” Fulham and Liverpool are up against it tonight. Not because they face the might of Hamburg and Atlético Madrid, but because some ash has erupted out of a volcano in Iceland. The English teams have travelled across Europe by plane, train and automobile this week, and, scientifically speaking, they face an uphill journey to the Europa League final.” (WSC)
“Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has warned critics not to judge striker David Ngog by Fernando Torres’ standards and backed the youngster to continue improving. Ngog is likely to see plenty of action between now and the end of the season with Torres sidelined by a second knee operation in three months and he responded to his second successive start in the Spaniard’s absence by scoring a well-taken goal in last night’s comfortable 3-0 win over West Ham at Anfield.” (ESPN)
Liverpool 3 – 0 West Ham United
“Liverpool cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over West Ham at Anfield to keep their faint Champions League hopes alive and leave the Hammers with three games to secure their top-flight survival. Former West Ham midfielder Yossi Benayoun and David Ngog gave the hosts a 2-0 lead in a low-key first half and goalkeeper Robert Green’s unfortunate own goal finished off his side.” (ESPN)
Liverpool 3-0 West Ham United – Recap and Video Highlights – EPL – Monday, April 19, 2010
“Liverpool hosted West Ham United in a Monday night match in the English Premier League on Monday, April 19, 2010. West Ham remains in the relegation battle but would likely be safe with one more win. Liverpool is in contention for one of the Europa League spots but too far back to make it into the top four. The two teams played at Anfield in front of over 37,000.” (The 90th Minute)
Jan Brueghel, Triumph des Todes
“At a time when stock market flotations were all the rage in top football circles, performance-related pay (PRP) was all the rage in public sector/civil service offices. Both ideas proved to be rubbish (see ‘bankers’ bonuses’ for details). But not before both wrought considerable damage. A key part of PRP where I once worked was the concept of ‘SMART’ objectives, which won the ‘misleading acronym of the year’ award so often in the early-90s it got to keep the trophy. SMART stood for ‘Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timeous.’ And while this contained an element of superficial common-sense, it failed utterly as a measure of determining pay, for reasons to numerous and dull to detail here.” (twohundredpercent)
“Sir Bobby Charlton kept a roomful of people spellbound yesterday with stories of his life in football. The pick of the bunch was about Bill Shankly and the first day of the 1967-68 season. It was seven in the morning and Liverpool’s squad had spent the night at a hotel in Lymm prior to visiting Manchester City. Alone in the lobby, Shankly was itching for conversation. On hearing from the porter that ‘Bobby Charlton lives round here’, he headed out.” (WSC)
“To the many and storied benefits of the Premier League revolution, chalk up the increasing requirement for committed fans to have a finance qualification. ‘Three years ago,” reflects Everton supporter Dave Kelly, “if you’d have said ‘enabling grant’ to a supporter on the Goodison Road, they’d have thought you were talking about Tony Grant’s brother.’ Tony Grant is a former Everton midfielder, should you be unfamiliar with his work, while his brother Enabling is viewed by some as the saviour of any number of successful football clubs who bafflingly find themselves financially embarrassed.” (Guardian)
Revealed: How Goldman Sachs drew up financial rescue for Liverpool
“One of the world’s greatest football clubs owned by a group of investors put together by the world’s most powerful investment bank. It sounds far fetched doesn’t it? Except, until six weeks ago, it was one of the options being looked at by Liverpool’s beleaguered owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.” (BBC)
“It rather seems as if every time there is a refereeing decision that costs a team a point or two, the usual suspects in the media start stating the case for all manner of whizzy gizmos to make sure that such a travesty of justice never occurs again. FIFA, however, are against the introduction of such technology and Rob Freeman has similar reservations.” (twohundredpercent)
“Liverpool badly missed Fernando Torres as they dropped two more points in their increasingly forlorn pursuit of fourth place in the Premier League. The Reds had numerous opportunities to beat their fellow Europa League semi-finalists Fulham but, without the cutting edge of the injured Torres, drew a blank at Anfield.” (ESPN)
Liverpool run into a Fulham’s Champions League roadblock
“Liverpool lost ground in their pursuit of the fourth Champions League place this afternoon after being held to a goalless draw at home to Fulham. Rafael Benítez’s team dominated from start to finish against opponents who parked the proverbial bus at Anfield, but the thought that this could be a dress rehearsal for the Europa League final is chilling.” (Guardian)
Liverpool 0 – 0 Fulham
“Liverpool’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League took another huge blow as they failed to break down resolute Fulham despite dominating possession. Alberto Aquilani’s early overhead kick was easily collected by Mark Schwarzer.” (BBC)
Liverpool 0-0 Fulham – Recap and Video Highlights – 11 April 2010
“Liverpool hosted Fulham needing a win to keep their Champions League hopes alive. They trail Manchester City for 4th place and would likely need to win all their remaining matches to have a realistic shot at overtaking them. Fulham are in the middle of the table and focusing primarily on the Europa League. Liverpool would be the favorites heading into the match but were without striker Fernando Torres.” (The 90th Minute)
“What a well crafted win for Rafa Benitez’s men. I mean, take a bow. For all the slagging the manager and the team went through last weekend, this response was very much-needed for some reassurance. And the fact that it has come against a solid Benfica side, who are no pushovers, makes the win very much enjoyable.” (BigFourZa!)
“As an academic with an interest in economic analysis, the downfall of the English teams in the Champions League this season did not surprise me, even while it disappointed me as a Manchester United fan. Earlier this season, I was actually expecting that the English teams would “under-perform” in the competition, when set against general expectations, and now that United have followed Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool out of the Champions League, they have done so. Except I would argue they did not actually under-perform; they did what economic analysis suggested might happen.” (Sporting Intelligence)
Alberto Aquilani
“When Xabi Alonso left Liverpool for Real Madrid last summer, Alberto Aquilani was swiftly brought in from Roma as an ostensible replacement. It was by no means a like-for-like exchange – Aquilani typically played further forward in Italy, poses more of a direct goal threat and cannot quite match Alonso’s superb passing range – but it is worth remembering that Alonso himself was a more attacking player when he arrived at Anfield from Real Sociedad in 2004 and the expectation was that Aquilani would be groomed to succeed him in the deep-lying midfield regista role.” (Football Further)
“Liverpool hosted Benfica in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League Quarterfinals on Thursday, April 8, 2010. The winner would advance to the semifinals and Benfica had a 2-1 lead from the first leg. Benfica have had strong performances on the road in the Europa League but going to Anfield would be their toughest test of the competition.” (The 90th Minute)
“Well, as we celebrate the relaunch of Just-Football.com, we decided to catch up with some of the blogosphere’s leading lights writing about Europe’s top clubs to find out what makes them tick, get their perspectives on the teams they hold dear and their opinions on said team’s prospects for the rest of the season.” (The Blog Files – #1: Just Football interviews Barcelona Football Blog), (#2: Just Football interviews The Republik of Mancunia), (#3 – Just Football interviews Oh You Beauty), ( #4: Just Football interviews Real Madrid Talk), (#5: Just Football interviews AC Milan Blog)
“So it has come to pass. For the first time in seven years, there will be no English clubs in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. The manner of the defeats of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United were from three different chapters of the book, ‘How To Get Eliminated From A Two-Legged Cup Tie’. Chelsea were edged out by Internazionale over two legs during which they seldom looked a considerably inferior team. Arsenal were thrashed – fortunate to find a way back into the first leg against Barcelona, they were hopelessly outplayed by one single player in the return match. Manchester United can, at least count themselves slightly unlucky – beaten on away goals after two very tight matches.” (twohundredpercent)
“Liverpool’s manager has eschewed qualifying for football’s grand prize by focusing on the Europa League, the realm of also-rans. How the mighty are falling. Finding Liverpool concentrating on the Europa League is akin to discovering The Beatles entering the Eurovision Song Contest. They should be above it. Great fans deserve better. Ambitious players such as Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Javier Mascherano and Pepe Reina deserve better. Even Benitez’s backers struggle to support him now.” (Telegraph – Henry Winter)
“Famous looks are the hallmark of great movies, soap operas and lately serial dramas. Looks can say so much. No words are needed, the overriding emotions are clear, the recipient understands exactly what is being said, without the need to actually say it.” (Just Football)
Tiziano Vecellio
“Liverpool’s hopes of securing fourth spot and Champions League qualification suffered a big blow after a lacklustre draw at Birmingham. In a dour first half, Maxi Rodriguez hit the bar for the Reds, while Roger Johnson headed over at the other end. Liverpool took the lead when Steven Gerrard turned Lee Bowyer to curl in after Glen Johnson’s mis-hit pass. Birmingham hit back as Liam Ridgewell bundled in James McFadden’s cross and survived three late David Ngog chances.” (BBC)
Reds European dreams on hold
“Liverpool’s hopes of securing a Champions League spot are hanging by a slender thread after Birmingham defender Liam Ridgewell earned his side a share of the spoils at St. Andrew’s. Reds skipper Steven Gerrard put his side ahead a minute into the second half but Ridgewell levelled matters nine minutes later.” (ESPN)
Liverpool held by Birmingham as Champions League hopes fade
“There is no disgrace in drawing with a Birmingham City side that have now taken points off every club in the top six at home but the harsh reality for Liverpool is that matching their rivals’ results is no longer enough. Liam Ridgewell’s equaliser, after Steven Gerrard had put Liverpool in front with his 10th goal of the season, means that Rafael Benítez’s side are four points behind fourth-placed Manchester City having played a game more.” (Guardian)
Liverpool draws with Birmingham, loses ground in hunt for fourth
“Rafa Benitez defended his decision to substitute star striker Fernando Torres despite seeing his misfiring Liverpool side drop further points in the race for fourth place with a 1-1 draw away to Birmingham.” (SI)
Birmingham City 1-1 Liverpool – Recap and Video Highlights
“Liverpool traveled to St Andrew’s Stadium to face Birmingham City in the English Premier League on Sunday, April 4, 2010. They needed a win to gain ground on 4th place Manchester City and keep their Champions League hopes a live. A loss would probably end their chances while a draw would also significantly hurt them. Birmingham City was middle of the table and safe from relegation heading into the match.” (The 90th Minute)
“Whether it is called the Stadium of Light or the Estadio da Luz; whether it is by the Wear or the Tagus, it is a venue that this season Liverpool have left with bleeding, self-inflicted wounds.” (Independent)
Benfica 2-1 Liverpool: Benfica scrap to a victory, but it should have been more resounding
“A decent game for the neutral tonight, but fairly underwhelming from a tactical point of view. Both sides played as expected, the result was no surprise, and all the goals came from defensive mistakes rather than attacking brilliance. Benfica played with a variation of their usual shape, because of the injury to Javier Saviola. Pablo Aimar moved forward into a more offensive role behind Oscar Cardoso, whilst Carlos Martins came into the centre of midfield. This change meant that Ramires and Angel di Maria played slightly wider than usual, and the two swapped wings throughout the game, although di Maria was always more effective on his natural left-hand side.” (Zonal Marking)
Benfica turn their attentions to Liverpool
“One league title in the past 15 years hasn’t done much to expand Benfica’s trophy room. Fruitless seasons have witnessed a long line of increasingly inept managers – 15 of them since 1995. Only Giovanni Trappatoni could leave with some integrity after Benfica stumbled to the title in 2005. The lack of continuity had left its mark on the club and success seemed as distant as ever, until the arrival of Jorge Jesus.” (WSC)
Benfica 2-1 Liverpool – Recap and Video Highlights – UEFA Europa League – Thursday, April 1, 2010
“Portuguese side Benfica hosted Liverpool in the UEFA Europa League quarterfinal 1st leg on Thursday, April 1, 2010. Both sides are favorites to win the entire tournament but for Liverpool it’s much more important to salvage their season. Liverpool are struggling to qualify for the Champions League next season and could be in serious financial troubles unless they can find success in the Europa League.” (The 90th Minute)
“Rewind twelve months and Jamie Carragher was looking back on what had been a prosperous March for Liverpool, having played every minute of the Reds’ four successive victories against Sunderland, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Aston Villa. With fifteen goals scored – including four against both United and Madrid – and just one conceded, Rafael Benitez had just signed a new five-year deal, Steven Gerrard had just netted a hat-trick in the 5-0 mauling of Villa and the boys from Anfield were just a point off top spot in the Premier League.” (ESPN)
“Europa League fixtures/results, Europa League fixtures/results (ESPN Soccernet). The Quarter-finals of the 09/10 Europa League begin on Thursday, 1st April, with the second leg matches a week later. Of the 8 clubs still alive, there are 2 English clubs (Fulham and Liverpool), 2 German clubs (Hamburg and Wolfsburg), 2 Spanish clubs (Atletico Madrid and Valencia), a Belgian club (Standard Liege), and a Portuguese club (Benfica).” (billsportsmaps)
“As we approach the climax to the 2009/10 Premiership season, Liverpool are still battling for major prizes and have plenty to play for. However, had Liverpool fans been told last May that their team would be battling for 4th place and The Europa League, many probably would have scorned in contempt. Yet, with only seven league games remaining the Reds have a huge fight on their hands to salvage pride and respectability from what, last May, promised to be an enterprising, possibly even watershed year.” (Just Football)
“The harmony of 60,000 voices that drifts out of the Emirates Stadium in London every other week is evidence that sport can bring people together. Singing as one, Arsenal fans serenade the leadership of the bookish, 60-year-old Frenchman who leads their favorite soccer team. ‘One Arsene Wenger,’ rings the chant . ‘There’s only one, there’s only one Arsene Wenger. One Arsene Wenger!’” (NYT)
Claude Gellée, Les adieux d’Énée et Didon à Carthage (1676)
“A scintillating first-half performance set the tone for a one-sided Liverpool victory over Sunderland at Anfield that kept the Reds in the race for Champions League qualification. Fernando Torres struck a brilliant opener in the third minute and Glen Johnson’s deflected strike made it 2-0 at the end of a first half in which the hosts could easily have scored six.” (ESPN)
Liverpool 3 Sunderland 0: match report
“Springtime, and the shackles are off. Two goals from Fernando Torres, a fortuitous strike from Glen Johnson and a performance full of verve and panache gave a free-styling, freewheeling Liverpool, for so long laboured and unlovable, victory over Sunderland and cast Rafael Benitez’s side back into the thick of the race for the Champions League.” (Telegraph)
Fernando Torres’s touches of genius reignite the Liverpool challenge
“Fernando Torres struck a majestic goal as Liverpool announced their intention to chase Tottenham Hotspur all the way for a Champions League qualification place in emphatic style against Sunderland this afternoon. Their display was so commanding it allowed Anfield to mock the moment that had threatened to encapsulate their turbulent campaign.” (Guardian)
Liverpool v Sunderland – as it happened
“Kick-off is at 4pm. Sixth-placed Liverpool have won their last seven at Anfield and need to keep winning if they’re to maintain their push for fourth in the table and the place in the Champions League qualifying rounds that goes with it.” (Guardian)
Liverpool 3 – 0 Sunderland
“Torres opened the scoring with a spectacular strike in only the third minute, cutting inside Michael Turner and curling a shot into the top corner. Glen Johnson added a second with a shot that deflected off Turner then turned provider for Torres to hook home again. Craig Gordon saved well from Daniel Agger and Maxi Rodriguez to maintain some respectability for Sunderland.” (BBC)
Liverpool 3-0 Sunderland – Recap and Video Highlights – English Premier League – Sunday, March 28, 2010
“Liverpool hosted Sunderland in the English Premier League on Sunday, March 28, 2010 needing a win to keep their Champions League hopes alive. They are several points back of Tottenham Hotspur (who are in 4th place) and realistically need to win almost all of their remaining matches to have a chance at 4th place. Sunderland are above the relegation zone and need another win or two to guarantee their survival.” (The 90th Minute)
“Watching Steven Gerrard’s body language this season, you’d be forgiven for thinking he was a man condemned. And in some ways, perhaps he is. Out of the title race by December, FA Cup and Champions League runs ended prematurely, and sidelined at intervals by groin and hamstring injuries, it’s understandable Gerrard could be feeling a little sorry for himself.” (WSC)
“The decade started with the most attacking, open tournament in modern football, at Euro 2000. The four semi-finalists all played ‘classic’ Number 10s in the hole between the opposition defence and midfield. France, Italy, Portugal and Holland had Zinedine Zidane, Francesco Totti, Manuel Rui Costa and Dennis Bergkamp respectively – it almost seemed essential to have a player in this mould to be successful – helped by trequartista-less England and Germany’s early exits.” (Zonal Marking)
“Somewhere deep in the bowels of Anfield there is a timer ticking down. That timer shows about 100 days on it now, and tomorrow it will show about 99, and sometime this July the timer will hit zero. At that point, a bell will ring and Liverpool Football Club will have to begin a massive process of undoing the horrendous financial mistakes of the Rafa Benitez era. Sometime this July a $100 million loan payment will come due, and with no Champions League money coming in for the 2010/11 season, no cache of funds sitting in the bank and no prospect of future earnings to be found, Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett will have to start selling their big names.” (EPL Talk)
The Hell, Coppo di Marcovaldo
“It has become a sign of spring: as swallows crowd the sky over Madrid, Real is eliminated at the knock-out stage of the European Champions League. Yet again, the richest club in the world has spent obscene amounts of money with the sole intention of winning the most important club competition in the world, but on March 10, they were knocked out from the last 16 for the sixth year in a row (in 2003, they were eliminated from the last eight).” (The New Republic)
“After a season in which Liverpool narrowly missed out on the English Premiership title, it seems astonishing that the Reds, following their 2-1 loss to Manchester United on Sunday, are all but finished in the race for the final Champions League spot.” (SI)
“Speaking as a Reading fan, I remember the day vividly. In my time away at University in Portsmouth, we were playing Middlesbrough away in an utter dog fight of a match in 2007/2008. This was not going to be pretty, with both teams languishing in the relegation zone, the deepest, darkest echelon of any league table where nobody wants to be in May. With 91 minutes of this dire spectacle gone, terrier like midfielder James Harper popped up to score a priceless winner for us. Sheer jubilation.” (EPL Talk)
“No major tactical surprises here, and no surprise outcome either. Ferguson’s default line-up for these ‘big’ games is a flexible 4-5-1 shape (which means no Dimitar Berbatov) whilst Benitez was always going to go with Lucas ahead of Alberto Aquilani for a more solid midfield away at Old Trafford.” (Zonal Marking), (Zonal Marking – “Defending Steven Gerrard’s Old Trafford display“)
Philips Wouwerman, Cavalry Battle in front of a Burning Mill
“Torres sat enthralled as this footballing Fab Four enthused about Liverpool’s great history, about the philosophy behind the Kop’s chant of “attack, attack, attack” and rivalry with foe such as Sunday’s opposition, Manchester United. As they left the restaurant, Torres murmured his appreciation to these charismatic club ambassadors for giving him such an insight into such a special club.” (Telegraph – Henry Winter)
Park Ji-sung gives Manchester United the edge over Liverpool
“The game embodied all tensions of this year’s contest for the Premier League, with Manchester United coming from behind to end a bad recent record against Liverpool with a winner from Park ji-sung. The reigning champions, who now lead the League, will feel relieved that the substitute Yossi Benayoun merely headed into the hands of the United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar in the 90th minute.” (Guardian)
Fernando Torres reduced to pouting isolation by United’s defence
“In the end, Manchester United won because they passed the ball with more authority and provided greater support for Wayne Rooney in attacking positions than Liverpool did for Fernando Torres. There were parts of this game when Torres looked as though he would terrorise Old Trafford single-handedly but he was an isolated, pouting and aggravated figure for most of the second half, muttering under his breath and making those little hand gestures that Iberian footballers are so fond of.” (Guardian)
United beat Liverpool to go back to the top
“Manchester United came from behind to clamber back to the Premier League summit, trampling on Liverpool’s top-four hopes in the process. Park Ji-sung headed home the winner after an hour, securing the spoils after Wayne Rooney’s 33rd goal of the season had controversially levelled Fernando Torres’ fifth-minute opener.” (Independent)
“Babel lofted the clearance from deep inside Liverpool’s half. The ball somehow latched on to Torres’ homing beacon. The defender let it bounce. Torres ate it up like a starved Bengal tiger. He kept the other defender just at bay, picked his moment and flicked the ball over the sliding keeper. The ball went softly into the net. Liverpool were up 2-0.” (EPL Talk)
Steven Gerrard
“As a lone infantryman wistfully bugles a lamenting Last Post into the chill twilight air, Team Limey stands forlornly on the battlements of Castle Limey contemplating our final EPL column for SI.com. Together, over a last pint of ale, let’s relive some highlights from our five years here. And what a five years it’s been.” (SI)
“Far from a ‘sinking ship’, the ferry cross the Mersey showed no sign of being holed below the waterline whatever Albert ‘Dock’ Riera might think. It was never plain sailing against Lille but Steven Gerrard’s penalty and a brace of typically adroit Fernando Torres finishes allowed Liverpool to steam into the quarter-finals of the Europa League last night.” (Telegraph – Henry Winter)
Liverpool vs. Lille
(footytube)
Francesco Guardi – Cappriccio mit venezianischen Motiven
“Midfielder Alberto Aquilani finally found a performance to justify his £17 million price tag, capping a masterful display with his first Liverpool goal in the 4-1 win over Portsmouth at Anfield. The summer signing, brought in after Xabi Alonso’s sale to Real Madrid, has struggled to adapt to life in England but was at the heart of everything in only his fifth Premier League start.” (ESPN)
Gerrard to escape FA punishment
“The FA have confirmed they will take no action against Steven Gerrard following his clash with Portsmouth’s Michael Brown during Liverpool’s victory at Anfield on Monday night. The Liverpool captain appeared to elbow Brown in the back of the head in the 73rd minute of their 4-1 win, with Rafael Benitez substituting Gerrard immediately after the incident.” (ESPN)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard faces fresh video row after Michael Brown clash
“With a quarter of the match to go Gerrard and Brown chased a ball towards the penalty area but, as the Portsmouth midfielder tried to hold off his Liverpool counterpart, Gerrard seemed to hit his opponent with his forearm. Referee Stuart Attwell was only a few yards from the incident but took no action against the Liverpool captain.” (Telegraph)
Manchester United angry as Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard escapes FA probe
“Steven Gerrard has escaped disciplinary action over for the use of his forearm against Portsmouth’s Michael Brown in Liverpool’s 4-1 win yesterday. The decision has incensed Manchester United and led to allegations that the Football Association has employed double standards. Had he been found guilty of violent conduct, Gerrard would have been banned from Liverpool’s trip to Old Trafford on Sunday. The collision with Gerrard knocked Brown to the floor.” (Guardian)
“Longtime reader(s?) of this blog will know that I have something of a soft spot for films that don’t really give much of a damn about plot or story. I may be the only person who seriously considers Le Mans (1971, D: Lee Katzin/Steve McQueen; see article on the film here) every time he tries to assemble a top ten list of films in his head. I am often drawn to films which illuminate action and motion and exteriority.” (Running Downhill), (Must Read Soccer)
“Italian coaches will be everywhere at the Bridge. The Impossible Job has become the Italian Job. Marcello Lippi has won the World Cup while Giovanni Trapattoni wins friends with the Republic of Ireland. Zola, though, is under pressure. Widely considered one of the nicest men in an often heartless profession, the Sardinian who made the ball smile as an elegant maestro with Napoli, Parma and Chelsea, among others, now battles to keep West Ham United in the Premier League.” (Telegraph – Henry Winter)
“‘Remember Portsmouth’ was Rafa’s rallying call before last week’s game at Wigan. The rationale being, you’d imagine, that by invoking painful memories of that 2-0 defeat in December, Liverpool’s players would never dare tolerate such ignominy again. Unfortunately though, they took the manager’s words a little too literally, performing in much the same way they did at Fratton Park. That is, lumbering about the field with all the precision of a pensioner who’s forgotten where he left his glasses.” (WSC)
“The lasting image from France’s anemic, controversial, but ultimately successful campaign to qualify for the 2010 World Cup will be the un-penalized handball by Thierry Henry that helped Les Bleus slip by Ireland in a two-match playoff last November.” (NYT)
“I’m the fan who demands my one year in denial. I cling to the hopes of last season, refusing to believe something can’t be salvaged from this one (as the definition of salvage changes from Can we still finish top four? to Can we still finish top six? Top seven?) With my team so plagued by injury and other abrupt halts to any momentum, I’ve looked to those few inspiring performances to show me that a run of great form is on its way.” (EPL Talk)
1465 Sandro Botticelli, Mardochai lamenting before the gates of the palace
“Just when Lyons’ heroics in the Bernabeu had seemed to cast Liverpool’s Champions League elimination at that club’s hands in a more sympathetic light, Lille provided a reminder of precisely where Rafael Benitez’s side stands in the European scheme of things last night.” (Independent)
Eden Hazard’s late goal for Lille leaves Liverpool with plenty to do
“Lille are known as the Mastiffs and an unnerved Liverpool retreated from their lair nursing a nasty bite. No matter that Eden Hazard’s late, wickedly dipping thoroughly elusive, free-kick appeared flukey; it gave Rudi Garcia’s team a deserved first-leg lead.” (Guardian)
Lille vs. Liverpool
(footytube)
“Henry Ford. You wouldn’t want him on your pub quiz team but he certainly knew how to run a business. It must go forward. It must be evolving and improving constantly. Football clubs are the same. Everyone knows Ford’s pithy history quote, but he regularly expanded on the subject to great effect. ‘We don’t want tradition,’ he said. ‘We want to live in the present and the only history worth a tinker’s damn is the history we make today.’” (Daily Mail)
Le Sacrifice de Polyxène, Jean Cousin le Père ou le Fils
“Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega’s eighth Premier League goal of the season put a huge dent in Liverpool’s top-four aspirations at the DW Stadium. The Colombia international volleyed home Emmerson Boyce’s 35th-minute cross after Dirk Kuyt had needlessly given away possession close to his own penalty area. Liverpool showed little of the quality required for a place in the Champions League once Fernando Torres had hit a post in the eighth minute and the Latics were well worth their victory.” (ESPN)
Gerrard in hot water following Marriner incident
“Steven Gerrard’s conduct is under scrutiny on Tuesday morning but Rafael Benitez insists he did not see the incident in which his captain is alleged to have made a crude gesture towards referee Andre Marriner during Liverpool’s defeat to Wigan. A photo of Gerrard’s alleged insult adorns the back page of multiple newspapers in England, with reports indicating the midfielder could be the subject of disciplinary action from the Football Association. Gerrard also appeared to mouth an obscenity after being booked for a challenge on James McCarthy.” (ESPN)
Rafael Benítez: Liverpool ‘played without intelligence’
“Rafael Benítez cut a dejected figure as Liverpool’s Champions League ambitions suffered a serious setback with a 1-0 defeat at Wigan Athletic last night, though he mustered enough venom to condemn his players for the attitude and lack of character they displayed at the DW Stadium. ‘We didn’t show the right attitude and even though we worked harder in the second half, we played without game intelligence,’ complained the Liverpool manager.” (Guardian)
Fan Diary #28 – Liverpool at Wigan: Give Me Some Triangles
“Last night I hunted down a clip on my 501 goals DVD. It’s Liverpool’s Craig Johnston talking sometime in the 80s about Liverpool’s approach…” (EPL Talk)
You’ve heard this story before
“Honestly, the worst thing about losing a match at such a vital part of the season is to move on and do a damn write-up about it. And having endured the travails numerous times before never makes it easier, but at times like these role-playing as a critic warrants my presence. To say Liverpool played badly is an understatement. No excuse today. We had the main men we always needed. And yet to blow it off even as push comes to shove is an utter disappointment.” (BigFourZa)
Wigan Athletic vs. Liverpool: Video
(footytube)
“Slowly, a behind-the-scenes footballing revolution is growing. Whether it’s Portsmouth’s ongoing demise, the Glazers burdening Manchester United with hundreds of millions of pounds with of debt, Hicks and Gillett at Liverpool, Ashley at Newcastle or, lower down, the Vaughan family taking Chester City to the wall, the spotlight has well and truly turned on the owners. And with fans becoming more alarmed at the mismanagement of their clubs at boardroom level, supporters are asking whether it’s time that the fans took control of their clubs.” (Pitch Invasion)
The tribute money: Peter finding the silver coin in the mouth of the fish, Jacobs Jordaens
“Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat of Blackburn on Sunday sparked fresh recriminations about the playing style of Sam Allardyce’s side, with Rafael Benitez sarcastically observing: ‘I think it is a model for all the managers around the world, their style of football.’ That Blackburn are a hard-working, physical side is no secret. Allardyce, though, has taken umbrage at criticisms of their football in recent weeks.” (Football Further)
“During the course of my research for this piece, I discovered that my planned intro, Jerry Seinfeld’s bit about how supporting a team was tantamount to “rooting for laundry” has already descended – or should that be ascended? – to the level of cliche. That’s what I get for being late to Seinfeld, I suppose. Still, every cliche has a kernel of truth (as the cliche has it), so let us anyway remind ourselves of precisely what he said…” (Norman Einsteins)
“Faced with their toughest opponent for a generation, Europe’s leading football clubs have been forced to adopt a new tactic: frugality. Creditors have caught up with the beautiful game in recent weeks, raising fears that spiraling wages and reckless spending could put the future of some of the world’s most iconic teams at risk.” (WSJ)
“Sometimes you wonder why you’ve been wasting all your bloody time every day for the past three years writing and linking to pieces about issues of club ownership, club identity (versus club brand) and the difference between being a supporter and being a fan. As we’ve haphazardly been doing here since 2007.” (Pitch Invasion)
“SimonK… Liverpool seemed to play a little rubbish during the beginning of the game though great game. And of course, MotM should go to Reina. Saved the day!” (footytube)
“Liverpool striker Fernando Torres marked his first start since January 13 by scoring the winner in an ill-tempered 2-1 victory over Blackburn at Anfield. The Spain international hit his 13th goal in 17 Premier League appearances just before half-time, having missed five weeks at the start of the year after a knee operation. Liverpool had gone ahead midway through the half through Steven Gerrard only for Jamie Carragher’s handball to allow Keith Andrews to equalise from the penalty spot five minutes before the interval.” (ESPN)
Benitez fires volley at Allardyce as Reds win
“On the final whistle, they shook hands with the briefest of touches and then hostilities between Rafael Benitez and Sam Allardyce resumed. It had been a close enough contest for there to be no danger of the Liverpool manager crossing his hands to indicate the match was over after 33 minutes, which had so incensed Allardyce when Blackburn last visited Anfield.” (Independent)
Fernando Torres wants as much playing time as possible for Spain
“Fernando Torres is keen for as much international playing time as possible despite the Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez’s concerns over the striker, who has recently returned from a lengthy lay-off after knee surgery. Benítez will hope Torres returns from Spain without picking up any new knocks in the European champions’ friendly against France on Wednesday.” (Guardian)
“Pele’s Brazil against Gerd Müller’s West Germany in Mexico 1970, plus five other classic games that never took place” (Guardian)
“Well, Torres is back. That’s about the biggest consolation I can take from the last two outings. We may have gotten the right result against Unirea, but if you didn’t watch that match, trust me, the outcome doesn’t reflect the awful, numbing football we sat through for most of ninety minutes. Where was the team who beat Everton with only ten men? Where was the spark that undid Spurs? We were saved by N’Gog switching on at just the right moment (he was useless up until then) and Unirea’s players forgetting how to strike a ball any time they got a look at goal.” (EPL Talk)
“The full extent of the debts engulfing English football has been laid bare in a report that shows Premier League clubs are carrying more debt than the rest of Europe’s clubs put together. The findings are contained in a study from European football’s governing body into the state of football’s finances and come as the Premier League’s bottom club Portsmouth FC prepares to file for administration—a form of bankruptcy protection—on Friday as a result of debts of roughly £70 million ($105.5 million).” (WSJ)
Claude Gillot, Les deux carosses
“The eagerly-awaited top-four showdown turned into a goalless bore draw between Manchester City and Liverpool at Eastlands. Gripped by the fear of losing, the north-west rivals did not manage a shot on target during the first-half and only threw off their shackles in a half-hearted search for victory in the final 15 minutes. But even the introductions of Craig Bellamy and Fernando Torres failed to lift the game from its overall torpor.” (ESPN)
Man City 0 – 0 Liverpool
“Manchester City and Liverpool played out a miserable stalemate at Eastlands as they battled for fourth place in the Premier League. Roberto Mancini and Rafael Benitez have their sights set on a place in next season’s Champions League – but this was a wretched advert for their lofty ambitions in an encounter that plumbed the depths for long periods.” (BBC)
Manchester City 0 Liverpool 0: match report
“Even the return from injury of Craig Bellamy and Fernando Torres could not inspire either Manchester City or Liverpool to win the game neither team could afford to lose. Bellamy featured for half an hour just days after a reported spat with manager Roberto Mancini, while Rafael Benítez allowed Torres, who has not played since the FA Cup defeat to Reading on January 13, a 15-minute run-out. Neither talisman, though, could break the deadlock as two under-performing teams cancelled each other out.” (Telegraph)
Manchester City 0-0 Liverpool – Recap and Video Highlights
“Manchester City hosted Liverpool on Sunday, February 21, 2010 looking to remain 4th place in the English Premier League. Both clubs are fighting for the last UEFA Champions League spot along with Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur. Arsenal, Man United, and Chelsea are clearly the top three sides separating themselves from the rest of the league. The match was at the City of Manchester Stadium.” (The 90th Minute)
José Mourinho
“There might never have been a coach more intent on turning his teams into a sideshow to his own performance than José Mourinho. Yet he is not the pretty sight he imagines. On Saturday night in the San Siro, his Inter Milan was reduced by foul play and gamesmanship to nine men before halftime for the second match running. No matter, Mourinho applauded them, mocked the referee, and boasted that a team of his would have to be reduced to six players to lose a home game. He is a bitter and twisted man — and a successful one.” (NYT)
“For a long time, the only place you’d hear about supporters’ trusts in the national English media would be in the pages of When Saturday Comes. Yet now, it seems we hear more from spokespersons of supporters’ trusts — democratic non-profit fans’ organisations aiming to influence how their clubs are run — than we do from clubs themselves, at all levels of the game.” (Pitch Invasion)
“Striker David Ngog’s goal nine minutes from time eventually broke the resistance of a determined Unirea Urziceni at Anfield in the Europa League. With the visitors intent on soaking up plenty of pressure Rafael Benitez’s side struggled to find the creativity to get past the massed Romanian ranks. However, the Frenchman’s close-range header meant the Reds have some breathing space as they head to Bucharest for next week’s last-32 second leg.” (ESPN)
“Kicked out of the near-earth-orbit studio by overrated Indie rockers Vampire Weekend and with a presenter still somewhere in the alpine wilderness, Football Weekly makes do with a broom cupboard and whoever Producer Pete could find five minutes before recording was due to commence. Luckily he found Paul MacInnes, Rob Smyth, Kevin McCarra and Paul Doyle at a loose end and they all agreed to do him a turn. The hastily assembled bunch waste no time getting stuck into the week’s Champions League action, including Lukasz Fabianski’s night to forget, a Rooney-inspired comeback at the San Siro and Bayern Munich’s ludicrously offside goal to beat Fiorintina.” (Guardian – James Richardson)
“Watching European football has always had an exotic element for us in Britain. In the 60s and 70s, abroad was a long way away. The world seemed much bigger and the visit of a team from Italy, Germany or Albania was like a visit from another football planet. We hadn’t heard of most of the players, we didn’t know much about the teams. How could we? They were not on TV and rarely covered in the press. Our only exposure to non-British players was at World Cups and on European nights. Hardly any played in the UK.” (EPL Talk)
“The John Terry scandal has engendered a flood of obloquy on English football. Columnists of many kinds have fervently joined in the abuse, some with a knowledge of the realities of the game, however bleak, some, like the right wing political columnist Simon Geffer, who “hate soccer” with almost comical outrage. He seems for example to believe that today’s wealthy footballers — the average annual wage in the Premier League is a massive £1.2 mill ion — swan around in Rolls Royces, when the young plutocrats would favour nothing so square. For them, the costliest Ferraris and their luxurious like.” (TSS On Net – BRAIN GLANVILLE)
La Délivrance d’Andromède, Pierre Mignard
“Rafa Benitez’s unlikely recent defence of the one eyed tendency among managers has only served to remind us of the prevailing habit among Premier League bosses to see things only from their own point of view. The humble Championship, by contrast, is mercifully bereft of this selfism.” (thetwounfortunates)
Scissors Kick 