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01 Jun 2009, 11:29 AM
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#1
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BigSoccer Member+
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Fargo, ND
Supporter: Liverpool FC
Foe: Manchester United FC, Chelsea FC
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Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games
With over 100 league victories under his belt and many thrilling draws along the way, there's no shortage of epic matches to look back on as we countdown from 100 to 1.
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01 Jun 2009, 11:33 AM
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#2
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BigSoccer Member+
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Fargo, ND
Supporter: Liverpool FC
Foe: Manchester United FC, Chelsea FC
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Re: Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games
Number 100
Fixture: Liverpool 3-0 Norwich City
Date: 25 Sep 2004
Venue: Anfield
Liverpool team: Dudek, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia, Finnan, Warnock (Biscan 77), Alonso (Diao 63), Hamann, Garcia, Baros, Cisse (Traore 70).
Subs: Josemi, Kirkland.
We kick-off our brand new summer feature 'Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games' with number 100 and a memorable display from Xabi Alonso against Norwich City in 2004.
Without the injured Steven Gerrard, Alonso took control of midfield and inspired Rafa's team to a 3-0 victory.
Milan Baros opened the scoring in the 23rd minute and Luis Garcia made it 2-0 three minutes later with a deflected shot.
Djibril Cisse added a third in the second half but the man the Kop instantly warmed to was Alonso.
The new Reds No.14 was only on the field for 63 minutes but he gave an exhibition of passing at its very best - the like of which hadn't been seen at Anfield since the days when Jan Molby was at his prime.
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01 Jun 2009, 11:40 AM
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#3
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BigSoccer Member+
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Fargo, ND
Supporter: Liverpool FC
Foe: Manchester United FC, Chelsea FC
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Re: Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games
Number 99
Fixture: Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea
Date: 19 Aug 2007
Venue: Anfield
Liverpool team: Reina, Arbeloa, Agger, Carragher, Finnan, Riise (Crouch 83), Alonso, Gerrard, Pennant (Babel 68), Kuyt, Torres.
Subs: Hyypia, Itandje, Mascherano.
We continue our countdown of 'Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games' with number 99 and an Anfield debut to remember for Fernando Torres.
Torres made it a goalscoring debut to remember against Jose Mourinho's Chelsea at Anfield.
Reds skipper Steven Gerrard was playing through the pain barrier after suffering a hairline fracture of his toe against Toulouse, but you wouldn't have known it when he sprang to life and played a brilliant pass into the channel for Torres.
The new No.9 did the rest as he turned Tal Ben-Haim inside out before beating Petr Cech to send Anfield into raptures.
Rafael Benitez's side played superbly on the day and were denied victory in a cruel way when Rob Styles awarded Chelsea a highly dubious penalty.
Styles claimed Steve Finnan had fouled Florent Malouda in the penalty area. The injustice of the decision was proven by television replays, but Chelsea accepted their gift when Frank Lampard beat Pepe Reina from the spot to make it 1-1.
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02 Jun 2009, 11:37 AM
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#4
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Location: Fargo, ND
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Re: Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games
Number 98
Fixture: Bolton 0-2 Liverpool
Date: 15 Nov 2008
Venue: Reebok Stadium
Liverpool team: Reina, Carragher, Aurelio, Agger, Hyypia, Riera (Benayoun 89), Alonso, Mascherano, Kuyt (Lucas 84), Gerrard, Keane (Torres 59).
Subs: Babel, Cavalieri, Darby, Dossena.
We continue our countdown of 'Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games' with number 98 and a 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok from November 2008.
Liverpool produced an impressive display as they temporarily reclaimed top spot after a 2-0 win over Bolton Wanderers.
Dirk Kuyt opened the scoring with a great header after a pinpoint cross from Fabio Aurelio.
Numerous chances were then missed before Steven Gerrard secured the three points after heading home Fernando Torres' cross.
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02 Jun 2009, 11:43 AM
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#5
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Fargo, ND
Supporter: Liverpool FC
Foe: Manchester United FC, Chelsea FC
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Re: Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games
Number 97
Fixture: Liverpool 2-0 Watford
Date: 23 Dec 2006
Venue: Anfield
Liverpool team: Reina, Finnan, Riise, Agger, Carragher, Luis Garcia, Alonso, Gerrard, Pennant (Gonzalez 66), Bellamy (Crouch 82), Kuyt (Aurelio 90).
Subs: Dudek, Hyypia.
We continue our countdown of 'Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games' with number 97 and a Xabi Alonso inspired win over Watford from December 2006.
A brilliant strike from our Spanish midfield maestro Alonso was the highlight of this 2-0 win over Watford at Anfield on a freezing December day in 2006.
Craig Bellamy opened the scoring two minutes into the second half when he raced onto Steven Gerrard's through ball before keeping his nerve to beat Ben Foster.
The Hornets gave a spirited display but a second goal was always likely although Liverpool left it late with two minutes left.
It was certainly worth waiting for when Alonso fired an unstoppable 25-yard drive into the net to seal the three points.
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03 Jun 2009, 12:09 PM
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#6
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Location: Fargo, ND
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Re: Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games
Number 96
Fixture: Liverpool 3-0 Bolton
Date: 01 Jan 2007
Venue: Anfield
Liverpool team: Reina, Finnan, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia, Gonzalez (Luis Garcia 69), Alonso, Gerrard (Aurelio 85), Pennant, Crouch, Kuyt (Fowler 86).
Subs: Agger, Dudek.
We continue our countdown of 'Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games' with number 96 and a great start to the New Year against Bolton Wanderers from January 2007.
Steven Gerrard celebrated his MBE award with a fantastic goal in front of the Kop during this impressive victory over the Trotters.
His strike in the 63rd minute was a stuning volley and he bowed to the Kopites who saluted his goal.
Two minutes earlier Peter Crouch had opened the scoring with a wonderful bicycle kick from Jermaine Pennant's right wing cross.
Dirk Kuyt made it 3-0 in the 83rd minute to make it an impressive start to 2007.
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03 Jun 2009, 12:16 PM
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#7
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Re: Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games
Number 95
Fixture: Bolton 1-3 Liverpool
Date: 02 Mar 2008
Venue: Reebok Stadium
Liverpool team: Reina, Aurelio, Hyypia, Skrtel, Carragher, Babel, Alonso, Mascherano, Gerrard, Kuyt (Arbeloa 86), Torres (Riise 78).
Subs: Benayoun, Crouch, Martin.
We continue our countdown of 'Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games' with number 95 and a rather bizarre own goal during a 3-1 win at Bolton Wanderers in March 2008.
Fabio Aurelio scored a brilliant first ever goal in a red shirt but all the talk at the end of the game was about an own goal from Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Steven Gerrard's shot was going wide until Jaaskelainen saved and then turned to his horror as the ball ended up in his empty net.
The Finnish stopper then redeemed himself to keep Bolton in the game before Ryan Babel drilled home the second goal on the hour mark.
Brazilian Aurelio then made it 3-0 with a sweet left footed volley from 20-yards out into the top corner of the net.
Tamir Cohen, son of Liverpool's former Israeli international Avi, netted a consolation for the Trotters.
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04 Jun 2009, 11:25 PM
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#8
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Location: Fargo, ND
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Foe: Manchester United FC, Chelsea FC
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Re: Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games
Number 94
Fixture: Liverpool 1-0 Portsmouth
Date: 29 Oct 2008
Venue: Anfield
Liverpool team: Reina, Aurelio, Carragher, Hyypia, Arbeloa, Babel (Riera 72), Alonso, Lucas, Pennant (Benayoun 63), Gerrard (Keane 90), Kuyt.
Subs: Agger, Cavalieri, Dossena, Mascherano.
We continue our countdown of 'Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games' with the night Steven Gerrard silenced the Pompey chimes in 2008.
Rafa's Reds extended their unbeaten run to 17 games after a gift penalty handed Liverpool the three points.
Tony Adams' gameplan, with five men in midfield to stifle Liverpool, worked quite well but 15 minutes from time Papa Bouba Diop handled the ball in his own penalty area.
Our inspirational skipper fired the ball past David James into the Kop net to keep the Reds top of the Barclays Premier League table.
[IMG]http://api.ning.com/files/RFhXzJCQe21gyWfih3*vlYn2zKowWAI6u0XQ3wd04nZpp6Wz5el9TIl35wK0ctVEjn*O3D*4OU*bf182aiIIAJOUilHMSM7I/gerrardportsmouthhome08.jpg[/IMG]
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04 Jun 2009, 11:31 PM
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#9
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BigSoccer Member+
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Fargo, ND
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Foe: Manchester United FC, Chelsea FC
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Re: Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games
Number 93
Fixture: Liverpool 2-0 Reading
Date: 04 Nov 2006
Venue: Anfield
Liverpool team: Reina, Finnan, Riise, Carragher, Hyypia, Pennant, Alonso, Zenden (Gonzalez 66), Gerrard, Crouch (Sissoko 74), Kuyt (Fowler 88).
Subs: Agger, Martin.
We continue our countdown of 'Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games' with number 93 and a Dirk Kuyt inspired win over Reading from 2006.
Our number 18 was in red hot form as he scored twice to sink the Royals at Anfield.
Kuyt put away two opportunist efforts to extend the Reds' unbeaten run to four games.
Liverpool could easily have won by more goals in the end such was their dominance.
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06 Jun 2009, 10:15 AM
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#10
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BigSoccer Member+
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Fargo, ND
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Re: Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games
Number 92
Fixture: Wigan Athletic 0-1 Liverpool
Date: 29 Sep 2007
Venue: JJB Stadium
Liverpool team: Reina, Aurelio (Benayoun 55), Carragher, Hyypia, Arbeloa, Riise, Gerrard, Mascherano, Pennant (Voronin 82), Kuyt, Torres (Sissoko 83).
Subs: Finnan, Itandje.
We continue our countdown of 'Rafa's 100 Greatest Premier League Games' with number 92 and a late Yossi Benayoun winner versus Wigan Athletic from 2007.
Benayoun came off the bench to inspire Liverpool to victory with a brilliant winner at the JJB Stadium.
With just 15 minutes remaining the Israeli international latched onto Jermaine Pennant's pass and slotted past Chris Kirkland.
After being rested for the previous weekend's goalless draw with Birmingham City at Anfield, Rafael Benitez restored Fernando Torres to his starting line-up.
El Nino should have made it 2-0 when he found himself clear and Wigan almost levelled in stoppage time but Nigerian striker Julius Aghahowa missed the target from six yards out.
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