A united team which will no doubt divide the city
May 31 2007
by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post
WITH both Liverpool and Everton claiming top-six finishes for only the third time since the Premiership’s conception in 1992, Merseyside football can claim to have enjoyed a decent season.
There were some fine individual performances as David Moyes’s side secured a well-deserved UEFA Cup qualification and Rafael Benitez’s men progressed to within an Italian arm of winning a second European Cup in three years.
So here’s my attempt to select a team from the city capable of taking on all-comers, based on displays over the past nine months.
No doubt eyebrows will be raised at some names in the line-up, and there are a number of players who can consider themselves a tad unlucky to miss out.
Only one thing’s for certain – hardly anyone will agree with it!
GOALKEEPER: Pepe Reina overcame a wobbly start to keep a Premiership-best 19 clean sheets and send Jose Mourinho into a grump with his penalty saves in the Champions League semi-final with Chelsea. Tim Howard, meanwhile, brought calm to the Everton defence and came close to breaking Neville Southall’s record number of league shut-outs in a season, and for that just shades his inclusion.
RIGHT-BACK: Tony Hibbert’s injury and illness problems meant Everton suffered in this position throughout, having to chop and change with Joseph Yobo, Phil Neville and Alan Stubbs filling the gap. However, Liverpool could rely on the consistency of Steve Finnan as the Premiership’s finest full-back.
CENTRE-BACKS: Both teams were well served in this area. Joseph Yobo managed to play every minute of the Premiership season for Everton and was ably assisted during the second half of the campaign by the evergreen Alan Stubbs. But even they were outshone by Liverpool pairing Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger, the former his usual reliable self while Agger helped keep a remarkable 15 clean sheets in the 23 league games he started during his first full season in England.
LEFT-BACK: Stephen Warnock, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fabio Aurelio and John Arne Riise all appeared on the left of defence for Liverpool during the campaign. But none could match the level of performance continually produced by Everton’s Joleon Lescott, all the more remarkable given the 24-year-old was playing in his debut Premiership season AND was out of position.
RIGHT MIDFIELD: An easy call, given the integral part Mikel Arteta played in Everton’s qualification for Europe with his creativity, set-piece delivery and new-found goalscoring exploits. The Spanish schemer was not only the club’s player of the season but also one of the best in the whole Premiership.
CENTRE MIDFIELD: Plenty of options here, but a mixture of steel and skill is needed in the team’s engine room. Momo Sissoko and Xabi Alonso failed to reach the heights of last season while Javier Mascherano, despite his impact, didn’t play enough games for Liverpool. At Everton, the same can be said for Manuel Fernandes while Phil Neville and Tim Cahill were often employed elsewhere or, in the Australian’s case, simply in the treatment room. It means the ever-present Lee Carsley and talismanic Steven Gerrard will line up in the centre of midfield.
LEFT MIDFIELD: Now this was a tricky one. In truth, no player from either side truly excelled on the left flank on a regular basis. Mikel Arteta often flitted on to the left but was needed elsewhere in this team, while Leon Osman was just a bit too inconsistent and no-one from Liverpool overly impressed. It means the nod goes to Jermaine Pennant despite the fact he played almost the campaign on the right – an indicator of how both Liverpool and Everton need to improve their left-wing options next season.
STRIKERS: Andrew Johnson has brought the goals that Everton needed following his arrival from Crystal Palace last summer, and was the most potent forward threat from Goodison. Across the park, Dirk Kuyt has also proven a popular purchase but loses out on a place up front to team-mate Peter Crouch, who scored more goals in less starts.
SUBSTITUTES: Pepe Reina narrowly missed out on the first team, as did Joseph Yobo in central defence. Javier Mascherano would have been a cert had he joined earlier in the season, while Dirk Kuyt and James Vaughan would provide more than ample cover up front.
NICK SMITH’S MERSEY XI: Pepe Reina; Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Joseph Yobo, Joleon Lescott; Mikel Arteta, Javier Mascherano, Tim Cahill, Steven Gerrard; Andrew Johnson, Peter Crouch.
CHRISTOPHER BEESLEY’S MERSEY XI: Tim Howard; Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Joseph Yobo, Joleon Lescott; Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano, Lee Carsley, Mikel Arteta; Andrew Johnson, Peter Crouch.
CHRIS WRIGHT’S MERSEY XI: Pepe Reina; Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, Joleon Lescott; Leon Osman, Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard, Mikel Arteta; Andrew Johnson, Dirk Kuyt.
CLICKY - Daily Post
May 31 2007
by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post
WITH both Liverpool and Everton claiming top-six finishes for only the third time since the Premiership’s conception in 1992, Merseyside football can claim to have enjoyed a decent season.
There were some fine individual performances as David Moyes’s side secured a well-deserved UEFA Cup qualification and Rafael Benitez’s men progressed to within an Italian arm of winning a second European Cup in three years.
So here’s my attempt to select a team from the city capable of taking on all-comers, based on displays over the past nine months.
No doubt eyebrows will be raised at some names in the line-up, and there are a number of players who can consider themselves a tad unlucky to miss out.
Only one thing’s for certain – hardly anyone will agree with it!
GOALKEEPER: Pepe Reina overcame a wobbly start to keep a Premiership-best 19 clean sheets and send Jose Mourinho into a grump with his penalty saves in the Champions League semi-final with Chelsea. Tim Howard, meanwhile, brought calm to the Everton defence and came close to breaking Neville Southall’s record number of league shut-outs in a season, and for that just shades his inclusion.
RIGHT-BACK: Tony Hibbert’s injury and illness problems meant Everton suffered in this position throughout, having to chop and change with Joseph Yobo, Phil Neville and Alan Stubbs filling the gap. However, Liverpool could rely on the consistency of Steve Finnan as the Premiership’s finest full-back.
CENTRE-BACKS: Both teams were well served in this area. Joseph Yobo managed to play every minute of the Premiership season for Everton and was ably assisted during the second half of the campaign by the evergreen Alan Stubbs. But even they were outshone by Liverpool pairing Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger, the former his usual reliable self while Agger helped keep a remarkable 15 clean sheets in the 23 league games he started during his first full season in England.
LEFT-BACK: Stephen Warnock, Alvaro Arbeloa, Fabio Aurelio and John Arne Riise all appeared on the left of defence for Liverpool during the campaign. But none could match the level of performance continually produced by Everton’s Joleon Lescott, all the more remarkable given the 24-year-old was playing in his debut Premiership season AND was out of position.
RIGHT MIDFIELD: An easy call, given the integral part Mikel Arteta played in Everton’s qualification for Europe with his creativity, set-piece delivery and new-found goalscoring exploits. The Spanish schemer was not only the club’s player of the season but also one of the best in the whole Premiership.
CENTRE MIDFIELD: Plenty of options here, but a mixture of steel and skill is needed in the team’s engine room. Momo Sissoko and Xabi Alonso failed to reach the heights of last season while Javier Mascherano, despite his impact, didn’t play enough games for Liverpool. At Everton, the same can be said for Manuel Fernandes while Phil Neville and Tim Cahill were often employed elsewhere or, in the Australian’s case, simply in the treatment room. It means the ever-present Lee Carsley and talismanic Steven Gerrard will line up in the centre of midfield.
LEFT MIDFIELD: Now this was a tricky one. In truth, no player from either side truly excelled on the left flank on a regular basis. Mikel Arteta often flitted on to the left but was needed elsewhere in this team, while Leon Osman was just a bit too inconsistent and no-one from Liverpool overly impressed. It means the nod goes to Jermaine Pennant despite the fact he played almost the campaign on the right – an indicator of how both Liverpool and Everton need to improve their left-wing options next season.
STRIKERS: Andrew Johnson has brought the goals that Everton needed following his arrival from Crystal Palace last summer, and was the most potent forward threat from Goodison. Across the park, Dirk Kuyt has also proven a popular purchase but loses out on a place up front to team-mate Peter Crouch, who scored more goals in less starts.
SUBSTITUTES: Pepe Reina narrowly missed out on the first team, as did Joseph Yobo in central defence. Javier Mascherano would have been a cert had he joined earlier in the season, while Dirk Kuyt and James Vaughan would provide more than ample cover up front.
NICK SMITH’S MERSEY XI: Pepe Reina; Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Joseph Yobo, Joleon Lescott; Mikel Arteta, Javier Mascherano, Tim Cahill, Steven Gerrard; Andrew Johnson, Peter Crouch.
CHRISTOPHER BEESLEY’S MERSEY XI: Tim Howard; Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Joseph Yobo, Joleon Lescott; Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano, Lee Carsley, Mikel Arteta; Andrew Johnson, Peter Crouch.
CHRIS WRIGHT’S MERSEY XI: Pepe Reina; Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger, Joleon Lescott; Leon Osman, Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard, Mikel Arteta; Andrew Johnson, Dirk Kuyt.
CLICKY - Daily Post
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