The Sweet Silver Song of the Lark

This time last year, Liverpool fans were relishing the start of the 2010-2011 season. Rafa Benitez, after a miserable 2009-2010 season, had been removed and the club had a new idol to worship in the shape of Joe Cole who would bamboozle opposition defences alongside Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. Under the steadying influence of the hugely experienced Roy Hodgson, one of Europe's most respected coaches (who has managed such clubs as FC Malmo, Neuchatel Xamax and Grasshopper Zurich), Liverpool would surely reclaim their rightful place at the top table of English league football?

Sadly, things didn't quite go according to plan. The high point of last season for LFC was the eventual change in ownership following a bitter court battle. Its new owners, Fenway Sports Group, subsequently spent the remainder of the season positioning the club for a more serious challenge to the top-4 this season. The most important of these was the permanent appointment of Kenny Dalglish as manager, together with the recruitment of respected coach Steve Clarke.

FSG have followed up the January signings of Andy Carroll and the superb Luis Suarez with the highly promising Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing. But will this be enough to close the gap on Manchester United, Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal? FSG's strategy of recruiting young talent with a high re-sale value is admirable, but most observers would agree that there remains a clear need for at least 2 or 3 more 'marquee' signings of technically gifted players in or nearing their prime. Indeed, there is an unmistakable feeling of frustration among many Liverpool fans, expressed through Twitter and message boards, that the club have seemingly missed out on quality players such as Juan Mata, Fabio Coentrau, Gervinho and Sergio Aguero. But were these players ever realistic? The truth is probably not. Some argued was that although Liverpool will not be involved in Europe, the lure of 'King Kenny' would be enough to attract the cream of Europe. This would obviously be the case for hardcore fans of LFC but almost certainly not for a young, ambitious footballer from the streets of Buenos Aires, Anyama or Provincia.

Downing is a solid signing who will certainly improve the delivery from wide areas. Henderson should also prove a shrewd investment given time, although he is likely to play only a limited role this coming season. Charlie Adam is harder to assess. On his day he is an accomplished passer and had an impressive first half of last season as Blackpool swaggered their way to the top half of the table. But his second half of the season tailed off badly as he ultimately captained the Seasiders to relegation. Adam scored 12 premier league goals last season - a fairly impressive haul. However, 8 of those were from the penalty spot and just 2 from open play. With these expensive signings on board, it will interesting to see how Dalglish sets up his first XI. I would guess that, with squad as it is, the back four will line up as Kelly-Carragher-Skrtel-Johnson. Midfield is tricky but is likely to consist of Kuyt-Gerrard-Lucas-Downing with Carroll and Suarez up front.

The unfortunate thing for Liverpool is that their likely main rivals (with the exception so far of Arsenal) have also invested heavily. It will not be easy to reclaim a top-4 finish. And should they fail, where does this leave Kenny Dalglish? Is he untouchable? The suspicion is that FSG were keen to appoint new Chelsea boss Andre Villas Boas, but the Kop's call for King Kenny made that impossible. Whilst I am cautiously optimistic of a good season, I am also far too familiar with that mid-October feeling of dejection to make any bolder claim than that.

Hodgson Injects Feel Good Factor

Following the most demoralising season in my lifetime as a Liverpool supporter, there is a strong sense of optimism currently surrounding Anfield ahead of the new season. Roy Hodgson may not have been every Liverpool fans first choice as manager, but he has started his tenureship in impressive style. The impression is that Hodgson is a 'hands on' manager and one whom players enjoy working with. And unlike Rafael Benitez he is open, honest, and on good terms with the media. He conducts himself with dignity and maturity, preferring not to answer questions in riddles or 'double speak'.

There is of course much work to be done to restore the club's pride after an embarrassing 2009-2010 season. Hodgson has moved quickly to shift much of the dead wood at the club including Degen, Aurelio, Itandje and Insua. One would hope the likes of Reira, Ngog, El Zhar, Plessis and Kyrgiakos will follow suit. Encouragingly, Hodgson has made it clear that he intends to inject a more British feel to the squad, remembering the new Premier League rules on home grown players. The recent signings of Jonjo Shelvy, Milan Jovanovic, Joe Cole and Danny Wilson together with Steven Gerrard's commitment to the club represents shrewd business and have given the fans reasons to look forward to the new season.

This was always going to be a crucial summer for Liverpool in terms of appointing the right manager, making the right changes to the playing staff and successfully selling the club to a suitable owner. The ownership issue in particular is an absolute priority and it is clear that the club can only really move forward once Hicks and Gillett have departed Merseyside. I have long since learned to avoid the wild optimism that used to dominate Liverpool's pre-season, but I can genuinely say that that I am already looking forward to our first game against Arsenal on 15th August.

Beginning of the end for Benitez

Liverpool's miserable season got even worse last night as they were eliminated from the Champions League, despite a 1-0 win over Hungarian champions Debrecen. Any faint hope they had of keeping their campaign alive was erased as Fiorentina survived a late fight back by Lyon to claim victory by the same scoreline. The Merseysiders have the consolation of entering the Europa League, but most fans will not have much of an appetite for that competition. In truth, Liverpool did not deserve to qualify for the knockout stages. Yes, they have endured a certain degree of misfortune, such as the last minute equaliser away to Lyon, but the fact remains they have underperformed badly. Even last nights game highlighted the problem. Lyon and Fiorentina comfortably despatched of Debrecen away from home with 4-0 and 4-3 wins respectively, whereas Benitez's side laboured their way through the game after taking the lead, seemingly content with a 1-0 win from as early as the 10 minute mark.

Amidst all the gloom, it is the omission of the clubs major summer signing Alberto Aquilani that is most baffling. In recent weeks, Benitez has repeatedly assured fans and journalists that the Italian is (and i quote) "fit and ready to play". The player himself seems champing at the bit to get out there and start his Liverpool career. From the early stages of last nights game it was obvious that the Hungarians were there for the taking. With Liverpool lacking flair and a creative influence, the game seemed ideal for the introduction of Aquilani, probably in place of one of their two holding midfield players. But Benitez, for whatever reason, resisted the temptation. Even the opportunity to help him build up some match sharpness in the last half hour was again squandered. We can only assume therefore that Aquilani does not figure in Benitez's first team plans. He may not be a saviour, but should at least be given the chance to show what he can do. As it happened, Debrecen predictably worked their way back into the game and almost snatched a draw in injury time, in much the same way Lyon did 3 weeks earlier.

Liverpool fans have been patient, more patient than almost any set of fans in world football I would suggest. We understand that long term success is not built overnight. In the last 3 months of last season there were signs that we had finally cracked it. We attacked teams from the first whistle, battering them with flair, imagination, pace and creativity. The defeats of Real Madrid, Manchester United and Aston Villa spring to mind. It was as if the shackles were off. And therein lies the problem. It seems that under Benitez, Liverpool can only play to their full potential when the pressure is off, that is when they are out of every major competition. When there is still something at stake, such as the league title, the Spaniard's natural instinct is overwhelmingly caution. He is a manager who seems to have absolute, total faith in statistics, graphs, charts and percentages. If his sheet of pro zone stats indicate that the game is not suitable for the introduction of Aquilani, then Benitez will abide by that. In other words, he lacks the fundamental managerial instinct to assess a game with his own eyes and make human, footballing decisions.

The phone-ins and message boards will be calling for Benitez to go, but now would not be the right time. If the club are to sack Benitez, they would need a suitable replacement. Jose Mourinho will inevitably be linked, but is currently in charge of Inter Milan, and more significantly, on a huge salary. Guus Hiddink will also be suggested, especially following Russia's failure to qualify for the World Cup. The Dutchman though has indicated that he is keen to remain in Moscow for the next European campaign, and also retains an association with Chelsea. Current Galatasaray boss Frank Rijkaard would also feature in the betting, although doubts remain as to his experience and tactical nous. No doubt names such as O'Neill, Hitzfeld, Dalglish, Klinsmann and Lippi will be mentioned. Should England win the World Cup next summer, Fabio Capello may even be touted. Whatever happens, I believe that any decision should be left until the end of the season.

Patience with Rafael Benitez is almost at and end with most Liverpool supporters. Defeat against Everton on Sunday is almost unthinkable, but with this Liverpool side it is sadly a very real prospect. The priority now MUST be on finishing in the top 4 of the Premier League. Personally, I do not give two hoots about the Europa League, and would be content for a reserve side to be fielded as in the Carling Cup. The FA Cup may provide a crumb of comfort, but if they can keep Torres fit, and finally introduce Aquilani, call me mad but I believe that there is a chance of catching an inconsistent Arsenal side and finishing 3rd. If you were to offer Liverpool fans the FA Cup and a 3rd place finish right now I'm sure most would snatch your hand off.

Liverpool Need to Step Up a Gear

Liverpool travel to West Ham today in the knowledge that there is little room for error, having already suffered two early season defeats in the league. The Hammers are an unpredictable outfit, although Upton Park has been a happy hunting ground for the Reds in recent seasons. With Chelsea having established a slight lead (albeit having played inferior opposition) it is important that Liverpool carry on the momentum from their previous two games against Bolton and Burnley, before the crunch match with Ancelotti's men in a few weeks.

Wednesday's performance against Debrecen was far from inspiring, with Gerrard worryingly out of sorts, and Benitez's side received a fair amount of media criticism for their narrow 1-0 win. In general it was interpreted as further evidence that Liverpool are a long way off challenging for the title (almost universally explained by the absence of Xabi Alonso). In contrast, Manchester United's victory by the same scoreline against Besiktas was described as 'gritty' and 'professional' i.e further evidence that they are a team who know how to win when not playing at their best. Perhaps it is just that I am paranoid, or maybe it was because they were playing in front of a larger terrestrial audience, but there does seem to be a prevailing trend within the world of football journalism whereby Liverpool are open to harsher judgement than their main rivals. Yes, it was a poor performance on Wednesday, but let's not over-react. It is still very early in the season. I'll stick my neck out and say that in the long term, Manchester United will miss Ronaldo more than Liverpool will miss Alonso.

Big Season Ahead at Anfield

Liverpool came agonisingly close to clinching the Premier League last season, and it was only Manchester United's superior depth of squad that won it in the end. Glen Johnson remains the only new arrival at Anfield this close season, and further additions will be needed if Liverpool are to realistically compete for the title again this season. There is still a feeling that the side is over reliant on Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard for goals, so a top class striker should certainly head Benitez's priorities. I would put forward Eidur Gudjohnen as a potentially useful addition. The ex-Chelsea man is an intelligent forward who could in theory provide an ideal foil for Torres. He is currently struggling to command a regular berth in the Barcelona team and a move could suit all parties - and is likely to come relatively cheap as well. However David Villa remains the most sought after striker in Europe, and Fernando Torres has made no secret of his wish to line up alongside his international striking partner at Anfield. Villa would not come cheap, but the estimated £30m generated from the sale of Xabi Alonso, together with the unspent part of the current budget, could provide the funds needed. Alonso will be a big loss, but Liverpool will not suddenly slide into mid table obscurity as a result of his departure. Alonso is undoubtedly a class act - arguably the finest passer in Europe - but he can be replaced. It is comforting to remember that Liverpool's best result of last season - the 4-1 drubbing of Manchester United at Old Trafford - was achieved without Alonso. Rumours have focused on the Roma midfielder Aquilani as a replacement, although admittedly I know next to nothing about him. For my money Mascherano would be a more serious loss to Liverpool than Alonso, so it is pleasing to hear of reports that Barcelona have cooled their interest in the Argentinian. I also believe Benitez needs to strengthen the centre back position, and he could do worse than Fulham's giant Norwegian Brede Hangeland.

Apart from further signings, I would like to see some of the younger players step up to the plate this season. In particular, Emiliano Insua looks a reall prospect in the full back position, and should provide healthy competition for Glen Johnson and Fabio Aurelio. Martin Kelly is highly rated at Melwood and this could be a big season for the England U-19 international. He could be the long term successor to Jamie Carragher. In midfield, local lad Jay Spearing is a fiesty competitor with a touch of the Steve McMahon about him and who impressed when he was given the opportunity last season. Up front it could be the right time to blood Daniel Pacheco and Kristiaz Nemeth. I remember watching Pacheco last pre season and even then he was obviously a class act - fantastic technique and a neat finisher, albeit a little raw. Nemeth looks a special player and has been on the fringes of the first team squad for some time, but was badly hampered by injury problems last season. Benitez obviously knows better than I do as to when the time is right for them, but if Alex Ferguson is prepared to give the likes of Macheda and Welbeck an opportunity in big games, I see no reason why Nemeth and Pacheco shouldn't.

Calm Down, Calm Down. Rafa hasn't lost it after all.

Saturday 14th March 2009. A swinging of the championship pendulum? Liverpool emerged from Old Trafford yesterday in glorious fashion, picking up all 3 points and breathing new life into this seasons title bid. Ludicrously, Alex Ferguson claimed his was the better side on the day and were unlucky not to have claimed at least a draw. The rest of us witnessed a display of maturity, discipline and ruthlessness that will hopefully give the Merseysiders the confidence to go on and pick up maximum points from their remaining fixtures. Against a side who had previously conceded just 5 goals at home all season, this was quite a statement. Steven Gerrard was in inspired form, adding weight to Zinedine Zidane's claim earlier in the week that he is currently the best midfielder in world football. Fernando Torres looks back to his best, having completely humiliated Nemanja Vidic, a player let's not forget who is being touted for Footballer of the Year. Sami Hyypia had Shrek Rooney in his back pocket all afternoon, barely breaking sweat in the process. But it was the underrated Brazilian, Fabio Aurelio, who picked up Man of the Match. Aurelio seems to quietly go about his business but always looks assured defensively, and is willing to get forward and supply pinpoint deliveries from the left side. Such was Liverpool's domination by the end of the match, even Dossena got in on the act in injury time! The mass exodus of Old Trafford following the Italian's lobbed goal was one of the more satisfying aspects of yesterdays events.

It is not unreasonable to suggest that in Gerrard andTorres, Liverpool possess the two finest footballers in Europe at present. Keeping these two fit will be key to the rest of the season. Manchester are still in a strong position and huge favourites to claim an 18th title. However, contrary to media hype, they are not the best side ever to have played the game. They have a potentially difficult run in including Arsenal and Aston Villa at home, a Manchester derby and away fixtures at Sunderland and relegation battlers Hull City. Liverpool showed yesterday that if you press them and set about them in a positive manner, United are far from unbeatable. As Gerrard noted in his post match interview, this result will hopefully give other teams the belief that they can also take points from Old Trafford. Though he will not admit it in public, the petulant, ungracious and utterly detestable Ferguson will be nervous. He knows his sides confidence will have been rattled by yesterdays result and performance. Is the pendulum swinging again towards Merseyside? Make a note in your diary......

Liverpool Stutter as Benitez Falls into Sir Alex's Trap

Liverpool extended their lead at the summit of the Premier League on Saturday with a 0-0 draw against Tony Pulis’s well organised Stoke outfit. But the feeling amongst supporters is one of deflation and yet another missed opportunity. Many will see this as two points dropped for the Merseysider’s, but in truth they were lucky to escape the Potteries with a point, such was the dismal nature of their performance. Indeed, this was one of their worst showings of the season – all the more strange following such an impressive display in their last league outing against Newcastle. Yet again Rafa Benitez demonstrated his unpredictability by selecting Dirk Kuyt as a lone striker and leaving both Torres and Keane on the bench. It has been blindingly obvious for the past two years that Kuyt is not suited to leading the line by himself. Sure enough the Reds failed to create anything of note in the first half. Benayoun, having recently vented his frustration at not being a first team regular, was dire. Frustratingly, it took Benitez until after the hour mark to introduce Torres, but even he could not find a way past a stubborn Stoke rearguard. Gerrard glanced the post in the dying minutes, but a defeat would have been harsh on Stoke. The Reds now face a difficult run of fixtures including a Merseyside derby and the visit of Chelsea to Anfield. I will be surprised if they remain top by the end of the month.

Aside from the match it was manager Rafa Benitez’s bizarre press conference on Friday which drew most of the focus at the weekend. His verbal attack on Alex Ferguson has apparently backfired already, with Manchester United easily brushing aside a hapless Chelsea side 3-0. Quite why he felt the need to get involved with Ferguson at this stage of the season, particularly in such a calculated and predetermined fashion (he produced a sheet of A4 at the press conference) is anybody’s guess. Some have pointed to Ferguson’s assertion a few weeks back that Liverpool do not have the experience to go on and win the title, but in responding to this Benitez has fallen into his trap. This is a classic Ferguson tactic – making a seemingly unremarkable observation through the press and waiting for his opponent’s response. There was absolutely no need to pick a fight. I suspect he was also trying to put Ferguson off balance ahead of a key game, but following yesterday’s result it has apparently had the opposite effect. Or maybe he is attempting to emulate Jose Mourinho’s famous ‘outbursts’ in trying to get under Ferguson’s skin. However Benitez’s mannerisms, personality and slightly fragmented English does not help him in such situations. As far as I am concerned he would have been better advised to retain the moral high-ground and just keep quiet.

Regardless of the spat, Manchester United’s recent good form looks ominous, whilst Liverpool retain an air of inconsistency. Sadly United are huge favourites now to go on and claim a 3rd successive title.

Liverpool Must Improve - Quickly

Liverpool stumbled into the Champions League Group Stages last night, after an uncomfortable and frustrating 120 minutes of action. In my previous post I suggested Liverpool would have hit their stride by this stage, but this clearly has not yet happened. The team are still labouring through games, seemingly relying on the brilliance of Torres or Gerrard to rescue them. As has been highlighted on more than one occassion, there is a severe lack of width in the side. Which makes it fairly easy for the opposition to set their team up against us. All they have to do is pack the midfield with ballwinners in the knowledge that Liverpool have no threat out wide. Alas, when Benitez finally brought on Babel to play on the left wing, it eventually resulted in a superb goal. I am reminded of a statistic Gordon Strachan once pointed out, which is that about 70% of goals in football are scored as the result of a cross. It amazes me how any top flight manager cannot see the importance of providing width.

In other news, Liverpool appear on the verge of signing the Spaniard, Albert Riera, from Espanyol for £9m. Meanwhile Chelsea look close to tying up a £30m deal for classy Brazilian Robinho from Real Madrid. And this perfectly illustrates why Liverpool will not win the league either this season or any other season in the near future. The Londoners are able to spend big money on established world class internationals with a proven track record of winning championships. Riera had a disastrous spell at Manchester City a few seasons ago and is not considered for the Spanish national squad at present. As I have said before and will say again, money talks in the Premier League (something which Alex Ferguson is very well aware of). As Arsene Wenger has discovered in recent seasons, it is now no longer sufficient to scour the continent for promising young players and develop them into league winners. You simply have to spend big to win the English League title and that is not likely to change any time soon. So while the Merseysiders persist in spending money on decent but hardly world beating players, that 19th League title will continue to elude them.

Sub Standard Liverpool Fail To Impress

Liverpool's promising pre-season form was brought to a grinding halt in Liege last night, as they failed to break down the spirited Belgian Champions. Rafa Benitez will no doubt have been hoping to effectively close out the tie in this first leg ahead of a tough open to the League campaign, but his team were out thought and out muscled virtually from the first whistle. The new first choice pairing of Torres and Keane were left frustrated as the midfield failed to provide any kind of support at all. Such was Liege's dominance of the midfield area, the Liverpool back line were more often than not forced to launch long, hopeful balls into the final third. This is not the Liverpool way and certainly not the type of service Fernando Torres is comfortable with. Olympic gold hopeful Javier Mascherano was sorely missed, while substitute Gerrard was clearly not match fit. Nevertheless there should still have been enough quality in the team to at least take control of the middle areas and provide some organisation. The rookie midfielder and Patrick Vieira-esque Damien Plessis is undoubtedly an exciting prospect for the future who clearly features in Benitez's plans. However he looked a little out of his depth last night and may need to be eased into the team more gradually. It was only thanks to Pepe Reina that we were not severly embarrassed last night.

Overall I think this was a case of Liverpool being caught cold by determined and confident opposition. It should be remembered that this is the first competitive game of the pre season, and with a number of key players either missing or not fully fit, it is harsh to be overly critical. By the time of the return leg at Anfield the Merseysiders should be much sharper and I expect them to win quite comfortably. However, Liege look a well organised side so there is no room for error.

Benitez Needs to Spend, Spend, Spend

Yesterdays £20m signing of Robbie Keane is a bold statement of intent by Rafa Benitez, but the Merseysiders are still well short of the quality required to win the Premier League. Keane is an experienced and reliable goalscorer in this division, and is in the prime of his career. I am confident he will forge a good understanding with Torres, as they are clearly both intelligent footballers. Although the price tag seems excessive, Liverpool fans have often criticised Benitez for spending his money on mediocre or younger players rather than players of undoubted and established quality.

The acquisition of Gareth Barry would strengthen Liverpool yet further, given his experience of English football. I remain to be convinced about Liverpool's other summer signings. Dossena, despite being in this mid 20s, has hardly pulled up any trees in Serie A, while Degen is, by his own admission, a better attacker than defender. Ngog is an untested 19 year old whose record at PSG was, to put it kindly, average. Cavalieri is a reserve keeper who will play in the Carling Cup. It is in the wide areas that the team are still severley lacking. In this respect I would have no complaints if Benitez were to bring the little Spaniard David Silva of Valencia to Anfield. Silva was, for me, one of the star performers throughout Euro 2008, and would provide a wider option for Gerrard, Alonso and Mascherano.

In many ways, whoever Liverpool bring in this season is irrelevant in terms of wining the title next season. That honour will once again go to Manchester United or Chelsea. However, the signing of Keane provides us fans with a traditional glimmer of hope and optimism - at least until November.

Anfield Transfer Policy Continues to Baffle

And so it continues. Another week and another inexplicable transfer involving Liverpool FC. Having spent the past 2 months in a public wrangle with Aston Villa over the extra £3m required to secure the signature of Gareth Barry, Liverpool this week completed the signing of another reserve goalkeeper from some club in Brazil for (yep you guessed it).......£3 million pounds! I wonder whether this guy - Diego Cavalieri I believe his name is - is the final piece in the jigsaw? With Cavalieri on board, Liverpool will surely romp home to Premier League glory next May with 5 games to spare. Or perhaps he will disappear in the ether next summer, just like Charles Itandje and countless other reserve goalkeepers the club have signed in the past 5 years. Perhaps if Liverpool used their money wisely - on players in key positions where we are currently weak, namely left midfield and up front, then we wouldn't be out of the title race by December every year and 20 points behind Man Utd by February, which as any football fan knows is exactly what will happen next season.

And another thing. So far we have sold Riise for £5m and Crouch for £11m, and bought Dossena for around £7m and Cavalieri for £3m. I believe this is a £6m profit, so how exactly are the club struggling to find the funds for Barry and Keane? Where is the Hicks and Gillett money? I was under the impression that they were brought in partly to srengthen our hand in the transfer market. If anything, Liverpool appear to have LESS clout these days. If the transfer budget is so tight now, I dread to think what it will be like when we start paying off the new stadium.

And as if to rub salt into the wound, Liverpool today appear on the verge of selling the highly promising Scott Carson to Stoke City for £3.5m, having rejected an offer of £7 million from Aston Villa no more than 9 months ago. And who is Liverpool's chief negotiator when it comes to transfers? Yes, the hapless Rick 'The Clown' Parry. Tom Hicks was absolutely correct in identifying Parry as a weak link in the Anfield hierarchy and he should leave asap.

Liverpool Fall Short, Over to Rangers

So, Liverpool are out of the Champions League and so this bloggers interest in the English league ends until the new season in August. Why can't I support a harmless, normal club like Ipswich or QPR with none of the stress and tension involved in following the Reds? As harsh as it sounds, Riise's last minute own goal at Anfield did in the end cost Liverpool a place in the final. It changed the whole complexion of the tie and allowed Chelsea to sit back and play a tight formation, depriving the Reds key players of space. The extra 3 or 4 days preparation and rest for Liverpool's players did not show one bit. If anything, it seemed like Liverpool were the team who had just played a tough and energy sapping title decider. They somehow lacked the drive and urgency of Chelsea, especially in the first half. Gerrard and Torres again were disappointing overall. Does this prove my suspicion that 'resting' players before key games is actually counter productive in that it disrupts their momentum and takes the edge off their game? Yet again, the team only started pressing when it was too late. A familiar trait with Benitez's teams. But I will keep the faith with Rafa, at least for another season. With heavy summer investment I think we can get closer to the top two. The side did well to get to the semi finals but were just lacking that extra bit of quality.

Enough of Liverpool though, I must pick myself up and dust myself down in anticipation of Rangers' 2nd leg decider against Fiorentina. The tie is delicately poised, although Fiorentina are favourites to progress. However Rangers have proved they are a competent side away from home in Europe, and with Barry Ferguson and Kevin Thomson back from suspension, the midfield will hopefully provide more creativity for the front two. The game could go any way. I've had enough footballing stress for one week so hopefully the Teddy Bears will score a goal nice and early to settle my nerves and then wrap things up with a couple of killer goals from Stevie Davis and Bazza in the 2nd half. Somehow I doubt things will go so smoothly……..

Liverpool Can Still Progress

John Arne Riise's ludicrous own goal 4 minutes into injury on Tuesday was hard to take for Liverpool fans. However, judging by the performances of the two teams, the Reds should go into the deciding leg with a lot of confidence. Although they have not scored at Stamford Bridge for 8 games, that doesn not mean a thing. Chelsea have found it difficult to score against a resolute Liverpool defence in recent years, and all it takes is a goal from the away side, preferably in the first half, to put them firmly in the driving seat. Apart from the injured Aurelio, Benitez should keep the same team and formation. Alonso and Mascherano gradually took control of the midfield on Tuesday, although Chelsea will be boosted by the return of Michael Essien from suspension which poses a problem for Benitez.

One player who stood out for me was the ever dependable Jamie Carragher. His committment and attitude is vital to this Liverpool team, and he generally had Drogba in his back pocket for most of the game. Carragher will be required to be at his best on Wednesday night. John Terry's late booking will hopefully make him subconsciously aware that another will rule him out of the final and thus allow more freedom for Torres and Gerrard. I am fairly optimistic that Liverpool can get the result they need to progress, although it will be one heck of a nervy 90 minutes. Better get a spare pair of undies just in case :-)