'Red Issues' updated
Last updated : 21 June 2002 By Peter Talbot, Kop Talk
It's nice to read in the papers about England playing the Liverpool way. Defence is the priority, everything else is secondary.
There is no doubt that England's success in this year's World Cup is because the defence has been rock solid. Only two goals were scored in the group stage - from a corner and from a penalty. The floodgates opened in the first half of the Denmark game with three goals, then the focus was on the defence again for the second half.
This style of play is not unfamiliar to Liverpool fans.
What is different, however, is that while England have been praised for their performances in the World Cup, Liverpool are branded 'boring' and slated for their 'negative' play.
Sven Goran Eriksson has adopted the Houllier style of play and all of a sudden Sven has become the national hero restoring pride to English football. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve the praise, quite the opposite. After all, I have praised Houllier's style of play countless times. Managers have to do whatever is required to win, and Eriksson has realised that Houllier's defensive style is good enough for the international stage.
Many well-recognised people in world football have praised England's performances in the World Cup, in particular those of Rio Ferdinand, whose value has reportedly risen to £30m. How can this style of play be good enough for England, but not for Liverpool?
No one has criticised the style of play in the way that Liverpool were slated last season. Why this is, I don't know.
All I know is that I can't wait for next season to begin because I believe we will go one-better than last season and finish top of the Premiership.
Gerard Houllier has had to make many massive decisions during his reign as Liverpool manager - many have puzzled the fans but also delighted them.
Some of his decisions have appeared strange sometimes, but 99% of the time, you'd have to say that he's been correct.
His latest gamble has been to dump Nicolas Anelka and buy El-Hadji Diouf for £10m instead. The only times I've seen him play is in the World Cup for Senegal but that's been enough to make me look forward to seeing him in a red shirt.
The rumours are unlikely to end in the weeks up to the charity shield in August and the chances are the boss will improve the squad even further. There is every chance that Houllier could still possibly take the biggest gamble of the lot if he continues in his pursuit of Lee Bowyer.
Whatever Houllier decides to do between now and the start of the season, I trust that he knows what is good for the club.
The start of the season is just around the corner after the World Cup finishes and I'm looking forward to it already!
Roll on August!
