da wazamba: Going into Sunday’s clash with the champions, Liverpool fans were feeling far from optimistic, and rightly so. The jubilation surrounding the club since the final whistle of an important victory is completely understandable. However, despite a suspicious amount of positivity coming out of Anfield in the last few weeks, there is still a long way to go before the gloom that has plagued England’s most decorated club over the last eighteen months is lifted.
da esport bet: There is a renewed air of optmisim surrounding Anfield since Liverpool fans are now waking up from the nightmare that was Hicks and Gilletts reign of terror, which has also coincided with Liverpool stringing together three consecutive Premier League wins and emerging from the unknown waters of the relegation zone. This must have undoubtedly breathed new life into fans and players alike, though the mess the club was left almost became irrepairable, and there isn’t going to be a quick fix. Liverpool’s rise up the table was in someway inevitable, given the talent at Hodgson’s disposal, and as Fernando Torres is beginning to look more and more like the player we all know he is, it would be a quite spectacular failure for the reds to stay floating around the bottom half of the table.
However, a little perspective is needed. The three wins Liverpool have accumulated in the last three weeks have come against weak Blackburn and Bolton sides, and a very much below par Chelsea lacking that bit of luck champions usually take with them to difficult away games like this. Along with their lack of luck, their starting line up was also lacking Frank Lampard, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba. Despite this, Liverpools first half performance was undeniably the best half of football the reds have seen since Hodgson’s arrival on Merseyside. And a Liverpool team with an on form Torres are capable of beating anybody, and that was proved Sunday with two expertly taken goals. Liverpool’s number nine has now scored six goals in five games against Chelsea, a remarkable record given the gulf in class between the two sides, and the strikers injury problems.
Regardless of the home sides first half display, it was the second half performance that should concern Liverpool fans. It was a reminder of Hodgson’s insistence on giving the opposition an undeserved amount of respect, and was remarkably similar to the manner in which Stoke or Wolves would cling on to a goalless draw at Old Trafford; not the Liverpool way. Although the majority of the nations football fans may see Liverpool fans as being spoilt, it won’t be acceptable for Liverpool to sit back in such timid and fearful fashion, especially given the wealth of attacking talent the squad boasts. With Maxi, Miereles, Gerrard, Torres and Lucas all having their best games in a red shirt for quite some time, it is worrying that much of their best work was done in their own half, instead of going for the jugular at the roaring Kop end, as Liverpool fans are maybe too used to.
Without taking anything away from a great victory, every point that Hodgson’s side earns, will give the wrong man that little bit more time.
[divider]
[divider]