Just read this on vital fotbal, thought it was a good balanced and well written piece, there is nothing in it I disagree with.
It was great to get back to winning ways with a decent performance in our 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough . In the first half, we pretty much continued where we left off at Maine Road with a dull display, but the second half was much better. I realise Rafa wants to try out his different options but I`m not a big fan of Gerrard playing off the striker, particularly not at home. Whatever tactics we choose to employ on our travels, at Anfield, we should always play with two strikers.
Crouch playing as the lone striker with Gerrard behind him, just didn`t work well in the first half. However, once we brought Kuyt on upfront in the second half, and pushed Gerrard back into the centre of midfield, there was a lot more balance to the side. It then seemed only a matter of time before we scored, and StevieG`s thunderbolt was well worth waiting for. Nobody strikes a ball as well as our Stevie from that distance and their keeper had no chance. I`m never 100% sure of him on penalties, because he`s missed a few in his time, but he put away last nights as sweet as a nut and that was game over. Another three points closer to securing our Champions League place for next season, another clean sheet, job done.
Overall a decent display. Obviously, Gerrard was our man of the match, but Mascherano was also impressive once again. After the nightmare he endured at West Ham, I really didn`t expect to see the best of him until next season but he has managed to put in one impressive display after another and looks a hell of a player, surely he must be in our starting line-up at Chelsea. Pennant also looked very lively throughout the game and looks to be finally adapting to life as a Liverpool player. Another player who impressed me once again, was Arbeloa. It`s great to finally have some decent cover for Finnan, at right back, but Arbeloa, also looks just as comfortable on the left hand side and at £2.6 million, he looks an absolute snip. Thank God, we didn`t sign that greedy ******* Lucas Neill!
The two disappointments for me on the night were Zenden and Sissoko. As I`ve said on this blog many times I`m a big fan of Momo. His ball winning skills, his attitude and his energy are second to none but there`s no doubt, his passing sucks! I`ve always said that if he could improve that side of his game, he would be World Class, but perhaps I should now rephrase that and say that if he could improve that side of his game, he would be Mascherano. Momo doesn`t seem to have responded well to the arrival of the Monster Masch and has slipped down the pecking order of our central midfielders. His distribution has always been his weak point, and to be honest it hasn`t improved much since he`s been here, but the extra competition he now faces for a place in the side could well prove to be a blessing in disguise for him and make him work even harder on his game. As for Zenden, it`s not that he did a lot wrong last night, I just don`t think he`s good enough to be playing for Liverpool.
The other big story that emerged over the last couple of days was the news that Rafa has once again turned down the opportunity to manage Real Madrid. This is the second time they`ve approached him in a year, and once again he sent them packing. Obviously, he is from Madrid, and has a long association with the club, but when they approached him last year they seemed to think they just had to turn up and bat their eyelids, and he`d come running, but they were very much mistaken. This time they came equipped with a wagonload of cash, but once again were turned down, which part of no do they not understand? I don`t blame them for wanting him as their manager, but they had ample opportunity to appoint him while he was successfully managing Valencia and they didn`t do it, so their loss was very much our gain.
Under normal circumstances you would have to say that his decision to turn them down was perfectly understandable. Afterall at Liverpool he has the total respect of the players, the total backing of the board, the total adoration of the worlds greatest fans and at Madrid he would have none of that. However in an effort to persuade him, they reportedly offered to almost double his current salary and its refreshing to know that in the increasingly greedy world of football, not everybody can be bought. Rafa said that his family are very happy in Liverpool and he wants to continue his work at the club because he believes there is a very bright future ahead, and this meant more to him then the money offered by Real. I`ve got to say that my respect for Benitez just grows and grows. This decision proves that he is not just a great manager, he is also a great man.
All hail King Rafa and long may he reign!
Crouch playing as the lone striker with Gerrard behind him, just didn`t work well in the first half. However, once we brought Kuyt on upfront in the second half, and pushed Gerrard back into the centre of midfield, there was a lot more balance to the side. It then seemed only a matter of time before we scored, and StevieG`s thunderbolt was well worth waiting for. Nobody strikes a ball as well as our Stevie from that distance and their keeper had no chance. I`m never 100% sure of him on penalties, because he`s missed a few in his time, but he put away last nights as sweet as a nut and that was game over. Another three points closer to securing our Champions League place for next season, another clean sheet, job done.
Overall a decent display. Obviously, Gerrard was our man of the match, but Mascherano was also impressive once again. After the nightmare he endured at West Ham, I really didn`t expect to see the best of him until next season but he has managed to put in one impressive display after another and looks a hell of a player, surely he must be in our starting line-up at Chelsea. Pennant also looked very lively throughout the game and looks to be finally adapting to life as a Liverpool player. Another player who impressed me once again, was Arbeloa. It`s great to finally have some decent cover for Finnan, at right back, but Arbeloa, also looks just as comfortable on the left hand side and at £2.6 million, he looks an absolute snip. Thank God, we didn`t sign that greedy ******* Lucas Neill!
The two disappointments for me on the night were Zenden and Sissoko. As I`ve said on this blog many times I`m a big fan of Momo. His ball winning skills, his attitude and his energy are second to none but there`s no doubt, his passing sucks! I`ve always said that if he could improve that side of his game, he would be World Class, but perhaps I should now rephrase that and say that if he could improve that side of his game, he would be Mascherano. Momo doesn`t seem to have responded well to the arrival of the Monster Masch and has slipped down the pecking order of our central midfielders. His distribution has always been his weak point, and to be honest it hasn`t improved much since he`s been here, but the extra competition he now faces for a place in the side could well prove to be a blessing in disguise for him and make him work even harder on his game. As for Zenden, it`s not that he did a lot wrong last night, I just don`t think he`s good enough to be playing for Liverpool.
The other big story that emerged over the last couple of days was the news that Rafa has once again turned down the opportunity to manage Real Madrid. This is the second time they`ve approached him in a year, and once again he sent them packing. Obviously, he is from Madrid, and has a long association with the club, but when they approached him last year they seemed to think they just had to turn up and bat their eyelids, and he`d come running, but they were very much mistaken. This time they came equipped with a wagonload of cash, but once again were turned down, which part of no do they not understand? I don`t blame them for wanting him as their manager, but they had ample opportunity to appoint him while he was successfully managing Valencia and they didn`t do it, so their loss was very much our gain.
Under normal circumstances you would have to say that his decision to turn them down was perfectly understandable. Afterall at Liverpool he has the total respect of the players, the total backing of the board, the total adoration of the worlds greatest fans and at Madrid he would have none of that. However in an effort to persuade him, they reportedly offered to almost double his current salary and its refreshing to know that in the increasingly greedy world of football, not everybody can be bought. Rafa said that his family are very happy in Liverpool and he wants to continue his work at the club because he believes there is a very bright future ahead, and this meant more to him then the money offered by Real. I`ve got to say that my respect for Benitez just grows and grows. This decision proves that he is not just a great manager, he is also a great man.
All hail King Rafa and long may he reign!
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