 2013 after nineteen wins in 59 games in charge and leading them to an eighth place finish in 2013/13. He had been First Team Coach under Kenny Dalglish from January 2011 until moving to The Hawthorns. He appointed Kevin Keen as Joint-Assistant Head Coach in July, having joined Clarke at Anfield as First Team Coach a year earlier. Keen left The Hawthorns along with Clarke. Paul Jewell spent a week as Assistant Coach at The Hawthorns last January before apparently quitting.

 

Roy Hodgson was appointed reds boss in July 2010, but struggled to make a major impact at Anfield, leading us to just thirteen victories in his 31 matches in charge before leaving by ‘mutual consent’ in January 2011. He took over at The Hawthorns a month later, leading them to twenty victories in his 54 games in charge before taking charge of England in May 2012.

 

Keith Burkinshaw took charge at The Hawthorns in June 1983. He was only in charge for sixteen months, keeping them in the First Division on goal difference in his one full season. As a centre-half he had only made one senior reds appearance, against Port Vale in April 1955. Mike Kelly is a former Assistant Manager for the Baggies and was first-team coach at Anfield under Roy Hodgson.

 

Baggies between the sticks

Scott Carson made just nine senior reds appearances following his arrival from Leeds United for £750,000 in January 2005, but only managed to keep two clean sheets. He was sold to West Bromwich Albion for £3.25m in July 2008, after seasons on loan at first Charlton Athletic and then Aston Villa. He played 118 times for the Midlands outfit before being sold to Bursaspor in Turkey for £2.1m in July 2011.

 

Chris Kirkland spent the 2005/06 season on loan from the reds at The Hawthorns. He signed from Coventry City for £6m in August 2001 and appeared 45 times between our sticks, while suffering from a succession of injuries. He only played twelve times for the Throstles, keeping just one clean sheet. Ex-reds goalkeeping coach Joe Corrigan was until the end of 2008/09 undertaking the same role for West Bromwich Albion, having joined them in February 2005.

 

At the back

Defender Andre Wisdom spent last season on loan at The Hawthorns, playing 26 times for the Baggies, having struck once in 22 reds games. He is with Norwich City for this campaign.

 

Dudley-born left-back David Burrows began his career with the Throstles, for whom he made a total of 53 first-team appearances, scoring just once. He was signed by Kenny Dalglish in October 1988 for £550,000 while still a teenager, and went on to score three goals in 193 senior games for the reds, helping us to the League title, FA Cup and FA Charity Shield. Graeme Souness swapped him and Mike Marsh with West Ham United for Julian Dicks, five years after his arrival on Merseyside.

 

Steve Nicol joined the reds in October 1981 for a £300,000 fee from Ayr United. The versatile Scot played 468 reds games, scoring 46 times and helping us to four League titles, the European Cup, three FA Cups and an FA Charity Shield, as well as being named the Football Writers’ Player of the Year in 1989. He joined First Division Albion on loan from Sheffield Wednesday in March 1998, making ten appearances while at The Hawthorns.

 

Up front

Nicolas Anelka joined the Baggies in July 2013 for free, having been released by Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua, to become the sixth Premier League side he had played for. He netted twice in twelve outings, having his contract terminated in March 2014 following a controversial ‘quenelle’ goal celebration. He struck five times in 22 reds games while on loan at Anfield from Paris St. Germain, arriving in December 2001. Harry ‘Smiler’ Chambers was our top scorer in each of the first five post-First World War seasons, and helped us to the League title in both 1922 and 1923. He netted a hat-trick in our 5-1 thumping of Everton at Anfield in October 1922 and won eight England caps during his reds career, scoring four goals. He left Anfield for the Baggies for £2,375 in March 1928, having scored 151 goals in his 339 reds games, but played as a centre-half in his one year at The Hawthorns.

 

David Speedie arrived at Anfield in January 1991, being signed from Coventry City by Kenny Dalglish for £700,000. He struck six times in his fourteen games for the reds before he moved on to Blackburn Rovers just seven months later. He had a loan spell with the Baggies in 1992/93 while with Southampton, grabbing two goals in his seven games. Charlie Hewitt scored six goals in sixteen reds games following his arrival from Tottenham Hotspur for £75 in August 1907, netting on his debut at Nottingham Forest the following month. He moved to The Hawthorns in April of the next year for the same fee, moving on to Crystal Palace in 1910. John Durnin failed to make the break-through at Anfield, making only two League Cup appearances before his departure in 1989. He spent a month on loan with the Baggies in 1988, netting twice in five games for them before returning to our reserves.

 

Double signing

We signed both forward Fred Buck and right-back Jack Chadburn from West Bromwich Albion in May 1903. Buck had joined the Baggies in November 1900 and netted just once in thirteen reds games, and moved on to Plymouth Argyle in January 1904, returning to The Hawthorns for a second spell in April 1906. He top scored for them in the 1907/08 and 1909/10 seasons, scoring eighteen and sixteen League goals respectively. He moved on to Swansea Town in May 1914. Chadburn had an even less successful time at Anfield, playing just twice before joining Buck at Home Park. He had signed for Albion in January 1900, netting three times in 43 League outings and helping them to the Second Division title in 1902.

 

Other double agents

Former reserves striker Michael Nardiello signed for the Throstles in July 2006. Just like at Anfield, he failed to make a senior appearance for Albion, and is now playing non-League football. Bruce Grobbelaar had a trial for Ron Atkinson at the Hawthorns in 1980, while he was visiting family friends in England. A deal could not be struck, and so he returned to Vancouver Whitecaps, although he made one Central League appearance for the Baggies, as well as playing in a testimonial match. He joined the reds from the Canadian club for £250,000 in March 1981 and played 628 times, helping us to six League titles, one European Cup, three FA Cups, three League Cups and three FA Charity Shields.

 

Inside-forward Jack Haines joined the reds from Cheltenham Town in 1927, but did not make out first team. He moved to The Hawthorns from Leicester City in 1948, netting 23 times in 59 League outings before moving to Bradford Park Avenue in 1950. Left-back John Glover arrived from New Brompton in June 1900 for £350, failing to score in 59 outings before joining Small Heath in October 1903, having been caught accepting a bribe to sign for Portsmouth. He had started out at his hometown club West Bromwich Albion, but did not make a first-team appearance for them.

 

Scottish right-back Andrew Hannah joined the reds from a third spell with his hometown club Renton in May 1892. He was the first ever captain of the club, and cousin of inside-left Davy Hannah who also turned out for the reds in the 1890’s. Andrew made 69 reds appearances, netting once as he led us to the Lancashire League and Second Division titles in his first two seasons at Anfield. He spent part of the first ever Football League season with Albion in 1888, but was unable to settle, returning to Renton later that year.

[scoose]

Looking forward to this

[Tommy Cockles]

Looking forward to this

 

You're a braver man than me then.

 

My nerves are expecting another grindfest.

[Red Yoda]

-------------------Mignolet

 

Clyne------Skrtel------Lovren-------Moreno

 

---------------------Lucas

 

---Ibe-----------Henderson----------Coutinho

 

------------Origi--------------Benteke

[Andy-oh-six]

We'll smash these 1-1.

[scoose]

 

You're a braver man than me then.

 

My nerves are expecting another grindfest.

 

Nah b******s to that Tommy. Get stuck in lad. Only downside is I'm back in work Monday. Tbh haven't been to as many games this season as I would have liked to so i get excited mate

[Tommy Cockles]

 

Nah b******s to that Tommy. Get stuck in lad. Only downside is I'm back in work Monday. Tbh haven't been to as many games this season as I would have liked to so i get excited mate

 

Good lad, enjoy.

 

Always easier at the match as there is an outlet for the stress. Sat at home with the kids checking my phone every 30 secs makes for a not so enjoyable day.

 

Going to Watford & West Ham though.

[scoose]

 

Good lad, enjoy.

 

Always easier at the match as there is an outlet for the stress. Sat at home with the kids checking my phone every 30 secs makes for a not so enjoyable day.

 

Going to Watford & West Ham though.

 

yep - s***e when its not on the telly

[Swipe]

Gonna be a slog this. Tough game.

[Jonesy]

Good lad, enjoy.

 

Always easier at the match as there is an outlet for the stress. Sat at home with the kids checking my phone every 30 secs makes for a not so enjoyable day.

 

Going to Watford & West Ham though.

Good lad, enjoy.

 

Always easier at the match as there is an outlet for the stress. Sat at home with the kids checking my phone every 30 secs makes for a not so enjoyable day.

 

Going to Watford & West Ham though.

You need one of my magic boxes so you can watch the match

[The_Adder]

No Milner, no Benteke.

 

Lallana, Coutinho, Firmino up top.

[Bogman]

What's up with Tekkers?

Bench warming?

[Florist Cinema Pond Goal]

No Milner, no Benteke.

 

Lallana, Coutinho, Firmino up top.

Our best forward line without Sturridge

[McBain]

Our best forward line without Sturridge

Ibe has had five times the season Firmino has so far. And is just as much a goal threat

[Cisse]

My Guess : back 4, Lucas, Can, Allen; Lallana, Phil, Benny

Subs: Kolo, Hendo, Milner , Origi , Bobby, Ibe

[The_Adder]

It's Lucas, Henderson and Can.

[McBain]

Cheers Jurgen

[CaptainXabi]

Can we f***ing win this time?

[D.Boon]

It's Lucas, Henderson and Can.

 

This i like

[Cobs]

If you lads don't win this I'm going f***ing postal in escrow !

[DJS]

We've had games when Coutinho was out, where we've struggled to create. Tomorrow, we'll hopefully be able to create, but we wont have an out-and-out goalscorer/finisher on the pitch, to convert chances. Dropping Benteke is a mistake. Especially in favour of Firmino, who has looked ineffective aside from at City, where he had space to work with. West Brom will park 3 buses. There wont be that space for him tomorrow.

[The_Adder]

We've had games when Coutinho was out, where we've struggled to create. Tomorrow, we'll hopefully be able to create, but we wont have an out-and-out goalscorer/finisher on the pitch, to convert chances. Dropping Benteke is a mistake. Especially in favour of Firmino, who has looked ineffective aside from at City, where he had space to work with. West Brom will park 3 buses. There wont be that space for him tomorrow.

 

I rate Benteke, he's an excellent goal scorer, but his movement and his pressing are poor, which are key to how Klopp wants to play.

 

Firmino has both of these, but obviously isn't the goals scorer, see how it goes tomorrow...

[David Hodgson]

This is the team :

 

Mignolet, Clyne, Skrtel, Lovren, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Milner, Coutinho, Lallana , Benteke

[DJS]

 

I rate Benteke, he's an excellent goal scorer, but his movement and his pressing are poor, which are key to how Klopp wants to play.

 

Firmino has both of these, but obviously isn't the goals scorer, see how it goes tomorrow...

 

Just been given the team - Benteke is starting. No Lucas.

EDIT

Ha...and so has Hodgson too, it seems.

Edited December 12, 2015 by DJS