Articles
The Liverpool Echo report
By Ric George for "Liverpool Echo".
IT'S been a long wait but the sight of Paul Ince in a Liverpool shirt will be as re-assuring to Reds supporters as Alan Shearer is to the Newcastle faithful. Or was.
Months of uncertainty and four pre-match sit-outs ended last night as Roy Evans' latest acquisition enjoyed a comfortable debut in Dublin.
Wearing the number 10 shirt and cheered at every touch, Ince played the full 90 minutes of this 6-0 romp over a Shelbourne/UCD Select - and loved each one.
While Oyvind Leonhardsen (twice), Mark Kennedy (twice), Danny Murphy and Steve McManaman scored the goals which brought Roy Evans' men their second successive win, all eyes inside a packed Tolka Park were on Ince.
The England midfielder gave glimpses of what we can expect this season.
Strong in the tackle, typically energetic and not shy in barking orders, Ince used this fixture sensibly to blend into his team's pattern.
And the more he plays, the more prominent he will be.
As well as Ince, Liverpool gave a first pre-season outing to the now fit Dominic Matteo, who occupied the central role in another three-man rearguard.
This defensive formation will be deployed for the start of the campaign for with only two warm-up games remaining it may be deemed too late to experiment with a four-strong defence.
Logically, Liverpool had the much greater possession, and they were denied a sixth-minute penalty when Declan Geoghegan clearly fouled the breaking Leonhardsen in the box, only for the Reds to be awarded a free-kick outside it.
It didn't matter, because 15 minutes later Matteo's forward ball sent Murphy free down the left, and his low cross was converted by Leonhardsen from eight yards.
As he had hinted on his debut in Gothenburg, the Norwegian will be a menace this season, bursting forward from midfield, where he is difficult to track.
What's more, he knows where the goal is.
Murphy, playing in a forward role alongside Kennedy, also fitted in well to the Reds' perpetual motion style, where he impressed with his vision and neat footwork.
Yes, this is a fine squad.
Murphy played a major part in Liverpool's second goal in the 34th minute when Leonhardsen, looking offside, raced onto his excellent through ball.
Leonhardsen may have been tempted to shoot as he confronted keeper Seamus Kelly, but he chose to square to the supporting Kennedy, who slotted into an empty net.
The Irish side, comprised of players from the host club and University College Dublin, were restricted to just one signigifant effort, David James being extended to his left by Pat Fenlon's first-half drive.
Shelbourne/UCD battled manfully against their vastly superior opponents, but their misery was increased in the 65th minute following a howler from substitute keeper Stephen O'Brien.
In attempting to clear a Pat Scully backpass, he saw his kick blocked by Kennedy, and his second attempt succeeded only in serving Murphy, who couldn't miss.
There was more to come. First, Phil Babb's superb pass allowed Leonhardsen to lob skilfully home in the 76th minute.
Then, in the 81st minute, Kennedy's rasping left-footer beat O'Brien to remind his striker-seeking manager of his attacking skills.
These were evident again five minutes from time when the Irishman broke into the box, and after O'Brien had parried his cheeky backheel, Steve McManaman rammed in the rebound.
SHELBOURNE (4-5-1): Kelly (S. O'Brien 46); McLaughlin (Lynch 79), Scully (Bennis 71), McAuley, Geoghegan (O'Donnell 46); Vaudequin (Dean Fitzgerald 46), Kavanagh (Campbell 71), Griffin, Fenlon, Dec. Fitzgerald; Baker (Golden 71). Subs (not used): Myler, D. O'Brien.
LIVERPOOL (3-5-2): James; Wright, Matteo (Ruddock 46), Babb; Jones (McAteer 46), Ince, McManaman, Leonhardsen, Bjornebye (Harkness 79); Murphy, Kennedy. Subs (not used): Nielsen, Owen, Carragher.`
REFEREE: John McDermott.
Copyright- The Liverpool Echo
IT'S been a long wait but the sight of Paul Ince in a Liverpool shirt will be as re-assuring to Reds supporters as Alan Shearer is to the Newcastle faithful. Or was.
Months of uncertainty and four pre-match sit-outs ended last night as Roy Evans' latest acquisition enjoyed a comfortable debut in Dublin.
Wearing the number 10 shirt and cheered at every touch, Ince played the full 90 minutes of this 6-0 romp over a Shelbourne/UCD Select - and loved each one.
While Oyvind Leonhardsen (twice), Mark Kennedy (twice), Danny Murphy and Steve McManaman scored the goals which brought Roy Evans' men their second successive win, all eyes inside a packed Tolka Park were on Ince.
The England midfielder gave glimpses of what we can expect this season.
Strong in the tackle, typically energetic and not shy in barking orders, Ince used this fixture sensibly to blend into his team's pattern.
And the more he plays, the more prominent he will be.
As well as Ince, Liverpool gave a first pre-season outing to the now fit Dominic Matteo, who occupied the central role in another three-man rearguard.
This defensive formation will be deployed for the start of the campaign for with only two warm-up games remaining it may be deemed too late to experiment with a four-strong defence.
Logically, Liverpool had the much greater possession, and they were denied a sixth-minute penalty when Declan Geoghegan clearly fouled the breaking Leonhardsen in the box, only for the Reds to be awarded a free-kick outside it.
It didn't matter, because 15 minutes later Matteo's forward ball sent Murphy free down the left, and his low cross was converted by Leonhardsen from eight yards.
As he had hinted on his debut in Gothenburg, the Norwegian will be a menace this season, bursting forward from midfield, where he is difficult to track.
What's more, he knows where the goal is.
Murphy, playing in a forward role alongside Kennedy, also fitted in well to the Reds' perpetual motion style, where he impressed with his vision and neat footwork.
Yes, this is a fine squad.
Murphy played a major part in Liverpool's second goal in the 34th minute when Leonhardsen, looking offside, raced onto his excellent through ball.
Leonhardsen may have been tempted to shoot as he confronted keeper Seamus Kelly, but he chose to square to the supporting Kennedy, who slotted into an empty net.
The Irish side, comprised of players from the host club and University College Dublin, were restricted to just one signigifant effort, David James being extended to his left by Pat Fenlon's first-half drive.
Shelbourne/UCD battled manfully against their vastly superior opponents, but their misery was increased in the 65th minute following a howler from substitute keeper Stephen O'Brien.
In attempting to clear a Pat Scully backpass, he saw his kick blocked by Kennedy, and his second attempt succeeded only in serving Murphy, who couldn't miss.
There was more to come. First, Phil Babb's superb pass allowed Leonhardsen to lob skilfully home in the 76th minute.
Then, in the 81st minute, Kennedy's rasping left-footer beat O'Brien to remind his striker-seeking manager of his attacking skills.
These were evident again five minutes from time when the Irishman broke into the box, and after O'Brien had parried his cheeky backheel, Steve McManaman rammed in the rebound.
SHELBOURNE (4-5-1): Kelly (S. O'Brien 46); McLaughlin (Lynch 79), Scully (Bennis 71), McAuley, Geoghegan (O'Donnell 46); Vaudequin (Dean Fitzgerald 46), Kavanagh (Campbell 71), Griffin, Fenlon, Dec. Fitzgerald; Baker (Golden 71). Subs (not used): Myler, D. O'Brien.
LIVERPOOL (3-5-2): James; Wright, Matteo (Ruddock 46), Babb; Jones (McAteer 46), Ince, McManaman, Leonhardsen, Bjornebye (Harkness 79); Murphy, Kennedy. Subs (not used): Nielsen, Owen, Carragher.`
REFEREE: John McDermott.
Copyright- The Liverpool Echo
