Football World

Drawing conclusions
Ejaz Khan

Liverpool sit on the cliff edge of uncertainty and growing frustration, as the stand off between Owners and fans seems to be affecting the players, according to Liverpool skipper Stevie G it isn’t easy to just block it all out, all the time. Pepe Reina maybe feels the same, he couldn’t block out the goals last night, conceding two goals in quick succession, although the second goal was a bit of a weird own goal.


Déjà vu ? Seems that way. Another draw, yes. Another resounding backing from the fans for Rafa Benitez, but no full intensity from the players on the pitch. Dirk Kuyt in the box, something new and welcomed by fans. An assist even. Wow, it has can only get better, you’d be fooled into thinking. But that where it stops. Five seconds of productivity, and 92.5 minutes of utter frustration. Yossi Benayoun, doing so well to get the goal, seemed to think, just like Kuyt, that their efforts for the opening goal were enough for the evening. They were horribly wrong.


While a full thumbs up to the crowd is in order for a wonderful backing of both coach and club, seeing their team once again display a mediocre performance must leave them disillusioned to say the least. But the main problem seems to be getting that second goal, the goal that kills off the hopes of your opposition. That has been a re-occurring problem point for the Reds throughout this season so far.
Kewell, showing a few glimpses of his true potential, fizzles out again. Hyppia and Carragher did well at the back, Fabio Aurelio seemed to have put on Jon Arne Riise’s boots, Mascherano was intense in constantly breaking down Aston Villa attacks, but still lacks that edge going forward, and once again, Skipper Steven Gerrard played deeper than Mascherano, when it should have been the other way around. He definitely plays with more freedom when Xabi Alonso is his midfield partner.

Tall story : Why doesn’t crouch get more starts ?

The mystery discussion currently is the Crouch debacle. What has he done to limit himself to cameo appearances. Is it because he is so tall that when he stretches his legs he can warm the whole bench at one time? I don’t think so. Peter Crouch was asked to perform a miracle and duly managed to do what Dirk Kuyt could not in 88 mins…come in and do the job, end of discussion.