Striving for equilibrium

After navigating the good ship LFC from the dangerous waters of the football doldrums, through the safer waters of consolidation and onwards to the opulent shores of top class European football, Captain Houllier would not have anticipated a period the likes of the past two months.

He has witnessed a run that has shaken the very credence and resolve of even the most ardent kopite. The sands of confidence have ebbed away from the fans almost as quickly as it has deserted the players. It has been dire. At times he has seemed utterly powerless to rectify it - bemused.

The Anfield faithful has not warmed to the constantly negative tactics deployed by Houllier, wishing that instead, he would go for the jugular of the opposition. Factions of supporters are now seriously questioning Houllier while the more militant among us have began to besmirch his good name, calling fo his head on a silver plateau. Such animosity would have been nothing short of heracy just a year ago.

The team has descended into an almost inescapable mire of ‘flat’ football while the efforts of the players have fallen embarrassingly below levels we could ever be expected to tolerate.

If the players put in the effort, and loose, they have been beaten by a better team. That, Liverpool fans can except, but perceiving the Redmen retaliating with a whimper in the face of adversity, seemingly surrendering even before kick-off is quite frankly a travesty. The eleven men that take to the battle field with the sacred Liver Bird on their red shirts must be seen to give their all, to die for the club – that or nothing.

On Sunday, at Maine Road, the chips were down. It was win or bust. Liverpool responded by playing in a way rarely seen this season. We saw the fight and the will to win return, Liverpool out fought and out thought an admittedly sterile Manchester City side. Liverpool produced sustained and varied attacks looking much more vibrant than they had done for a long time.

The result, and passage to the next round of the FA Cup was the only shining beacon in the darkness of an otherwise murky, foreboding time. A period that would have broken the very spine of any lesser team. It is perhaps testimony to the squad and the man behind them that they haven’t buckled entirely.

Although only the first step on a long road to true equilibrium and genuine improvement, the performance was indeed encouraging, as was seeing Houlliers famed diamond formation looking for once, more than at worse a total mess or at best simply functional. Could it be the Harbinger of things to come?

Liverpool looked far more balanced and stable as the fullback’s Carragher and Traore forayed past the half way line when ever they could, supplying the width (to the best that their limited attacking virtues would allow) that has always been needed due to the absence of wingers. Providing more evidence that Liverpool’s shape against Man City was beginning to look something like what Houllier must have envisaged how the diamond formation would and should operate.

El-Hadji Diouf produced his best performance in a Liverpool shirt on the right midfield of the ‘diamond’ providing genuine guile and pace. On numerous occasions he hugged the right touchline almost like an out-and-out winger. His display was such that he really could be the answer there. Salif Dioa looked the most comfortable he as done since his arrival and even Smicer presented a fair goal threat to the City rear guard.

The sight of the soul crushing ‘hit and hope’ direct ball to Owen that embarrassingly by passes the midfield must end now, and forever be confined to the annals of history. We must progress.

Although no one wants late Christmas presents, it would be the perfect gift to every Liverpool fan if a fully implemented diamond formation was in place soon.
By that I mean the strong, steely defence (but including two defensively sound, attacking full backs. One of which, is certainly not at the club yet) coupled with a more cultured passing game with the focus on retaining possession and going forward.

Slowly but surely we can get things back on track, the championship maybe an unrealistic goal now but there is still silverware to be plundered. The summer will see some significant changes to personnel and hopefully, Le Boss will give us that sparkling diamond he has always wanted to give us. Liverpool need the ‘Bling Bling’.