The Sporting calendar

After last nights win against Real Madrid at Anfield, many bloggers and sports reporters are saying that either Liverpool outclassed Real Madrid, or Real looked a shadow of their former teams and Liverpool caught them out.

For me the biggest plus, was Jay Spearing!

With Liverpool 3-0 up, Real Madrid were getting through the midfield all too often. Despite not scoring, they were playing one-twos and causing problems everytime they went forward.
Lucas came on as a substitute, he’s an ok player, but neither a great tackler nor and goal scorer, Real’s progress through the middle continued to grow, to the extent that Real’s overlapping right back was constantly in space on his own on the right wing, Real didn’t use him at all.

Once on, Spearing showed good speed from box to box, almost getting through on the keeper and being unmarked as Torres chose to try to curl one past the keeper, when Spearing was in a better position as he arrived from deep to the edge of the box.
He had only been on the field 10 minutes and the fans around the ground chanted his name.

Most impressive for me, was that the attacks through the middle from Real, stopped within 5 minutes of Spearing coming on.
Instead Real were forced to play it wide to their unmarked right back, who was now in Arbeloa’s pocket.
Benitez should have more faith in some of the young talent coming through the ranks and not be afraid to have them in the first team as regulars, no point winning youth cups and leagues if they are to be released to other clubs and not put pressure on the so called big names currently holding first team places!

An early blast from the pool, put the skids under Real as they struggled to hold the ball and play.
Torres looked sharp as he (for once) played off the last man, a neat turn early on leaving him 8 yards out and 1 on 1 with the keeper, who saved well with his legs, Torres should have scored.
Another pool attack from a corner, saw the ball come out to Mascherano, who hit a looping half volley, heading for the top corner, which the keeper saw late and produced a fantastic save, pushing the ball onto the bar.
The keeper was on fire, until he was left unprotected after 16 minutes.

The Real defence let a long ball bounce and it looped over the Real number 3, who turned to face his own goal with Kuyt and Torres breathing down his neck, Torres touched his shoulder momentarily and he went down, Kuyt took a touch and pulled the ball back along the 6 yard box, where Torres or Gerrard were waiting to pounce unmarked. The keeper had no chance.

Liverpool continued to look sharp, closing down well and forcing mistakes in Real’s passing game.

Babel looked lively and floated a ball to the right edge of the area, as Kuyt headed it back in, the unfortunate Heinze (once a pool target) raised his arm as the ball looked to have come off his shoulder, the linesman behind Kuyt flagged immeadiately for a penalty, which Gerrard made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way. Less than half an hour played and Liverpool were 2-0 up!

Real started to come back into the game a bit more, ex Portsmouth player Diarra looks impressive bringing the ball out of defence and rarely misplaces a pass.
Real playing much better as half time arrives.

Liverpool flew out of the blocks again at the start of the second half, looking dangerous on the break, a sweeping move had the ball at babel’s feet, for once he hit the byline and dinked in a left foot cross, which bounced right in front of the “running from deep” Gerrard who controlled it brilliantly first time to fire into the roof of the net.

Real didn’t switch off and came back at liverpool more and more going close on a number of occasions, the ball just wouldn’t go in for them, and when it finally did, they had two players offside!
Real’s passing game through the middle was causing Liverpool problems every time they came forward, Lucas came on, but had little effect, until Liverpool brought on the pocket rocket!
Jay Spearing, who has been with the club since he was seven years old and captained the youth team to the youth cup, from the position of centre back stemmed the flow of attacks through the middle!

Box to box he played, any pool fans remember sammy lee in his playing days – exactly the same he is. A tigerish midfielder with a great engine and an eye for finding spaces in the opponents half, he had the crowd chanting his name after 20 minutes!

Pool swept up field to score a fourth, Dossena making up for his booking, getting free in the box, firing under the keeper’s hand to make it 4-0.

All in all a very satisfying game for the pool, who move into the last eight.
I would still question why Torres can’t be lazy, whilst sitting on the last man in defence, of the four times he did it in the second half, he did this, he got clear twice and won free kicks the other two times.
This was the sharpest I’ve seen him in a long time, perhaps he is now fit?
Arbeloa had a cracking game, very solid, Mascherano will be missing for the next round as he picked up a yellow card and will be suspended.
Lets hope that Liverpool avoid English opposition in the next round, with Chelsea coming through their away leg against Juventus, Man Utd looking unstoppable and Arsenal on a run, the one danger team looks to be Bayern Munich, who followed up their 5-0 first leg win with a 7-1 thrashing of Sporting Lisbon!

After an FA Cup weekend, the last five teams for the oldest cup competition in football are now known.
Man Utd will play Everton in one semi final, the winners of Arsenal v Hull city will face Chelsea in the other.

Arsenal breezed past Burnley in their tie today (3-0 the final score) at the Emirates stadium, I have long tipped Arsenal to lift the cup this season, no doubt I have just jinxed them, but they are on an impressive run in the league and have players coming back from injury at just the right time.
Had they stayed clear of injuries earlier in the season they would be close to catching Man Utd for the league this season.

Everton are proving also that returning players at the right time can be as good as having a new signing.
They have lost Arteta for the season (another one of my fantasy team players to go down with injury!) but with Jo on loan in reserve (not sure if he’s eligible to play in the cup?) and Saha returning with a couple of goals, and their two wide players returning to form, they could be dark horses for the cup… if only they didn’t have Utd in the semis.

Utd’s tie against Fulham looked over from the minute Tevez scored at the back post, I stopped watching at 2-0, Welbeck looked in terrific form, he is going to be a big player in years to come. Now if only Liverpool can start picking up the players young, instead of spending millions on half decent players, come back Bob Paisley and his scouting set up, we need you!

Jamie Carragher? – Played many times for England as a midfielder sat in front of the back four, excellent distribution, rarely gives away possession, quality tackler who reads the game well, but as a central defender? Pool would be better having him in front of Agger and Skrtel.
Rio Ferdinand? – in big games against top names he’s a definate contender as England’s best, but lacks consistancy I think.
Against the lesser teams, he goes missing occasionally, he can get himself out of trouble with some skill, but header wise he is surprisingly lacking. His distribution is suspect as well. He’d be close but not quite there yet.
John Terry? – stalwart, hardnut, always difficult to play against, but of late has been all at sea for some of the goals conceded. Marking lets him down, but he makes up for it with his goals and presence when he wonders up front. Like Ferdinand, he comes close, but his time as first choice must be in question. Like it or not, international standards have moved on, looks good against lesser countries, but against any of the top ten countries, they can one-two around him with ease, as he’s dragged out of position.

….. and the winner is?

Ledley King!
When you have stopped laughing, have a think about it.
He was world class for England in the Euro championships in France, keeping the then World champions and eventual Euro champions at bay for 89 minutes in Paris, funny how England’s performances at the back went down hill when he had to return home before our tournament ended – when he is fit and in the Spurs back four, they are solid and organised.
He has good speed, he has great distribution, good reading of the game, good header of the ball, he is consistant, he scores goals, he can play the simple pass out of defence but if there’s nothing on, he can bring the ballout and draw a midfielder into committing himself.

Laugh you may, but can you think of anyone better?
The only downside is his injuries, when fit, he would be the first choice in my premiership team!

Middlesbro 2-0 Liverpool
Changing the team every game, players being played out of position, changing from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2, etc, some of the player transfers have been completely bizarre to say the least.
I never imagined for one second that we would be challenging even at this stage of the season for the league title.

Exactly how does a football club win any trophy or league when they are constantly chopping and changing everything around?
How does a club build up a “fear factor” for other teams to worry about?
How do players build up an understanding between players, on each wing for example, if every week they are playing with a different team mate?
What about those that have a great game, then are dropped to the bench or out of the squad for the very next game? How are they to build confidence?

Then we have benitez’s “style” of play:
By all means have tackling back, but playing a world class midfielder as a striker may be good to cover for an injury, but not week in week out.
Simple process football is, pass and move, play to your strengths.
Find a format that works and stick to it!

What about Benitez success?
What success? Don’t forget that when benitez won the European cup (known as the champions league) he did so with a team crafted and built by Gerard Houllier and Phil Thompson.

During the sunny days of the season, Liverpool look half decent, but come a cold and frosty wednesday night in a league cup replay, etc, the players brought in from sunnier climates, are nowhere to be seen.

Oh how I long for the legendary Bob Paisley. No fuss, No messing about, set your stall out and let the other teams worry!