Liverpool FC Forum

by **NANNY RED** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:08 pm

I posted this article in the Liverpool v Marseille thread but i thought it should have a thread of its own. Thompson makes some sensible points here and i think he has got it spot on

What aTime for a men only inquest as Liverpool falter Oct 4 2007

by John Thompson, Liverpool Echo

WHEN a side containing Bruno Cheyrou’s brother give you a footballing lesson, you know it’s been a bad night.

Hence there is probably more a sense of shock than outrage around today at what was probably Liverpool’s worst home performance during more than 40 years in Europe.

The anger will follow in spades from many supporters, of course. But in the aftermath of a woeful display at Anfield last night, it probably won’t do much good.

At least not judging by the expression on the ashen face of a furious Rafael Benitez during his post match press conference last night.

If Benitez wasn’t waiting at the school gates this morning, cane in hand, to display his deep displeasure to his pupils - including his star turns as well as his new boys - then something is palpably wrong.

You can criticise the manager and debate rotation all you like, but a side with Reina, Carragher, Hyypia, Gerrard, Sissoko, Torres and Crouch at its spine should be miles better than this, whatever else is or isn’t going on around them.

And Benitez more than anyone is entitled to feel badly let down by the majority of the players he sent out last night.

Quite where you begin to analyse this most un-Liverpool like display against a team they were expected to demolish, it’s hard to know. Virtually everything went wrong.

But after the opening five minutes in which Marseille’s terriers tore around the pitch closing down the Reds, it was suggested to former Anfield iron man Tommy Smith as he sat in the press box that perhaps one of his famous old ‘Welcome to Anfield’ tackles might be required. Just to remind Marseille of where they were and who they were up against.

Instead, Liverpool timidly and unforgivably threw down a welcome mat. And got trodden into the ground over 90 minutes of barely believable haplessness.

Just over a month ago, a rampant Liverpool team were hitting Derby County for six, inviting widespread predictions of title glory.

Worried Liverpool fans will today hope the optimistic hyperbole that followed that display will prove as evidently misplaced as today’s predictions of doom and gloom might be too.

But what’s most important is that the manager and the players are today given a bit of time and space to sort out this sudden slump in form and performance, rather than face a sustained tirade of abuse and ridicule.

Give Marseille credit. Their terrific display, tactically crafted and inspired by new boss Eric Gerets, was probably the most unexpectedly impressive since Dinamo Tblisi came to Anfield in 1979 and cruelly left with a 2-1 defeat to their name.

In the return leg, the little known Georgians humiliated Liverpool by three goals to nil and dumped them out of the European Cup in the first round.

Later that season, a side that contained Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness collected yet another League Championship trophy, and Tblisi were consigned to Anfield’s history books as a very bad dream.

Liverpool supporters will hope that’s what will become of this episode in a season so far of bewildering uncertainty for their side.

But if that’s to be the case, then Liverpool cannot turn in one more performance even approaching the awfulness of last night’s farrago.

Never mind the players Benitez rested or selected. Never mind his tactics or his substitutions. Never mind the fact that at times his worried defenders drifted so deep that any further and they’d have needed oxygen tanks on their backs.

No, the most worrying aspect of all was that at times it looked as if Liverpool lacked heart and belief - and with it the stomach for a battle that was taken to them but never joined.

So shut the doors, lock down the windows, put your fingers in your ears and hope that Benitez, his staff and players conduct a thorough, honest, men-only inquest today.

And between them all quickly come up with solutions to ensure that a season of Anfield hope doesn’t somehow turn to heartache.

Hope the players read this and if the cant understand get someone to read it to them who does they should remember what Shanks once said "that shirt is liverpools life"

by **Leonmc0708** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:20 pm

Maybe you thought it deserved its own thread, I didnt.

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Re article in tonights echo

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