by Ciggy » Mon Aug 22, 2005 8:41 am
KOP DON'T HAVE A PRAYER WITHOUT OWEN
Liverpool . . .1 Sunderland . .0
By David Maddock
RAFA BENITEZ has it off to a fine art these days. When asked about Michael Owen, he skilfully avoids the subject by nudging the questioner in another direction.
"Our priority is a centre-half," he always replies, with a gravity set about his features. Then his face cracks and he falls into a convulsive giggle.
What he means is that he would prefer not to talk about it. He does genuinely require a centre-half to provide support for the hard-working pair of Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia, but that hardly rules out a move for a striker.
Indeed against Sunderland the evidence suggested that the priority at Anfield is someone who can put the ball into the net. Someone like Owen.
Benitez says he has six strikers and is happy with them all. But none is a convincing goalscorer.
Against Sunderland, Fernando Morientes toiled manfully in a lone role up front but never looked remotely like scoring. His sole chance came in the first minute when, unmarked, he headed wide from close range.
Djibril Cisse fared no better. He had three good chances but never looked as though he believed he would score.
Benitez wants the French forward to play in a different role, wide on the right with the freedom to link with the lone striker. Clearly, he does not enjoy it. Marseille are ready to offer the former Auxerre player a return to France, and a return to a more familiar position up front. And after watching his side struggle so badly to find the net against Sunderland, it seemed that Benitez was not entirely opposed to the idea.
When asked about interest from the French club, the Anfield boss said only that he had heard nothing so far. When it was suggested he might like to tell Marseille they are wasting their time, Benitez politely declined. I would prefer to say nothing at this stage, was the gist of his answer.
The Liverpool manager knows he has a problem up front. "There is a frustration about our finishing. We created clear chances and we didn't score," he admitted. "Cisse had three chances, one of them very, very clear. But it happens. He needs confidence, he needs a goal to give him confidence. It is difficult for him because he doesn't enjoy playing wide. I know he is not a right-winger but sometimes you have to work for the team.
"Maybe he is finding it difficult to do the work in defence and then get forward to help with the attack. It is hard to understand what is required of a new position."
Benitez was clearly frustrated with Cisse and spent much of his time standing on the touchline barking orders towards the Frenchman.
While he could never publicly admit it, an approach from Marseille would provide a solution to the problem for Liverpool. If they can sell Milan Baros and allow Cisse to go out on loan, then it would provide the money to bring Owen back.
Talks are still progressing with Real Madrid, who have placed a ridiculous £15million price tag on a player they paid just £8m for only a season ago. But as the transfer deadline approaches, they will be forced to soften their position or risk being lumbered with a player they do not want.
Liverpool still want to bring Owen back, initially on loan, but if they can get the fee down to £8m it means they will not have to pay out anything immediately because they are still owed £4m from the original fee Madrid paid.
Yet even if the various deals do come off, Benitez is still faced with an intriguing problem. His preferred approach this season will be to play one striker up front - either Morientes or, when he is fit, Peter Crouch - with two mobile players supporting from the flanks, and Steven Gerrard bursting from the midfield.
Owen will not fit easily into that formation, and if he does return then like Cisse he may find himself being forced to adapt his game because Benitez is not impressed by reputations and will not change his own plans to accommodate anyone.
The bottom line, though, is that the England international will get goals no matter where he plays. And that is the most important currency for Liverpool if they are going to translate the tactically astute ideas of Benitez into Premiership success.
Against Sunderland they needed a brilliant free-kick from Xabi Alonso to get three points. And even then Liverpool were forced to rely on some outrageous fortune to ease their way to victory.
There is no-one anywhere in the world at any stage who is any bigger or any better than this football club.
Kenny Dalglish 1/2/2011
REST IN PEACE PHIL, YOU WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.
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