Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Insua
Mascherano
Maxi Aquilani Gerrard Babel
Torres
Goals:
Torres 26’ 77’
Babel 28’
Aquilani 32’
Belhadj 88’
Catharsis. Sweet, sweet relief. Someone was due a hammering; obviously, we just wish it came sooner.
Just as you can’t overreact after an out-of-character abysmal spell (even if it’s lasted for months), you can’t get carried away after hammering a relegation-bound team in administration. Pompey’s late consolation, with Liverpool basically at walking speed, certainly annoys, but it’s a slight, and pretty much the only, complaint. For once.
Despite what looked to be a clear penalty when Rocha handled in the 4th minute, Pompey defended well early on and posed half a threat when Piquionne or Dindane countered with Liverpool sending as many forward as possible. But a fortunate goal, brought about by hard work and a team effort, broke down the brick wall with a sledgehammer. Liverpool had two on the board two minutes later and three within six.
Finally full of confidence running rampant against a clearly disheartened side, they should have had a fourth by the 35th with the game already out of sight. It took more than 40 minutes to get that fourth, unsurprisingly through Torres with the foot long taken off the gas. Sadly, the consolation was also unsurprising with Liverpool clearly ready to go home after scoring the fourth. I am surprised it wasn’t more than 4-1, but you can’t be greedy. We only have to look back to the run of form after beating Hull 6-1 for evidence of that.
It was an attacking line-up, exactly as hoped. I’ve drawn it up as 4-1-4-1, but it was just as often 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-1-1. What mattered was Liverpool almost always had seven men in the final third: the front five and the fullbacks. Both Aquilani and Babel started and both Aquilani and Babel scored. The signs were there from the start with that penalty shout and some really nice interplay between Rodriguez, Gerrard, Aquilani, and Torres.
And it was Liverpool determination, with three of the four aforementioned players involved, which opened the scoring. Gerrard closed down Ashdown after a soft back pass, blocking the clearance. Maxi picked up the loose ball and looked up, finding Torres on the spot for a tap in.
It was the epitome of opening the floodgates. Liverpool kept pouring forward, and Johnson – a constant threat down the right in a game tailor-made for him (not only was the opposition pegged back from the start, it was his former club) – sent in a cross that was flicked on to Torres. Dancing in the box looking for an opening, the striker eventually cut back for Babel, shifting onto his right and slotting past Ashdown. Four minutes later, Liverpool scored the pick of the three, and not only because it was Aquilani’s first for the club. Gerrard to Torres, who back-heeled towards the spot, dummied by the captain and finished by Aqua. Six crazy minutes, indeed.
Torres cutting into the box and pinging a wonderful curler off the inside of the far post, followed by Johnson reclaiming and finding Maxi, who cutback for Gerrard from the byline only to see the captain shoot wide, should have brought the fourth, but by that point it was moot. And despite nearly constant Liverpool possession in Pompey’s half, the team mostly attacked like it was moot.
A stretch five minutes after the restart nearly saw another goal, with Gerrard’s narrow shot blocked by Ashdown, Babel’s stinging drive tipped onto the crossbar, and Gerrard's curler high and wide. But right after that spell, Pompey could have scored their consolation half an hour earlier if not for Reina, shooting up a strong right hand to keep out Michael Brown’s close-range effort, again on the counter.
Had Gerrard displayed his customary finishing touch, he could have bagged three or four and we’d really be talking about a rout, but again, can’t complain. What you can complain about is Gerrard’s petulant forearm on Brown in the 72nd (to be fair, everyone wants to elbow Michael Brown, who went unpunished for smashing Alonso’s face in a couple of seasons back), which luckily only led to a free kick, followed by Gerrard soon substituted for Benayoun (he probably would have gone off anyway with the game secure and three matches in six days). Soon after came Liverpool’s fourth, Torres’ second (and his fifth in five games against Pompey), when Aquilani’s wonderful throughball after a quick free kick put the striker one-on-one with the unfortunate Rocha.
Ngog soon replaced the star striker, with Kelly having earlier come on for Johnson, both substitutions also with an eye on Lille and United, as Liverpool coasted to the win. The cost of coasting was losing what would have been Reina’s joint-league-leading 13th clean sheet, a record kept despite Liverpool’s form. Pepe deserves better, but again, small peanuts in a 4-1 win.
Maybe it’s my inherent pessimism, but I still expect criticism after this victory. And it’ll probably center on scapegoating Kuyt and Lucas when rightfully praising Aquilani, Maxi, and Babel. Those three were the key players along with Torres, the four attackers with the most to prove. But Liverpool won’t be able to attack with such impunity against most opponents, even if Benitez does need to loosen the shackles during the run-in. However, Aquilani definitely stood out – man of the match just over Torres and Maxi – and I’d be surprised if he was left out on Thursday. But it’s almost certainly Lucas/Mascherano, as well as Kuyt, against the Mancs.
Just as Liverpool’s struggles have been a perfect storm of woes, today was an example of everything clicking and playing the “right” opposition. Portsmouth in the league isn’t Portsmouth in the FA Cup, where they’re rightfully backs-against-the-wall. And this isn’t a line-up or formation that’ll work against every club in the league. But it’s definitely nice that it worked today.
It’s still an uphill struggle for fourth, dependent upon winning every game possible and hoping others stutter. But it at least looks a bit brighter than it did last week.
15 March 2010
13 March 2010
Liverpool v Portsmouth 03.15.10
4pm, live in the US on espn2
Last 4 head-to-head:
0-2 Pompey (a) 12.19.09
3-2 Liverpool (a) 02.07.09
1-0 Liverpool (h) 10.29.08
4-1 Liverpool (h) 12.22.07
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 0-1 Lille (a); 0-1 Wigan (a); 2-1 Blackburn (h)
Pompey: 1-2 Brum (h); 2-0 Brum (h); 2-1 Burnley (a)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Torres 13; Kuyt 9; Gerrard 6; Benayoun 5; Ngog 4; Babel, Johnson 2; Kyrgiakos, Skrtel 1
Pompey: Dindane, Piquionne 5; Boateng 3; Belhadj, Yebda 2; Hreidarsson, Kanu, O’Hara, Webber 1
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Three months younger than I am and he’s never refereed a Liverpool match. However, he was the fourth official Sammy Lee screamed at in the first game of the season when Voronin didn’t get a penalty. This should be fun.
Guess at a squad:
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Insua
Mascherano
Maxi Gerrard Aquilani Babel
Torres
This is the game where I’d like some changes rung, since it certainly wasn’t happening on Thursday.
I can’t see any other back four, the same as the one against Lille: Johnson’s back, Agger will be preferred to Kyrgiakos, and there’s no one to spell Insua. Torres, Gerrard, Reina, and Mascherano are the other nailed-on starters. Everything else is up in the air, and I’m hopeful that Benitez will spring a surprise or two.
Everyone knows my soft spot for Kuyt, but there’s no way he should keep his place on current form, even considering he’s one of Liverpool’s few target men and Benayoun’s probably out of this match due to injury. Babel linked up well with Torres on Thursday (at least a couple of times), while Maxi’s a different option, getting better with each game.
I’m much warier of suggesting a start for Aquilani knowing what a powder keg that is. Despite seven starts where we’ve seen little and few chances otherwise, many seemingly expect Alberto to be some sort of savior. Well, there’s a reason he hasn’t been playing, even if Benitez hasn’t clued us in on it (and it’s not that Lucas has naked pictures of the manager). But the team clearly needs some sort of change and Aquilani’s one of the few possibilities. That the match is at Anfield at least removes one of the excuses for Aqua not featuring.
Liverpool should certainly have motivation going into this match. Not only does the team dearly need a win, they’ve an abortion of a two-nil loss to avenge from December. That win was one of three Pompey home league wins, and it was the most recent. Yes, Liverpool was the last side Portsmouth beat at Fratton Park in the Prem and it happened almost three months ago.
Those last three months haven’t been kind to Pompey. Bottom of the table, multiple delinquent owners, forced player sales, and finally administration. And yet they’ve a better chance of winning a trophy than Liverpool. Piquionne, who scored in the last meeting, has been impressive of late, while Spurs loanee Jamie O’Hara will be the other main threat.
There are only nine games left in this awful campaign. Almost all hope’s been lost. Please, just give us a ray of optimism as we close out this catastrophe.
Last 4 head-to-head:
0-2 Pompey (a) 12.19.09
3-2 Liverpool (a) 02.07.09
1-0 Liverpool (h) 10.29.08
4-1 Liverpool (h) 12.22.07
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 0-1 Lille (a); 0-1 Wigan (a); 2-1 Blackburn (h)
Pompey: 1-2 Brum (h); 2-0 Brum (h); 2-1 Burnley (a)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Torres 13; Kuyt 9; Gerrard 6; Benayoun 5; Ngog 4; Babel, Johnson 2; Kyrgiakos, Skrtel 1
Pompey: Dindane, Piquionne 5; Boateng 3; Belhadj, Yebda 2; Hreidarsson, Kanu, O’Hara, Webber 1
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Three months younger than I am and he’s never refereed a Liverpool match. However, he was the fourth official Sammy Lee screamed at in the first game of the season when Voronin didn’t get a penalty. This should be fun.
Guess at a squad:
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Insua
Mascherano
Maxi Gerrard Aquilani Babel
Torres
This is the game where I’d like some changes rung, since it certainly wasn’t happening on Thursday.
I can’t see any other back four, the same as the one against Lille: Johnson’s back, Agger will be preferred to Kyrgiakos, and there’s no one to spell Insua. Torres, Gerrard, Reina, and Mascherano are the other nailed-on starters. Everything else is up in the air, and I’m hopeful that Benitez will spring a surprise or two.
Everyone knows my soft spot for Kuyt, but there’s no way he should keep his place on current form, even considering he’s one of Liverpool’s few target men and Benayoun’s probably out of this match due to injury. Babel linked up well with Torres on Thursday (at least a couple of times), while Maxi’s a different option, getting better with each game.
I’m much warier of suggesting a start for Aquilani knowing what a powder keg that is. Despite seven starts where we’ve seen little and few chances otherwise, many seemingly expect Alberto to be some sort of savior. Well, there’s a reason he hasn’t been playing, even if Benitez hasn’t clued us in on it (and it’s not that Lucas has naked pictures of the manager). But the team clearly needs some sort of change and Aquilani’s one of the few possibilities. That the match is at Anfield at least removes one of the excuses for Aqua not featuring.
Liverpool should certainly have motivation going into this match. Not only does the team dearly need a win, they’ve an abortion of a two-nil loss to avenge from December. That win was one of three Pompey home league wins, and it was the most recent. Yes, Liverpool was the last side Portsmouth beat at Fratton Park in the Prem and it happened almost three months ago.
Those last three months haven’t been kind to Pompey. Bottom of the table, multiple delinquent owners, forced player sales, and finally administration. And yet they’ve a better chance of winning a trophy than Liverpool. Piquionne, who scored in the last meeting, has been impressive of late, while Spurs loanee Jamie O’Hara will be the other main threat.
There are only nine games left in this awful campaign. Almost all hope’s been lost. Please, just give us a ray of optimism as we close out this catastrophe.
11 March 2010
Liverpool 0-1 Lille
Reina
Johnson Carragher Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Babel
Torres
Goals:
Hazard 84’
As if Liverpool were going to line up or play any other way. A poor man’s version of Liverpool’s best stifling European performances, and they finally paid for increasing Lille pressure six minutes from full time. That’s this season.
0-1 isn’t the worst result; it at least leaves Liverpool an opening going into the next leg. But they definitely didn't do themselves any favors and we’ll certainly need to see much more invention and a finishing touch in front of goal.
Despite Lille being on top for the majority of the match, with Liverpool happy to soak up pressure and look for the counter, the away side had the better chances in the first half. On any other day Liverpool could have scored from two breaks led by Babel and Torres in the 15th and 26th – the first blocked off by Rami's wonderful diving challenge on Torres’ throughball and the second stopped when Landreau stuck out a leg to deny the Dutchman – and when Landreau somehow kept out Torres’ point-blank header in the 42nd. But Lille had almost all the chances in the second, and that’s where the game was won.
The first 10 minutes were all Lille, marked by a Cabaye shot straight down Reina’s throat within 30 seconds and a tremendous turn past Insua and run by Hazard only to see his delicious center skitter across the six-yard box.
But the visitors were able to settle, mainly through Agger imperious in the air and Mascherano everywhere, leading to those Liverpool chances. Lille continued to see far more of the ball, but Liverpool did well to contain outlets like Hazard and Obraniak. It looked as if Lille would finish the half far stronger, but Liverpool should have been one-up against the run of play in the 42nd. Torres relieved the pressure by sprinting from his own half to win a free kick just outside the area. Gerrard’s low shot was pushed away and half-cleared out to Johnson, whose inch-perfect cross found Torres at the back post, only for Landreau to better his earlier save on Babel.
The second half was far nervier, 50-50 and played mostly in midfield as the two teams probed for openings with Liverpool setting the tempo. But after a Babel shot against the run of play which stung Landreau’s palms on the hour mark, Lille upped the tempo and the pressure.
Hazard, Cabaye, and Obraniak were able to push Lille forward, and chances arrived with 25 to play. Reina could only punch Frau’s dipping blast behind for a corner, and Agger nearly put that corner in his own net when Liverpool couldn’t fully clear. Five minutes later, a thunderbolt from Cabaye narrowly whizzed over the crossbar. And five minutes after that, more lovely play from Hazard led to a Dumont shot that Reina spilled but gratefully gathered before anyone could attempt a rebound.
Riera came on for a tiring Babel in the 74th (and was basically a waste of space, which would explain why he hasn’t featured much) as Benitez seemed hesitant to use subs with the game plan still working. But, in keeping with this season, Liverpool finally conceded from a truly unlucky goal in the 84th. Hazard won a soft free kick from the left channel, and his perfectly-weighted ball eluded everyone to tuck into the side-netting, with Reina rightfully expecting a header. Of course. But if anyone deserved a goal, it was Hazard, head and shoulders the most threatening on the pitch. He's gonna cost some top club a lot of money in the near future, but will make them very happy in the process.
It could have been an even unluckier two-nil when Aubemeyang hit the post three minutes later as Liverpool's confidence took the expected hit. An 89th minute scramble in the box where Gerrard and Torres’ close-range efforts were blocked and a 93rd minute Gerrard stabbed effort also closed down almost brought an unlikely away goal, but no dice. No surprise.
The sad thing is that Liverpool didn’t play badly. It was absolutely an improvement on Wigan, as the players at least appeared to recognize each other. Once again, we didn’t see enough in attack – a few moments of brilliance from Babel and Torres so close to breaking the ice, but Babel tired and Torres once again resorted to petulance with constant fouling unpunished, while Gerrard and Kuyt were again below par (even if, again, both were better than on Monday). Hazard had a big game, but Insua matched him for long stretches; any left back was going to be beaten a few times by that winger today.
It could easily have ended 0-0, or even 1-0 had Landreau not kept out Torres’ header. A one-goal deficit obviously isn’t welcome, and yet another away loss will heap pressure on the players and Benitez. The attack still looks too impotent, even if chances were always going to be few and far between in a first leg away match in Europe. That’s this team and this manager.
Liverpool will have score in a week’s time at Anfield in addition to preventing an away goal that would give Lille a bigger edge. It's doable, even with the state the side's in. Crucial to this team’s confidence and attacking fluency is Monday’s match against Portsmouth, where I expect (hope) Benitez will ring changes in the front six to finally find a formation that can finally find the net.
Johnson Carragher Agger Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Babel
Torres
Goals:
Hazard 84’
As if Liverpool were going to line up or play any other way. A poor man’s version of Liverpool’s best stifling European performances, and they finally paid for increasing Lille pressure six minutes from full time. That’s this season.
0-1 isn’t the worst result; it at least leaves Liverpool an opening going into the next leg. But they definitely didn't do themselves any favors and we’ll certainly need to see much more invention and a finishing touch in front of goal.
Despite Lille being on top for the majority of the match, with Liverpool happy to soak up pressure and look for the counter, the away side had the better chances in the first half. On any other day Liverpool could have scored from two breaks led by Babel and Torres in the 15th and 26th – the first blocked off by Rami's wonderful diving challenge on Torres’ throughball and the second stopped when Landreau stuck out a leg to deny the Dutchman – and when Landreau somehow kept out Torres’ point-blank header in the 42nd. But Lille had almost all the chances in the second, and that’s where the game was won.
The first 10 minutes were all Lille, marked by a Cabaye shot straight down Reina’s throat within 30 seconds and a tremendous turn past Insua and run by Hazard only to see his delicious center skitter across the six-yard box.
But the visitors were able to settle, mainly through Agger imperious in the air and Mascherano everywhere, leading to those Liverpool chances. Lille continued to see far more of the ball, but Liverpool did well to contain outlets like Hazard and Obraniak. It looked as if Lille would finish the half far stronger, but Liverpool should have been one-up against the run of play in the 42nd. Torres relieved the pressure by sprinting from his own half to win a free kick just outside the area. Gerrard’s low shot was pushed away and half-cleared out to Johnson, whose inch-perfect cross found Torres at the back post, only for Landreau to better his earlier save on Babel.
The second half was far nervier, 50-50 and played mostly in midfield as the two teams probed for openings with Liverpool setting the tempo. But after a Babel shot against the run of play which stung Landreau’s palms on the hour mark, Lille upped the tempo and the pressure.
Hazard, Cabaye, and Obraniak were able to push Lille forward, and chances arrived with 25 to play. Reina could only punch Frau’s dipping blast behind for a corner, and Agger nearly put that corner in his own net when Liverpool couldn’t fully clear. Five minutes later, a thunderbolt from Cabaye narrowly whizzed over the crossbar. And five minutes after that, more lovely play from Hazard led to a Dumont shot that Reina spilled but gratefully gathered before anyone could attempt a rebound.
Riera came on for a tiring Babel in the 74th (and was basically a waste of space, which would explain why he hasn’t featured much) as Benitez seemed hesitant to use subs with the game plan still working. But, in keeping with this season, Liverpool finally conceded from a truly unlucky goal in the 84th. Hazard won a soft free kick from the left channel, and his perfectly-weighted ball eluded everyone to tuck into the side-netting, with Reina rightfully expecting a header. Of course. But if anyone deserved a goal, it was Hazard, head and shoulders the most threatening on the pitch. He's gonna cost some top club a lot of money in the near future, but will make them very happy in the process.
It could have been an even unluckier two-nil when Aubemeyang hit the post three minutes later as Liverpool's confidence took the expected hit. An 89th minute scramble in the box where Gerrard and Torres’ close-range efforts were blocked and a 93rd minute Gerrard stabbed effort also closed down almost brought an unlikely away goal, but no dice. No surprise.
The sad thing is that Liverpool didn’t play badly. It was absolutely an improvement on Wigan, as the players at least appeared to recognize each other. Once again, we didn’t see enough in attack – a few moments of brilliance from Babel and Torres so close to breaking the ice, but Babel tired and Torres once again resorted to petulance with constant fouling unpunished, while Gerrard and Kuyt were again below par (even if, again, both were better than on Monday). Hazard had a big game, but Insua matched him for long stretches; any left back was going to be beaten a few times by that winger today.
It could easily have ended 0-0, or even 1-0 had Landreau not kept out Torres’ header. A one-goal deficit obviously isn’t welcome, and yet another away loss will heap pressure on the players and Benitez. The attack still looks too impotent, even if chances were always going to be few and far between in a first leg away match in Europe. That’s this team and this manager.
Liverpool will have score in a week’s time at Anfield in addition to preventing an away goal that would give Lille a bigger edge. It's doable, even with the state the side's in. Crucial to this team’s confidence and attacking fluency is Monday’s match against Portsmouth, where I expect (hope) Benitez will ring changes in the front six to finally find a formation that can finally find the net.
10 March 2010
Liverpool at Lille 03.11.10
1:00pm, live in the US on DirecTV channel 462 (or in HD on 462-1).
Last 3 matches:
Liverpool: 0-1 Wigan (a); 2-1 Blackburn (h); 3-1 Unirea (a)
Lille: 1-1 St Etienne (a); 1-2 Auxerre (h); 1-1 Fenerbahce (a)
Round of 32:
Liverpool: 3-1 Unirea (a); 1-0 Unirea (h)
Unirea: 1-1 Fenerbahce (a); 2-1 Fenerbahce (h)
Group Stage Results:
Liverpool: 1-2 Fiorentina (h); 1-0 Debrecen (a); 1-1 Lyon (a); 1-2 Lyon (h); 0-2 Fiorentina (a); 1-0 Debrecen (h)
Lille: 3-1 Slavia Prague (h); 1-3 Valencia (a); 2-3 Genoa (a); 3-0 Genoa (h); 5-1 Slavia (h); 1-1 Valencia (h) [Europa League]
Goalscorers (Europe):
Liverpool: Benayoun, Babel, Ngog 2; Gerrard, Kuyt, Mascherano 1
Lille: Gervinho 5; Frau, Hazard, Vittek 3; Cabaye, Dumont, de Melo, Obraniak 2; Balmont, Beria, Rami, Souquet 1
Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (DEN)
Guess at a squad:
Reina
Johnson Carragher Kyrgiakos Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Babel
Torres
As much as I’d like to play pundit and guess starts for Aquilani, Agger, Babel, and possibly Pacheco, I know better. It’s Rafa, it’s a knockout round, it’s Europe, and it’s away from Anfield.
Naturally, I’d love to see Benitez change his stripes, throw caution to the wind, and punish players who looked utterly awful last time out. I’m hopeful he’ll loosen the reins in the Premiership on Monday given how underwhelming that campaign’s been, but I doubt it’ll happen tomorrow. What’s more likely is ‘same as it ever was,’ with the customary few selections forced by injury.
Once again, I doubt Aquilani will start, for the usual reasons. Safety first in away matches, and Lucas and Masch can provide a platform that’s hard to break down. That Benayoun missed training and is a doubt means Babel should start on the left, especially since Riera’s been completely out of favor, but if Yossi’s available, he’ll probably be preferred.
And with Aurelio injured, there are no other options at left back to spell the ill-at-ease Insua. Agger could return from injury, but Kyrgiakos has been Liverpool’s most consistent defender this season, and Rafa’s not dropping Carragher, especially when the team’s struggling and Carra’s making threats to leave in the media. Hopefully Johnson will be fit enough for 90 minutes, but if he’s getting forward, Carra and Kyrgiakos can be exposed by pace.
Lille have lost once at home in last 16 European fixtures, to United in the ‘06-07 CL. They’re currently fifth in Ligue 1, five points behind Bordeaux (although Bordeaux have two games in hand). They also have the same number of league points as Liverpool (48) despite having played two less games.
Lille’s recent results have tailed off since a tremendous winter run, winning 10 of 12 league games since the end of November before losing to Auxerre and drawing St. Etienne in their last two. The team’s been in the Europa League since the third qualifying round, starting its run in late July. Defender Adil Rami scored a late equalizer in Turkey to progress to this stage. I wish Liverpool still scored late goals.
Young winger Eden Hazard, who’ll probably line up on the right (against Insua), is the obvious danger man, but Frau and midfielder Mavuba (who Liverpool faced when he was at Bordeaux) are also key players. Star striker Gervinho is out with a knee injury, as is forward Tulio de Melo. The two Pierres – Pierre-Alain Frau and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – will likely start in their absence.
Make no mistake, anything can happen. Based on recent precedent, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Liverpool deliver another sub-par performance. They’ve been simply awful away from home almost all season. But maybe we’ll see an actual reply. Maybe Monday was rock bottom and the ream responds. Stranger things have happened. And Liverpool, despite what we’ve seen of late, still has the talent.
Last 3 matches:
Liverpool: 0-1 Wigan (a); 2-1 Blackburn (h); 3-1 Unirea (a)
Lille: 1-1 St Etienne (a); 1-2 Auxerre (h); 1-1 Fenerbahce (a)
Round of 32:
Liverpool: 3-1 Unirea (a); 1-0 Unirea (h)
Unirea: 1-1 Fenerbahce (a); 2-1 Fenerbahce (h)
Group Stage Results:
Liverpool: 1-2 Fiorentina (h); 1-0 Debrecen (a); 1-1 Lyon (a); 1-2 Lyon (h); 0-2 Fiorentina (a); 1-0 Debrecen (h)
Lille: 3-1 Slavia Prague (h); 1-3 Valencia (a); 2-3 Genoa (a); 3-0 Genoa (h); 5-1 Slavia (h); 1-1 Valencia (h) [Europa League]
Goalscorers (Europe):
Liverpool: Benayoun, Babel, Ngog 2; Gerrard, Kuyt, Mascherano 1
Lille: Gervinho 5; Frau, Hazard, Vittek 3; Cabaye, Dumont, de Melo, Obraniak 2; Balmont, Beria, Rami, Souquet 1
Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (DEN)
Guess at a squad:
Reina
Johnson Carragher Kyrgiakos Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Babel
Torres
As much as I’d like to play pundit and guess starts for Aquilani, Agger, Babel, and possibly Pacheco, I know better. It’s Rafa, it’s a knockout round, it’s Europe, and it’s away from Anfield.
Naturally, I’d love to see Benitez change his stripes, throw caution to the wind, and punish players who looked utterly awful last time out. I’m hopeful he’ll loosen the reins in the Premiership on Monday given how underwhelming that campaign’s been, but I doubt it’ll happen tomorrow. What’s more likely is ‘same as it ever was,’ with the customary few selections forced by injury.
Once again, I doubt Aquilani will start, for the usual reasons. Safety first in away matches, and Lucas and Masch can provide a platform that’s hard to break down. That Benayoun missed training and is a doubt means Babel should start on the left, especially since Riera’s been completely out of favor, but if Yossi’s available, he’ll probably be preferred.
And with Aurelio injured, there are no other options at left back to spell the ill-at-ease Insua. Agger could return from injury, but Kyrgiakos has been Liverpool’s most consistent defender this season, and Rafa’s not dropping Carragher, especially when the team’s struggling and Carra’s making threats to leave in the media. Hopefully Johnson will be fit enough for 90 minutes, but if he’s getting forward, Carra and Kyrgiakos can be exposed by pace.
Lille have lost once at home in last 16 European fixtures, to United in the ‘06-07 CL. They’re currently fifth in Ligue 1, five points behind Bordeaux (although Bordeaux have two games in hand). They also have the same number of league points as Liverpool (48) despite having played two less games.
Lille’s recent results have tailed off since a tremendous winter run, winning 10 of 12 league games since the end of November before losing to Auxerre and drawing St. Etienne in their last two. The team’s been in the Europa League since the third qualifying round, starting its run in late July. Defender Adil Rami scored a late equalizer in Turkey to progress to this stage. I wish Liverpool still scored late goals.
Young winger Eden Hazard, who’ll probably line up on the right (against Insua), is the obvious danger man, but Frau and midfielder Mavuba (who Liverpool faced when he was at Bordeaux) are also key players. Star striker Gervinho is out with a knee injury, as is forward Tulio de Melo. The two Pierres – Pierre-Alain Frau and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – will likely start in their absence.
Make no mistake, anything can happen. Based on recent precedent, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Liverpool deliver another sub-par performance. They’ve been simply awful away from home almost all season. But maybe we’ll see an actual reply. Maybe Monday was rock bottom and the ream responds. Stranger things have happened. And Liverpool, despite what we’ve seen of late, still has the talent.
09 March 2010
Tie the rope and find some razor blades
It's no better a day later. Nothing will happen until the end of the season, but I'm afraid nothing's going to change either.
The list of parties responsible for Liverpool's poor season is overwhelmingly long, and includes any of the scapegoats you'd imagine. The manager, the owners, nearly every player who's pulled on the shirt, referees, and general misfortune. I'm sure I could come up with a few more if I lingered on the thought.
Yes, I do include Benitez. And I'm well aware I'm the ultimate apologist for this regime.
I still believe what I've written during the course of this ghastly campaign, and it's been kick after kick to the crotch that's put Liverpool in this position. Yesterday's match was quite bad, but Liverpool's been bad before. I haven't lost faith in Benitez overnight, but I'm afraid the players might have. Professionals don't all forgot how to play at the same time. The movement was non-existent, everyone's touch was poor, and the passing was even worse. It's like lightning striking the same place in five successive storms.
No matter who's responsible, the manager's the figurehead, and that's the head laid on the chopping block. What makes this so difficult to acknowledge, and what makes this different from the end of Evans and Houllier's tenures, is sometimes it seems as if Benitez is the only one at the club who cares about Liverpool FC.
The owners, piling on debt in the vain attempt to profit on Liverpool's legacy right before the economy went south (while lying about their intentions the entire time), clearly don't care. The chief executive, who's done an okay job, is only in place because RBS wanted a closer eye on the idiot owners who owe them loads of money. Only three players – Reina, Mascherano, and Kyrgiakos – have been exempt from criticism this season. Gerrard's already packing for the World Cup. Carragher's sniping in the press. Torres has been frustrated for long stretches, kicked by every defense he's faced – it's no surprise he's struggled with injuries – and not one referee protects him. The rest have been a shadow of themselves, whether down to injury or poor form. And yes, I include both Lucas and Kuyt, the two I so often defend. At times, those two, along with Ngog, Maxi, and others, simply haven't been good enough.
I firmly believe Benitez has stayed at Liverpool this long because he truly loves the fans and the city. And I truly fear what would happen if the owners got their man as manager. They wanted to hire Klinsmann, solely because they met him at some function, for Christ's sake! No other manager would have signed a new deal despite being given a net spending of approximately nothing over the last two seasons. And I'm still struggling to think of any top managers who'll walk into this situation.
But the football has been dire this season. Yesterday saw at least eight players who had forgotten how to play the game or just couldn't be bothered. That Liverpool were just as bad after the interval made me question whether Rafa even gave a team talk. Don't trust anyone outside of the dressing room who claims Manager X has lost Team X's dressing room, but the body language of both the players and Benitez told a story, as did Rafa's post match remarks.
The whole club needs an overhaul, from top to bottom. I'd infinitely prefer the owners were the ones booted out, followed by a fair few players. But, despite the financial penalties, it's still far easier to sack Benitez. Sigh.
The sky really might be falling.
The list of parties responsible for Liverpool's poor season is overwhelmingly long, and includes any of the scapegoats you'd imagine. The manager, the owners, nearly every player who's pulled on the shirt, referees, and general misfortune. I'm sure I could come up with a few more if I lingered on the thought.
Yes, I do include Benitez. And I'm well aware I'm the ultimate apologist for this regime.
I still believe what I've written during the course of this ghastly campaign, and it's been kick after kick to the crotch that's put Liverpool in this position. Yesterday's match was quite bad, but Liverpool's been bad before. I haven't lost faith in Benitez overnight, but I'm afraid the players might have. Professionals don't all forgot how to play at the same time. The movement was non-existent, everyone's touch was poor, and the passing was even worse. It's like lightning striking the same place in five successive storms.
No matter who's responsible, the manager's the figurehead, and that's the head laid on the chopping block. What makes this so difficult to acknowledge, and what makes this different from the end of Evans and Houllier's tenures, is sometimes it seems as if Benitez is the only one at the club who cares about Liverpool FC.
The owners, piling on debt in the vain attempt to profit on Liverpool's legacy right before the economy went south (while lying about their intentions the entire time), clearly don't care. The chief executive, who's done an okay job, is only in place because RBS wanted a closer eye on the idiot owners who owe them loads of money. Only three players – Reina, Mascherano, and Kyrgiakos – have been exempt from criticism this season. Gerrard's already packing for the World Cup. Carragher's sniping in the press. Torres has been frustrated for long stretches, kicked by every defense he's faced – it's no surprise he's struggled with injuries – and not one referee protects him. The rest have been a shadow of themselves, whether down to injury or poor form. And yes, I include both Lucas and Kuyt, the two I so often defend. At times, those two, along with Ngog, Maxi, and others, simply haven't been good enough.
I firmly believe Benitez has stayed at Liverpool this long because he truly loves the fans and the city. And I truly fear what would happen if the owners got their man as manager. They wanted to hire Klinsmann, solely because they met him at some function, for Christ's sake! No other manager would have signed a new deal despite being given a net spending of approximately nothing over the last two seasons. And I'm still struggling to think of any top managers who'll walk into this situation.
But the football has been dire this season. Yesterday saw at least eight players who had forgotten how to play the game or just couldn't be bothered. That Liverpool were just as bad after the interval made me question whether Rafa even gave a team talk. Don't trust anyone outside of the dressing room who claims Manager X has lost Team X's dressing room, but the body language of both the players and Benitez told a story, as did Rafa's post match remarks.
The whole club needs an overhaul, from top to bottom. I'd infinitely prefer the owners were the ones booted out, followed by a fair few players. But, despite the financial penalties, it's still far easier to sack Benitez. Sigh.
The sky really might be falling.
08 March 2010
Liverpool 0-1 Wigan
Reina
Mascherano Carragher Kyrgiakos Insua
Gerrard Lucas
Maxi Kuyt Benayoun
Torres
Goals:
Rodallega 35’
D-O-N-E. That spells “Liverpool” for the rest of the season.
It’s the first time Wigan’s beaten Liverpool and only the second time Wigan’s beaten a “top-four” club (Chelsea earlier this season). Of course, the sad fact is that Liverpool’s rarely, if ever, looked like a top four club this season.
A few stats from my notes:
• Kirkland saves: 0
• Liverpool shots on target: 0
• Wigan shots on target: 3
• Liverpool shots in last 15min: 0
• Petulant Liverpool yellow cards: 5
• Chances I would have put money on Torres scoring: 3
• Liverpool giveaways: countless
This loss, Liverpool’s ninth of the campaign (and seventh away from Anfield), probably makes fourth place an unachievable pipe dream. We’ve seen some bad performances this season, but this one was the worst. The team was an utter mess today. I lost track of the number of unforced giveaways less than a quarter of the way through.
And it was yet another baffling mistake – Kuyt passing the ball to Diame as Liverpool struggled to clear – that led to Wigan’s winner. The midfielder’s toe-poked cross found Rodallega perfectly placed to scramble in at the back post.
Liverpool had a few half-chances in the first 10 minutes, most notably when Torres volleyed off the post after Maxi headed on Gerrard’s corner, but Wigan quickly grew into the game thanks to Liverpool errors and their clear lack of confidence. Insua, Lucas, and Kyrgiakos all picked up yellows as the home side got bodies forward (Insua had a particularly tough time against N’Zogbia), while the best reply from the visitors was Gerrard’s close range shot blocked and a tricky rebound wide after Yossi’s clever run into the box in the 27th.
Soon after, Liverpool were behind after Wigan camped in their half, and the only reply they could find was a Torres header over from Maxi’s cross a few minutes before the interval.
The second half remained Wigan’s thanks to Liverpool’s continuing poor play, even though Torres could have again tallied against the run of play, ballooning Maxi’s clever cutback in the 49th. As a sign of Liverpool’s desperation, Benitez actually made changes before the hour mark, Johnson for Lucas, moving Mascherano into midfield.
It almost looked like 4-4-2 at the beginning, but as Liverpool began to be pegged back, it reverted to the usual 4-2-3-1 with Kuyt dropping deep in the “Gerrard role” and both Gerrard and Lucas holding. When Johnson was brought on for Lucas, Aquilani for Benayoun (69’), and Babel for Kuyt (83’), Liverpool went even further back to basics.
It goes without saying that none of the formations worked. The lone chance in the last 40 minutes, despite a decent spell of pressure between the Johnson and Aquilani substitutions, again came through Torres, with the striker volleying wide after Kuyt headed Insua’s cross into the danger area in the 76th. But we saw absolutely none of last season’s heroics as a demoralized and beaten Liverpool didn’t threaten in the slightest after that opportunity.
This is one of those games that make me question what little I think I know about this sport. And I have no idea where Liverpool goes from here. It was the exact line-up I guessed in the preview and the team looked insipid from top to bottom. The players I most fervently defend – Kuyt, Lucas, Insua – were the most auspiciously awful. Just awful. And Benitez was outfoxed by his friend and first-year Premiership manager Roberto Martinez.
After six unconscionably long posts defending Benitez’s reign, I have no idea what to say. I’m embarrassed for his team’s performance today. Zero shots on target. Zero! With Gerrard and Torres in the line-up! Yes, there were a few chances to be had, and yes, I’ve defended Liverpool’s rough conservatism, but there is absolutely nothing to defend today. With the exception of Mascherano (who was still beaten to the ball by Rodallega for the goal) and Pepe (easily the player of the season), every single Liverpool player was inferior to his Wigan counterpart.
Like the dreadful loss at Portsmouth, I fear that the team strolled in expecting a win against a “sub-standard” relegation candidate and were sent home with tails between legs. The outcry against Benitez is going to hit a fever pitch, and I have no defense today. It'll fall on deaf ears coming from me, but I blame the players far more – no one could pass the ball at all today – but I completely understand any outcry. Either the tactics, if they were any, were completely wrong, or the players aren’t listening anymore. And either answer’s a death sentence.
All of the other contenders for fourth have games in hand. Spurs and City, a point ahead of Liverpool, have one and two respectively. Villa, in 7th by three points, has three. Not to mention that all three are in much better form. This abysmal performance, yet another abysmal performance after it looked like Liverpool had gritted their way through that awful phase, means Liverpool’s most likely fighting to spend a second year in a European competition they don’t want to be in to begin with.
The sky is falling. The sky is falling. The sky is falling.
Mascherano Carragher Kyrgiakos Insua
Gerrard Lucas
Maxi Kuyt Benayoun
Torres
Goals:
Rodallega 35’
D-O-N-E. That spells “Liverpool” for the rest of the season.
It’s the first time Wigan’s beaten Liverpool and only the second time Wigan’s beaten a “top-four” club (Chelsea earlier this season). Of course, the sad fact is that Liverpool’s rarely, if ever, looked like a top four club this season.
A few stats from my notes:
• Kirkland saves: 0
• Liverpool shots on target: 0
• Wigan shots on target: 3
• Liverpool shots in last 15min: 0
• Petulant Liverpool yellow cards: 5
• Chances I would have put money on Torres scoring: 3
• Liverpool giveaways: countless
This loss, Liverpool’s ninth of the campaign (and seventh away from Anfield), probably makes fourth place an unachievable pipe dream. We’ve seen some bad performances this season, but this one was the worst. The team was an utter mess today. I lost track of the number of unforced giveaways less than a quarter of the way through.
And it was yet another baffling mistake – Kuyt passing the ball to Diame as Liverpool struggled to clear – that led to Wigan’s winner. The midfielder’s toe-poked cross found Rodallega perfectly placed to scramble in at the back post.
Liverpool had a few half-chances in the first 10 minutes, most notably when Torres volleyed off the post after Maxi headed on Gerrard’s corner, but Wigan quickly grew into the game thanks to Liverpool errors and their clear lack of confidence. Insua, Lucas, and Kyrgiakos all picked up yellows as the home side got bodies forward (Insua had a particularly tough time against N’Zogbia), while the best reply from the visitors was Gerrard’s close range shot blocked and a tricky rebound wide after Yossi’s clever run into the box in the 27th.
Soon after, Liverpool were behind after Wigan camped in their half, and the only reply they could find was a Torres header over from Maxi’s cross a few minutes before the interval.
The second half remained Wigan’s thanks to Liverpool’s continuing poor play, even though Torres could have again tallied against the run of play, ballooning Maxi’s clever cutback in the 49th. As a sign of Liverpool’s desperation, Benitez actually made changes before the hour mark, Johnson for Lucas, moving Mascherano into midfield.
It almost looked like 4-4-2 at the beginning, but as Liverpool began to be pegged back, it reverted to the usual 4-2-3-1 with Kuyt dropping deep in the “Gerrard role” and both Gerrard and Lucas holding. When Johnson was brought on for Lucas, Aquilani for Benayoun (69’), and Babel for Kuyt (83’), Liverpool went even further back to basics.
It goes without saying that none of the formations worked. The lone chance in the last 40 minutes, despite a decent spell of pressure between the Johnson and Aquilani substitutions, again came through Torres, with the striker volleying wide after Kuyt headed Insua’s cross into the danger area in the 76th. But we saw absolutely none of last season’s heroics as a demoralized and beaten Liverpool didn’t threaten in the slightest after that opportunity.
This is one of those games that make me question what little I think I know about this sport. And I have no idea where Liverpool goes from here. It was the exact line-up I guessed in the preview and the team looked insipid from top to bottom. The players I most fervently defend – Kuyt, Lucas, Insua – were the most auspiciously awful. Just awful. And Benitez was outfoxed by his friend and first-year Premiership manager Roberto Martinez.
After six unconscionably long posts defending Benitez’s reign, I have no idea what to say. I’m embarrassed for his team’s performance today. Zero shots on target. Zero! With Gerrard and Torres in the line-up! Yes, there were a few chances to be had, and yes, I’ve defended Liverpool’s rough conservatism, but there is absolutely nothing to defend today. With the exception of Mascherano (who was still beaten to the ball by Rodallega for the goal) and Pepe (easily the player of the season), every single Liverpool player was inferior to his Wigan counterpart.
Like the dreadful loss at Portsmouth, I fear that the team strolled in expecting a win against a “sub-standard” relegation candidate and were sent home with tails between legs. The outcry against Benitez is going to hit a fever pitch, and I have no defense today. It'll fall on deaf ears coming from me, but I blame the players far more – no one could pass the ball at all today – but I completely understand any outcry. Either the tactics, if they were any, were completely wrong, or the players aren’t listening anymore. And either answer’s a death sentence.
All of the other contenders for fourth have games in hand. Spurs and City, a point ahead of Liverpool, have one and two respectively. Villa, in 7th by three points, has three. Not to mention that all three are in much better form. This abysmal performance, yet another abysmal performance after it looked like Liverpool had gritted their way through that awful phase, means Liverpool’s most likely fighting to spend a second year in a European competition they don’t want to be in to begin with.
The sky is falling. The sky is falling. The sky is falling.
06 March 2010
Liverpool at Wigan 03.08.10
3pm, live in the US on espn2
Last 4 head-to-head:
2-1 Liverpool (h) 12.16.09
1-1 (a) 01.28.09
3-2 Liverpool (h) 10.18.08
1-1 (h) 01.02.09
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 2-1 Blackburn (h); 3-1 Unirea (a); 0-0 City (a)
Wigan: 0-1 Brum (a); 0-3 Spurs (h); 0-0 Bolton (h)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Torres 13; Kuyt 9; Gerrard 6; Benayoun 5; Ngog 4; Babel, Johnson 2; Kyrgiakos, Skrtel 1
Wigan: Rodallega 7; N’Zogbia, Scharner 4; Boyce 3; Bramble, Caldwell, Diame, Figueroa, Gomez, Koumas, McCarthy, Sinclair 1
Referee: Andre Marriner
Guess at a squad:
Reina
Mascherano Carragher Kyrgiakos Insua
Lucas Gerrard
Maxi Kuyt Benayoun
Torres
I’m tempted to guess 4-4-2, as Liverpool lined up against Blackburn. I really am. Liverpool were a bit better in attack last weekend and Benitez used the formation in the reverse fixture when the Latics came to Anfield in December.
But it’s an away match after an international break. Wigan may be in 16th, a point above the relegation zone, but it’ll still be a combative, physical match where Liverpool will be made to work.
Glen Johnson’s finally back in contention, recovering from the knee injury suffered at Villa. But Mascherano did excellently at right back last weekend and Johnson hasn’t played in almost 10 weeks. Injuries to Skrtel and Agger may force Rafa’s hand, which is why I’ve guessed Carragher and Kyrgiakos in the middle despite Rodallega’s speed. Agger may be a big miss on Monday, but if he’s injured, he’s injured.
If Masch plays at right back, Gerrard, Lucas, and Aquilani are the options in midfield. And I still think Benitez will hesitate to use Aquilani away from Anfield. Given how this season’s gone, anything Aquilani does is a bonus. It’s unfortunate and regrettable, but that’s where we are. Lucas and Gerrard in midfield, with Kuyt, Benayoun, and Maxi ahead and Torres leading the line, should be enough to break down Wigan. Benayoun’s consistently played well against Wigan, scoring on his last three visits to the DW Stadium, so his should be one of the first names on the teamsheet.
N’Zogbia and Scharner, Wigan’s 2nd and 3rd leading scorers, are questionable with knee and groin problems respectively. As is former Liverpool target James McCarthy. Gomez and Koumas will probably play if N’Zogbia and Scharner truly are unavailable. Otherwise, Wigan look likely to line up in a more orthodox 4-5-1, with Rodallega (who’s caused Liverpool problems in the past) leading the line.
City, Spurs, and Villa all play in the FA Cup this weekend. Liverpool need to put points on the board and keep pace with competition for fourth. Wigan have been in freefall since the last meeting, winning one in the last 13 league contests, while Liverpool have slowly but surely battled their way up the table. Let’s hope that precedent continues.
Last 4 head-to-head:
2-1 Liverpool (h) 12.16.09
1-1 (a) 01.28.09
3-2 Liverpool (h) 10.18.08
1-1 (h) 01.02.09
Last three matches:
Liverpool: 2-1 Blackburn (h); 3-1 Unirea (a); 0-0 City (a)
Wigan: 0-1 Brum (a); 0-3 Spurs (h); 0-0 Bolton (h)
Goalscorers (league):
Liverpool: Torres 13; Kuyt 9; Gerrard 6; Benayoun 5; Ngog 4; Babel, Johnson 2; Kyrgiakos, Skrtel 1
Wigan: Rodallega 7; N’Zogbia, Scharner 4; Boyce 3; Bramble, Caldwell, Diame, Figueroa, Gomez, Koumas, McCarthy, Sinclair 1
Referee: Andre Marriner
Guess at a squad:
Reina
Mascherano Carragher Kyrgiakos Insua
Lucas Gerrard
Maxi Kuyt Benayoun
Torres
I’m tempted to guess 4-4-2, as Liverpool lined up against Blackburn. I really am. Liverpool were a bit better in attack last weekend and Benitez used the formation in the reverse fixture when the Latics came to Anfield in December.
But it’s an away match after an international break. Wigan may be in 16th, a point above the relegation zone, but it’ll still be a combative, physical match where Liverpool will be made to work.
Glen Johnson’s finally back in contention, recovering from the knee injury suffered at Villa. But Mascherano did excellently at right back last weekend and Johnson hasn’t played in almost 10 weeks. Injuries to Skrtel and Agger may force Rafa’s hand, which is why I’ve guessed Carragher and Kyrgiakos in the middle despite Rodallega’s speed. Agger may be a big miss on Monday, but if he’s injured, he’s injured.
If Masch plays at right back, Gerrard, Lucas, and Aquilani are the options in midfield. And I still think Benitez will hesitate to use Aquilani away from Anfield. Given how this season’s gone, anything Aquilani does is a bonus. It’s unfortunate and regrettable, but that’s where we are. Lucas and Gerrard in midfield, with Kuyt, Benayoun, and Maxi ahead and Torres leading the line, should be enough to break down Wigan. Benayoun’s consistently played well against Wigan, scoring on his last three visits to the DW Stadium, so his should be one of the first names on the teamsheet.
N’Zogbia and Scharner, Wigan’s 2nd and 3rd leading scorers, are questionable with knee and groin problems respectively. As is former Liverpool target James McCarthy. Gomez and Koumas will probably play if N’Zogbia and Scharner truly are unavailable. Otherwise, Wigan look likely to line up in a more orthodox 4-5-1, with Rodallega (who’s caused Liverpool problems in the past) leading the line.
City, Spurs, and Villa all play in the FA Cup this weekend. Liverpool need to put points on the board and keep pace with competition for fourth. Wigan have been in freefall since the last meeting, winning one in the last 13 league contests, while Liverpool have slowly but surely battled their way up the table. Let’s hope that precedent continues.
05 March 2010
On Rafa Benitez: Part VI
The last part (don't look so excited) of Ed from Liverpool Offside and my conversation on Rafa Benitez's reign. Part VI is "Planning for the Future" – how Rafa's revamped the youth set-up. And as was the goal, Benitez is still Liverpool's manager by the time we finished this series.
Because the next match, at Wigan, is on Monday, I'll probably have the preview up early tomorrow instead of today. Maybe tonight, depending on the time of Rafa's presser, but we usually get info for Monday matches late.
Part VI: Planning for the Future
Intro | Managerial Record | Tactics | Man Management | Transfers | In the Media
Ed: While it's taken a little longer for this to wrap up, I think it's as good a time as any to talk about the groundwork Rafa is laying for his future at the club. I'm speaking, of course, about the much-lauded capture of Raheem Sterling from QPR. He's apparently quite the young talent, and at the tender age of 15, there's plenty of time to get him developed in the Academy. Or, as it's been put by some commenters on the Liverpool Way, plenty of time to coach out any natural ability he's got. Wait, what?
The development of the youth system under Rafa Benitez has been an area of heightened criticism for quite some time. Obviously everyone references Arsenal as though they constantly turn coal to diamonds with their young talent, and in many cases it's with good reason. But there's always a certain amount of gambling involved with younger players--they could go the way of Gerrard and Carragher, or they could go the way of...those guys we never heard of that never made it. And that happens at any club, not just Liverpool. Even Arsenal!
But of course with Rafa it's a production, and the major talking point for me is the "doesn't give young players enough of a chance." On the one hand this is something that makes a lot of sense and is pretty concerning. There's players like Nemeth and San Jose going out on loans and then, if you're to believe the media, working towards making those loans permanent. It's one thing to bring in plenty of young talent, it's completely another to bring in that young talent and never give them any time on the pitch.
Of course, the opposing point to that is that player development takes time--sometimes lots of it. There's always going to be a bit of settling in period for a new manager, and the first team responsibilities are the top priority. And we saw Rafa slowly but surely take control over the Academy, particularly with the overhaul at the end of last season, which saw him dismiss some major figures in the youth system (Gary Ablett, Hughie McAuley, Dave Shannon, and Piet Hamberg) in an effort to get more players from the Academy to the first team. Appointing Jose Segura, formerly the Barcelona youth director, further indicated Rafa's commitment to the Academy, and the return of Kenny Dalglish in a "senior role" seemed to cement it.
My hope for this section is that we'll look at two major things: what Rafa's done thus far, and what it is that he seems to be gearing the club for. So to address the first part, how do you think he's done? What more could/should he have done as it relates to the club's younger talent?
nate: The best thing about Raheem Sterling's capture – outside of the obvious fact he's a highly-lauded English prospect – was pointed out in by a commenter on my blog (Hi Georger!). He'll have the best nickname in history. "Sideshow Raheem" will never be topped.
But seriously, it's still hard to gauge Rafa's capacity for planning for the future even after almost six seasons. It takes that long for these players to develop, and such was the state of the Academy when Benitez arrived.
We're just now seeing sown seeds reaped with the likes of Insua, Pacheco, Kelly, Spearing, and Ayala. Kelly and Spearing both came from the Academy, graduating in 2007, the same summer Pacheco and Ayala came from Spain at 17. Insua came to Liverpool having just turned 18 in January 2007. And the likes of Nemeth and San Jose, also signed around the same time, don't seem far away. Benitez's first crop of youngsters – Barragan, Roque, Hobbs, Antwi, and Anderson – didn't have the hoped-for success stories, but the next crop seems much more promising, and are just starting to get their chances.
I wish I saw more of the reserves and Academy; yet another pitfall of being on the other side of the ocean. But there are rumblings – good rumblings – about players in each of the age groups after Pacheco/Kelly/Spearing/etc. Gulasci, Mavinga, Dalla Valle, and Bruna in the reserves; Ince, Pepper, Coady, Ngoo, Wisdom, Suso, and Sterling in the Academy. And it's a healthy mix of English and European players as well. But it'll be years until we know how successful they truly are.
I don't want this to turn into another Houllier-bashing session. Houllier was great for rebuilding Melwood and the Academy. He may not have been able to develop the young players, but he knew what kind of facilities and programs were needed. However, the quality of Academy products, whether English or foreign, dwindled to a trickle under Gerard. Liverpool's just now recovering, whether it's in young foreigners (Insua, Pacheco) or local products (Spearing, Kelly).
Kenny coming back can only be good news for the local production line. Liverpool has been losing too much Merseyside talent to the lot across Stanley Park – Rodwell and Baxter immediately spring to mind, and there are rumors Pepper may join them. Both Carra and Gerrard wrote glowingly about Dalglish and his influence on them when they were Academy products in their autobiographies, even if Heighway was more important to their development. Even kids today still remember Dalglish's exploits as manager – nearly 20 years after the fact – if not as a player. That's the kind of legacy King Kenny has, and that alone should help Liverpool recruit better talent.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, I feel duty-bound to note that young player development isn't entirely Rafa's department. Don't get me wrong, the manager identifies targets, hires staff like Segura, Shannon, and Ablett, and promotes players to Melwood. But he's not their hands-on manager, and thus, can't truly be blamed if starlets fail to pan out.
I don't know what more he can/could have done. Scouting youth talent is like throwing at a dartboard from 40 yards away. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you even hit the bullseye, but there are just as many, if not more, misses. At the least, Rafa has been diligent about revitalizing and broadening the scouting network, signing talent, and giving young players chances, even if we'd like to see some thrown in the deep end sooner. But, like with many things Benitez, conservatism usually rules the day.
Liverpool needs to get back to producing homegrown talent, at least one or two per generation, no matter whether they were born in L4, London, or Madrid. So far, little by little, it looks like we might be reaching that goal.
Ed: And as for the goal of making sense of Rafa Benitez, I think I've gone about as far as I can go in the effort. In one way or another, I feel like we have nearly touched on it all. And that which we haven't touched on was noted in comments, but had we tried to address those this would have accompanied the 2010-2011 season preview. Looking back, though, I'm not sure any sense was made, certainly not for lack of effort.
I'd usually be more unsettled ending this way, without any sort of definitive conclusions, but this was always going to be a fool's errand. As long as Rafa is at the club, it seems like there will be some sort of unanswered questions, disconnections between he and the media, and questions about what he could have or should have done. Even the six sections we used, in hindsight, weren't nearly enough. Sure, we touched on it all, but without any more than a casual/bordering on obsessive understanding of the way Liverpool operates from an ocean away, Rafa's going to be a mystery.
But more than anything, I think this provided some much needed perspective. Particularly on my end, it's easy to jump to conclusions about the way Rafa has handled his role as manager in the past five and a half seasons. The "what have you done for me lately" mentality is easy to come by, and I have been no different when it comes to Rafa. But going through this, taking a step back and looking at the "facts," has me questioning the knee-jerk reactions I've previously made.
It doesn't leave me convinced, though, and if anything I might be more confused. I'm convinced he's too stubborn and set in his ways at times, but then he pulls off some of the most magical bullshit-seeming tactics and leads the side to stunning victories. He's alienated players and underused others, but he's helped players like Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres flourish to ridiculous heights. He cuts a stoic figure on the touchline and in the pressroom, but then he can cut it loose and serve up members of the press and Alex Ferguson. I quit.
So it's been a long haul, and I'm greatly appreciative of your willingness to take part. Hopefully it's been more worthwhile than it has been confusing for you and your readers.
nate: Isn't this the fun of having blogs? Of watching countless matches and writing countless words? To second guess paid professionals for a "hobby?"
There were never going to be any definite conclusions or resolutions, especially mid-season. We're never going to understand everything Benitez does. He does this for a living and he's privy to so much more information than we'll ever be. But the game is in trying to explain it, and my rationalizations – wrongheaded or not – are an attempt at some sort of sanity in the often overblown world of Liverpool/soccer/sports.
Because, at the end of the day, this is supposed to be fun. Even if this season's results have made that much less likely.
However, this back-and-forth has been a blast, and I appreciate both the opportunity and your willingness to direct this farce. Lord knows had I been responsible for starting conversations and providing paths for discussion, this would never have been finished.
I hope, at the least, it's provided some food for thought. But who am I kidding? At the least, I hope it got read.
Because the next match, at Wigan, is on Monday, I'll probably have the preview up early tomorrow instead of today. Maybe tonight, depending on the time of Rafa's presser, but we usually get info for Monday matches late.
Part VI: Planning for the Future
Intro | Managerial Record | Tactics | Man Management | Transfers | In the Media
Ed: While it's taken a little longer for this to wrap up, I think it's as good a time as any to talk about the groundwork Rafa is laying for his future at the club. I'm speaking, of course, about the much-lauded capture of Raheem Sterling from QPR. He's apparently quite the young talent, and at the tender age of 15, there's plenty of time to get him developed in the Academy. Or, as it's been put by some commenters on the Liverpool Way, plenty of time to coach out any natural ability he's got. Wait, what?
The development of the youth system under Rafa Benitez has been an area of heightened criticism for quite some time. Obviously everyone references Arsenal as though they constantly turn coal to diamonds with their young talent, and in many cases it's with good reason. But there's always a certain amount of gambling involved with younger players--they could go the way of Gerrard and Carragher, or they could go the way of...those guys we never heard of that never made it. And that happens at any club, not just Liverpool. Even Arsenal!
But of course with Rafa it's a production, and the major talking point for me is the "doesn't give young players enough of a chance." On the one hand this is something that makes a lot of sense and is pretty concerning. There's players like Nemeth and San Jose going out on loans and then, if you're to believe the media, working towards making those loans permanent. It's one thing to bring in plenty of young talent, it's completely another to bring in that young talent and never give them any time on the pitch.
Of course, the opposing point to that is that player development takes time--sometimes lots of it. There's always going to be a bit of settling in period for a new manager, and the first team responsibilities are the top priority. And we saw Rafa slowly but surely take control over the Academy, particularly with the overhaul at the end of last season, which saw him dismiss some major figures in the youth system (Gary Ablett, Hughie McAuley, Dave Shannon, and Piet Hamberg) in an effort to get more players from the Academy to the first team. Appointing Jose Segura, formerly the Barcelona youth director, further indicated Rafa's commitment to the Academy, and the return of Kenny Dalglish in a "senior role" seemed to cement it.
My hope for this section is that we'll look at two major things: what Rafa's done thus far, and what it is that he seems to be gearing the club for. So to address the first part, how do you think he's done? What more could/should he have done as it relates to the club's younger talent?
nate: The best thing about Raheem Sterling's capture – outside of the obvious fact he's a highly-lauded English prospect – was pointed out in by a commenter on my blog (Hi Georger!). He'll have the best nickname in history. "Sideshow Raheem" will never be topped.
But seriously, it's still hard to gauge Rafa's capacity for planning for the future even after almost six seasons. It takes that long for these players to develop, and such was the state of the Academy when Benitez arrived.
We're just now seeing sown seeds reaped with the likes of Insua, Pacheco, Kelly, Spearing, and Ayala. Kelly and Spearing both came from the Academy, graduating in 2007, the same summer Pacheco and Ayala came from Spain at 17. Insua came to Liverpool having just turned 18 in January 2007. And the likes of Nemeth and San Jose, also signed around the same time, don't seem far away. Benitez's first crop of youngsters – Barragan, Roque, Hobbs, Antwi, and Anderson – didn't have the hoped-for success stories, but the next crop seems much more promising, and are just starting to get their chances.
I wish I saw more of the reserves and Academy; yet another pitfall of being on the other side of the ocean. But there are rumblings – good rumblings – about players in each of the age groups after Pacheco/Kelly/Spearing/etc. Gulasci, Mavinga, Dalla Valle, and Bruna in the reserves; Ince, Pepper, Coady, Ngoo, Wisdom, Suso, and Sterling in the Academy. And it's a healthy mix of English and European players as well. But it'll be years until we know how successful they truly are.
I don't want this to turn into another Houllier-bashing session. Houllier was great for rebuilding Melwood and the Academy. He may not have been able to develop the young players, but he knew what kind of facilities and programs were needed. However, the quality of Academy products, whether English or foreign, dwindled to a trickle under Gerard. Liverpool's just now recovering, whether it's in young foreigners (Insua, Pacheco) or local products (Spearing, Kelly).
Kenny coming back can only be good news for the local production line. Liverpool has been losing too much Merseyside talent to the lot across Stanley Park – Rodwell and Baxter immediately spring to mind, and there are rumors Pepper may join them. Both Carra and Gerrard wrote glowingly about Dalglish and his influence on them when they were Academy products in their autobiographies, even if Heighway was more important to their development. Even kids today still remember Dalglish's exploits as manager – nearly 20 years after the fact – if not as a player. That's the kind of legacy King Kenny has, and that alone should help Liverpool recruit better talent.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, I feel duty-bound to note that young player development isn't entirely Rafa's department. Don't get me wrong, the manager identifies targets, hires staff like Segura, Shannon, and Ablett, and promotes players to Melwood. But he's not their hands-on manager, and thus, can't truly be blamed if starlets fail to pan out.
I don't know what more he can/could have done. Scouting youth talent is like throwing at a dartboard from 40 yards away. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you even hit the bullseye, but there are just as many, if not more, misses. At the least, Rafa has been diligent about revitalizing and broadening the scouting network, signing talent, and giving young players chances, even if we'd like to see some thrown in the deep end sooner. But, like with many things Benitez, conservatism usually rules the day.
Liverpool needs to get back to producing homegrown talent, at least one or two per generation, no matter whether they were born in L4, London, or Madrid. So far, little by little, it looks like we might be reaching that goal.
Ed: And as for the goal of making sense of Rafa Benitez, I think I've gone about as far as I can go in the effort. In one way or another, I feel like we have nearly touched on it all. And that which we haven't touched on was noted in comments, but had we tried to address those this would have accompanied the 2010-2011 season preview. Looking back, though, I'm not sure any sense was made, certainly not for lack of effort.
I'd usually be more unsettled ending this way, without any sort of definitive conclusions, but this was always going to be a fool's errand. As long as Rafa is at the club, it seems like there will be some sort of unanswered questions, disconnections between he and the media, and questions about what he could have or should have done. Even the six sections we used, in hindsight, weren't nearly enough. Sure, we touched on it all, but without any more than a casual/bordering on obsessive understanding of the way Liverpool operates from an ocean away, Rafa's going to be a mystery.
But more than anything, I think this provided some much needed perspective. Particularly on my end, it's easy to jump to conclusions about the way Rafa has handled his role as manager in the past five and a half seasons. The "what have you done for me lately" mentality is easy to come by, and I have been no different when it comes to Rafa. But going through this, taking a step back and looking at the "facts," has me questioning the knee-jerk reactions I've previously made.
It doesn't leave me convinced, though, and if anything I might be more confused. I'm convinced he's too stubborn and set in his ways at times, but then he pulls off some of the most magical bullshit-seeming tactics and leads the side to stunning victories. He's alienated players and underused others, but he's helped players like Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres flourish to ridiculous heights. He cuts a stoic figure on the touchline and in the pressroom, but then he can cut it loose and serve up members of the press and Alex Ferguson. I quit.
So it's been a long haul, and I'm greatly appreciative of your willingness to take part. Hopefully it's been more worthwhile than it has been confusing for you and your readers.
nate: Isn't this the fun of having blogs? Of watching countless matches and writing countless words? To second guess paid professionals for a "hobby?"
There were never going to be any definite conclusions or resolutions, especially mid-season. We're never going to understand everything Benitez does. He does this for a living and he's privy to so much more information than we'll ever be. But the game is in trying to explain it, and my rationalizations – wrongheaded or not – are an attempt at some sort of sanity in the often overblown world of Liverpool/soccer/sports.
Because, at the end of the day, this is supposed to be fun. Even if this season's results have made that much less likely.
However, this back-and-forth has been a blast, and I appreciate both the opportunity and your willingness to direct this farce. Lord knows had I been responsible for starting conversations and providing paths for discussion, this would never have been finished.
I hope, at the least, it's provided some food for thought. But who am I kidding? At the least, I hope it got read.
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