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TIA Half Term Report - Liverpool FC
Written by Brian Irvine on December 21st, 2007 ▪
So who’s been behaving themselves this season? Here we have an look at every Liverpool player who has made at least a few appearances for The Reds since the beginning of the season, reflecting on how their season has gone so far and what to expect in 2008.
Starting at the back with the keepers and working our way forwards to the, well, forwards. Let’s kick off then with our number one shot stopper……
Jose Manuel ‘Pepe’ ReinaApps: 24 Conceded: 14 Assists: 1
Reina began the year aiming for a hat-trick of Golden Glove awards, having won the award the past two seasons. So far so good for Pepe, he has conceded a few but few if not none have been down to mistakes made by him, commands the area and the back four well. Has the quality and mentality to be a future captain. 8
Charles ItandjeApp: 3 Conceded: 5 Assits: 0
Having made only 3 appearances for The Reds now all in the Carling Cup, Charles has impressed, especially with some great saves against a strong Chelsea side. Used as back-up for Reina, it will be unlikely that he will ever progress from there, and will be continue to be used in domestic cup competitions bar a major injury to Reina. However he is more than capable of filling the void for an extended period of time. 6
Steve FinnanApp: 17 Conceded: 6 Goals: 0 Assists: 1
Steve ‘Mr Consistent’ Finnan hasn’t been as consistent on Rafa’s team-sheet as in recent seasons with the emergence of Arbeloa at the right back position. When he does play he is his usual solid self, with little to question about his performance and ability. 7
Sami HyypiaApp: 21 Conceded: 5 Goals: 1 Assists: 1Sami has been involved a lot more than he probably expected this year as a result of a metatarsal injury to Daniel Agger. Sami as came in and not disappointed, although a bit shaky at first he found his rhythm and has become a rock at the back again with Jamie Carragher. Still gets stick for his lack of pace but what he lacks in pace he makes up for in excellent positioning. Still, a fit again Agger will more than likely take is place in the starting line up again. 8
Daniel AggerApp: 6 Conceded: 2 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Injured early in the campaign and still recovering, nothing much to say as he hasn’t played that much. When he did play he was his usual solid self nothing spectacular like the goal he produced against West Ham early last season. Expect the usual committed performances form Daniel in the New Year. 7
Jamie CarragherApp: 25 Conceded: 10 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Carragher has been a solid performer since the start of the year with only a few hic-ups here and there. Out for a few weeks with a broken rib and punctured lung has probably affected his game a little as has the change of defensive partnership. Jamie has been lucky on a number of occasions however with some rash tackles and his done well to avoid picking up a few cards. Some say he is 100% on is game but even a 90% Carragher is better than most centre-backs out there. Reina has tried to kill Carragher twice this season without avail. 7
Alvaro ArbeloaApp: 23 Conceded: 9 Goals: 0 Assists: 1
Possibly the new Mr Consistent, Arbeloa has featured in the majority of Liverpool’s games this season and just gets better and better. Proving himself capable right across the back line, Arbeloa has become an integral part of Benitez’s team, not bad for a relatively unknown player before his arrival. This season he has shown he has the ability to get forward when allowed but has also shown his discipline to stay back and defend. 8
Jack HobbsApp: 5 Conceded: 3 Goals:0 Assists: 0
Promising youngster Jack Hobbs has come into the squad a number of times and has impressed even though he has made a few mistakes all down to his in-experience not his in-ability. He’s promising but not first team material yet, with cover at CB looking worryingly thin Hobbs would struggle to replace any established defenders on a regular basis, hence Bentiez’s desire to bring in a new centre-back in January. Hobbs is one for the future he should get blooded into the first team through cup matches and sub appearances. 6
Fabio AurellioApp: 10 Conceded: 0 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Another player returning from injury, Fabio has been little by little returning to first team football. In recent appearances he seems to be getting back to the form we seen him when he got injured against PSV last season, his passing and defending are getting better each week, hopefully it wont be too long before we see the real, injury-free Fabio Aurellio. 5
John Arne RiiseApp: 21 Conceded: 10 Goals: 0 Assists: 1
Riise has recently become a shadow of his former self. He has replicated at great form we have seen him in previous seasons. Although recently against Manchester United he looked to be in good shape, possibly his form is returning, it’s a long season ahead and Liverpool demands the best out of their players as do the fans. Riise is on thin ice with a certain section of fans and will have to improve to win them over. 6
Harry KewellApp: 9 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Most people probably forgot he played for Liverpool, but Harry Kewell has finally recovered from injury and looks to be lasting (fingers crossed). His return was like gaining a new player even though he doesn’t have the pace of old, his creativity and tricky can un-lock a tight defence. Liverpool has gained a revitalised player in Harry Kewell who would probably be best utilized as a substitute against tired defences. Harry is still a bit hit and miss and hasn’t fully recovered yet, hopefully he can stay fit long enough and show Liverpool fans what he is really made of and what they know he can do. 6
Steven GerrardApp: 23 Goals: 11 Assists: 6
Captain Fantastic would not be a name used for Gerrard at the start of the season, yes he scored a prefect free-kick on the opening day of the season against Aston Villa but then the brilliance disappear with a broken toe. Upon return, (perhaps slightly rushed) Gerrard failed to find his form and after a few below par performances the fans were on his back and the perfect way to hit back was to go on a scoring streak. Gerrard hit a deep vein of form and has been scoring for fun in recent games he’s looking back to his old self, pinpoint defence-spitting passes intact. His partnership with Fernando Torres is proving fruitful evening drawing comparisons with Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush. Gerrard’s fantastic run of form will surely run into and beyond the New Year. 9
Xabi AlonsoApp: 7 Goals: 2 Assists: 0
Another player hampered by injury, again with a broken metatarsal. The Pass Master returned against Arsenal only to be forced out against with a re-occurrence of the injury allowing Cesc Fabregas into the game against who inevitably scored. Alonso’s creativity and passing as been sorely missed in games against physical opposition such as Birmingham, Portsmouth and Man Utd, his intelligence can provide that spark to win a match.Now back to first team action against Chelsea, Alonso will be looking to provide his match winning services as Liverpool continue their assault on Europe’s elite. And with a return FA Cup match to Luton Town Xabi might try scoring from his own half again. 6
Yossi BenayounApp: 20 Goals: 5 Assists: 0
Brought in as replacement for Luis Garcia, Benayoun has not failed to disappoint, he bagged the winner away to Wigan and got a hat-trick against Beskitas in Livepool’s record 8-0 win.Benayoun is really a ‘horses for courses’ player, which was so obvious against Man Utd. Yossi thrives with fast free flowing football but trips when it comes down to a very physical game, much like Garcia he seems to do well in Europe too a la Garica.Rafa has signed a good player in Benayoun but not a great one, still he can play an important role in Liverpool’s season and has got off to a great start. 8
Jermaine PennantApp: 11 Goals: 0 Assists: 1
Pennant is currently recovering from an operation which was postponed from the beginning of the season. Jermaine was nursing an injury and finally decided to have an operation rather than continue with pain-killing injections. His appearances this season were average at best probably as a result of his injury.On return form injury we should hopefully see a new and improved Jermaine Pennant, so far he hasn’t delivered what we know he is capable of. 5
Ryan BabelApp: 23 Goals: 6 Assists: 0
Babel has become something of a super-sub scoring form the bench on four occasions. Ryan could turn out to Benitez’s best buy ever, from a shaky start he is looking more comfortable each week and has become more of a team player rather than an individual but still knows his abilities.Benitez is being very careful with Babel giving him only a taste of English football here and there and it seems to be working that said, fans still argue over where Bentiez should play him, having been deployed as a central striker at Ajax and with the Holland national team why does Rafa play him down the left?Still he’s scored six goals form that position so Rafa must be going something right. Ryan aims to be in double figures by the end of the season and going by his current form he should achieve that with ease. 8 ½
Sebastian LetoApp: 4 Goals: 0 Assists: 0
Leto has only made a handful of appearances this season and despite an number of good moments, he is not ready for Liverpool’s first team just yet another one for the future probably. He seems to be an intelligent player capable of picking out a few nice passes and can beat a defender, still needs lots of work though. 4
Javier MascheranoApp: 18 Goals: 0 Assists: 1
Missed the first few games of the season due to and extended rest period following the Copa America. Mascherano as continued his great form from last year and can only improve, his tackling and breaking-up of the play is second to none and is passing is coming on great too.Mascherano just needs to keep on doing what he is doing the only thing he could do better is to chip in with the odd goal like he did for the Argies during the summer. 8
Lucas LeviaApp: 11 Goals: 0 Assists: 2
Brazil’s under-21’s captain has done well following his transfer from Gremio. Lucas should have had his first goal for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby if it wasn’t for Phil Neville’s right hand. Lucas is another player being blooded into the first team and is showing signs of being a quality signing, one thing he would need to improve would be his strength, he is occasionally pushed off the ball a little too easily this should however come in good time.Lucas will continue to get better and could be a fixture in the Liverpool squad for years to come, as for the rest of the season expect him to make more bit-part appearances and maybe score the odd goal, he’s getting close. 6
Momo SissokoApp: 14 Goals: 1 Assists: 0
Sissoko has sadly not been producing the form he has done in pervious seasons and he is increasingly frustrating the fans with his poor passing, no-one questions his heart but sometimes heart just isn’t enough. Sissoko is a strong candidate for the transfer list and a transfer wouldn’t be the worst of options for everyone involved.However, Momo did look slightly better against Chelsea in the Carling Cup he could forward a few times and kept is passing simple but he still experienced moments of frustrations with the fans. His future is definitely a doubt, especially if Mascherano gets a permanent contact. 4
Peter CrouchApp: 19 Goals: 4 Assists: 2
After such an impressive season last year Peter Crouch as been somewhat cruelly relegated to the bench but has performed on almost every occasion he has featured. He and Torres would probably be the most potent of strike combinations but Rafa continues to tinker making it next to impossible to form a partnership. Crouch’s future is almost constantly in doubt but Rafa has insisted that he will not sell despite interest from a number of clubs. Crouch will not feature until next year after picking up a straight red card against Chelsea. 6
Fernando TorresApp: 20 Goals: 12 Assists: 2
El Nino has settled tremendously well into the Premier League scoring 12 goals in 20 appearances. His pace and movement is something that Liverpool have been severely lacking in recent years and he can only get better, at 23 still not at his peak and only five months into a new league and a new country. Fernando has all the qualities to be one of the best strikers in the world and in Liverpool’s history along with the likes of Ian St John, Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler.Fernando will almost certainly go into the New Year looking to continue his fantastic form and hit his target of 20 plus goals, something he is more than capable of. 9.
Dirk KuytApp: 18 Goals: 7 Assists: 3
Dirk is another player currently being chastised by the fans, he seems to have lost his goal scoring touch but 7 goals and 3 assists in 18 games isn’t a bad statistic at all. The problem comes with the many chances he doesn’t convert where as a better finisher would have put it away.Again like Sissoko, he shows incredible heart and determination but as said before that can only get you so far before too long this won’t be enough for Rafa and he will be looking a replacement.Time will only tell how long Kuyt has left at Liverpool but Rafa likes him so God knows what will happen. 7.
Andriy VoroninApp: 18 Goals: 4 Assists: 1
Voronin was brought in on a free and scored and important goal against Toulouse to quality for the Champions League group stage. He has done little else of real importance, but seen as a better alternative to Kuyt but that stats say different.Voronin was always going to be just a squad player and he will continue to fill that role for the rest of the season, chances are that Rafa was just using him a lot to see what he was like so as he can make the decisions on when and where to use him during the season. 7.
Rafa BenitezApp: 27 Beards Grew: 1
Rafa has got it right the majority of the season and the squad has done will with the prolonged absences of key players at different stages. His minor miracle at saving Liverpool’s Champions League hopes was a great feat of managerial nonce, but tactical gaffs at Reading, Birmingham and Portsmouth has left Liverpool trailing the league leaders by 10 points with a game at hand. 8.
Winning the game at hand would leave Liverpool 7 points behind Arsenal leaving the not impossible but incredibly difficult task of clawing back to the top and winning the league. Rafa would need to get on his bike during the January transfer window and get the players he needs to sustain a challenge; otherwise the championship will slip out of reach for another year. I suppose an FA Cup and Champions League double wouldn’t be that much of a disaster though.
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Brian Irvine

TOMKINS: THE THRILLING RIDE Paul Tomkins 12 December 2007

We all know that three days in football, as in politics, is a short time. Barely any doors on our advent calendars have been opened between Liverpool being in some kind of ludicrous 'crisis' to back among Europe's elite.
I'm not going to go overboard about this particular victory. It was faultless, but it's nothing we haven't seen in the majority of away games this season. Unfortunately, some people treat results like Reading as the rule, not the exception. What I will say, as the country's top four yet again qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League, is that it shows the real strength at the business end of the Premiership. It illustrates just how well Benítez has done to keep Liverpool in amongst Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United, all of whom have also improved since Benítez arrived in England. Then there's the fact that not only has Benítez qualified for the Champions League every season, he's also perennially made the knockout phase. None of this was happening on a regular basis before he arrived. Before he arrived, Liverpool tended to be fairly limp in places like Marseilles. I'd be lying if I said I had a good feeling going into this game. I had little doubt that Saturday's performance was hindered and inhibited by the prospect of this must-win match, which was looming so large it was almost in the corner of everyone's eye-line, but having lost at Reading I feared confidence might be damaged. I expected a positive reaction from that defeat, in terms of effort, and a more focused mindset, but also feared some uncertainty and nervousness, particularly in yet another intimidating atmosphere, and with the pressure ramped up by the media. But as ever in any big game, getting the first goal is crucial, and if you follow it up with the second virtually within the first ten minutes, everyone can relax, while the opposing fans quiet down and extinguish their flares. There's always still plenty to do, as one costly mistake to make it 2-1 and the opposition will have their tail's up, especially when a 2-2 scoreline would lead to their success and your elimination. But that two-goal cushion allows the players to play their natural game, and the manager to stick to his game-plan. In this instance, the timing of the first three goals could not have been better; the third killed off Marseilles' half-time dreams. The Reds started both halves majestically. However, I have to say that with this result in mind, I am sick and disgusted with how much criticism Benítez gets in the newspapers when things don't come off for him. The reaction to Saturday's defeat was a joke. As an example, why aren't Arsene Wenger's methods put under such incessant scrutiny? After all, he's won virtually nothing during Rafa's time here. Have Arsenal hit a sticky bit of form, with two defeats, a draw and only one victory in their last four games, because Wenger hasn't been rotating that much? Were his team selections incorrect? I'm not saying that's the case, but just wondering why he gets so much (completely deserved) praise when his team do well, but –– and this is the crucial point –– so little of the ridiculing reserved for Rafa when his team slips up? I am not saying Benítez is above criticism; obviously he isn't, because any manager is there to be shot at when his team loses. But until he gets sufficient (or sometimes just any) praise from certain quarters when he wins games with the teams he picks, there is a going to be a huge disparity in the reaction to those games he occasionally loses. The crime isn't the criticism, but the lack of balance. We all know by now that Benítez picks 'unexpected' line-ups. That is not in doubt. But going into the Reading game he'd just won a series of games doing just that; in essence, he has now overseen six wins in seven games, with 26 goals scored to just four conceded, with the same methodology. The question is, could a manager keeping the same side every game have expected to win six out of seven, including the three must-win fixtures, and to win them so handsomely? It's the kind of sequence that wins you trophies, and Rafa is averaging around four changes per game during this spell. This season he appears to be rotating more than ever, but it's also been the Reds' best start to a season in donkey's years. Then there's the fact that even now he seems to get more criticism for omitting Torres than praise for buying him in the first place, and for helping him adapt so swimmingly. In the last two weeks I've counted at least half a dozen "why Rafa doesn't play him every I'll never understand" type comments. It's surreal. It misses the point that Torres has been playing pretty much every game lately, and that most of those he did miss were down to injury. And despite missing several weeks with an abductor strain, he's still played more games this season (19, with 15 starts) than Christiano Ronaldo (18). Benítez is still being hammered for leaving out Torres in the draw against Birmingham in September, but Ferguson gets little or no criticism for omitting Ronaldo in the recent defeat at Bolton. While on the subject of quick, skilful players, Ryan Babel continues to really impress me. His form is such a bonus, given that he is essentially playing a series of cameos rather than starring roles, as with the manager's help he adapts to the team and the league, but also because I'd pretty much written off his first season as a sharp learning curve given his tender years and his more laid-back style of play. Super-sub can become a demeaning term, as if suggesting the player isn't good enough for longer on the pitch, but that's not the case here. He is not playing every 90 minutes, but he is certainly contributing. It also shows a great attitude: not sulking at being only on the bench, and being mentally prepared to make an impact when entering the game. Babel's pace and skill, along with that of the sensational Torres, has added a whole new dimension to Liverpool's attacking play. Benítez has finally got the pace up front (allied to special technical abilities) that he was crying out for. These two players are the antithesis of Marseilles' Djibril Cissé, a player who had some of the attributes and instincts of a genuine striker, but whose game lacked subtlety and an adequate touch, and whose mind seemed to be all over the place during games. Something Benítez gets nowhere near enough credit for is the kind of players he buys. He simply does not purchase flawed characters. You simply do not find many skilful forwards who not only work as hard as Torres, but who refuse to be intimidated by the opposition, or rise to their provocation. He's pretty unique. As with all managers' signings, not every player has proved a roaring success, but there's a consistency in the types of mentality concerned, be it flair players like the two just mentioned, or gutsy battlers like Kuyt and Mascherano. On a night in France, it's worth mentioning the names Cissé, Cheyrou and Diouf: £30m of recently-acquired talent that Benítez inherited in 2004. And while talent is the right word, in that each possessed at least some, they were far too flawed in one way or another when it came to the mental side of the game: be it composure, confidence or commitment. Diouf, for example, has bags of skill, but give me Dirk Kuyt any day of the week, because you need winners, not whingers, to win things. Bolo Zenden, another ex-Liverpool connection with last night, may not have done much better on the pitch for the Reds than those three Houllier signings, but it was always interesting to hear Benítez talk about how valuable Zenden was as a positive influence within the dressing room. It was also interesting to hear Zenden so full of praise for Benítez this week. Zenden, like a mature Robbie Fowler, had nothing bad to say about the manager after he was released. And as a thinking footballer who respected Benítez's philosophies, even if it meant he was never a regular, I think Zenden knew what the Reds were capable of last night. For me, the Champions League is a bonus this season. I'd prepared for the worst after the defeat in Turkey. The next round promises a great encounter, with pretty much only Europe's elite clubs awaiting in the draw. I'm almost always happier to see Liverpool pitted against a top team, as seen against Barcelona last season, than the 'banana skin' ties where you face talented but unfancied opposition. You get a great occasion, without excessive expectations. And you can rest assured no-one will want to be facing the Reds in the draw on this form. The Marseilles match, as far as I was concerned, was more about the confidence boost ahead of the Manchester United game, in order to keep momentum going, combined with the psychological lift the club receives by still being in Europe next February/March. Win or lose, the tournament was going to be put to bed for a few months, but the belief around the club will have been helped by knowing that when it comes out of hibernation the Reds will be there, too. The financial benefits are a bonus, as is the continued strength of the Reds' rankings in Uefa's seeding system. Once it becomes a knockout competition, you have to accept it might not be your night during any given game, but there'll be no shame going out at any stage to any of the opposition that remains. You can't wish to go out of Europe in order to do better in the league, as it doesn't work that way. I do think making it to the semis or the final again will only make winning the Premiership harder, but I'm happy to sit back and see where these thrilling rides take us.

REDS SLUMP TO READING DEFEAT BBC 08 December 2007

Reading handed Liverpool their first league defeat of the season as they claimed a richly deserved home win.

Stephen Hunt's penalty put Reading in front after Jamie Carragher fouled Brynjar Gunnarsson, but Steven Gerrard soon equalised with a cool finish. Liverpool hit the bar through Gerrard, but Kevin Doyle's glancing header on 58 minutes put Reading back in front. James Harper scored a fine third and Reading, with the help of the post, kept the Reds at bay for the remainder. In the build-up to the match, Reading boss Steve Coppell had asked the home fans to make more noise and his players certainly gave the supporters something to shout about with a committed and energetic team performance. It was end-to-end stuff in the early stages, with the emphasis on speed rather than quality, and it took a defensive mistake to break the deadlock. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez gave young centre-back Jack Hobbs his first Premier League start, but it was a foul by the vastly experienced Carragher which led to the Reds falling behind on 15 minutes. Carragher brought Gunnarsson down as the Reading midfielder burst forward and referee Andre Marriner, despite vehement Liverpool protests, decided the offence was inside the box, giving Hunt the chance to convert from the spot. The goal sparked a brief purple patch for Reading as they began to stretch Liverpool, with Bobby Convey's screamer from the edge of the box going close after a precise passing move. Reading's lead did not last long though, as their porous defence crumbled to concede their 33rd Premier League goal of the season. Torres controlled Pepe Reina's punt upfield under no pressure from Ibrahima Sonko before squaring the ball to Gerrard, and the England midfielder shrugged off Hunt and passed tinto the net for his ninth goal in 10 games. Sonko's questionable challenge on Torres led to half-hearted appeals for a Liverpool penalty, but replays suggested the centre-back had got a touch of the ball. The half ended with Liverpool well on top but they were unable to fashion a clear-cut chance despite a couple of decent self-made efforts from Andriy Voronin. Liverpool started the second period purposefully, with Torres flashing a diving header just wide from Peter Crouch's cross. A comical piece of defending from Gunnarsson, who played the entire Liverpool team onside from a free-kick before belatedly rushing out, gave Hobbs the chance to mark his full league debut with a goal but the 19-year-old smashed the ball into the stands. John Arne Riise's trademark swerving free-kick drew a fine save from Hahnemann as Liverpool pressed hard for a second goal and Gerrard went even closer with a brilliant strike from distance which rattled off the bar. The near miss proved a decisive moment as 60 seconds later Doyle just got a touch to Nicky Shorey's dangerous free-kick into the box to give his side the lead. If there was a hint of fortune about Doyle's effort, there was no doubt whatsoever about the quality of Harper's goal soon after. The midfielder took a clever pass back inside from Convey and outstripped Riise before clinically rounding Reina and slotting home on 66 minutes. Liverpool tried to get back into the game, although they were not helped by Benitez's decision to bring Gerrard off with 20 minutes to go, with Harry Kewell going close and Crouch just missing making contact with a low Carragher ball into the box. Crouch went even closer moments later as he hit the post with a well-struck effort from outside the box, but Reading were good value for a win that takes them up to 12th in the table.