TOMKINS: THE REAL DEAL

TOMKINS: THE REAL DEAL Paul Tomkins 26 February 2009
	Visiting Real Madrid, on their best winning run for 23 years (nine straight games), and having scored six goals in the first half of their last league game: what a prospect.
Add Gerrard being only fit for the bench and Torres hampered by a bad ankle knock sustained very early on. Mission impossible, eh? There was no excuse for Real to not put on a show. It's clear that despite their sky-high confidence they weren't at their best, but a large part of that was the Reds not letting them play. As ever, a top European team coincidentally has a bad night against Liverpool. Hmm... Juande Ramos said the Reds came to defend, and while it's true that the bus was parked early on as the visitors sussed out the home side, Liverpool did more than just hit on the counter attack. Indeed, they created the better openings, with Real forced to shoot wildly from distance. It's been a tough time for the Reds in the league since the Champions League went into hibernation, even though it remains only one defeat all season in both these major competitions (35 games now). I think usually we'd be celebrating this incredible fact, but this season is a little different, as well all know, with what is at stake. It could very well be that Liverpool are the second-best team in Europe right now; alas, Manchester United can claim to be the best, and that hurts. Chelsea proved last year that they aren't far away either; a fraction from usurping United in both the league and the European Cup. I've been saying it for a couple of years now, but the top teams in the Premiership have improved to previously unthinkably levels, and even the teams outside of the elite have been dragged up to a higher level. Aston Villa and Everton are pushing for top four places, and Arsenal, who can still impress in Europe against teams like Roma, are not guaranteed a place in next season's main competition. For me, that is the overall context, and results like last night's only add to my belief that Liverpool have improved massively as a team, but that the strength of the Premiership masks some of this upward trajectory. While it's not the most technical league, it is probably the most varied in its styles and challenges, and is certainly one where few teams throw in the towel. Individual domestic displays or results may disappoint, but losing sight of the bigger picture obscures the notion of progress. Personally, I get hugely frustrated on those occasions when the Reds fall short, but feel I must focus on the overall standing of the team. It doesn't mean that the smaller picture is irrelevant, but there's enough people focusing on that, and at times, hysterically so. Every side will have players out of form, or those who can be cast in the role of whipping boy; particularly in this squad age, where sometimes your favourites need resting and those replacing them are naturally not as accomplished. But I choose not to obsess over what I don't like when the team is at its highest standing for almost two decades. Add Torres' injury problems; Gerrard's court case, and his own injuries here and there; the fact that Babel and Mascherano have had not found their best form since the Olympics disrupted their pre-season training; and that the Reds' Spanish contingent spent longer away at the Euros than anyone else, and it means that Liverpool have not had the smoothest of rides since the start of the season. All teams need to overcome difficulties, but you need the minimum amount to wrest a title away from a team used to already doing so. As an example, Liverpool weren't great against Man City, but nor were Man United against Blackburn. For me, there was little difference last weekend, apart from the fact that City at least have some world-class talents, and that the squad has improved radically since the start of January (just adding Shay Given was a big bonus). In the last minute, United got away without conceding a penalty that could have made it 2-2; late on at Anfield, Richard Dunne blocked Benayoun's goal-bound header (almost identical to the one that won the game in Spain) with his hand, which, whether intentional or not, was outstretched like a keeper's. As an offence it was similar to the one from which Riera got booked last night, although unlike Dunne the Spaniard appeared to be protecting his face. At Old Trafford, Ronaldo got away with his third petulant kick at an opponent of the season (after ones at Spurs and Stoke), and all neutral observers I encountered said he should have seen red. He then banged in a great free-kick to win the game. These are the fine margins between victory, stalemate and defeat. Whether or not things even themselves out (and I don't believe they do – not 100 per cent at least), this weekend the decisions favoured United. Clearly. If Liverpool had been given United's refereeing decisions, and vice versa, it could easily have been a case of narrowing the gap to three points, particularly as United didn't really have time to come back from a Blackburn penalty (if scored), and Liverpool could almost certainly have closed out the game against City had Dunne been penalised and someone stuck the spot-kick away. But Liverpool, as the challengers, need a bit more luck than United to overtake them, and at the weekend the Reds had less. But hopefully the result in Madrid can lift the spirits and boost the confidence, and help the Reds at least put some pressure on United before the end of the season by playing as well as possible and creating more of their own luck. Of course, a lot will be made again of how Benítez is supposedly a European master who doesn't 'get' the Premiership, but his win ratio is virtually identical in the Premiership and the Champions League. It might look more impressive to some more casual observers because teams like Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus have been bested in Europe; real high-class pedigree institutions who would be Premiership challengers if English. These stick in the mind, as high-profile occasions, and polarise opinion. Of course, Rafa's European record also includes games against a few European sides who'd struggle in the top flight here, while some of the teams beaten in qualifying have been more akin to British non-league sides. So it's not all been games against the stellar names of the continent. As of this season, Liverpool have been beating the English elite on a regular basis, too. The away form is very good; this team looks almost impossible to beat and concedes very few goals; and on every occasion where defeat loomed (bar one at Spurs), points have been rescued, to show character and determination. These are all the hallmarks of a title-winning side. But at home, in tighter games, the Reds are falling a little short. Games aren't being lost – so it's not falling massively short – but more need to be won. At times it's been a case of bad luck (decisions against Stoke and Man City stick out), or outstanding goalkeeping, but a little extra cutting edge has been missing at times. A fit Torres all season long would have made a big difference, but there's no denying that the Reds have fallen short in some Anfield encounters. However, in terms of most of the checklist points you want to tick off, Liverpool are a clear success, with definite signs of improvement on recent seasons, and even more so on the situation predating the manager's arrival. But there's still a little way to go. Another positive has been the effort of some of those fighting for a first-team place. Ryan Babel's attitude in trying to get back into the team has been excellent, and I hope he can utilise his exceptional talent after a very difficult season, and find the confidence he needs. Yossi Benayoun's form of late has also been a real bonus. He can be so clever in tight areas, particularly through the middle. The trouble is finding a role for him there when Gerrard is fit, but at times since the departure of Robbie Keane the little Israeli's done the things that I expected the Irishman to do when deployed just behind the main striker. He's finding space, creating goals (the late strikes against Chelsea, Portsmouth and City), and notching a few, too. He's now also put the Reds in pole position against Real Madrid, although the tie is far from won. Focus returns to the league, but even if Liverpool don't win the title, second place would constitute progress. In the old days, 'First is first, second is nowhere' was the Reds' mantra, but now it means the guarantee of Champions League football. It may not be what we crave, but it is somewhere. It is also the base camp from where every Premiership title has been won; Manchester United, Blackburn, Arsenal and Chelsea all won their first title immediately after finishing second (or with the same points as second place in Arsenal's case). So while finishing second doesn't automatically result in success (as we found after 2002), it does appear to be a vital stopping off point on the way to the summit.