Liverpool FC Forum

[A.B.]

Enjoy it while it lasts

Dale Johnson

It was another classic night of European action at Anfield. Liverpool came from behind to oust Olympiakos and book their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.


Passage booked, skipper set to stay, a guaranteed cash windfall: surely everything is rosy through the Shankly Gates?


Far from it. Unless something changes quickly Liverpool could face a campaign without any continental action next season.

In the wake of their qualification much of the talk centred on the future of Steven Gerrard. Before the game he had made it clear that the UEFA Cup is not good enough for him as a player, after most fans were happy to talk of how their skipper was to stay.

But Gerrard refuses to commit his future to Liverpool, almost conceding that he will have to leave the club he has always supported in order to win top honours.

'The main point I have made is I want to be in a Liverpool side which challenges for the Champions League and the title all the time,' he said. 'We have to build on wins like this, not just settle for a great win and then not progress any further.'

Forget the newspaper talk about a move in January; that was never on the cards. Gerrard would have been ineligible to play in Europe for another side and as such there was little chance of a winter transfer to a club able to match the England international's ambitions.

So Gerrard will remain a Red until the summer, but that will surely bring the curtain down on his Liverpool career.

In some ways you have to sympathise with Rafael Benitez, a man who has been woefully unlucky with injuries, especially with Djibril Cisse's horrific leg break against Blackburn in October but also the immediate loss of Antonio Nunez and the knocks to Milan Baros and Luis Garcia.

Of course, it could be argued that Benitez left himself short up front when Michael Owen was sold to Real Madrid in August. Nunez could never be seen as a direct replacement or even a back-up to what remained up front, so any injury to his frontline pairing was going to have an impact.

Since Baros was injured while on international duty with the Czech Republic, Liverpool have won only once in the Premiership - against Arsenal, courtesy of Neil Mellor's late strike.

Baros had hit a hat-trick on his previous appearance, although that was a less-then-convincing 3-2 home with over Crystal Palace at Anfield.

Tuesday evening's draw at home to managerless Portsmouth, with Lomano Tresor LuaLua snatching an injury time leveller, means Liverpool have taken just five points out of the last 15 available.

And since Cisse's injury they have picked up only nine from a possible 24 available - far from the sort of form that is going to put a team in contention for European qualification.

The poor run has continued since Baros has come back from his hamstring injury. The defeat to Everton in the Merseyside derby had wider ramifications than any Liverpool fan could have imagined at the start of the season.

The Portsmouth result was a disaster. While Liverpool's form had not been great the game in hand against a side which had won only once on their travels all season looked a home banker. That they didn't pick up maximum points came as a huge body blow.

If Liverpool are going to get back into the Champions League race they have a lot of work to do. The chances of them earning a route back to the big time by winning the trophy are at best slim.

Everton are, unbelievably for a side tipped by so many for relegation, 12 points clear of Liverpool in the lofty heights of second. Manchester United and Arsenal have a cushion of six and ten points respectively, meaning it already looks an almost impossible task for Liverpool to creep into the top four.

Few expect United and Arsenal to make enough slip-ups over the remainder of the season in order for Liverpool to catch them. Which means the Reds may have to rely on the bubble bursting across Stanley Park.

While Everton will be eager to strengthen a winning unit when the transfer window opens in January, with a new quality striker believed to be at the top of the shopping list, Liverpool may well be left to patch up the holes.

And there is a major difference in the transfer tasks that face Benitez and his counterpart David Moyes. While Moyes can search for players in the knowledge he will have no restrictions with regards to eligibility, Benitez will have to find a player who can take part in the latter part of their Champions League campaign. Signing a cup-tied striker would be pure folly.

The lure of Liverpool may be far stronger than that of Everton, but at the same time Moyes can almost scour the market at will.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with Fernando Morientes, but he has played for Real Madrid in the Champions League and looks more likely to return to Monaco. Former Reds loanee Nicolas Anelka, heading for the Manchester City exit door, and Fernando Torres of Atletico Madrid are believed to be on the wishlist.

Benitez will have to negotiate the busy Christmas schedule before he can change anything. By that point the gap to the Toffeemen may have extended yet further as all of their next four games are against sides in the bottom half of the table. In contrast, Liverpool must face both Newcastle United and Chelsea in the next few weeks.

Liverpool's problems are certainly not confined to the forward line. While Gerrard does his best to push the side forward from the centre of the park in the absence of Luis Garcia, the Reds' defence has lost its shape. It is now nine matches since they last kept a clean sheet in the Premiership.

Benitez's infatuation with the zonal system when marking at set-pieces has caused no end of problems, especially away from Anfield, while both Chris Kirkland and Jerzy Dudek have failed to make the goalkeeping position their own.

Kirkland, for so long tipped as the future England number one, had been at fault in recent weeks before his injury hoodoo struck again at the weekend. Dudek was duly recalled but his error gifted Portsmouth their equaliser.

While Anfield may be becoming a place to fear again - the Pompey game was only the second time home points had been dropped this season - Liverpool's away record is woeful. They have lost five of their nine games on the road and have only one victory - at Fulham - to brag about.

And with the emergence of Aston Villa and Middlesbrough as serious contenders in the top half of the table, Liverpool are going to have a lot of work to do simply to finish fifth and qualify for the UEFA Cup.

It may be a case of enjoying this season's Champions League experience with Gerrard as their skipper, as it looks increasingly likely that neither will grace Anfield next season. 


Surely this idiot has to be a mix of an Evertonian and Manc?

While we have had an inconsistent season thus far, imo we will be much better after January. Players are returning from injuries and we are set to buy more players come January. I'm sure this fool said that we wouldn't qualify for the Champions League last year as well.

[jonnymac1979]

Silly article from a London based newspaper probably.  I acknowledge the faults in our side, I'm not blinded by loyalty, but this is the opinion of one idiot.

Write Liverpool off at your peril.  We will be back.  We are going to ruffle some feathers over the next year or so, surprise a few people and bring the good times back.

I am giving Benitez and the team all the patience I have.

[The_Rock]

Ever heard the phrase calm before the storm... It is only a matter of months....... before we reclaim our RIGHTFUL place. I am going out on a limp here....but i reckon we will win the champions league this season.

Don't laff. Just wait until may.

[A.B.]

I gave him a piece of my Red mind over email.

[jonnymac1979]

I gave him a piece of my Red mind over email.

What did you send him AB?

[Ciggy]

I gave him a piece of my Red mind over email.

What did you send him AB?

[woof woof !]

I gave him a piece of my Red mind over email.

What did you send him AB?

Left sided frontal lobe ?   

just messin AB   

[A.B.]

virus..............................no seriously my comments on his shitty article.

[jonnymac1979]

[JBG]

I have to say, while the guy has some minor valid points, behind what he says is an anti-liverpool agenda.

How are we almost out of the running for a CL place when we are only 6 points off 4th place with 21 games remaining, and out of the top 4, we have yet to play Chelsea, Man UTD and Everton at Anfield?

We have also suffered a horrific run of injuries, have had 3 or 4 new players trying to bed in, a new manager and background team and a lot of off the field hassle over David Moores and Steven Gerrard.

The second half of the season has to be better, as the team gels more and we get a new face or two in January.

As for Everton, come off it, the world and his dog knows that they'll implode. Its an inevitability. Terrific job done by David Moyes, but realistically, Lee Carsely, Tony Hibbert, Darren Bent etc are far from CL players. Exhaustion will kick in, Everton will get found out, and their new signings in January won't be enough for them to maintain the pace. Its not as if Everton will sign Boumsong or Moirentes in January, we're talking more Robbie Savage, and if they're very lucky, Robbie Keane or James Beattie.

4 easy games for Everton next? The guy knows little of football. There are few teams you can say are guranteed a set run of fixtures. Who thought that Arsenal would drop points to West Brom, Southampton and Palace?

Fair play to David Moyes, but he knows himself that if Everton get a UEFA cup place this season it will be an enormous achievement. CL: the guy above is having a laugh.

Everton will go through a very bad patch, before recovering in March to stay in 4th for a while. However, I think in April they'll slide to 6 or 7th and will finish there.

Boro are far better this year, I'll give him that, but Boro won't get 4th place.

Villa are no better or no worse than last year and have a tiny squad. They will not last the pace.

That guy should know better: nothing is decided in December. Theres a lot of football still to be played.

Of course everything is not rosy at Anfield but that article is having a pop at our club. Its a polite way of saying "****** you all". 

[A.B.]

I have to say, while the guy has some minor valid points, behind what he says is an anti-liverpool agenda.

How are we almost out of the running for a CL place when we are only 6 points off 4th place with 21 games remaining, and out of the top 4, we have yet to play Chelsea, Man UTD and Everton at Anfield?

We have also suffered a horrific run of injuries, have had 3 or 4 new players trying to bed in, a new manager and background team and a lot of off the field hassle over David Moores and Steven Gerrard.

The second half of the season has to be better, as the team gels more and we get a new face or two in January.

As for Everton, come off it, the world and his dog knows that they'll implode. Its an inevitability. Terrific job done by David Moyes, but realistically, Lee Carsely, Tony Hibbert, Darren Bent etc are far from CL players. Exhaustion will kick in, Everton will get found out, and their new signings in January won't be enough for them to maintain the pace. Its not as if Everton will sign Boumsong or Moirentes in January, we're talking more Robbie Savage, and if they're very lucky, Robbie Keane or James Beattie.

4 easy games for Everton next? The guy knows little of football. There are few teams you can say are guranteed a set run of fixtures. Who thought that Arsenal would drop points to West Brom, Southampton and Palace?

Fair play to David Moyes, but he knows himself that if Everton get a UEFA cup place this season it will be an enormous achievement. CL: the guy above is having a laugh.

Everton will go through a very bad patch, before recovering in March to stay in 4th for a while. However, I think in April they'll slide to 6 or 7th and will finish there.

Boro are far better this year, I'll give him that, but Boro won't get 4th place.

Villa are no better or no worse than last year and have a tiny squad. They will not last the pace.

That guy should know better: nothing is decided in December. Theres a lot of football still to be played.

Of course everything is not rosy at Anfield but that article is having a pop at our club. Its a polite way of saying "****** you all". 

Well said. You should send him this via email.

[Ciggy]

I remember a few seasons ago we where top of the league in december, But we didnt win it not even sure we got a CL place, its good to laugh at the evertonians though who think they are going to win the league in december:D

[The_Rock]

Well here's the good news then.  . I am sure rafa knows how to win this tournment.


http://www.squarefootball.net/article/inbrief.asp?iid=528

Champions League: Liverpool's chances of progression

"Liverpool know they are faced with a great chance to reintroduce themselves to a competition which they used to dominate"

Probably the only English side with reason to smile after the draw for the Champions League's last 16, Liverpool know they are faced with a great chance to reintroduce themselves to a competition which they used to dominate.

Rafa Benitez secured the UEFA Cup with Valencia last season and his experience at the top level will be crucial if there are to be more famous European nights at Anfield this season.

They may have scraped through but a tie with Bayer Leverkusen at this stage is more than anyone connected with the club could have hoped for.

The Germans knocked Liverpool out of the competition a couple of seasons ago when they reached the final but they are not the same team now having lost players of the quality of Ballack, Ze Roberto and Lucio since then.

And, although they qualified for this stage after coming through a group containing Real Madrid, Roma and Dynamo Kiev, they currently occupy eighth place in the Bundesliga.

Of course, by the time they play, Liverpool will hope to have striking reinforcements in place at the club. Still, with their current first team, they would be good enough to overcome their German opponents and make the last eight.

From then, anything is possible.

[A.B.]

2001 wasn't it? We were on top of the league, I remember me winning my bet when I said Liverpool were going to trash Man Utd 1-0 that year, too bad we didn't finish first. Would had been great.

[The_Rock]

http://www.thisisanfield.com/columnists0405.php?id=00000049

A week of disappointments

Week In Review
December 11th - 17th

As the premiership weekend dawns closer, Kopites will look back on this week as extremely disappointing.

After the heroics and passion displayed by the Reds for the 3-1 win against Olympiacos in the Champions League, fans were looking forward to seeing a performance of the same caliber in the 200th Merseyside Derby. However the first signs were surprising to the fans as they saw Xabi Alonso and Steve Finnan getting relegated to the bench with the gaffer prefering the more combative pair of Salif Diao and Josemi. The tactic however did not work as the pair ended up getting a yellow card each and not really being effective. Logically, it seemed like the right move getting in the pair against Everton who prefer to repeatedly play the long ball as against the free flowing passing game that Liverpool have come to adopt under Benitez. However the move backfired as the physical strength did not make up for the lack of quality.

And although the performance was not that bad, Lee Carsley's 25 yarder put paid to our hopes.So despite Rafa bringing on Alonso in the 78th, the Reds looked too tired form their midweek heroics to stage a comeback.

As aresult, Kopites lost bragging rights in Merseyside and were desperate for a win at home to Pompey. For this game Benitez brought back Alonso and Steve Finnan in place of the disappointing Josemi and Diao. Liverpool had many chances in this game with Gerrard and Nunez involved in the moves forward. Harry Kewell also had a few left footed drives but couldn't score. Although he had a few shots he did not look bright enough as he did in the Leeds days. Fans are beginning to wonder if he will ever play like he did in those days. Portsmouth also had chances but the Liverpool defence kept them at bay. The deadlock finally broke in the 70th minute as Gerrard unleashed a thunderous long rage shot from a Hamann free kick.

Reds fans thought that this might be a win to compensate for the derby defeat but all our hearts were broken as Dudek got unlucky with his block because the ball fell straight onto Lomano Tresor LuaLua's head and he made no mistake. The result was unbelievably gut-wrenching as the Reds' came so close yet so far. The result meant that the Reds' had only two wins in six premier league games.

It is not all doom and gloom however, as the Reds fans will be happy that the deal to sign Morientes in January may be taking shape. The Spanish striker will be an extremely impressive addition to the Liverpool squad so fans will be praying that he is wearing the red shirt by January.

Another piece of good news is the Champions League draw which has seen us paired up with the comparitively weaker Leverkusen and not with any of the three Italian giants. The Reds will be hoping to avenge their heart breaking defeat in 2002 against Leverkusen.

So let's go get these Geordies then!

Jaideep Reddy