The Reds made it to the semi final of the FA Cup after defeating Stoke City at Anfield. The Reds edged the affair after they squared up to Stoke and ensured they wouldn't be bullied out of it. Stoke really bug me with their play which is all hoof and bullying football and that doesn't even begin to look at their fans who only sang about our players rather than their own.
The Reds made just one change from midweek with Maxi starting in place of Jordan Henderson who dropped to the bench.
After losing the toss and having to attack the Kop in the first half it was the Reds who started the game. The Reds started strongly as you would expect and tried to get right in amongst the Stoke back line from the off.
Just five minutes in to the game and Martin Kelly got a yellow card as he hacked down Etherington in full flight. It might have been early but the man had just got past him and he couldn't complain really with the winger taking a while to recover after treatment.
One abiding memory sadly of this game is how incompetent the officials were. In the first half they got decisions wrong that were poor and woefully tried to balance them up in the second with soft free kicks for us. Just get things right all along would be fine.
As the game went on though it all got a bit messy for us and we just couldn't get a grip of the game fully.
For their part Stoke were getting the ball to the back line and then pumping it forward to Crouch and Walters - nothing pretty about it but it meant they were having more of the game as a result.
In a small sense the Reds took the lead against the flow of the game but Luis Suarez bagged a great goal. Suarez played a on two with Maxi outside the box and when he got the return he controlled it and then curled a superb shot beyond Sorensen in to the back of the net.
Stoke didn't take long to strike back but should they have done so - NO. Stoke attacked and won a corner on the main stand side. After winning a second one I think it was whipped in and a Stoke player clearly headed it wide across goal. Well it was clear to everyone in the ground bar the officials who decided it was another corner. It was a woeful decision but not the first strange one in the half against us and this one proved costly. That corner was whipped in and Peter Crouch headed home from about three yards out. Jose Reina was booked in the aftermath as he raced after the ref to complain. I've seen ti all again and the corner was dreadfully wrong but we really need to defend the corner after it's given.
The game was a very close affair now and Stoke probably should have scored again in the first half when Walters was played in behind the back line but he lashed his shot wide of the goal.
As half time approached the two sides were equalling each other out and the officials were giving poor decisions all over the place - yes I am biased maybe but it did feel like more were going against us and as the half time whistle went the ref was approached by Jamie Carragher and Kenny Dalglish seemed to be waiting for him as well.
The second half started with no changes on either side and the Reds started it again. What was noticeable in the second half for a period if time was a few petty fouls given in our favour and yes we got them but this just made the officials look more stupid by the minute.
Eight minutes in to the half and Suarez headed wide of the target from a Downing cross.
Just four minutes later though and the Reds were ahead again as Stewart Downing cut in from the right wing and played a one two with Gerrard. Downing collected the ball and entered the box before smashing it past Sorensen.
The goal really gave the Reds the control of the game. We had come out in the second half and started to really match Stoke all over the pitch and show who were the better footballing side and the midfield were getting more of a grip on the game.
Just after the hour the two sides made a change with Pennant coming for them and Kuyt replacing Maxi for us. It meant Downing went to the left side and Kuyt played down the right.
As the game went on we were in charge in general but just couldn't create that clear cut chance whilst Stoke looked devoid of ideas of how to get a grip on the game again. They couldn't get beyond hoofing the ball up front. They eventually threw on Rory Delap in an obvious attempt to win throws down the touchline but until the final minutes the Reds did really well to not conceded any.
With eight minutes the Reds were given an injury worry as Kelly went in to try and score but was met by Shawcross and the Stoke man just managed to get to the ball first and clear the danger but the Reds' right back needed treatment to stay on. He did eventually succumb to the injury and went off and Suarez joined him going off as well with an injury. Coates came on at the back with Carragher moving right and Henderson replaced Suarez.
It was only in the final minutes when Stoke really seemed to have a go at us and that was the typical last minute's attempts at winning a replay but the Reds held firm and the semi final was in our hands.
The draw came soon after the game and that saw us as the home side and we would play either Sunderland or Everton to see if we could make the final.
MotM : Jay Spearing - played superbly all afternoon and he really got stuck in yet again through the midfield. Martin Kelly again had a good solid game whilst Martin Skrtel continued to play superbly at the back.
