Late rain check for Reds – again!

Liverpool 1
Benayoun 43

Fiorentina 2
Jorgensen 63, Gilardino 90

Before this game started many were suggesting that it might be watershed of our season. The return of Torres, albeit to the substitutes bench, and the long awaited start of Alberto Aquilani probably meant that against Arsenal on Sunday Rafa might be able to field something approaching a full strength team. We also said goodbye the Champions League last night and would this hail the start of a new part of the season? Hopefully seeing a move on to better things?

Of course there were others who preferred to see the negative side even suggesting that if we didn’t perform tonight then patience in Rafa would finally snap? That expectation in Aquilani has been overblown because he’s been out so long. Link this together with a form and unfairly the Italian is been seen by many as some kind of saviour.

So what of last night? Well nothing should be read into it. The game was a dead rubber, a meaningless match not exactly going through the motions but certainly not busting a gut to impress. Equally no one should expect Aquilani to hit the ground running, he needs to ease himself in gently and I guess this game gave him the ideal opportunity? However, another defeat and to another late goal might not, given the group circumstances, be a cause for concern but it’s certainly one for frustration and neatly and sadly sums up our performance in the group? If only games last 88 minutes we’d be through!

The fall guy for Aquilani was Lucas meaning that Rafa’s side had a more positive look to it. Darby was given a run out at full back Reina and Carragher were given a rest while Dossena was drafted for the first time since decimalisation!

The first significant move of the half came from Fiorentina via De Silvestri’s header from a set piece this time a corner, some things never change, Calvari, in for Reina, did well to turn it over. Straight after The Brazilian was busy again diving deep at his right hand post to parry away Montolivo’s low shot. Aquilani had a quiet but sound first half the only error being giving the ball way via a reckless back heel which eventually lead to a fruitless Fiorentina penalty appeal. With the first half approaching its end we hadn’t even had a chance. However that was son to change

Pasqual bundled Gerrard over on the edge of the area. Gerrard sent the free kick over Benayoun running unmarked across the edge of the six yard got a flick that was good enough to evade Frey. A goal slightly against the run of play as Fiorentina had more chances but shortly after they made us apy and finally cashed in as Jorgensen evaded Darby to fire home.

Rafa’s response was to introduce Torres and shortly afterwards withdrew Aquilani who will feel better for this game although he expect more pace and aggression (even though it’s Arsenal!) on Sunday. Pacheco his replacement nearly scored with the first touch. However, although the equaliser perked the game up it was Italians who were galvanised as we conceded late again. This time Vargas outstripped Darby and crossed for Gilardino.

Those wondering if defeat was to see the crowd turn on Rafa were answered with a rousing rendition of “You’ll Never walk Alone” however the outcome and the nature of the defeat although irrelevant was as dampening to the spirits as the rain that lashed down at the end of the game.

Liverpool: Cavalieri, Agger, Insua, Darby, Skrtel, Dossena, Aquilani (Pacheco 76), Gerrard, Benayoun, Mascherano (Aurelio 86), Kuyt (Torres 65), Substitutes: Reina, Aurelio, Kyrgiakos, Carragher, Spearing, Torres, Pacheco

Fiorentina: Frey, Kroldrup, Natali, Pasqual, Comotto, De Silvestri (Castillo 83), Donadel, Montolivo, Jorgensen (Vargas 71), Santana (Marchionni 71), Gilardino Substitutes: Avramov, Seculin, Vargas, Aya, Federico Carraro, Castillo, Marchionni

Att: 40,863

Fiorentina – a dead rubber but not a total wipe out?

This is a game I wasn’t really looking forward to. The obligational “complete the group stage fixture list” game against Fiorentina. We’ve nothing to play for? The format of the Champions League competition means that games like this will be thrown up every so often, mainly in the later stages of the group section. Thankfully we’ve not been involved in too many and when we have we’ve already secured qualification.

It was even more galling as on Monday I attended something with work which was held in a corporate box at Stamford Bridge. It was a tad on the dull side so I spent most of the afternoon staring out onto the pitch watching the Chelsea groundsman taking down the normal pitch perimeter hoardings and replacing them with ones sporting the Champions League logo and sponsors. No doubt they were doing the same at Anfield but for the last time, until next season at least! And then to make matters worse the next evening Michael Owen got a hat trick for the Mancs!

Nonetheless there is some interest in this game not least because we should, if the reports are true, see the first start of Alberto Aquilani. Whether or not he will play the full ninety minutes remains to be seen I suspect Rafa will hook him after 60 or 80 minutes however that will be considerably longer than he’s played so far and further sign that he will be able to play normally very soon. Reports in the papers suggested that Aquilani’s father thinks he has been fully fit for some time and his son is annoyed about being kept in cotton wool.

“Alberto’s available to play and has been for more than a month. He feels good and the injury has cleared up, and now the only way he can get truly fit is to play more and more minutes. He is desperate to get his career in England up and running. He has been very frustrated, first at being injured, then at not being chosen to play for so long…… I don’t know the reasons why Benítez has chosen not to play him since he came back for injury.”

I don’t know what Aquilani senior is trying to achieve via this but it doesn’t really help matters. Perhaps it’s linked to his post as a paramedic at Roma, his former club. However he did suggest that off the field Aquilani has settled in well which will surely help him when he finally gets to play?

It’s ironic that Aquilani’s first start will be against Italian opposition and one wonders what side Rafa will field. With nothing at stake for us perhaps Rafa will opt for reserves and youth however, with Arsenal looming on Sunday he’ll also want to give Aquilani and Torres, even if he starts on the bench, a run out before this game?

“Some players will need to play and others we have to manage. We will analyse tomorrow morning after the training session and decide the team…We will play with some players who haven’t played too many games in the last few weeks.”

Read into that what you will! Prediction. It is difficult to call as both side’s attitude might be affected by the circumstances but clearly we will want to sign off with a win and I take us to do that. 3-1.

A Boring Blackburn Blank

Blackburn Rovers 0

Liverpool 0

What is it about 0-0 draws?

If you followed Liverpool in their pomp you should be used to us venturing out to some far flung European outpost and nullifying the opposition before bringing them back to Anfield and finishing them off. However, in the league it just doesn’t cut the mustard!

The fact that this is our third consecutive clean sheet and sixth game unbeaten still doesn’t act as a consolation. We needed to win this one and I guess it will be seen as two points dropped because of the “catch up” we need to play? Rafa summed up the mixed emotions

“I’m disappointed because we couldn’t win but positive because we kept another clean sheet and we’re playing better. The team is doing well and we will have chances if we continue playing at this level.”

Again there was no Torres as we suspected before the game and Aquilani still remains superglued to the bench. Rafa suggested that both might play in the dead Champions League rubber this week. From lauding Rafa’s patience over Aquilani I’m slowly beginning to think he is bordering on over caution. It’s almost as if he doesn’t want to play him for fear he’ll get injured or damaged again. A bit like keeping a vintage car in the garage for show but never driving it?

On Saturday we could have done with a bit of extra creativity to liven up what in all honesty was a very, very drab game. If Sam Allardyce wanted an easy, stress free time after his heart operation then he got it. Indeed Blackburn’s fans would have probably forgiven him if he dozed off such was the lack of action in the first half, that’s assuming that they hadn’t fallen into the arms of Morpheus themselves? Never has Christmas shopping seemed so attractive? No, I take it back, it wasn’t that bad!

The highlights were few and far between as caution (and nervousness?) snuffed out any notion of entertainment. A header from Samba straight to Reina that might as well have been a back pass and a Gerrard effort that trickled wide of Robinson after a semi decent build up were worth noting. In an ordinary game these moves would not have got a mention but so meagre was the action everyone was scrabbling for something to say!

The second half improved, it had to. Gerrard had what he thought to be a semi decent penalty claim turned down after clash with Nzonzi. Later Glen Johnson produced a great run holding off at least three Blackburn players. His cross produced a gilt edged chance for Ngog however he failed to get a boot on it as the ball bobbled and he ended up shinning it against the bar. Samba, without knowing too much about it, blacked Kuyt’s follow up effort.

And that was it. Hardly a memorable five hundredth appearance for Gerrard. Time to move quickly on and, as Rafa always seems to say, think the next game and leave Blackburn’s groundsman to remove the tumbleweed from the pitch!

Blackburn: Robinson, Samba, Givet, Nelsen, Chimbonda, Emerton, Grella, Nzonzi, Diouf, (Hoilett 72), McCarthy (Kalinic 77), Di Santo (Andrews 85)
Substitutes: Brown, Salgado, Pedersen, Andrews, Roberts, Kalinic, Hoilett

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Agger, Insua, Carragher, Gerrard, Riera (Ngog 52), Benayoun (El Zhar 72), Mascherano, Lucas, Kuyt
Substitutes: Cavalieri, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Dossena, Aquilani, Ngog, El Zhar
Att: 29,660

Blackburn and Gerrard’s five double zero!

So England now know their opponents in the World Cup. Nothing to be too worried about which should increase the false hopes and therefore the number of articles about them winning it?

Back to the real world and off to Ewood Park today in the hope that we can build on Sunday’s derby win. Despite the victory it wasn’t exactly conclusive proof that we have turned a corner. I still feel a lot more needs to be done before we were seriously back on track.

However before looking at the game, a word about Steven Gerrard who plays his five hundredth game for the club today. I say “a word” but what can you say about the man that hasn’t already been said? Liverpool is often held up as an example of a club containing too many overseas players but Gerrard and Carragher are both local boys, have both come through the ranks and both are key players.

Gerrard was linked with Chelsea on more than one occasion however he’s now been with us for eleven years. At 29 years old you’d think that he might want to try his luck elsewhere, may be abroad just for the experience if nothing else however, he is showing no signs of that and even if he were to go like Fowler, Owen (despite who he plays for now) and Rush it would be difficult to imagine him in anything other than a red shirt. If anyone was doubting Gerrard’s commitment one only had to look at the on pitch pre match pep talk he gave the players before last Sunday’s game.

“Around the time I made my debut my dad was always saying to me ‘you are so close to getting your chance’. I was just praying that chance came along… That was against Blackburn and now 500 games later I’ll be starting as captain against them this weekend. I’ve had an amazing career so far and hopefully it will continue to go the same way. I’m living the dream.”

Because of all the talk about players underperforming and or new signings it’s sometimes easy to take Gerrard for granted. However he should see that as back handed complement no one seems to talk about him because he is consistently good? He is a hero to a new generation of Liverpool fans just as Dalglish or Keegan was for those before them. Refreshingly he doesn’t really act or preen play the premadonna like many of his contempories. He is, along with the fans, one of the heartbeats of the club. Here’s too many more games.

To today’s match and it looks like the mid week news that Torres could be fit was false with Rafa preferring to give him another seven days. Blackburn were involved in a long Carling Cup tie against Chelsea whilst we were putting our feet up. Will it tell? Perhaps not as Blackburn won and must be buoyed by getting through to the semi finals? Whatever the case this is clearly a game we can’t afford to lose. Last week was good for us as all the teams around us either drew or lost and we now find ourselves just two points off a Champions League spot although many would have us believe it’s more than that from the way they talking about our prospects!

Prediction? It’s made for a Steven Gerrard goal and I take him to deliver in a 2-1 win. Enjoy the game.

Derby deliverance a turning point for Reds or just papering over the cracks?

Liverpool fans were happier than they have been for some time on Monday morning. However, not surprisingly many of the papers saw things differently preferring to concentrate on the fact that Everton let us off the hook or that we were lucky. The Times set the tone.

“Disjointed, bereft of confidence and, arguably most importantly, without Fernando Torres, the only genuine front-running outlet on their books, Liverpool were second best for long spells …… Rarely can the derby-day bragging rights have been taken with so little to brag about.”

In the Guardian David Moyes was equally as magnanimous…

“Until they made it 2-0 I can’t remember them having a single other chance, apart from one header in the first half….. I don’t know how many times Liverpool had been in our half before the first goal but it wasn’t many.”

And on it went, only Rafa seemed to think our win might be worth something…

“Derbies are always difficult and important and to win could be a boost for the rest of the season. We are higher in the table now and we will see if we can keep winning. This could be a turning point.”

Rather than speculate or hope that we have turned a corner it is of course up to Rafa and his team to ensure that this is the case. Despite the win one can’t help still feel worried about the performance. Everton dominated for long periods but in fairness they were the home team so were expected to attack? Perhaps because of this we defended and allowed them too much of the ball and were content to let them on to us? Although Everton had plenty of possession a lot of their moves did break down in the final third. Was this down to their lack of imagination, they used the long ball a lot, or a sign that we are slowly beginning to find our defensive footing? There were exceptions to this most notably Reina’s double save from Cahill and Fellini. Rafa was 100% correct to complement his keeper after the game. Indeed it is a complement that should have been paid a lot earlier. I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s baled out his back four with some last gasp stops.

“Today Pepe showed he is a world class goalkeeper. We had to defend a lot of throw-ins, free-kicks and corners against a team that is good in the air, and that is not easy. It was not only his saves but the way he helped his defenders, too. When we signed Reina we knew he was a good goalkeeper but he is learning and improving all the time. For me, he is one of the best keepers in the world and he showed that again today.”

The rest of the defence remains a mystery, a cause of optimism occasionally but mainly one for concern. We’ve now kept two consecutive clean sheets and credit where credit is due Everton, despite their possession, could not punch a hole through us and suffered only their second home league defeat since being mauled by Arsenal on the opening day? All the same one wonders about the defence. Good chances were created by the opposition in Budapest and at Goodison but was it more to do with the paucity of Debrecen’s and Everton’s finishing than our tight man marking that we didn’t concede?

So what has changed? The line up isn’t much difference from last seasons where on the whole we defended well. Injuries have made their mark and as a result Sami Hyypia’s experienced back up has been sorely missed. Insua is still learning and Kyrgiakos, despite his experience, appears to be having difficulties acquainting himself with the rough and tumble of Premiership. Skrtel appears to have gone backwards since his injury and Agger is still striving for consistency after a long lay off. Even Jamie C has had the odd lapse although he was immense on Sunday.

One wonders if we are indulging Glen Johnson’s penchant for going forward too much. Although Johnson has proved very effective and added a new dimension to our attack, has the knock on effect been too much and upset the balance at the back? It might also spread to midfield, our line up on Sunday was very defensive. Bedsides the back four we had Lucas, Mascherano and Aurelio. None of these players are particularly well known for their attacking creativity which perhaps explains our lack of chances? Aquilani would have provided this, although we’ve only got reputation to go on at present? Sadly Rafa still prefers to keep him back like an expensive wine someone is saving for a special occasion! He occasionally takes it down from the rack looks at for a few minutes (or 21 – the length of time he’s played for us so far) and puts it back into long term storage! Time to crack open the bottle Rafa?

The widespread theory is that this season Rafa is scarifying defensive cover it favour of a more offensive Liverpool. However, that is no good if the balance of the team is upset and goals scored at one end are netted off or exceeded by those conceded at the other? The back four has had problems right from the start of the season so surely it is time to get back to good old fashioned basics with the defence concentrating on what it should do, rather than bombing forward, until the problem is resolved. Hopefully a back four that is actually a back four will mean that one of the more defensive midfielders can be scarified (sorry Lucas) for a creative force (Aquilani)?

Many thought the Mancs win was a turning point for us but this proved to be a false dawn. Will the Everton victory provide it? It might but perhaps there is more work to do with the side, all the way through, rather than just idly hoping that after Sunday things will automatically fall into place?

Reds ride their luck or do they?

Everton 0

Liverpool 2
Yobo (own goal) 12, Kuyt 80

When people talk about luck they enter a subjective world. Take Liverpool FC for example. Many will put our recent poor form down to bad luck with injuries others, whilst not denying that it has played a part, will say it runs deeper than that. I guess it depends on your own agenda, luck is always open to interpretation.

Yesterday was a case in point. We got a welcome win that many will say was not without good fortune. But was this due to some of the things that fell our way and some of the things Everton didn’t take advantage of? Is luck earned or does it just fall your way randomly? Does it even itself out? Whatever the case it was our turn today. However, the win shouldn’t be allowed to hide the problems that we still have, I hate to say it but Everton bossed us for long periods of the game but it shouldn’t stop us from taking some much needed credit for having the fortitude and character to keep them at bay and then make the most of the opportunities that came our way?

Rafa started with the same side that faced Debrecen which meant no Torres. Once more the increasingly mythical and elusive Aquilani was kept back which will prompt many to ask how long do we have to wait for him to play? If he is on the bench then surely he is fit? Over to you Rafa!

The first ten minutes were uneventful as both sides struggled for a foothold. Then we were dealt the first card of fortune. We slowly worked the ball across midfield from right to left, Aurelio found Insua who passed to Mascherano who was about thirty yards out. His right foot shot was heading wide past Howards’ right hand post but it took a deflection off Yobo and found home in the opposite corner. Mascherano went ballistic at what he thought was his goal but the dubious goals panel might think otherwise. However, who can the begrudge him this moment and it should not deflect (no pun intended) from the fact that it’s a sign of his improved form which coincidently seems to have emerged since Argentina qualified for the World Cup?

Insua nearly made things very difficult for the home team with a good header form Lucas’ cross however Everton stepped it up. Perhaps a team going through a less tortuous time might have made more their chances or were we just lucky or may be they were unlucky or just poor where it counts, in front of goal? Bilyaletdinov missed a gapping open goal at the far post after a throw in had been “head passed” across our area. Jo was also heavily involved in Everton’s attempts to equalise, he had a decent chance and two that were correctly disallowed. The second again underlined our vulnerability from set pieces as Everton created the chance from the corner in crowded area. In the second half Cahill, and then Fellaini from the rebound, produced two vital point blank saves from Reina who showed why, given all our dubious defensive form, he has been a such a valuable player for us, without him this season it could have been so much worse.

Perhaps it was going to be our day after all? Everton kept the pressure up however, the longer the game went on without a blue goal the more one felt the luck would turn our way. Sure enough with around ten minutes to go Gerrard seized on Yobo’s miskick and found Riena whose shot, after being saved by Howard, rebounded to a well positioned Kuyt to make it safe.

Does that mean we are lucky or is that Everton couldn’t make the most their chances? Should we have expected pressure from the home side and, as a result, did well to keep them at bay? As I said at the top of this piece it’s all subjective. The win should not be allowed to hide our faults but for now I’ll just be happy with the three points thank you very much, its been a long time!

Liverpool: Reina, Insua, Agger, Carragher, Johnson, Aurelio, Mascherano, Leiva, Kuyt, Gerrard , Ngog. Subs – Cavalieri, Aquilani, Riera, Benayoun, Kyrgiakos, El Zhar, Skrtel

Everton: Howard, Baines, Yobo, Distin, Hibbert, Bilyaletdinov, Heitinga, Cahill (captain), Pienaar, Fellaini, . Subs – Nash, Saha, Gosling, , Neill, Coleman, Baxter

Att: 39,652

Everton – derby day deliberations

Its strange how “stock phrases” in the media suddenly take a hold.

For the past few years there’s been a rather annoying trend to link words together that begin with the same letter to describe a team or situation. Gary Lineker immediately springs to mind as man exponent of this “art”. I paraphrase but are told about “battling Bolton” when they face the drop, “bullish Burnley” because they are supposedly punching above their weight in the Premiership or “Wayward Wigan” because they’ve shipped nine goals. You know what I mean there are stack of examples.

Now the new “in word” in media papers to “beleaguered”. Liverpool, since their exit from the Champions League, are “beleaguered”. Rafa is “beleaguered” as he is under pressure. It was only a matter of time before someone linked up the two and sure enough on Five Live’s match build up it happened when Gary Megson’s was smugly described as “Bolton’s beleaguered boss”. God save us all!

So to today’s match and it’s nice to see that we are now part of Sky’s Super Sunday again. I don’t think we featured on the last one. However, despite our bad form, and for that matter Everton’s, we are part of the bill. Admittedly we are on first which many will smugly see as symptomatic of our recent form. Yes here we are opening the bill as a prelude to the main act of the afternoon (cue drum roll) Arsenal and Chelsea. Yes sir, yes Sir we know our place shall we tug our forelocks a bit more? However, in all honesty which is the bigger game? Says Rafa

“I don’t think there is a bigger local derby in England. It’s a fantastic game for everyone involved and I haven’t seen anything like it at this level. You can see the passion in all the people and that’s good for the atmosphere and the football.”

Will we see the same amount of passion displayed at the Emirates?

Everton and Liverpool go into this game with a fair bit in common other than coming from the same city of course! Both are going through trying times re their league form. Everton have won one in ten and, if the newspaper reports are to be believed, we haven’t won in the league since Henry VIII was king! Both teams have major injury problems and both now play in the Europa League! Both Managers are under pressure at the moment but are too good to sacked.

Both also have stadium issues. We are told that one will be built for us but sod all appears to happening and Everton have just had an application for a new one rejected. This of course resurrects the old issue of the shared ground. The initial reaction is no way and I don’t think it will happen. However thinking about it logically I guess there are plus points particularly in these troubled times. A shared stadium means half the construction costs and half the running costs however more tellingly less control for the owners? Any erosion of identity might be offset by the City having a top class arena that everyone can be proud of. Of course there are examples of shared grounds but none in this conutry. Perhaps it just needs someone to make that first step but not in Liverpool it would seem?

To the match and I guess today is the first day of the rest our season! All the naval gazing that’s gone on this week and in the run up our elimination from the Champions League needs to stop. We need to concentrate on getting the win, the fact that it’s against Everton is irrelevant. Hopefully now that our European fate has been decided the pressure might be off and any fears or hang ups the team had can disappear. Sadly the injuries are still there. Torres looks unlikely to start and Babel and Riera still aren’t ready.

Prediction? In derby games they say that form often goes out the window however, we haven’t lost against Everton in the league since 2006. I think it’s ours for the taking and we are also due some luck. Hopefully this will get things moving again and we can kick on. 2-0. I’ll leave the final words with Rafa.

“I feel 100 per cent like a Scouser. It’s a special feeling around this game because for the weeks around the game you have a lot of people happy and a lot of people unhappy. You have to approach the game knowing it’s very important. We (me and my family) know some Evertonians – not too many but some. Everyone is waiting to see what will happen.”

Aren’t we all? Enjoy the game.

Premature speculation and is the UEFA Cup that bad?

So the reality of this season’s poor start has finally hit home. We are out of the Champions League partly though poor play, partly through bad luck and mainly through an appalling catalogue of injuries. Ultimately we only have ourselves to blame still at least we will avoid playing Chelsea again!

I find the articles and discussions concerning our plight premature. In terms of budget the difference between going out at the group stage and the knock out stage is not too great and it certainly isn’t going to throw us into financial ruin. The real problem might be next year, in terms in finances and attracting and keeping players, if we fail to qualify for the 2010-11 tournament. However, if we are assuming guaranteed Champions League income every year, as part of their financial projections, then those responsible want their heads examining?

In terms of everything else what has really changed? Even if we qualified the same problems would still be there? Our wonderful owners and their unconvincing attempts to steer us into a bright new shiny future remain. Will our exit dampen our appeal to prospective investors? I doubt it. Perhaps it might have the opposite effect or may be they will wait to see if we qualify for 2010-11? Perhaps no qualification might loosen Hicks and Gillett’s resolve?

Talk about Rafa’s future should be just that and it was gratifying that Christian Purslow was keen to emphasise this immediately after the game. No doubt the anti Rafa brigade will gain some new recruits after last night however, there is still a tremendous amount of goodwill for him tempered by a reluctance to sink the level of some clubs by not seeing the wider, longer term picture and wielding the axe at the first sign of misfortune. Hicks and Gillett are aware of this, and will not act for fear of making themselves more unpopular. There are also the potentially expensive issues of Rafa’s severance pay and recruiting his successor.

So we move on and it’s the UEFA Cup, I’m not going to call it the Europa League as why should I acknowledge UEFA for its attempts to tart up what is after all it is a competition with a rich history. Besides changing a name won’t make it any more appealing will it? However, there is no escaping the fact that, like our own domestic Carling Cup, the UEFA Cup’s reputation seems to have taken one hell of an almighty clout has the Champions League has spread it’s tentacles cross the continent.

The regard, or disregard, in which the competition is held was seen only last season when Martin O’Neill, like some latter day Napoleon, lead an under strength Aston Villa to brave the Russian winter and surrendered their campaign as result. In same season Harry Redknapp fielded a weakened Spurs side and, as a result, basically chucked it. Perhaps Redknapp had more reason to do this as Spurs, after being bottom of the table, needed to consolidate their league position? However, it was good opportunity to win some silver. Why do clubs limit their options in this way? Why in particular should they feel the need to regard the UEFA Cup like it is some unsightly dog turd fouling up the golden road to Champions League glory especially as for many it is a road they never get to travel on?

For many it is a question of comparison. They see the UEFA Cup as a come down from the Champions League yet why should they? For the last five years the Champions League has been an exclusive club for the English. Only the big four have featured whereas many clubs have taken part in the UEFA Cup. Surely therefore it is a more realistic target, an important stepping stone to breaking into the Champions League? For us it may be the reverse. many will see it as a sign that we are the wane and that someone such as Spurs or Manchester City might replace us? However, it is not the disaster it is made out to be. I recall the Mancs being eliminated a few seasons back at the group stages and I think, at the time of writing anyway, they are still in reasonable health even though they finished bottom of their group and didn’t even qualify for the UEFA Cup!

The competition also provides us with a decent choice of opportunities. Rafa can blood more youngsters there seem to be enough games to enable him to do so – we go into the last 32 knock out stages? However, if he has the mind he may also seek to try and actually win the dam thing, and secure the clubs fourth record breaking UEFA Cup title. Rafa isn’t exactly unfamiliar with the competition, he won it with Valencia in 2003-04 and we could actually do with winning some silverware. Nothing since the FA Cup 2006.

Of course it is arrogant and extremely presumptuous to assume that we will drop down from our lofty Champions League perch and sweep all before us. In this season’s competition are, amongst others, Ajax, Anderlecht, Valencia, Hamburg, Sporting Lisbon, Roma, Galatasaray, Villarreal, Fenerbahce, Benfica, PSV Eindhoven and Werder Bremen. No cake walks there me thinks. However, if we get back to full strength, as we surely will at some stage sometime, then our chances will be pretty good?

The Champions League may carry more financial clout however but why should we regard the UEFA Cup is inferior? There is too much snobbery and misplaced expectation in the game at the moment. The Champions League is not the be all and end all of everything. It’s only 16 or so games. These days football clubs seem to prioritise their matches according to the amount of financial gain a competition brings but why should the fans? It is a good thing to have a reality check occasionally and yes, thank you very much, I’ll gladly take the UEFA Cup, as our eighth European trophy, and the honour of becoming the competitions record winners to boot!

English clubs have a long and proud tradition in the UEFA Cup, and the Fairs Cup as it was known before. For example the UEFA Cup was our first European trophy win. That final against Borussia Mönchengladbach was a proud moment for the club. It was appropriately secured under Bill Shankly after series of long fruitless campaigns in Europe (remember the Milan referee fix?). It was key milestone in the clubs development the experience gained by the squad in that competition stood us in great stead for the European Cup wins a few years later.

This season marks the 50th anniversary of Shankly’s arrival at Anfield so there will be no shame or embarrassment if we attempt to repeat the ground breaking feat he and his team achieved in 1973? In fact it will be a fitting tribute.

Reds win but ultimately lose out!

Debrecen 0

Liverpool 1
Ngog 4

So that’s it, out. No complaints we’ve had enough chances to sort it out and have failed. We’ve had all sorts of problems this season and this is the first time they have manifested themselves into something tangible – elimination for the Champions League.

Until last night I guess most might have expected us to turn it around as we have done in the past. However, not on this occasion time to take the medicine and have a reality check and I suspect, such is the way of media these days, read our premature obituaries. Sky, in their Champions League goals round up, laughably started this off before the players had even showered and changed!

In the first game against Debrecen at Anfield we took a long time to break them down however, no such problems this time. A short corner on the right worked between Aurelio and Gerrard found its way to Carragher at the back post who knocked it across the six yard area. Ngog bundled it over the line with outside of his foot via sort of mid air kung-fu kick that only just managed to connect with the ball and cross the line after hitting keeper and the post.

An excellent start but one which we didn’t really take advantage of. The Hungarians regrouped and settled and although we had most of the possession and some good opportunities, two from Ngog spring to mind, the momentum was lost. Meanwhile in Florence Fiorentina were hitting the post twice, before Sissoko updated Marchionni to concede a penalty which Vargas converted. Slowly the depressing story was beginning to reveal itself.

The second half continued in the same vain. Perhaps we were flattened as the half time news from Florence was imparted? However, commendably we pressed forward, had a penalty appeal turned down, put in some decent crosses only to find no one on the end of them. Then we woke up. Gerrard was put through via excellent pass from Lucas but his effort was blocked. Gerrard was again denied a few minutes later by the keeper as we swarmed forward. Lucas on the hour missed another easy header, his second in two games. Kuyt then blazed over when a cross was the probably the better option and Gerrard did the same after great run by Agger. Mascherano bought out a routine save with a low grass cutter from distance and then Gerrard produced a weak attempt the chip the keeper.

All this was very well however, there was always the risk that we would be hit by a sucker punch. Debrecan had a couple of dubious penalty claims turned down. Then Reina did well to palm over a Coulibaly shot cum cross. Before that Rudolf had a couple of good chances to make us pay for our wastefulness in front of goal and embarrassment was narrowly avoided right at the end when Coulibaly fluffed a great chance just before the whistle went.

We then had a five minute wait for proceedings to close in Florence. Lyon had pressed into the second half however they didn’t deliver and in all honesty why should we expect them to? Although we did our job on the night it was too late, sadly and frustratingly the damage had been done elsewhere?

Debrecen: Poleksic, Bodnar, Meszaros, Fodor (Dombi 78), Mijadinoski, Szelesi, Kiss, Szakaly (Coulibaly 62), Czvitkovics, Laczko, Rudolf
Subs: Pantic, Komlosi, Ramos, Dombi, Bernath, Varga, Coulibaly

Liverpool: Reina , Johnson , Agger, Insua, Carragher, Gerrard (Aquilani 90+2), Aurelio (Dossena 89), Kuyt, Mascherano, Lucas, Ngog (Benayoun 77)
Subs: Cavalieri, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Dossena, Aquilani, Benayoun, Spearing

Att 41,500

On the Champions League brink.

If there is one thing that really sticks in my craw it is Sky TV’s insistence in trying to reinvent the past!

The first league title was won in 1888 by Preston North End. Not so in Sky’s book however, that honour goes to Manchester United in 1993. Anything before this date seems to have been wiped from Sky’s memory in some kind of Stalinist denial of history! So it seems that Jermain Defoe’s five goals was only equalled by Andy Cole, Alan Shearer and our own God (against Arsenal) because they were in Premiership matches. No mention for example of Ian Rush’s five goals for us against Luton in the eighties. Moreover in the light of Wigan’s thrashing, we are told about The Mancs beating Ipswich by nine and Newcastle beating Sheffield Wednesday by eight. Both matches were Premiership matches but what about our 9-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace in 1989-90? Nope it wasn’t in the Premiership so for Sky it doesn’t seem to count!

This isn’t sour grapes about us not getting recognition it’s a gripe about Sky’s agenda. It is as if the Premiership is when football in this country really began? Anything that preceded it is merely a childish kick around before being called into the house for tea?

However, at the moment this should not be an issue to Liverpool fans. The major concern is Champions League survival. Many said Saturday’s game against Manchester City was “make or break” however, there are still plenty of games to go in the league anything can happen he suggested optimistically! However, tonight is different, a win tonight against Decrecen will be welcome however there is no guarantee that it will save our bacon. If Fiorentina triumph over Lyon, the UEFA Cup (I’ll refrain from using the phrase Europa League) will beckon along with a seemingly endless series of Thursday night games and Sunday Premiership games!

So the task is clear and simple. Nothing other than a win will do and then we hope. On paper this looks achievable, Debrecan have lost all their group games however, this ignores the pressure the team will find themselves under and the absence of Torres’ firepower. Although Debrecan have always ended up losing they have scored goals most noticeably three and two against Fiorentina on the last two match days. Although many see them as the group’s whipping boys they cannot, and must not, be taken lightly.

Team wise there isn’t a great deal to be happy about in short it’s same old story – injuries. After Saturday Ryan Babel is not available although Agger who got a “bump” (five stitches and his general demeanour as he was helped off the pitch suggests to me something considerably more serious than that) and Johnson travel. Ordinarily one would be confident. Steven Gerrard said

“The mood in the camp is really good, although we know our position in the table isn’t good enough. But we have faith in our ability. We know we can put things right.”

An early goal will settle nerves but may be Rafa, as he did in Lyon, will opt for a gradual build up. If we play like we did in France I don’t think anyone can have any complaints or worries however, annoyingly, our result will not be the only issue. 2-0