Fortress Anfield...

[Nic83]

Is it back? If not, it is certainly very close to surfacing from underneath the woodwork.

Since Rafa came in, he has tried to implement a fast, fluent attacking strategy back into our team. This is particularly evident when we play at home. We push teams back as much as possible and try to move the ball quickly through the blockade. Rafa gives the lads a freedom to express themselves.

Resulting from this, and the obvious quality in our side, is an abundance of chances. No matter who we play at Anfield, we will create more than one clearcut chance and we WILL start taking them more often.

No team that beat us at Anfield last season(all competitions) went home feeling that they FULLY deserved the three points, except maybe Chelsea. (that's even debatable as everything went for them)

Under Houllier, i used to be shaking with nerves in the hours leading up to the game but under Rafa, when we are at home, i'm quite relaxed as i'm not just hoping for a win, i'm EXPECTING a win. Not just that but i look forward to seeing the boys play with a bit of style aswell.

I feel we have progressed even further this season with the likes of Kuyt and Bellers brought in. We now have even more pace to cut teams up, that we didn't have before, which inevitably led to us failing to break teams down under Houllier.

Added to our undoubted ability to force teams back and chop them to ribbons, we also have the strength in midfield and defense to stop them getting a sneaky counter attack goal (unlike Arsenal and UTD).

We have 16 games left in the league at Anfield and i wouldn't be, at all, surprised if we picked up 42pts(odd) from those matches. 85pts approx, will win the league this season.

42(future home pts)+10(pts to date)=52pts

85(expected league winners total)-52=33pts to be earned on the road.

48pts to play for.

Could we?

YES, we ****ing could.

Come on the Reds.

[IanTheRed]

I was shocked to read on Sunday that we've only been beaten once in 28 Premiership games (now 29...) the 4-1 reverse to Chelski.

Well done Rafa!

[Shaggy]

Agreed. Anfield is becoming a fortress again and it's mightily ****ing satisfying.

[Bob]

...and something to bear in mind for gambling.

[Guest]

mmm ... we'll be losing at Anfield next match.

[friedk]

read one report online that said, "while losing 3 - 0 at Anfield is not an embarrasment, Spurs will still need to improve"

I like that

[NICKZS]

read one report online that said, "while losing 3 - 0 at Anfield is not an embarrasment, Spurs will still need to improve"

I like that

I like that too. Nice one

[IanTheRed]

read one report online that said, "while losing 3 - 0 at Anfield is not an embarrasment, Spurs will still need to improve"

I like that

Unlike the recent report:

"whilst winning 3 - 0 at Goodison is nothing special to most clubs, Evertonians will have to keep wearing the goggles for 2 more years as they try to contain their excitement and stop the spunk blinding them as they fail to contemplate that winning a derby doesn't exactly justify a open top bus parade and a visit from Bono..."

[Shaggy]

Finnan: Home rule key to glory

Sep 26 2006

By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

STEVE FINNAN believes Liverpool have recreated the ‘old days’ at Anfield with their formidable recent home record.

With Galatasaray heading to Merseyside for tomorrow’s Champions League tie, Finnan is looking for Liverpool to make the most of their increasingly potent home advantage.

The Reds have lost just three of their last 31 home fixtures, although two of those defeats were also in Europe, the latest when Benfica won 2-0 in March.

It will be over 12 months since Liverpool lost a Premiership match at Anfield by the time Blackburn arrive on Merseyside in three weeks.

"Our home record is fantastic and we’ve been wanting to make Anfield just like the old days again," said Finnan.

"I think we’ve done that recently and it’s something we want to continue.

"Hopefully we can pick up the points we need because we don’t want to be going to Turkey for the last game needing a result to qualify.

"The Champions League is always great, particularly at Anfield, and it’s another big game to look forward to.

"We were slightly disappointed not to win the last match in Eindhoven, particularly when Stevie Gerrard was unlucky with his strike at the end.

"Overall it was probably a fair result, but an away point in Europe is always good.

"Now the home game is coming up so."

Finnan is one of the few Liverpool players who doesn’t have a direct competitor for his position at right back, while those around them are vulnerable to Rafa Benitez’s rotation policy.

But the Irish international insists he’ll take nothing for granted in his own position.

"There are so many games, no-one knows until an hour before kick-off what’s going to happen," he says.

"Usually it’s the strikers and midfielders who get changed about, but Daniel Agger has done really well at the back and there are more options there as well now. More players will be rested in defence too.

"I’m happy to be playing all the time, but I’m sure the manager would like another player in my position.

"It didn’t happen in the transfer window, but there are others who can play right back so I’m sure there will come a time when I’m rested too."

With two consecutive home wins, Finnan believes the early season setbacks are now well behind Benitez’s side.

"We’ve had back to back wins, played well against some decent teams, and hopefully we’re going on a run now," he said.

"There were a few people writing us off last week, but we knew we’d played well down at Chelsea.

" It’s been important to get back on track, but it’s early days and we’re not that far off the top after six games.

"It just goes to show how quickly things can change when you win a few games."