by Chris Bascombe, News of the World
With Fernando Torres stuck on Merseyside with a tight hamstring, Liverpool face Chelsea today boasting as much firepower as an army of pacifists.
And skipper Steven Gerrard is still smarting over his club's failure to sign the man who could have filled the Spaniard's boots.
Nicolas Anelka spent six months on loan at Anfield in 2002, before Gerard Houllier made the calamitous decision to hand his No9 shirt to El-Hadji Diouf.
Gerrard could not understand the call at the time. And having seen his side struggle for away goals against the big three ever since, he is annoyed to find Anelka lining up against him rather than alongside him at Stamford Bridge.
Gerrard said: "Every club makes a couple of mistakes in the transfer market and we made one when we didn't sign Nicolas Anelka in 2002.
"Nicolas was top class for us and I thought he'd done enough to stay. He was a good lad around the dressing-room as well.
"I've always thought it was a shame he's not still with us. What made it doubly disappointing for me was I knew how desperate he was to sign on a permanent deal at the time.
"Unfortunately, these decisions are taken and it's only when you look back later you can make a judgement. I don't think anyone will deny we got that one wrong."
He should have added:
Anelka could have been a Liverpool player later instead of the Morientes, the Bellamys and the Kuyts but life's like that!!!
With Fernando Torres stuck on Merseyside with a tight hamstring, Liverpool face Chelsea today boasting as much firepower as an army of pacifists.
And skipper Steven Gerrard is still smarting over his club's failure to sign the man who could have filled the Spaniard's boots.
Nicolas Anelka spent six months on loan at Anfield in 2002, before Gerard Houllier made the calamitous decision to hand his No9 shirt to El-Hadji Diouf.
Gerrard could not understand the call at the time. And having seen his side struggle for away goals against the big three ever since, he is annoyed to find Anelka lining up against him rather than alongside him at Stamford Bridge.
Gerrard said: "Every club makes a couple of mistakes in the transfer market and we made one when we didn't sign Nicolas Anelka in 2002.
"Nicolas was top class for us and I thought he'd done enough to stay. He was a good lad around the dressing-room as well.
"I've always thought it was a shame he's not still with us. What made it doubly disappointing for me was I knew how desperate he was to sign on a permanent deal at the time.
"Unfortunately, these decisions are taken and it's only when you look back later you can make a judgement. I don't think anyone will deny we got that one wrong."
He should have added:
Anelka could have been a Liverpool player later instead of the Morientes, the Bellamys and the Kuyts but life's like that!!!
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