Have a read.......
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These fixtures tend to take on an all-defining power, but ultimately it's just one game. And one-off games involve luck, the kind Liverpool haven't done well enough at Old Trafford to deserve in recent years, but which has been unfairly lacking in recent home games against United. United also used to win these games when Liverpool were the best side in the world, while the Reds regularly beat United when they were winning titles at the start of the new millennium, so it's important to put them into perspective.
United, based on the league table, were always going to still be the better team regardless, but the gap is closing in a season where United have actually considerably strengthened (adding £80m-worth of talent), when their squad was already far more expensive than Liverpool's to start with.
The result from Old Trafford, whatever it would be, would only sway my opinion a few percent either way: a draw, and we're where I thought; a win, and we're perhaps 5% ahead; a defeat, and maybe 5% behind. But performance, and ability to deserve more at Old Trafford, would also be important. In the end, maybe that was hardest to judge.
I hadn't reckoned with the Ashley Cole factor, and refs cracking down on any form of dissent following his bad foul and barracking of the ref last week. It's ironic that Liverpool hardly ever harass the referee, and rarely get players sent off, and yet pay the price of a clampdown while teams who misbehave more frequently continue to get away with it. Cole's tackle and reaction were far worse, but he got away with it. Ferguson, meanwhile, had put the referee under more pressure before the match.
Mascherano was clearly treading a tightrope, and while I understand his frustration at being booked for his first tackle while United players were only getting warnings, he should have kept out of things having already been cautioned and can't have too many complaints.
However, if referees are going to give one team all the bookings, and award nonsensical yellow cards, trouble will follow. Torres was being fouled and fouled again, by three United players in three seconds, and when he asked the ref about it, he got booked. Ludicrous, utterly ludicrous. Some refs have admitted letting Wayne Rooney swear at them 20 times or more in a match, and then Mascherano gets sent off for plain dissent following Torres' unfair booking. Where's the consistency?
Ten-man Liverpool showed character in the middle of the second half, and that's encouraging. But when United can bring on £60m-worth of talent (Tevez valued at £30m, even if only on loan initially), you can see the disparity in resources as they turned the screw in the last ten minutes. This when Ferguson's starting team already cost £30m more than Benitez's.
Unfortunately, it all coincided with Pepe Reina experiencing probably his most mixed game for the club - three wonderful saves, but also a couple of costly mistakes. I still think he's the best keeper in the country, but part of United's success has been down to landing Van der Sar after years with dodgy keepers. Can they replace their ageing Dutchman when the time comes?
Much of the constant criticism of Benitez has been that he has never appeared to know what his best team is. I've never seen this as essential in the modern age, when the squad takes on more significance. Isn't it better to have two equally good players competing for one position, where you can't choose your best XI, than one good and one bad, where you easily can?
Ideally you'd want a great player in the mix, and few teams have two of those competing for the same spot. One is hard enough to come by, let alone two.
When trying to work out United's strongest team, who are their best midfielders? Ronaldo, Giggs, Scholes, Anderson, Nani, Hargreaves, Carrick and Fletcher are those who appear most. You could make a strong case for the inclusion of the first seven names in particular, but only four can start at once. Ferguson chops and changes them, and 'rotates' heavily, all without criticism, even when they lose.
If anything, the midfield situation is clearer at Liverpool, particularly since Gerrard was moved into a more advanced role (something Ronaldo also does for United from time to time). The most obvious choices for the two deeper midfielders are Mascherano and Alonso. Lucas is an excellent player for his age, and a handy option at this stage of his career, but is still learning when compared with the other two.
The left-wing role is being nailed down by the exciting Babel, who, like Lucas, is also learning. Babel, however, has the ability to be devastating, and that will only increase with experience of the league and maturity. He's improving, but there's more to come. He's at the stage Ronaldo was two or three years ago.
It's easy to say 'why didn't Benitez do all this at the start of the season', but that misses the point. First of all, Alonso was injured. That left Lucas, who was not ready to be a regular at that stage, and Sissoko, who had lost his confidence. So Gerrard played in a traditional midfield role; and even had he played in his current position, there's nothing to say the understanding with Torres back then would have been as strong as it is now.
Also, Babel wasn't ready to be as consistent; he was struggling to adapt to the pace of the game, and the frequency of matches. It's very hard for a manager expected to challenge for the title to bed in new players straight into the starting XI; there's no patience from outside with regard to mistakes while the adaptation takes place.
I feel that Liverpool are now where United were in 2006. Although the Reds finished just one point behind United that season, Ferguson's project was more advanced. He was about to have Ronaldo and Rooney come of age; whereas Liverpool were never going to get that dramatic improvement from the ageing Fowler and Morientes, while Cisse's pace on the wing had its limitations - he was never going to improve in the way Babel, a clever player, has the potential to.
In 2005/06, Benitez had some new key elements in place - Reina, Agger, Alonso - but since then he's added Torres, Babel, Mascherano, Lucas, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Aurelio and Benayoun, to name just a few. This collection of players is now starting to blend, but it can improve markedly given the age of the team and its time spent together.
Also, United invested even more heavily than Liverpool last summer, building from a position of strength - although they paid around £50m, they added £80m of talent in just four players last summer. How do you close a gap in those circumstances?
In Torres and Gerrard, the Reds have a combination to build success around, in the manner United did with Rooney and Ronaldo, before adding a third axis in Tevez. Of course, as soon as Liverpool found the prolific striker everyone said the club lacked, the focus switched to 'Liverpool rely too much on Torres'. Crazy.
It's important that Liverpool build on the formula the manager has created. But an avoidance of injuries to key players next season will be crucial; it is to any team. It's not possible to say how much a team relies on one player simply by removing their goals from the equation; after all, if they weren't playing, someone else would be. However, I find it hard to believe United would be doing anywhere near as well had Ronaldo suffered a serious injury in August.
Man-for-man, there's not a massive gulf between the two clubs' strongest XIs. But it's about the squad, too. Also, a team is not just a collection of individuals; it's how they gel together, and how much they exceed the sum of their parts. United have the advantage in that sense, having been together longer. They break with such pace and understanding, and that hasn't happened overnight. Liverpool, with Gerrard, Torres and Babel forming a new super-quick attack, are capable of matching them - but in time.
They also have players with league-winning experience from 2003 and before, which helped underpin their recent success. Liverpool are closing the gap in terms of team cohesion and unity, but the psychology of two decades without a league title will always be the hardest barrier to overcome.
A fit Agger, and Liverpool would almost certainly have been closer to the top three. He was missed in a number of home games in particular. Alonso was also missed. I don't think United had to get by without any key first-choice players for long periods this season, bar Gary Neville, who is not crucial to their cause.
Of course, a lot depends on how each of the big teams strengthen over the summer, and how quickly the new additions settle. I just feel that, despite the setback, Benitez is now really close to the side he wants. Will that be enough? With United building upon key elements Ferguson had put in place while Rafa was still at Valencia, it'll be hard. But hopefully not impossible.
Time will tell...
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Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Monday, March 24, 2008
The Aftermath
I feel like hell this morning. It's hard to describe that feeling.
Someone said he knew before the game that Man U will win. According to him, the asian handicap climbed before the game. Liverpool was 'heavy' last night (ie. many people bought Liverpool to at least draw, if not win). It was true that many pundits had predicted a draw. Some even went for a win. Perhaps that explained why Mascherano got himself sent off. Got what I mean? I just could not understand it. Thought about it the whole day and, to me, that was the only logical explanation. Why did he run almost a full 50m to where Steve Benett was, just to ask him why Torres was yellow-carded?? He's certainly not dumb and stupid!! He already had a yellow card earlier and the papers in UK were all talking about players showing dissent and disrespect for officials over the last few days before the game. For an international player with experience, that was just shocking!!
Even with 10men, we were a pale shadow of our usual self. We needed a match winner and there was none. All season long, we have been guilty of some slack defending. The second goal was a gift to them and that gay-boy had it easy. Alonso should have provided a stiffer challenge to Ronaldo's header. Forget about the third goal. The game was long over by then. I can't recall what happened after that. It was all a blur.
To win the league, we need to win games like those last night. Unless we can do that, it depresses me even more to realise that the league title may not be returning to Anfield anytime soon.
The cure for all this pain will present itself this weekend. Kick Everton's ass in the much-awaited Liverpool derby, stretch the gap for fourth placing to 5 points and I am sure all this pain will be forgotten.
Someone said he knew before the game that Man U will win. According to him, the asian handicap climbed before the game. Liverpool was 'heavy' last night (ie. many people bought Liverpool to at least draw, if not win). It was true that many pundits had predicted a draw. Some even went for a win. Perhaps that explained why Mascherano got himself sent off. Got what I mean? I just could not understand it. Thought about it the whole day and, to me, that was the only logical explanation. Why did he run almost a full 50m to where Steve Benett was, just to ask him why Torres was yellow-carded?? He's certainly not dumb and stupid!! He already had a yellow card earlier and the papers in UK were all talking about players showing dissent and disrespect for officials over the last few days before the game. For an international player with experience, that was just shocking!!
Even with 10men, we were a pale shadow of our usual self. We needed a match winner and there was none. All season long, we have been guilty of some slack defending. The second goal was a gift to them and that gay-boy had it easy. Alonso should have provided a stiffer challenge to Ronaldo's header. Forget about the third goal. The game was long over by then. I can't recall what happened after that. It was all a blur.
To win the league, we need to win games like those last night. Unless we can do that, it depresses me even more to realise that the league title may not be returning to Anfield anytime soon.
The cure for all this pain will present itself this weekend. Kick Everton's ass in the much-awaited Liverpool derby, stretch the gap for fourth placing to 5 points and I am sure all this pain will be forgotten.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
This is not the way to lose
My heart is shattered.
With Mascherano's dismissal in the first half, the task of beating Man United was made even more difficult. It was a stupid sending off, absolutely unnecessary!! I am not sure what was going on in his mind. That gave the game away to Man U. We did not even play with our usual confidence and flair. I suppose that has a lot to do with the mentality of the players. Having lost the previous 7 encounters to them, it was an uphill task to break that jinx. Still, I believed that we would have put up a stronger fight. I did not expect us to play with such mildness. I even expected a win....
It is hard to swallow defeat especially to our bitter rivals. It's even more painful to think that we have only scored 1 goal against them in the last 8 league meetings. This is one of the worst nights of my life. Reminds me of the game when we lost 4-0 to them on 1st Dec 2002. Very painful....
When will this end? When will we start playing like a championship team against the top 3 in the league? This is simply too painful. I feel like throwing up.
I am shattered.
With Mascherano's dismissal in the first half, the task of beating Man United was made even more difficult. It was a stupid sending off, absolutely unnecessary!! I am not sure what was going on in his mind. That gave the game away to Man U. We did not even play with our usual confidence and flair. I suppose that has a lot to do with the mentality of the players. Having lost the previous 7 encounters to them, it was an uphill task to break that jinx. Still, I believed that we would have put up a stronger fight. I did not expect us to play with such mildness. I even expected a win....
It is hard to swallow defeat especially to our bitter rivals. It's even more painful to think that we have only scored 1 goal against them in the last 8 league meetings. This is one of the worst nights of my life. Reminds me of the game when we lost 4-0 to them on 1st Dec 2002. Very painful....
When will this end? When will we start playing like a championship team against the top 3 in the league? This is simply too painful. I feel like throwing up.
I am shattered.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Time To Break The Man U Jinx
We have not beaten Man U for 7 successive games. That's a record that needs to be broken and rectified. Losing to Man U is indeed an extremely painful experience for all Red fans. With the current form and also coming off the back of 8 straight wins, the Red-men are certainly looking good to end that misery.
My feelings tell me that we will triumph. I dare say this on my blog. It's been a long while. With Man U having difficulty finding the back of the net in recent games (although I believe they will thrash Bolton tonight) and Liverpool firing on all cylinders, it's now or never.
8 points seperates us and them. That makes this Sunday's game so crucial. Win and the title race will be thrown wide open. Lose and it's pretty much back to securing fourth place for next season's champions league football. I am feeling confident becos' I feel that Man U will be inclined to attack since this is a home game and they must be confident of nicking another victory against the Reds. And that's when Torres will punish their back four. Looking at Man U, they have the Ronaldo-Rooney-Tevez combination to bring in the goals. Look at Liverpool. We have the Gerard-Torres-Babel-Benayoun-Mascherano combination to threaten as well. I hope that answers all your doubts. It's a must win game for the Reds. There's simply too much at stake. 3 points will ensure we open up the gap between us and Everton. 3 points will ensure we are back in title contention again.
Traditionally, Man U vs Liverpool encounters are mostly cagey affairs. It will not be different this time. I guess the game will be decided by a single goal. There is just too much at stake for both teams Having said that, if you are feeling doubtful, a draw is always a good buy, though I feel it will not be the case.
It's time to call on the spirits of Shankly and Paisely. Bring on Man United for we know no fear. We will march unto Old Trafford with our heads held up high. We will show these bastards what we can do. Come on you Reds!!!
My feelings tell me that we will triumph. I dare say this on my blog. It's been a long while. With Man U having difficulty finding the back of the net in recent games (although I believe they will thrash Bolton tonight) and Liverpool firing on all cylinders, it's now or never.
8 points seperates us and them. That makes this Sunday's game so crucial. Win and the title race will be thrown wide open. Lose and it's pretty much back to securing fourth place for next season's champions league football. I am feeling confident becos' I feel that Man U will be inclined to attack since this is a home game and they must be confident of nicking another victory against the Reds. And that's when Torres will punish their back four. Looking at Man U, they have the Ronaldo-Rooney-Tevez combination to bring in the goals. Look at Liverpool. We have the Gerard-Torres-Babel-Benayoun-Mascherano combination to threaten as well. I hope that answers all your doubts. It's a must win game for the Reds. There's simply too much at stake. 3 points will ensure we open up the gap between us and Everton. 3 points will ensure we are back in title contention again.
Traditionally, Man U vs Liverpool encounters are mostly cagey affairs. It will not be different this time. I guess the game will be decided by a single goal. There is just too much at stake for both teams Having said that, if you are feeling doubtful, a draw is always a good buy, though I feel it will not be the case.
It's time to call on the spirits of Shankly and Paisely. Bring on Man United for we know no fear. We will march unto Old Trafford with our heads held up high. We will show these bastards what we can do. Come on you Reds!!!
Monday, March 17, 2008
It's the final straight
The next 5 games will be extremely crucial.
We visit Old Trafford this Sunday followed by the most anticipated game of the season - against Everton in Anfield. Afterwhich, we play Arsenal in another league game before facing them for 2 legs of the Champions League Quarter finals. 3 games against the Gooners in a space of a week. Tough!
I cannot help but feel the excitement and, as such, I will cut short my F1 weekend in Sepang and make sure I make it back in time for the Man U game on Sunday. Can't miss it. We have been really unlucky against the Red Devils in recent years and I have a feeling it will all come to an end this Sunday. We will triumph! Believe it or not. Put your money on Liverpool to beat Man U!!
In our fight for the final Champions League spot, we need to beat Everton in the local derby come next week. That will build up a 6 points cushion provided we beat Man U on Sunday. It will be an emotinally charged game. As usual, Liverpool vs Everton is what I look forward to the most every season. Coming off a 7 game winning streak, confidence is high. Our win against Reading was crucial. That put the pressure back onto the Toffees but more importantly, it kept our winning streak going and that can only be positive.
Whatever happens, I can't wait. Let's bring on the big boys and let El Nino do the talking.
We visit Old Trafford this Sunday followed by the most anticipated game of the season - against Everton in Anfield. Afterwhich, we play Arsenal in another league game before facing them for 2 legs of the Champions League Quarter finals. 3 games against the Gooners in a space of a week. Tough!
I cannot help but feel the excitement and, as such, I will cut short my F1 weekend in Sepang and make sure I make it back in time for the Man U game on Sunday. Can't miss it. We have been really unlucky against the Red Devils in recent years and I have a feeling it will all come to an end this Sunday. We will triumph! Believe it or not. Put your money on Liverpool to beat Man U!!
In our fight for the final Champions League spot, we need to beat Everton in the local derby come next week. That will build up a 6 points cushion provided we beat Man U on Sunday. It will be an emotinally charged game. As usual, Liverpool vs Everton is what I look forward to the most every season. Coming off a 7 game winning streak, confidence is high. Our win against Reading was crucial. That put the pressure back onto the Toffees but more importantly, it kept our winning streak going and that can only be positive.
Whatever happens, I can't wait. Let's bring on the big boys and let El Nino do the talking.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Another famous victory
I never doubted a minute that we would come away from San Siro victorious. I said many times yesterday that we would win by 2 goals. Ok....so I was not totally correct but it was a victory nevertheless.
It was one of the most beautifully taken strikes I have seen from Torres. The Gerard-Torres combination is proving to be extremely lethal. However, I must add that a few other players are beginning to show their true quality too.
Fabio Aurelio, the player I criticised heavily in the past, is staking a claim on the left back position. That has always been our weak link but I am glad he is doing a much better job than Riise. It was his burst down the left after stealing possession from Inter that led to the goal. Obviously, Torres' finishing was in a league of it's own too! Luca Leiva is proving to be a capable replacement for Xabi Alonso. Ryan Babel had been excellent in the last 5 games. Martin Skrtel will give Daniel Agger a run for his money if he keeps playing like that. Gerard is having the time of his life. He is given the license to roam freely, causing a bigger threat to the oppositions. Although I would prefer Benayoun as a right winger compared to Kyut, I must admit that Kyut does provide a different option altogther.
Finally, we are seeing some resemblance of a first XI. Rafa has kept the same shape over the last 5 games and only changing players when they are unavail or injured. That can only be good news for the team.
Now, let's hope the team goes all the way from now.
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"Liverpool without European football is like a banquet without wine." Roy Evans
It was one of the most beautifully taken strikes I have seen from Torres. The Gerard-Torres combination is proving to be extremely lethal. However, I must add that a few other players are beginning to show their true quality too.
Fabio Aurelio, the player I criticised heavily in the past, is staking a claim on the left back position. That has always been our weak link but I am glad he is doing a much better job than Riise. It was his burst down the left after stealing possession from Inter that led to the goal. Obviously, Torres' finishing was in a league of it's own too! Luca Leiva is proving to be a capable replacement for Xabi Alonso. Ryan Babel had been excellent in the last 5 games. Martin Skrtel will give Daniel Agger a run for his money if he keeps playing like that. Gerard is having the time of his life. He is given the license to roam freely, causing a bigger threat to the oppositions. Although I would prefer Benayoun as a right winger compared to Kyut, I must admit that Kyut does provide a different option altogther.
Finally, we are seeing some resemblance of a first XI. Rafa has kept the same shape over the last 5 games and only changing players when they are unavail or injured. That can only be good news for the team.
Now, let's hope the team goes all the way from now.
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"Liverpool without European football is like a banquet without wine." Roy Evans
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Back in the driving seat
3 reasons why we are winning again.
Firstly, confidence is high after a positive result against Inter Milan. Secondly, the return to form for some of our key players. Kyut is playing better after his 2 goals in 2 successive games. Babel and Torres are on fire. Stevie is beginning to play at his best again. Saw that screamer from him this morning for goal no 4? It was an absolute beauty! Trademark Steven Gerard!! Thirdly, the 4-2-3-1 formation that sees Gerrard, Babel, Kuyt and Torres in a four pronged attack. It's also the formation that allows Rafa to play Mascherano, Alonso and Gerard in the middle at the same time.
One area where we need improvement is in defence. I hope Agger returns for the Newcastle game on Sat and if he does well, we will have our answer for the return leg against Inter Milan. There are already punters predicting an Inter win. The asian handicap is indicating a minimum half ball, with many people I know taking the italian giants to win by a goal. The key will be our defence and if we can hold out the first 30mins, we will probably go through. It will be even better if we can hit them on the counter-attack to score an away goal. That will kill the game off. Inter knows they need to score 3 goals to win and with an away goal, they will need 4. That's a tall order.
Let's just pray now that we win our next 2 home games and that will really put pressure on the Toffees to keep up.
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"Liverpool's fans are just amazing. The best feeling I have at away games is Anfield. It is just incredible. I love it. You get goose bumps when you see their supporters sing You'll Never Walk Alone." Arsenal and France star Thierry Henry.
Firstly, confidence is high after a positive result against Inter Milan. Secondly, the return to form for some of our key players. Kyut is playing better after his 2 goals in 2 successive games. Babel and Torres are on fire. Stevie is beginning to play at his best again. Saw that screamer from him this morning for goal no 4? It was an absolute beauty! Trademark Steven Gerard!! Thirdly, the 4-2-3-1 formation that sees Gerrard, Babel, Kuyt and Torres in a four pronged attack. It's also the formation that allows Rafa to play Mascherano, Alonso and Gerard in the middle at the same time.
One area where we need improvement is in defence. I hope Agger returns for the Newcastle game on Sat and if he does well, we will have our answer for the return leg against Inter Milan. There are already punters predicting an Inter win. The asian handicap is indicating a minimum half ball, with many people I know taking the italian giants to win by a goal. The key will be our defence and if we can hold out the first 30mins, we will probably go through. It will be even better if we can hit them on the counter-attack to score an away goal. That will kill the game off. Inter knows they need to score 3 goals to win and with an away goal, they will need 4. That's a tall order.
Let's just pray now that we win our next 2 home games and that will really put pressure on the Toffees to keep up.
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"Liverpool's fans are just amazing. The best feeling I have at away games is Anfield. It is just incredible. I love it. You get goose bumps when you see their supporters sing You'll Never Walk Alone." Arsenal and France star Thierry Henry.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Rafa Going Dutch? - An Interesting article by Paul Tomkins
An interesting article by Paul. I can't say I agree with him fully, especially the part about Kyut.
Have a read.....
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The formation - 4-2-3-1, or 4-2-1-3 depending on how you look at it - is one that appears to suit the personnel at the manager's disposal, and is also one that both Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt are very familiar with, with the pair having regularly been deployed either side of a main striker for the Dutch national team. It also appears nearer to what Benítez deployed at Valencia, but which he struggled to mimic at Liverpool with the players at his disposal. Maybe that's now changing. I keep hearing that Kuyt is not a natural wide player, but it's not only where he has played for Holland but also where he started out at Utrecht. Rather than a winger with silky skills (Babel is doing that role nicely on the other flank), he is a wide attacker. He has the energy and intelligence to make a nuisance of himself in dangerous areas, and with two goals and an assist via the post in his last four games, he has shown he can get into the box as much as when playing as the second striker. His wide work is tidy and terrier-like at worst, but at best he can put balls into the box with the knowledge of the way a striker likes to receive them. There's no doubt that the area the Reds are strongest in the centre of midfield. Despite what some people seem to think, Steven Gerrard, like all of the major players, has always played nearly every game possible under Benítez. With his recent deployment in advance of two other central midfielders, he can play a free role without ever looking stranded up there, as he can if playing ahead of two midfielders in a 4-4-1-1. The downside of Gerrard starting games as the second-most advanced player, as seen in Athens, is that he can end up playing with his back to goal, where he's less effective. The current formation seems to get the best out of him: he can burst forward with his energy and drive in support of Torres, Kuyt and Babel as part of a powerful quartet capable of sharing 70 goals a season (they already have 55). Add Benayoun, who could replace either Kuyt or Babel, and you have 65 goals between the five of them. But the system also means two out of Alonso, Mascherano and Lucas can feature; in a flat 4-4-2, where Gerrard's role is more traditional, two of those other three central midfielders have to miss out. Lucas was rightly rested at the Reebok, having looked tired last week, but he has adapted well for a young overseas player thrown into the cut-and-thrust of a Premiership midfield. There's a lot more left to come from the young Brazilian, and next year, as with Babel, we should see a player more acclimatised. Liverpool's form in the main two competitions (therefore excluding Barnsley) has been excellent in the last five games, with three goals scored in wins against Sunderland, Middlesbrough and most recently Bolton (never an easy place to go), a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge when the better team, and the famous 2-0 defeat of Inter Milan. Chances are being put away at last. If anything, it is the defending that has been uncharacteristic of a Benítez team at times, with a few sloppy goals conceded lately. Perhaps this is down to the changes in the back line: Arbeloa, Finnan and Aurelio have been in and out due to several niggling injuries, whilst Agger's six-month absence has seen him missed as both a destructive and constructive force. Meanwhile, another new defender has been introduced in the shape of Martin Skrtel, and while he's been excellent on an individual basis after a shaky first game, it takes time for the defence to gel as a unit. The same applies with marking set-pieces, where the zonal system relies on understanding and, like any other factor in football, relies on confidence. But as with the form at Anfield which has taken a dip this term, we know the defending can, and almost certainly will, be better in the future. There's much to play for until May, but also, looking beyond that, I can sense Liverpool improving radically next term. The new players Benítez added this summer are approaching 50 goals, and each can still improve. In 2006-07 United surprised people by improving dramatically to win the league without changing a lot of elements from the previous season, while this year, even more surprisingly, Arsenal are leading the way, again after only only adding one new player to the regular starting line-up (Sagna). It is largely down to existing young players, like Adebayor, Hleb and Fabregas, suddenly going up a level or two. I think winning the league in 2009 will be a tall order for the Reds, but now some key new players have bedded in at Anfield I'd expect a more cohesive challenge next term. A number of new first-team players have been signed in the last 12/13 months –– I make it eight who have featured very heavily. But in most positions you can now see that Rafa finally has the players he wants. Unlike the top three, whose squads were closer to completion by 2005-2006, this is still a relatively new project. I cannot stress this enough. When building towards success you have to wait for the elements to align –– for the new players to adapt to the league and to the tactics, and to gel with the existing players; for the existing key players to be sharp and on form; for confidence to be high; and for there to be no major injuries to those few irreplaceable players. There is no magic formula to make the fates align. And you need luck at the right times, both in games and in the season as a whole. After dreadful luck at the Reebok in recent visits –– Luis Garcia's wrongly disallowed goal for offside in 2004/05 and Pepe Reina's ludicrous penalisation for handling outside his area last season –– the Reds got a lucky break with Jaaskelainen's own goal. By the time the bad officiating hit again –– a corner awarded against Kuyt when the ball was nowhere near out, which soon led to a goal –– it was too late in the game to derail Rafa's men. When Benítez first arrived, the squad needed rebuilding but he couldn't afford to go for the real top-end players everyone was after, as they were too expensive. Nor could he rely on hugely promising youngsters who were not yet ready (players of the ilk of Theo Walcott), because you have to wait two or three years for these to mature and a new manager needs to get up and running quickly. But it's now that the squad really has the look of a project nearing completion. There are still one or two positions where improvements can be made, and a club like Liverpool has to consistently be on the lookout for top talent, but Reina, Torres, Mascherano, Agger, Babel, Lucas, Arbeloa and now Skrtel fit the profile of young, dedicated players with technical ability, a winning mentality and a real turn of speed. Until last summer, Rafa had been getting in lots of cheap and medium-priced players (£2m-£6m), keeping and polishing the gems like Agger, Arbeloa, Crouch and Reina and offloading good players like Bellamy and Sissoko who made contributions but didn't offer absolutely everything he wanted. Sensible buying meant profits could be made on those being offloaded, allowing Rafa to reinvest in better players, as seen with the trading up from Sissoko to Mascherano. This is a gradual process; improving bit by bit, year on year. It made more sense in those first three years than blowing the budget on a couple of big names, because were they to fail to adapt, like Shevchenko or Veron and countless other star names, or were they to get seriously injured, he would have been left with the same fairly weak squad he inherited and little room for manoeuvre. But I'd expect a slower turnover of players from now on, because it's getting closer to a situation where the team will 'settle' and naturally improve, as seen with Manchester United and Arsenal recently. And in the next two years, you can expect to see some graduates from the successful youth and reserve sides, such as Insua, Nemeth, San Jose, Anderson, Hobbs, Spearing, Pacheco and Plessis –– who are already wise to the tactics and settled at the club –– pushing for places; but being introduced gradually and naturally, rather than thrust in because the team is struggling. The success of the Reds' youth and reserve sides since 2005-06 shows the strength of the club as a whole, but it's now about waiting for the very best talent to be ready to make the step up. Benítez has had some criticism for not previously playing Babel enough (now the Dutchman is finding his feet), but if you look at how Arsene Wenger eased in Eduardo before his broken leg, you can see a very similar pattern: using the player in Europe more than the Premiership initially, but then increasing the league minutes. Now Babel is looking an integral part of the team. Hopefully the current form is indicative of the way the team is heading. The Reds are proving harder than ever to beat this season, are generally scoring more goals, and the away form is title-winning class. A return to the fortress Anfield had become between 2004 and 2007, and more consistently killing games off when totally dominant (to avoid those frustrating draws), and suddenly, without an awful lot needing to be altered, a big improvement could be seen.
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Have a read.....
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The formation - 4-2-3-1, or 4-2-1-3 depending on how you look at it - is one that appears to suit the personnel at the manager's disposal, and is also one that both Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt are very familiar with, with the pair having regularly been deployed either side of a main striker for the Dutch national team. It also appears nearer to what Benítez deployed at Valencia, but which he struggled to mimic at Liverpool with the players at his disposal. Maybe that's now changing. I keep hearing that Kuyt is not a natural wide player, but it's not only where he has played for Holland but also where he started out at Utrecht. Rather than a winger with silky skills (Babel is doing that role nicely on the other flank), he is a wide attacker. He has the energy and intelligence to make a nuisance of himself in dangerous areas, and with two goals and an assist via the post in his last four games, he has shown he can get into the box as much as when playing as the second striker. His wide work is tidy and terrier-like at worst, but at best he can put balls into the box with the knowledge of the way a striker likes to receive them. There's no doubt that the area the Reds are strongest in the centre of midfield. Despite what some people seem to think, Steven Gerrard, like all of the major players, has always played nearly every game possible under Benítez. With his recent deployment in advance of two other central midfielders, he can play a free role without ever looking stranded up there, as he can if playing ahead of two midfielders in a 4-4-1-1. The downside of Gerrard starting games as the second-most advanced player, as seen in Athens, is that he can end up playing with his back to goal, where he's less effective. The current formation seems to get the best out of him: he can burst forward with his energy and drive in support of Torres, Kuyt and Babel as part of a powerful quartet capable of sharing 70 goals a season (they already have 55). Add Benayoun, who could replace either Kuyt or Babel, and you have 65 goals between the five of them. But the system also means two out of Alonso, Mascherano and Lucas can feature; in a flat 4-4-2, where Gerrard's role is more traditional, two of those other three central midfielders have to miss out. Lucas was rightly rested at the Reebok, having looked tired last week, but he has adapted well for a young overseas player thrown into the cut-and-thrust of a Premiership midfield. There's a lot more left to come from the young Brazilian, and next year, as with Babel, we should see a player more acclimatised. Liverpool's form in the main two competitions (therefore excluding Barnsley) has been excellent in the last five games, with three goals scored in wins against Sunderland, Middlesbrough and most recently Bolton (never an easy place to go), a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge when the better team, and the famous 2-0 defeat of Inter Milan. Chances are being put away at last. If anything, it is the defending that has been uncharacteristic of a Benítez team at times, with a few sloppy goals conceded lately. Perhaps this is down to the changes in the back line: Arbeloa, Finnan and Aurelio have been in and out due to several niggling injuries, whilst Agger's six-month absence has seen him missed as both a destructive and constructive force. Meanwhile, another new defender has been introduced in the shape of Martin Skrtel, and while he's been excellent on an individual basis after a shaky first game, it takes time for the defence to gel as a unit. The same applies with marking set-pieces, where the zonal system relies on understanding and, like any other factor in football, relies on confidence. But as with the form at Anfield which has taken a dip this term, we know the defending can, and almost certainly will, be better in the future. There's much to play for until May, but also, looking beyond that, I can sense Liverpool improving radically next term. The new players Benítez added this summer are approaching 50 goals, and each can still improve. In 2006-07 United surprised people by improving dramatically to win the league without changing a lot of elements from the previous season, while this year, even more surprisingly, Arsenal are leading the way, again after only only adding one new player to the regular starting line-up (Sagna). It is largely down to existing young players, like Adebayor, Hleb and Fabregas, suddenly going up a level or two. I think winning the league in 2009 will be a tall order for the Reds, but now some key new players have bedded in at Anfield I'd expect a more cohesive challenge next term. A number of new first-team players have been signed in the last 12/13 months –– I make it eight who have featured very heavily. But in most positions you can now see that Rafa finally has the players he wants. Unlike the top three, whose squads were closer to completion by 2005-2006, this is still a relatively new project. I cannot stress this enough. When building towards success you have to wait for the elements to align –– for the new players to adapt to the league and to the tactics, and to gel with the existing players; for the existing key players to be sharp and on form; for confidence to be high; and for there to be no major injuries to those few irreplaceable players. There is no magic formula to make the fates align. And you need luck at the right times, both in games and in the season as a whole. After dreadful luck at the Reebok in recent visits –– Luis Garcia's wrongly disallowed goal for offside in 2004/05 and Pepe Reina's ludicrous penalisation for handling outside his area last season –– the Reds got a lucky break with Jaaskelainen's own goal. By the time the bad officiating hit again –– a corner awarded against Kuyt when the ball was nowhere near out, which soon led to a goal –– it was too late in the game to derail Rafa's men. When Benítez first arrived, the squad needed rebuilding but he couldn't afford to go for the real top-end players everyone was after, as they were too expensive. Nor could he rely on hugely promising youngsters who were not yet ready (players of the ilk of Theo Walcott), because you have to wait two or three years for these to mature and a new manager needs to get up and running quickly. But it's now that the squad really has the look of a project nearing completion. There are still one or two positions where improvements can be made, and a club like Liverpool has to consistently be on the lookout for top talent, but Reina, Torres, Mascherano, Agger, Babel, Lucas, Arbeloa and now Skrtel fit the profile of young, dedicated players with technical ability, a winning mentality and a real turn of speed. Until last summer, Rafa had been getting in lots of cheap and medium-priced players (£2m-£6m), keeping and polishing the gems like Agger, Arbeloa, Crouch and Reina and offloading good players like Bellamy and Sissoko who made contributions but didn't offer absolutely everything he wanted. Sensible buying meant profits could be made on those being offloaded, allowing Rafa to reinvest in better players, as seen with the trading up from Sissoko to Mascherano. This is a gradual process; improving bit by bit, year on year. It made more sense in those first three years than blowing the budget on a couple of big names, because were they to fail to adapt, like Shevchenko or Veron and countless other star names, or were they to get seriously injured, he would have been left with the same fairly weak squad he inherited and little room for manoeuvre. But I'd expect a slower turnover of players from now on, because it's getting closer to a situation where the team will 'settle' and naturally improve, as seen with Manchester United and Arsenal recently. And in the next two years, you can expect to see some graduates from the successful youth and reserve sides, such as Insua, Nemeth, San Jose, Anderson, Hobbs, Spearing, Pacheco and Plessis –– who are already wise to the tactics and settled at the club –– pushing for places; but being introduced gradually and naturally, rather than thrust in because the team is struggling. The success of the Reds' youth and reserve sides since 2005-06 shows the strength of the club as a whole, but it's now about waiting for the very best talent to be ready to make the step up. Benítez has had some criticism for not previously playing Babel enough (now the Dutchman is finding his feet), but if you look at how Arsene Wenger eased in Eduardo before his broken leg, you can see a very similar pattern: using the player in Europe more than the Premiership initially, but then increasing the league minutes. Now Babel is looking an integral part of the team. Hopefully the current form is indicative of the way the team is heading. The Reds are proving harder than ever to beat this season, are generally scoring more goals, and the away form is title-winning class. A return to the fortress Anfield had become between 2004 and 2007, and more consistently killing games off when totally dominant (to avoid those frustrating draws), and suddenly, without an awful lot needing to be altered, a big improvement could be seen.
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Sunday, March 2, 2008
The heat is on for fourth spot
With the Toffees winning at home against Portsmouth as well, we must not falter for our remaining game in hand against West Ham on Wednesday. Failure is not an option and it's critical that we secure all 3 points.
Looking at the remaining 10 games, we will have a harder time. Everton will be playing teams lower than them in the table, with only Arsenal visiting them at Goodison Park sometime next month. On the other hand, we still need to play both Man U and Arsenal away. It certainly looks like deja vu to me. Remember our Champions League winning season? We lost to Burnley
in the FA cup, was on a dream run in the Champions League but lost our fourth spot to Everton.
I am not dreaming about another Champions League success but who dares to bet against us in Europe? It will be tough and we need lots of luck as well. I cannot imagine us not qualifying for Champions League next season. We may lose Stevie and a few others. I am not sure.
Whatever it is, we need to win our games against West Ham, followed by Newcastle this week before travelling to San Siro for the second leg show down against the mighty Inter Milan.
Looking at the remaining 10 games, we will have a harder time. Everton will be playing teams lower than them in the table, with only Arsenal visiting them at Goodison Park sometime next month. On the other hand, we still need to play both Man U and Arsenal away. It certainly looks like deja vu to me. Remember our Champions League winning season? We lost to Burnley
in the FA cup, was on a dream run in the Champions League but lost our fourth spot to Everton.
I am not dreaming about another Champions League success but who dares to bet against us in Europe? It will be tough and we need lots of luck as well. I cannot imagine us not qualifying for Champions League next season. We may lose Stevie and a few others. I am not sure.
Whatever it is, we need to win our games against West Ham, followed by Newcastle this week before travelling to San Siro for the second leg show down against the mighty Inter Milan.
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