The Red Cauldron

Worrying Words From Xabi; Chelsea Join Johnson Hunt

2009-06-22T22:07:00.001+08:00

By Gareth Freeman

The transfer window hasn’t been as exciting as it could have been from a Liverpool perspective so far. The financial troubles of the owners seem to have curtailed the Reds’ ability to spend big in the transfer market and top-target David Villa seems determined to stay in Spain.

The upside of that is he won’t be going to Manchester United or Chelsea either but it would have been quality to see him lining up alongside Fernando Torres at club level.

The key thing for Rafael Benitez is to keep his existing squad in tact and add a few quality players. Liverpool looked at times last season like champions and one man who was instrumental in this was Xabi Alonso. For me he is as important to the side as anyone, including Steven Gerrard and Torres, but he has made some worrying noises concerning his Liverpool future.

"Would you be disappointed if you end up having to stay at Liverpool next season?" he was asked while on international duty with Spain at the Confederations Cup.

"I can't answer that question," was Alonso’s reply.

I really don’t know how to interpret this other than that he doesn’t want to stay, I just hope I’ve got the wrong end of the stick!

Despite the financial worries of Tom Hicks and George Gillet Rafa has still managed to table a bid of £18million for Portsmouth and Englnd right-back Glen Johnson. Chelsea have matched that bid but Johnson was let go by the Stamford Bridge side earlier in his career so it remains to be seen whether he would go back.

The move for Johnson is intriguing in itself, whether or not he decides to join. He can also play in midfield and is very much one of the marauding full-backs who likes to join in with the attack as often as possible. Out of all the ‘top four’ teams I would argue that Rafa perhaps has the most defensive attitude when it comes to full-backs and the move for Johnson may suggest a planned change in tactics.

If Alonso leaves and Johnson does opt for Chelsea it would certainly be a blow but not a massive disaster. Granted Alonso is a top quality midfielder but if Real Madrid is indeed his chosen destination Liverpool should get an excellent price for him and invest that in another top player.

In terms of Real Madrid they’re apparently willing to let the Dutch trio of Rafael Van der Vart, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben leave, all three of which could add something to the Liverpool side and would be decent acquisitions in exchange for Alonso (plus cash of course!). If Johnson makes the switch to Chelsea Rafa will probably find another attacking full-back and he is by no means the only (or even best, in my opinion anyway) option.

Even though the season is still some time away it is sometimes a good idea to check out what other people are thinking in terms of the league title. The bookies currently have Liverpool as third favorites with their Premier League betting odds and the Reds are currently priced at 4.3 (100/30), Chelsea are second at 3.6 (13/5) and Man United are favourites at 2.96 (2/1) so there isn’t a lot of difference between the three sides in terms of odds.

I wouldn’t go betting on the winner of the Premier League myself just yet, it is far too early, and if you’re planning on having a flutter I would wait until the majority of the transfer activity has been concluded.

Stevie G as James Bond?

2009-06-01T00:10:00.003+08:00

This is juicy stuff! This was taken off from CNN and apparently, Liverpool's number 8 wants another role and that is the famous 007. The following are the excerpts of the interview done between CNN and Steven Gerrard.

THE NAME'S GERRARD, STEVEN GERRARD...

STEVEN GERRARD TELLS CNN HE SEES HIMSELF AS A FUTURE JAMES BOND AND HOPES TO FEATURE IN A FILM AT CANNES

In an interview with CNN’s monthly film show ‘The Screening Room’ at the Cannes Film Festival, Liverpool and England footballer Steven Gerrard reveals that one day he hopes to appear in a movie at Cannes. He adds that he sees himself as an all-action hero, in the mould of James Bond, while his wife Alex would be his ideal Bond girl.

To watch the interview please click here: http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/sports/2009/05/26/curry.steven.gerrad.intv.cnn

JUSTIN ARMSDEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: Hello, again. As we continue to hone in on the Champions League football final on Wednesday, one man who knows all about winning it is Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. But when he caught up with CNN’s Neil Curry at the Cannes film festival, it was all about action on the screen rather than the pitch.

NEIL CURRY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: So, Steven, what brings you to Cannes?

STEVEN GERRARD, LIVERPOOL MIDFIELDER: A couple of reasons, really. Obviously, to enjoy the festival, but also to show some support to two close friends who’ve got a screening later for their new movie.

CURRY: Tell me about them. Tell me about their film.

GERRARD: It’s called Charlie Noades RIP . And it’s a comedy. I’ve actually seen the film. I’ve been lucky enough to see it before everyone else, and it’s a fantastic film. It’ll have you laughing all the way through it.And I just hope that people enjoy it like I did because if it does, it will be a, you know, a big hit.

CURRY: Have you managed to see much of the filmmaking process through your friends?

GERRARD: Not really, but you know, I obviously see little glimpses of it because they’re involved in the film industry, and I spend quite a bit of time with these people, so – but I wouldn’t say I’m an expert, no.

CURRY: And do they – conversely, do they follow you around to the games and stuff?

GERRARD: Yes, of course. You know, that’s another reason why I’m here. Every week, they follow me to watch Liverpool, obviously, and to watch the England games. So, it was nice to sort of return the favour, if you like, and come and show them some support, because I know this a big event for them.

CURRY: Yesterday, we were talking to Eric Cantona, who has a film here. Last year, Maradona had a film and Zidane had a film. Can we ever see yourself in a film here, you think?

GERRARD: Who knows? You know, maybe one day. You know, I’m coming – getting old now as a footballer, if you like, coming up to 29. So, maybe in years to come I might go down that road, but they’re certainly legends in the game, and they’ve certainly done well after football. So, maybe I might follow in their footsteps.

CURRY: Cantona was talking about some of the connections between film and football, and he was talking about managers and how – he was comparing the director Ken Loach with Alex Ferguson and saying that directors and football managers are quite similar in what they have to do to actors and players.

GERRARD: Yes, I can understand where he’s coming from there because they’re sort of like the bosses, and they can throw a lot of people around. And it’s important that they get their jobs right for the team on the football side and also for films to be successful. So, I can understand where he’s coming from, yes.

CURRY: He also said that good football managers and good directors give confidence to their actors and confidence to their players. What’s Rafa Benitez like as a director, if you like?

GERRARD: Well, he’s certainly a fantastic manager, and as you say, he is similar to a film director, if you like. And he does an awful lot of stuff behind the scenes to make sure that the team is successful. And I personally have a lot of confidence in him that he can make the team successful in the future. So, really pleased to have him and that he’s signed the new contract.

CURRY: Now, here in Cannes, we’ve been talking to actors about their recollections of lifting the Oscar or directors collecting the Palme d’Or. It’s difficult to imagine what it’s like to do that unless you’ve been there. So, put it in football terms. What’s it like to lift the Champions League trophy? What’s going through your mind?

GERRARD: It’s difficult to put into words, you know, the feeling that you get when you put that trophy above your head. It’s certainly the best experience I’ve ever had football-wise. I can, you know -- it’s so difficult to describe the feeling, but I’m sure, you know, film stars and directors can relate to it when they win their big awards like the Oscars, I’d say.

CURRY: Just wondering if were to be in a film, what kind of role would you like to have, and who would you like to co-star with?

GERRARD: I’ve never really thought about it, to be honest. Well, I’d like to maybe go down the Bond route, the all-action hero type role. I think that’s a bit of me.

CURRY: Who would your Bond Girl be?

GERRARD: It would have to be my Alex, my wife. You’re getting me into trouble if I say anyone else.

Fletcher Absence Exposes United Frailties

2009-05-30T01:22:00.005+08:00

FC Barcelona 2 (Eto'o 10, Messi 70)
Man Utd 0

Who would’ve thought Man United would miss someone so dearly. This year’s Champions League final was dubbed to be a gladiator-esque showdown of Man Utd’s Portugese whinger… oh I mean winger, Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentinian, Lionel Messi.

But it was the absence of a certain Scottish midfielder which ultimately tilted the balance of the game in favour of the Spanish champion. He’s never in the limelight, seldom scores breath-taking goals and not really blessed with the good looks (well, he’s a Scot after all…).

Man Utd boasts a squad full of stars but the one truly needed in a big match was actually Darren Fletcher.

United missed his tenacity, big time. The industrious midfielder was wrongfully sent off in the semi-final match against Arsenal and the suspension was such a bitter blow to them.

No wonder rumour has it that Sir Alex Ferguson was willing to trade a get-out-of-jail card with Barcelona, Fletcher’s freedom for either Eric Abidal’s or Daniel Alves’. That was how important Fergie sees his fellow Scot.

On the hindsight, the suspension of Abidal and Alves plus the injury to Rafael Marquez seems to be irrelevant. With 3 out of Barca’s 4 first-choice defenders missing, United failed to capitalise on it.

But Barcelona and their coach, Pep Guardiola, were unwilling to let Man Utd get away with it. The obvious was staring them in their faces. Man Utd’s midfield lacks steel and the player who’s willing to do all the dirty work.

Looking back, great teams were built around a strong man in midfield, someone willing to sacrifice creativity for stability. Think Roy Keane of the all-conquering Man Utd class of ’99, Patrick Vieira of the ’04 Arsenal Invincibles and Claude Makelele of the ugly but effective Chelsea.
Fast forward to the current United squad, I see Anderson and Michael Carrick. Hmmm… Not so sure about that. To make things worse, they were up against Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. These were the 2 players pivotal in Spain’s European Cup conquest last year.

It was a joy to watch as the Spanish duo took hold of the game after a nervy first 10 minutes where their fellow Iberian, Ronaldo, was having a showboating session.

But thereafter, they controlled the game with finesse and put up a master-class performance. They didn’t score the goals but they pulled the strings from midfield and all we saw was players in white bumbling around them haplessly.

Didn’t some part of the game looked like they were having a practice session with Man Utd, playing ‘pig in the middle’ or ‘Monkey’ with them?

Anderson was woeful and got found out in this game. If he was supposed to do Fletcher’s job then I think he should look for employment elsewhere. Michael Carrick, for being hailed as ‘a great passer of the ball’ and even ‘world-class’ by the English papers, unsurprisingly, looked bereft of ideas and nothing near latter description.

It was Iniesta who made it all happen when he barged through the centre of Utd’s midfielder and played a controlled pass into the path of Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroonian striker glided into the penalty area with surprising ease as Man Utd’s defence stood hesitant and watched on.

Pep Guardiola must’ve watched Liverpool’s 4-1 triumph and asked his fleet-footed attackers to run at the lumbering Nemanja Vidic like how Fernando Torres embarrassed the Serbian giant in the Theatre of Dreams.

The striker made no mistake as he fire it past a bemused Edwin van der Sar. He must be wondering how Barca sneaked in so easily.

The answer was found in Man Utd’s strangely passive way of defending in the match. They played the game in fear, showed too much respect for Barca and were peeing in their pants every time Thierry Henry or Leo Messi were on the ball.

Seeing how English teams totally dominate the European football scene for the past few seasons through their fast-paced and gritty approach to games, United failed to use that as their advantage and paid for it.

Chelsea, who was Barca’s semi-final opponent, gave Man Utd a perfect example of how to stifle the football artisans. If not for the incredulously biased referee, it would have been another Chelsea vs Man Utd final.

Liverpool, too, gave Real Madrid a royal spanking 2 months back. Just like Chelsea, it was all about putting pressure on their midfielders, denying them space and time plus upping the ante through speed and a more direct approach.

Yet United players stood and watch as Barca seized the initiative and made them pay. Their midfield quartet failed to close down Xavi and Iniesta, giving the playmakers all the time in the world.

Would Darren Fletcher allow that? I think not.

Also, Barca cleverly exploited the lack of defensive midfielder on Utd’s part and used Messi as a deep-lying striker. Smart, ain’t it? He was a striker yet he dropped off so deep that Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic was caught in a dilemma. Should they continue marking him or let him drift into space.

The final nail in the coffin came when Ferdinand decided to take the latter option as he misjudged the flight of Xavi’s cross and allowed a 169cm midget (average Asian height, though…) to score from a free header.

It was as if he had read the English newspaper on the previous day as they described Ronaldo to be more of an aerial threat than him. Well, that certainly is shuts them up. This “Next Maradona” could be the real deal.

With their treble at stake, Man Utd put up no fight at all. The 5 shots in the first 10 minutes were actually all they could muster. And unsurprisingly, Ronaldo showed his usual petulance after being in the pocket of Carles Puyol throughout.

They were out with a whimper.

Man Utd could blame no one, to be honest. The loss of Fletcher was pivotal and the sheer brilliance of Barca outclassed the English champion. Players whom you would put your money on to drag them back into the game went missing. United was clearly not at their best.

So there goes the chance of winning a second treble in Sir Alex’s reign. But what a sweet victory for Pep Guardiola. Only his first season in charge of a club of this stature, he took them into greater heights by being the first Spanish team to win the treble.

They could dominate in the years to come, with Xavi, Iniesta and Messi being the spine of the team. Man Utd, meanwhile, should not take the knee-jerk approach to this as it was a bridge too far but would be exaggerating to say they’re in any sort of trouble.

With this team, this defeat could be a blessing in disguise as the problems and shortcomings of the squad will now be even more apparent and it’s just the right time to make amends through signings and pre-season training sessions.

All in all, Barca was not only the champion of Europe but more of a champion of football. Kudos!

Good News, TRC Readers

2009-05-23T00:14:00.003+08:00

I've finally gotten the tickets to the Liverpool vs Singapore match on 27th July. After a long wait and plenty of patience, it paid off and although it cost $88, most would agree that it's pretty decent even in face of the current economy climate.

Though I wasn't lucky enough to get myself a seat in the East Stand, which is going to be transformed into a Kop of Asia, Singapore style! Still, I can't be much happier to have acquired the tickets and will be watching alongside some Arsenal and ManYoo fans.

That really says about the craziness and passion of the fans here. I guess it's a one-off match where allegiance will be put aside for some top class football.

If you're in Singapore, reading this and have yet to get it, PLEASE DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER!

Anyway as I've mentioned, this is good news for all of you because...

I'll be there and will bring you pictures, videos and most importantly, my personal account of this event. So stay tune!

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Tottenham

2009-05-22T23:40:00.000+08:00

Liverpool welcome Spurs to Anfield for the final game of what has been a good season in some ways and a disappointing one in others. Rafa’s men may have ended the season without any silverware but they’ve mounted their best title challenge for well over a decade and for large parts of the season they were the best team. That doesn’t really matter now but it shows great signs of improvement and if Rafa makes one or two signings the red half of Merseyside could be celebrating something special this time next year.

For now though Liverpool have to make sure they beat Spurs and take the second spot. I expect them to see off Tottenham to be honest, they’ve become a good side under the guidance of Harry Redknapp but they don’t travel to well and Liverpool will want to end the season on a high and boost the points tally.

It will be a return to Anfield for Robbie Keane and I’m sure he’ll want to get among the goals and prove Rafa wrong. I’m not sure he will to be honest and I wouldn’t go backing him to score in the game with my own football betting. I’m sure most people would agree that Benitez made the right move in letting him go and he hasn’t really impressed since his move back to Spurs.

The key player for the opposition could well be keeper Heurelho Gomes. The Spurs keeper got a lot of stick at the start of the season for some high profile and costly errors but he has been a revelation in the latter part of the campaign. Gomes has pulled off some truly unbelievable saves and kept Carlo Cudicini out of the side and it will take a bit of work to get past him.

Redknapp hasn’t been impressed with his strikeforce since he took over and Roman Pavlyuchenko looks set for a summer exit. It might be a safe football bet to back the Liverpool clean sheet in all fairness as Pepe Reina is going for the golden glove award and we saw from Jamie Carragher’s antics last week that it is an important award for the team to win.

The match is fairly unimportant in all fairness but I still expect Liverpool to finish on a win. Even though Spurs still have European qualification to play for I don’t think they’ve got enough quality in the team to get a result at Anfield and Liverpool should be able to pick up all three points and go into the summer break full of confidence.

Kop Comes To Asia - Details

2009-05-20T01:24:00.006+08:00

Strategic Sports Investment, part of the Profitable Group, are pleased to announce the ticket prices & ticket outlets for Liverpool Football Club on their visit to South East Asia this summer.

Any fan who decides to purchase a ticket for 'The Kop' will receive an exclusive limited edition Kop Scarf. This will help in truly

recreating the legend that is 'The Kop'.

The prices are as follows:


'The Kop' (East Entrance)	: S$ 88	South Entrance	: S$ 88
North Entrance	: S$ 88	Grandstand Lower	: S$ 88
Grandstand 'RED'	: S$188	Grandstand Balcony	: Available on request

It will be free seating for “The Kop”, Grandstand Lower, South and North Stand. These can be purchased from the outlets listed
below. Grandstand RED seats and Grandstand Balcony are available from the Profitable Group Singapore.

For more information on the Grandstand RED & Grandstand Balcony tickets, call the ticket hotline +65 65505056, or alternatively email: thekop@profitablegroup.com

To allow all of the football fans in Singapore to experience Liverpool FC in Singapore, purchasing of tickets will be limited to 4
tickets per person.

Ticket sales, will be on a first come first served basis.

The tickets will be available from the 22nd May 2009 from these following outlets:

Adidas stores and outlets throughout Singapore:		Courts outlets throughout Singapore:
• Pacific Plaza • Raffles Shopping Centre • Cineleisure • Suntec City Mall • The Cathay • Vivo City • Velocity • Peninsula Shopping Centre • Queensway Shopping Centre	• Tampines 1 • The Heeren • The Paragon • CityLink Mall • Junction 8 • Jurong Point Shopping Centre • Parkway Parade • Wheelock Place • Bugis Junction	• Ang Mo Kio • Bukit Timah • Causeway Point • Funan • Jurong Point • Lot One Shoppers' Mall (Choa Chu Kang) • Megastore (Tampines) • Tampines Mall • Toa Payoh • Vivo City
Harry's bars throughout Singapore:		Thomas Pink outlet:
• Boat Quay • Chijmes • Velocity Novena • Angullia Park • Dempsey Hill • Far East Square • HarbourFront • Holland Village • Millenia Walk • Orchard • Raffles Quay • Suntec City Mall	• Esplanade • Pier Robertson • The Village Centre • Changi Airport T1 • Changi Airport T2 • Rail Mall • Changi Business Park • Shenton Way • Fusionopolis • The Sail Marina Bay • Singapore’s Straits Bar by Harry’s at Changi T3	• Capital Tower

For a full list and ticketing locations, please visit www.profitablegroup.com

For further information on ticket sales, please contact:
Ticket hotline +65 65505056 or email: thekop@profitablegroup.com

Reds Take It Out On Baggies As Title Bid Comes to an End

2009-05-20T01:17:00.003+08:00

Liverpool 2 (Gerrard 28, Kuyt 63)
West Brom 0

There was no thrill but plenty of emotional spill as Liverpool’s victory over West Bromwich Albion sends the Baggies down to the Championship. The Reds’ spirit were dampened prior to the match as they saw the Premiership crown being lifted at Old Trafford once again, equaling their 18 league title record.

Yet they were able to conjure up a spirited and determined performance to see off West Brom away from home. It was a make-or-break game for the bottom-placed team as anything but a victory over the league runners-up means relegation.

It was as if inevitable that West Brom would go down as they stayed cemented on the foot of the Premiership table. Yet the previous 2 games suggested otherwise and the Baggies fans were hopeful of yet another great escape just like the one in 2004.

No doubt they were determined to make it count and even the presence of a full strength Liverpool side did not derail them of their original game plan.

The away side, on the other hand, was like a wounded animal. Seeing their title bid gone up the smokes without even a kick of the ball, they had nothing to play for. Perhaps only pride and a hope to finish the season on a high note.

Of course, Jamie Carragher would beg to defer as he his altercation with fellow Reds, Alvaro Arbeloa came under the spotlight. Seeing the Spanish defender’s lackadaisical defending for much of the game, the born and bred Liverpudlian gave Arbeloa a earful and it nearly turned into a Bowyer and Dyer-esque fight scene.

It was uncalled for and Carragher should have dealt with it behind closed doors. But on the other hand, one could see Carragher’s spirit and attitude of a man who gives his all for the club.

Perhaps, it was brewed through pure frustration of yet another barren year for Liverpool. Seeing the Premiership crown whizzed by, a ‘so near so yet far’ feeling was by far worse than the ‘out of title bid by November’.

But despite with so little to play for, Liverpool put up a professional performance to see off West Brom. A 2-0 victory all but sealed West Brom’s fate but they only had themselves to blame.

Steven Gerrard’s opener was totally against the run of play. Despite having a decent start to the game, West Brom decided to play Father Christmas as a lapse of concentration gifted Liverpool the vital goal.

Its mistakes like this that gives you the idea as to why they are in the mire. Yet the defenders were not the only one that should’ve been blamed.

Despite being presented with decent chances, all credits to their hardworking midfielders, the strikers were unable to put the ball in the onion bag. It doesn’t help having Jamie Carragher on the opposing team, either.

Dirk Kuyt then doubled the lead as he secures his best scoring record since arriving in England 3 years ago. The striker turned winger was given time as space as he fired home from 25 yards out.

The goal all but buried any hopes that West Brom fans harbored. Yet the home fans were still singing at the top of their lungs in appreciation of their efforts. As many fans could point out that it’s never easy singing in defeat.

Liverpool, on the other hand, can take pride in one of their finest ever domestic campaign, despite actually not winning it. The win took them to 83 points, one of their best ever and it would’ve won them the title a few years back.

Unfortunately, the bar was raised higher in recent years and despite only just 2 defeats throughout the whole campaign, they just fell short. It must be utter disappointment for the players who truly, gave their all.

With this pain and disappointment, they’ll probably strive harder next season. It’s the closest they have came in over 20 years and with a couple of shrewd signing this summer, the hunt of the title could be over in the next few years.

It couldn’t be any closer, can it?

Goodbye To The Big Finn

2009-05-06T23:19:00.003+08:00

It’s the news that most Liverpool fans were shocked to hear but the departure of Liverpool’s number 4, Sami Hyypia, will definitely be an amicable one as the Finnish defender moves to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.

For the past decade, Hyypia has been a colossal figure for the Anfield outfit and won various trophies and cups with Liverpool, including the famous treble in 2001. It would be toppings on ice if Liverpool were to win their first Premiership trophy this season.

Despite being in the twilight of his career, Hyypia still played an important role in Rafael Benitez’s side. His bagful of experience, impeccable position sense on the pitch and most importantly, cool as in iceman, he never complained playing second-fiddle to Daniel Agger or Martin Skrtel.

When called upon, he seldom disappoints. Liverpool’s most note-worthy win this year came from Old Trafford and the Big Finn played his part in it, stopping the rampant Man Utd.

That obviously, was just a small portion of what Hyypia has achieved in his 10 year stint at Anfield.

He arrived with a seemingly meager price-tag at 2.5mil GBP and that has to be one of the, if not the shrewdest purchase under Gerard Houllier’s regime. He immediately formed an impregnable partnership with Swiss, Stephane Henchoz.

Both Hyypia and Henchoz were the basis of Gerard Houllier’s side. The Frenchman’s love for counter-attacking football would not be possible without a defence which could soak up intense pressures. Hyypia, at the heart of defence, was unfazed.But the event which caught my eye the most would be Hyypia’s humility and meekness captured by the way he handled the skipper’s armband to current captain, Steven Gerrard in 2004.

The towering defender was a good choice for captaincy as retirement of Redknapp and departure of Robbie Fowler left the club with a power vacuum. Local heroes such as Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen and Jamie Carragher were all still too young.

He readily availed himself and stepped up to take up the captaincy and perhaps knowing that he was just going to be a seat-warmer for the next Liverpool captain, Gerrard.

Unfortunately, a slight dip of form and the power transfer happened at the same time and therefore, many would presume that he was stripped off due to his poor form.

But despite of the blow, Sami Hyypia continued to be a dependable and loyal servant to the club. With modern day footballers love mouthing about their employers and selling exclusive gossips to the papers, Hyypia was never once found on papers for the wrong reasons.

He continued working hard and in spite of the managerial changes in 2005, he stuck on and put faith in Rafa Benitez and his ideologies. It didn’t take long for him to know that he has put his trust in the right man as Liverpool went on to win their 5th European Cup.

Thereafter, as age caught up with him, he would slowly retreat to the backbenches of Liverpool. With the purchase of younger defenders such as Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel, Hyypia would find himself more and more as a backup rather than an indispensable part of Benitez’s plans.

But again, never once did Sami Hyypia voiced his unhappiness or about the lack of opportunity. He was still, dependable when called upon and still gave his best every single minute he’s on the pitch.

So as Hyypia signs his name on the dotted line, I believe most Liverpool fans would be happy for him. Even in his twilight of his career, he still hunger for some first team action, something which Benitez could not promise him.

All the best, Sami. You have been a loyal servant to the club and I guess everyone’s grateful for your useful contributions at Anfield for the past decade. Nobody will forget your towering presence, coolness in face of pressure, reading of the game and the exceptional character which is grade “A” compared to the new generation of players.

Please do come back to work for the backroom staff after your retirement and nurture youngsters, inculcate in them the beliefs and the love of football you have. In faith, I say we’ll be seeing him back in the near future.

Liverpool Surge past Abysmal Magpies

2009-05-04T23:30:00.003+08:00

Liverpool 3 (Benayoun 22, Kuyt 28, Lucas 87)
Newcastle 0

After a troubled season of managerial changes, uncertainties and squad full of uncommitted players, Tyneside’s worse fear was soon realised yesterday at Anfield and that their Premiership status might be stripped away. Relegation for Alan Shearer’s men beckon.

Even the former Magpie hero could do nothing with the absolutely abhorring performance marred with countless of defensive mistakes, tactical naivety and terrible discispline.

Faced with heaps of expectation and pressure for survival, Shearer might now see it as a bridge too far for Newcastle as Liverpool comfortable swatted aside any hopes of them defeating the rampant home side.

Liverpool totally deserved the 3 goals and as Rafa Benitez noted after the game, it should’ve been more. Newcastle can count themselves fortunate that Anfield’s goal frames were on top of their form, stopping 3 clear goals from Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, twice.

Aside from that, Joey Barton did what he does best and a two-footed studs up challenge on Alonso means that he’ll play no part in Newcastle’s relegation challenge, a particularly selfish act.

At such desperate moment where Newcastle needs all hands on deck, he threw in the towel. And from yesterday’s display, he doesn’t seem to be the only one.

Obafemi Martins, too, showed a total lack of commitment and couldn’t give two hoots about his team or their relegation fight. The most convicting and purposeful contribution he made all afternoon was when his name was finally on the 4th official’s board.

Defensively, Newcastle were not aggressive enough and gave Liverpool far too much space in midfield. Steven Gerrard could’ve gotten himself the match ball if only he had his shooting boots on and some match fitness with him.

The Liverpool midfield were handed the initiative as they were able to control the tempo at ease and firing pot shots at Steve Harper’s goal without much resistance. This was particularly depressing sight for Alan Shearer.

The most unforgiving part about Newcastle is their set piece defending and the Reds totally punished them for that.

Two out of three goals conceded at Anfield were down to appalling man-marking and lack of concentration. The number of players left ball-watching for Lucas’ headed goal was unbelievable.

It was the first Premiership goal for the Brazilian midfielder and he must’ve thought it could not have come any easier for him.

But ultimately, the game was tilted in Liverpool’s way as a controversial decision gave the home side the much-needed first goal.

Yossi Benayoun kneed in a Dirk Kuyt cross and replays showed that the Israeli midfielder was a yard offside before tapping the ball into the empty net.

But Liverpool’s superiority and dominance were apparent throughout and the scoreline was definitely no fluke. They hardly had to shift out of first gear and looked like they enjoyed the afternoon walk in the park.

For the supporters from Tyneside, it’s definitely heartbreaking to see the team disintegrate into such mess over such short period of time. Although they have yet to be relegated, based on their performance yesterday, they don’t deserve to stay up. No chance.

Day by day, it looks more like a modern day football tragedy as they slip out of the top flight and a slight chance of them disappearing into oblivion.

With a squad full of totally uncommitted have-beens and have-nots, it might just be a blessing in disguise, the thing which Newcastle needs to most now. A clear-out of deadwood players.

Whoever the next Newcastle manager may be (as Shearer said that he will not manage them past this season), he will be integral in Newcastle’s future and Mike Ashley can no longer make the same mistakes that he had made all these while. A right man must be picked for this transition period.

Or risk doing a Leeds United or Southampton, as the sun sets on these former top-flight mainstays. A fall from glory is quicker than most thought. Don’t be too surprised.

For Liverpool, they continue their good form but is it a little too late? With Man Utd only needing another 4 points to reclaim the title, even winning the rest of the games might not bring the elusive title back to Anfield.

It also, could be a bridge too far.

Mtach Preview: Liverpool vs Newcastle

2009-05-02T23:42:00.000+08:00

Newcastle have given the Reds some classic ties over the years with some high scoring, fast tempo and incredibly exciting encounters. I’m not expecting the same this time round to be honest as Newcastle are no where near the side they once were. They’ve managed just one goal in their last four games and I wouldn’t go betting on them to add to that tally when they visit Anfield.

When Alan Shearer arrived at Newcastle the betting odds were slashed on the Toon staying up. Four games and just two points later and they’re hot favourites to face the drop again. Newcastle couldn’t even beat Portsmouth at home on Monday night and they were perhaps lucky to get away with a point. A trip to Anfield is definitely not what they need right now and I can only see this tie going Liverpool’s way.

Steven Gerrard should be back from injury in time for the game on Sunday and his presence should give Rafa’s men a massive lift, though to be fair they’ve been doing pretty well without him anyway. Newcastle’s midfield seems to lack any invention at all, probably why Michael Owen hasn’t been finding the net lately, and Gerrard should run the show on Sunday.

There is the risk of Owen’s return to consider, that could be the ace in the hole for Shearer and Newcastle. The former Kop favourite hasn’t been in the best form of late and is struggling to find the net but he is still a top-striker and if he gets half a chance he is more than capable of taking it.

Newcastle’s confidence has been low lately, as you would expect, and that has been plain too see for anyone who has been watching their games. If Liverpool go at them from the start and get the crowd behind them it could be a real rout and I just can’t see Newcastle offering anything to be honest. The only down side is Manchester United play Middlesbrough the day before and I can’t see them dropping points in that game either, but at least Liverpool should keep up the pressure at the top of the table.

The Reds Are Coming

2009-04-23T21:36:00.003+08:00

Hear ye, hear ye!

Good news to all Liverpool fans here over in South-east Asia. Your long neglected support for Liverpool FC have been finally noticed! With our market largely untapped by the Merseyside giants, Ian Ayre, the commercial director of LFC have finally saw the potential here.

Liverpool will travel to both Thailand and Singapore (WOOHOO!) for their South-east Asian tour in July for the pre-season warm ups and friendlies and this news will definitely be well-recieved in this part of the world, were football fanatics would pay any price just to see their favourite team.

And I'm sure this does not only interest the local Liverpool fans but supporters of other clubs as well! I've contacted a few Man Utd and Arsenal fans and all have enthusiastically mentioned that they won't miss out on this opportunity.

I'm sure most Singapore Reds will remember back in 2001 when Liverpool defeated the Singapore national side 2-0.

But I'm confident that this time round, the tour will be even more successful than the last because the current Liverpool side are more marketable than back in 2001, with fans willing to pay however much to see Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres in action.

Can't wait! More information will be up as soon as the press release is done here. Stay tune!

22nd July 2009
Thailand National Team v Liverpool Football Club
Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok
8.00pm Kick Off (local time)
Bangkok is 6 hours ahead of UK

26th July 2009
Singapore National Team v Liverpool Football Club
National Stadium, Singapore
7.00pm Kick Off (local time)
Singapore is 7 hours ahead of UK

Arshavin Quadruple Dents Reds' Title Hope

2009-04-22T23:59:00.003+08:00

Liverpool 4 (Torres 49, 72; Benayoun 56, 90)
Arsenal 4 (Arshavin 36, 67, 70, 90)

From Russia, with love. Arshavin’s amazing 4 goal show at Anfield was enough to stop Liverpool in its track even as the Reds continue to mount a late title surge. The breath-taking 4-4 draw last night quashed some hopes of Liverpool bringing back the number 19 back to Anfield.

Even though the draw was enough to send Liverpool top of the league through superior goal differences against Man Utd, it must’ve seen like 2 points dropped rather than 1 gained.

Sir Alex and Guus Hiddink must’ve been rubbing their hands in glee as they saw Arsenal dismantle Liverpool’s defence. And then Arsenal being dismantled. In a see-saw game of football, a second consecutive 4-4 draw was definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Despite dominating the game and having lion’s share of possession, Liverpool were unable to see Arsenal off and in a game where we knew the Reds had to be at their best, defensive frailties were glaring and a few lapse of concentration here and there cost Liverpool dear.

Still without the injured skipper, Steven Gerrard, Liverpool looked more likely to score early in the first half with Fernando Torres causing loads of trouble for Kolo Toure while Yossi Benayoun tested Lukas Fabianski on a couple of occasions.

Yet it took one lapse of concentration and suddenly, Liverpool fell behind.

Javier Mascherano dallied on the ball just outside his own penalty box and was robbed by Arsenal skipper, Cesc Fabregas. In turn, the Spanish playmaker made a wonderful run before crossing it in for Andrei Arshavin, who was waiting near the penalty spot, to score.

Liverpool came back strongly after half time and you could sense the momentum was with the home side. With the Kop End in high spirit, Liverpool pressed forward and two quickfire goals stunned the away fans from London.

Torres and Benayoun, two heroes from the recent resurgence of Liverpool, hauled the team back in contention and an air of belief was evident. But it was a pity they were unable to build on that.

Arshavin once again punished Liverpool with a sweet right footed strike which left Pepe Reina diving despairingly. He dispossessed Alvaro Arbeloa, once again in a dangerous position, before curling it beyond the reaches of Reina.

The Russian playmaker then did Man Utd and Chelsea a massive favour when he scored his first ever hat trick for his new club. Fabio Aurelio’s poor clearance was all that was needed for Arshavin to pounce.

But you just knew Liverpool wouldn’t lie down.

Fernando Torres struck again when he received the ball just inside the penalty area and with Kolo Toure not marking him tight enough, he had the space to turn and fire home. Despite having a hand on the ball, Fabianski was unable to keep it out.

And the Kop were in full voice again. Belief, once again, came flooding back to the faithfuls. Yet it was not the last twist in the story. They were to find themselves in shock and disbelief once again.

From a Liverpool corner, Arsenal cleared their lines and with only two men in defence, the Gunners were able to launch a counter-attack which Liverpool had no chance stopping. At the end of the move was again, Andrei Arshavin.

And like a typical Liverpool script, they equalised right on the 90th minute mark through the brilliant Yossi Benayoun. The Israeli midfielder pounced on a poor clearance and volley home to bring minimal cheer to the crowd.

Yet majority of the fans knew that it wasn’t good enough. A draw was a serious dent in Liverpool’s title bid and with Man Utd having 2 games in hand with just about 6 games to go, their hopes might be fading away.

Despite missing out on Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie, Arsenal, through their famed intricate passing and swift interplays, were able to expose a haphazard Liverpool defence while the absence of Gael Clichy and William Gallas was evident.

Liverpool, though showed great character once again, couldn’t rely on it to win them every game. Xabi Alonso mentioned in a pre-match talk about how they needed to be in top form and making as little mistakes as possible to win it but as we’ve seen last night, they fell short and the usually reliable players were culprits.

Last night’s draw will give Man Utd a huge boost of confidence even as they entertain Portsmouth tonight at Old Trafford. A win for the Red Devils tonight will surely bring them a step closer to securing their 18th title – equaling Liverpool’s long-standing record.

Chelsea Trumps Liverpool in Epic Showdown

2009-04-16T21:35:00.002+08:00

Chelsea 4 (Drogba 52, Alex 57, Lampard 76, 89)
Liverpool 4 (Aurelio 19, Alonso pen 28, Lucas 81, Kuyt 82)
(Chelsea wins 7-5 on aggregate)

It is this sort of game that reminds you of why you first loved football. It was also a reminder to me on why I love Liverpool FC this much. Thrills, spills, comebacks, joy and disappointments all in a match, how much can you ask for?

Much pressure was on the visitors to perform after a lacklustre 3-1 defeat last week at Anfield. The match coincided with a truly emotional period for the club as they commemorate the death of the 96 fans in Hillsbrough, 20 years ago.

Rally cries were heard and many ‘do it for the 96’ messages were on the forums. And from Liverpool’s first half performance at Stamford Bridge, they really did them proud, invoking the bouncebackability of Istanbul and on so many occasions.

Yet it was just a bridge too far for the Reds.

Needing to 3 goals at Stamford Bridge is a tall order. Ask any football fans and you’ll know that’s highly impossible. Yet even after 4 goals, it was just not enough to take Liverpool through to the semi-finals.

But Rafa Benitez and his men should take heart. While papers and media see the results, the fans know the effort in which they put in and they should still leave the pitch with head held high.

With so many previous results being decided by just a goal or two, nobody in their right mind would’ve thought that a 8 goal thriller is at hand.

Indeed, the game started off in familiarity with both sides playing cautiously and settling down as fast as they could. And it was the away side which took the upperhand and seized the moment.

Without the suspended John Terry and having to survive a scare last Saturday (leading Bolton at home 4-0, they threw away all comfort and put on diapers by conceding 3 in 8 minutes), Chelsea were shaky and Petr Cech was never the goalkeeper he used to be before his head injury.

It was to no surprise that a real life football drama is about to unfold as Fabio Aurelio’s freekick went straight into the bottom corner of the net when everyone thought the Brazilian is going to float a freekick into the congested penalty area.

Fantastic technique and it caught Petr Cech totally off-guard. First blood to the Reds and a comeback was imminent.

Before they could settle their nerves, Chelsea found themselves further in the mire after Spanish referee Luiz Catalejo awarded Liverpool a penalty. 1st leg’s hero, Branislav Ivanovic, turned zero after bringing down Xabi Alonso in the penalty during a freekick.

A slightly harsh decision on most fan’s eyes but it’s one which is the hardest to follow by the law book.

And up steps the player who completed the comeback of all comebacks. Xabi Alonso dispatched it with no doubt. One more goal and it will complete the turnaround.

But Chelsea regrouped and the Reds were unable to find the momentum to finally turn the tide over. Guus Hiddink made a decisive switch even before half time by bringing off the ineffective Salomon Kalou and replacing him with former Liverpool loanee, Nicolas Anelka.

And the Frenchman was to have a positive impact in the game which was a literal rollercoaster ride.

Hiddink admitted later that there were strong words used and emotions gone out of control in his half time team talk. No surprises that Chelsea came out strong and dispels all belief that the Liverpool fans had.

It started off with a bizarre goal as Anelka’s cross was deflected by an onrushing Didier Drogba. His touch was barely seen and minimal at best but it was enough to fool Pepe Reina, who totally missed it and seemingly pushed it into his own net.

That was a lack of concentration there and like Cech, a game to forget.

Alex, the Brazilian defender, then showed his fellow countryman that what he could do, he can do best. A smashing strike from him which gave Reina no chance at all.

Chelsea then capitalized on a wayward Alonso pass and Lampard did what he does best, which is scoring against Liverpool.

3-2 and Liverpool fans must’ve thought it’s all over.

But as a team classed with character and anointed with the spirit of fight backs, Liverpool didn’t lie down and roll over but instead, rallied again and gave themselves hope.

Lucas, who was anonymous and a spectator throughout, took a potshot at goal and it was fortuitously deflected off Michael Essien and into the net. It gave the Reds fan something to cheer about again. Chelsea fans held on to their seats.

Stamford Bridge was rattled further when substitute Albert Riera whipped in an inch perfect cross for Dirk Kuyt to head home .

Again, Liverpool found themselves in the same exact situation as they had in the first half. A goal was all that they need.

But the goal was to end up in the wrong end as Frank Lampard buried all hopes of a Korean drama-esque football soap opera with a fantastic strike in off the post. By then, Liverpool already threw everything they could at Chelsea and were left terribly exposed at the back.

It was just a bridge too far for Liverpool as they crash out of the Champions League but with much pride.

It’s a game full of ups and downs and truly live up to the reputation of the beautiful game. Topsy-turvy and as unpredictable as ‘the ball is round’, it’ll go down the annals of Champions League history, along with Man Utd vs Real Madrid, as one of the greatest games.

True, it was marred by mistakes and nightmarish goalkeeper from both sides, it was all about the fight and the belief that both side held till the end. As surely Rocky Balboa said himself, it’s not over till it’s over.

Champions League Preview: Chelsea vs Liverpool

2009-04-14T20:47:00.001+08:00

By Gareth Freeman

If ever there was a definition for an ‘uphill task’ it would have to be this game. Stranger things have happened though and Liverpool’s Champions League dream is not over yet, I’m not going to be betting on them going through but bigger comebacks have been staged and if anyone is capable of a pulling it off it is Rafa’s side.

Before the weekend no one had scored three goals against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge but then Bolton came to town. Granted the Wanderers went 4-0 down before they managed to get their own three goals but it goes too show the Chelski defence is not impenetrable. Liverpool managed to put four past Blackburn themselves and all without Steven Gerrard, Blackburn are by no means the same standard as Chelsea but that game will certainly have given the Reds a boost.

The key to Chelsea’s victory in the last game was Michael Essien man-marking Gerrard, I expect the same to happen again and if Liverpool are too upset the betting odds and progress they’re going to need to combat Essien. If Gerrard is given a free-role and Essien follows him around the pitch I’m sure Rafa will have thought of some way of dealing with it, Benitez is a great tactician and I’m fairly sure he won’t be caught by the same trick twice.

Liverpool might have to rely on other players to create and get forward if Gerrard is marked out the game. Yossi Benayoun is a player who is capable of delivering on the big occasions and he could be the man to ignite Liverpool’s comeback. I’ve been really impressed by the Israeli since the turn of the year and his winner against Fulham in the dying stages showed how well he copes under pressure. Having Mascherano back will also be a massive boost for Liverpool and he was sorely missed in the first leg, hopefully he’ll be able to contain the Chelsea attack as Liverpool can’t afford to concede more than one goal.

Needless to say Liverpool do face a daunting task of having too score three goals at Stamford Bridge. The earlier they can put one away the better and it will set up a great game. My worry is that Chelsea will line up to defend and stop Liverpool going forward rather than attack themselves and just close the game off for the whole 90 minutes. One thing is for sure though, everyone will have to be at the top of their game if Liverpool are too make it through to the semi final stage.

Move On, With Hope in Your Heart

2009-04-09T23:12:00.005+08:00

Liverpool 1 (Torres 6)
Chelsea 3 (Ivanovic 39, 62; Drogba 67)

The score line says it all. A 3-1 defeat at the hands of our old foe, Chelsea, means that Liverpool’s participation in this year’s Champions League is almost over. With the 2nd leg still to play at Stamford Bridge, it looks a more daunting task than claiming this year’s Premiership title.

It is this kind of situation that you hoped the second leg would be at Anfield. But last night, the “12th man” was helpless as they saw Chelsea put the Reds to the sword emphatically.

Despite Liverpool’s league double over them this season, a Chelsea under Guus Hiddink seemed a totally different proposition from the ones put up by former boss, Luiz Filipe Scolari.

To their credit, they played with much conviction, ruthlessness and control. A tinge of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea could be detected last night as they controlled the game well despite conceding an early goal.

With Anfield roaring the home side on, Liverpool found themselves on cloud nine after their number nine, Fernando Torres, volleyed home only after 6 minutes. The Spanish hotshot was able to convert after some good work down the right flank from Dirk Kuyt and Alvaro Arbeloa.

But Chelsea settled their nerves and responded immediately after a mistake from an off-coloured Fabio Aurelio. The Brazilian lost possession in his final third and a rampaging Salomon Kalou found Didier Drogba with a through-ball but the Ivorian striker could only blast it straight into Pepe Reina.

The in-form and revived striker caused the Liverpool defence much problem from then on and should’ve gotten himself a hat trick.

With Michael Essien doing a fantastic job patrolling just ahead of the defence led by John Terry, he effectively rendered Steven Gerrard a pedestrian throughout and the Liverpool captain was unable to link up with Fernando Torres. It was to be a very disappointing night for him.

But there won’t be a more disappointing sight than to see Liverpool conceding cheap goals, such as the two headers Branislav Ivanovic scored through two separate corner kicks.

Once again, Rafa Benitez’s zonal marking will be put to question. No doubt that the Liverpool players lost concentration on both occasion and were made to pay.

After the recent good form from the Reds, scoring a heap-load of goals against Real Madrid, Man Utd and Aston Villa, they found it difficult against a well-organised Chelsea.

Javier Mascherano’s absence was a major blow as replacement, Lucas Leiva, was constantly harried off the ball and was found wanting at times.

Liverpool’s left flank was also in a state of paralysis as they were unable to provide the ammunition while also shaky in defence. Albert Riera’s physical presence was always going to pose a problem for the opponent and therefore, Hiddink’s decision to play Ivanovic at right back was justified as Riera found it difficult against Ivanovic.

Meanwhile, Fabio Aurelio had a stinker. The Brazilian left back was caught out a few times by a marauding Kalou and was outpaced and outsmarted by the Ivorian. No surprise that Benitez had to haul him off before the full 90 minutes.

But to be fair to them, nobody who wore red last night deserved any sort of praise. They looked flat and the title race seemed to have drawn their attention away. It’s alarming to see so many slip ups and lost of concentration at vital areas.

The scoreline will be a bitter taste in the mouth for most Reds but must be relived that Chelsea were unable to capitalise on the mistakes. Sad to say, the scoreline flattered the home team.

With a gargantuan of a task ahead at Stamford Bridge, even the most optimistic Liverpool fan would concede that there won’t be a glimmer of hope this time. Chelsea have put the tie beyond the Reds and probably won’t allow Liverpool put to 3 goals into their net without reply, even without the service of suspended skipper, John Terry.

Of course in football, you win some and you lose some. “Hold your head up high” they sing and you know we will bounce back. I’m hoping to see a spirited reply at Stamford Bridge next week even though hopes seemed to have deserted us on the European front.

And there’s still 7 league games to play, one last shot at glory. Maybe being put out of the competition is a blessing in disguise for the Reds as they can now concentrate their firepower on the final assault for the throne that was lost 20 years ago.

Win or lose, football still offers hope and it is why we called it a beautiful game. Enjoy it in victory and in defeat, we cry and we move on.

Walk on, with hope in your heart!

Champions League Preview: Liverpool vs Chelsea

2009-04-07T23:39:00.001+08:00

By Gareth Freeman

It seems almost as if this fixture is a part of the regular football calendar now, rather than a random draw. This is in fact the eighth time these two teams have met in the Champions League and by now we’re all used to watching these two play out some enthralling ties. Chelsea’s semi-final victory over the Reds last year was a dubious one and I’m sure Liverpool will be keen too even the score this time around. Another stat that might give the Anfield faithful a bit of comfort, in four Champions League meetings at Anfield – Chelsea have scored just one goal.

I don’t think it really matter whether you’re at home in the first or second leg to be honest. The best team over two legs will win, its as simple as that. With Liverpool’s current form they should go into this tie as favourites with the sports betting odds but we all know how good Chelsea can be. Guus Hiddink will have to do without Nicolas Anelka though, the Frenchman has been in fine form this season and his presence will surely be missed by the Stamford Bridge side. Didier Drogba missed Chelsea’s victory over Newcastle at the weekend but it looks as if he will be fit for the game at Anfield. Drogba is without doubt a great player but for me he hasn’t been in top-form this season and if he isn’t fully fit he won’t be at the top of his game.

For me there are three players Liverpool need to really get the better of if they are too beat Chelsea – Frank Lampard, John Terry and Petr Cech. In Lampard Chelsea have a midfielder almost of the standard of Gerrard (ok, not really but he does score the odd cracker). Lampard is Chelsea’s star man and stopping him will be crucial if Liverpool are to progress to the semi-final stage. Terry has already admitted he is ‘dreading’ marking Gerrard and Torres but if there is a centre-half equipped for the task it is John Terry. If he is on top of his game chances will be few and far between but with Torres, Gerrard and Benayoun Liverpool have the players to make the most of even half-chances. Cech is probably the best keeper in the world and beating him is never going to be easy, lets just hope he doesn’t pull off a wonder game.

In the other Champions League tie on Wednesday night Barcelona welcome Bayern Munich to Camp Nou in a game that will decide Liverpool’s opponents should they progress. Barca and Bayern are the joint top scorers in the competition this year and if you’re betting backing over 2.5 goals might be a good idea. I’ll leave you with one last fact ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with Chelsea - in 11 games against English opposition in the competition (inc. last year's final against Manchester United) Chelsea have only won three games. Liverpool's only other English opponent (without Chelsea) in this competition has been Arsenal, who they beat 5-3 on aggregate in last year's quarter finals.

Title Race Down The Wire

2009-04-06T23:05:00.002+08:00

Fulham 0
Liverpool 1 (Benayoun 90+1)

Going down the wire seems a good expression of this season’s English Premiership title race but it’s more of an understatement after this weekend’s round of fixtures. Scintillating, fascinating and exhilarating. Those were the words epitomising 2 separate fixtures of the 2 closest title rivals.

Like a classic tug-of-war fashion, nobody seems to be giving up and when pressure seemingly gets on one side, they overcame and lived to fight another day. The battles were won but the outcome of the war is still a mystery.

And any slip-ups now surely will tip the scale. It’s either Man Utd or Liverpool, with Chelsea having an outside chance of sneaking it when nobody’s even talking about Guus Hiddink and his under-performing team.

United were set to face the team that were downed 5-0 by Liverpool last week while the Reds visited Craven Cottage to face the team that helped them a great favor last week after their shock 2-0 win over United.

That was the fascinating factor. In football, when adrenaline pumps and pressure gets on, form goes out the window and statistics doesn’t add up at all.

Villa, who were in dire form of late, visited Old Trafford to face a wounded giant. The humiliating defeat by Liverpool would surely give people the impression that United would have it easy at home as well.

But John Carew begged to defer. But sadly, despite some colossus effort, Villa still went down 3-2 with new kid on the block, Frederico Macheda scoring the winner in the 92nd minute of the game. Mark of the champions? Definitely.

Despite being outplayed at times and losing several key players, United managed to bounce back and avoid an embarrassing 3 games losing streak. The game was played at break-neck pace and it was end to end.

They were also playing after being put under intense pressure by Liverpool, one of those rare occasions where the ball was in Liverpool’s court and they managed to deliver it out. It is not, of course, without some minor hiccups.

Oh, I meant the crossbar and the post.

The last 2 games at Craven Cottage offered a comparison between the 2 title rivals and it’s fairly obvious to us that Liverpool have built up this newfound resilience in them which doesn’t last them to the 70th minute or the 80th minute but right to the end.

When United came and were outplayed, the fragility of their character was apparent. The heavy defeat by Liverpool did the damage and the players lost the plot. Paul Scholes thought he was in the beach of northern France playing beach volleyball while Wayne Rooney thought the corner flag at Craven Cottage had ‘punch me’ written on it.

Despite scoring 2 against Villa last night, the ‘best-player-in-the-world-tm’ showed that he’s the player you’ll want in better days but not on those dark and gloomy ones. A lack of determination and ‘get-stuck-in’ attitude meant that he was more of a liability.

In contrast, Liverpool lived true to the ‘it’s not over till it’s over’ motto made famous by Rocky Balboa. Despite severe frustrations and the seemingly familiar feeling of ‘it’s just not our day’, they fought on and found their deserved glory.

It came in the 91st minute, the 11th time Liverpool found the net beyond the 90th minute, a sign of character and resilience. This time, it was Yossi Benayoun who popped up with the beauty.

The Israeli captain infuriated the Reds camp last week after agreeing to travel for the international games and unsurprisingly, came back with a plaster and some medication for his foot.

The players came back from the international break giving Rafa Benitez some selection problems (not saying that it doesn’t affect Sir Alex but he should blame the red cards instead) but he still was able to field a pretty strong line up.

Eyes were lit up the moment they saw Andrea Dosenna on the left flank. Gerrard and Torres, the golden partnership, was reformed again.

Yet they were not able to put the ball in the net and with Dosenna’s headed balls more attracted to the goal frame and Gerrard’s lacklustre performance, it was probably meant to be yet another bad day at office.
We’ve seen Liverpool done it over the past few seasons when they were put in the driving seat to apply pressure on their rivals but fail to capitalize. This time round, Benayoun decided enough is enough and put an end to this mental blockage and misconception.

The away end of Craven Cottage was bouncing and singing “we’re gonna win the league” and were in raptures. So did Old Trafford 24 hours later. Such emotions and such excitement. With 7 games to go, the margin of error is getting thinner and the neck to neck race will really give fans of both sides the edge of the seat experience.

How many times have we, Liverpool fans, felt this way? Seldom. But finally we’re in it so I say let’s enjoy it. Whether we falter at the end or gain glory, I must say the team has moved on to another level with Rafa Benitez and what we’re going to achieve this season will be a perfect platform for the Reds next season.

Could Barry Be Set For Anfield Move At Last?

2009-04-02T01:13:00.001+08:00

By Gareth Freeman

It was one of the longest and most drawn out transfer saga of last summer and in the end Benitez’s attempts to pries Gareth Barry away from Villa Park proved fruitless. He could get him at the second attempt though as Barry has come out and publicly said he would find it hard to stay at Villa if they did not achieve Champions League qualification.

Personally I think Villa have blown their chance to finish in the top-four, they face the daunting task of a visit to Old Trafford at the weekend and I don’t think they’ll get much joy there. The battering Liverpool gave Villa will undoubtedly have affected their confidence and I think it’s a fairly safe soccer bet that the current top-four will all qualify for next season’s Champions League.

There were many problems standing in the way of Benitez signing Barry last summer. The board refused to pay the asking price, Villa boss Martin O’Neill was adamant he would not leave for less than the £18million+ he wanted and Barry had over two years left on his deal. Now the Liverpool board have pledged their support to Rafa, the fee won’t be as high due to the fact he has just 15 months left on his deal and O’Neill seems to have softened his stance somewhat.

The one stumbling block could be Arsenal. Arsene Wenger is also a well known admirer of Villa’s England international but if I were Barry I’d probably opt for Liverpool. They’re perhaps more likely to mount a serious title challenge than the Gunners and Barry would get to partner Steven Gerrard in midfield – making it more likely he will truly cement his place in the England side.

I’m sure Barry would make an excellent addition to Rafa’s team. He has great vision, passing ability and an excellent work-rate. Xabi Alonso may be forced out by Barry’s move but as much as I admire Xabi I think Barry is a better player, just.

Right now though the most important thing for Liverpool fans is the current title race, and what a race it has become. Liverpool can go top on Saturday if they beat Fulham, at least until United play on Sunday anyway, but it won’t be an easy game. Fulham are good at home but in Liverpool’s current form I think they’ll see off the Cottagers and take three vital points. It could be a tight one though; perhaps a one or two nil victory for the Reds, my betting tip would be to go for under 2.5 goals or even the 1-0/2-0 Liverpool win.

Gerrard Ready for Contract Talks

2009-03-27T23:14:00.000+08:00

By Gareth Freeman

What a few weeks it has been at Anfield! After a dark period where wins were few and far between, Liverpool picked up by smashing close rivals Manchester United and Aston Villa, off the field Benitez signed a new deal and now ‘captain fantastic’ Steven Gerrard is set to do the same.

Liverpool’s position in the league and Gerrard’s willingness to commit to a new deal show how far the club has come under Rafa’s guidance. There was a time when fears of Gerrard leaving for Chelsea were well founded but now it looks as if he is set to sign, probably for the rest of his career.

Needless to say, having Gerrard committing his long-term future to the club is a massive bonus and even if the title is still a long-shot this season, Liverpool can be safe in the knowledge that they will be serious contenders next season after this season’s showing.

Here are a few snippets from Gerrard’s interview.

"I have never been happier throughout my whole career than I am at the moment," The Liverpool skipper said.

"I have two years left on my contract and if there was a chance to extend it, I am sure I would.

"I am playing in a top team, with world-class players and I believe in the manager. Going forward, I am sure we can be successful."

He added: “I am captain and we are winning. Our relationship (with Benitez) has got stronger as time has gone by.

"For years and years I have moaned about not being involved in a title race and being far away from the others.

"At the moment, I am playing in a team that's capable of beating anyone in the league."

When Rafa first took charge at Anfield he had a tendency to play Gerrard out of position but he has now cemented his role in the middle of the park just behind Torres. His relationship with Benitez to begin with was probably not helped by the fact he held Gerard Houllier in such high regard either. Now the pair are working as a unit, Liverpool are the most successful team in Europe in recent years and they still have a shot at the title.

The sports betting odds on Liverpool winning the league have been slashed from 30/1 to 3/1. United are still favourites with odds of around 1/3 (they were 1/50 at one point I think) but that goes to show how much progress Rafa’s men have made in the last couple of games. I’ve had a look through United’s remaining fixtures and they’ve got to face Arsneal, Spurs and Man City who are sides who have caused United problems over the years. Unfortunately all those games are at Old Trafford and I wouldn’t go betting on United slipping up too often. However, the manner in which Liverpool defeated United at Old Trafford goes to show they’re not invincible there and the race is wide open for the Premier League crown.

Reds Blow Title Race Wide Open

2009-03-23T20:56:00.003+08:00

Liverpool 5 (Kuyt 7, Riera 33, Gerrard pen 40, 50, pen 65)
Aston Villa 0

What a fantastic 10 days for the Liverpool fans. They must’ve thought they’re in some kind of dreamland. 13 goals scored against Real Madrid, Man Utd and now, Aston Villa with only 1 conceded.

And what a way for the players to show their willingness to play for Rafa Benitez, after finally signing a new 5 year contract, showing his intent to continue on his good works at Liverpool.

Liverpool were irresistible and totally blew Aston Villa away as the visitors stood absolutely no chance to stop this machine with all momentum.

With Man Utd’s reply to last week’s 4-1 drubbing being a weak and laughable 2-0 defeat at the hands of Fulham, Liverpool smelled blood. Chelsea, their closest competitor to dethrone Man Utd, too, were found wanting at White Hart Lane. Guus Hiddink suffered his first defeat and it was pretty untimely.

Playing with the gift of retrospect, Liverpool were pumped up. They knew they have half the battle won when both teams fumbled. Yet it will come down to nothing if they don’t put Villa to the sword.

Villa’s form went pear-shaped since February and touted to take over Arsenal’s place in the top four, they bottled it and are now losing touch with the Gunners.

The visitors came to Anfield with in dire form. Yet it was fate that brought them right in front of the marauding red machine. By the time the clock reached the half hour mark, the Villains were already being put to the sword and only thing they could do was damage limitation.

Anfield was in buoyant mood, brought about with the hopes and enthusiasm of that minute, just minute, possibility of the Premiership crown finally landing its feet in Merseyside for the first time in 19 years.

As the Rafa Benitez banner says, “Siempre es Possible”. Liverpool fans were hoping and praying for that miracle. Anything IS possible.

Actions speak louder than words and Dirk Kuyt was the first to prove that he is desperate and hungry for Premiership glory. Steven Gerrard’s freekick was headed onto the post by Xabi Alonso and the Dutch striker pounced on the loose ball and blasted it past the stranded Brad Friedel.

He booted the ball with such conviction and passion. It’s as if he knew it will land in the back of the net. Maybe he knew something more.
Aston Villa managed to find their feet and played some fantastic football down the flanks, with James Milner a thorn in the side. The physical approach of former Liverpool striker, Emile Heskey, and John Carew gave the home side much problem.

Soon it turned into an open and expansive game, end to end stuff. But the second and crucial goal came from yet another route one approach from the Reds.

Pepe Reina’s long punt was not dealt with by the Villa defenders and surprisingly, Albert Riera was on the end of it. The Spanish winger was in inspired form yesterday and all he needed was a touch and he placed a volley into top left corner.

It was a magnificent goal which involves minimal set-up and straightforward. Let’s not even go into the technique required to score such goal.

Then came Steven Gerrard to put the game to bed with a brilliant hat trick, his first in the Premiership surprisingly. The skipper is in fine form and despite not having the best game, he still managed to bulge the net thrice.

Two of them came from the penalty spot. First, Albert Riera was brought down by makeshift right-back, Nigel Reo-Coker, and he made no mistakes.

Then an unfortunate Brad Friedel was sent off for obstructing Fernand Torres. It was unintentional and he could’ve done nothing to avoid it. The former Liverpool goalkeeper was applauded off the field and hopefully he could get the red card rescinded.

Gerrard placed it at the same spot again and Brad Guzan had no chance. The replacement goalkeeper’s first job was to pick the ball out from the net.

The other goal came from a freekick, sandwiched between the two penalties. Despite a multitude of men forming the wall, there was no stopping the skipper from placing the ball at the right bottom corner.

By then it was well and truly over with the Reds home and dry. Who would’ve thought that Liverpool would so comprehensively dispatch Villa with such ease and it was as if everything were going in their favour.

Even when Fernando Torres being a virtual spectator throughout, other players rose up to the challenge and gifted the Anfield faithful some hope.

You’ll have to feel sorry for Villa. They didn’t play particularly badly but were already K.O-ed before they even saw it coming.

Liverpool were not in their profligate self and were clinical. Something you’d see from a team brimming with confidence.

And now, the title race is truly heating up and even IF Liverpool doesn’t win it, I’d know that at least I know that they tried their best. I mean, I don’t remember seeing Liverpool still challenging at this stage in any other seasons.

This season is going to be special. Either we go on and win it or we can take it as a spring board for better things to come next season. Hang on tight, because this is going to be edge-of-your-seats stuff!

Rafa's Love Story With Liverpool Continues

2009-03-21T00:25:00.001+08:00

"My heart is with Liverpool Football Club, so I'm delighted to sign this new deal. I love the club, the fans and the city and with a club like this and supporters like this, I could never say no to staying. I always made clear I wanted to be here for a long time and when I complete my new contract it will mean I have spent over a decade in Liverpool.”

These were the words that finally give the red half of Liverpool a good sleep tonight. After a ‘hard-to-get’ game played by Benitez and Liverpool, many Reds would’ve felt the uncertainty of the direction of the club.

At long last, we could all look past those doubts and fears, continue to build on this legacy and look forward into a bright red future.

Actually, I was stoked when I saw the news. I was beaming with joy when I finally saw him put pen to that precious contract. The least said about the other 129 rough drafts of the contract the better.

It had been a rollercoaster ride for the Liverpool fans, for the owners and for Rafa himself. There were times where it seems imminent that Benitez would leave the club after seemingly being in the same situation half a decade ago at Valencia.

“I want a sofa but they got me a lampshade.” Such was his hunger for control and a say in everything, including transfers.

Robbie Keane, a major signing in the summer, was probably that lampshade. Though it was disposed off as quickly as Ronaldo going to the ground, one have to wonder if Keane was really a Benitez signing.

The doubts brought tensions within the club. Papers talked about it. Fans questions it. With each passing week, the hopes of him signing the contract seem gloomier and less probable.

We all know Benitez is a meticulous man and wants to have a hand on everything within the club. From the top to the bottom, he wants to be in control and through Liverpool’s playing style, you could see that.

As owners, surely you’d be put off by that. You want someone who manages, not being a control freak and busybody.

Yet his tactical acumen, especially in Europe, probably made Tom Hicks overlooks all of that and accepts the he is the man for this job. After seeing Liverpool steamrolled past Real Madrid last week and demolished Man Utd over the weekends, there is probably no question to his ability.

Tom Hicks, probably read Sun Tzu’s Art of War and realized that only by retreating, you’ll gain the advantage in advancing forward. He removed Rick Parry from his post a few weeks back and it was seen as a victory for Benitez.

We don’t know for sure whether Parry and Benitez had a good working relations but it seems like with the removal of Parry, the Spanish manager would have more control and say in areas such as transfers.

It has been a wonderful 8 or so days for most Liverpool fans. A place in the quarter finals of the Champions League, still in contention for the Premier League title at this stage and some exciting up and coming stars, his signing will no doubt be the icing on the cake.

But it is still only the tip of the iceberg.

I was surprised by the length of contract. 5 years it is. I was pretty adamant that he would at most sign an extension of 2-3 years. But that is an indication that he is here to stay. He might move on anytime from now to 2014 but that definitely signals his intentions.

Of course looking forward, there’s still lot of work to be done. One or two top class players are still needed and of course, contract renewals to key players need to be addressed.

Benitez’s first challenge comes only a day after the joyous occasion and that is the quarter final draw of the Champions League. He obviously have the European Cup in mind, as we’ve already been dumped out of the domestic cups and Premier League is still Man Utd’s to lose.

On the transfer scene, he is surely looking to bolster the squad, with rumours claiming that he is targeting ‘an England international’. I know, I can hear the murmurs. It’s Wayne Rooney I bet (just kidding of course).

Upfront, we need a more consistent and able cover for Fernando Torres. With the departure of Robbie Keane, the frontline looked thin at times with only Ryan Babel and David N’Gog to look to.

Both of our flanks need to be further strengthened as well. Dirk Kuyt looks capable enough but is not the final solution. Albert Riera looks promising at first but his form dwindled towards the latter half perhaps due to his fitness level.

I’ve talked too much here of course. I’m going to let Rafa Benitez do his job. Well on, Rafa, we’ll be behind you!

Match Preview: Liverpool vs Aston Villa

2009-03-21T00:22:00.001+08:00

By Gareth Freeman

Winning the league may still be a long-shot but this is now a massive game. Had the game been a draw the race would have been all but over but for Liverpool to win so emphatically gave at least a glimmer of hope the trophy could be heading to Anfield. The win may have been a historic one but it will count for very little if they don’t follow it up with a win over Aston Villa.

Based on recent performances I would expect Liverpool to beat Villa at Anfield. They were fairly poor against Spurs last weekend but there could be a reaction from their players to that performance. They’ve also just dropped out of the top-four for the first time this season and no doubt they’ll want to get back into those much-coveted Champions League places.

Villa have impressed me a lot this season. They muscled their way into perhaps even challenging for the title at one point and played some pretty impressive stuff along the way. In Emile Heskey they have an excellent target man and he is always a danger. He can really bully defenders and is one of the best in the game at holding the ball up. There is also the ‘ex-player’ syndrome and I wouldn’t be surprised if Heskey upped his game at Liverpool. Personally I never thought he was quite good enough to be in a top side but he’s got the chance to prove me wrong now he is at Villa, who despite their recent drop are fast becoming a ‘top side.’

Ashley Young had a good game against Tottenham last week and ran Didier Zokora ragged in the first half. Redknapp took Zokora off and replaced him with Corluka just over half and hour into the game because he just couldn’t deal with the nippy winger. One criticism of Young this season is that he hasn’t performed as well against the bigger teams and hopefully whoever is marking him will be able to cope. James Milner is maybe overshadowed by some of his team-mates but the ex-Leeds and Newcastle midfielder has been outstanding all season. He delivers some excellent crosses and has created plenty of chances for Villa this season and has really improved under O’Neill’s guidance.

One area where Villa look less convincing is their defence. I just don’t really rate their central defenders but their full-backs look fairly decent. Torres will almost certainly find space to exploit against the Villa defence and it could be a profitable afternoon for the Spaniard.

Villa are obviously quite close to Liverpool in terms of points but I think Rafa’s men will emerge victorious. Villa have been on a bad run and won’t be looking forward to a trip to Anfield. There should be no under-estimating the importance of the win over United. The manner of the victory should give the players the belief and drive to push United all the way even though I can’t see United slipping up in enough games to let anyone else in. Because of the way both sides play and Villa’s questionable defence my advice on this game if you fancy betting would be to have a soccer bet on over 2.5 goals.

The odds won’t be great on Liverpool winning but I think both teams have the ability to get a few goals and the Reds have been in free scoring mode at the moment. If they can score four against Real Madrid and Manchester United I reckon they can put at least two past Villa, if not more, and Villa are more than capable of nicking a goal even against Liverpool’s generally solid defence.

First Real, Then United

2009-03-17T21:17:00.005+08:00

Manchester United 1 (Ronaldo pen 23);
Liverpool 4 (Torres 28, Gerrard pen 44, Aurelio 77, Dossena 90);

“This has to be the best week since 2001”, harped Sami Hyypia, the veteran Liverpool defender who was hailed as one of the heroes at the Theatre of Dreams (or Nightmare, depending on which side you support).

The Finnish defender put the 4-1 win over Man Utd and 4-0 over Real on par with Liverpool’s 2001 Treble season where they won the League Cup, FA Cup and the UEFA Cup.

It was a whirlwind week for Rafa Benitez’s Reds as they scored 8 goals in 2 games. Seems like no big deal but it was against the might of Real Madrid and the champions of Europe and the world (depending if you believe the Club World Championship is an accurate portrayal or not), Man Utd.

As a Liverpool fan, it was to my dismay that I missed out (I had to watch a replay) on probably the result of the decade. I love to see Liverpool dominating in Europe, which has became a norm. But to see us so comprehensively defeat Man Utd at their backyard is something else.

It was Rafa Benitez’s 100th win and how sweet it must’ve been to gain it at Old Trafford. The manager’s call for respect came with two huge results. I would go on my knees now and beg the Liverpool owners to make him sign the contract. There’s no other manager I would want at helm.

He too, proved that his theory right. He mentioned about the fact that if Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres started more games together, Liverpool would’ve been even closer to United than they are now.

The dynamic partnership was formed last season and it was definitely fruitful thus far. It was as if they’re match-made in heaven. All credit to Benitez, whom dovetailed them into one of the most potent strike force in the football world. The annihilation at Old Trafford was the byproduct of it all.

The duo gave a master-class performance and showed the world that the 4-0 win over Real Madrid on Wednesday was no fluke. It wasn’t a one-off performance.

What they did to former World Player of the Year, Fabio Cannavaro, and Portugese defender, Pepe, they inflicted it on Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand as well.

For Torres, a seemingly frail figure, it is beyond imagination that he outpaced and out-muscled Vidic with such ease. The boy is on fire. He tormented the acclaimed ‘best defender in the Premiership’ to the point that the Serbian thought that an early shower was the best way to exit the match (He was sent off).

And what a celebration too, for the Spanish striker. Raising up 5 fingers, a reminisce of Robbie Fowler’s taunt at United fans during his time at Man Citeh.

For Steven Gerrard, it’s probably more personal. For all the disappointments at Old Trafford and seeing them almost equaling his beloved team’s English league title record, he yearns to see his team be over and above their rivals.

Indeed, he showed his desire when he led by example and was nerveless when he dispatched his penalty with ease. The large frame of van der Saar and the barisan crowd in Old Trafford didn’t put him off.

Pre-match, Wayne Rooney stoked fire the proportion of the Australian forest fire by stating how much he hated Liverpool. Well, that came as a surprise. Nobody saw that coming from a Evertonian Scouser (Sense my sarcasm).

How much it must have amused the Reds as they saw him throwing tantrums and hands on his head on more than one occasion. The camera never fails to pan his direction after each of the 4 goals.

Yet we should continue to focus on Liverpool. After the heroics of Gerrard and Torres were followed up the up and rising of two unlikely heroes.

Fabio Aurelio, so often named a sicknote, put on a fabulous performance in continuation of his midweek contributions. He’s pretty injury prone but one could see his ability once he is able to consistently feature in the side and how important he is to Rafa’s plan.

With Vidic sent off with a rugby tackle, Aurelio was given a chance to further punish United. And he did with his wonderful left foot. It arced above the wall and whistled into van der Saar’s net. The Dutch goalkeeper totally rooted to the spot.

Just when you thought 3-1 was an exceptional result, Andrea Dossena puts the icing on the most magnificent cake any Liverpool fan could’ve imagined with a fourth, right on the 90th minute mark.

Once again, a long ball was not dealt with and all the Italian defender needed was a touch before the ball was lobbed over van der Saar (rooted again) and into an empty net. He definitely didn’t impress anyone with his performances all season, considering he cost 7 million pounds. But in the last two matches, he probably has attained a cult hero status at Anfield.

‘Robbie Keane who? We have Dossena!’ - One of the fans said with delight.

Indeed it seems like a dream. The results have definitely given Liverpool a breath of life and a dose of confidence. It didn’t, of course, blow the title race wide open in any account but Liverpool and Chelsea must’ve sensed blood. United is still with a game in hand and 4 points ahead.

Barring a catastrophic and calamitous self-destruction of United, the title is still theirs to lose. But the 4-1 result must have been like a mortal wound inflicted and doubts of their invincibility must have crept in.

Now, we’ll have to see how Alex Ferguson’s men react to it. Will they come out stronger like before or would they shun away responsibilities like how Ferguson dodged BBC/Sky Sports reporters after the defeat?

Whatever it is, the result definitely brought about a breath of fresh air into the Premiership. This could go down the wire!

We might not win it this season but I feel that we’re much closer now and this season could very well be a springboard for next season, where I feel a few players of the right caliber could bring us to higher level.

Liverpool Left Real 4 Dead

2009-03-12T21:01:00.003+08:00

Liverpool (Eng) 4 (Torres 16; Gerrard 28 pen, 47; Dossena 89);
Real Madrd (Esp) 0

The stage was set when Liverpool apparently ‘robbed’ Real Madrid of their divine right to win games at the Santiago Bernabeu a week ago. Rallying cries were heard ringing in the press. Marca even had the audacity to print out the headlines ‘This Is Anfield, So What?’

But the pure arrogance makes it even sweeter for many as they saw how Liverpool totally dismantled and tore Real Madrid apart. There’s no greater football spectacle than to watch a team full of egoistic and puffed-up players fall with eggs on their faces.

For Fernando Torres, it matters to him more than just a usual Champions League game. ‘Special European Night’ aside for the Liverpool hitman, his history with the Los Blancos links to his former club, his pride, dignity and even his family are involved.

So, for him to score the opening goal was the perfect dose of ‘take that, you lot’. The goal was conjured from a typical route one ball played by Carragher and it gave Pepe and Cannavaro enough problems.

Despite protests of him using his arms on Portugese defender, Pepe, Liverpool’s beloved number 9 started off the rout and made sure that he saw it through. He ran his heart out despite being on painkillers and never will people forget him tracking back 30 yards to tackle Lassanna Diarra near the halfway line.

Liverpool played as if they were the one that are at the wrong end of the 1-0 deficit. They started off in 6th gear from the first minute and gave Real Madrid the ‘time of their lives’. They blitzed Iker Casillas’ goal with no mercy and the goalkeeper should be the only player in white that could’ve left Anfield with head held up high.

If not for the Spanish stopper, it could’ve been much worse.

But he was helpless to stop the marauding Reds, who showed passion, hunger and class throughout. Something rare from a team that just came off a horrific 2-0 defeat in the hands of… Middlesbrough…

For that, Rafa Benitez is often criticized for not transferring his magical touch in Europe into the continental competition. He’s often acclaimed as a genius one day and then an absolute clueless manager the next.

But for that, he didn’t care much. He thought he deserve more credit and for this game, he had a point to prove.

With plans to unsettle Real from the first minute, the visitors were probably shaken even before the game with the Anfield faithful in their usual buoyant self, lashing out chorus after chorus of their hopeful hymn.

If that wasn’t intimidating enough, to see Javier Mascherano on fire would be. The Argentinian midfielder put in tackles after tackles, interceptions after interceptions. His performance was immense. Imperious even. Partnering Xabi Alonso in the centre of midfield, both held firm and gave Steven Gerrard the license to roam and kill.

Liverpool’s second was definitely controversial. Penalty was given when the ball hits Gabriel Heinze on his shoulder. Referee biasness might be the cause but it seemed like everything the Argentinian defender does, it’s a foul and therefore you can’t really blame him.

Steven Gerrard up against the best goalkeeper in the world and he tucked the ball into the net with no frills. One his 100th European game, he looked like he’s an echelon above every else even at this stage. It is how much difference a fired-up player could make.

Juande Ramos must’ve been relieved to hear the half time whistle as his team withdrawn back into their bunkers to devise on a new plan. He must be wondering how if he’s coaching the 9 time European Champions or Tottenham Hotspur in disguise.

And any thought of a comeback where quenched immediately by yet another spectacular Steven Gerrard goal.

Ryan Babel, unpredictable and even irritating at times, was able to deliver a fantastic left foot cross for Stevie G to volley the ball past the hapless Casillas. Surely that must be game over for Juande’s men.

With the strikers devoid of any support and the midfielders totally closed down, Real had to choice but to revert to a suicidal 3-4-3 formation. They had to sacrifice Italian captain, Fabio Cannavaro and to be frank, if he had a choice he would’ve voluntarily walk off anyway.

On came Rafael van der Vaart, whom on 15 Feb ’09 was quoted saying that Liverpool fears Real. Oh yea, definitely.

Liverpool just had to put the game to bed in the most humorous or humiliating way, whichever way you see it. A fourth goal was to be scored and it’s by the much-maligned Andrea Dossena. The Italian defender was able to connect well with Mascherano’s cross and it slipped through under the arms of Casillas.

On another note, Jay Spearing made his European debut. It must’ve been quite an experience playing alongside his childhood heroes and at the same time, rampaging and ravaging the remnants of Real Madrid left on the field. The confused and clueless looks on the faces of Raul and Sneijder should’ve been a good encouragement for him that he was part of a team that made an impact in the European stage.

And for Rafa Benitez, it was a point to prove and proved it he did. Even though his reputation is still at stake with the Man Utd game coming up, the fear that his team strike in the heart of European’s great teams are apparent.

Inter, Barcelona, Juventus and now, Real, have a taste of what it is to be on the end of Liverpool’s sword. Not that nice to be honest and Real just had to have it the toughest way.

Have it, for in Europe, we fear no one.

Preview: Liverpool vs Real Madrid

2009-03-11T00:34:00.001+08:00

By Gareth Freeman

I managed to catch the Madrid derby this weekend and it was a brilliant game for the spectator. A whole host of glorious chances were spurned in the 1-1 draw between the two Spanish side, the good news for Liverpool is the majority fell to Atletico. The Argentine Sergio Aguerro missed at least two one-on-one opportunities and Real’s best player was arguably their keeper Iker Casillas.

Having said that a few warning signs have come from the Bernabeu. Real’s stalwart Raul said "We have a clear idea of what we have to do - score twice," and he is always a danger going forward. Raul may not be quite as effective as he was a few years ago but he is still a top forward and capable of scoring in big games. Without Ruud Van Nistlerooy they have relied on him a lot more and the 31-year-old has notched up 14 goals already this season.

Fabio Cannavaro said he believes if Real take their time a goal ‘will surely come’. I’m not so sure myself as the Liverpool defence held out well last time and Benitez will have a plan to stop the Real attack. Huntelaar scored for Real at the weekend and looked a danger, they left him out of the squad though – something they may live to regret. Higuain looked fairly lively against Atletico and Rafael Van der Vart is another player to watch out for but the Liverpool defence has been fairly solid of late and I think they’ll be able to cope.

It would upset the sports betting odds if Real were to triumph given Liverpool’s advantage, all be it a slender one. The away goal was crucial as now Madrid will have to go out and attack from the off, leaving Liverpool the opportunity to counter.

Fernando Torres is still a doubt for the tie but if he is fit his pace will be vital. Benayoun is another doubt, which is a major blow. Yossi has been one of the Reds’ better players since the turn of the year and he was probably the best player in the first leg as well.

I think Bentitez could be the key to this tie, he outsmarted Juande Ramos last time I wouldn’t go betting against him doing it again. I expect the game to be a nervy affair, with the Champions League the best opportunity for both teams of picking up any silverware this season. With a goal advantage and the added bonus of being at home I can’t see Liverpool slipping up in this one.