Article by Paul Tomkins - The ends justify the means

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After that epic, energy-sapping battle at the Bridge, one managerial sacking on that very same day ended up seeing both of the Reds' next opponents with newly appointed managers. And we all know the pitfalls that can bring. As I stated earlier in the week, nothing is being made easy for Liverpool. Not only have the banana skins been laid out, but they'd been covered with oil, grease and just about every other slippery substance known to man.

Until last week, Spurs were handing out league points like a child who's consumed six gallons of Cola throwing confetti at a wedding. Now, they're a totally different prospect. Spurs' amazing recovery at the Emirates only makes Saturday's visit all the harder; however, perhaps the effort they put in when chasing Arsenal shadows might work against them. Portsmouth were always likely to be more adversely affected than Spurs by the managerial merry-go-round, but a new manager in any circumstances can lead to a renewed effort in a squad to prove themselves. They certainly put in the effort.

And yet Liverpool's eighth win, along with two draws, makes for one of the best-ever starts to a Premier League season. Of course, that's a short history, but a pertinent one in terms of what Liverpool now crave. Few Liverpool teams prior to 1992 can boast such a phenomenal start, either. (One, in 1990/91, saw the first eight games won, but the Reds eventually finished 2nd.)

What makes this start even more remarkable is that out of the other nine teams currently making up the top half of the table, Liverpool have played seven. And one of the other three games was Everton away, a fixture where form has no function.

The first goal is crucial in games where the opposition come with scant ambition to attack. Tony Adams built his reputation on outstanding defensive organisational skills, so it was no surprise that he set his team out to hold on for a point. Against Stoke it was the referee who denied Steven Gerrard a set-piece goal, but this time the captain's effort was allowed to stand. Once that goal goes in, it's usually the signal to relax and turn on the style. However, it was a bit late in the day, and then the Reds got a bit nervy - which is understandable, but something they will need to learn from.

When the goals don't go in and the game is creeping on, you keep going and keep believing. Titles are won with all kinds of victories; you cannot be snobbish about their validity or beauty. Believe it or not, championships are also won with defeats and draws in the mix - which of course sounds obvious, but this can seem like a day and age when any poor result is treated as the end of all hope.

Part of that is down to the impatient, on-demand era in which we live, and the hysterical swing from euphoria to despair in the course of 90 minutes. But it's also clearly down to the increased competitiveness at the top end of the table. These days there is less scope to drop points and get away with it. However, perfection isn't possible, either.

Rafa Benítez made four changes last night, and with 15 minutes left you could sense the knives sharpening again for his rotation policy. But Liverpool had previously beaten Manchester United and Chelsea by making changes, and last night United made five changes of their own. I've already heard that United's squad is so good, they can afford to make changes. But it didn't stop them losing games last season when Ferguson left out Rooney or Ronaldo. Equally, it didn't stop them winning others, and winning the league. And anyway, two of the Liverpool players rested - Keane and Riera - had slight knocks, while playing Sami Hyypia against Peter Crouch (against a side that also contained Bouba Diop) was just plain common sense. The ends justified the means: three points.

But with a visit to Spain last Wednesday followed by the gruelling encounter with Chelsea away on Sunday, it was clear that this was going to be a game where changes were made; and anyway, all the Champions League teams have done so lately. At the weekend Arsenal rested Adebayor, and they won; last night, United rested Rooney, and they won. These are their best strikers, and Rooney was on a hot-streak. So there is hypocrisy in only Rafa getting roasted for doing so. The fact is, even had Liverpool drawn with Portsmouth, the Reds would still have been a point clear at the top. While far from ideal, a draw would have still left an enviable situation in overall terms.
After all, it is not individual results that define a season, but the accumulation of many matches. Liverpool slipped up after beating United with a draw against Stoke, but I argued at the time that it needn’t prove costly if other results go the Reds' way: which, so far, they have. And, if we're honest, even better than expected, with the full 15 points garnered from a tough run of games.

League title chases almost always have twists and turns, and with some excellent sides in the top five, it's almost certain that no team will run away with the title. Gone are the days of the lone dominator, contemptuously brushing all aside. You can bet your mortgage (if it's still worth much these days) that United and Chelsea will have a strong second half to the season. Fortunately, it seems to be a trait of Benitez's Reds, too. It's also true that there is pressure in leading from the front. It can be more tiring. Sometimes, as seen with United in 1996 and Arsenal two years later, it can be better to come from miles behind, getting momentum at just the right time. But of course, no-one can guarantee that the necessary late surge will occur, and equally, it's no good being ten points off the pace if the team that's leading keeps winning. You always want to be as best positioned as possible at every stage, but with something left in the tank for the second half of the season. It's no good burning yourself out in the first half of the season just to be top in winter. What I've said on many occasions is that teams that win the title in the modern age always go close the season before. In other words, no-one comes from 4th to win the title anymore.

Manchester United ended their 26-year wait in 1993 only after finishing second a year earlier, partly down to an Anfield defeat at the end of the 1992 season. Blackburn finished second in 1994 and won it in 1995, before Arsenal jumped from third to first in 1998 - but, crucially, they had been equal-second on points in 1997. And Chelsea finished as runners-up in 2004, a year before ending their 50-year drought.

My opinion has always been that this second-place season is the precursor that builds the belief (through improvement on the year before), but which also teaches the players to live with greater expectation and cope with the pressure; usually they've finished second by being in a title race at some point that season. So it may well be that this is Liverpool's 'dry run' (although that term does not capture the drama of a Premier League season). But equally, this is just a trend, not a certainty. And I do think that the previous four seasons have seen a steady improvement in the quality of the Liverpool squad, and a gradual education into the ways of the manager. Liverpool have become reaccustomed to the big occasion under Benitez, and this will serve the club well, as it relates to pressure.

Benitez recently pointed out that Sammy Lee and Mauricio Pellegrino have a lot of experience of winning titles, as does he himself. This is no idle or irrelevant boast; this is a crucial factor. While it's nice to have players with league-winning experience, you can also say that the hunger of the current squad is just as important (as it was for Chelsea four years ago). In these instances, I feel it's more important to have a management structure that has achieved it all, and understands what happens in these situations. The last thing you want is a manager flapping and getting nervous. But Benítez has twice seen off Real Madrid and Barcelona to land the Spanish title, so he knows what it takes in a long-haul race.

You do need some key men on the pitch with experience. But then Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard are fine leaders by example, and not unfamiliar with pressure (or winning trophies) at Liverpool, while the Spanish contingent learned a huge amount over the summer about what it takes to win a major trophy. Also, Mascherano has won two Olympic titles, and while I'm not sure how that compares with other major honours (given that it's not each national team's strongest side, with mostly youngsters featuring), it's clearly not something to be sniffed at either. Another key figure could be Sami Hyypia, whose age, calm demeanour and experience of winning trophies with Liverpool will make him a priceless member of the squad, no matter how many games he gets to play.

There's also the club building as a whole, from the Youth FA Cup wins in 2006 and 2007, and the reserves as national champions in 2008. It's like a volcano rising to the surface, with success filtering up to the top. Hopefully 2009 will be the year when the whole thing blows like Krakatoa.
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A crucial 3 points to keep the momentum going

The game against Pompey early this morning was indeed a tricky affair. If we had failed to win, the 3 points we earned against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge over the weekend would have been futile. I don't think any Liverpool fan will complain about the penalty that gave us the precious 3 points and kept us at the top of the table. It's not important how we win as long as we get the 3 points. Remember how Chelsea won the league title scrapping through 1 goal wins a few seasons ago?? A colleague of mine said that this may well be Liverpool's season since we are showing signs of a "champions luck". I really hope he is right. Luck or no luck, the overall shape and look of the team has indeed been promising thus far.

This Liverpool team is beginning to play the kind of football that resembled Rafa's title winning Valencia. Perhaps it has finally taken the Gaffer 4 seasons to build the team he wants. All around the pitch, there is a new sense of excitment and belief. You can see it in their eyes. We have quality and loads of it too.

In Reina, we have one of the best keeper in the world and he is showing his true form again this season. In defence, we have the ever reliant Carragher together with Skrtel, Agger and Hypia. 4 fantastic players. Every championship winning team boasts a backline that is solid and steady. In these 4 players we have the kind of quality and depth that will carry us through the season. Although I feel if ever we need to buy in Jan, we will need to strengthen the left and right backs. Arbeloa, Dossena, Aurelio can look rather ordinary at times. We need better quality in these areas.

"We have the best midfield in the world....." and so the song goes. With Mascherano and Alonso playing well, working hard and protecting the back line, it frees Gerard to roam upfront. His favourite position. I read in his autobiography that this is where he feels he can play his best football although he will play anyway the manager wants him to play. For a long time, Rafa received heaps of criticisms for leaving Gerard out at the right flank. With Kyut flourishing on the right now, Gerard's restoration in the middle of the park can only be good for the team. Albert Reira has impressed me so far. He has provided the team with a new attacking option down the left. He is what we have been lacking all these seasons. Even Babel has been displaced onto the bench. In attack, we have a partnership that can potentially be the best in the premiership and even the world. Keane is starting to settle down and in Torres, we hv one of the best strikers in the world. At their peaks, I think both of these players can be devastating.

Above all these, there is a renewed sense of hunger and focus. The players now understand what they need to do in order to mount a serious title challenge. 3 points every game. It's that simple. Week-in-Week-out. It has been 19 long years since the title came home. It's the dream of every true Liverpool fan and player, both past and present. This is the right time to reinforce our status as the most successful football club in England.

3 points away at White Hart Lane this Saturday.....Let's take it one game at a time.

London Bridge is falling down.............

We finally did it....we broke Chelsea's unbeaten home record!! 86 home games without a loss...until today that is. It was Alonso's shot deflected off John Terry that gave us the win. We are now officially sitting top of the league, 3 points clear of Chelsea, 8 points clear of Man United!!! This win is significant for a few reasons. Firstly, it was away at Stamford Bridge. Secondly we won without Torres. Thirdly, we have not even hit our peak form yet. Wins against Man United and Chelsesa will surely put the confidence of the players sky high. Even the most skeptical doubter will start to believe. Will this finally be our year?? Will number 19th league title finally come home after all these years of waiting? Maybe......Rafa need to keep the players on their toes and work hard. There is no room for complacency. It's still early days but all these wins will mean nothing if we do not keep our level of consistency. Wins against Man United and Chelsea will be nullified if we do not at least get a point at the return legs. We need to keep going till the final game of the season. Traditionally, our form dips after the new year. Let's hope we buck this trend from now and keep going.

The players did very well. Everyone of them. From Reina to Keane, from Reira to Kyut, from Carragher to Gerard. It was a fantastic performance. Alonso and Mascherano were all over the pitch. It could easily have been 2 goals to nothing if Alonso's free kick did not hit the upright. Ashley Cole was lucky to remain on the pitch. He could have been sent off after that reckless tackle.

It's been a great season so far and it's gonna get even better..........

Come Back Kings - Livepool 3 Wigan 2 (18 Oct 08)

How many times do we need to come back from 1 or 2 goals down to beat our opponents? No doubt it's truly a joy to watch especially when the winning goal hits the back of the net but it is certainly not good for the heart!

We played really badly in the first half. Credit to the Latics, they didn't come for a draw. As a result, we had an entertaining game of non-stop end-to-end action. With Torres injured during the mid week international, we had to play with Keane and Kyut upfront. The first goal conceded was a nightmare. Thankfully for Agger, he redeemed himself by setting up the equaliser. However, this did not last too long. How a Wigan player managed to get a cross past 2 Liverpool defenders on the right side baffled me. That was horrendous defending. Crosses need to be cut out. That resulted in the Latics taking the lead again. I went into the half time break shaking my head in disappointment. It was a poor showing. With Chelsea beating Boro away by 5 goals earlier, the pressure was on us to win in order to keep pace with Chelsea.

I was glad we won the game 5 mins from time. With one man sent off for a second yellow, it was time for Liverpool to attack. Kudos to Rafa for changing the formation and playing 2 at the back. It was a gamble that paid handsome dividends immediately. Nabil El'Zhar once again proved to be a really good player in the making. He set up the second equaliser by Albert Reira. That was his debut goal for the club. Honestly, he looks every bit the kind of left sided winger we missed for so many seasons. He is a good signing.

Although I wish we could wrap up a game in the first half instead of having to come back from behind, this team is demonstrating the characteristics of a championship winning mentality. This win will further reinforce the players' belief that we are "un-beatable".

Now, let's bring on Athletic Madrid and Chelsea..........

Man City vs Liverpool - 05 Oct 08

To come from 2 goals down and win the game away from home speaks a lot about the quality of the team. What an excellent game!!! The funny thing was that I did not feel a tinge of panic at half time. I was confident we would grap 1 back and it was a matter of time. I told myself if we pull one back early in the second half, it's game on. And so we did.

I must admit that the first half was terrible. I don't think Joe Hart had to even raise a finger for any attempt at goal. We were that pathetic. Although I was surprised that no changes were made at half time, it showed how much confidence Rafa had on his players. I supposed he knew that as long as the team started playing better, we would get a result.

I know those sour grapes would surely say that our come back was only possible after City lost one player to a straight red but who cares? I don't care how we earn that 3 points as long as we get it. That's how much we want the league this season. The team is playing with a lot of confidence and flair. There is belief and fighting spirit all round. With a bit of luck, who dare say this cannot be our season?

The only disappointment in the game was Skrtel's injury. It looked bad and I am sure he will be out for a few months. He has been in such fine form and will surely be missed. However, this will be the best chance for Agger to return to the starting lineup. In my opinion, there is little difference between the 2 of them. We need Agger back at his best.....

With an established defence, solid midfield supplemented by very skilful wingers and a formidable front line, who dare say number 19th will not return to Anfield this season??

It will be close but at least we are challenging..........

Liverpool vs PSV - 02 Oct 2008

It was a good game overall.

Kyut's scoring record in Europe continues with a well taken strike in the 4th minute. That set the stage for the rest of the game. What's more pleasing was Kean's first goal in a red shirt just after the half hour mark. I felt vindicated. After 11 games, the debut goal finally came. It was a beautiful shot from a Torres' cross. With the first goal out of the way, the future can only look brighter. It was also significant that it was Torres who provided the ball to Keane. If they continue to play together more, the understanding will only get better.

Gerard's 100th goal for the club in front of the Kop was a screamer. It will certainly be a goal of the season for me. For a midfielder who had been played out of his favourite position on many occasions, getting the 100th goal certainly speaks a lot of his quality.

On the whole, it is difficult to find a reason to criticise the team after a performance like this. We need to maintain the momentum. The weekend's tie away to Man City will be a stern test to determine if we are indeed championship material.