Liverpool fans can dare to dream again
Written by Writer on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
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Liverpool fans can dare to dream again
RAVIPAN PAVASUTHIPAND
On the back of their excellent win at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool ended Chelsea’s four-year unbeaten home run and went three points clear at the top of the English Premiership.
Rafael Benitez
Not many people will be able to remember when Liverpool were last on top of the Premier League.
But after a bit of research, it was in the 2001-02 season when they finished runners-up under French manager Gerard Houllier.
That lead in 2001 didn’t last very long though. It was just over a month to be exact. And from there, Liverpool suffered a dip in form over the Christmas and New Year period, with only one win in seven games and dropped down to fifth.
This time all Liverpool fans out there may have to keep their fingers crossed and hope that history doesn’t repeat itself.
While it would be impossible to single out any player for the superb performance on Sunday, special praise should go to their Spanish boss Rafael Benitez. He seemed to get the tactics spot on for an away trip to one of the most daunting grounds in the Premier League.
Chelsea’s 86-match unbeaten home league run was brought to a halt and that was a great achievement. Liverpool have truly made a major statement of their title intent this season.
The goal from Xabi Alonso, thanks to a nasty deflection from Chelsea’s Jose Bosingwa, gave Liverpool their first win at the Bridge since 2004. It should be viewed as more than an accident, judging by the performance from Benitez’s team.
It was the first time I have seen such a controlled away performance from Liverpool against Chelsea. Despite some nervy moments, all the players seemed to know what they had to do and wanted to do.
Maybe after four years in charge, the players have finally got Benitez’s football philosophy. The Spanish coach has gradually pieced together the previously unworkable jigsaw. And maybe, just maybe, Benitez has at long last cracked the codes to achieve similar success in the domestic league just as he has done in Europe.
One player that deserves a mention here is Alonso. The Spanish midfielder is back to his best once again this season. He was put on the transfer list by Benitez who looked to sell the midfielder to fund the ultimately failed bid to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa in pre-season. Aren’t we all happy now that the Barry deal didn’t come off, thanks largely to Villa manager Martin O’Neill?
Let’s hope Liverpool don’t plan another auction for Alonso once the transfer window reopens in January. It would be silly to sell a player who responded so impressively to such an insecure situation in the summer. He has played a major part in the team’s great start to the season.
Every season, Liverpool would start their campaign saddled with hope, expectation and optimism. And at the end of every season Liverpool would venture into familiar territory; scraping for fourth place. Thankfully over the last few years, the minimum requirement was achieved and we were all able to enjoy Champions League football.
After an unbeaten start this season, and especially after Sunday’s win, it is inevitable that the team is being talked about as possible title contenders. This time there is strong suspicion that Liverpool are here for good and that they are seriously looking like real challengers in an era dominated by Manchester United.
But all this has been mentioned before. And just as Jamie Carragher said: “We are top of the table but, as I said, there is a long way to go.
“Over the years Chelsea and United have been towards the top and ourselves and Arsenal are trying to get involved and challenge. Hopefully we can bridge the gap this season.”
A home win against Portsmouth tonight would consolidate Liverpool’s position as serious contenders but anything less than that would give Benitez and his men a reality check and a reminder of what lies ahead.
If Liverpool are still there in the thick of things come March or April, their long-suffering fans would probably allow themselves to dream of all the possibilities.
Ravipan Pavasuthipand is Assistant Sports Editor, Bangkok Post. E-mail at: ravipanp@bangkokpost.co.th
Bangkok Post
Wednesday October 29, 2008
