A moment reminiscent of Liverpool’s 2005 success occurred during the Spanish Clasico recently
As a fortnight for Liverpool fans to forget comes to a close, Brendan Rodgers must lead his side into a make or break clash at the Emirates with more questions than answers hanging over his head. How best to replace Martin Skrtel, the most consistent of the club’s players this season. How to inspire his side into creating a first half performance akin to the ones we enjoyed last season.
How best to replace Daniel Sturridge, who has unfortunately had a whole season to forget. Perhaps he should simply start Mario Balotelli, and tell him that the Arsenal match is another charity game, after the Italian showed that he does naturally possess great skill and flair, albeit in a game where the result mattered not a jot and the pressure cooker had been turned off.
Of course, the ambiguity and fuss created by the Raheem Sterling interview will not be of assistance to Rodgers and his staff. The questionable links between the player and a transfer to Arsenal adds an unwanted undercurrent to a game that already has a great deal riding on it.
The London based press have run heavily with the speculation, hoping to add unrest to the Liverpool camp – somewhat reminiscent of the desperate tactics many of us would have used while playing Football Manager and clicking the ‘declare interest in player’ option just days before a big game. This was usually to no avail, as the player in question would often bag a hat-trick and you’d lose 4-0. Hopefully we will see a similar effect this weekend.
Not to mention the fact that the club captain is suspended too, Rodgers’ preparation for this crunch fixture could hardly have been any more difficult.
Ronaldo was involved in a special moment that may have brought back good memories for Liverpool fans
Apart from the excitement and interest to see some very welcome faces back at Anfield for last week’s charity match, positive news coming out of the club in the past couple of weeks has been few and far between. To cheer us up, I would like to leave you with something I noticed from the Spanish Clasico just a few hours after the English version had ended so disappointingly. With the mood still pretty glum, I spotted something very pleasing during the Camp Nou clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The game was won by the superb touch and timing of Mr Suarez, however it was Cristiano Ronaldo’s equalizing goal that ironically reminded me of a glorious moment in Liverpool’s recent past.
Ronaldo’s goal finished a superb team move. The ball was slipped into the inside right channel just on the edge of the area, allowing Karim Benzema, with his back to goal, to back-heel a delightfully waited pass into the path of the Portuguese who slipped it home from the penalty spot area. It was a goal full of elite movement, speed and awareness, worthy of the highest billing and dramatic Sky adverts that these fixtures generate, but also a near carbon copy of a rather brilliant moment in Liverpool history.
This is the goal that Steven Gerrard would have scored in Istanbul if he was not grabbed down by Gennaro Gattuso. The flick from Benzema was almost identical to the one produced by Milan Baros as the Czech striker held off the attentions of Alessandro Nesta. Baros, a player sometimes criticised for a ‘head down and charge’ type of approach, showed exceptional awareness in a period of extreme emotion and delirium. This of course followed an important piece of play by Jamie Carragher who purposefully brought the ball out from the back and supplied a lovely pass into Baros’ path.
Carragher’s part in the Madrid goal was played by Luka Modric. Modric naturally received the ball much further up the pitch than Carragher did, but his pass was just as astute. Unfortunately for Real, their passage of play failed to save them from defeat, meaning that both times Carlo Ancelotti witnessed such a routine first hand, he was left looking glum.
Hopefully tomorrow Liverpool can reproduce this type of quality, although without Gerrard, Skrtel and Sturridge, we will be needing young Raheem to have his head on the game and make a mockery of the Gunners’ defence, just like he did last season.
