http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...-Football.html
good read. cheers jose.
It is time for Liverpool to make their move in the Premier League.
Forget all the hype about this summer’s transfer saga with Gareth Barry, forget the newspaper stories about the relationship between the manager and the owners and forget about that performance in Liege in midweek – I honestly believe this could be Liverpool’s year.
The manager, Rafa Benitez, arrived in England at the same time as I did and is beginning his fifth year at the club. I always said that my Chelsea team would not be at their best until I had five years with them, and the same should be true at Liverpool. It has been the same group of players and the same management structure for the past four years. Weaknesses are exposed in that time frame and dealt with.
Of course, Liverpool supporters have enjoyed a lot of success in recent years – they won the Champions League. But, as all football supporters know, a championship-winning side is so very different from one that can win the Champions League. Teams are separated in finals and semi-finals by details – details such as disputed goals and penalties. To win a championship is about more than details.
It is impossible to win the championship without a world-class goalkeeper and a world-class striker – and Liverpool have both. Last season, when the club bought Fernando Torres, the spine of the team was completed: Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Torres.
Reina underlined his importance to the team again on Wednesday night with his penalty save against Liege – and I know from first-hand experience that his penalty saves are no flukes – while I think everyone knows the respect I have for Gerrard. It just seems incredible to me that he has gone this long without winning a league title.
As for Torres? Benitez should take enormous credit for not only bringing Spain’s superstar to Anfield, but making him a better player, too. You saw him grow last season and at Euro 2008. He will score at least 20 goals again. With Robbie Keane at his side, maybe he can even break 30 in the league.
On top of all of that, Liverpool also have Anfield on their side – and they must use that to their advantage soon to win a title before they move grounds. It is an incredible stadium – I have so many emotional memories of taking my Chelsea team there and I quickly learnt what a tough, tough ground it is to visit. My happiest memory was a 4-1 league win there in 2005. It was the season after our first Champions League semi-final defeat there. My team were fantastic that day.
Operation Sports
08-27-2008, 07:29 PM
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