Liverpool FC Forum

by **Reg** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 2:13 pm

Unfortunately the weekend didn't end as well as it started, but at least Liverpool kept the pressure on Manchester United. Even after their own late winner, they cannot relax.

It's hard to remember a game in which Liverpool played so well that was so utterly unenjoyable to watch. But for a remarkable injury time winner, I'd have rather endured 90 minutes of nails scraping down a blackboard.

At this stage of the season, wisdom decrees, the points are all that matters. And it's hard to argue with that.

Instead, it looked like the Reds had put in a fairly outstanding away performance at a ground where Man United, Arsenal and Chelsea had between them mustered a measly point, only to have mislaid the goals that, until the international break, they almost couldn't help but score.

Indeed, even during their national service, some Reds were notching for fun; Kuyt got three in four days, while Alonso and Riera also scored. But until the very last minutes of the match at Craven Cottage, it seemed that the fortnight away had disrupted the flow of Liverpool goals.

It wasn't the Reds' prettiest display of the season, but then again the room wasn't there; Fulham, so tactically bright these days under such a fine manager, defended in numbers and looked to use two quick strikers on the break (albeit strikers who doubled as midfielders for much of the proceedings).

But in terms of coming so close to scoring, and in a relentless wave of never-say-die attacking, it was up there with the very best.

When you go to a team with the third-best home record in the division and have 13 times more shots on target than them, you know you have done pretty much everything possible to win. The best Match of the Day could come up with for Fulham was a wayward pass in the final third that went out for a goal kick.

It wasn't just the four times the Reds hit the woodwork that shredded the nerves; it was the countless other times the ball seemed destined for the net, only for a matter of inches to appear to have separated Liverpool's title challenge from the million miles adrift a draw would have made it seem.

If only Torres had sported Marouane Fellaini's old hairstyle, the game might have been won well before the 92nd minute. I still don't know how he didn't connect with Gerrard's cross, and another header just needed a bit more spring in it. By contrast, Andrea Dossena, who only has a millimetre of hair, could have done with an even closer shave to his bonce as he got a fraction too much on a pair of headers.

It was lovely to see some of the less-heralded players shine. Dossena has been excellent of late on the flank, and in midfield, Lucas had another very encouraging display. It looks like he's finding his feet, and that's a great sign. And Babel made a terrific impact as a sub.

But it took the perfect squad player to win it. Yossi Benayoun will never be regarded as one of the game's superstars, and he's not always been a first-XI player, but he has shown time and again that he can pop up with a telling contribution.

Two weeks ago I was extolling the virtues of Dirk Kuyt's ten goals, all of which have been extremely relevant; not a luxury or consolation goal in there.

Benayoun may have only scored half that amount, but like his fellow right-winger, each has been vitally important. Between them, they have notched 15 important goals without the aid of a set-piece.

After a disappointing first half of the season, Benayoun opened his account in December with the killer second goal against Blackburn, and notched again at Wigan, which would have been the winner but for a late equaliser. A third away goal, this time in Madrid, won that historic game, and his goal put paid to Sunderland's hopes of an equaliser a week later.

And now this, a solid-gold strike, to win two extra points and do wonders for the self-belief of everyone connected with Liverpool Football Club.

The term ‘squad player' can seem like a kind of insult, but success is often down to the interventions these players make. How I looked on in envy at the way Manchester United used to call upon back-up as good as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and how he'd snatch them a goal out of nothing, often in injury time.

It's impossible to have players like Torres or Gerrard in reserve, because it's almost impossible to have players this good in your first team, so rare are they.

And it's hard to keep experienced players happy if they don't start as often as they'd like. It's natural for players to want to play every game; indeed, you don't want players who are only too happy to be on the bench. They have to have the character to keep focused, keep training hard, and remain patient, rather than sulk.

But you also need people who will happily play 40-50 games, only 20-30 of which might be starts, and be part of a unit challenging for honours, rather than making 50 starts at a mid-table club. I understand why some players prefer the latter, but playing for Liverpool is more challenging.

The ‘squad player' has to be good enough to look like he belongs in the side, and will often make a case to be a regular pick. He would walk into most sides in the division, but at the top clubs, who need strength in depth, there are others with valid claims in the same position. And that's why I've always felt Benayoun was a fantastic purchase.

He's very good behind the main striker, but Steven Gerrard is excelling there. He's very good on either flank, working from outside to in, but Kuyt, Riera, Babel and now Dossena can all score and create from the same starting position. All the same, Benayoun provides an important option.

What's perhaps vital is that each of the wide men on the books is very different. Some might argue that you want like-for-like replacements in reserve; there's a case for being able to replace a successful player with someone of the same ilk, so tactical changes are kept to a minimum.

But in football, there is always more than one correct way to approach things, and Rafa Benítez likes variety. While Liverpool may not have a winger as scintillating as Cristiano Ronaldo at his best, Rafa can introduce different players to solve different problems.

Ryan Babel has the pace and skill of a winger, but perhaps not the natural inclinations of one; even so, at his best he can cut inside and cause danger, while against Real Madrid he showed that he's working at going outside his man. His goal touch hasn't been as sure this season, but he is a good finisher, with a ferocious shot.

Perhaps no goal this season has been more important than Babel's back at the start of the campaign, which set the tone for what was possible. And his part in the winning goal at Fulham was impressive, because after beating two men he stayed calm and picked a good pass to Gerrard.

Albert Riera also has great skill, but is more of a traditional winger in the sense of staying wide to give width. Without Babel's blistering pace, he tends to use his skill in tighter areas, and is also a canny passing player, who loves give-and-gos. He's definitely added something new to the equation this season.

In recent weeks, Andrea Dossena, whose attacking skills had been his strong suit at left-back, has been something of a surprise goal-threat from left-midfield, when he seemed more of a creator.

He is someone whose crosses have a lovely shape to them, even if they don't reach a Red head. They arc and dip beautifully into a dangerous area, and it's not a surprise to me to see him start in midfield; it's certainly not a negative move, as some tried to paint about a ‘left-back' playing on the wing.

Dirk Kuyt, meanwhile, offers a bit of everything, with the exception of tricks to go past people. Above all else, his movement, both when the Reds have possession and when they are chasing to win it back, is phenomenal. He scores vital goals, and his crossing is also massively underrated: from his experience of playing up front, he knows the areas to hit.

Key goals against Manchester United (at Anfield) and Real Madrid were scored from the Dutchman reading the game and getting in behind defenders to square to the goalscorer. Not ‘fancy' assists, but not lucky ones, either.

And then there's Yossi Benayoun, who is such an elusive, tricky customer with fast feet and a dynamic shimmy. There are few better players in the Premiership at weaving through tight spaces in a packed area, although sometimes he will try to take on one player too many; but that's an occupational hazard of someone prepared to commit opponents.

He's also a very fine finisher, who could have had a hat-trick against Fulham from his brief cameo.

Finally, there's Nabil El Zhar, whose pace and skill were behind a few of the crucial late winners earlier in the season; still raw, he has certainly made a contribution.

Between them, these wide players already have 25 goals this season (without a single free-kick or penalty in there either), and it's been a vital part of the dual Premiership/Champions League challenge that has been taken into April at the very least.

None of these players are candidates for the Player of the Year awards (although it was great to see Martin Samuel of The Daily Mail write such a positive piece about Kuyt the other week), but each has played their part in an exciting season that appears to be getting better and better.

The strange thing is, with resurgent Arsenal's games against the top three to come, Liverpool could perform pretty well in the final few weeks and still finish 4th.

Thankfully, if the Reds execute a perfect run-in they could yet win the title, and have form on their side in order to do so. And that's all we could ask for heading into the final stretch. It's in United's hands, but they know they need to keep the tightest grip possible.

by **LegBarnes** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:48 pm

Just like to add it was me 4 and half months ago that said doss looks :censored:

LB put him in Left midfield he looks like his crossing and pace will work there. :laugh:

by **woof woof !** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 4:54 pm

LegBarnes wrote:Just like to add it was me 4 and half months ago that said doss looks LB put him in Left midfield he looks like his crossing and pace will work there.

Same was once said about Riise and more recently Aurelio.

by **Sir Roger** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:00 pm

LegBarnes wrote:Just like to add it was me 4 and half months ago that said doss looks LB put him in Left midfield he looks like his crossing and pace will work there.

Rafa musnt have been reading this forum at that time then must he?

by **LegBarnes** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:21 pm

Sir Roger wrote:
LegBarnes wrote:Just like to add it was me 4 and half months ago that said doss looks LB put him in Left midfield he looks like his crossing and pace will work there.

Rafa musnt have been reading this forum at that time then must he?

we no cos he only just started playing him there it took him 4 months to se what I knew back then. :laugh:

by **Rorschach26** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:06 pm

LegBarnes wrote:
Sir Roger wrote:
LegBarnes wrote:Just like to add it was me 4 and half months ago that said doss looks LB put him in Left midfield he looks like his crossing and pace will work there.

Rafa musnt have been reading this forum at that time then must he?

we no cos he only just started playing him there it took him 4 months to se what I knew back then.

maybe u should apply 4 the managers job after Rafa retires

by **red37** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:07 pm

Dont Diss Da Doss!

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