Liverpool can't seem to get enough of scoring 4 goals in a game. It started sometime in March when they demolished Real Madrid four goals to nil in the Champions League. Four days later, they trashed Manchester United in their own backyard for what could have been the turning point of the season for them. Of course, with only a few more games left in the season, anything can happen.
They continued their 4 goals demolition against Blackburn, with Torres scoring a brace. Then came the moment of truth, the Champions League quarterfinals against Chelsea. Being 2 goals down from the first leg, they needed a miracle to reach the semifinals.
And it almost happened.
The only problem was they also conceded four goals in that game. And Chelsea got away that night to set a date with Barcelona, leaving Liverpool to lick their wounds, and leaving them with only one silverware left to salvage their season.
The Premier League title.
And first on their hurdle - Arsenal, who were also a victim of Chelsea in the semifinals of the FA Cup. They game was not short on goals, with Liverpool again scoring 4 goals with both Torres and Benayoun on target twice. But all their hardwork were undone by their defensive errors, and the brilliance of Andrei Arshavin, who scored all 4 goals to salvage a point for Arsenal.
With 5 more games left, Liverpool cannot afford to drop anymore points if they want to overthrown Manchester United as the league's champion. Of course, they can still win all their remaining games and still be second in the league. It's all up to United to screw up, and drop points along the way.
And let's hope they do so.
Showing posts with label liverpool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label liverpool. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 22
Friday, March 20
Yet another rematch
It's like a match made in heaven.
In the past 5 seasons of Liverpool's involvement in the Champions League, they have been pitted with Chelsea 5 times, once in the group stages and the other 4 times in the knockout phases.
2004/05 - Semifinals, Liverpool won
2005/06 - Group stages
2006/07 - Semifinals, Liverpool won
2007/08 - Semifinals, Chelsea won
2008/09 - Quarterfinals, Hopefully a win for Liverpool.
5 times in 5 years, what are the odds of that? Of course, with English team doing better each year and having more representatives in the Champions League knockout phases than other nations, it's inexplicable that one of them will face the other. And if everything works out well, we might have 3 English teams in the semifinals.
The draw for the quarterfinals:
Pundits are predicting the first semifinals to be an all-English affair, with Arsenal and Manchester United locking horns to be in the finals in Rome. While the general concensus for the finals is a showdown between United and Liverpool. Now wouldn't that be just great?
Of course, Liverpool need to get pass Chelsea, and the winner between Barca and Bayern first. Chelsea has changed manager numerous times since their last encounter in 2004/05 season, with Gus Hiddink being the third manager in charge of their latest encounter. Surprisingly, it was Avram Grant who led a successful Chelsea squad past Liverpool last season, while the self-proclaim chosen one, Jose Mourinho failed in all of his attempts. Grant got the sack last season, when Chelsea decided to go with a world class manager in the form of Scolari, but the celebrated manager only lasted for a few months before he was replaced with Hiddink.
The quarter-finals will take place on April 7-8, with the return legs the following week.
In the past 5 seasons of Liverpool's involvement in the Champions League, they have been pitted with Chelsea 5 times, once in the group stages and the other 4 times in the knockout phases.
2004/05 - Semifinals, Liverpool won
2005/06 - Group stages
2006/07 - Semifinals, Liverpool won
2007/08 - Semifinals, Chelsea won
2008/09 - Quarterfinals, Hopefully a win for Liverpool.
5 times in 5 years, what are the odds of that? Of course, with English team doing better each year and having more representatives in the Champions League knockout phases than other nations, it's inexplicable that one of them will face the other. And if everything works out well, we might have 3 English teams in the semifinals.
The draw for the quarterfinals:
Manchester United vs Porto
Villareal vs Arsenal
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich
Liverpool vs Chelsea
Villareal vs Arsenal
Barcelona vs Bayern Munich
Liverpool vs Chelsea
Pundits are predicting the first semifinals to be an all-English affair, with Arsenal and Manchester United locking horns to be in the finals in Rome. While the general concensus for the finals is a showdown between United and Liverpool. Now wouldn't that be just great?
Of course, Liverpool need to get pass Chelsea, and the winner between Barca and Bayern first. Chelsea has changed manager numerous times since their last encounter in 2004/05 season, with Gus Hiddink being the third manager in charge of their latest encounter. Surprisingly, it was Avram Grant who led a successful Chelsea squad past Liverpool last season, while the self-proclaim chosen one, Jose Mourinho failed in all of his attempts. Grant got the sack last season, when Chelsea decided to go with a world class manager in the form of Scolari, but the celebrated manager only lasted for a few months before he was replaced with Hiddink.
The quarter-finals will take place on April 7-8, with the return legs the following week.
Saturday, March 14
Icing on the cake
It has to be something momentous, something huge, for me to start writing again. And I have finally find the reason to start again. I wanted to write about the Australia Open, but the heartbreak of seeing Federer losing the finals to his arch-nemesis Nadal was too much for me.
But tonight, seeing Liverpool trashed Manchester United 4-1 at Old Trafford is simply joyful. Especially when it came after the midweek game win against Real Madrid. Just the kind of boost that Liverpool needed after a bad run of results. Hopefully this will give them the motivation to go and win all the remaining matches left for the season.
Of course, it helps to have Gerrard and Torres fully fit and playing at their best. Like it or not, those two are instrumental in making sure Liverpool are back to the top. Problem is, Torres has been struggling with his hamstring injury all season long, and so does Gerrard.
Liverpool will be facing Aston Villa next, and it is important to keep winning to challenge for the title. Anymore stumble, like the ones they did against Middlesbrough and Manchester City, will resulted in a premature end to their title chase. Not to forget, they still have the Champions League quarterfinal to look forward to, and chances are, they might draw another English team.
The season is coming to an end, but it feels like Liverpool's season has just started.
But tonight, seeing Liverpool trashed Manchester United 4-1 at Old Trafford is simply joyful. Especially when it came after the midweek game win against Real Madrid. Just the kind of boost that Liverpool needed after a bad run of results. Hopefully this will give them the motivation to go and win all the remaining matches left for the season.
Of course, it helps to have Gerrard and Torres fully fit and playing at their best. Like it or not, those two are instrumental in making sure Liverpool are back to the top. Problem is, Torres has been struggling with his hamstring injury all season long, and so does Gerrard.
Liverpool will be facing Aston Villa next, and it is important to keep winning to challenge for the title. Anymore stumble, like the ones they did against Middlesbrough and Manchester City, will resulted in a premature end to their title chase. Not to forget, they still have the Champions League quarterfinal to look forward to, and chances are, they might draw another English team.
The season is coming to an end, but it feels like Liverpool's season has just started.
Friday, December 19
Last 16 draw
These are the draws for the last 16 of the Champions League:
It would be interesting to see Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho matching up again. Mourinho is still in his first season with Inter Milan, and would love to have a go at Ferguson again. Inter Milan is sitting comfortably on top of Serie A at the moment.
Liverpool's reward of finishing top of the group in the qualifying round is a date with Real Madrid. Real might be struggling in the Spanish League, but that doesn't mean it's going to be an easy task for Liverpool. But nothing that Gerrard and co can't handle.
Both Arsenal and Roma are struggling in their local league, and it would be interesting to see who would win this clash. While Chelsea will be reunited with Claudio Ranieri in the form of Juventus when the two teams battle it out for a chance to play in the quarterfinals.
The ties take place on February 24/25 and March 10/11 with the final on May 27 in Rome.
Real Madrid vs Liverpool
Chelsea vs Juventus
Arsenal vs AS Roma
Inter Milan vs Manchester United
Lyon vs Barcelona
Atletico Madrid vs FC Porto
Sporting Lisbon vs Bayern Munich
Villareal vs Panathinaikos
Chelsea vs Juventus
Arsenal vs AS Roma
Inter Milan vs Manchester United
Lyon vs Barcelona
Atletico Madrid vs FC Porto
Sporting Lisbon vs Bayern Munich
Villareal vs Panathinaikos
It would be interesting to see Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho matching up again. Mourinho is still in his first season with Inter Milan, and would love to have a go at Ferguson again. Inter Milan is sitting comfortably on top of Serie A at the moment.
Liverpool's reward of finishing top of the group in the qualifying round is a date with Real Madrid. Real might be struggling in the Spanish League, but that doesn't mean it's going to be an easy task for Liverpool. But nothing that Gerrard and co can't handle.
Both Arsenal and Roma are struggling in their local league, and it would be interesting to see who would win this clash. While Chelsea will be reunited with Claudio Ranieri in the form of Juventus when the two teams battle it out for a chance to play in the quarterfinals.
The ties take place on February 24/25 and March 10/11 with the final on May 27 in Rome.
Sunday, October 26
Invincible no more
It wasn't a pretty win, but a win nevertheless.
Come to think of it, it was a historic win.
Xabi Alonso scored the only goal that mattered to end Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten home league record and put Liverpool as the sole leader in the English Premier League. It was also Chelsea's first defeat under new boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, who took charge of the team at the start of the season.
Liverpool so far has signalled out their title intentions, by beating Manchester United, and now Chelsea in what might be a very close race to be the champion of England. Even Hull City is in the running at the moment, but it is still too early in the season, as Jamie Carragher puts it.
But to break Chelsea's long standing record, and at the same time to score your first goal at Stamford Bridge eversince Rafa Benitez is in charge, that must be something.
I hope it's a sign for more good things to come.
Come to think of it, it was a historic win.
Xabi Alonso scored the only goal that mattered to end Chelsea's 86-game unbeaten home league record and put Liverpool as the sole leader in the English Premier League. It was also Chelsea's first defeat under new boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, who took charge of the team at the start of the season.
Liverpool so far has signalled out their title intentions, by beating Manchester United, and now Chelsea in what might be a very close race to be the champion of England. Even Hull City is in the running at the moment, but it is still too early in the season, as Jamie Carragher puts it.
But to break Chelsea's long standing record, and at the same time to score your first goal at Stamford Bridge eversince Rafa Benitez is in charge, that must be something.
I hope it's a sign for more good things to come.
Saturday, September 27
Victory in Merseyside
Robbie Keane is still looking for that elusive first goal in a red shirt. And he was thinking that the omens might be good this time around. Liverpool was playing Everton, the 208th Merseyside derby for the two teams. And Keane has a good record against Everton. He scored a hat-trick against the Toffees back in 2003. And a few years back, the previous incumbent of the number seven shirt - Harry Kewell - registered his first goal against the team across Stanley Park.
But who needs Keane, when you have Fernando Torres supplying the goals. Keane was instrumental in today's game, but it was Torres who took the limelight again. He scored two goals in the span of 4 minutes in the second half to win the game for Liverpool. It might have even been a hat-trick, if his third goal was not ruled offside.
Everton barely had any shots on target, and they played with 10 men when Tim Cahill got his marching orders in the 80th minute for a late challenge on Xabi Alonso. Everton is still looking for their first home win this season, after losing their first two games at home.
In another match, Chelsea did what Liverpool failed to do last week by scoring not only one, but two goals against the hapless Stoke City. After being the man of the match in last week's game, Thomas Sorensen failed to repeat his heroics when Jose Bosingwa and Nicolas Anelka put the ball pass him.
Meanwhile, Manchester United was gifted with a penalty to break the resilient Bolton and Christiano Ronaldo duly scored his first goal in the league. Wayne Rooney added a second after coming in as a substitute. But it was a game for United to win, as they dominated the whole game. And Robbie Keane is not alone in his search for his first goal for his new club, as Dimitar Berbatov is yet to score for Manchester United.
Liverpool is up against Manchester City next in the league, and it will be tough preserving their unbeaten run with Robinho and Shawn Wright-Philips playing so well. But with Torres scoring again, and Keane desperate for his first goal, it would be an interesting match to watch.
But who needs Keane, when you have Fernando Torres supplying the goals. Keane was instrumental in today's game, but it was Torres who took the limelight again. He scored two goals in the span of 4 minutes in the second half to win the game for Liverpool. It might have even been a hat-trick, if his third goal was not ruled offside.
Everton barely had any shots on target, and they played with 10 men when Tim Cahill got his marching orders in the 80th minute for a late challenge on Xabi Alonso. Everton is still looking for their first home win this season, after losing their first two games at home.
In another match, Chelsea did what Liverpool failed to do last week by scoring not only one, but two goals against the hapless Stoke City. After being the man of the match in last week's game, Thomas Sorensen failed to repeat his heroics when Jose Bosingwa and Nicolas Anelka put the ball pass him.
Meanwhile, Manchester United was gifted with a penalty to break the resilient Bolton and Christiano Ronaldo duly scored his first goal in the league. Wayne Rooney added a second after coming in as a substitute. But it was a game for United to win, as they dominated the whole game. And Robbie Keane is not alone in his search for his first goal for his new club, as Dimitar Berbatov is yet to score for Manchester United.
Liverpool is up against Manchester City next in the league, and it will be tough preserving their unbeaten run with Robinho and Shawn Wright-Philips playing so well. But with Torres scoring again, and Keane desperate for his first goal, it would be an interesting match to watch.
Sunday, September 21
Roadblock
If you watch The Amazing Race, you will know that a roadblock is a task that only one person may perform.
So what does a roadblock means in football?
Well, it is when Liverpool failed to win at home when playing newcomers Stoke City.
No goals, and just one point to show.
After spending the week on a high by beating Manchester United and Marseille, Liverpool was brought down to earth by the resilient Stoke City players. Having 76% possesion of the football and 19 corners, none of their players managed to find the back of the net. Well, Steven Gerard did, from a perfectly taken freekick, but his goal was disallowed because the linesman had an itch on his armpit, and accidently raised the flag to scratch the itch. The referree, seeing the flag being raised, disallowed the goal. It would have been Gerrard 100th goal for the club, but I guess his 100th goal would just have to wait for another game.
With 11 players behind the ball, Stoke City defended deep and well to deny Liverpool any scoring oppurtunity. Liverpool had 30 shots on goal, but most of them were from long range and out of target. Robbie Keane had a few good chances, but none really counted. He remain goalless for his new club, and suddenly the £20 million Liverpool paid for his services seems a little too much.
While everyone in the red shirt were pushing the ball forward, Pepe Reina was seen having a ciggarette and drinking a couple cans of beer while lounging in between his goalpost. Must be lonely with his defenders playing as midfielders, leaving him all alone at the back. Rory Delap occasionally threw the ball to Reina, but Reina was up for it and caught the ball easily. It's amazing that Reina didn't join the other Reds up front since he really had nothing much to do standing in between the goalpost. He might have been able to score the winning goal, since everyone else was just plain unlucky (except for Keane though, he was pretyy useless).
So there you go, a roadblock along the way. Would it matter? Probably so, if Liverpool is looking to win the title. Because dropping points while playing in Anfield against lowly teams would definitely come to haunt you later on in the season.
So what does a roadblock means in football?
Well, it is when Liverpool failed to win at home when playing newcomers Stoke City.
No goals, and just one point to show.
After spending the week on a high by beating Manchester United and Marseille, Liverpool was brought down to earth by the resilient Stoke City players. Having 76% possesion of the football and 19 corners, none of their players managed to find the back of the net. Well, Steven Gerard did, from a perfectly taken freekick, but his goal was disallowed because the linesman had an itch on his armpit, and accidently raised the flag to scratch the itch. The referree, seeing the flag being raised, disallowed the goal. It would have been Gerrard 100th goal for the club, but I guess his 100th goal would just have to wait for another game.
With 11 players behind the ball, Stoke City defended deep and well to deny Liverpool any scoring oppurtunity. Liverpool had 30 shots on goal, but most of them were from long range and out of target. Robbie Keane had a few good chances, but none really counted. He remain goalless for his new club, and suddenly the £20 million Liverpool paid for his services seems a little too much.
While everyone in the red shirt were pushing the ball forward, Pepe Reina was seen having a ciggarette and drinking a couple cans of beer while lounging in between his goalpost. Must be lonely with his defenders playing as midfielders, leaving him all alone at the back. Rory Delap occasionally threw the ball to Reina, but Reina was up for it and caught the ball easily. It's amazing that Reina didn't join the other Reds up front since he really had nothing much to do standing in between the goalpost. He might have been able to score the winning goal, since everyone else was just plain unlucky (except for Keane though, he was pretyy useless).
So there you go, a roadblock along the way. Would it matter? Probably so, if Liverpool is looking to win the title. Because dropping points while playing in Anfield against lowly teams would definitely come to haunt you later on in the season.
Sunday, September 14
Is he worth £20 million?
Four games into the season, with no goals to show so far. Yes, it is still early to judge Robbie Keane, but with a price tag of £20 million, a lot of expectations are on him to shoulder the scoring load for Liverpool this season. And so far, he has done none of it yet.
The arrival of Fernando Torres last season really helped Liverpool in the scoring department. Torres justified the £26.5 million spent on him with a record breaking 33 goals in his debut season. And it didn't take long for him to get settle down in England, scoring his first English Premier League goal on his Anfield debut in a match against Chelsea. And from there on, he never looked back.
Keane has been playing in England for years now. He was with Wolverhampton, Coventry City, Leeds United and Tottenham in a career spanning close to 10 years. Of course there was that half season he spent with Inter Milan, but that was a big flop for him. He only survived a few months there with 9 games under his belt and no goal to show.
He might need some time to settle in and get used with Liverpool style of play, but with his experience playing in the Premier League, it shouldn't be long before he can get that first elusive goal. Liverpool is on track at the moment, winning 3 games and drawing one. But the icing on the cake was last night game when they finally beat Manchester United 2-1. It was their first league win over Manchester United since April 2004. And if they can keep playing on like they did yesterday, they might be one of the front-runners for the title this season.
It is still too early to predict anything. But there's no harm to have a little hope.
Picture perfect!
The arrival of Fernando Torres last season really helped Liverpool in the scoring department. Torres justified the £26.5 million spent on him with a record breaking 33 goals in his debut season. And it didn't take long for him to get settle down in England, scoring his first English Premier League goal on his Anfield debut in a match against Chelsea. And from there on, he never looked back.
Keane has been playing in England for years now. He was with Wolverhampton, Coventry City, Leeds United and Tottenham in a career spanning close to 10 years. Of course there was that half season he spent with Inter Milan, but that was a big flop for him. He only survived a few months there with 9 games under his belt and no goal to show.
He might need some time to settle in and get used with Liverpool style of play, but with his experience playing in the Premier League, it shouldn't be long before he can get that first elusive goal. Liverpool is on track at the moment, winning 3 games and drawing one. But the icing on the cake was last night game when they finally beat Manchester United 2-1. It was their first league win over Manchester United since April 2004. And if they can keep playing on like they did yesterday, they might be one of the front-runners for the title this season.
It is still too early to predict anything. But there's no harm to have a little hope.
Picture perfect!Tuesday, March 18
Three times a charm
Fernando Torres is on fire. But can he fire up Liverpool pass Manchester United this weekend?
After the embarrassing lost to Barnsley that knocked them out of the FA Cup, Liverpool have been winning all their games. That is 7 games in a row. They are up against the leader this weekend, and the weekend after that, their Merseyside rival - Everton.
Beating Manchester United is important, not because they have any chance of displacing the Red Devils at the top, but because every point counts nowadays. They are hanging tightly onto 4th spot, the last spot to the Champions League's millions. They were neck to neck with Everton, until last week when Everton was undone by the brilliance of Brian McBride of Fulham.
So it is important to win the next two games, and consolidate 4th place.
Because after that, it's going to be Arsenal, Arsenal, and more Arsenal. 3 games in a row.
Twice in the Champions League, and another one a league game. 3 consecutive games in a row. If you get it wrong in the first try, you get another chance. But getting to the semifinals of the Champions League is extremely important for Liverpool. It's their only chance of a silverware this season.
And it might save Rafa Benitez from looking for another job this summer.
So where does Torres fit in all this?
Torres, will be the one scoring the goals.
After the embarrassing lost to Barnsley that knocked them out of the FA Cup, Liverpool have been winning all their games. That is 7 games in a row. They are up against the leader this weekend, and the weekend after that, their Merseyside rival - Everton.
Beating Manchester United is important, not because they have any chance of displacing the Red Devils at the top, but because every point counts nowadays. They are hanging tightly onto 4th spot, the last spot to the Champions League's millions. They were neck to neck with Everton, until last week when Everton was undone by the brilliance of Brian McBride of Fulham.
So it is important to win the next two games, and consolidate 4th place.
Because after that, it's going to be Arsenal, Arsenal, and more Arsenal. 3 games in a row.
Twice in the Champions League, and another one a league game. 3 consecutive games in a row. If you get it wrong in the first try, you get another chance. But getting to the semifinals of the Champions League is extremely important for Liverpool. It's their only chance of a silverware this season.
And it might save Rafa Benitez from looking for another job this summer.
So where does Torres fit in all this?
Torres, will be the one scoring the goals.
Wednesday, February 20
Stay of execution
There was a huge sigh of relief after the game last night. I think everyone in the stadium were happy with the results at the end of the game. But they had to wait until the last 5 minutes of the game for the first goal, and it was a double relief when the skipper blasted another cracker at the stroke of full time.
But of course, Rafa must have had his heart skipped a bit or two during the whole game. It was frustrating watching the home team having the mighty lion of possessions, and playing with an extra man (Inter was down with 10 men on the 30th minute), but was unable to get the goal they desperately needed. Shots after shots on goal were off target, and if they were on target, the keeper did well to save them. Rafa then brought in two attacking players for more firepower, and it finally paid off when a cross from one of the substitute was met by Kuyt who volleyed in his second goal in two games for the long awaited breakthrough.
And the goal from Gerrard was like the icing on the cake, and with a comfortable lead to take to San Siro, Liverpool must now be counting their chances of progressing to their 12th European Cup quarterfinals. Of course, anything can happen in the second leg, but now it's up to Inter to make things happen.
Hopefully this win will be the start of a good run, and maybe, just maybe, we'll be in the running again for that elusive top spot in the league.
But most importantly, it means Rafa won't be going anywhere for the time being.
Not yet.
But of course, Rafa must have had his heart skipped a bit or two during the whole game. It was frustrating watching the home team having the mighty lion of possessions, and playing with an extra man (Inter was down with 10 men on the 30th minute), but was unable to get the goal they desperately needed. Shots after shots on goal were off target, and if they were on target, the keeper did well to save them. Rafa then brought in two attacking players for more firepower, and it finally paid off when a cross from one of the substitute was met by Kuyt who volleyed in his second goal in two games for the long awaited breakthrough.
And the goal from Gerrard was like the icing on the cake, and with a comfortable lead to take to San Siro, Liverpool must now be counting their chances of progressing to their 12th European Cup quarterfinals. Of course, anything can happen in the second leg, but now it's up to Inter to make things happen.
Hopefully this win will be the start of a good run, and maybe, just maybe, we'll be in the running again for that elusive top spot in the league.
But most importantly, it means Rafa won't be going anywhere for the time being.
Not yet.
Sunday, February 17
Dumped
I remember vaguely the last time Barnsley beat Liverpool. It was years ago, and it wasn't in Anfield. Anfield used to be the stronghold for Liverpool Football Club. Walking out of the dressing room, the infamous 'This is Anfield' sign used to give butterflies to those players playing on that sacred ground. But I guess that was during the glory days, when Anfield was a mighty fortress. Plans for a new stadium has demolished Anfield status and aura indefinitely. Nowadays, playing in Anfield is the same as playing anywhere else.
Anyway, the last time Barnsley beat Liverpool, it didn't happened in Anfield. And it didn't happened in Oakwell Stadium either. Come to think of it, it didn't even happened on English soil. It happened in Championship Manager 3 (CM3) and I was the manager of Barnsley at that time. It was also a cup tie, and the scoreline was the same as last night. Having been managing the team for 3 seasons at that time, it was a sweet victory for me, beating Liverpool at that time to advance to the semifinals. I think I lost the semifinals to Arsenal at that time, but that besides the point.
In reality, Barnsley did beat Liverpool once before. It was 10 years ago, the one and only season Barnsley played in the Premier League. But yesterday, it knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup. Already being written off for the Premier League title, and knocked out of the League Cup, their only silverware now lies in the prestigious Champions League, which they are up against Inter Milan this week.
Maybe that's why Benitez rested Torres and benched Gerrard. It's only Barnsley anyway, and they have one of the worst record in their division playing away from home. But sometimes, magical stuffs happened in the FA Cup. And it definitely happened last night.
With the score tied at 1-1, with virtually the last kick of the game, Barnsley did the unthinkable. Captain Brian Howard dashed the Reds dream of FA glory and added mounted pressure on Benitez. Already been broiled in controversy, he must be wondering how much longer is he going to survive before getting the sack. The results haven't been on his side lately, and it's only a matter of time when a better candidate emerges as a successor to him.
Of course, this can only mean one thing. The game against Inter Milan will be crucial, as failure to advance to the next level could spell an end to Benitez's job. But Inter Milan must be thanking their luck to draw Liverpool, instead of the other English giants. Manchester United might be faltering a bit in the league, but they have a strong team, and Arsenal and Chelsea are very consistent. Out of the four teams, Liverpool is proven to be the weakest of them all.
At the end of the game last night, Rafa had no words to describe the lost. "We had a lot of chances but it was the same situation as in other games, we cannot take our chances to finish games. Today was the same," Rafa Benitez moaned.
I think it has been the same for a very long time now.
Could this be the end of Rafa-Torres partnership?
Anyway, the last time Barnsley beat Liverpool, it didn't happened in Anfield. And it didn't happened in Oakwell Stadium either. Come to think of it, it didn't even happened on English soil. It happened in Championship Manager 3 (CM3) and I was the manager of Barnsley at that time. It was also a cup tie, and the scoreline was the same as last night. Having been managing the team for 3 seasons at that time, it was a sweet victory for me, beating Liverpool at that time to advance to the semifinals. I think I lost the semifinals to Arsenal at that time, but that besides the point.
In reality, Barnsley did beat Liverpool once before. It was 10 years ago, the one and only season Barnsley played in the Premier League. But yesterday, it knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup. Already being written off for the Premier League title, and knocked out of the League Cup, their only silverware now lies in the prestigious Champions League, which they are up against Inter Milan this week.
Maybe that's why Benitez rested Torres and benched Gerrard. It's only Barnsley anyway, and they have one of the worst record in their division playing away from home. But sometimes, magical stuffs happened in the FA Cup. And it definitely happened last night.
With the score tied at 1-1, with virtually the last kick of the game, Barnsley did the unthinkable. Captain Brian Howard dashed the Reds dream of FA glory and added mounted pressure on Benitez. Already been broiled in controversy, he must be wondering how much longer is he going to survive before getting the sack. The results haven't been on his side lately, and it's only a matter of time when a better candidate emerges as a successor to him.
Of course, this can only mean one thing. The game against Inter Milan will be crucial, as failure to advance to the next level could spell an end to Benitez's job. But Inter Milan must be thanking their luck to draw Liverpool, instead of the other English giants. Manchester United might be faltering a bit in the league, but they have a strong team, and Arsenal and Chelsea are very consistent. Out of the four teams, Liverpool is proven to be the weakest of them all.
At the end of the game last night, Rafa had no words to describe the lost. "We had a lot of chances but it was the same situation as in other games, we cannot take our chances to finish games. Today was the same," Rafa Benitez moaned.
I think it has been the same for a very long time now.
Could this be the end of Rafa-Torres partnership?Thursday, December 13
Miracle in Stade Velodrome
Not that many people gave Liverpool a chance after the finished the first round of the Champions League group stage with only 1 point. Staring at elimination, they bounced back and trounced Besiktas 8-0 and trashed Porto 4-1, before ending the group by demolishing Marseille 4-0. Coupled with a bit of luck on the other results, Liverpool managed to secure their passage to the knockout phases, albeit finishing second in the group.
That means they are looking at the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, AC or Inter Milan as their next opponent. Fernando Torres preferred to play his old adversaries Real Madrid for the next game. Torres told the clubs website: "I hope that we draw Real Madrid, that would be a great tie. We have a chance to play a team from Spain or Italy, but playing Madrid would be really good".
The built up for the game against Marseille was tensed. With Benitez at loggerheads with the club owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, plenty of wild rumours were flying around. Failure to progress to the next stage would have definitely added fire to the rumours. Benitez's future remains uncertain despite an apparent thaw in his relationship with the co-owners following a disagreement over transfer policy. Even the weekend game against Reading was played half-heartedly, with everyone’s mind on the big game. Needless to say, Liverpool lost tamely 1-3 and Gerrard, Carragher and Torres were substituted early to ensure that they are fresh for the next game.
The game against Marseille started perfectly with Liverpool scoring two early goals, one being a gem by Torres with his superb finishing, and another one from Gerarrd. Another two goals by Kuyt and Babel stamped Liverpool's dominance over the home team. No other English team has came to Stade Velodrome and won before previously, with Marseille holding a 6-0 record against them. But records are meant to be broken, and Liverpool did just that with a flourish.
Now that qualification is out of the picture, Liverpool will be looking forward to the next game this weekend against Manchester United. If the game against Marseille was to determine their fate in the Champions League, then this weekend game will see if they can be considered as the real contender for the elusive league title.
Let's hope for the best.
That means they are looking at the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, AC or Inter Milan as their next opponent. Fernando Torres preferred to play his old adversaries Real Madrid for the next game. Torres told the clubs website: "I hope that we draw Real Madrid, that would be a great tie. We have a chance to play a team from Spain or Italy, but playing Madrid would be really good".
The built up for the game against Marseille was tensed. With Benitez at loggerheads with the club owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, plenty of wild rumours were flying around. Failure to progress to the next stage would have definitely added fire to the rumours. Benitez's future remains uncertain despite an apparent thaw in his relationship with the co-owners following a disagreement over transfer policy. Even the weekend game against Reading was played half-heartedly, with everyone’s mind on the big game. Needless to say, Liverpool lost tamely 1-3 and Gerrard, Carragher and Torres were substituted early to ensure that they are fresh for the next game.
The game against Marseille started perfectly with Liverpool scoring two early goals, one being a gem by Torres with his superb finishing, and another one from Gerarrd. Another two goals by Kuyt and Babel stamped Liverpool's dominance over the home team. No other English team has came to Stade Velodrome and won before previously, with Marseille holding a 6-0 record against them. But records are meant to be broken, and Liverpool did just that with a flourish.
Now that qualification is out of the picture, Liverpool will be looking forward to the next game this weekend against Manchester United. If the game against Marseille was to determine their fate in the Champions League, then this weekend game will see if they can be considered as the real contender for the elusive league title.
Let's hope for the best.
Wednesday, November 7
8 stars performance
I think it all started with the draw against Porto in September, where Liverpool were lucky to get away with a point playing away in the Champions League game. The game was dubbed as Liverpool worst performance of the season by the coach, but being the first game of the group stages, everybody thought that it was a one off thing, and things will start to pick up after that.
However, with only 2 wins (plus another 2 in the League Cup), 4 dull draws and a further 2 losses, the alarm has started to ring in Anfield. The coach has been heavily criticised for his squad rotation policy, and the captain has been accused of being burnt out for playing too many games. The midfielders lack creativity, and the strikers couldn't find the back of the net. The only consistent factor (thus saving Liverpool from further losses) is the rock solid Carragher, and his minions of defenders. Always present (except for a few games when he was out injured), Carragher has been the driving force at the back, making sure that the goal is well protected.
Liverpool is still undefeated in the Premier League. The two losses happened in the Champions League game, which pretty much dented the hope of advancing into the next stage.
Things looked bleak, until last night, in front of the home crowd, they trashed Besiktas with 8 goals to nothing. The win was the biggest margin in a Champions League game, and suddenly, things look hopeful and rosy, even if it was only one game.
Peter Crouch started the goal fest, and he must have felt relieved to finally score his second goal of the season, after being rooted to the substitute bench all the while. With rumours about him leaving the club during the January transfer window circulating like wildfire, it was good to see he is still passionate about playing for the club. With Torres not 100% fit, Crouch and Voronin were paired upfront to spearhead Liverpool's attack. However, the night truly belonged to Yossi Benayoun, who scored his first hat trick for the club and created a few goals in between.
Voronin was unlucky not to score himself, but his tireless and selfish effort was truly appreciated by the other players. Liverpool had the lion share of possession, with 31 shots on goal. After week after week being frustrated by their boring and out-tempo game, it was good to see everything clicking again. Of course, consistency is important in football, and Liverpool being Liverpool, consistency has never been their strong point.
But the big result will amount to nothing if they do not beat Porto and Marseille. And at the sametime. they have to hope that the other results will favour them. And hopefully, they can play as beautifully and confident as they did last night this weekend against Fulham.
Then I'll be more motivated to watch their game.
However, with only 2 wins (plus another 2 in the League Cup), 4 dull draws and a further 2 losses, the alarm has started to ring in Anfield. The coach has been heavily criticised for his squad rotation policy, and the captain has been accused of being burnt out for playing too many games. The midfielders lack creativity, and the strikers couldn't find the back of the net. The only consistent factor (thus saving Liverpool from further losses) is the rock solid Carragher, and his minions of defenders. Always present (except for a few games when he was out injured), Carragher has been the driving force at the back, making sure that the goal is well protected.
Liverpool is still undefeated in the Premier League. The two losses happened in the Champions League game, which pretty much dented the hope of advancing into the next stage.
Things looked bleak, until last night, in front of the home crowd, they trashed Besiktas with 8 goals to nothing. The win was the biggest margin in a Champions League game, and suddenly, things look hopeful and rosy, even if it was only one game.
Peter Crouch started the goal fest, and he must have felt relieved to finally score his second goal of the season, after being rooted to the substitute bench all the while. With rumours about him leaving the club during the January transfer window circulating like wildfire, it was good to see he is still passionate about playing for the club. With Torres not 100% fit, Crouch and Voronin were paired upfront to spearhead Liverpool's attack. However, the night truly belonged to Yossi Benayoun, who scored his first hat trick for the club and created a few goals in between.
Voronin was unlucky not to score himself, but his tireless and selfish effort was truly appreciated by the other players. Liverpool had the lion share of possession, with 31 shots on goal. After week after week being frustrated by their boring and out-tempo game, it was good to see everything clicking again. Of course, consistency is important in football, and Liverpool being Liverpool, consistency has never been their strong point.
But the big result will amount to nothing if they do not beat Porto and Marseille. And at the sametime. they have to hope that the other results will favour them. And hopefully, they can play as beautifully and confident as they did last night this weekend against Fulham.
Then I'll be more motivated to watch their game.
Friday, October 26
The end is near
Being rooted at the bottom of the table in the Champion League group stages is indeed an unfamiliar position for Liverpool. But with two losses and a draw so far, they are at the bottom with one point and 3 more games to go. Of course, 3 more games equal to 9 points, considering they win all 3 remaining matches.
The lost against Besiktas last night couldn't come at a worst time. With a league game against a consistent Arsenal looming over the weekend, Liverpool looked out of sorts and short of ideas. Their long ball tactics were not really producing the goals, and their deployed wingers failed to make a big impact too. They were lucky to win last weekend against Everton, helped by two penalties converted by Dirk Kuyt.
That being said, Liverpool always have a good record in Europe in the past three years. On most occasion, going though the first stage of the group stages have always been a walk in the park for them. Last year, they went all the way to the finals while the year before, their campaign was cut short by Benfica in the quarter finals. And of course, the year before that was the historic win in Istanbul over AC Milan.
Still, they are doing quite well in the league, by their standard. A poor start has always derailed Liverpool's championship hope, but this year, they have done well to keep pace with the early pacesetters. Of course, the game against Arsenal this weekend is very important, firstly because it's a home game for Liverpool, and secondly because they need to stop Arsenal from being a runaway leader in the league.
Winning the league is the top priority for this season. Going far in the Champion League is a bonus, but looking at the ditch the are in at the moment, it might take a miracle for them to qualify for the next stage. They need to beat Marseille in the State Velodrome, and past records indicate that it might be a task too hard to achieve. But, they need to go all out from now on, because at least even if they finish third, they can still qualify for the EUFA Cup, a scant consolation, but it's better than nothing.
Now is the time for Rafa Benitez to rally his team and start building up towards a more consistent and convincing results. Being consistent is important, because in the long run, only the most consistent team will be challenging for the honours. Whether Liverpool is one of them, that is yet to be seen.
The lost against Besiktas last night couldn't come at a worst time. With a league game against a consistent Arsenal looming over the weekend, Liverpool looked out of sorts and short of ideas. Their long ball tactics were not really producing the goals, and their deployed wingers failed to make a big impact too. They were lucky to win last weekend against Everton, helped by two penalties converted by Dirk Kuyt.
That being said, Liverpool always have a good record in Europe in the past three years. On most occasion, going though the first stage of the group stages have always been a walk in the park for them. Last year, they went all the way to the finals while the year before, their campaign was cut short by Benfica in the quarter finals. And of course, the year before that was the historic win in Istanbul over AC Milan.
Still, they are doing quite well in the league, by their standard. A poor start has always derailed Liverpool's championship hope, but this year, they have done well to keep pace with the early pacesetters. Of course, the game against Arsenal this weekend is very important, firstly because it's a home game for Liverpool, and secondly because they need to stop Arsenal from being a runaway leader in the league.
Winning the league is the top priority for this season. Going far in the Champion League is a bonus, but looking at the ditch the are in at the moment, it might take a miracle for them to qualify for the next stage. They need to beat Marseille in the State Velodrome, and past records indicate that it might be a task too hard to achieve. But, they need to go all out from now on, because at least even if they finish third, they can still qualify for the EUFA Cup, a scant consolation, but it's better than nothing.
Now is the time for Rafa Benitez to rally his team and start building up towards a more consistent and convincing results. Being consistent is important, because in the long run, only the most consistent team will be challenging for the honours. Whether Liverpool is one of them, that is yet to be seen.
Sunday, September 30
The Special One
It was a relief when Yossi Benayoun scored in the 75th minute in yesterday's game, hence chalking up Liverpool's first league win after 2 league outings. The other two big teams also won by a similar scoreline, with Arsenal winning away at West Ham and Manchester United did what Liverpool couldn't do last week, scoring a goal against the resilient Birmingham team.
Playing Wigan, Liverpool had a fair advantage in the statistic department. Wigan has never beaten, nor hold the top teams (being Liverpool, Arsenal, Man. United and Chelsea) in 16 straight games. Last season they were 4 goals down by halftime, so they did considerably well this time around to limit Liverpool to just one goal. Needless to say, it was a nervous game for the visiting team.
A lot has been said about Rafa Benitez rotation policy in recent weeks. Having 4 good strikers at his disposal, he selects the two that he redeems best suited for a particular game. That means leaving Fernando Torres on the bench in recent games.
Torres however, didn't go quietly. After being benched for two league games and only appearing as substitute to play the remaining 30 minutes, he was given the chance to shine in last week's League Cup game against Reading. And shine he did, scoring his first hat trick (and definitely not his last) for Liverpool. Voices everywhere, from football pundits to fans alike have been urging Rafa to play Torres in every single game. But Rafa remained adamant, the master tactician sticking to his policy that no one is assured of a place in the starting lineup.
Looking back in history, Liverpool is in need of a consistent striker to provide them the goals that have been hard in coming. The last consistent goal-scorer for Liverpool is playing for Newcastle United now, and eversince his departure in June 2004 to Real Madrid, Liverpool has been struggling to find a perfect replacement for the player dubbed as the one of the greatest player ever by some. Michael Owen consistently scored 15 goals and more (except in 1999/2000 season when he was out injured for a lengthy period of time), accumulating a massive 118 goals scored in the Premier League in 7 seasons.
His replacements, never did achieve what was expected of them, and with that, gone were the goals that were desperately needed to push Liverpool to the top of the table. Baros, Cisse, Morientes, Crouch and Bellamy, all failed to get past 10 goals a season. There were times when Liverpool relied heavily on their midfielders for the goals, namely in Gerrard, Garcia and Riise.
Last season, Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch combined to score 21 goals among them, and it looked to be a good partnership. Of course, with Rafa rotation policy, the consistency never materialized with Crouch often left on the bench and only came on as a late substitute.
Now, Fernando Torres has the making to be the next Owen (not in the sense of being injury-prone, but scoring consistently). Looking at his statistic when he was with Atletico Madrid, he scored an amazing 75 goals in 5 seasons in La Liga, and that itself is an impressive feat. He has the speed and the skills to shine for Liverpool, and so far, he is Liverpool's top scorer with 6 goals in 10 games. All he needs now, is to start and play regularly, to build his confidence and scoring consistently.
Rafa needs to play him as often as possible. He is no good warming up the bench. And maybe, just maybe, Rafa could just win that elusive league title and complete his collection of trophies. As John Dykes puts it, "He has the means to do so at his disposal. His name is Fernando Torres and he is the Special One"
Playing Wigan, Liverpool had a fair advantage in the statistic department. Wigan has never beaten, nor hold the top teams (being Liverpool, Arsenal, Man. United and Chelsea) in 16 straight games. Last season they were 4 goals down by halftime, so they did considerably well this time around to limit Liverpool to just one goal. Needless to say, it was a nervous game for the visiting team.
A lot has been said about Rafa Benitez rotation policy in recent weeks. Having 4 good strikers at his disposal, he selects the two that he redeems best suited for a particular game. That means leaving Fernando Torres on the bench in recent games.
Torres however, didn't go quietly. After being benched for two league games and only appearing as substitute to play the remaining 30 minutes, he was given the chance to shine in last week's League Cup game against Reading. And shine he did, scoring his first hat trick (and definitely not his last) for Liverpool. Voices everywhere, from football pundits to fans alike have been urging Rafa to play Torres in every single game. But Rafa remained adamant, the master tactician sticking to his policy that no one is assured of a place in the starting lineup.
Looking back in history, Liverpool is in need of a consistent striker to provide them the goals that have been hard in coming. The last consistent goal-scorer for Liverpool is playing for Newcastle United now, and eversince his departure in June 2004 to Real Madrid, Liverpool has been struggling to find a perfect replacement for the player dubbed as the one of the greatest player ever by some. Michael Owen consistently scored 15 goals and more (except in 1999/2000 season when he was out injured for a lengthy period of time), accumulating a massive 118 goals scored in the Premier League in 7 seasons.
His replacements, never did achieve what was expected of them, and with that, gone were the goals that were desperately needed to push Liverpool to the top of the table. Baros, Cisse, Morientes, Crouch and Bellamy, all failed to get past 10 goals a season. There were times when Liverpool relied heavily on their midfielders for the goals, namely in Gerrard, Garcia and Riise.
Last season, Dirk Kuyt and Peter Crouch combined to score 21 goals among them, and it looked to be a good partnership. Of course, with Rafa rotation policy, the consistency never materialized with Crouch often left on the bench and only came on as a late substitute.
Now, Fernando Torres has the making to be the next Owen (not in the sense of being injury-prone, but scoring consistently). Looking at his statistic when he was with Atletico Madrid, he scored an amazing 75 goals in 5 seasons in La Liga, and that itself is an impressive feat. He has the speed and the skills to shine for Liverpool, and so far, he is Liverpool's top scorer with 6 goals in 10 games. All he needs now, is to start and play regularly, to build his confidence and scoring consistently.
Rafa needs to play him as often as possible. He is no good warming up the bench. And maybe, just maybe, Rafa could just win that elusive league title and complete his collection of trophies. As John Dykes puts it, "He has the means to do so at his disposal. His name is Fernando Torres and he is the Special One"
Tuesday, August 21
The season upon us
It has started again. The mad Saturday and Sunday nights, one match after another, is back. It is something to look forward to, because eversince I can remember, there were never anything good on TV on Saturday night. Therefore, it is quite a relief for me when the footballers started playing again. At least I have better things to do than mopping at home thinking about black holes and the theory of relativity (okay, maybe I don't think about astro-physics, but my mind can really wander to the far corners of the galaxies).
And last Sunday, I finally had the chance to see my first EPL match. The big showdown between Liverpool and Chelsea. And it was a good to see Torres scored on his home debut. And a cracking goal too, I must say. What a finish! Kinda makes you feel that the 20mill plus pounds Liverpool parted for him is worth every penny. But of course it is still too early to judge.
Liverpool played well, controlling most of the possession, and created plenty of chances. Of course the finishing of Kuyt and Gerrard could have been better, they seemed to be hitting everywhere except the back of the net. And defensively, I think Carragher was rock solid at the back. Even Gerrard was ever-present doing his defensive duties.
The match was rather physical, with tackles flying everywhere, and tempers flared. I think 9 players were shown the yellow card. And just when I thought we would be getting our usual win against Chelsea, the referee decided to take matters into his own hands (or to be exact, his mouth).
He blew the whistle for an apparent dive by Florent 'Bloody' Malouda inside the box. And of course Steve 'I didn't do anything!' Finnan was furious. Heck! Everyone in a red shirt was livid! And up stepped Frank 'why am I keep missing penalties' Lampard, and he blasted the ball on the left side this time, which is right, as Jose 'how did Van Der Sar did it?' Reina dived the other way.
Liverpool worked hard to look for the winning goal, and when Kuyt kept firing blanks, and Torres disappearing into the shadows, Rafa brought in Peter 'Yeah! Less than 10mins and you put me in now!' Crouch, hoping that the lanky forward could be more accurate than Kuyt.
But of course, with Chelsea already settling for the draw, and packing up their defenses, it was all over. And so Liverpool dropped their first point in Anfield for the new season. But on a brighter note, Man. United lost to their City rival, thanks to Carlos 'I'm too good to score such an easy goal from a yard away' Tevez, and the other misfiring United players.
Of course it is still very early in the season. nothing much is certain yet.
But one thing for sure, Torres will score again, lots and lots of goals!
Anyway, looks like someone admitted that he made a big mistake. Scant consolation, I would say!
In the Daily Express:
Rob Styles has issued a grovelling apology to Rafa Benitez and will be banned from refereeing in the Premier League this weekend after being severely reprimanded for his handling of Liverpool's controversial draw with Chelsea.
The Daily Mail:
Premier League referee Rob Styles yesterday apologised for the Anfield penalty blunder which has resulted in him being dropped from next weekend's fixtures.
The Guardian:
Rob Styles will not referee in the Premier League this weekend and it could be up to a month before the official takes charge of a top-flight fixture again after he was sanctioned following his performance at Anfield on Sunday.
Daily Telegraph:
Referee Rob Styles was forced into a humiliating public climbdown yesterday as he apologised to Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez for wrongly awarding Chelsea a penalty at Anfield on Sunday.
And last Sunday, I finally had the chance to see my first EPL match. The big showdown between Liverpool and Chelsea. And it was a good to see Torres scored on his home debut. And a cracking goal too, I must say. What a finish! Kinda makes you feel that the 20mill plus pounds Liverpool parted for him is worth every penny. But of course it is still too early to judge.
Liverpool played well, controlling most of the possession, and created plenty of chances. Of course the finishing of Kuyt and Gerrard could have been better, they seemed to be hitting everywhere except the back of the net. And defensively, I think Carragher was rock solid at the back. Even Gerrard was ever-present doing his defensive duties.
The match was rather physical, with tackles flying everywhere, and tempers flared. I think 9 players were shown the yellow card. And just when I thought we would be getting our usual win against Chelsea, the referee decided to take matters into his own hands (or to be exact, his mouth).
He blew the whistle for an apparent dive by Florent 'Bloody' Malouda inside the box. And of course Steve 'I didn't do anything!' Finnan was furious. Heck! Everyone in a red shirt was livid! And up stepped Frank 'why am I keep missing penalties' Lampard, and he blasted the ball on the left side this time, which is right, as Jose 'how did Van Der Sar did it?' Reina dived the other way.
Liverpool worked hard to look for the winning goal, and when Kuyt kept firing blanks, and Torres disappearing into the shadows, Rafa brought in Peter 'Yeah! Less than 10mins and you put me in now!' Crouch, hoping that the lanky forward could be more accurate than Kuyt.
But of course, with Chelsea already settling for the draw, and packing up their defenses, it was all over. And so Liverpool dropped their first point in Anfield for the new season. But on a brighter note, Man. United lost to their City rival, thanks to Carlos 'I'm too good to score such an easy goal from a yard away' Tevez, and the other misfiring United players.
Of course it is still very early in the season. nothing much is certain yet.
But one thing for sure, Torres will score again, lots and lots of goals!
Anyway, looks like someone admitted that he made a big mistake. Scant consolation, I would say!
In the Daily Express:
Rob Styles has issued a grovelling apology to Rafa Benitez and will be banned from refereeing in the Premier League this weekend after being severely reprimanded for his handling of Liverpool's controversial draw with Chelsea.
The Daily Mail:
Premier League referee Rob Styles yesterday apologised for the Anfield penalty blunder which has resulted in him being dropped from next weekend's fixtures.
The Guardian:
Rob Styles will not referee in the Premier League this weekend and it could be up to a month before the official takes charge of a top-flight fixture again after he was sanctioned following his performance at Anfield on Sunday.
Daily Telegraph:
Referee Rob Styles was forced into a humiliating public climbdown yesterday as he apologised to Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez for wrongly awarding Chelsea a penalty at Anfield on Sunday.
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