Perhaps, in the mercurial, stylish and feisty Luis Garcia, the Kop has the bought-in hero it has craved since Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush. Before yesterday, successive 1-0 defeats against Bolton Wanderers and Grazer AK had rather stymied Rafael Benitez’s nascent Iberian revolution. Yet while he admitted he did not know his best team, Benitez did know that it was time for Garcia’s home debut.
The Spaniard responded in style. For 73 minutes, until his substitution, he tormented the visitors with a bravura display of strike play. Additionally, Benitez had omitted Milan Baros and restored Djibril Cisse. Garcia and the hard-running Cisse gelled instantly. If there is a key to the success of Benitez’s revolution, it is this partnership. “We showed good movement,” said Benitez. “We created many possibilities. But we gave opportunities to the other team, so there are steps to go yet.”
Albion, typically, had far more pressing problems. Reports from the Black Country suggested that manager Gary Megson, out of contract at the end of the season, was at war with chairman Jeremy Peace.
“I haven’t got a crystal ball, so I don’t know what my future is,” sighed Megson. “I’ve read a lot, but nothing’s been said to me.”
Megson started without his three new signings. Record purchase Robert Earnshaw and Cosmin Contra, the Romanian full-back on loan from Atletico Madrid, were substitutes. Japanese midfielder Junichi Inamoto failed to make the 16.
Yet for all their abject defending, Albion created chances and look better prepared than they were for their last tilt at the Premiership two seasons ago. “We have to learn not to show too much respect,” said Megson. “We competed, we passed the ball well and wecreated chances, but we didn’t defend well.”
Their aims were twofold: to defend deeply and find Jason Koumas, their midfield fulcrum. Koumas never quite found his range, but Albion succeeded so well in their first task that the only opportunity they offered the hosts until Steven Gerrard’s opener occurred when Martin Albrechtsen’s nervy 16th-minute toe-poke brought the best out of Russell Hoult.
Liverpool attacked down either flank, but Albrechtsen’s near-foolishness sucked the composure from his colleagues. Three minutes later, Steve Finnan found Garcia, whose imperious movement mesmerised Albion’s defence. Garcia tapped the ball into the vacuum and Gerrard struck home. Liverpool sensed blood.
Jonathan Greening did well to head teammate Neil Clement’s inadvertent goalbound header off the line, then Clement’s bullet header at the right end flashed past Jerzy Dudek’s post.
In the 37th minute, Gerrard’s foraging concluded with a pinpoint chipped cross, but Garcia sent his free header wide. Then, three minutes before the break, Riise again linked with Finnan, who cut in and skipped round a lunge by Paul Robinson and a feeble Clement challenge. Having sauntered into the unguarded centre of the penalty area, Finnan sidefooted past Hoult.
Albion introduced Earnshaw nine minutes into the second half but even then it was too late. Looking into the near future when they face Monaco and Manchester United, Liverpool conserved their energy. A terrific Jamie Carragher interception prevented Kanu from heading Albion back into the game. Mildly rattled, Liverpool once more flexed their muscles and a third came on the hour. Their two forwards linked for the umpteenth time to provide Gerrard with the opportunity to play Garcia in with the pass of the match.
Garcia’s first shot was superbly blocked by Hoult, only for the rebound to fall kindly for the striker. This time he made no mistake.
By the end, The Kop were chanting Benitez’s name. As the manager says, there are many steps to go, but yesterday the new Liverpool began walking.
Who was your man of the match?