After another season of falling short in the League, the curtain fell at Anfield against Charlton, and again we were playing for little more than pride.
Languishing in mid table mediocrity as the Premiership season entered November, perhaps Rafa already half entertained the idea of focusing his efforts on a continental extravaganza in Athens, as opposed to Championship cheers against Charlton at Anfield.
More likely, a combination of Spanish tactics suited to the European game and the undoubted power of an Anfield atmosphere on Champions League night were a strong enough concoction to ensure another European adventure from the Spanish sorceror.
Much has been made of the turmultuous match which was spun on its head in 2005, finally to fall on the Red side. But this match will surely be an entirely different affair. Rafa Benitez, for all of his half time team talk magic, will be keen to avoid such an embarrasing display as experienced in Istanbul, even if that 45 minutes of misery was replaced and forgotten about due to the unimaginable magic later in the evening.
His tactics and team selection were naive, his players at a loss and the fans inconsolable as Hernan Crespo chipped Jerzy Dudek to make it three. But as with football, the success of a Premiership manager can be rarely predicted and never more so than that night. But this time, you can be sure Rafa will start with safety at the forefront of his mind. To concede three tomorrow no matter the result would surely ache Rafa´s tactical mind and cause countless sleepless nights.
AC Milan will meanwhile, one presumes, have May 25th 2005 firmly imprinted in their thoughts. To be part of the greatest European Cup final the world has seen is only a pleasant memory for the victors. Never has a team lost such in such desperate circumstances.
Most of England will be behind the Reds, and with 45,000 Redmen expected to make it to Greece, the atmosphere should be like home. But for this Red, the result will be the cause for celebration or commiseration. To win again would be another notch on the Liverpool bedpost. To lose would, let us remember, leave us with nothing from the season.
It is no mean achievement to have reached yet another European final and certainly not to be taken for granted. But league football is the proverbial bread and butter of great teams. We have proved on the international stage we are amongst the best, perhaps next season we can sample some traditional fayre in the form of Premiership success. But who knows, in the world of Rafa masterplans, perhaps this is only the start, the tastiest of starters served up for next season.
Good luck to all the lads out there and the team we all love, let´s make it six.
Languishing in mid table mediocrity as the Premiership season entered November, perhaps Rafa already half entertained the idea of focusing his efforts on a continental extravaganza in Athens, as opposed to Championship cheers against Charlton at Anfield.
More likely, a combination of Spanish tactics suited to the European game and the undoubted power of an Anfield atmosphere on Champions League night were a strong enough concoction to ensure another European adventure from the Spanish sorceror.
Much has been made of the turmultuous match which was spun on its head in 2005, finally to fall on the Red side. But this match will surely be an entirely different affair. Rafa Benitez, for all of his half time team talk magic, will be keen to avoid such an embarrasing display as experienced in Istanbul, even if that 45 minutes of misery was replaced and forgotten about due to the unimaginable magic later in the evening.
His tactics and team selection were naive, his players at a loss and the fans inconsolable as Hernan Crespo chipped Jerzy Dudek to make it three. But as with football, the success of a Premiership manager can be rarely predicted and never more so than that night. But this time, you can be sure Rafa will start with safety at the forefront of his mind. To concede three tomorrow no matter the result would surely ache Rafa´s tactical mind and cause countless sleepless nights.
AC Milan will meanwhile, one presumes, have May 25th 2005 firmly imprinted in their thoughts. To be part of the greatest European Cup final the world has seen is only a pleasant memory for the victors. Never has a team lost such in such desperate circumstances.
Most of England will be behind the Reds, and with 45,000 Redmen expected to make it to Greece, the atmosphere should be like home. But for this Red, the result will be the cause for celebration or commiseration. To win again would be another notch on the Liverpool bedpost. To lose would, let us remember, leave us with nothing from the season.
It is no mean achievement to have reached yet another European final and certainly not to be taken for granted. But league football is the proverbial bread and butter of great teams. We have proved on the international stage we are amongst the best, perhaps next season we can sample some traditional fayre in the form of Premiership success. But who knows, in the world of Rafa masterplans, perhaps this is only the start, the tastiest of starters served up for next season.
Good luck to all the lads out there and the team we all love, let´s make it six.