Slipperduke
The Camden Cad
Time Running Out for Rafa
I’ve never been entirely sure about Alan Curbishley. He never seems to be the kind of man who can turn a game, the motivational dynamo who can lift the players, or the tactical genius who can outwit the greats. I’m not still not sure he’s any of the above, but he’s certainly risen in my estimation after West Ham snatched a late win at Upton Park; converting a penalty to make safe the three points that had arguably been theirs for the taking from the start. This was a poor performance from Liverpool, but for 89 minutes it seemed that Alan Curbishley had been too cautious, too conservative to take advantage of it. In fact, the former Charlton manager’s tactics were spot on and it was, not for the first time I suspect, the men in the press box who had it wrong.
Curbishley rarely deploys two strikers against teams he deems to be superior to his own, but Liverpool have been in such abysmal form recently that the home fans were frustrated with his reticence. Surely, as several supporters behind me pointed out, if Havant & Waterlooville could score twice against the Merseysiders, then West Ham could run riot. It was almost an hour until Curbishley finally relented and threw Dean Ashton on to help out. Unfortunately, that meant taking off the extra defensive midfielder and all of a sudden Steven Gerrard had some room to operate. The Liverpool captain, who had been appalling in the first half, kicked into gear and started to launch a series of threatening sorties on the home side‘s penalty area. Curbishley quickly realised his mistake and hauled Carlton Cole off, throwing Jonathan Spector on in his place to shut Gerrard down.
Liverpool were well below their best for much of the game, but West Ham can take credit in the fact that they didn’t let them play. Technically, the Reds are still a fine side, Xabi Alonso, in particular impressed with his close control and his calm, composed passing, but the confidence required to turn possession into chances has evaporated. They just didn’t seem willing to try anything, to have a go at winning the game. Rafa Benitez must have thought that he’d got away with a point, but a clear Jamie Carragher foul gave Mark Noble a golden opportunity. Noble, tremendous throughout, deserves great credit for having the guts to step up and take the spot-kick. Curbishley revealed afterwards that Dean Ashton was actually last season’s designated penalty-taker, but in his absence Noble had taken the only penalty of this season at Birmingham. Both men raced to pick up ball, but Noble got there first and the local boy made no mistake, steering the ball just beyond the despairing dive of Pepe Reina.
This is a crushing blow for Liverpool’s season and Benitez was furious at the press conference. He stormed into the room, his face flushed with fury, and gave short, angry answers to his questions. One journalist took his life in his own hands when he asked Benitez if Liverpool could still qualify for Europe.
“Yes,” the Spaniard replied tersely.
“Champions League or UEFA Cup?” asked the brave hack innocently. Benitez just glared at him.
Liverpool are down to seventh place now, three points behind Everton in third, but only four above West Ham in tenth. Have no doubt that the Dastardly Duo in America will have been watching this game on television, clutching their balance sheets and weeping at the injustice of it all. “How are these highly paid players failing us?” they may be wailing. “What can we do to make it better?”
Maybe, just maybe, they could stop destabilising the club by telling everyone that they’re openly talking to replacement managers. Either they sack Benitez now and start afresh, or they come out all guns blazing and back him to the hilt, describing him and not Jurgen Klinsmann as, “a very impressive man.”
Something has gone horribly wrong at Liverpool and if it doesn’t get fixed soon then the consequences are unthinkable. Never mind a year outside of the Champions League. Burdened with so much new debt and tied into such crippling annual interest payments, if Liverpool don’t finish fourth this season, they may not ever play in the competition again. It is that serious.
I’ve never been entirely sure about Alan Curbishley. He never seems to be the kind of man who can turn a game, the motivational dynamo who can lift the players, or the tactical genius who can outwit the greats. I’m not still not sure he’s any of the above, but he’s certainly risen in my estimation after West Ham snatched a late win at Upton Park; converting a penalty to make safe the three points that had arguably been theirs for the taking from the start. This was a poor performance from Liverpool, but for 89 minutes it seemed that Alan Curbishley had been too cautious, too conservative to take advantage of it. In fact, the former Charlton manager’s tactics were spot on and it was, not for the first time I suspect, the men in the press box who had it wrong.
Curbishley rarely deploys two strikers against teams he deems to be superior to his own, but Liverpool have been in such abysmal form recently that the home fans were frustrated with his reticence. Surely, as several supporters behind me pointed out, if Havant & Waterlooville could score twice against the Merseysiders, then West Ham could run riot. It was almost an hour until Curbishley finally relented and threw Dean Ashton on to help out. Unfortunately, that meant taking off the extra defensive midfielder and all of a sudden Steven Gerrard had some room to operate. The Liverpool captain, who had been appalling in the first half, kicked into gear and started to launch a series of threatening sorties on the home side‘s penalty area. Curbishley quickly realised his mistake and hauled Carlton Cole off, throwing Jonathan Spector on in his place to shut Gerrard down.
Liverpool were well below their best for much of the game, but West Ham can take credit in the fact that they didn’t let them play. Technically, the Reds are still a fine side, Xabi Alonso, in particular impressed with his close control and his calm, composed passing, but the confidence required to turn possession into chances has evaporated. They just didn’t seem willing to try anything, to have a go at winning the game. Rafa Benitez must have thought that he’d got away with a point, but a clear Jamie Carragher foul gave Mark Noble a golden opportunity. Noble, tremendous throughout, deserves great credit for having the guts to step up and take the spot-kick. Curbishley revealed afterwards that Dean Ashton was actually last season’s designated penalty-taker, but in his absence Noble had taken the only penalty of this season at Birmingham. Both men raced to pick up ball, but Noble got there first and the local boy made no mistake, steering the ball just beyond the despairing dive of Pepe Reina.
This is a crushing blow for Liverpool’s season and Benitez was furious at the press conference. He stormed into the room, his face flushed with fury, and gave short, angry answers to his questions. One journalist took his life in his own hands when he asked Benitez if Liverpool could still qualify for Europe.
“Yes,” the Spaniard replied tersely.
“Champions League or UEFA Cup?” asked the brave hack innocently. Benitez just glared at him.
Liverpool are down to seventh place now, three points behind Everton in third, but only four above West Ham in tenth. Have no doubt that the Dastardly Duo in America will have been watching this game on television, clutching their balance sheets and weeping at the injustice of it all. “How are these highly paid players failing us?” they may be wailing. “What can we do to make it better?”
Maybe, just maybe, they could stop destabilising the club by telling everyone that they’re openly talking to replacement managers. Either they sack Benitez now and start afresh, or they come out all guns blazing and back him to the hilt, describing him and not Jurgen Klinsmann as, “a very impressive man.”
Something has gone horribly wrong at Liverpool and if it doesn’t get fixed soon then the consequences are unthinkable. Never mind a year outside of the Champions League. Burdened with so much new debt and tied into such crippling annual interest payments, if Liverpool don’t finish fourth this season, they may not ever play in the competition again. It is that serious.
