Well then… when we can’t beat Fulham or Crystal Palace, it’s definitely a club crisis. When none of the strikers score, it’s definitely a club crisis. When all of the manager’s ideas and signings are awful, it’s definitely a club crisis. Solution? Sack the manager, sell the players and we’ll magically get better.
Stingingly sarcastic, I may be, but realistically a lot of people, even fans, said one of those four above things last week; some of them said all of them. Hence, I worry at the lack of faith and respect being shown to Rafael Benitez this season and I don’t think I’m the only one. The divide, inevitable as it may be, appears to be occurring right down the middle of Liverpool fans this month: whereas before, due to the magnificent European Cup win, almost all Reds were behind Rafa, now there are those who are patient with him and those who are starting to lose belief. It’s a fine line, but week after week and result after result, more and more people are re-aligning their personal positions in the face of unfathomable domestic form and flailing Spanish imports.
Let me state unequivocally, here and now, that as long as Benitez is in charge of Liverpool I shall support him and sing his name on the Kop, along with all eleven lads out on the pitch playing in Red or White. And let’s be honest, we’re hearing all sorts at the moment: Morientes doesn’t play for the shirt, the current breed of players are the worst in 40 years, Benitez is clueless on the subject of English football and Steven Gerrard is thinking about quitting (again), amongst various others. But whilst I understand that these comments may emanate from outside sources (["mb","when they see a target as easy as Liverpool to pick on, the fallen English giants, I do not accept that the fans’ support for the manager or players should be changed by them. By no means am I saying we must not have our opinions about certain things, staff included; instead, I am saying that part of supporting this club is sticking together in times of crisis and not simply taking the easy root out by criticising him, him and him without really having a point. Surely our support – yes, that’s what we are, supporters – is unconditional when the traditional Liverpool anthem opens, ‘When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high.’
We cannot be afraid of the rain, even when our players are not performing: let’s do what we know best and get behind the team, including, yes, the ones who we don’t really think can cut it in a Liverpool shirt. The only way a Reds fan can honestly help the results to improve is to unite behind their squad and never – even when things get worse than they are now – never ever let them walk alone. To do so would be a crime against the club itself and every last thing it values.
The Match – vs. West Ham (h)
Had Liverpool not won at Anfield on Saturday against newly-promoted opposition, then the crisis which was murmuring after two consecutive defeats last week would have escalated into a furore of angry criticism. Thankfully, the Reds pulled out the Premiership performance of the season so far to overcome, quite dexterously in the end, a West Ham team who have had a lot of praise from pundits and managers alike thus far this year. Benitez fielded what I would describe as his ‘Best 11,’ releasing Gerrard on the right hand side, welcoming back the superb Steve Finnan and playing Cisse and Morientes up front to make feed off each others’ totally contrasting styles of play.
Many people have said that Gerrard cannot be played on the right because the team would lack his individual presence and energy in the middle, yet on Saturday they were truthfully proved wrong. The class of Alonso and pizzazz of Sissoko proved to be a solid block and allowed not only Garcia on the left, but Gerrard on the right to float beautifully in between the lines of play, come inside, go outside, cross and shoot. Finnan and Riise supplied sufficient back up to the wingers and Xabi Alonso’s passing was once again tremendous, the ‘Spanish Prince’ once again dictating the play from the 20 minute mark onwards. Beginning the game, West Ham were lively and bubbly, momentarily shocking the Reds with an attacking style and winning a few corners which came to nothing in the face of excellent Liverpool defending.
As time went on, Liverpool looked slightly wasteful as usual, but did keep the ball well in the middle of the park whilst West Ham were happy to look for opportunities on the break. Some pressure built up, slowly, and after around 20 minutes a poor clearance from an even worse Garcia corner led to Xabi Alonso cutting inside and hitting a superb first-time shot, which deflected slightly off Thomas Repka before nestling safely in the corner of the net. More than anything, the feeling in the initial aftermath of that goal was one of relief – we had scored without having struggled for an age beforehand. Still the confidence was not there in the team which suggested that it could go on and win heavily from there, but in truth Liverpool never looked like losing a goal after that.
“It's like two boxers - if one's a champion you have to bloody his nose. We didn't really do that. We were okay for a little while but they had control of the game,” Pardew reflected after the match. Indeed he was right; because unlike other teams who have come to Liverpool recently, the physical side really did lack unexpectedly from West Ham’s eleven on Saturday. The rest of the half was spent controlling the game with no real the team would lack his individual presence and energy in the middle, yet on Saturday they were truthfully proved wrong. The class of Alonso and pizzazz of Sissoko proved to be a solid block and allowed not only Garcia on the left, but Gerrard on the right to float beautifully in between the lines of play, come inside, go outside, cross and shoot. Finnan and Riise supplied sufficient back up to the wingers and Xabi Alonso’s passing was once again tremendous, the ‘Spanish Prince’ once again dictating the play from the 20 minute mark onwards. Beginning the game, West Ham were lively and bubbly, momentarily shocking the Reds with an attacking style and winning a few corners which came to nothing in the face of excellent Liverpool defending.
As time went on, Liverpool looked slightly wasteful as usual, but did keep the ball well in the middle of the park whilst West Ham were happy to look for opportunities on the break. Some pressure built up, slowly, and after around 20 minutes a poor clearance from an even worse Garcia corner led to Xabi Alonso cutting inside and hitting a superb first-time shot, which deflected slightly off Thomas Repka before nestling safely in the corner of the net. More than anything, the feeling in the initial aftermath of that goal was one of relief – we had scored without having struggled for an age beforehand. Still the confidence was not there in the team which suggested that it could go on and win heavily from there, but in truth Liverpool never looked like losing a goal after that.
“It's like two boxers - if one's a champion you have to bloody his nose. We didn't really do that. We were okay for a little while but they had control of the game,” Pardew reflected after the match. Indeed he was right; because unlike other teams who have come to Liverpool recently, the physical side really did lack unexpectedly from West Ham’s eleven on Saturday. The rest of the half was spent controlling the game with no real clear-cut chances to report, although one breakaway did leave Djibril Cisse attempting one of his ‘impossible’ efforts when a pass was the better option. It went high and wide.
In the second half, Fernando Morientes’ effort was sublime and some of his skill and touches on the ball were as well. He lacked that yard of pace, however, when put through on goal and put a good headed chance right into the thankful arms of Shaka Hislop when scoring may have been easier. But the Kop knew, as the Kop always does, that the lad had put a lot into the game and subsequently gave him a warm applause when he exited the field of play to make way for Peter Crouch. I’m convinced that Liverpool are going to see the full benefits of having Morientes in the team soon: sharpness is returning to his game and when the confidence hits home too, after a goal perhaps, then he should be back on top song. Same goes for the hapless Peter Crouch, who, more than anybody, needs our support at the moment.
The goal hasn’t come for either of them yet, but at least another maligned signing of Rafa Benitez laid some ghosts to rest with his first goal in front of the Kop for Liverpool. Bolo Zenden was sent on for a frustrating Cisse towards the end and capitalized on a defensive error from the opponents to put one in off the post. The Dutchman flew over to the Kop straight away to celebrate and, I presume, demonstrate that he is a top player, and he will succeed at Anfield even if some of the fans are dissenting. Good for him, I say. Garcia should have had a goal too and put in a lot of effort, taking advantage of West Ham’s lessening confidence, but 2-0 is enough to send us home happy at the moment: this was the first time in 20 league games that Liverpool have won by a margin of 2 or more. And it felt significantly good, too. The Reds have a tricky test at Anderlecht on Tuesday night but, as most will say, that’s Europe so it should be a doddle. What the focus will now concentrate upon is the next Premiership game, and the urgent need to accumulate some points and get moving up the table before Christmas.
Player Ratings – Reina 6, Finnan 8, Carragher 7, Hyypia 7, Riise 7, Garcia
8, Sissoko 6, Alonso 8, Gerrard 8, Cisse 6, Morientes 7. Subs – Zenden 7,
Crouch 6