A Liverpool Thing

Looking Out for Lucas Leiva

2009-11-14T10:00:00.000+01:00

I don't make it a habit of watching England games but I'm tempted to try and catch today's friendly with Brazil. Not to actually see England play, you see, but rather in the hope that Lucas Leiva gets a game in the Brazilian midfield.

It speaks volumes about his game this season that Lucas is no longer being constantly pilloried by the fans (well, at least the majority of them) and, without wanting to replace Alonso, he has made a good job of filling in the Spaniard's old role.

Most fans now see this but that doesn't seem to be the case with the rest of England, including a good number of the members of the press. Whatever he does, for them Lucas remains a midfielder who is symptomatic of Liverpool's lack of quality and another bad buy for Benitez.

Which is why I'd like to see him play against England; so that he can show he ability against the best that the Premierhip can offer. Knowing Benitez's luck, if Lucas were to do well then fingers would be pointed at Benitez for not getting the best out of him. Either way, it is difficult to see the manager get any credit.

"He was Integral to Everything Liverpool Achieved"

2009-11-13T14:30:00.000+01:00

Earlier today, we featured the review of the book 'Secret Diary of a Liverpool Scout' which, I think is a must read for all Liverpool fans. Now here's a chat with the writer of the book Simon Hughes about what went into the writing of the book. We hope you'll enjoy.

How did the idea to write a book about Geoff Twentyman come about?
Geoff’s son, William, runs a barbershop in Crosby. Jamie Carragher is one of his clients and one day William got talking to him about his father and his role within Liverpool Football Club. Around 18-months ago, Carra suggested writing a book and told him to speak to the Liverpool Echo.

Eventually, William came to the LFC Magazine who I work for, and presented his father’s original scouting diary. (The magazine is part of Trinity Mirror – a company that also owns the Echo),

I had a look at the diary and realised that it was a unique writing opportunity because it was a field of Liverpool’s history and football in general that had never been explored in any depth before.

The diary itself looks like a lost artifact of football history and at a first glance could be an aged family photo album. Inside, there is a year-by-year account of scouting activities with notes by several scouts including Geoff on a variety of players.

William had toyed with the idea of publishing a book about his father for years, but it was only after speaking to Carra that he realised it was a really good idea.

Was it daunting to write a book about the life of someone you hadn't ever met?
Initially it was. It was very important to research his character thoroughly to gain an understanding of what Geoff was like firstly as a person, then secondly as a professional. His personality was important because Bill Shankly only employed people he could trust implicitly. To gain a greater understanding of the man, it meant speaking to hundreds of different people.
The story of Liverpool Football Club as we understand it today started in Carlisle, 1949, when Shankly was appointed as manager of Carlisle United and appointed Twentyman, who was a player there, as his captain. I had no appreciation of Carlisle history, so research on that aspect of the story took the most time - although that isn’t the main focus of the book.

As it turned out, was it difficult to write?
I quickly realised that I didn’t want the book to be a collection of memories or solely a tribute book to one man because different people all saying, ‘Geoff did a great job at Liverpool – he should be recognised more,’ would become repetitive.

I decided that the book should be divided into three separate parts, detailing Geoff’s story on how he arrived at Liverpool at the beginning and the legacy he left at the end with an analysis on how scouting has changed in the modern day game at the end. The centerpiece of the book involves interviews with more than 30 players that he scouted, many of which never ended up signing for Liverpool. I have tried to steer that part of the book away from Geoff and treat them as a mini-autobiographical account of their careers.

What sort of help did you get from the club as well as Geoff's family?
From day one, Geoff’s son William was very enthusiastic. He put me in contact with dozens of family, friends and scouts that worked with his father. He was on the phone every day for 12-months. Without his influence, the book would never have been written. His brother, Geoff Twentyman jnr, who played professionally for Preston and Bristol Rovers, also helped too.
There is a bit of controversy surrounding Geoff’s departure from the club so certain people still there preferred to keep a polite distance. Having said that, all of the players and backroom staff were forthcoming.

Jamie Carragher in particular was very helpful. The book includes an interview with him at its conclusion and he also helped with the initial launch, which was held, at his restaurant back in August.

It must have been quite interesting to get to talk to all those Liverpool legends. Were they all willing to talk?
All of the players that he scouted agreed to an interview. After all, they were indebted to Geoff – particularly Phil Neal who was considering part time football with Kettering just before Liverpool approached Northampton about his availability.

All of the ex-Liverpool players are media savvy so they were all happy to divulge some interesting stories. Through work, I have learnt that interviews with former footballers always provide more entertainment because they can be more reflective and open about their careers. On the other hand, current players are usually protected by their clubs, agents and publicists so there is a limitation to how much they can reveal.

Personally, I found it just as interesting interviewing legends from other clubs – people like Trevor Francis, Gordon McQueen, Martin Buchan and dare I say it, Tony Cascarino – who had a colourful and checkered career but has been very critical of Liverpool lately in the media. Francis Lee was a funny one too, as was John Gidman who was very open about the mistakes he made during his time at Aston Villa, Everton and United.

There was only one player that Geoff scouted who refused to be interviewed. I wont say who he is, but unsurprisingly he’s still involved with a Premier League club.

Was it surprising to find players that Liverpool didn't sign being complimentary about the club? Or was that you editing out the criticisms?
The only time we edited anything out was because it was in danger of being libelous. Otherwise, I let each interview flow naturally as they happened. Andy Gray was probably the only one that was reluctant to say many positive things about Liverpool because he became a success when he went elsewhere – particularly at Everton. The big surprise was Martin Buchan, who captained Man Utd in the 70s. Twentyman had a strong interest in him but decided not to pursue a deal due to the emergence of Phil Thompson. Buchan had a reputation off the pitch as a tough man that didn’t suffer fools. But he spoke well about Liverpool because he clearly admired how they went about achieving success. Many of the players weren’t aware of any interest from Liverpool so it came as a shock. Cascarino in particular couldn’t believe that Kenny Dalglish would consider him a Liverpool kind of player –maybe with good reason.

Liverpool used to spot a lot of players from the lower leagues both in England and Scotland. That no longer happens. Why do you think that is the case?
It comes down to the globalisation of the game and the advent of academy systems. Part of it is also down to owners, directors and a new breed of football fan demanding instant success. There is a lack of patience in football today and that results in many young players being let go by football clubs at an extremely early age.

There is a desire by clubs in the modern game to swallow up the best talent around at the age of 10. By the age of 17 or 18, players need to be the finished article otherwise they are usually released. Speaking to scouts in the game today, I get the impression that there is a school of thought that if you haven’t been spotted by a club’s scouts as a teenager, it’s impossible to develop to the required standards even after a couple years first team football in the lower leagues.

I’m sure there are players in the lower league that could become great players in the modern game. But that would mean allowing them time to settle and in Premier League football today, managers can’t take the risk of waiting because of the demand for instant results.

When Liverpool were successful, many of the lower league players they signed were afforded time in the reserves before being plunged into the first team. Again this takes time, and a degree of success on the pitch beforehand to make this system work.

Terry McDermott, for example, had to go through this process. He was one of only two players in a Kirkby boys’ team that wasn’t signed up by a football club when he was 16. The star of that team was John McLoughlin, who eventually played around 50 games for Liverpool. Terry had to sign for Bury because even though a lot of First Division clubs had a look at him, they felt that his body wasn’t going to grow enough to deal with the demands of top-flight football. He was on the dole when a Bury scout came knocking at his door offering him a contract. Terry signed for Liverpool at the age of 22. By then he had grown into a man by playing lower league football with Bury before going to Newcastle. He learnt his way around a football pitch and learnt how to handle himself. It toughened him up and he eventually became PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
Years earlier, they made a judgement on him before he was even allowed to grow. It happens to thousands of young players now – in an environment where it is even tougher to shine because of the demands of instant success. Once at Liverpool, he had to wait 18-months before gaining a regular position in Bob Paisley’s first team. Bob, of course, could only adopt this approach because his team were winning trophies so the pressure to put Terry in his side was irrelevant.

The other player in that Kirkby boys’ team considered too lightweight for a contract with a league club was Dennis Mortimer. And he captained Aston Villa to the European Cup in 1982.

Why is it important that the contribution of Geoff Twentyman be remembered?
His role in targeting players was integral to everything Liverpool achieved in the 1970s and 80s. From the 11 players that started the 1977 European Cup final, Twentyman and his band of scouts had spotted six of them, initially playing in the lower leagues. In 1984 against Roma, nine of the 16-man squad had been brought to the club on Twentyman’s advice.

I wanted to make sure that the book didn’t romanticise Twentyman’s contribution by saying that he had a role that was any more important that other employees at the club. But I wanted to highlight that he did his job better than any other scout around.

I think the most important thing to remember is that Liverpool’s success was spawned from a collective responsibility that Bill Shankly instilled into the club. Each person’s role was important as the next and they were trusted to make an informed judgement when they had to. Bill Shankly trusted Bob Paisley absolutely while they trusted Geoff to spot the right player. Equally, Geoff trusted all of the scouts that worked for him.

It proves that when everyone is pulling in the same direction, a football club can achieve great things.

Is he remembered enough within the club?
No – but I suppose that was the nature of his work. It is only because I have seen his original diary that I can really understand the extent of what he did. Equally, scouts only seem to find the headlines when a number of players turn out as failures. Geoff’s record was phenomenal and nearly every player he signed proved to be either successful or profitable when they were sold on.

Because he had a distinctive surname, I think I lot of proper Liverpool fans remember that he worked for the club in some capacity but didn’t really understand his role.

The problem with scouting, especially in his era, was that it took months and months of research by a number of people before Liverpool agreed to sign a player. Tom Saunders, for instance, who was a great Liverpool servant, is sometimes credited with spotting Steve Heighway and Bruce Grobbelaar. In part, that is true, but several club scouts went to watch both players before the club financed a deal.

Again, Andy Beattie, who had known Bill Shankly for years and years and managed the Scottish national team was the scout that first saw Kevin Keegan play for Scunthorpe, rather than Twentyman. His note on the player in the original scouting diary said something like, ‘Played in midfield. Would be better as a forward.’ After that, Geoff went to watch him play several times before recommending him.

Personally, I think it’s a shame that someone who contributed so much towards the greatest period of success wasn’t recognised properly before he left the club. Including his playing career, he gave 25-years of his professional life to Liverpool – enough to earn two testimonials.
You only have to see a decline in success in the club’s transfer policy after he left to understand how important a role he played.

When he died, Geoff’s family was sent a letter by the then manager Gerard Houllier so I suppose it indicates he was still remembered by some people behind the scenes.

Liverpool fans are often accused of living in the past. Do you think that books like this pander to the nostalgic element and as such confirm that impression that outsiders have?
No. The book isn’t just about Liverpool’s history and the re-telling of its glory years. That has been done many times before. I hoped it would appeal to Liverpool supporters and fans from other clubs as well. There are interviews with many players that didn’t play for Liverpool and each interview attempts to focus on the players’ career rather than just what was happening at Anfield. I’d like to think the book is a comprehensive review of the scouting scene in the 60s, 70s and 80s analysing why Liverpool managed to do it better than anyone else.

Any more books planned?
Hopefully. I have an idea for something a little more contemporary but it could be another 12-months before it’s out.

A Look at the Secrets of Liverpool's Glory Years

2009-11-13T14:00:00.001+01:00

Book Review: The Secret Diary of a Liverpool Scout by Simon Hughes

Now this is an intriguing book. Whilst most of the key architects of Liverpools's lasting success over the four decades after Bill Shankly took over avtively shunned publicity, most were still pushed into the limelight.

Even so, a book looking at Liverpool's chief scout doesn't exactly spring to mind as a plausible idea.

Yet that is what Simon Hughes has done with 'Secret Diary of a Liverpool Scout' in which he takes a look at the life of Geoff Twentyman. A task rendered all the more complex by the facts that Hughes never actually met the man about whom he is writing and Twentyman having died five years ago.

Strangely, however, the book works extremely well. Much of the merit for that is down to Hughes himself who has intelligently threaded together the various aspects of Twentyman's life to ultimately show both how he worked and also his genius.

Fittingly he does so in a manner that mirrors that adopted by the man he is writing about: a large deal of legwork. For Hughes has tracked down not only most of Twentyman's best picks but also those players he looked at but who ultimately ended up elsewhere.

The latter are often revealing as it emerges that most of these players have a genuine respect for Liverpool and most are left wondering about what could have been.

Aside from that, perhaps the most striking aspect of the book is the uncanny similarity in the limitations imposed on both Bill Shankly and Rafael Benitez.

“The brief was to find the best young players Liverpool could afford and with the potential to develop in the future.” Sound familiar? Of course it does: it is what Benitez has been doing in recent years. In reality, however, is that this is what Twentyman had to do at Liverpool where there simply wasn’t enough money to spend to buy the most promising youngsters in the country. So Liverpool and Twentyman had to be sharper than the rest by spotting players with potential rather than those that were clearly set to do very well.

Which raises the question as to whether it is still possible to achieve success in this manner. Possibly but would the fans be as patient with the players as they were back then? Would they accept not seeing the club linked with big names? Somehow, I doubt it.

The Victimization of David N'Gog

2009-11-11T14:00:00.000+01:00

These have probably been a very uncomfortable couple of days for David N'Gog. The dramatics with which he won the penalty against Birmingham might be lauded as cunning elsewhere but, as many have been eager to point out to him, they aren't as celebrated in England.

The flip side, of course, is that the penalty got a point for Liverpool. It is easy to be sanctimonious but the only ones who really have a reason to be outraged are the Birmingham fans. The reality is that there isn't a team in the Premiership that doesn't try to trick or pressure referees into giving decisions their way. And does anyone complain when it is done in an England shirt? Of course not.

Sadly, however, that won't stop David N'Gog from being labelled a cheat something that is going to be very hard for him to shake off. You can sense that the next time he goes down, the referee will think twice before giving a decision in his favour: that suspicion is part of human nature.

Hopefully all of this won't affect N'Gog's confidence. The penalty quickly erased the memories of what happened just moments before when he sprinted past two Birmingham defenders in a move that was lifted straight out of Fernando Torres' manual (remember his goal against Marseilles?). It is that move which forced Lee Carsley into his lunge which - and this has been overlooked as well - got nowhere near the ball and could have seriously injured the player hadn't he jumped.

Indeed, N'Gog's performance has was one of the few bright sparks from that game and the season so far. His goal against Birmingham involved terrific skill - how else can hitting the ball with such power and precision before it hits the ground be described? - but his overall play has improved beyond recognition. There is an added sense of maturity around the way that he plays and he knows what is doing as well as what he should be doing.

Of course, confidence plays a critical role. That goal against Manchester United has fuelled the belief that he is good enough to play for Liverpool. That is not something which the player himself ever doubted but now even the fans are starting to believe it and that belief is something that he will feed on during games.

Naturally there are still aspects of his game that need improving. His control isn't the best, for instance, and it will be interesting to see how he reacts when things aren't going as well as they are at the moment. Above all, he needs experience to enable him to exploit certain instances during the game. Which probably means learning to drag his feet a little bit better when there is a tackle on him in the penatly box.

Good Game Bad Game [vs Birmingham City]

2009-11-10T14:00:00.001+01:00

When David N'Gog scored so early on, the game opened itself perfectly for Liverpool: this was the ideal starting point, the launching pad that could lead to a much needed win. Then came the inevitable defensive lapse that resulted in a conceeded goal which was followed up by the sucker punch of Cameron Jerome's splendid but somewhat fortiuitous goal and suddenly it was a repeat of so many games this season.

In the second half, as in the first, Liverpool continued to dominate but, even so, there never was the confidence that this game could be turned. Indeed, the players lacked the conviction needed to really cause Birmingham problems: if anything they looked frightened at the prospect of dropping points.

Fair play to Birmingham who came with a game-plan and executed it well. But for N'Gog's dramatic fall in the box, they could have even won this. Then again, that would have been too harsh on Liverpool

Good Game
Daniel Agger's ability with the ball at his feet adds another dimension to Liverpool's play especially in games like these were he needs to play as an added midfielder. Martin Skrtel hasn't yet reached the same levels of last season but he was good enough for most of the game. This was a solid, if unspectacular, game by Emiliano Insua who is making improvements with each game even if he needs to pay more attention so as not to keep players onside when the others have moved forward.

The highlight of the night was Glen Johnson's performance as the right-back was quite simply sensational. Time after time the tore a hole in the Birmingham defence and they never really managed to quiten him. Liverpool have missed him in recent games: my man of the match.

It is in games like this that Liverpool need a more creative midfield force then Javier Mascherano and Lucas Leiva. Neither one of the two played badly but the truth is that playing two essentially defensive midfielders against a side with no real intention to attack is an invite for trouble.

Albert Riera wasn't having a particularly good game until he left the pitch injured (and, judging by his reaction, it doesn't look good) yet his presence on the left was stretching the Birmingham defence and leaving a lot of gaps for the midfielders to exploit. Yossi Benayoun, who eventually went to fill that role once Riera departed the pitch, doesn't have that same sort of skill yet he did well enough with his usual movement and flair. Unfortunately, given the way that Birmingham were playing - with eight players in the penalty box - it was difficult for him to run past them or thread through that telling pass.

David N'Gog scored, won the penalty (although, in fairness, it shouldn't have been given) and made a decent fist of a couple of half chances. Even allowing for a number of mis-controlled passes, this was another promising game by the young striker who is continuously improving and is developing nicely into Fernando Torres' deputy.

Bad Game
Birmingham had two shots on goal and both of them went in. So it is hard not to say that Pepe Reina had a bad game. In truth, he could do little about the first but for the second he was caught too far away from goal and that is why Jerome's shot went in.

There is no faulting Dirk Kuyt's commitment yet sometimes more than that is needed. For all his huff and puff, Liverpool needed a bit more guile from him - occasionally beating the full back would have been nice - and they didn't get it here.

Substitutes
Steven Gerrard was a welcome sight but, despite scoring the penalty, seemed a bity rusty. Hopefully, he will be back to his usual form by the end of the international break. After last week's goal, there was an element of surprise in Ryan Babel's exclusion from the starting line-up. When he did come on, however, he did very litle to justify Benitez having more confidence in him.

There was another cameo appearance for Alberto Aquilani and once again he showed so excellent touches.

Gerrard Out, But Why is Johnson In?

2009-11-09T11:00:00.000+01:00

If you go by what has been written and said about Glen Johnson over the past few months, then you probably wouldn't have a very good opinion about the right-back.

Not good enough defensively, prone to lapses in concentration that leave him as well as his fellow defenders exposed, he is England's weak link and it was madness for Benitez to pay so much (whatever that 'much' is) for him.

Yet, if that is the case, why is it that Johnson has been picked for England despite missing so many recent games due to injury? Is it that Fabio Capello is so desperate as there aren't any other right-backs available?

Or is it, perhaps, that his ability to add another dimension to attack makes him a valuable part of the team? Surely not.

Of course, it would be much better for Liverpool if Capello were to take heed to what the talking heads are saying. The last thing that is needed right now is for the player with whom Liverpool have been so patient in getting fit to be injured yet again playing in a game that was set up purely to line the FA's pockets.

Good Game Bad Game [vs Lyon]

2009-11-05T14:00:00.000+01:00

A kick in the stomach. There's no better way to describe a game where, with a squad decimated by injuries, Liverpool went to Lyon and totally dominated. With better finishing, the contest should have been over by half time and when Ryan Babel scored, it looked as if Liverpool were going to get a much merited win. But it wasn't to be as the only mistake of the night resulted in a Lyon goal that makes it highly difficult for Liverpool to win.

The hope, now, is that Liverpool take heart of this performance and take this attitude into next Monday's game against Birmingham. Win there and then it will start to look a little brighter after what has been an attrocious month.

A final word about Lyon: they're a decent side, it has to be said, and have a very good goalkeeper. Yet they're also as lucky as hell. Take away two minutes from the end of both games against Liverpool and they would have three points less. Instead they're already through to the next round. Let's hope that they take something from their game in Florence. A win for them would be fantastic but a draw would leave Liverpool what that glimmer of hope (provided that Debrecen are beaten, of course).

Good Game
He didn't have much to do but Pepe Reina was always alert to what was going on and pulled off a fantastic save midway through the second half. Could do nothing about Lisandro's goal even though, agonisingly, he touched the ball. There is a rumour that Daniel Agger didn't sit for most of the trip to Lyon so as not risking aggravating his back injury. Whether true or not, thank goodness that he played as he was absolutely fantastic. What a boost it would be to have him available for the whole season.

Jamie Carragher was, yet again, ask to do a shift at right-back and he did a decent enough job. At least defensively because going forward he offered practically nothing. The same cannot be said of Emiliano Insua who was bright throughout the whole game and looked back to his best after a couple of games during which his confidence seems to have been shaken.

Is there anyone who still doubts Lucas' quality? That's a rethorical question - of course there are - but that probably is down to stubborness. For once again he was brilliant here: his anticipation, passing, tackling, movement were all spot on. His performance is one of the reasons why Liverpool managed to get a stranglehold of midfield.

Another reason was Javier Mascherano. Ever since Argentina qualified for the World Cup he has been completely transformed and his performances have been on par with those of two season back. This was the case once again here as he never gave the Lyon players any breathing space. My man of the match.

Yossi Benayoun tried as hard as he could to unlock the Lyon defence but he couldn't make one of his incisive runs. Even so, his intelligent movement and eye for a pass caused the defenders plenty of problems. Similarly Dirk Kuyt who, as always, worked as hard as possible for the team. Without a right-back with whom to dove-tail it was harder for him to create much but he still put in a couple of very good crosses.

One half chance is all that Fernando Torres got and, had he been fully fit, he would have probably put it away. Yet, despite his injury, he still fought hard and cause Lyon problems - so much that they often resorted to surrounding him with two or three players - as his mere presence can cause defences to panic.

Bad Game
He should have done better for the goal for which, Stolis Kyrgiakos has to shoulder a good share of the blame. In general, he was good and held up well against Gomis but then had brief moments where he made the most stupid of mistakes which could have easily resulted in goals against Liverpool.

It seems harsh to say that Andriy Voronin had a bad game because he did try hard. Yet you cannot have an opportunity like the one he had in the first half and not put it away.

Substitutes
Ryan Babel came on and looked as if he was going to continue in his recent vein of poor form. Suddenly he found that metre of space and smashed in that fantastic goal that deserved to be a winner. The question is why doesn't he show that sort of talent on a more regular basis.

David N'Gog came on for Torres in a move that was clearly aimed at running down the clock. Even so, he did well in the few minutes he was on the pitch.

"Liverpool Fans Don't Make Knee-jerk Reactions"

2009-11-04T14:00:00.000+01:00

Over the past few days I've been reading the book Secret Diary of a Liverpool Scout which deals with the life of former chief scout Geoff Twentyman (review of this should be online early next week).

Author Simon Hughes has done an excellent job of rounding not only players that Twentyman helped bring to Liverpool but also those that ended up elsewhere. One of these is John Gregory, the Aston Villia (among others) midfielder and manager who had this to say about the Liverpool fans.

"Fans are funny, aren't they? Sometimes they don't help. Your lot at Liverpool are the best, though. They're fantastic because they back the manager and the team. Liverpool fans don't make knee-jerk reactions and they give people the chance to prove themselves. Kopites really do get behind the team throughout the whol game - not just for 10 minutes like at some places. They're real fans."

This is how outsiders - those whose judgement isn't clouded by petty rivalry - really see us. Let's hope that they can still hold that view of us after tonight.

Good Game Bad Game [vs Arsenal]

2009-10-29T14:00:00.000+01:00

This was a game where, more then anything else, Liverpool were looking to see which players would enhance their reputation. And, in that respect there is plenty about which to be satisfied despite the defeat. Make no mistake, this was nothing like last year's feeble surrender at Tottenham: Liverpool played with determination and commitment that deserved a better outcome.

Arsenal played well - exceptionally well - in bursts during which they had Liverpool chasing shadows. It was during these moments that they scored their goals. Fair play to them and Arsene Wenger's policy of focusing on youth - on which he has been working for over a decade and spent a fair deal of money on, one must add - as they have some brilliant players coming through.

Good Game

He should have done better for Bendtner's winner but overall Martin Skrtel stood strong and, more often then not, helped stem Arsenal's attacks. Emiliano Insua scored a brilliant goal and, overall, had a very good game especially considering that he didn't have much help on that left hand side.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the game was Phillip Degen's performance. Defensively he's nothing brilliant but when he set off on a run on the right hand side, he invariably caused Arsenal problems. Should have scored in the first half but, that aside, at least it hinted that he could be a good squad player.

Jay Spearing didn't have a good first half: it wasn't Sunderland bad but it was way below what is needed at this level. Then in the second half, he seemed to grow in stature and started imposing himself more on midfield. He didn't show the level of play that he regularly did for the reserves but he showed way more then he's ever done in the brief appearances he's had in the first team and that is something that should give him a fair bit of confidence.

Apart from Degen's good game, the other major surprise came from Damien Plessis. After such a good debut against the same team two seasons ago, Plessis faded away but this season he has been playing quite a bit better in the reserves which is probably why he was granted a new contract. Whatever the reason for that, he played very well showing great intelligence and character. And he gave Voronin a real bollocking for the feeble pass that led to Arsenal's first goal.

Dirk Kuyt did the captain's job well: not only did he put in the usual mileage but he was constantly looking at getting other players involved. Another player who seems revitalised following Sunday's game which, hopefully, he will be able to take forward after a disappointing start to the season.

The goal against Manchester United clearly did David N'Gog a world of good as he repeatedly took on the Arsenal defence. His movement and overall awareness of the game was encouraging to see and he, more then anyone else, looks the ideal candidate to be Fernando Torres' deputy. My Man of the match

Bad Game

Diego Cavallieri did little to convince that he is an able deputy for Pepe Reina. Perhaps time has come to take a closer look at Peter Gulacsi. Equally disappointing was Sotiris Kyrgiakos who gave the impression that he didn't really know where he was supposed to be most of the time.

The worst performance of all, however, was undoubtedly that of Ryan Babel. Forget his incredible miss that would have sent the tie into extra time, he actually did nothing on the pitch to justify his starting spot. At this point, the only option seems that of letting go on loan in January in the hope that someone actually decides to buy him next summer. A massive disappointment.

I'm going to go against the flow and say that Andriy Voronin had, overall, a decent game: nota particularly good one biut not bad either. He started well enough and then was quite good in the final 25 minutes. In between, well let's just say that he was the usual player. The frustrating thing is that he clearly has enough talent to hack it but he lacks the determination to impose himself. When things start going against him, he starts sulking.

Substitutes

Alberto Aquilani got the cameo that everyone was hoping for and did enough during those fifteen minutes to show that he is indeed a class player. Still, patience is the key at this stage and he must be allowed to find his best form as well as get used to English football.

Yossi Benayoun did very little when he came on as did Nathan Eccleston although he was only on the pitch for six minutes. For the youngster, however, this was a massive occasion and surely he has to take heart at being given an opportunity. The player is talented and has that cockiness about him that is vital for a player to succeed. This was the first step for him but he is a real talent.

The Lad Can Play: Nathan Eccleston

2009-10-27T14:00:00.000+01:00

Irrespective of what some would have you believe, it is foolhardy to try and predict at an early age which players can make it at any professional club, let alone one with Liverpool's ambitions.

This should be the principle underlying any talk about the prospects of those players at the academy or in the reserves. Some might have the talent but not the characther, others might lack the physical strength to make a mark and then there are those for whom strength is the only attribute.

It is a one of or a combination of these factors that ultimately kill off many hopes. And the closer they get to the first team, then the more under scrutiny they will be.

This specific kind of pressure by itself can be enough to filter away some of those who don't have the determination required.

That is unlikely to be the case with Nathan Eccleston. Handed a new contract last year, there were rumours that the player could be on his way out having irritated the club's management by insisting that he deserved to be playing in the reserves rather than the academy.

Eventually this rumour died down and this season Eccleston has been playing for the reserves on a regular basis. That's not to say that the self-belief that supposedly led him to protest last year has been quietened down.

Indeed if there is an aspect of his play that is striking, then it surely is his supreme belief in his abilities. That, technically, he can pull off tricks that are out of the reach of lesser players obviously helps but even so he does constantly push his limits.

That, perhaps, is the biggest challenge facing him. The talent is there, so too the knack for scoring goals and the speed to handle football at a higher level. Yet tactically he needs to learn how to fit in and given today's highly regimented manner with which teams play that is as vital as the natural talent.

Whether Eccleston can best achieve that in the reserves or with a loan spell remains to be seen. What is sure, however, is that his standpoint last year was right: he deserves to be playing on a regular basis at the highest possible level to him. It is the only way with which it can be determined whether he can eventually make it all the way to the first team.

There are more similar features on Liverpool's young talent here. In the meantime, why not follow A Liverpool Thing on Twitter?

Good Game Bad Game [vs Manchester United]

2009-10-26T14:00:00.000+01:00

Just as last Tuesday, this was a game that Liverpool had to win but, contrary to the game against Lyon, they put in a performance that irrespective of the result was an excellent one. That Liverpool did win is a great bonus but in reality seeing the team respond in this manner was almost enough.

Of course, there will be those who will claim that Jamie Carragher should have been sent off, particularly because of his foul on Michael Owen. That could be the sase but, equally, Nemanja Vidic could have received a caution much earlier in the game given the physical style of his defending on Torres. Who knows how the game would have changed if he'd have had to hold back on his tackles?

Good Game

He didn't really have much to do but Pepe Reina handled the few shots on goal that United had with ease. That he was relatively so under untilised is mainly due to the level of performance that both Daniel Agger and Jamie Carragher put in. In particular, Carragher answered all those critics with an immaculate performance where he was determined to win every ball and most of the time did.

Following a somewhat shaky display against Lyon, this was Emiliano Insua's great chance to make amends which is exactly what he did. A great defensive display, he was extremely clever when getting rid of the ball. Same applies to Glen Johnson who might not have attacked as he would like to but defensively he was impeccable.

In midfield, Fabio Aurelio was exceptional particularly in the first half before tiredness started to take part in the second. Yossi Benayoun was much better than of late and he helped set up Liverpool's first goal.

For most of the game, Javier Mascherano was a monster on the pitch throughout the game. Indeed he would have been my man of the match if it hadn't been for that stupid second card. So instead the honour goes to Lucas Leiva who, now, should be silencing the critics. Against United his tackling was often impeccable, his passing showed vision and also found space in the box well in order to challenge in order to possibly score a goal.

Like many others, Dirk Kuyt rediscovered his form against United and did his utmost to hassle for every ball. My big fear before was that Fernando Torres wasn't as fit as many would have liked but he was fit enough to out run United's defence.

Bad Game

How can anyone possibly say that anyone played badly on this day.

Substitutes

David N'Gog came on and did all that was asked of him: he defended from the front line, harassed the United defenders and, most importantly, scored the second goal. Now here's an interesting fact, in all competitions N'Gog has scored three times which is one more than Michael Owen. And he had 149 less minutes in playing time (206 minutes against 355).

Martin Skrtel was sent on in the final instances to ensure that there were no lapses in defence and did his job to perfection.

The One Man Club

2009-10-23T11:00:00.001+02:00

There was always a fair bit of discomfort every time that Michael Owen returned to Liverpool in the past. Those calls asking what he was doing in Istanbul we're initially funny but eventually the feeling was that they gave way to some serious spite in his direction. Some clearly enjoyed his injuries and the way that his career spiralled downwards hitting the low point of relegation with Newcastle last term.

In light of this, it is very easy to imagine the reaction as he returns to Anfield next Sunday. Owen didn't really help himself with his claim that Manchester United are the biggest club in England but it would be naïve to think that it was simply that statement which will give rise to the reaction that awaits him.

Michael Owen never really had a special relationship with the fans. He was seen as a speciall player who carried Liverpool for a couple of seasons yet there was never the adulation that Robbie Fowler enjoyed or with which Fernando Torres is bestowed nowadays.

Explaining why that was the case is difficult because there isn't really a specific reason. If anything, everything was in place for him to be the undoubted hero in the fans' eyes: he came through the ranks, he scored innumerable goals and helped Liverool win a number of trophies. Yet something didn't click.

What did it for him probably was England. Michael Owen enjoyed playing for Liverpool but what he really loved was doing so for England. And that is something that grated. It was as if Owen saw playing for Liverpool merely as preparation for England games.

Matters came to a head when he finally decided to force the club's hand in to selling him to Real Madrid. Liverpool had a new manager who needed his key players in order to rebuild. Owen, however, saw this as wasting a couple of years - with the resulting impact on his national standing - as Benitez relayed the foundations. So he decided to jump ship.

A year later he had the opportunity to rectify matters but when Liverpool asked him to hold strong and refuse any offers in order to force Real to lower their asking price he buckled and instead went to Newcastle.

That second rebuttal killed him in the eyes of the fans. It also killed off any possibility that he would join Liverpool whilst Benitez was in charge who probably as he was never going to be the one to forget that the player had rejected him twice.

It is why Liverpool made no move to sign Owen this summer even though he clearly wanted to return and despite his availability on a free. Liverpool weren't going to sign him not even if this meant that he was going to join Manchester United.

Yet, perhaps not much has changed. Underlying his decision to move to Old Trafford is the desire to win back a place in the England squad. Just as Liverpool were in the past, United are just another vehicle through which Owen wants to prove his suitability to play for his country.

So, come to think of it, next Sunday Michael Owen won't be playing for Manchester United. He will be playing for Michael Owen. Just as he always has.

Do you tweet? If so, you can follow A Liverpool Thing on twitter.

Reality Bites for Spearing

2009-10-22T14:00:00.002+02:00

If Jay Spearing needed a lesson in the fickle nature of football fans, he certainly got it this week. Given the Lucas Leiva's continuing unpopularity, Spearing somehow became not only a viable alterative for the Brazilian but also a better player. A sort of 'he can't be any worse than him' attitude took over.

But then reality butted its head in last Saturday. Handed his full league debut against Sunderland, Spearing found out what it means to be in Lucas' shoes: just as the Brazilian has so many times during his career, he was suddenly the appointed scapegoat on whom the defeat was pinned.

At least there was the beach ball accident which diverted the attention away because otherwise the criticism probably would have been much harsher.

Even so, the reality is that Spearing had a bad game. Apart from two moments when he broke forward and found a bit of space in midfield, he showed practically nothing. In theory, he was playing in the Mascherano role but didn't manage to put in a tackle. Unfortunately, his passing wasn't any better with giving the ball back to the defenders being his prefered option. Lee Catermole quickly latched on to his discomfort and started pressing him every time the ball reached Spearing, a tactic that paid off with a series of wayward passes that put added pressure on the defence.

So does this make Spearing a bad player? Given the rushed judgements that are so prevalent these days, many have already made their minds up that he is. The truth, however, is that probably he isn't ready to play at this level yet.

It would probably have helped if he'd been given a handful of minutes in the games that Liverpool won at ease earlier in the season. That would, at least, have given him some experience.

Or perhaps he simply needs to spend some time out on loan. After all, there is a huge difference in the way in which a player mentally approaches a game which doesn't really mean anything - such as the reserves - to one that counts as much as a Premier League game.

Whatever his talents - and this is a player who Steve Heighway publicly said was ready for the first team three years ago so he must have a bit of talent - Spearing lacks that game experience. Unfortunately, the Champions League requirements for home born players make him too valuable to let go on loan. Meaning that, if he is to get the experience, it is likely to be done the hard way. Just as against Sunderland.

Do you tweet? If so you can now follow A Liverpool Thing on twitter.

Good Gam Bad Game [vs Lyon]

2009-10-21T14:00:00.000+02:00

This was a game that Liverpool had to win and for over an hour looked like they could do so. Then Lyon equalised and you sensed that something dramatic was about to happen. Sadly, it did and now Liverpool have a huge task in their hands to qualify. They have done so in the past under similar circumstances but this time it looks too much with two very good teams in the group.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this game is that Liverpool didn't deserve to lose despite the absence of Fernando Torres, Glen Johnson, Albert Riera and, after twenty minutes, Steven Gerrard. Sadly, our defence broke down at crucial moments and leave us to rue another defeat.

Good Game
Pepe Reina did all he could the keep the first goal out and clearly wasn't at fault for the second. He is one of the few key players who are playing at last year's level.

Whilst most people will remember this game for the defeat, for Martin Kelly it will always be the night in which he made his full debut. And what a debut it was. This kid is a special talent and he showed that on the night by being one of the best on the pitch.

For Lucas Leiva, this was another good game as he was the fulcrum of Liverpool"s midfield. His work often goes by unnoticed but he is doing his job very well.

The trip to Argentina seems to have revitalised Javier Mascherano as he was back to his best after an uncertain start to the season. My man of the match.

A cooly taken goal by Yossi Benayoun looked like being enough for Liverpool. Unfortunately it wasn't. Dirk Kuyt too was better than of late, even if not to the same standards of last season.

Up front David N'Gog was a surprise inclusion but he did well enough. He went for every ball and often got a touch on it. He also took the two half chances he had in the first half well. Unfortunately, he fluffed the only clear opportunity he had in the second half and, after that, his head seemed to drop and he wasn't as effective.

Steven Gerrard was only on the pitch for 20 minutes so it would be unfair to rate him.

Bad Game
I wouldn't say that Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger had a bad game overall but they switched off in key moments and Liverpool were made to pay. Emiliano Insua gave the impression that he wasn't fit enough and his passing was sluggish most of the time.

Substitutes
Fabio Aurelio came on for Gerrard and really inspired Liverpool in the first half. In the second, however he faded away dramatically which was a huge disappointment.

Martin Skrtel came on for Kelly and didn't do much wrong yet he too has to shoulder some of the blame for the second goal. Only Benitez knows why he put Andriy Voronin on and in the few minutes that he played the Ukranian once again proved just how useless he is.

Spreading The Word: Football Filter

2009-10-20T14:00:00.000+02:00

I have to admit that I am something of a creature of habit, particularly where technology is involved. If I'm comfortable with how something is working, then I don't really tend to go out to look for ways to improve on it.

It is why I've always stuck to NewsNow.co.uk to get an overview of the latest stories concerning Liverpool. When I stumbled across Google Reader, however, I realised that this too could be a good way to gather stories and I had a similar reaction when I started experimenting with Twitter.

So now my habits are slightly changing which is why I decided to take a look at a couple of football specific web spidering services and here Football Filter is at the forefront.

The idea behind this is similar to NewsNow even if the layout is much more pleasing. Stories are split by source so that, if there are any sites that you don't like, you can easily skip over them. Another nice feature is that, when you scroll over a news story, a brief excerpt of that story appears along with an approximation of when it was published. Indeed, it is also possible to customize the site and adjust the length of time elapsed since the publication of the article.

That you can toggle between the sort of sites that you want - e.g. broadsheets or blogs - is another useful feature that adds to the validity of the site as a source of information.

The only major downside of this set-up is that when a site stops updating its articles it stays there with its old news. The only way that can be fixed is manually by the site's authors which can be a bit cumbersome when you have over fifty sub-sites for various teams and leagues.

A Look At: Genius Does As it Must

2009-10-19T14:00:00.001+02:00

Book Review: Genius Does as it Must - Liverpool FC Banners Compiled by Chris McLoughlin and Adam Oldfield

When people talk about the atmosphere at Anfield, particularly on a European night, they often refer to the singing and the raw emotion that there is in the ground. Too often, they fail to pick up on an important element that distinguishes Liverpool fans from many of their English counterparts: the banners that adorn the stands.

This is a tradition that has been going on from the seventies - with the Joey Jones one being the most iconic from that era - and goes on today. Indeed, the history that there exists around these banners fuels the creation of even better ones as fans try to outdo their predecessors with wittier retorts.

Now the best of these banners have been captured in a fantastic book called 'Genius Does as It Must - Liverpool FC Banners' which is a pictorial guide to the best that Liverpool fans have been able to think of over the past four decades.

As you'd expect, there isn't much to read here but it is still easy to lose yourself in this book for a couple of hours as you go from one banner to the other. Because, regardless of how often you see them, you always seem to notice something new.

The only disappointment with this book - and I have to say that it was quite a major one when I opened the package - is its size. Indeed for a photo book, I was expecting something much larger than a book the size of a postcard. The design is excellent and nowhere is there any photo that looks crammed in. Even so, it could have easily afforded being twice its size or even more which would have made it a luxurious permanent on my coffee table.

As it stands, it'll just have to make do with sitting on my bookshelf like other mere mortal books conscious, however, that the entertainment that it offers is much more everlasting than the rest.

Good Game Bad Game [vs Sunderland]

2009-10-18T10:00:00.000+02:00

There are a number of excuses to which we could turn in order to sweeten this defeat: Darren Bent's fluke goal, the absence of both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, the late arrival of Mascherano, Lucas and Insua, the little time for preparation that Liverpool had and the length of time that Sunderland had in order to get ready for this game.

The truth, however, is that Sunderland were unlucky not to score more whereas for Liverpool this was the worst performance in the last two years with players unable to string three passes together.

I won't go as far as saying that we should forget about the league because it is still too early for that but it isn't looking good, is it? Indeed, given a choice I'd focus more energies on the games against Lyon and even the one in the League Cup against Arsenal rather than the league game against United.

Good Game
The only one to come out of this with any credit was Pepe Reina. Absolutely not at fault with the goal he saved Liverpool in the second half when Darren Bent broke through and was solid throughout.

Bad Game
Going forward Fabio Aurelio was decent enough - although his corner taking was attrocious - but he will have nightmares about Andy Reid for weeks. Indeed, the beach ball incident has probably saved Aurelio from having to answer why he let Reid pass him so easily in the move that led to the goal.

On the opposite flank Glen Johnson tried his best to ignite Liverpool's attacking play but more often than not seemed to hang on too much to the ball.

In the centre of defence, Jamie Carragher, Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel were given a torrid time by Kenwyne Jones and Darren Bent. In truth, they didn't really look like they knew what they were supposed to do which was probably down to their unfamiliarity with the system in which they were playing.

There are those who believe that Benitez plays Lucas Leiva instead of Jay Spearing purely because he paid a significant amount for the Brazilian midfielder. Well, today we saw that this quite simply isn't the case. Not that Lucas played well today - he failed to impose himself on the game - but Spearing was quite simply attrocious. He was over-run in midfield and too often didn't know what to do with the ball particularly when Lee Catermole - a player many snobbed when it was rumoured Liverpool were interested in him - was close by.

As with practically everyone else, practically nothing that Yossi Benayoun tried out worked. Dirk Kuyt did have a couple of moments but overall, he looked absolutely knackered which perhaps can be excused given that he was a doubt earlier in the week.

The next time that Ryan Babel opens his mouth to complain about the lack of opportunities he gets, all that needs to be done is show him a video of this game. After a good first few minutes, he simply disappeared and every time he touched the ball it went to a Sunderland player.

Substitutes
Well, it shows how desperate we were that we looked at Andriy Voronin as a potential saviour. Not that it had any impact as he simply spent the half an hour he spent on the pitch giving the ball to Sunderland players. Tired or not, Javier Mascherano gave order to the midfield and Liverpool started to play a bit better when he came on.

Same goes to David N'Gog who caused the Sunderland defence more problems in fifteen minutes than Babel did throughout the whole game. Probably deserved to come on earlier.

Liverpool's Youth Problem

2009-10-14T14:00:00.001+02:00

Some players have that innate talent that when they get on the ball it is impossible not to notice them. Others are always doing the hard work that goes unappreciated but which is vital for the team to succeed. Indeed it could be argued that whilst the brilliance of the individual might occasionally win matches, it is what those around him do that usually plays the key role.

It is in this second category that Robbie Threlfall fits in. Strong and powerful, he knows his job – that of left-back - well and carries it out extremely well. He might not be the one to win the games, but ensures that those can have every opportunity to do so.

Yet, for all his good qualities, he is also unfortunate in that blocking his way to the first team there are three internationals which he is unlikely to displace. On top of this there are the continuous injuries which have regularly interrupted his career, meaning that it isn’t that difficult to see why he is still playing for Liverpool’s reserves.

Actually, it is. Threlfall might not be ready to push on to play in the Permiership but he seems good enough to play at least in the Championship. Which is were the major surprise comes in because so far in his career, the only ones that have expressed an interest in him have been either Second Division or low ranking First Division sides.

Last week Threlfall had the opportunity of going out on loan to Darlington, currently rooted at the bottom of League Two with just two points. Initially, it looked as if he was going to accept but then decided against it.

Good move for him. Despite the presence of Steve Staunton, the recently appointed manager at the club, it is difficult to see what he would have gained by going there. It certainly wouldn’t have furthered his prospects at Liverpool and it is doubtful whether it would have allowed him to attract the attention of some club higher up the league structure.

The thing is: why is it that only small clubs seem to be interested in our young players? Is it lack of contacts? Do Liverpool scare off potential suitors with excessive demands? Or is it, quite simply, that the players themselves aren’t good enough?

Do you tweet? If so you can now follow A Liverpool Thing on twitter.

Despite their Promise: Patience is Key for Hungarian Duo

2009-10-13T14:00:00.000+02:00

Does anyone know who Adailton is? Or Pablo Counago? And what have they got in common?

Give up? Ok, no need to rush to google: the answer is that they both finished the FIFA U20 World Cup as top scorers (1997 and 1999 respectively) and were considered among the best talents of their generation.

Going by that information, both should now be major players in their prime yet neither one is: the first is a squad player at Bologna whilst Counago struggles to get a game for Ipswich Town. The sad truth is that for both, those U20 championships were the peak of their careers.

It is a thought worth holding to as this year’s edition of the U20 World Cup enters its final stages. With the spotlight on them, there will be those who are showing the kind of skill that will see them being labeled as certain stars when, in reality, they are just kids who perhaps are having the tournament of their lives.

Another truth is that, whereas it used to be that international youth tournaments was were clubs got to know about the most promising players from around the globe, now the bulk are already familiar names. This World Cup used to provide European clubs, especially those with an eye for a gamble, with the opportunity of spotting an unpolished diamond.

Now the best players are already tied up, the result of the ever widening net that the richest clubs – who, ironically, are least likely to give them an opportunity – are casting in order to find players.

Not everyone appreciated this when Liverpool struck a deal with MTK Hungaria back in 2007. The criticism was as easy as it was predictable: what could Liverpool possibly find in a country whose glory days had come 50 years earlier and without a player of note for the previous two decades?

Over time those questions faded away, especially now that Hungary are on the brink of making it to the U20 World Cup final with two players who made that early trip to England back in 2007.

Kristian Nemeth, scorer of two goals against Italy in the quarter final, is already being earmarked as one of the best talents around. Same too Peter Gulacsi, whose penalty saves in the second round were vital for Hungary to progress.

For both, however, the difficult part starts now. And that’s without considering the semi-final: both now have to start proving to Rafael Benitez that they are good enough to play for Liverpool on a semi-regular basis. For Nemeth, this means excelling in Greece whilst Gulacsi has to do his best in the reserves and on loan, should that opportunity come up. It is if they do that, rather than how much the feature in the World Cup in Egypt, which will determine what their future will be like.

Spreading the Word: The Tomkins Times

2009-10-12T14:00:00.001+02:00

It is fair to say that Paul Tomkins is one of the leading Liverpool writers out there (Brian Reade, Oliver Kay, Tony Barrett and Tony Evans are the others), a reputation built over the years initially on various forums and then on the club's official website. He is also probably the most prolific author of books about Liverpool FC having published some eight books in the space of four years.

Yet, as many other writers have found out before him, it is difficult to earn a living purely from writing even if you produce one bestseller after the other as he has. It is a difficulty about which he spoke in detail on his blog a couple of months ago, which was quite surprising given how downbeat the writer known for his positive outlook on matters was.

Those difficulties have, however, led to the development of a new venture: the Tomkins Times. This is quite an interesting experiment as Tomkins will now be charging for his articles even if the fees are minimal - £2 monthly for a regular subscription and £3.50 for a premium one - which are what you would normally pay for a magazine. There have been such experiments in the past most notably on Koptalk although that was a completely different beast as it was based exclusively on pushing out as many news stories (true or otherwise) as possible.

News and gossip are, you would think, the last thing that Tomkins would resort to. His strength has always been an ability to look at matters as objectively as possible and in analysing aspects of Liverpool's play where others simply go with the flow. It is what has attracted so many people to his writing and why he has sold so many books.

There is, however, something of a shift in his writing style for the Tomkins Times. Given the audience and the medium, he was never going to say what he really wanted to say whilst writing for the official site. All that changes here as his recent article about Tony Cascarino's misguided opinions on Liverpool illustrates.

This is a very interesting project as it gives the fans of his writing access to many more articles than they were used to. For Tomkins this is an opportunity to keep on writing on a subject which he enjoys whilst ensuring a fairly stable source of revenue. In reality, that is the key: it is fairly easy to get people to subscribe in the first month but much less so to ensure that they keep on paying month after month. Given the quality of his writing, I would think that it is a safe bet that many will be doing so.

A taster of the type of articles on the Tomkins Times can be found here.

Lack of Appreciation

2009-10-07T14:00:00.001+02:00

Underrated: forced to choose a one-word description of Emiliano Insua, then that would be it. Had he been anywhere else in the Premier League, especially at any one of the other top five or six clubs, then his emergence would be deemed an outstanding one. Not at Liverpool, however, where his rise over the past eight months seems to have gone by largely unnoticed by the outside world.

Which isn’t such a bad thing when you think about it. The biggest question mark hanging over younger players before they start getting into a side on a semi-permanent manner isn’t how they will cope technically or tactically – those will be attributes over which there should be little doubt for the coaches who see them train on a daily basis – but rather how they will handle the pressure that comes with playing when it really counts.

It is, without getting sidetracked, why the current reserves structure isn’t working. There is too little at stake and it has basically become a league where players who are too old to play in the academy leagues face each other, hardly the ideal preparation for playing in a league as demanding as the Premiership.

The last thing they need when they do get to make the step up is the added pressure that comes of people’s expectations; the knowledge that their every move is being analysed to determine whether they really are good enough. It is something that Insua has managed to avoid, even if through no effort from his end. The truth is that no one really seemed to take any notice of him.

Whether it would have made a difference is debatable. One aspect of Insua’s game that instantly stands out is his maturity. Nothing seems to overawe him and there hasn’t been a game where he has struggled purely because of who he was facing.

This is not to say that his game is mature for that is something which comes out of experience. Instinctively, Insua is an attacking player yet if he were to try and move forward every time the side does then it would greatly impact the team’s balance. Suggesting that he does so would be a gross mis-statement but there are moments when his judgment seems to be lacking; when he exposes himself and lets players get past him.

You have to look fairly hard to notice that however, and in doing so his attributes would probably be what catches the eye. On the ball, Insua displays an enviable calmness where he seems to have all the time in the world to deal with it and knows what to do with it. So too when he does move forward to attack.

The beauty of having a full-back like Insua is that, whilst the regular winger can move inside drawing at least one defender with him the full-back can exploit the space that this movement creates.

Of course, this can create problems on the other side of the pitch. But it isn’t often that this happens. Rarely has Insua been caught out as his speed – he is much faster than what you would imagine him as being given his build – helps him recover his position. The same goes for his heading which is far better than what you would expect of a player who is apparently the shortest in the league.

All of this is appreciated by most Liverpool fans but not all. Indeed, after his performance against Fiorentina – probably the first bad game he’s had for Liverpool – his quality was put into question.

That, at twenty years of age, it is possible for him to be overawed at playing in such a stadium and in front of that atmosphere doesn’t seem to matter much. Or that it could be that he hasn’t reached the level of fitness required to play on a bi-weekly basis at the same level.

All of those explanations could be written off as excuses but there really is no need. Within a few months of earning a regular spot for Liverpool, he’s on his way to playing for Argentina having been called up for the first time last month. Confirmation that there are those outside of Anfield who have been impressed by what he’s doing.

Do you tweet? If so you can now follow A Liverpool Thing on twitter.

Good Game Bad Game [vs Chelsea]

2009-10-05T14:00:00.000+02:00

Playing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is never an easy task; doing so after a confidence crushing defeat makes it that little bit harder. Despite the protestations that the defeat at Fiorentina had been archived and forgotten, that clearly wasn’t the case as Liverpool looked to avoid getting hurt first and foremost.

It was a tactic that, for the most, worked even if it meant that with Javier Mascherano and Lucas playing quite deep Chelsea themselves could defend with a fair bit of ease.

Then, out of nothing, Mascherano got caught out of possession and a few instances later Chelsea were 1-0 up. It is the way such games go: you make one mistake and get punished for it.

Now, as Benitez said, focus has to shift on the next game. Chelsea’s own defeat at Wigan and Manchester United’s draw at Sunderland highlight that the top teams are likely to drop points against the lower ones this season. Despite the gap, therefore, Liverpool are still very much in it, conscious however that no more mistakes can be made in the coming weeks.

Good Game
Not at fault at any of the two goals, Pepe Reina was always ready when Chelsea tried their luck with shots from the distance and commanded his defence with the usual authority. Similarly, no fault can be place on Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher’s feet on this occasion as they both had very good games. In particular, it was nice to see how Skrtel handled Didier Drogba given how he’s struggled with him in the past, even if the Ivorian did create both of Chelsea’s goals.

The two full-backs, Glen Johnson and Emiliano Insua were just as diligent. Both clearly had instructions to pay attention to their defending and did that well. With Liverpool chasing the game Johnson started getting forward with greater intent, something that we haven’t seen much of in recent games, and he can cause problems with his running. Sadly, he couldn’t force the breakthrough here.

It seems that there are many out there willing Lucas to have a bad game so that they can criticise him (and having a bad game is optional). This season he hasn’t been that accommodating, certainly not on this occasion as he did an excellent job of tidying up in midfield. Nothing spectacular but the sort of performance the team needs in games like this.

The biggest difference between this game and the Fiorentina was the presence of Javier Mascherano who worked tirelessly in shielding the defence. It was unfortunate that he made the mistake which led to Chelsea’s first goal but that doesn’t detract from an otherwise impeccable game. My man of the match.

Steven Gerrard wasn’t his usual self today – and he should really stop taking corners – but when the team needed him they found him ready which, for me, means that he did his job.

Bad Game
Having Albert Riera missing against Fiorentina was something of a surprise but you would have thought that he would be more than eager to prove that it was a bad decision today. That wasn’t the case as he went missing more often than not. It was also a bad game for Dirk Kuyt who hasn’t really excelled so far this season. He was as willing as always but rarely did anything that he touched come off.

It could be argued that Fernando Torres didn’t have good enough service today and it would be right. Then again, he failed to take the chances that he did have which, at the end of the day, results in a bad game for him.

Substitutes
The introduction of Yossi Benayoun gave Liverpool another dimension as his creativity and link-up play was very difficult for Chelsea to mark. It wouldn’t have made any difference, but he really ought to have scored with that chance at the death. In theory, Ryan Babel was supposed to come on and trouble the Chelsea defence by running at them. That, however, didn’t work out as Babel either ended up going down blind alleys or else losing the ball cheaply. Fabio Aurelio’s late introduction was in all likelihood intended to stretch Chelsea that little bit more given his ability to act as an added left sided midfielder.

Stevan Jovetic: Fiorentina's Main Man

2009-09-29T15:05:00.000+02:00

The over-riding reaction at seeing Fiorentina's name being drawn in Liverpool's Champions League group was something of a surprise. Perhaps it is an indication of the falling standards of the Serie A that, where once Italian teams were feared now they are met with a feeling that is somewhat akin to relief. Which is how Fiorentina were viewed; a sort of lucky draw.

Despite the internet making it much easier to follow football from across the globe, certain misconceptions are hard to eradicate. Looking through Fiorentina's squad, for instance, it is hard to identify any big name players. The only possible exception is Adrian Mutu and he isn't going through an overly positive patch, particularly after the verdict that requires him to pay millions in compensation to Chelsea after he was sacked in reaction to being found guilty of doping.

Dig a little bit deeper, however, and you'll start to find just why Fiorentina have made it to the Champions League. There you will find Claudio Prandelli, one of Italy's brightest managers and a man who always seems to get players to play better than what everyone assumes they are capable of. Just as he has done with Alberto Gilardino, laughed out of the San Siro during his spell at AC Milan but who at Fiorentina has rediscovered his form as one of the Serie A's leading goalscorers.

Then there is Pantaleo Corvino, their sporting director and the man who choses which players to buy. There are few people around who can spot talent better than Corvino, whose CV includes discovering Fabrizio Miccoli, Valeri Bojinov, Javier Chevanton, Mirko Vucinic and Felipe Melo.

His biggest find, however, could be the most recent one. Stevan Jovetic was hardly an unknown quantity when he joined Fiorentina from Partizan Belgrade last year. Having played more than forty games for the Serbian champions - an incredible statistics for someone who was still eighteen at the time - his progressed had been monitored by a number of top European sides including Real Madrid and Manchester United.

Yet Fiorentina and Corvino trumped them all by getting him for £7m, a deal that can already be labelled as a bargain. Consistency has been added to last season's occasional flashes of brilliance as Jovetic has become a permanent fixture in the side. Class and elegance coupled with good physical strength have seen him take over the reigns of the team and lead to inevitable comparisons with Roberto Baggio, a Viola legend.

Jovetic himself won't hear of such comparisons but it is difficult for the Fiorentina fans not to get excited, especially after he scored the goals that got them through the qualification rounds of the Champions League. By his own admission, it is on this stage that Jovetic wants to test himself to see exactly just how much he has progressed. And it is how he does here that will really underline his abilities. Liverpool have been warned.

Spreading the Workd: Remembering the Wrexham Miners

2009-09-24T14:00:00.000+02:00

Ever since former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders took over as manager at Wrexham, I have been following the fortunes of the Welsh club to see how he is doing. In all honesty, it hasn't been a great season for them so far and a season that started off with the hope of promotion is being played out in the bottom half of the Conference.

This week, however, something special took place at Wrexham. Not because they beat Luton 3-0 at home - even though it was an important result - but rather because of what happened before the game.

In a touching ceremony, 266 black baloons were released into the sky, each one to commemorate a miner who died in a tragic accident that took place seventy five years ago.

On 22nd September, 1934, during a night shift at Gresford Colliery near Wrexham a violent explosion tore through the mine killing 266 miners. It’s believed that a spark ignited a build up of methane gas trapped down the Dennis Shaft causing a ferocious fire which hampered any rescue attempt.

Every man on the shift was killed apart from six miners who managed to escape. Three members of the rescue team were also killed brining the death toll to 266.

At this point, you might be wondering what all this has to do with football and you would be justified in doing so.

The reason is that Wrexham is a town that is based - or at least was - on it mining comunity and most of the football club's support came from the miners. IndeedWrexham was the only club in the Football League which used to kick off at 3:15pm rather than at 3 o’ clock, giving the miners of Llay and Gresford time to get changed at the end of their shift and make it down to The Racecourse.

Indeed, on that night in 1934, many of the miners were “doubling up” - working a double shift - to make sure they had time off to watch Wrexham v Tranmere Rovers the following day. With the club's training ground, Collier's Park, being situated above what was Gresford Colliery, the ceremony was more than fitting and is something about which the club's fans should be proud.

YNWA

Good Game Bad Game [vs Leeds United]

2009-09-23T14:49:00.002+02:00

This was always going to be a tricky game, one from which Liverpool had everything to lose whilst Leeds United, doing so well in League One, were going to be determined to do well in front of their own fans. For Benitez, the headache was going to be who to play: on the one hand there was the calls to put in some of the younger players but on the other there was the fear of being shown up by Leeds with the hammering that would undoubtedly follow.

In the end he settled for a side filled with squad players with the welcome inclusion of Jay Spearing. The experimental nature of the team – Fabio Aurelio in central midfield for instance – showed and play was disjointed.

There will be those who will claim that Leeds were hard done by to lose this game. In reality, they showed little of note bar some flashes by Beckford and Snodgrass. Not that Liverpool were much better yet the difference in class showed. Now let’s hope for a good draw in the fourth round.

Good Game
They were occasionally shown up by Beckford’s speed but on the whole Jamie Carragher and Sotiris Kyrgiakos were solid. In particular, the Greek had a very good game and showed that he should prove to be a more than useful replacement for Sami Hyppia.

One of the most pleasing aspects of the game was the performance of Philip Degen. The Swiss defender is nothing special defensively but going forward he showed some classy moves and, if he stays fit (which means a very big if), he could prove to be good cover for Glen Johnson.

Playing Fabio Aurelio in midfield was a clever experiment by Benitez and, whilst the Brazilian used the ball very well, he is too one footed to play in that role on a more permanent basis. For most of the game, Javier Mascherano was anonymous but then came to life in the final half an hour. He could have paid the price for a reckless accident with Beckford and there were fears that he might lose his calm. That didn’t happen and he helped out in defence as Leeds tried to create something towards the end.

Let’s make it clear: Jay Spearing didn’t have a fantastic game. Yet he showed the kind of touches that anyone who has seen him play for the reserves knows that he is capable of. In particular, in the second half he really started taking over Liverpool’s midfield - perhaps as a result of being used in a more advanced position - as he put in some very intelligent through balls.

I’m undecided as to whether Albert Riera had a good or a bad game. On occasions he simply didn’t look interested whilst on other he drove the Leeds players crazy. He needs to add consistency if he is to play more regularly. Much better was Ryan Babel particularly when he was playing on the right. Indeed, he continued on the good touches that he showed against West Ham and, if he keeps on like this sort of form, he could yet force his way into the first team.

David N’Gog remains a highly under-rated player. His work rate up front is impeccable, his touch very good and he took his goal well. Isolated up front for long stretches, he did his best to win the ball and gave his all showing touches of real skill. Despite keeping Beckford onside for the disallowed goal, he is still my man of the match.

Bad Game
This might seem harsh on Diego Cavallieri but his positioning left a lot to be desired whilst he flapped on a couple of crosses. Yet the worst player on the pitch was Andrea Dossena who kept getting beat on the left and losing possession whenever he made a move forward.

Substitutes
Having toyed with the idea of playing Fernaro Torres, Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Martin Skrtel all seemed like move designed as a move to wind down the clock by Benitez (as well as ensuring a win)