DEAR ALL DISENCHANTED REDS FANS! YOUR SENTIMENTS ARE WELL SHARED..
In all sundries, Liverpool's quest for a unprecedented premiership title is down and over with.
Any premiership teams, to take a reality check of their performance credentials, would very much lie on how they match up with the trilogy of the three dominant forces of premiership this decade-Arsenal, ManU and Chelsea.
Let alone winning the premiership, if team or teams cant get the better of these three big ones, they should be resigned to admit-just not good enough. Cos any team that do not play above these current kingpins of premiership, they are likely to whimper and dissisipate in thin air.
And to our beloved Liverpool, the reality checks found that the current squad just not strong enough. Losing to ManU & Chelsea meant they are not above the cut and just have to work harder.
The match against ManU last night had exposed so much of Liverpool's down trodden and sadden truth, the players are not hungry, no sting and bite in attack, lack penetration and sharpness, shortage of creativity and no cutting edge in attacking and defending in unison. The team just simply collapse. To make worst, another howler of a cardinal sin-where was the marking when Scholes was left unmarked to ghost pass two defenders to guide the ball home. The wingbacks were all vulnerable to attacking wingers who could puncture and dribble our Finnan and Riise at will!
Now the next big question: I still wonder why Crouch was not played in the first place? Crouch is the player on form, but even him could not do much in 20mins against the might of ManU. Crouch is a player that needs at least 20mins to warm up and soak in the pressure before he could deliver. Rafa should know best. Playing a half fit Kuyt against a well organised ManU defence was as good as playing without an outfield striker who can pierce opponents' defensive walls.
Also baffle me was the exclusion of Bellamy? Gerrard not playing in his most damaging role-only till late? Garcia-what on earth was he doing when ManU defenders and midfielders had him for an easy meal? Carragher and Hyypia both leaked in gapping holes for ManU to exploit and punish? And certainly not replacing Garcia and putting a lost and confused Pennant were the only trumph cards Rafa possessed? What the hell is wrong with the Liverpool team?
They hardly troubled Van Der Sar except a lunging and desperate tackle from Crouch out of frustration to cause any ancious moment in the ManU goalmouth.
The truth is always hurting-Liverpool just do not have the calibre of players to play week in week out in the ever demanding premiership. The manner in which Garcia, Pennant, Gonzalez, Kyut lost their footing and balance after much shackling by ManU defenders were enough to intimidate them and tame them dorcile.
When Liverpool's reserve which feature some first team players got beaten week in week out I realised this season is a false dawn. When the reserve cant perform solidly and cement themselves ready for the big picture, I knew Liverpool was making the numbers and just doing their best, but not at best to challenge for something special this season.
I wonder how much longer we have to wait-not to witness Liverpool finally capture the premiership title, but to evidently see by our own eyes, they could perform solidly week in week out to convince even the fair weather fans the reds are the one to beat. Unfortunately, truly, this Liverpool team are but long bid farewell to any glories this season.
It looks like this season would be a titanic struggle by Liverpool just to stay in the top ten, let alone qualifying for CL unless and enormous miracle out of the ordinary proportion takes place-Liverpool is as good as just lament and hover around the mid-table this term.
Am I too harsh on my beloved team? I guess with an abated breathe we sleep over it and lest forget it! Sigh.....
But to Rafa, the manager has to be blamed for too much rotation for the good of the team. Fresh legs or not, now Liverpool's season is a mere relegation battle at hands and not challanging trophies or leagues and I am sure, there would be many fresh legs abound.
To any bonafide fans, we know to stand a chance to win any game, is to always field your fittest, strongest and hungriest players...
YNWA
Wukong68