Striker Quest Not The Holy Grail For Liverpool
There is something of the legend of King Arthur in modern-day Liverpool. Cheered on by supporters who make more noise as 35,000 than any group of 75,000 ever could, they have done everything, overcome every challenge, won everything there is to win in their quest for their Holy Grail, the League Title - the only prize that has eluded them in all this time since the golden years of the 80s.
Unfailingly, as every season begins, they seem to finally be showing signs of this being the year. “This is going to be our year….� It is like a mantra around Anfield, it has become a quest so great, so imposing, so seemingly difficult that goodness knows what would happen if they did it one year. Maybe there would be a party bigger than there was when they lifted the Champions League trophy in 2005.
And as each season goes on, a disappointing month will damage morale beyond all repair. Some lacklustre affair will end up in them dropping points to the likes of Bolton or Blackburn and the Anfield faithful, possibly the most famous fans in the World, will get that sinking realisation that this was just another false dawn and that this is not the year after all. Again.
What is the problem, everybody asks. Pundits, coaches, fans, players even muse that clearly, there is a piece of the jigsaw missing.
In 1997, it was a holding midfielder, which led to the signing of Paul Ince. In 2000, it was a striker who could hold the ball up. Emile Heskey duly arrived. There seems to be a collective unconscious directing Liverpool’s spending.
In recent years, as the conventional wisdom has it that Liverpool’s defence is now more or less solid, it has been a 25-30 goals a season striker. Liverpool need, it is said, a forward in the tradition of Fowler and Owen, both of whom were prolific, but were backed up by dodgy defences.
Cisse arrived, but was barely given a chance, his impudence and failure to follow instructions not tolerated by the new autocracy at Anfield. Crouch was bought, but his manager seemed to quickly get bored of his new plaything. And then Dirk Kuyt, who was scoring for fun in the Eredivisie, turned up, and somehow became a supporting striker who has difficulty finding the net.
Doubtless, this Summer’s quest for the Holy Grail will take a similar theme. With the central midfield bursting with talent in Sissoko, Alonso, Gerrard and now Mascherano, and defence considered sorted under the able command of Mr Carragher, the newly-rich Rafa Benitez is bound to embark on the quest of bringing a “big name striker� to the club for the first time in a long time.
And yet again, it is perceived that this “big name� will arrive and, with a flourish, whip the side to the top of the league come May 2008.
And though a Fernando Torres, or a Samuel Eto’o, or a David Villa, or whichever other en vogue striker may arrive for megabucks in Summer, they will have to be aware that they are not the first great hope to turn up at Anfield with the enormous weight of responsibility on their shoulders.
Benitez’s popularity might be as high as any Liverpool manager’s since Dalglish or even Paisley, but if he delivers the Premier League title, he might even get a gate named after him at the new Stanley Park stadium.
Yet with the resources they have, sometimes the faithful Liverpool fans cannot help but get sceptical about just how effective the said new hero will be. For all their brilliance, the midfield do not score enough – Sissoko is still to break his Liverpool duck, Alonso only seems to score from distance (Champions League Final excepted) and Pennant has only a single strike to his name. The reliance on Gerrard has never been more apparent than this year, with the talisman not really in high-scoring form.
What is more, defending set pieces has been Liverpool’s Achilles heel for years now. The amount of defenders who score against them from corners and free kicks has been too high, and it is clear that a sense of foreboding descends on Anfield every time a Silvestre or a Gallas comes trotting up the park for a set play.
But Benitez has added pace to the bandwagon, choosing the pinnacle of Liverpool’s season so far to vent his thinly-veiled frustration at his strikers’ inability to score when it matters most, and you can bet that the Arthurian quest will continue in the summer. And that the latest “final piece of the Anfield jigsaw” will be on his way come July.
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Discussion - 7 Responses
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It will take more than one good striker for Liverpool to get the elusive Prem title. Yes they need a David Villa or the like but they also need goals from midfield. Just compare Chelsea, Arsenal and in particular Man U’s providers of goals from midfield and it is clear that this is a big problem. If SG doesn’t score no one else from midfield will unless Riise is moved forward permanently from LB. Alonso plays far too deep, Sissoko cannot pass let alone score and pushes out SG to the wing, Gonzales is struggling and Pennant although good is never going to provide goals. Kewell, Aurelio and Zenden are patently not Liverpool class. SG should be in the middle all the time and Sisso should only be used to shore up a game, not start with. Macherano should be given a run of games as well. In my opinion Liverpool are still a long way from the title. Top quality players needed in the Summer (not squad) should include Goalkeeper as Reina makes too many mistakes, another CH with pace for optional three at the back at Anfield or as cover for Agger, right back that can attack to allow for no right winger, (Alves) left back to allow Riise to move into midfield, with David Villa or Torres up front. SG in the middle flanked by Riise and a goalscoring right side midfielder with Alonso/Macherano off the back four. Garcia although loses the ball does get vital goals and has been missed. Voronin, cover for Garcia, who knows. Much needed additions but the money is now available and I sincerely hope that Beni stops collecting sub standard Spanish.
Hey,
I enjoy your writings even though I’m a Liverpool supporter. I was wondering if you think a high price forward that will take time to fit into the english system at Liverpool might cause more harm than good?
Now while we need more natural talent in that area generally players take time to assimilate into a new system/country and just shoving a high priced gun into the line-up will probably not produce the immediate results the supporters expect. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks,
James
Hey you’re right,
No matter who we sign,we always end up with the same story…
There seems to be a weakness somewhere in the team year after year even with some decent quality players added
eg. Kuyt,Bellamy,Pennant & Agger being more recent,
and others like Cisse,Morientes,Aurelio,Kromkamp,Nunez,Diao,Kewell,Gonzales,Garcia,Westerveld,Barragan,Paletta,Agger,Kirkland,”soon-to-be out” Carson & Voronin & the list goes on…
Even high profile superstar(Torres or Villa or anyone) or hot property players (Alves,Simao & some Argentine kid) might not do the job
I think we might have to do a Chelski here;keep on buying a whole new team till it clicks…
Ok so we now need a new keeper,couple of centre backs,few wing backs would be good,also left and right wingers plus two free scoring hitmen upfront,ok make that four…
And the process repeats itself
While we’re at that,lets get Jose Mourinho;at least he knows a few good buys…
Harry Kewell will come back fit and better than ever, just you wait, he will add much more attacking class to lfc’s midfield. Then if Benitez can get Simao/Alves the right hand side will be looking strong as well.
I don’t think many people realize how great the midfield talent Benitez has at his disposal.
Imagine if Fergie had one or two of those players at United.
Not a bad article. I also remember Diouf being labelled the missing piece because he would finally bring some width and pace to our team.
Only problem is, we actually have the best record in the Premiership at defending set pieces, and by some distance. Chelsea are in second place.
pff check your facts 2006/7 we had the LEAST goals scored against us in the league from set pieces. People just made a fuss when it happened because of all of the fuss the year before about zonal marking. This year around January time we were up there again as one of the best but i havn’t checked since then! This is also further highlighted by the fact that we conceed so few that goals from set pieces appear as a high percentage!!!
And no we don’t just need a striker. We need a pacey striker who can keep their head in front of goal and at least 2 world class wingers! That should do the trick!