Home > Football > Liverpool survive in Europe - but can they topple Manchester United?
by Gav K on 12 December 2007
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So the detractors and non-believers slithers off into a dark corner. And there have been plenty of blinkered, if not blind, comments directed Liverpool's way this season.
Ahead of the two massive fixtures this week - away to the French champions Marseille and home to Manchester United - the shotgun was being loaded and the turkey that would be Rafa Benitez would be well and truly stuffed before Christmas. Well, bah humbug, the old bird lives to fight another day, and well done to the Reds!Criticism is something that creates a healthy balance, for and against, pros and cons. But mindless criticism has turned into an epidemic this season and Liverpool suffered a great deal when they lost their unbeaten start to the season last weekend at Reading. With one eye on the game in France, Rafa came in for some stick for his many changes, but his actions were vindicated by the fresh performance of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres in the Stade Velodrome. Benitez can’t win. He rotates his team and the criticism is “oh no, you can’t predict his team from one game to the next." But wouldn’t a predictable team be easier to play against, and continuity is honed on the training pitch as much as 90 minutes on a Saturday. How can players be accused of not being familiar with each other - they train six days a week together!
On the flip side let’s say he plays the same 11 or 12 players’ week in week out - the opposition know who faces them, they know what to prepare for! No window for integrating new players, younger players that need to play with the senior lads. A player gets injured; a player comes in with little or no first team action under his belt. A player gets injured due to the high demands of Premier League and Champions League football. And all this criticism when it's proven that Liverpool rotate no more or less than other top teams. If they rotate more then that’s only because they have a depth of squad that allows them to. Commentators, pundits and scribes alike are entitled to opinion; whether that is accurate, expressed form the heart or the head. However some commentating personalities and pundit teams are losing fans and face. Why? Because the beating drums of negativity directed towards Liverpool are becoming a faint ding. Their credibility eroded with ever passing pearl of wisdom, and this from ex professional players who should know better, along with fat cat journalists who are too consumed by their own celebrity. Liverpool will march on regardless; the blood is still flowing around the giant that is Liverpool Football Club. Up next, the big one, the acid test for Liverpool, the one they say will define their season (again a repetitive foreboding). No one knows how the game will pan out, but one hope is that Manchester United don’t fall fowl of the commentators who brand all Liverpool’s beaten foes as worthless rubbish.
If Liverpool can overcome the team Sir Alex Ferguson is branding as his best ever, containing the alleged best player in the world, then maybe, just maybe, the tag of useless will not be branded on them and Liverpool will get the credit they deserve.
Comments (20)
by MIGHTY reds on December 12, 2007
mighty reds to beat manc scumb 2:0 - Torres 2
by Shane Robinson on December 12, 2007
Not a game I look forward to, nerves always ruin it for me. One of the worst 90 minutes of the season being honest. We have been better than United on a few occasions but have never been able to finish them, last season's corrsponding fixture case in point. Let's hope Torres has added that cutting edge. I can't see Rio being able to handle him, Vidic would be a better bet.
by Z Kay on December 12, 2007
Liverpool did not deserveto loose last time they met at anfield. United had the luck of champions last season. This year i think its a different story. Rafa has yet to beat UNITED in the league.Even die hard united fans know that statistic is bound o change. I go for a reds win minimum of 2-0. U cant be a foolish united fan and expect to keep beating liverpool at anfield. Dudek is gone, no more gift goals. Player to watch Mascherano. He going keep that "best diver in teh world" quiet.
by MIKE on December 12, 2007
the koop kind of thinking will get u killed
by BN on December 12, 2007
Counting the chickens before they hatch, has time and again proved one to be a fool..same hold good for the one who wrote this article. If u know football, stop predicting results before the final whistle blows...Otherwise u will always end up like the Alan 'scumbag' hansen
[quote]Counting the chickens before they hatch, has time and again proved one to be a fool..same hold good for the one who wrote this article. If u know football, stop predicting results before the final whistle blows...Otherwise u will always end up like the Alan 'scumbag' hansen[/quote] Em, you can't predict results any other time mate, hence the 'pre' as the first syllable. It denotes before.
by Docker on December 12, 2007
"stop predicting results before the final whistle blows" You cant read !! .. nowhere is there a prediction that liverpool will win on sunday, i guess your knee jerk reaction shows you are worried liverpool will trun you over. Now go get a brain
by Franco Mizzi on December 12, 2007
Well done to Liverpool for an emphatic win yesterday, hats of the the enemy. But for Christs sake dont get carried away. If yesterday prooved anything it was the fact that this must have been one of the easiest group. I'm afraid you are very confused in your mind. Just seeing RAFA RAFA RAFA. You should have never had to wait till the last group match to qualify and that's a fact. Sunday is a different match alltogether and what happened against Reading or yesterday will come into the equation even we acknowledge that. I clearly remember the year we were relegeted to the then second division but still beat you 2-0 at Old Trafford. It is going to be a very highly charged atmosphere with no quarters given or taken. Anyone with sense knows that. The result? Being a United supporter and biased I would say 0-1 or 1-2 to us but on the other hand it could be the complete opposite.
Fair play Franco at least you have some sence and ballance the game is always something of a one off, no one will get carried away win losse or draw. But waht i will say in liverpools favour is that in the past chances were not taken, with torres this issue should be resolved :-)
by Venu on December 12, 2007
I don't think there ever has been a question of the talent in Liverpool, it has always been that the talent has not been utilized the way it should have been.. as far as the alleged best player goes, i think we should wait and see at the end of the season... I see the match being fast paced unlike the previous encounters, but probably a scored draw.... I am very interested on the Torres-Vidic face off and of course how the Pool defenders handle Messrs Rooney and Tevez.. or shall i say attempt to handle them.. ;P
by Jim on December 12, 2007
Your article seems to ignore the fact the the French champs are currently in 13th place, so that wasn't the most valid yard stick was it?
[quote]Your article seems to ignore the fact the the French champs are currently in 13th place, so that wasn't the most valid yard stick was it?[/quote] Right so they are not French champs anymore? Who is? Somebody had better tell United they aren't Champions then
They were champs last season, and qualified as that so they cant be that bad this year, thats like saying man utd were champs last year but are rubbish this year. Liverpool can only beat whats in front of them, and they have put 16 goals past them in the last 3 games. The slow start to the group is irelivent
by Rockie on December 12, 2007
Face it utd are going to get mullered, and given a reallity check this sunday, and its well overdue. If utd fans were confident in their chances they would be far less vocal. Rio to get a roasting. Dont be worriing about liverpool, chelsea or arsenal .. concentraton on your own bunch of Spanners.YNWA
by boyne on December 13, 2007
Yes - its obvious Liverpool are the best they have been in many many years ... houllier started it and benitez is good enough to continue. they have at least 3 of the outstanding players in europe in Gerard, torres and masherano ... however - I am an all out devil and i have to point out that i think in ronaldo, rooney and tevez we have for the first time got as good as best, law and charlton ... watch out europe! united are coming and are ridiculously going to outclass everyone in europe .. my money is on back to back european cups. On sunday, Man U to win 2 - 1 ... ronaldo and rooney for us ... torres for them
by Paul M on December 13, 2007
Liverpool has underachieved in the Premier League since inception but this year (more so than any other) is probably shaping up to be our most disappointing ever UNLESS we can turn the tide and get a result on Sunday. Unfortunately, manure have the upper hand as our record against them in the Prem is 7W 7D 16D. The last time we beat them at home in the league I believe was in 2001!! So maybe, this is the year we turn it around. YNWA
by Rick on December 13, 2007
as a neutral i just want to say well done to liverpool, however livepool fans should not get carried away, liverpool's problem in the champions league was entirely their own making, on the other hand yes there has been a lot of unfair criticism levelled against benitez. torres is looking a great buy and if he can provide the cutting edge liverpool might be able to overcome man u, but they this football so heres to hoping for a wonderful game.
by Wayne Ronaldo7 on December 15, 2007
I believe Lyon are the current French champions.....a Muppet answering an other Muppet.
by craig on December 16, 2007
Enough said, now lets talk about the title race perhaps you scoucers will finally shut your mouths now, 10 points behind the the top (thats four wins for you more then arsenal) and you have to go to old trafford, stamford bridge and also the emirates, bottom line you will loose more points i would. admit it your out of the title race, wont be long before its back to old faithful and dropping key players for the champions league games (again)and dont mention the game in hand i am sick of scoucers "whats ifs "and "yes buts" why not talk to arsenal about there game in hand and see how far it got them. your out of the race its as simple as
by Docker on December 28, 2007
Craig, Well done on winning the title decider :-)
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