Trabzonspor 1 Liverpool 2

I’ve been a bit critical of Roy over the last week so to be fair, credit to him for steering us into the group stages of the Europa League. I didn’t fancy our chances before the game and once we went a goal down in the fourth minute I was certain our European season was over before September. In truth, it should have been and would have been but for wasteful finishing by the Turkish side but having reached half time level on aggregate, all credit to Roy for masterminding a second half comeback.

While it’s not true to say we were as good in the second half as we were bad in the first half (we would have had to be pretty fucking good for that to be true!) we certainly showed massive improvement and were the better team. The hostile home crowd became more and more hushed and the confident home team saw the wind in their sails rapidly decreasing. It had something to do with the away side retaining the white round thing for longer than it takes to say ‘Trabzonspor’.

Quite how the same set of players who reacted the football like it was a bomb in the first half were suddenly transformed into an outfit resembling a professional football team in the second half is anyone’s guess but that was the reality.

In particular I noticed that for the second game running (of those he has started), Poulsen looked a different player after half time. Kuyt meanwhile, having looked sluggish in the first half and been majorly at fault for the Turks’ opener, was the star man after the interval showing purpose and the sort of limited energy we have come to expect from him in his previous four (trophyless) years at Anfield. Johnson was certainly more involved after the break but for the most part was hugely frustrating gifting the opposition possession of the football at virtually every opportunity. How ironic that the one time something he tried did come off resulted in our equalising goal as his cross was put into his own net by Kacar. N’gog was another who was good and bad in equal measure. He really should have scored – particularly from his free header early in the second half – but he also was unlucky not to score from a couple of efforts he created for himself with some clever movement and trickery. The jury is out as to whether he will ever be top class but with no other cover for Fernando Torres, the young Frenchman is certainly worth his place in the side.

As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, the true test of Hodgson’s capability to fill this most demanding of roles will begin in earnest with the games against West Brom and Birmingham. Against the Baggies, a win is mandatory but it must also come with goals, the lion’s share of possession and a creative and energetic display. I would normally take a point at Birmingham but with Man Ure away next up, there is a real possibility we could leave Old Trafford sitting in the relegation zone. Therefore, I would hope for a win but would take a point IF the performance is better than those we have seen in the first halves against Arsenal, City and Trabzonspor.

I have yet to be convinced, and given that Hodgson will probably have to do more to convince me than any of his predecessors, I may never be convinced. However, I will give Hodgson some kudos for a win in a difficult fixture with an under-strength team after the worst possible start.

Well done, Roy. Keep proving me wrong!