Liverpool - A fan's view
Thursday, 24 May 2007 19:11
Liverpool In Focus
Good, bad or just the same old, same old? What the fans made of the 2007/08 season. Full Story
Good, bad or just the same old, same old. What the fans made of the 2006/07 season.
A sluggish start stunted Liverpool's progress once again and three points were thrown away too many times in the opening encounters of the season. In fact, Rafael Benitez’s men were sloppy until mid-November, falling to away defeats against Everton, Chelsea, Bolton, Manchester United and Arsenal in this period.
Once the Reds hit their stride, they repeated last season's feat of going on long winning streaks while not conceding between November 18th and Boxing Day.
Benitez's record against the better teams - United, Chelsea and Arsenal - in the Premiership needs to be addressed as six points, home wins versus Chelsea and Arsenal, from a possible 18 is not title-winning form.
Away from the league, Liverpool's greatest success came, of course, in Europe. Arsenal dumped the Reds out of the FA Cup and League Cup but the Champions League once again showed how shrewd a tactician Benitez can be.
Liverpool breezed through the group stages and then spectacularly overcame reigning champions Barcelona over two legs. Next up was PSV, who were easily dispatched, and then a penalty win over perennial Champions League rivals Chelsea left Jose Mourinho clutching at straws saying his side were the best as usual - they weren't.
Athens was a sea of red and, though defeated, Benitez's troops remained unbowed. Heroic performances were seen across the pitch and despite bossing possession for the duration, it was perhaps poetic justice that a Milan side won when outclassed. They lost in Istanbul two year's ago despite being the better of the two sides. There was certainly no shame in defeat here though.
Grade: A
High Points
Reaching the Champions League final takes some beating. Liverpool directly countered critics of their 'long ball' game by playing some great football on the deck against the Rossoneri and the Reds certainly did not deserve to be the losing side. The fans once again showed why they are head and shoulders above the rest and not much more could have been asked of the players.
The away win against Barcelona stands out as the remarkable result of the campaign. After going to the Nou Camp completely unfancied and, in all honesty, expecting to get a pasting, the 2-1 win was unforgettable.
That the goals went to John Arne Riise and Craig Bellamy who had been involved in a fracas over karaoke before the tie began was poetic justice. And that Bellamy decided to celebrate by hitting an imaginary golf ball, after he had allegedly chased Riise while brandishing a golf club, says a lot about the man.
Low Point
The 0-0 draw at Aston Villa was perhaps the worst match I have ever had the misfortune to watch. Dire.
Also worth a mention is the 3-1 defeat at Anfield at the hands of Arsenal in the FA Cup which was a poor way to repay the amazing support. The Kop was a sea of banners and scarves as the fans staged a protest at former Sun newspaper editor Kelvin MacKenzie's unfounded Hillsborough allegations. They deserved more.
Fan's Player of the Year
- Jamie Carragher -
A central defender very much in the classic English mould, a la Terry Butcher, Carragher may not be as good on the ball as rising star Daniel Agger but he is now one of the most consistent performers in the Premiership.
Fans at Anfield cannot believe that he is not one of the first names on Steve McClaren's team sheet as Carragher goes from strength to strength in terms of his positional sense and tackling.
Along with captain Steven Gerrard, Carragher is the heartbeat of this Liverpool side and he is the perfect player to have in the side when backs are against the wall.
Following on from some massive performances in recent years, Carra just keeps getting better and better and may yet force his way past Rio Ferdinand to take up a regular starting berth alongside John Terry for England.
Needs for Next Season
If the rumours are true regarding the size of the war chest at Benitez's disposal in the summer then expect a busy close season for Liverpool. Already linked with big money moves for Carlos Tevez, David Villa and Samuel Eto'o, it will take a striker of this calibre to finally propel Liverpool into the same league as Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premiership.
A winger must also be top of the manager's shopping list because a lack of creativity in the final third is the one thing that tends to cost Liverpool dear. A Shaun Wright-Philips, Daniel Alves or Ludovic Giuly - all players linked with a move to Anfield in recent times - would be a welcome addition to the squad.
If Harry Kewell can stay fit and start to produce the kind of form that we all know he is capable of and a permanent deal is struck over the very impressive Javier Mascherano then Liverpool could go one step better than the second place they managed under Gerard Houllier back in 2002.
But then again, we always seem to say this don't we?
Adam Bushby
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