A man may transfered or he maybe injured, clubs may be in debts, but the ideas and the confidence never dies. We're talking about Liverpool F.C., five times European top-flight champions and seven times F.A. Cup winners. But where did Liverpool's might go this season? Was it the departure of Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa to The Bernabeu that shattered the Merseyside champions' line-up or the injured Fernando Torres? If only key-players were the might of the team, Manchester United wouldn't have been consistent to stay on the summit without their hot-shot Cristiano Ronaldo, who, too, left for Real Madrid.WE NEVER WALK BEHIND
The Reds had shown consistent poor performance in the first half of this season, winning only nine fixures out of nineteen as well as the humiliating exit from the UEFA Champions' League only added to their poor plight. But, then suddenly The Reds' Spanish Boss Rafael Benitez felt that the time was running out and some quick changes made his team re-gain confidence. With the stars like Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano, Dirk Kuyt, Jamie Carragher and the newest signing from Atletico Madrid Maxi Rodriguez still on the pitch, Liverpool fans have still the effervescence of expectations inside them.
Liverpool shot ahead in the second half of the Premier League as they have lost none in their last six League fixtures winning four out of them and this brings them back into the top four and completes the Top 4 with the Big Four again-Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool. The order won't remain same after this evening as Chelsea host Arsenal in what is supposed to be Arsenal's biggest test of the season. But, the crux here right now isn't Arsenal or Chelsea. It's Liverpool! The club that walked on the side-line of a cliff for most of the season till now. Transfer speculations about Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and even Rafael Benitez(to Juventus, a deal which did not take place) showed the Merseyside club's pressure this season.
But as they rise now, beat their Merseyside rivals Everton yesterday by a thin margin of one goal to nil, Liverpool grabbed the bragging rights owing to their Flying Dutchman- Dirk Kuyt. Dirk Kuyt who claimed to have felt the pressure, somehow reduced the pressure on his team and gained confidence by beating their bitter-rivals. "What we have done really well is keep working hard. We have been a bit unlucky with a couple of injuries, but the players are coming back and we are getting stronger and stronger. Once they are back we will all learn that it makes us stronger." said the Dutch to a press conference ahead of Saturday’s derby against Everton .
THEY WALKED ALONE
The Kops did walk alone without the injured stars like Fernando Torres, Glen Johnson and Yossi Benayoun all out for atleast a month from now. A month, that could decide Liverpool's fate in the league. But, where was the manager's intellect to guide the team without key-players? Where was his back-up plan? All that Liverpool could see was exit from The Champions' League, exit from the FA Cup and a poor league position. Is this all Rafael Benitez is capable of? He won The Champions' League in 2005 without these players as well, so was that a fluke or was the second finish in the league last season a fluke? It would be far too much to call him a fluke. During his entire coaching career, he's won the Spanish League twice and a UEFA Cup with Valencia C.F. Helped two Spanish sides to promote them into the La Liga and won the Champions' League, the FA Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the FA Community Shield with Liverpool.
To a manager and a coach with such might, is it the time to leave Liverpool and let the fans assume him to be the greatest manager of all times at The Anfield or shall he risk his remaining good impression and try his heart out to win some Silverware for Liverpool in these times?
Only he can answer, only time will answer. Will they walk alone?
-PRANAV MUKUL
