Finally, Liverpool have signed Dirk Kuyt (9 mil) and after their 6th signing of the summer, the fans and the club are confident that they are the main challengers to Chelsea’s title.
The folks over at the Independent certainly seem to think so, with most columnists predicting Liverpool to finish as champions or runners up this season.
It is hard not to be impressed by the work Rafael Benitez has done at Liverpool – he has moulded the club into his vision of football and through his skills of meticulous preparation, motivation and strategic planning he has turned Liverpool into a genuine title contender in England and in Europe. Throw in the Champions League and FA Cup, and us United fans have good reason to be a bit envious of his success.
Interesting stats – this Guardian article shows that since his arrival at Anfield, Benitez has brought in 20 players at an outlay of 75 mil (of which 24 mil has been spent this summer). 20 players in 2 years…well, at least we can say that he’s a) reshaped the squad to his liking and b) bought cheap.
As Benitez starts his third season with Liverpool, he will know that there is a lot of pressure on him to succeed this year. 3rd place again will be considered a failure to build upon their successes of 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. With Liverpool being installed as second favourites by many so-called pundits it will be interesting to see how the team and the manager handle the pressure and expectations.
Bottom line – talented players, smart buys, but will require a lot of work from Benitez to get them playing together and performing well as a unit. The front line is still devoid of stars although in Bellamy and Kuyt Liverpool have quite a lot of firepower. The midfield will be their strongest asset, but injury to Gerrard or Alonso will put the brakes on that title challenge.
Defence? I’m not so sure that Liverpool are as infallible as they seem to be. They play tight and defend well as a team, but do they have the strong individuals at the back to sustain an assault from the full-strength teams of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United?
Their ability to control the game will be their greatest asset, so any team that is good enough to disrupt that control will have a chance to see how the new-look Liverpool play when they are pushed to their limits (and please don’t mention the Champions League final again – Milan were as much to blame for that result as Liverpool were to be praised for their fightback).
Liverpool are a hungry well organised team on the march under a young and talented manager. United are a team with a manager everybody knows is finished. If Hitzfeld or Lippi was put in charge of the same Man U players you’d fear them more but it’s obvious for few years Fergie is finished. Especially in Europe where everyone knows they’ll lose against any decent side they play in a knock-out.
Liverpool will most probably come second this year unless Mourinho blows it for Chelsea. He loses his head abit under pressure so if we keep near them till April I can see Benitez holding his nerve better. Chelsea will sack Mourinho at the end of the season if he fails so miserably in Europe again against Barce or Madrid. He knows it too and so the pressure on him is immense. How he reacts will determine where the title ends up this year.
Chelsea will not sack Mourinho if they get knocked out by Barca – that is nonsense. Loses his head under pressure? Four league titles, three domestic cups, one CL and one UEFA Cup says otherwise. Stop believing everything the morons in the press tell you.
I’ll be interested to see how Liverpool cope when it gets down to the wire – when’s the last time they were involved in a serious title challenge? Have they got the bottle? Squeaky bum time…
200 Millions in a Team for Chelsea and only three silverware. Maureen has underacheived. Even Houiller of Liverpool has done better with less cash spent with more silverware.
Oh dear… This isn’t really what you lot think is it? I mean, if you want to look at it like that, Vialli won more trophies than Mourinho but nobody who is allowed out unaccompanied thinks Luca is a better manager than Jose.
Both Rafa and Maureen are good manager, just that Maureen are luckier to have unlimited fortune to spend whereas Rafa has limited fund.
And is arguably that the achievement of Rafa is better compare to maureen. why i said that? CL champion is what every big club is aiming for and rafa won that in his first season with liverpool. That’s why chelsea spent 30 mil just to bring Sheva in.
I think Liverpool can win the title
I think shevchenko is the only player that has made chelsea any better (as he is arguably top 3 in the world right now)
Ballack got bruising welcome to the premiership from sissoko on saturday and didnt look up for it at all (what will he be like when bolton and wigan start kicking lumps out of him)
Milan as much to blame? That analysis won´t earn any fortunes I´m afraid. Possible runners up – yes. But under pressure to win the league while fighting a russian mafioso with seemingly endless funds? Nope.
YNWA