It's Over!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
So it looks like the Reds' title ambitions for another year, is rather, unofficially over. And the funny thing is, we can't really blame the last two matches for the apparent failure at the halfway mark of the season. It's actually that two matches around the start of the season, where the Reds' drew 0-0 in both games, against Portsmouth away and Birmingham at home. In both those games, Fernando Torres didn't start the match, but from the bench.:
At Portsmouth, where it ended 0-0, it needed a Jose Reina penalty save from Kanu to get a point at Fratton Park, and by the way, Steven Gerrard set out that match.
Playing Birmingham City at home, Rafa Benitez didn't pick Fernando Torres again. But when the Spanish striker came on, and instant impact with a wonderful bicycle kick that just flew over. Birmingham's 10-men defence held out to the end, and Liverpool were frustrated again with a successive draw.
The match against Arsenal at home ended in a 1-1 draw. Too many, it was a fairly decent result against the team at the top. It saw the just-fit Fernando Torres playing at the top of a three-pronged attack, supported on the
flanks but Andriy Voronin and Dirk Kuyt, with another just-fit Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano playing behind Steven Gerrard. But it could have ended up as a vital win until Cesc Fabregas beat the offside trap to score with ten minutes left.
An away game against Blackburn Rovers was always going to be tough, and that, wasn't Peter Crouch bought a few summers ago to aid in Liverpool's away form, according to the gaffer himself? Anyway Crouch came on with 18 minutes remaining, was really a real threat, and made some wonder, why not from the start, Rafa? Only a point was obtained from this when it should have really been three.
The Reds' then lost their unbeaten record in the league after going down 3-1 to Reading at the Madjeski Stadium. Another failed attempts to play with a three-pronged attack, Rafa got it all wrong with Peter Crouch on the left and Andriy Voronin on the right flank again. This was to be the start of a couple of defeats in the space of two weeks.
Manchester United came to town, defended, got a lucky break, and defended till the end. Liverpool had the better chances in the first half with a floppy Edwin van der Sar in United's goal, but could not capitalize. As always, in football, Carlos Tevez got a side footed goal after a well-worked corner. Liverpool continued to dominate but could not get the equaliser, and fell further behind.
With the Red Devils slipping up against West Ham the day before, Liverpool had the perfect opportunity to close the gap with a win at Manchester City. However, resilient defending from Richard Dunne and Micah Richards saw the Reds' frustrated in front of goal. Another performances that saw 80 minutes of warm up before really playing football in the last 10 minutes. They did it at Derby, but it was never going to happen against City.
As the other Top4 teams got wins, Liverpool were under pressure to get a win too, at home, against struggling Wigan Athletic. Fernando Torres got the lead for the Reds', but after a weak clearance by, of all people, Steven Gerrard, and with Javier Mascherano struggling to shrug off Titus Bramble, the latter from Wigan scored the equaliser. Another slip-up, more points dropped, the Reds' are unofficially out of it.
There are definitely some players that cannot make the grade at this high level in the Premiership, let alone help Liverpool to the title.:
John Arne Riise - His defending has been decent, but his offensive play has been disgusting, with most crosses hitting the first man or going out of play. Sell him to Valencia, please.
Mohamed Sissoko - Very contrasting form from his first season, this guy works very hard to hustle and tackle for the ball, but most of the time, he just gives it away with a over or under hit 5 yard pass, or dribbles into trouble.
Jermaine Pennant - He needs to add more goals to his game. To be fair, he has been injured, but since last season, he has only been able to produce a few decent crosses. He needs to work on it, but whether Rafa gives him a chance, only time will tell.
Dirk Kuyt - To be fair to him too, he has been very, very hardworking at closing down and defending from the front, but he needs to score much more goals than he has done recently. One example, look at Wayne Rooney, doesn't he track back all the way to act like a defensive midfielder at times, but still manages to score a fair amount of goals?
Andriy Voronin - Poor player. Could it be that Rafa puts him on the flanks too much? Probably, but as an all-out striker, he has contributed with very little goals and tries to act like a Ronaldinho or creative playmaker most times. Make a million or two off him, he's just not good enough.
Most might ask, why not Harry Kewell in this list? Well, I still feel he has something left to offer to the Reds', and a chance is rightly given to him by Rafa. So some players Liverpool are rumored to want to sign, as replacements for the above players or as reinforcements.:
Wayne Bridge (
Chelsea) - A more defensive Ashley Cole. Tells you much isn't it? Personally, I do rate him as a better left back than Riise and could do a much better job defensively. Isn't the main job of a full back is at defending, secondary at attacking?
Nedum Onuoha (
Manchester City) - Did very well recently against the Reds' themselves, he can play right back and centre back, versatility Rafa craves for. If signed, he will definitely be one for the future, and a back-up for Daniel Agger, probably pushing Sami Hyypia lower down the pecking order. Very speedy too.
Michael Johnson (
Manchester City) - Proving to be a very good young talent this season, and also touted as the next Steven Gerrard. A good all-rounded midfielder, he should be a good replacement for Sissoko and Mascherano, should the former be sold and the latter's stay not be made permanent.
David Silva (
Valencia) - Would be an excellent signing, but quite a long shot. The Spanish youngster can play on both wings and in the hole, has a great touch, excellent acceleration and a great eye for goal. Would be a great addition to Liverpool's midfield.
David Villa (
Valencia) - Another long shot, and a great signing to partner his Spain team-mate Fernando Torres at Anfield. Very good positional sense, a very good shot in him too. Would be one signing the Anfield fateful will definitely drool over.
So that's about it for Liverpool in terms of the English Premiership, as far as they are concerned for this year. I'm very optimistic, I still hoped they'd catch up after the defeat to United, and still is now, but its going to be very tough
lah. Anyway, to the FA Cup, and Liverpool travel to Luton Town in the third round.
Kenliworth Road
Sunday 6 January 2008
Midnight (SG, GMT+8)
Channel 23/24 (ESPN/StarSports)
Liverpool's Line-Up (Probable):
30. Charles Itandje
4. Sami Hyypia (C) __ 46. Jack Hobbs
3. Steve Finnan ______________________________________ 12. Fabio Aurelio
21. Lucas Leiva ____ 14. Xabi Alonso
16. Jermaine Pennant ______________________________________ 33. Sebastian Leto
15. Peter Crouch ______ 10. Andriy Voronin
Substitutes (Probable):
40. David Martin, 17. Alvaro Arbeloa, 8. Steven Gerrard, 19. Ryan Babel, 42. Nabil El Zhar
So even though Liverpool are all but out of the title race, they should not play a full team against the Championship strugglers. They should look to the future and blood some youngsters, whilst mixing them with players from the fringes on the first team. Look at Birmingham, they look like they're going to field a 16-year old, whilst Chelsea will definitely field Scott Sinclair and Ben Sahar, and of course, Arsenal's whole team will be a bunch of youngsters. So Charles Itandje will start to give Jose Reina a break. Steve Finnan should not be as tired, after just coming back from injury, to play at right-back, with another just-fit Jermaine Pennant on the right flank, looking to regain his fitness. If Sami Hyypia makes it back in time, he should be skipper if Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard doesn't feature, and partnering the young and bright prospect Jack Hobbs, with Fabio Aurelio completing the defensive quartet. Emiliano Insua might get a surprise start.
Young Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva should get another match, alongside Xabi Alonso, another who is looking to get back to match sharpness. Steven Gerrard should be left out, either on the bench in case of emergency or left out totally. Left winger Sebastian Leto might get a start if Rafa thinks he's finally good enough.
Peter Crouch should start following his three-match ban and after returning for 6 minutes in the last game against Wigan. Andriy Voronin, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel are in contention for the last forward role, but Voronin should get it. Reserve goalkeeper David Martin should fill the first place of the bench, with either Alvaro Arbeloa or John Arne Riise get a place. Steven Gerrard should be on the bench in case of an emergency, or to try to change the game. Ryan Babel should get a place on the bench too, with a high chance Moroccan Nabil El Zhar completing the five, after playing against Cardiff and as a sub against Chelsea in the Carling Cup games.
C'mon Reds!
Bye~!
my thoughts at 9:27 pm