Liverpool FC Forum

by **zarababe** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:33 am

A new Liverpool that is thrilled to be second best

Benítez is moulding a team that has overtaken Arsenal and Manchester United in the race to catch Chelsea

Dominic Fifield
Saturday December 24, 2005
The Guardian

The surroundings will be reassuringly familiar, the rasped pre-match banter delivered between old friends, but Michael Owen may still find much at Anfield unrecognisable. The England striker returns to his spiritual home on Boxing Day to confront former team-mates established as European champions and increasingly considered Chelsea's most coherent domestic challengers. Steven Gerrard has admitted this is "the best Liverpool side" in which he has played; times are changing in these parts.

The phenomenon that is Chelsea may consider the squabbles in their slipstream an irrelevance but outside west London there is a sense that Rafael Benítez's team have overtaken Arsenal - unimaginable 18 months ago when those at Highbury still clung to the tag of invincibility - and hauled in Manchester United as chief contenders elect. The slight anticlimax of the Fifa Club World Championship checked momentum and allowed United to forge six points clear from their two extra games in Liverpool's absence, but the Merseysiders resume life in the Premiership on Monday seeking an eighth successive victory, a feat they have not achieved since they carried all before them under Kenny Dalglish at the start of the 1990-91 season.

There is neat symmetry in that but the current crop's development is about more than mere statistics. They have boasted rare solidity, with 12 clean sheets in 15 games to date, obduracy that United and Arsenal have pointedly lacked and, after a stodgy start, their attacking verve has surfaced. Liverpool may not have a Ruud van Nistelrooy, Thierry Henry or even Owen in their ranks to plunder 20 goals but they have players who can muster double figures across midfield and attack.

That has acted as a benefit. Where United rely on Wayne Rooney and Arsenal upon Henry to propel their play, Liverpool can increasingly turn to Xabi Alonso, Gerrard or Luis Garcia when in need of a flash of inspiration. Backed by a stingy defence, one spark can prove sufficient. At Valencia Benítez worked on a formula of energy and industry in the centre, creation and effervescence down the flanks, and duly embarrassed Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga. At Anfield a team built in a similar mould is starting to promise similar reward.

"It was consistency that we needed to work on, trying to transpose the way we played and worked in the Champions League on to the Premiership," said Garcia, who so often provides the unpredictability opponents find unsettling. "As new players, what we've learnt in the Premier League is starting to bear fruit. We have closed the gap a little bit [to Chelsea] and we are stronger than we were. If we work hard, I believe we can make a small piece of history with Liverpool."

History remains arguably this club's biggest problem. Not since 1990 have Liverpool won the title, yet the Kop still bellows in expectation every time the hosts trot on to the turf. Owen twice played in a side which won seven league games in succession under Gérard Houllier and, in 2002, pipped United for second place with 27 points claimed out of the last 30. Yet, for all the cups claimed under the Frenchman, that team eventually froze just above the tree line. Briefly, in November 2002, Liverpool sat top and unbeaten after seven more successive wins but that was as good as it got until the current charge set in.

The chief executive Rick Parry has admitted "second is nowhere", referring most recently to the Toyota Cup defeat in Japan, though with Chelsea so dominant second is rapidly becoming the new first. "But it's never a case of saying that the Premier League is written off forever more," he insisted. "Nobody can hope to imitate Chelsea's finances. We've shown that on our day we can match them on the pitch but, with the depth and quality of their squad, it's hard to match them over the course of an entire season."

Current form suggests they could yet aspire to do that much. There is rhythm and purpose to this Liverpool side, the aggressive running of Mohamed Sissoko liberating Alonso and Gerrard, the calm assuredness of Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia offering full-backs reassurance as they charge forward. The standard of their recent opponents should be recognised. Of the seven sides beaten, only two - a fragile Wigan and cautious Manchester City - currently reside in the Premiership's top eight, though significantly none of the corresponding fixtures from the current sequence was won last year. That in itself suggests progress.

"Looking at the 12 months, there's no question we've improved," added Parry. "We don't really talk about winning the title. It's somewhere we want to get to but what we're not going to do is impose unrealistic targets or deadlines. It's about working tirelessly to improve. If we do the right things and keep working, the results will follow and we'll achieve success. That's what happened in the Champions League. Talking about titles is certainly premature and it's not really our way."

Benítez would echo those sentiments. The Spaniard remains non-committal in public, pragmatic in outlook and utterly focused. Owen's return on Monday is an irrelevance to him, so intent will he be on maintaining Liverpool's run. "Progress" has become a buzzword at Anfield. "Success" may soon follow.

by **liamac** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:55 am

An excellent article Zarababe ,great read

by **Sabre** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 2:11 am

Very pleasant to read that.

I think that The Guardian speaks more sense than the others so far! I don't know if also in politics, but the 2 article of football I've read this week make sense.

"Looking at the 12 months, there's no question we've improved," added Parry. "We don't really talk about winning the title. It's somewhere we want to get to but what we're not going to do is impose unrealistic targets or deadlines. It's about working tirelessly to improve.

I wholeheartedly agree this quote of Parry. I think we should not center our debate right now in how many points is Chelsea ahead, the center of the debate should be how do we keep this excellent form. If we play well we'll cut points, just as we cutted points before, or weren't they 15 points up somewhere earlier in the season?. The table is relevant the last 4 games. Until then, we should be just happy of how well we are doing, rather than being frustrated because Chelsea won again.

by **thegreedo** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 2:13 am

Always first to the punch as usual Zara, good work girl!

The article echoes a lot of the thoughts I've had lately myself, although I'm almost a little scared to let myself beleive them. I guess the thinking behind this is I'd like Rafa to be left alone, out of the spotlight, to work his magic. Yes, I know, you're right, the media would never let that happen. It sure does look as though Rafa is moving us slowly into Chelsea's slipstream though.

by **66-1112520797** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 6:27 am

I liked the article, its always easier to listen or read constructive articles on our team.
We are starting to make people sit up and take notice of us (Liverpool) at last ,
and get the recognition we/they desrve.

by **anfieldadorer** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 7:24 am

cheers for posting it, zara, very good article

by **Lionheart** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 8:34 am

Good positive reading. Foucuses on the journey as opposed to the final destination by building a solid base on which to base future successes. :cool:

Thanks Zara. I'll have more of those thank you.

by **redmikey** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 12:40 pm

cracking read.. i agree that this dosn't feel like we are play above ourselves because rafa has set us up wih quality player play in the right positions..it is good to see the papers reflect that..just need sky sports to get a grip and shoot andy gray of of a cannon

by **teamleader1** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:06 pm

Good sensible read,

But as for shooting Andy Gray -NEVER!!

The better we get the more he snipes -

Long may he moan

by **kidder** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:32 pm

great read mate nice 1

by **andy_g** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 2:20 pm

Sabre wrote:Very pleasant to read that.

I think that The Guardian speaks more sense than the others so far! I don't know if also in politics, but the 2 article of football I've read this week make sense.

the guardian is the best british newspaper in my opinion. it has a slightly liberal approach (leading to guardian readers often being branded as sandal wearing, tofu eating hippies) but always contains well formed, balanced and intelligent debate and articles about current affairs. their football pages, especially online, are excellent and regularly take a cuttingly humourous slant on the game.

and they're very pro-liverpool these days...

by **zarababe** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 2:35 pm

andy_g wrote:
Sabre wrote:Very pleasant to read that.

I think that The Guardian speaks more sense than the others so far! I don't know if also in politics, but the 2 article of football I've read this week make sense.

the guardian is the best british newspaper in my opinion. it has a slightly liberal approach (leading to guardian readers often being branded as sandal wearing, tofu eating hippies) but always contains well formed, balanced and intelligent debate and articles about current affairs. their football pages, especially online, are excellent and regularly take a cuttingly humourous slant on the game.

and they're very pro-liverpool these days...

excuse me, high heeled open toe sandals and meat are just fine thanks, but I admit I have "flowing" long hair..

Just a note to say that this thread was intended for the Mods to put in the articles section, as the buggers were not doing there job on here at 1.00am or so when I posted it :talktothehand

Nevetheless, glad you have al enjoyed it.

by **andy_g** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 3:02 pm

the mods are all getting ready for their annual christmas ride

by **AussieKopite** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 3:05 pm

andy_g wrote:the mods are all getting ready for their annual christmas ride

Can someone point out exactly who they are?

by **AussieKopite** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 3:07 pm

Lionheart wrote:Good positive reading. Foucuses on the journey as opposed to the final destination by building a solid base on which to base future successes.

Thanks Zara. I'll have more of those thank you.

I see your avatar is showing your "map of Tasmania"

Sorry to our non-Australian readers.

Liverpool FC Forum

Great article - Where r the mods.. ?

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