TOMKINS: GLASS IS MORE THAN HALF FULL
Paul Tomkins 25 November 2008

I'm accused of being a glass-is-half-full kind of guy. But if the result against Fulham equates to a failure to add a few fluid ounces to the pint pot, then the league table still shows a glass almost brimming in its fullness.
It may be an analogy that I'll stretch to breaking point, but the glass has been topped up regularly since August. And while a few extra millilitres would have been nice, the other results this weekend more-or-less evened everything out. On paper, Manchester United's result was better than the other teams in the top four – but that didn't stop people moaning when the Reds drew 0-0 at Villa Park. Of course, they have more points to catch up on, and the problem of a trip to Tokyo next month. If anything, the weekend's results suggest that the major sides are 'levelled' by the international break. Teams with fewer international players may lack that special quality, but then they have extra freshness to compensate. Not one of the top five teams scored a goal, and in the case of the top four, the games were against sides they traditionally beat. United had won 14 in a row against Aston Villa, and Arsenal had only lost twice to Manchester City since the Premiership was formed. Benítez tried some fresh legs and rested Alonso after his exertions in two games in the previous week. But the usually effervescent Mascherano, who did start, looked tired after his run of games, while, as the manager noted, Riera and Kuyt weren't as sharp as of late. By contrast, at Stamford Bridge, Scolari kept faith with all his major players and yet, if anything, they were even more flat than Liverpool. So maybe it's not selection issues, but tiredness, and, due to their absence, an ability for their club managers to properly prepare. People tell me that there's no point in beating Chelsea and United but failing to overcome Stoke and Fulham. If the Reds were mid-table, I'd agree. But to me, there is quite a lot of 'point' to the overall pattern of results. That point is the league table. And Liverpool are joint-top. So Fulham was a missed opportunity to go clear on points, but far from a disaster. Some people won't want to hear me say something positive, and that's fair enough. We all have our own reactions and coping mechanisms after dropped points, and optimism can rub people up the wrong way; it used to do the same to me. But some people desire a true picture of the metaphorical glass, and its contents. And that means that while the weekend's showing was not good enough in isolation, it doesn't really change the big picture – or the big pitcher – from one which is good enough. In terms of the points tally, the Reds have rarely been so replete at this stage in a campaign, and percentage-wise, never better over a whole season. The most league wins in any season for the Reds, in percentage terms, is the 71.4 per cent of 19778-79: 30 wins, eight draws, four defeats. Currently the Reds have lost only once and won 10 out 14, and that equals ... 71.4 per cent. That is the key thing to remember at a time like this. We can all feel disappointed after a poor result, but never has a team gone through a season without such setbacks. The overall situation is what defines a team, not one or two games. Yes, Liverpool at home to Fulham was a chance to pull clear of Chelsea. But Chelsea at home to Newcastle (a side doing significantly worse this season than the Londoners who had won three of their last four) was a chance for them to pull clear of Liverpool. It cuts both ways. And let's not forget how fancied Arsenal were this season, too. To be 10 points clear of the Gunners in November is something we'd all have taken in August, as indeed we would the chance of the current league table. Even if they win their game in hand, Manchester United will still be five points adrift. It perhaps should be seven, but equally, they will count their own missed opportunities this season and feel they 'should' be top. So after the generally disruptive international break, and without Steven Gerrard, the weekend was nowhere near as bad as it could have been, just as it wasn't as good as it could have been. So it was a glass-is-half-full weekend; a small weekly glass (or tumbler) which, when its contents are tipped into the seasonal pint pot, maintains the joint-fullest glass in the country. I hate Liverpool failing to win as much as the next person. But I also accept that you cannot be happy with your team every week, and that some slack must be cut. In 1984 the Reds won the league despite drawing or losing almost half their 42 games; virtually every other game involved dropped points, with six defeats and 14 draws. The equally-revered class of 1988 were unbeaten for the first 29 games, but won 'only' 65 per cent of their league matches. Of course those teams still did more than enough to win the league. Times have changed. But it also illustrates how, despite fewer occasions to bemoan dropped points, plenty of fans are still dissatisfied in a way that makes me believe their version of the past is one of three points every week. It wasn't so. So while below-par performances and dropped points frustrate me, I accept them as part and parcel of football life; they sting, they irritate, they annoy, they gall, but they are like the cold you catch climbing Mount Everest. Everyone suffers the same on the climb to the summit. You only worry if it becomes pneumonia. (I'm in metaphor overdrive today. I'm like a man with a factory of tiny analogy elves in his brain, spinning similes on a loom of comparative descriptions. Or something.) A look at the league table is also very revealing in other ways. Chelsea have failed to win four home games, meaning they've won only three at Stamford Bridge. This is the new, super-attacking Blues, as eulogised by all and sundry and managed by a World Cup-winning Brazilian. But it is away, where teams allow them some kind of space, where they have won seven out of seven. Liverpool are facing a similar problem. The home and away form is almost identical, but performances have been better on the road. Also, there's the increased frustration of home fans in the modern age, when patience seems less readily available than in the past, combined with an increased expectancy to steamroll everybody in this dismissive age. It's no secret that Fabio Capello prefers England to play away from home, and I'd hate to see Anfield becoming as cynical as Wembley. It's far from the case, but Anfield is also not always as ebullient as it could be. It does concern me that the Kop doesn't suck the ball into the net in the ways of yore unless it's a massive occasion; when it's the big games, the atmosphere is incredible. If that could be replicated on a weekly basis, the league title would be that much closer. But it's a chicken and egg situation: at times it's hard to say what comes first, the quiet ground or the poor display. One seems to exacerbate the other. Similarly, players low on confidence need a boost from the stands, but any crowd will groan at their struggles, or a decision by the manager that they disagree with. It's human nature. It doesn't help, but it's hard to avoid. I never booed an individual in all my years as a season ticket holder, but I did groan in frustration on plenty of occasions. (Then again, I've seen countless home defeats to supposedly weak teams, let alone draws.) However, as someone unable to go as regularly as I used to, I can't be too critical. I have been awed over the years by the fans' response when the odds are stacked against their team; but if the Reds were 3-0 down at half-time to Fulham, there wouldn't be the reaction we saw in Istanbul. At times the place could use a similar sense of defiance and support, but it will never be forthcoming when fans think the opposition should be taken apart without their assistance. Again, that's the nature of all football fans. I did expect more atmosphere at Anfield this season with the team going so well – a belief that being in the title hunt would make every game an occasion – but maybe it's too early in the season for such an edge, and it will appear in the run-in. Hopefully so. It's not individuals who are to blame, but the complex psychology of the collective. Sometimes the crowd just don't get going, and sometimes players are flat, particularly after a tough schedule. Players and supporters will always have an extra edge for the big games, because those cause the adrenaline to pump harder. Sometimes the lesser games have a "can't win even if we win" air. Players get paid, and the crowd have paid, so maybe the responsibility lies with those on the field. However, take any individual out of the crowd, and he or she will acknowledge that support boosts performance. And yet, sitting in the stands, as part of the throng, you cannot always rationalise and control your frustration, and it boils over. But maybe I already had this game in perspective before kick-off. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned a 14-year-old Liverpool fan called Chelsea North, and shared her Just Giving web page. At the start of the summer she was just a normal teenager; by the end of July she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Last week Chelsea died peacefully in her sleep. Many Liverpool fans from around the world, who did not know her personally, donated money to the cause she had chosen, and her parents have asked me to pass on their heartfelt thanks. I'm sure everyone passes on their condolences.

STEVIE'S KOP 10 MILESTONES
Joe Curran 21 November 2008

Everyone from Thierry Henry to Jamie Redknapp have said their piece in our week-long celebration of Steven Gerrard's ten years at the club, now we pay homage to our inspirational number eight with his very own Kop 10 of personal achievements.

DebutCast your mind back to November 29 1998. A cosmetically enhanced Cher was top of the charts with 'Believe' and Bill Clinton was still insisting 'I did not have sexual relations with that woman'. But on the football front a fresh-faced boy from Huyton by the name of Steven George Gerrard made his first appearance for Liverpool's senior team. Gerrard came on as a 90th-minute substitute for Vegard Heggem when Liverpool were comfortably 2-0 up against Blackburn Rovers at Anfield. It might have only been a cameo appearance, but in that short period of injury time he showed the kind of commitment and drive that would become a prevailing feature of his future Reds career. Chomping at the bit and eager to make an impression, Gerrard instantly won over the Kop by thundering into a crunching challenge on the right-hand touchline. Gerrard went on to make 13 appearances as understudy to Jamie Redknapp that season; his most memorable contribution being a 20-minute cameo appearance in his first Merseyside derby. He played a key role in that 3-2 victory at Anfield and kept the Reds in the game by clearing off the line twice.
First goalGerard Houllier used Gerrard at right-back and in a central midfield role before the teenager showed he also knew how to strike a ball against Sheffield Wednesday in December 1999. It was his 25th match in a Liverpool shirt when he scored his first goal for the club - and what a goal. Stevie plundered the Reds' third in a 4-1 victory with a dazzling run, a drop of the shoulder and a coolly drilled low effort into the far corner to beat Kevin Pressman. He was still showing the world what he could do when he netted his first goal and a scintillating performance in a 3-1 win over Leeds United two months later would confirm Gerrard as one of English football's brightest hopes at the time.
PFA AwardsWith 10 goals to his name and the world at his feet, a 20-year-old Gerrard picked up his first major personal accolade in April 2001. Fending off competition from the likes of Emile Heskey, Wes Brown, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole and Alan Smith, Stevie's outstanding performances in helping the Reds to three cup finals that year secured him the PFA Young Player of the Year award. "I was in contention for this award last year and I really wanted to win it this year," said Gerrard at the time. "I'm pleased I have won it because it was a very good shortlist and there are some very good young players around at the moment." Five years and a cabinet-load of trophies later, Gerrard was voted by his peers to win the PFA Players' Player of The Year award.
Treble seasonNever one to do things by halves, Gerrard didn't win one trophy in his debut season as a first-team regular. He only went and helped the Reds to three. Instrumental from start to finish, Gerrard played in Michael Owen to score time after time across successful campaigns in the League Cup, FA Cup and Uefa Cup. The all-action midfielder's crucial strike against Alaves in the Uefa Cup final put the icing on the cake of this truly magnificent season in which Liverpool also qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history.
CaptaincyAged just 23, Stevie took over from Sami Hyypia as Liverpool captain in October 2003. His first game with the armband saw the Reds run out 3-0 winners over to Slovenian side NK Olimpija Ljubljana in the Uefa Cup first round second leg. On hearing the news that he would follow in the footsteps of greats like Graeme Souness and Emlyn Hughes - to name but a few - Gerrard could not hide his delight. "The manager has always said I would captain the club one day but it was a shock yesterday when Gerard Houllier told me I was to be captain from now on," he said at the time. "I was captain of my school side and I used to go along to Anfield to watch the team and I always looked up to people like John Barnes who captained the team during the 90s. "I want to blossom into a world class player - something I'm not yet - and hopefully captaining Liverpool will help me achieve that ambition."

2004/05: What a seasonWe could do a whole Kop 10 feature from this season alone. Without doubt his crowning glory was lifting the Champions League trophy on 25 May, but his contribution was not restricted to one powerful header against AC Milan. Whether it be his brace against Graz AK; his 25-yard thunderbolt against Olympiacos; the superb free-kick to beat Everton; his 54th-minute header against AC Milan or his excellent performance at right-back while the Reds were under the kosh in Istanbul, this season is littered with personal triumphs for Steven Gerrard. Never ones to remind people how many times Liverpool have won the European Cup, Reds fans everywhere look back on that year, and that final, as Gerrard's defining season. His name has been commonly prefixed with 'the inspirational' ever since.

The Gerrard finalDown and out; dead and buried; on the ropes - put it however you like, Liverpool really looked like they were heading for defeat in the 2006 FA Cup Final. Losing 2-1 and with only stoppage time left to play, Liverpool really needed something extraordinarily special to get back into this one, and Gerrard popped up just in the nick of time to score his second and force the match into extra-time. Like Rafa Benitez said earlier in the week, Steven Gerrard doesn't just score goals, he scores special goals - and this was a prime example. The skipper powered an incredible drive beyond the despairing dive of Shaka Hislop and into the far corner of the net to save the Reds once again. Liverpool took home the FA Cup for the seventh time in their history that day, and it was in no small part down to another Steven Gerrard landmark.

MBERecognition of the highest order came for Stevie in December 2006. Named in the New Year's honours list that year, Gerrard went to meet the queen and became a Member of the British Empire. Another personal achievement and a proud day for his family, the phrase 'outstanding achievement to football' has never been more appropriately used than when describing Steven Gerrard - and he certainly cut a dash at Buckingham Palace that day too.
European goal recordsThe skipper now holds pretty much all the European Cup scoring records you can think of for Liverpool. He holds the record for most goals in Europe as a whole for Liverpool and also most goals in the European Cup on its own. In August 2005 he became the first player in Liverpool's history to score in five successive European matches, while in the 2005/06 season he equalled the club record by scoring seven European Cup goals in one season. Then in 2007/08 he became the first player to score in four successive European games at Anfield.

100th goalThe Reds skipper recently joined the likes of Ian Rush, Roger Hunt, Billy Lidell and Kenny Dalglish in Liverpool's elite 100 club when he fired home a trademark free-kick in front of the Kop against PSV Eindhoven. It might have felt like a long time coming after having one disallowed against Stoke City, but a century of strikes in just over 400 games is not easy. Put it this way: Gerrard scored 100 goals for Liverpool in 448 matches, while Bobby Charlton found the net 249 times for Manchester United over the course of 758 appearances. Not bad, eh?

HENRY WINTER ON STEVEN GERRARD
Henry Winter 21 November 2008

Is there a better all-round midfielder in the world than Steven Gerrard at the moment?
Liverpool's captain is creating goals, scoring them, tackling and passing. Even during a rare defeat in the Premier League, such as to Tottenham Hotspur, most newspapers listed Gerrard as man of the match. Even when Liverpool looked to be slumping to Champions League embarrassment to Atletico Madrid, Gerrard pops up to win a penalty, admittedly controversially, and convert it. If there was one midfielder that every manager on the planet would love to have in their team it would be Gerrard. Why? He is the man for the big occasion, for the critical moment in a match when decisive leaders are required. Ask Olympiacos, AC Milan, West Ham United or Atletico. Fabio Capello, who began the England manager's job wondering about Gerrard's tactical discipline, has even tweaked his midfield to bring the best out of Liverpool's dynamo, allowing him a freer role. Since arriving in the Liverpool first team 10 year ago, and recovering from an awkward first start against David Ginola, Gerrard has matured from a raw talent with a tendency for rash challenges into a class act, a man with a mission, leading Liverpool to glory. Gerrard learned from playing with such an outstanding central midfielder as Gary McAllister, who also urged him to cut out the bad tackles. The apprentice became the master craftsman. Now at the peak of his game, Gerrard is invariably named in the PFA Team of the Year and when talk with foreign reporters turns to English players, they invariably rave about Liverpool's No 8. Gerrard is admired by supporters of other teams because he represents the passionate pursuit of silverware, not money as is the case with many modern players. They know he plays from the heart, that Liverpool red runs through his veins. Even if Gerrard has a poor game for England, the fans will never criticise him because they know how much he cares about the team's welfare – and how much he worries about his own form. The hunger he showed when emulating his heroes on the streets of Huyton remains. Supporters respect that. His surroundings may have changed, elegant mansion replacing council house, but the man himself does not appear to have altered markedly. Maybe that's a Liverpool trait, an enduring acknowledgement of one's roots; Jamie Carragher does not appear to have changed much either. Family and friends wouldn't allow it anyway.
Winter on Stevie
If there was one midfielder that every manager on the planet would love to have in their team it would be Gerrard. Why? He is the man for the big occasion, for the critical moment in a match when decisive leaders are required. Ask Olympiacos, AC Milan, West Ham United or Atletico.Just as Carragher has few equals amongst Europe's leading centre-halves, it is hard find genuine challengers to Gerrard's billing as the most accomplished midfielder at work today. A debate about whether Gerrard has any rivals as the best midfielder leads to mention of Chelsea's Frank Lampard, whose many allies in the media rarely pause in promoting his cause. Lampard has many strengths, a box-to-box energy, a terrific passing range and an ability to create a shooting chance out of the tiniest pieces of space but he does not seize the day as Gerrard can. The 2005 Champions League climax is occasionally referred to as the Gerrard Final. Ditto the 2006 FA Cup final. Gerrard delivers on the grand stages. Chelsea fans would put forward another challenger to Gerrard. John Obi Mikel has been in magnificent form this season, anchoring midfield like a youthful Makelele while displaying a greater array of passing, particularly when switching the ball out wide to Jose Bosingwa or Ashley Cole. But Mikel is still learning his craft, and still lacks the goal threat of Gerrard. Along with Mikel and Lampard, other rivals deserve brief consideration. Barcelona offers Xavi and Andres Iniesta, both inspired for Spain during Euro 2008, but neither is in Gerrard's creative league. Iniesta is a continuity man, keeping moves ticking over, but not capping them with a 30-yard thunderbolt a la Gerrard. Xavi works incredibly hard, rarely squandering possession but he rarely dominates the final third. Arsenal fans would argue that Cesc Fabregas can run a game like Gerrard. Arsenal's tempo-setter has this wonderful way of inviting team-mates to attack, sliding passes through to Robin van Persie or Emmanuel Adebayor. Fabregas also became an integral part of Spain's successful boys of summer, beginning on the bench but then showing his class with some fine assists. But unlike Gerrard, Fabregas starts moves, rarely finishes them. Andrea Pirlo of AC Milan and Italy probably fits into the same category as Fabregas, the architect behind moves but rarely the finisher. When fit and not suspended, Paul Scholes is hugely influential for Manchester United, and was outstanding last season but his best years are behind him. Others deserve mention like Gareth Barry, who can nick the ball and distribute it well while Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves have individual strengths. At Liverpool, Xabi Alonso has shown his class this season, particularly against Chelsea at the Bridge where he disrupted Blue attacks while finding time to get forward and score. For holding midfielders, few can match Javier Mascherano, who exudes all that time-honoured Argentinian trait of frustrating the opposition. All outstanding. But none possesses the armoury of strengths of Gerrard, a gladiator amongst midfield men.
Henry Winter is the Chief Football reporter for the Daily Telegraph.

STEVIE G: AN UNOFFICIAL WEBSITE'S VIEW
James Carroll 20 November 2008

James Carroll, editor of shanklygates.co.uk, explains why Steven Gerrard deserves to be recognised as one of the greatest Liverpool players to ever wear the red shirt.
The first time I can recall seeing Steven Gerrard in action was around ten years ago in a Liverpool reserve fixture at St Helens' Knowsley Road. The youngster was deployed on the right-wing but struggled to impose himself on the game and, if memory serves me correct, he was substituted shortly after half-time. It's fair to say that the handful of Liverpool fans scattered around the old stadium that evening could not envisage the rookie midfielder going on to become one of the world's greatest footballers and write himself into Anfield history. Injuries meant that a first team debut followed shortly after for Gerrard and he began to establish himself as a key member of Gerard Houllier's squad with a series of eye-catching displays in various positions all over the park. Fans are always especially delighted to see a local lad break into the team and Gerrard quickly won the hearts of the Kop, especially after he celebrated making two goal-line clearances in a Merseyside derby as if he had scored the winning goal himself. "This lad is definitely one of us," we realised. His enthusiasm and passion was there for all to see and Gerrard was seemingly improving with every game. By the time he scored his first goal against Sheffield Wednesday is December 1999 he was already a household name. Gerrard's tough tackling, supreme passing ability and a knack of scoring spectacular goals became his trademarks and the midfielder played a crucial role in the cup treble success of 2001, scoring Liverpool's second in the UEFA Cup Final victory over Alaves. Houllier's final couple of season's at Anfield were not quite as glorious but, despite this, Gerrard continued to excel and almost single handedly pulled the Reds into the Champions League qualification places in 03/04 with a number of herculean performances and vital goals from the centre of midfield. His appointment as team captain by Houllier was warmly welcomed by fans, who had recognised his leadership qualities long before he was handed the armband. These attributes came to the fore in Rafael Benitez's first season in L4 as Liverpool boss. The Reds battled their way into the knock-out phase of the Champions League and no one will ever forget a certain night at Anfield in December 2004. Olympiakos arrived on Merseyside with Liverpool needing to win by two clear goals in order to progress into the next round of the tournament. However, the Greek side hadn't come to roll over and stunned Anfield by taking a first half lead leaving the Reds needing to score three times without reply in the second period. Backed by a vociferous Kop, the Reds forced their way into a lead before Gerrard unleashed a magnificent volley into the bottom corner to spark scenes of jubilation. It was a goal that made the rest of Europe sit up and take notice. For the younger generation, who had grown up fed on stories of Liverpool's European domination in the 70's and 80's, this was our St Etienne. Incredibly, each round seemed to better the last and, against all odds, Liverpool battled their way into the final to face the mighty AC Milan in Istanbul. Liverpool's league form had fallen away but their performances in the Champions League had given the fans hope and belief that the Reds could overcome Kaka, Crespo and co. That hope and belief had evaporated by half-time, however, and the sheer quality of the Italians was there for all to see as they raced into a three goal lead to shell shock Liverpool. A rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone during the break raised spirits on the terraces slightly, but this looked like a game too far for the Reds and fans were hoping for an improved second half performance if only to salvage some pride rather than dreaming of lifting 'Old Big Ears'. Gerrard joined Benitez in attempting to rally the troops during half-time. The skipper pulled an early goal back with a header but surely it was going to be just a consolation? It seemed as though Gerrard had other ideas as he gestured to the Reds fans suggested that he thought this game wasn't over just yet. The rest is history, as they say, made possible by the fighting spirit that had been instilled in the team by the likes of Benitez, Gerrard and Jamie Carragher. Gerrard had helped lead his side to victory in what is generally regarded as the best European Cup Final in history and one of the Reds' finest ever achievements. He claimed the man-of-the-match award and was later named UEFA's Club Footballer of the Year for his part in the heroics of Istanbul. Confidence was running high through the club and, in the following campaign, Gerrard enjoyed his finest season in front of goal, netting an incredible 23 times from midfield. Liverpool also marched into the FA Cup Final where it was expected that they'd see off West Ham and lift the trophy for the seventh time. However, us Liverpool fans know that this team of ours never seem to do things the easy way and the Hammer's took an early two-goal lead. The spirit of Istanbul was in need of resurrection and Gerrard duly delivered, allowing Djibril Cisse to pull a goal back with a pin-point pass before the captain got himself on the score sheet with a thumping volley to level the scoreline. West Ham, to their credit, weren't dead yet and regained the lead leaving Liverpool needing to dig deep in order to salvage something with time ebbing away once again. The fans looked to Gerrard but a long-season that had begun in early July had taken it's toll and the captain was crippled with cramp. As the game entered stoppage-time, it looked as though the trophy had eluded Liverpool but Gerrard is no average footballer and he somehow mustered the energy and strength to smash home an equaliser from fully 35-yards in the 91st minute. The Reds went on to lift the cup with a penalty shoot-out victory and Gerrard had etched his name in FA Cup folklore forever more. It was a goal that would not have been out of place in a Roy of the Rovers comic - the number of current players in world football who are capable of such a moment can be counted on one hand. Over the course of the last decade, Gerrard has established himself as an Anfield legend and a genuine world-class footballer. He can rightly be talked about in the same breath as the likes of Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Billy Liddell and the rest. The Premiership is currently the only major club honour that has so far eluded the 28-year-old but you can be certain that he'll be doing everything in his power to change that and, worryingly for the other teams, he seems to be improving and learning all the time under the guidance of Benitez. He has come a long way since that night at Knowsley Road.

TOMKINS: THE EVOLUTION OF A SQUAD
Paul Tomkins 10 November 2008

Liverpool brush West Brom aside with contempt, and what is the post-match tv debate about? – why was Robbie Keane taken off.
Keane played brilliantly, and took his two goals like the top-class finisher I believe he is. His movement was outstanding, and like Kuyt and Torres, and Beardsley and Rush before them, he works incredibly hard. There's no standing around, sulking and pouting with him. But he was taken off at 2-0, and the Reds won 3-0. So the only topic should be how well Liverpool played, not the decision to deny a player his hat-trick. Can we dispense with the cult of the individual? Frankly, it drives me potty. What is the only thing that really matters? The three points. By all means express a little sympathy for Keane; like any striker, he wanted to grab that third goal, and I was willing him to do so. But the manager took him off, and the team subsequently increased its lead. Keane remains fresh for the upcoming schedule, and so there can be no complaints. At first it was rotation; Rafa was slated for it, even though I've constantly argued that he has done so no more than his main rivals. He was told to concentrate on winning games with his strongest team, then rest his star players after an hour or 70 minutes. And yet when he does so, it's almost a case of ‘how dare he?'. I do feel with Benítez that he has to be criticised for something. And as well as the anchormen always looking for the negative slant, the problem lies with ex-players as pundits. If they're there to talk about good play on the pitch, then their insight can be excellent. But more often than not they criticise a manager's decisions, when they are clearly still thinking from an individual player's perspective. A manager's remit is so much bigger than any single player's, because he is the man responsible for results. He thinks only about the bigger picture. Liverpool's best-ever season in terms of games won was the 71% in 1979; currently, the total for this season stands at 75%. That may not continue until May, but let's acknowledge the work in getting to that level – the big picture – and not the far less significant denial of a player to get his hat-trick. It's the same with all the rot about when Gerrard was playing on the right in 2005/06. It didn't matter that Liverpool won two-thirds of their league games (the second best-ever tally in the club's history), and brushed aside several Premiership teams, including Manchester United and Chelsea, to win the FA Cup, with the captain scoring 23 times. And yet it was all “it's not his best position”, and “he won't be happy”. As much as it would please me to see Gerrard grinning like a Cheshire cat because he's playing well in his favoured role, I know there's a specific smile that will mean far more to him: the one that darts across his face when he lifts aloft the Premiership trophy. And if you told him now that playing right-midfield would guarantee that, I think he'd take it, don't you? Hell, I'm sure he'd even play in goal to get that medal. As it happens, he's been playing either in a central midfield pair, or off the main striker. But when everyone's fit, there will be decisions to be made as to who plays. Mascherano and Alonso have been two of the team's best performers so far, Torres will play 95% of matches when fit, and Robbie Keane has added that special combination of link-play coupled with the ability to approach 20 goals in a season. Riera is giving the team great width, and at times it looks like the ball is glued to his foot, while Dirk Kuyt has had his best few months as a Liverpool player. Ryan Babel, who is almost unstoppable when on song, is having to settle for the bench most weeks, and this overall picture is all something we should celebrate. It's what we've all wanted: players in form, and genuine competition for places. When Martin Skrtel is fit again, there'll be another headache for the manager; one he will welcome that with open arms. All the while, Sami Hyypia is still on hand. (Could there have been a more soothing sight at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea grew desperate in the final stages than that mop of bright yellow hair rising to head away each long punt?) Again, I feel sorry for Sami that he probably won't play as much as he wants. But I am incredibly grateful that he's still around. So at present, there are at least 16 players I could make a very strong case for deserving to feature in the starting line-up most weeks, and plenty of others I feel assured won't let the team down. That's far better than struggling to find six or seven you want to see play. But then the focus in the media shifts to who has to miss out, or who has to shift across or drop back to a different role. It's then about who is unhappy, who will feel hurt or slighted to be left out, or substituted, or played out of position. That's the role of the media: to sniff a story, to stir the pot. But again, I couldn't give a stuff who plays if the results are going the Reds' way. Keeping everyone happy won't be easy – that's the challenge of managing a big squad where more than eleven players have a good shout to start most matches. But with the side of ‘rotation' that never gets praised, Rafa never keeps anyone in the cold for too long; while some players won't like it when it's their turn to be rested, those who haven't featured as much know that he will call on them if the situation merits. No-one is ever completely frozen out. Xabi Alonso had just started nine games in the row, and, surreally, the talk was of him being the one who always has to miss out. Well, what about Carlos Tevez at Manchester United? A manager cannot field 15 players to satisfy all his star names. It's the same with Robbie Keane being taken off. Sure, he'll be disappointed, but he'll have looked at the four goals he's now bagged as a decent contribution, on top of improving all-round play, and more importantly he'll look at the Reds top of the league and the Champions League group. He'll know that he played an important part in wins over Man United and Chelsea. He didn't come to Liverpool to try and top the 23 goals he scored last season for Spurs; he came to challenge for the serious trophies. And so far that's looking an inspired decision. People kept telling me that Keane would never find his confidence while regularly being substituted, but equally, he has started a lot of games, and has therefore remained a key part of the team. And despite Rafa replacing him after an hour in several games, he's continued to improve, and now has four goals in his last seven starts. I may be wrong, but I feel that Benítez tests his players. And in the Spaniard's own Darwinian way, the strong survive and the weak are sold on – only for a new crop to arrive, in which there may inevitably be a couple of flops, but there will also be a clutch of winners; so that season upon season, a better mentality evolves around the place. In an age where players can fall into the comfort zone, or rest on their laurels (and their bank balance), there's no harm in making sure every last player has a hunger for success. Without naming names, there have been a few players in the last 18 years who haven't been half as keen on winning games as they have in playing the part of a Premiership footballer. From what the senior players have said, Rafa does not go out of his way to put an arm around a player, or tell him in person how great he is (even if he does extol their virtues to the press). It's important to have someone like Sammy Lee around, who is such a great ‘people person' as well as a top-class coach. You need that balance. The opposite to Rafa is someone like Harry Redknapp, who arrived at Spurs and told each player to his face how good he was, and what he does well. By contrast, Rafa will point out each player's faults. And yet both methods can be effective. The key is to do what works for you. There's no use in constantly telling your players they are the best in the world if that leads to complacency or over-inflated egos. And there is also a logic to getting players to work on their weaknesses. You could argue that Djibril Cissé was a player who needed to feel loved, and who really struggled with the rotation system. I'm pleased to see the Frenchman doing fairly well at Sunderland; he's a player I like. However, Rafa's solution to the problem Cissé posed in terms of consistency, confidence and concentration was, quite brutally, to sell him, and buy someone better – and, crucially, a lot mentally tougher – in Torres. (Cissé will always have my respect for the way he came back from those horrific injuries, and in that sense his character was immense, but he was too emotional, too volatile, for the kind of steely attitude Benítez was trying to create.) The final debate with Robbie Keane will be his price tag. But a player's value does not exist in a vacuum; it relates to a need. Take the example of a battered old motorbike (not that I'm equating Keane to a shabby Kawasaki!). In a normal situation, its worth won't be that high. However, if you are stranded in the middle of the Australian outback in 50º heat, with 100 miles to the safety, then you'll pay your every last cent for such a bike. In other words, if Liverpool win the league this season, and he continues to play a major part, Keane will have proved worth every last penny.