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TIME FOR THE REDS TO START DELIVERING
The disappointment we felt after the defeats by Benfica and Arsenal is a measure of the progress we've made under Rafa and the level of expectation of Reds fans.
Unfortunately, I couldn't be at Anfield for the midweek battle with Benfica and instead had to rely on recorded highlights of us surrendering our Champions League crown. While the Reds were struggling to get level with the Portuguese, the only live football available for me while abroad on business was watching Real Madrid failing to find a way past Arsenal.
I knew things weren't going well when I received a text from my mate at Anfield informing me things were not going to plan and after going a goal down, the signs looked ominous. I'm sure had we equalised I would have had immediate news and when I didn't receive another text for the rest of the game, I assumed we'd lost.
Once the match from Highbury had finished, the other scores were given and I'll admit a 0-2 scoreline stunned the room. Despite missing John Arne Riise and Sami Hyypia, the Reds still should have been good enough to reverse the 1st leg scoreline.
Watching the highlights, had I not known the score before hand, I'd have said Liverpool looked poised to draw level at any time before Benfica took the lead. Certainly the Reds started with the right attitude and the chances that were created early on gave everyone hope. At the top level, if you squander your opportunities you are made to pay as taking those chances was a feature of last year's Champions League success.
After Arsenal's midweek success over Real Madrid, our last ever visit to Highbury was always going to be tough and now the Reds are badly in need of a lift.
I've watched Arsenal three or four times recently and even taking into account the fact they are a team in transition, they have at times looked poor and vulnerable - the exception being that great performance in Madrid - but they refound their best form on Sunday.
Key to Arsenal is the form of Thierry Henry and when he wants to play, invariably the Gunner's look a different proposition and there was no mistaking the fact the mercurial Frenchman wanted to play on Sunday. I thought they deserved the win against us even though it came about in the most tragic fashion.
For the best part of the game Arsenal looked worthy of their one goal lead even though the Reds had created a couple of excellent
chances in the first half. Ater equalising, I briefly thought we
might be capable of sneaking a second and it almost happened with the Luis Garcia volley. It wasn't to be however and the events of the dying minutes left a sour taste. It was a cruel way to lose the points.
It would have been nice to mark our final visit to Highbury with a win as it's a ground where the Reds have had some tough battles down the years. Liverpool have never found it easy to take all the points there - the last time being in 2000 through a Titi Camara goal. It will be a shame to see one of the most recognisable of grounds disappear - though their amazing new stadium at Ashburton Grove looks set to be the best in the Premiership.
Champions League qualification is a must and from thinking we would finish second comfortably a few weeks ago, the Reds are badly in need of a win to get them back on track. Arsenal now think they can finish above us as the challenge hots up. If we can finish above the Londoners for the first time in ten years, we'll claim our qualifying place.
The win we need must come on Wednesday when Fulham come to Anfield and we have a chance to gain some revenge for that 2-0 defeat in October. The London hoodoo was again at work when the Cottagers pulled off a surprise victory over us earlier in the season just before we went on our good run. Three points from this one will see us equal our 58-point total of last season and that should act as some sort of a boost. With a further 24 points still to play for, there's still plenty to aim at.
Despite their good home form, away from Craven Cottage, Fulham have a poor record although I won't mention the exact statistic, for the fear of tempting fate!
How they have failed to pick up more points on the road though is a surprise given the quality of forwards they have. Brian McBride, Heidar Helguson and Collins John are all potential match winners. They clearly don't travel well but Liverpool will still have to be mindful of their pace and counter attacking style. Their shortcomings obviously lie in the back line and they haven't been helped by injuries depriving them of their number one 'keeper Anti Niemi.
Hopefully we can negotiate that one and can look forward with confidence to a Sunday visit to the north east. Few clubs can claim to have such strong links with Liverpool as Newcastle United (three of our greatest modern heroes have all managed the Magpies) but the visit to St James' Park will be a tough fixture. Under Caretaker manager Glenn Roeder for the last couple of months, results have suddenly taken a turn for the better. The Magpies trophy cabinet might not have been as empty had Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness both once played alongside Kevin Keegan instead of being the manager's to follow KK into the Newcastle hot seat.
Those three superstars won everything there was to win in the game while at Anfield but none was able to transform the Magpies or deliver the team the Geordies desire in their respective time as managers. Kevin probably came closest to producing a winning team when they ran Man Utd hard for the Premiership. KK put a attractive looking team together but it was still a team with a brittle defence, something that has consistently haunted the Geordies. Since Keegan left, neither Kenny or Graeme has come close to equalling even that modest achievement.
Since Roeder has taken over temporary charge with Alan Shearer in tow, the pair have enjoyed a good run of victories and they have become a tougher nut to crack, though United stopped them in their tracks at the weekend. They have been able to bring back some of their injured players in recent weeks and that has no doubt helped but they still look fragile at the back. The fact they have the outstanding Shay Given behind the defence has been a lifesaver.
Though Graeme will have mixed feelings about how things have gone since his departure, it's probably disappointing for him to see his players put in more spirited performances within days of his exit and see results take such a swift upturn. I was sorry to see Souey go from Newcastle as he was one of my favourite players. But somehow he has failed to achieve the same level of success as a manager - perhaps the expectation levels of his players were too high and he had too many who couldn't deliver.
Hopefully the Reds can start to deliver again themselves and if that hope of capturing second place is to remain alive, confidence is the key. Wednesday night would be a great time to kick-start the run-in. |
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