Ray Kennedy: Steven Gerrard would not get into the Liverpool team of the 70s

Liverpool’s all conquering team of the 70s and early 80s was blessed with an amazing array of talent, so much so that club legend Ray Kennedy believes that Steven Gerrard would have struggled to get into the first XI.

In a recent interview, Kennedy stated: "Liverpool have some great players. I really like Steven Gerrard, he is one of the best midfielders I have seen. He would have struggled to get in our team, mind”.

Given the fact Kennedy played with the likes of Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen, Graeme Souness, Emlyn Hughes, Alan Kennedy and Terry McDermott, it’s hardly surprising he feels the way he does about Gerrard.

Bill Shankly signed Kennedy from Arsenal in 1974 – the great man’s last signing before leaving the club. As a striker at Arsenal, Kennedy scored 71 goals in 212 games over 5 years.

At Anfield, he was converted into a midfielder, and went on to win five league titles and three European Cups in his eight years at Anfield, scoring 51 goals in the process.

Even if Kennedy doesn’t think Gerrard would cut in the 70s team, he’s supporting Liverpool’s captain and the rest of the team to the hilt this year in the quest to recapture the European Cup:

"I watched the team win the 2005 European Cup on television; it made me so proud to see them with that trophy again. I hope they do it again this season. That would make my year."

Sadly, Kennedy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 22 years ago and is now housebound as a result. Liverpool fans are doing everything they can to raise much needed money for Ray via the Ray of Hope appeal,

You can read about the Ray of Hope Appeal here: http://www.liverweb.org.uk/rayofhope.htm

Pledges can be made to rayofhopeappeal@hotmail.co.uk

Cheques can be sent to the Ray of Hope Appeal c/o HSBC account 21817299, sort code 40-03-27.

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'It's Michael Thomas bursting through the midfield! It's up for grabs now!' Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself 19 years after *that* night

In May 1989, Arsenal had to come to Anfield and win by two clear goals to snatch the league title. At the time, it seemed impossible; Liverpool fans ridiculed the idea and no one really expected Arsenal to do it. We all know what happened next. Since that ill-fated night, Liverpool have played Arsenal 23 times at Anfield, and with tomorrow's game of a similar magnitude to the 1989 encounter, the game stats over the last 19 years make interesting reading.

Below is a list of every Liverpool-Arsenal game at Anfield since May 1989:

26.11.1989				W	2 - 1		1st Division
03.03.1991				L	0 - 1		1st Division
29.01.1992				W	2 - 0		1st Division
23.08.1992				L	0 - 2		Premier League
02.10.1993				D	0 - 0		Premier League
28.08.1994				W	3 - 0		Premier League
11.01.1995				W	1 - 0		League Cup 5th round
23.12.1995				W	3 - 1		Premier League
19.08.1996				W	2 - 0		Premier League
27.11.1996				W	4 - 2		League Cup 4th round
06.05.1998				W	4 - 0		Premier League
22.08.1998				D	0 - 0		Premier League
28.08.1999				W	2 - 0		Premier League
23.12.2000				W	4 - 0		Premier League
23.12.2001				L	1 - 2		Premier League
29.01.2003				D	2 - 2		Premier League
04.10.2003				L	1 - 2		Premier League
28.11.2004				W	2 - 1		Premier League
14.02.2006				W	1 - 0		Premier League
06.01.2007				L	1 - 3		FA Cup 3rd round
09.01.2007				L	3 - 6		League Cup 5th round
31.03.2007				W	4 - 1		Premier League
28.10.2007				D	1 - 1		Premier League
Played	Won	Lost	Drawn			Goals for		Goals Against	Goals per game
23	13	6	4			43		25	2.9 per game

Overall, Liverpool look like they’re in good shape, however, the figures reveal that

1. In the last 5 games, Liverpool have won only twice at Anfield.
2. The last 2 defeats have been in knock-out cup competitions.
3. Liverpool have conceded 11 goals in the last 5 games.
4. In the 10 games prior to that, Liverpool conceded only 9 goals.

If we consider the above results in the context of the last 10 games home AND away against Arsenal, things look a little bleaker, with Arsenal winning 5, Liverpool winning 2 and three draws rounding out the 10.

Going into the 1989 game at Anfield, Liverpool had been on a 17 game unbeaten streak and were overwhelming favourites to clinch the title.

The current Liverpool side does not a record as impressive as that, but with only 3 games lost in the last 20 - and two arguably comfortable games against Arsenal in the last week - Liverpool are widely considered to be favourites to go through to the next round.

The favourites tag carries even more weight given the club's superb European pedigree under Rafael Benitez. However, as Benfica proved in 2006, it’s perfectly possible to come to Anfield and win in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

This season, Liverpool have played Arsenal 3 times so far, and all 3 games have been 1-1 draws. In the last 19 years, there has never been 3 straight draws (across seasons) against Arsenal, so the probability of there being another draw is slim at best.

In the Champions League, Liverpool seem to be at their best when they’re considered to be the underdogs. The entire CL winning season in 2004/5 is testament to this, as are the victories against the likes of Barcelona and Inter Milan.

Against Arsenal, they are also considered favourites, which may not suit the team as much. Indeed, countless players have been overconfident in the press leading up to the trilogy, pontificating about how Liverpool‘have no fear’ etc. This could potentially come back to haunt them.

With Arsenal’s premiership hopes grinding to a halt over the last few weeks, their only realistic chance of silverware this season is the Champions league, so they will be ridiculously motivated to win the game.

And recent history proves that they can come to Anfield and win, and do so emphatically, and I am sure they will be buoyed by that

Having said that, Fernando Torres loves playing at Anfield, and if he scores at any point in the game, then Arsenal can forget it. 22 of Torres' 28 goals this season have come at home, and when Torres scores Liverpool do not lose.

Ultimately, Arsenal have proved that it’s possible to come to Anfield and win in the most hopeless, pressurized circumstances. To counteract that, Liverpool need a big performance tomorrow night, full of positive attacking intent and real desire to win.

Playing for a draw is not going to cut it, especially with Arsenal knowing it's win or bust. If Liverpool go the negative cautious route, as they have so often under benitez, history just might repeat itself.

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Did Ian Rush really say that? The truth about Rushie's most infamous comment!

Ian Rush’s comments about his struggle to adapt to Italian life whilst playing for Juventus entered into Liverpool FC folklore long ago, but did he really say that living in Italy ‘was like living in a foreign country’?

According to Liverpool’s goal-scoring Legend, he made no such comment:

“I was set up! It was someone's idea of fun - probably one of my Liverpool team-mates joked that I'd said it and things went from there. I had just re-joined the club [in August 1988] and wanted to get back to playing football, not worry what was being written about me”.

It’s a shame really, as the comment is a big part of the Ian Rush legend and is oddly endearing in a way, as well as being hilariously funny!

It’s amazing how that quote has endured over the years and seeped into the consciousness of football fans across the globe. Indeed, the quote is so synonymous with Ian Rush that it’s possibly one of the first things people will bring up when asked about the player.

Anyway – the man himself has debunked the myth. The task now is to try and identify which of Rush’s team-mates made it up!

So who’s the culprit? My top four suspects are:

Jan Molby
Steve McMahon
Ronnie Whelan
John Aldridge

For my money, it's got be Aldo!

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Dream Team: Liverpool FC's greatest ever XI

It's an extremely difficult task trying to pick Liverpool's greatest ever XI, especially given the sheer volume of fantastic players in the club's glorious history. In my personal greatest XI, skill and leadership ability are the defining characteristics, and I believe that the side I've chosen would pulverise any team in world football - past or present.

This is my LFC dream team.

Manager - Bill Shankly
Assistant Manager - Bob Paisley
Captain - Graeme Souness
Vice Captain - Kenny Dalglish

Formation: 4-1-3-1-1

------------------------ Bruce Grobelaar

Steve Nicol --- Tommy Smith --- Alan Hansen --- Alan Kennedy

---------------------- Graeme Souness (c)

Billy Liddell -------- Peter Beardsley ---------- John Barnes

------------------- Kenny Dalglish

--------------------------- Ian Rush

Substitutes:

Ray Clemence
Kevin Keegan

Sami Hyypia
Robbie Fowler
Terry McDermott
Emlyn Hughes
John Aldridge
Steve McMahon

My preferred formations would be 4-1-3-1-1 or 4-3-3, and the players I have chosen could play either of those formation with ease.

Just imagine the skill, technique and creativity of Barnes, Beardsley, Dalglish and Liddell in the same team - it would be an absolute joy to watch!

The sheer creative genius on display would lay waste to the most stubborn of defences, and if there's one thing you can guarantee about this team, it's goals; and lots of them.

From defence right through to attack, this team is bursting with goalscorers. Steve Nicol and Alan Kennedy got their fair share of goals from defence, and with Barnes, Liddell, Dalglish and Beardsley feeding Rush and scoring themselves, the goalscoring possibilities are endless.

At the heart of the defence, Alan Hansen is obviously an automatic inclusion, but I agonized over who should partner him: Mark Lawrenson or Tommy Smith.

In terms of partnerships, Lawrenson would be the obvious choice, but I just could not leave a player like Tommy Smith out of the team. He was the Jamie Carragher of his day - a homegrown, fiercly competitive lionheart who embodied everything about Liverpool FC. He was also a rough, man-mountain of a defender - the perfect foil for the grace and elegance of Alan Hansen.

At the heart of this team is Graeme Souness, Liverpool's greatest ever midfielder and Captain. Souness is a proper midfield leader: tough, creative, intelligent, fearsome, vocal and a superb, respected leader. Basically, everything Steven Gerrard *should* be as Liverpool captain.

Some people may argue that in midfield, this team would be defensively lacking, but I would disagree. Souness is good enough to own the defensive side of midfield himself, and the defensive capabilities of the attacking players in the team should not be underestimated.

Liverpool teams of the past never needed two central midfielders babysitting the creative players; The idea of having two holding midfielders is a purely modern phenomenon, which is indicative of the regrettable move towards a more cautious, negative style of football. As the saying goes though - defend as a team and attack as a team.

My belief is that you should always play to attack, so creating a team that will scare the opposition with its creative genius is the priority. Worrying about how to stop the other team scoring is negative and counter productive. Let the *opposition* worry about *you*, and I submit that this side would scare the living daylights out of *any* team.

This team would attack from the start, utilising its creative genius in the pursuit of one goal: setting out to win every game by scoring as many goals as possible.

And if things were not going to plan, or more defensive solidity was required, then one of the attacking players could be replaced by Steve McMahon or Emlyn Hughes.

First and foremost though, this team is set up to play football the Liverpool way: pass and move, keep the ball, keep it simple. Positive, proactive and fearing no one.

Finally, the most important quality of this team is strength of character and leadership ability. There are leaders all over the field in this squad: Hansen, Hughes, Rush, Souness, Dalglish, Barnes, Liddell and Smith all Captained Liverpool at some point. In terms of personal integrity and professionalism, this squad of players puts modern Liverpool footballers to shame.

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Iron Man vs Crazy Horse: The truth about Tommy Smith's 'hatred' of Emlyn Hughes

It’s no secret that Tommy Smith and Emlyn Hughes - two of Liverpool’s greatest captains and finest servants - hated each other, but what caused the friction between ‘Crazy Horse’ and Liverpool’s ‘Iron Man’?

And make no mistake - Smith really did hate Hughes, as he stated in emphatic terms in an interview once:

"I hated scoring for Liverpool because Hughes would come up and congratulate me. I hated him".

In another interview, Smith scathed: "The only mates he had in all his time at Liverpool were straight out of a vending machine”.

We can trace the seeds of Smith’s dislike for Hughes back to 1973, when after a much publicized fallout with Bill Shankly, Smith was dumped from the role of team captain and replaced by…Emlyn Hughes.

The change allegedly led to tension in the dressing room, with the older players remaining loyal to Smith whilst expressing their dislike for Hughes's chattiness, and (according to his obituary in The Telegraph) ‘parsimony’ in the pub.

Smith was clearly angry about losing the captaincy: "It was my club. I'd been there a damn sight longer than him. Everything in my life was football, especially Liverpool, so why should I let this two-faced little so-and-so spoil my football life?”

Smith added that off the pitch, he deliberately ignored Hughes: “Away from football, I did not entertain him, or speak to him off the pitch. Never".

It seems clear that Smith was far more popular amongst the players that Hughes, something which was exemplified following Liverpool's 3-0 victory over Newcastle in the 1974 FA Cup Final, where several players pushed Smith to the front of the celebrations, ahead of Hughes – a powerful, symbolic gesture, emphasizing who the ‘real’ captain was.

After Shankly's unexpected retirement in the close season, Hughes – much to Smith’s chagrin - was confirmed as the captain by his successor, Bob Paisley, who was also very much aware of the tension between the two:

“Some of Emlyn’s team-mates weren’t that fond of him and one of them, Tommy Smith, absolutely hated him. Smithy and Hughes never spoke to each other.

"I had to speak to them both when all the trouble was brewing up but it never mattered to me if players got on like a house on fire or if they couldn’t stand the sight of each other, as long as they didn’t let their personal feelings spill over onto the pitch.

“Their dislike of each other was something we managed to keep within the dressing room. I certainly don’t think the fans who were watching them play alongside each other had any idea of the feud that was going on”.

Another major cause of the Smith’s dislike of Hughes seems to stem from an alleged ‘set-up’ involving Arsenal players and their apparent willingness to throw games.

Smith alleges that Hughes told him that a number of Arsenal players were 'willing to throw a match for £50 a man'.

Said Smith: "I'd take a lie-detector test. He did say that, but I thought he might have been trying to set me up. I was that disgusted I didn't tell anyone except Ian Callaghan. From then on, I disliked him that much and he disliked me that much. As a footballer, he was very good. As a person, he wasn't."

If that allegation is true, then it’s a very apt historical antecedent to the George Graham bung controversy that afflicted Arsenal in the early 90s.

It wasn’t just Smith who had a problem with Hughes; according to Chelsea legend Peter Osgood, ‘Everybody hated Emlyn’. And in an interview shortly before he died, Osgood relayed a story that that illustrated Smith’s true feelings on Hughes:

"I remember this game at Anfield once - Chopper's [Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris] done Emlyn Hughes after 15 minutes and he's gone down squealing. Tommy Smith sprints in from 20 yards away, but he sprints straight past Emlyn, his team-mate, gets to Chopper, hauls him up, and says 'I could get to like you, Harris.' Nobody hated Emlyn more than Smithy."

In another alleged incident, Liverpool were playing Leeds United in the 70s, and Hughes was clattered by Allan Clarke in a goalmouth melee. Smith took one look at Hughes on the deck with blood pouring from his nose and said: ''Maybe that Clarke's not such a bad bloke after all''.

Despite their considerable tension between them, it’s clear that Hughes and Smith were consummate professionals on the pitch, and never let their personal dislike get in the way of what was best for the team, something that Smith himself was emphatic about:

"Once we were over that white line, we were playing for Liverpool, and our personal dislike of each other did not come into it”.

Bob Paisley saw the same attitude from Hughes:

“In fairness, neither of them let their personal problems affect their games when they were playing for each other. Emlyn never, ever let his feelings overshadow his respect for his team-mates’ playing abilities, and his inspirational quality as his predecessor as club captain”.

Smith’s public comments about Hughes have always been scathing, but the same cannot be said of Hughes, who paid a glowing tribute to Smith in his autobiography:

“He is the greatest captain I have ever played under. Although I never particularly got along with him as a man, I had nothing but admiration and respect for him as a captain on the pitch. He had powerful qualities of leadership.”

Irrespective of their personal dislike of each other, one thing is for sure: Smith and Hughes were two fantastic servants to Liverpool FC. Between them, they helped the club win every major honour in the game, including league and FA Cup titles, 2 European Cups and 2 Uefa Cups.

The 1977 victory against Borussia Moenchengladbach is a perfect example of Smith and Hughes playing in complete harmony with each other, putting aside personal differences and allowing their professionalism to shine through.

The game was Liverpool’s first (and arguably most special) European Cup victory, and Smith crowned his fantastic career by scoring the goal that put Liverpool 2-1 up on the night.

Hughes lifted the trophy, and in the video footage taken after the game, if you look closely, there is one instance of Smith and Hughes celebrating…together.

A rare occurrence indeed, and one that would sadly never be repeated.

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Liverpool vs Arsenal - Who has the edge going into this week's trilogy?

Liverpool have played Arsenal 26 times over the last ten years, but with three crucial, season defining games on the horizon, which team has the best record and, by extension, the statistically better chance of emerging victorious?

Below is a table detailing every Liverpool-Arsenal game over the last ten years:

30.11.1997		W	1 - 0		Highbury			Premier League
06.05.1998		W	4 - 0		Anfield			Premier League
22.08.1998		D	0 - 0		Anfield			Premier League
09.01.1999		D	0 - 0		Highbury			Premier League
13.02.2000		W	1 - 0		Highbury			Premier League
21.08.2000		L	0 - 2		Highbury			Premier League
23.12.2000		W	4 - 0		Anfield			Premier League
12.05.2001		W	2 - 1		Millennium St.			FA Cup Final
23.12.2001		L	1 - 2		Anfield			Premier League
13.01.2002		D	1 - 1		Highbury			Premier League
27.01.2002		L	0 - 1		Highbury			FA Cup 4th round
11.08.2002		L	0 - 1		Millennium St.			Charity Shield
29.12.2002		D	1 - 1		Highbury			Premier League
29.01.2003		D	2 - 2		Anfield			Premier League
04.10.2003		L	1 - 2		Anfield			Premier League
09.04.2004		L	2 - 4		Highbury			Premier League
28.11.2004		W	2 - 1		Anfield			Premier League
08.05.2005		L	1 - 3		Highbury			Premier League
14.02.2006		W	1 - 0		Anfield			Premier League
12.03.2006		L	1 - 2		Highbury			Premier League
12.11.2006		L	0 - 3		Emirates			Premier League
06.01.2007		L	1 - 3		Anfield			FA Cup 3rd round
09.01.2007		L	3 - 6		Anfield			League Cup 5th round
31.03.2007		W	4 - 1		Anfield			Premier League
28.10.2007		D	1 - 1		Anfield			Premier League
Total over the last 10 years
Total Games	Win (Home)		Win (Away	Lose (Home		Lose (Away)	Draws (Home)		Draws (Away)	Goals (For)	Goals (Against)
25	5		3	4		7	3		3	34	37
	8 wins			11 defeats			6 draws			71 (2.7 per game)

Overall, there isn’t much separating the two teams. However, during Rafa's reign, Liverpool have:

1. Only managed a measly three victories over Arsenal during Rafa's reign. The other six meetings led to five defeats and one draw.

2. Lost four of the last six meetings, conceding 16 goals along the way.

3. Failed to beat Arsenal at Anfield in the last four attempts.

Additionally, over the last 10 years, Liverpool have:

4. Not beaten Arsenal away since February 2000 – eight years ago.

5. Failed to win 18 of the last 26 games against Arsenal in all competition – that’s failure to win in 70% of games.

On a purely statistical analysis, it looks bleak! However, Liverpool is the form team in the premiership at the moment, and Arsenal’s form is stuttering, with one win in six games seeing them relinquish their lead at the top of the table.

Liverpool on the other hand are undergoing a mini-resurgence - seven straight victories has seen the team shoot up the premiership table to within 8 points of the lead. As a result, confidence is flowing, which now being arguably the best time to face Arsenal.

Having said all that, when Arsenal came to Anfield earlier in the season, they put Liverpool to shame with a stunning display of pass and move brilliance – the kind of football Liverpool used to be associated with.

Arsenal have been superb for much of the season, and Wenger has instilled a steel will in the team that never used to be there. They will definitely be up for upcoming games against Liverpool, and statistically speaking, they have to be favourites to do well over the three games.

Much will depend on how Liverpool play – will it be the creatively bereft, defensive-minded anti-football that has afflicted the team at various stages throughout the season, or will it be the free-flowing, free-scoring team that was doing so well before the Manchester United debacle? Only time will tell.

My predictions:

Wednesday, 02 April 2008
Champions League Qtr Final 1st Leg (Emirates)
Defeat

Saturday, 05 April 2008
Barclays Premier League (Emirates)
Draw

Tuesday, 08 April 2008
Champions League Qtr Final 2nd Leg (Anfield)
Win

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Michael Laudrup: The greatest footballer never to play for Liverpool FC?

Liverpool FC has lost out on signing many great players over the years, but the most regrettable missed opportunity is arguably Danish maestro Michael Laudrup. The club had two chances to sign this footballing magician, but sadly failed on both occasions. Why did the Liverpool miss out and what impact would Laudrup(theoretically) have had on the club?

Laudrup was a unique talent, possessed of immense creativity and a seemingly effortless ability to carve open defences with his wide range of breathtaking skills, which included the infamous ‘Laudrup dribble’.

Outstanding technique, elegance, passing ability and dribbling skills were Laudrup's trademarks, and Jorge Valdano, who coached Laudrup at Real Madrid, raved about his footballing intelligence and vision, proclaiming that on the football field, he had “eyes everywhere”.

Over the years, Laudrup’s illustrious team-mates have queued up lavish praise on him: Raul, a team-mate at Real Madrid, said of Laudrup: 'He is the best player I've had ever played with”.

Brazilian legend Romário believed that Laudrup was ‘the fifth best player in the history of the game’ (behind Pelé, Maradona, himself and Zinedine Zidane) as he was able to ‘create and score goals almost at will’.

French maestro Michel Platini, who plpayed with Laudrup at Juventus, was equally complimentary, but bemoaned his selflessness: “He had everything, except for one thing: he wasn't selfish enough".

Laudrup’s Manager at Juventus, Giovanni Trapattoni, agreed with Platini’s assessment: "If he had got into the box and scored more goals instead of serving his team-mates, he would have been an all-time great."

Former Liverpool player Luis Garcia was also a huge fan of Laudrup, citing him as one his inspirations: “I tried to mirror everything he did. He was the player I admired, I used to go watch him. His movement, his assists – maybe others finished better, took better free-kicks, but I wanted to be him. He had such a wonderful eye for a pass – he used to give the ball while looking the other way, something Ronaldinho does now”.

So – it’s clear that Laudrup was a ‘Liverpool-type player’ – someone whose awesome ability would have lit up Anfield and added another dimension to Liverpool’s 80s domination.

So what went wrong?

Laudrup was reportedly set to move to Anfield twice in the 1980s, and both times the deal fell through. In 1983, Liverpool lost out to Juventus, who also beat off rival bids from the likes of Real Madrid CF and Ajax to secure the services of the mercurial Dane.

Liverpool were in the driving seat to sign the player but the deal fell through at the eleventh hour, with the club reportedly insisting that the deal be 4 years instead of the agreed 3 years. This last minute change to the terms of the deal forced Finn Laudrup – Michael’s father and Agent – to back out of the deal*.

At Juventus, Laudrup fell foul of the two-foreign player rule in force at the time, which led to him going out on loan to Lazio, where he stayed for two years, before returning to play alongside the likes of Michel Platini, Zbigniew Boniek and Liverpool’s very own Ian Rush.

At the beginning of 1987 – in the middle of a season in which Liverpool’s awe-inspiring team (spearheaded by John Barnes and Peter Beardsley) were making headlines across Europe – speculation surfaced again about the possibility of Laudrup coming to Liverpool, with the player himself declaring "I will stay with Juventus until 1989, and then I think I'll join Liverpool”.

Obviously inspired by the superb football weaved by the late 80s Liverpool team, Laudrup was again close to signing for the club, but for whatever reason, the deal fell through again.

Laudrup ended up at Barcelona, under the stewardship of Dutch master Johann Cruyff, who described watching Laudrup play football as “pure pleasure", adding: "In terms of movement, ball skills and understanding of the game, I have never seen anybody so similar to myself."

At Barcelona, Laudrup showed his true world-class ability, giving Liverpool fans a glimpse of what they had missed out as he pulled the creative strings at the Nou Camp, winning four consecutive La Liga titles and the European Cup.

Anyone who had the pleasure of watching Laudrup weave his magic for that fantastic Barcelona team will understand just what Liverpool missed out on. So, if Laudrup had come to Liverpool, just where would he have fitted into the team?

In 1983, the club was in the throes of domestic domination and were two titles into a three year league winning bonanza. Liverpool were in their pomp, and Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish were laying waste to every team that had the misfortune of crossing their path.

At the tender age of 19, it’s unlikely that Laudrup would have been a first team regular, but he would have been slowly blooded into the team, producing the mouth watering possibility of the following line-up:

-------------------- Bruce Grobbelaar

Phil Neal --- Alan Hansen --- Mark Lawrenson --- Steve Nicol

------------- Sammy Lee --- Graeme Souness

---Michael Laudrup ----- Kenny Dalglish ---- Alan Kennedy

-----------------------Ian Rush

A three-pronged attack of Dalglish, Rush and Laudrup?! Surely the stuff of dreams!

This tantalizing strikeforce sadly never materialized in England, but when Ian Rush moved to Juventus in 1987, the Rush-Laudrup strike partnership became a reality.

The partnership was, however, a resounding failure. With the shadow of the recently retired Michel Platini looming large over Juventus, 23-year old Laudrup failed to live up to Platini's standards, and did not score any goals, despite playing all 30 games of the 1987-88 season.

Ian Rush on the other hand, scored 13 goals for Juve that season, which makes a mockery of some peoples’ contention that he failed in Italy.

I have no doubt though, that if Laudrup and Rush had played in the same team for Liverpool, with King Kenny pulling the strings, the partnership would have been a major success.

What about 1989? How would Laudrup have fitted into Dalglish’s awe-inspiring Liverpool team – arguably the most exciting Liverpool team in the club’s history?

If Laudrup had signed on for the 88-89 season (or signed on during that season) I am sure that Liverpool would have won the double that year.

In January 1989, the club was 17 points off top spot, but through sheer skill, determination and an unshakeable winning mentality, the team pulled it out of the fire and went into the final week of the season with the league and cup double all but in the bag.

Every Liverpool fan knows how that season ended, so I don’t even need to bring it up, but if Laudrup had been in the team, perhaps it’s possible that Liverpool would not have undergone such a mid-season slump, and would have sewn up the title long before it all came down to *that* game on a fateful night in May.

The question is, given Liverpool’s domestic dominance at the time, did the team even need Laudrup? In John Barnes, Liverpool had a player who was (in my view) superior in ability to Laudrup, and in Peter Beardsley, a player who was at least on a par with the Great Dane.

Where would Laudrup have fitted-in? The team could have looked like this:

---------------------- Bruce Grobbelaar

Gary Ablett --- Alan Hansen --- Steve Staunton -- Steve Nicol

---------------------- Steve McMahon

Michael Laudrup ----- Ronnie Whelan ----- John Barnes

---------------Peter Beardsley

--------------------- John Aldridge

It’s tough to fit Laudrup into this team, and it would probably have been Ray Houghton who made way, perhaps undeservedly so as he brought such a lot to the late 80s team.

It would also have been tough to accommodate Rush, Aldridge, Beardsley and Laudrup in the same team. Aldo was sold to Real Sociedad in 1990 (A mistake in my view) as a result of Rush’s return, so Laudrup’s presence would put even more pressure on him.

It would have been difficult to accommodate everybody, but what the hell. What a team this would have been! John Barnes, Peter Beardsley and Michael Laudrup running riot together?!

Add fellow Dane Jan Molby into the mix and the creative possibilities are endless, and arguably more exciting that 1983 strikeforce of Dalglish, Laudrup and Rush I proposed earlier in the article.

If Laudrup had come to Liverpool in 1989, then there’s also the possibility that the club's title winning run would not have come to an end in 1990.

Laudrup was in his prime between 1990 and 1994, winning everything under the sun with Barcelona; with Barnes, Beardsley and Rush alongside him, perhaps that dominance could have been transferred to Liverpool…?

Given Liverpool’s European football ban, Laudrup’s move to Spain was an obvious move. However, when Laudrup made his comment in 1987 about moving to Liverpool in 1989, he must have been aware then that the ban was in place, yet he still expressed a desire to sign for the club.

Having said that, if Laudrup *had* come to Liverpool in 1989, and events off the pitch remained the same, then Graeme Souness would still have become Liverpool Manager, and would probably have sidelined/misused/mismanaged Laudrup, just like he did with Peter Beardsley.

So, in retrospect, Laudrup probably made the right decision going to Barcelona!

We’ll never know though. As fans, we’ll just have to be content with imagining what might have been, but for me, of all the players Liverpool have lost out on over the years, Laudrup remains the proverbial ‘one that got away’.

Take a look at what might have been below:

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Bravehearts of the Kop: How Scotland made Liverpool into a 'bastion of invincibility'

Liverpool FC has been blessed with the impressive contributions of many nationalities down the years, but the impact of Scottish players and managerial staff is arguably unequalled at Anfield.

Quite simply, without Scottish influence, Liverpool FC would never have become the wildly successful world class club it is today.

In fact, take away the Scottish inspiration from the club and Liverpool would in all probability be…Everton! And what could be worse than that?!

The Scottish influence on Liverpool began decades before proud Scot Bill Shankly revolutionized the club. In 1892, self-made Irish businessman John McKenna was appointed manager of the club and immediately drafted 13 Scottish professionals into the team.

The impact was immediate: Liverpool won the Lancashire League in their first season, and were elected to the Football League Second Division for the 1893–94 season. Liverpool’s Scottish all-stars ended the season unbeaten as Second Division Champions, and were promoted to the First Division, the highest level of English football at that time.

Over the years, more and more Scottish players arrived at Anfield, including the likes of club legend Billy Liddell, who many people still believe is the greatest player to ever turn out for the club; Bill Dunlop, who won two league titles with the club; Tommy Lawrence, who had over 300 games between the sticks and Willie Fagan, who played with Bill Shankly at Preston prior to moving to Liverpool.

Then, in 1959, the most important moment in Liverpool footballing history arrived: Scottish genius Bill Shankly signed on as Liverpool Manager. The impact Shankly had on shaping the philosophy and winning mentality of Liverpool cannot be overstated, and it is no exaggeration to state that Shankly is the most important figure in Liverpool FC history.

The Scottish players just kept on coming, with the likes defensive giant Ron Yeats; goal-scoring legend Ian St John; powerful striker Bobby Graham and ex Rangers player Willie Stevenson becoming important components of Shanks' resurgent team and helping the club to win a plethora of trophies.

After Bob Paisley took over at the helm, the roll-call of Scottish greats continued with the arrival a triumvirate of true Liverpool legends: Kenny Dalglish, Alan Hansen and Graeme Souness – three players who were instrumental in Liverpool’s domestic and European domination of the 70s and 80s.

During the exciting tenure of Dalglish, Hansen and Souness, Liverpool amassed an incredible 26 trophies, including 9 league titles and 3 European Cups. No other period in Liverpool history was this successful, and it is doubtful if the same success will ever be replicated again, in England or indeed anywhere in the world.

Given the incomparable impact of Scottish players and Managers on the Liverpool’s outstanding success, it is perhaps ironic that the club’s decline at the came at the hands of one of its most inspirational figures - Graeme Souness.

The rot was arguably already setting in under the stewardship of King Kenny, but Souness, with his poor signings (Paul Stewart anyone?) and exclusion of quality players like Peter Beardsley, was instrumental in the club’s downward spiral at the beginning of the 1990s.

Sadly, Scottish influence has waned at Anfield over the last 15 years, with only Gary McAllister and Dominic Matteo making a significant impact at Liverpool in recent years.

This is a real shame given the fact Liverpool’s history is built on the shoulders of Scottish players and their grit, skill, determination and excellent leadership and motivational ability.

Here is my all time Scottish XI:

----------------------- Tommy Lawrence

Steve Nicol --- Alan Hansen --- Ron Yeats --- Bill Dunlop

Willie Stevenson - Graeme Souness(c) - Peter Cormack - Billy Liddell

------------------- Kenny Dalglish

----------------------------- Ian St John

Substitutes

Bert Slater (GK)
Willie Fagan
Gary McAllister
Donald McKinlay
Jimmy McDougall

Total appearances combined: 10,705
Total goals combined: 1396

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International KopStars - Liverpool's Greatest World XI

Liverpool FC has been blessed with dozens of talented footballers over the years, many of whom came from abroad to dazzle Anfield with sublime skills and superb technique.

The history of overseas footballers at Liverpool starts way back in 1926, with the debut of one of the club's greatest ever goal-scorers – South African Gordon Hodgson. With a superb record of 241 goals in 358 games, Hodgson is second only to Roger Hunt in the all-time LFC league goals chart.

The South African connection continued with the arrival of goalkeeper Arthur Riley and Berry ‘Nivvy’ Nieuwenhuys, a tricky winger blessed with speed and guile.

In pre-war England, overseas players were almost unheard of in the top division, so Liverpool were pace-setters and pioneers in this respect. However, after Nieuwenhuys left Liverpool in 1947, it was (incredibly) 34 years until another overseas player made an impact at Anfield.

That man was Bruce Grobbelaar, who despite a shaky start between the sticks, won the league title with Liverpool in his first season. Three years later, supremely talented Dane Jan Molby arrived at the club, and proceeded to play a major part in Liverpool’s domination of the 80s.

Other overseas players began to trickle in after that, with notable arrivals including Aussie cult hero Craig Johnstone; Israeli powerhouse Ronnie Rosenthal; Elegant Swedish International Glenn Hysen and criminally underrated Norwegian assist specialist Stig Inge Bjornebye.

Over the last 10 years, the number of overseas players at the club has increased at a faster rate than at any time in history, with players such as Sami Hyypia, Xabi Alonso and Dietmar Hamann playing hugely important roles in Liverpool’s continuing success.

Here is my greatest ever Liverpool World XI:

---------------------------------- Bruce Grobbelaar

Markus Babbel -- Stephane Henchoz -- Sami Hyppia (c) – Stig Inge Bjornebye

----------------------------------- Dietmar Hamann

------------ Jan Molby -------------Xabi Alonso -------- Patrik Berger

------------------------------- Jari Litmanen

-------------------------------------------- Fernando Torres

Subs:

Jose Reina
Glenn Hysen
Craig Johnstone
Berry Nieuwenhuys
Gordon Hodgson
Ronnie Rosenthal

The team would play a 4-1-3-1-1 formation, with Dietmar Hamann sitting in front of the back four, allowing Xabi Alonso, Jan Molby and the superb Jari Litmanen to utilize their prodigious passing ability to feed Fernando Torres, who would be overwhelmed by the amount of scoring chances created for him!

Patrick Berger and Stig Inge Bjornebye would provide width on the left, whipping in crosses for Torres and Litmanen. Some may see Bjornebye as a surprise inclusion, but in the mid 90s, the norwegian was regularly top of the club’s assists chart and was a model of consistency.

And who can forget the sublime cross he provided for Robbie Fowler to score the winner in the second 4-3 Newcastle thriller in 1997?

Markus Babbel would provide bombing runs down the right, adding an extra level of creative impetus, which would then give the team two strong attacking full-backs.

Central defence is a no-brainer; it has to be Stephane ‘hand-ball’ Henchoz and Finland’s finest export, Sami Hyypia. Before Jamie Carragher came on the scene, the Henchoz/Hyypia partnership was quite simply the best in the league.

Henchoz was unceremoniously dumped by Gerard Houllier, but the legend that is Sami Hyypia is still going strong and still playing brilliantly, despite being written off repeatedly by fans and the press.

The substitutes bench is filled with players who would come on change the game and/or help the team change shape to counter any tactical eventuality. Special mention has to go to powerful, athletic Israeli Ronnie Rosenthal.

Few can forget the impact Rosenthal had when he arrived in the final months of the 89-90 season - scoring a hat-trick on his full debut and going on to score 7 goals in 8 games - goals which were vital to Liverpool securing the title.

The team I have chosen would be a joy to watch and would give any team in Liverpool’s history a run for its money!

NB. This is a team composed of OVERSEAS players, i.e. NON UK players. I just wanted to clarify that as someone slated me in an email for not including Scottish/Irish players. It's quite clear from the opening paragraphs that this is an overseas team, but people will do their best to snipe.

One other thing: Just because I've never seen Berry Niewenhuys play doesn't mean I can't include him in the team. What spurious logic! A huge propertion of Liverpool fans never saw the likes of Dalglish or Souness play but that doesn't stop them putting these players in the their best ever team.

I've researched the player, and based on that, I include him my team. If you don't like it, tough.

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Liverpool v Arsenal 10 year analysis: Who has the upper hand going into the three upcoming games?

Liverpool have played Arsenal 26 times over the last ten years, but with three crucial, season defining games on the horizon, which team has the best record and, by extension, the statistically better chance of emerging victorious?

Below is a table detailing every Liverpool-Arsenal game over the last ten years:

30.11.1997		W	1 - 0		Highbury			Premier League
06.05.1998		W	4 - 0		Anfield			Premier League
22.08.1998		D	0 - 0		Anfield			Premier League
09.01.1999		D	0 - 0		Highbury			Premier League
09.01.1999		D	0 - 0		Highbury			Premier League
13.02.2000		W	1 - 0		Highbury			Premier League
21.08.2000		L	0 - 2		Highbury			Premier League
23.12.2000		W	4 - 0		Anfield			Premier League
12.05.2001		W	2 - 1		Millennium St.			FA Cup Final
23.12.2001		L	1 - 2		Anfield			Premier League
13.01.2002		D	1 - 1		Highbury			Premier League
27.01.2002		L	0 - 1		Highbury			FA Cup 4th round
11.08.2002		L	0 - 1		Millennium St.			Charity Shield
29.12.2002		D	1 - 1		Highbury			Premier League
29.01.2003		D	2 - 2		Anfield			Premier League
04.10.2003		L	1 - 2		Anfield			Premier League
09.04.2004		L	2 - 4		Highbury			Premier League
28.11.2004		W	2 - 1		Anfield			Premier League
08.05.2005		L	1 - 3		Highbury			Premier League
14.02.2006		W	1 - 0		Anfield			Premier League
12.03.2006		L	1 - 2		Highbury			Premier League
12.11.2006		L	0 - 3		Emirates			Premier League
06.01.2007		L	1 - 3		Anfield			FA Cup 3rd round
09.01.2007		L	3 - 6		Anfield			League Cup 5th round
31.03.2007		W	4 - 1		Anfield			Premier League
28.10.2007		D	1 - 1		Anfield			Premier League
Total over the last 10 years
Total Games	Win (Home)		Win (Away	Lose (Home		Lose (Away)	Draws (Home)		Draws (Away)	Goals (For)	Goals (Against)
26	5		3	4		7	3		4	34	37
	8 wins			11 defeats			7 draws			71 (2.7 per game)

Overall, there isn’t much separating the two teams. However, during Rafa's reign, Liverpool have:

1. Only managed a measly three victories over Arsenal during Rafa's reign. The other six meetings led to five defeats and one draw.

2. Lost four of the last six meetings, conceding 16 goals along the way.

3. Failed to beat Arsenal at Anfield in the last four attempts.

Additionally, over the last 10 years, Liverpool have:

4. Not beaten Arsenal away since February 2000 – eight years ago.

5. Failed to win 18 of the last 26 games against Arsenal in all competition – that’s failure to win in 70% of games.

On a purely statistical analysis, it looks bleak! However, Liverpool is the form team in the premiership at the moment, and Arsenal’s form is stuttering, with one win in six games seeing them relinquish their lead at the top of the table.

Liverpool on the other hand are undergoing a mini-resurgence - seven straight victories has seen the team shoot up the premiership table to within 8 points of the lead. As a result, confidence is flowing, which now being arguably the best time to face Arsenal.

Having said all that, when Arsenal came to Anfield earlier in the season, they put Liverpool to shame with a stunning display of pass and move brilliance – the kind of football Liverpool used to be associated with.

Arsenal have been superb for much of the season, and Wenger has instilled a steel will in the team that never used to be there. They will definitely be up for upcoming games against Liverpool, and statistically speaking, they have to be favourites to do well over the three games.

Much will depend on how Liverpool play – will it be the creatively bereft, defensive-minded anti-football that has afflicted the team at various stages throughout the season, or will it be the free-flowing, free-scoring team that is currently doing so well? Only time will tell.

My predictions:

Wednesday, 02 April 2008
Champions League Qtr Final 1st Leg (Emirates)
Defeat

Saturday, 05 April 2008
Barclays Premier League (Emirates)
Draw

Tuesday, 08 April 2008
Champions League Qtr Final 2nd Leg (Anfield)
Win

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Change the record, Tomkins. There's no credible comparison between Ferguson and Benitez’s early years

When are blatantly pro-Liverpool FC writers going to stop using tired clichés to back up their tenuous arguments and start telling the truth about the way things really are?

Paul Tomkins is a case in point: In his latest article, he castigates Jamie Redknapp for having the temerity to suggest that Liverpool would not win the title under Rafael Benitez due to his incessant rotation policy.

To many Liverpool fans who prefer to see things the way they really are, Redknapp merely stated the obvious truth.

The thing that strikes me about pro-Liverpool writers is the way they always use the same tedious excuses to back up their arguments. For example, if the topic is whether or not Steven Gerrard is world class or a good captain, you can guarantee that the response will include any or all of the following:

1. But what about Istanbul?
2. What about Olympiakos?
3. What about the FA Cup Final vs. West Ham?

Everything after those events is ignored, and they are held up as an answer to any criticism leveled at Gerrard.

Paul Tomkins has a similar set of excuses whenever someone criticizes Benitez, as this excerpt from his article proves:

According to Jamie Redknapp, Liverpool "have got no chance" of ever winning the league under Rafa Benítez. Presumably Redknapp would have said the same in 1990 about Alex Ferguson, who had taken a top four side at United for the previous four seasons under Ron Atkinson and turned them into ninth placed finishers (on average) over his first four seasons?

Benitez's league record outstrips Ferguson's in every possible way when comparing their respective first four years in charge, and while football has changed, and the past cannot be compared to the present with total accuracy, the fact is that no-one in the world thought Alex Ferguson could ever win a league title at United, and certainly not the United fans holding up banners asking for him to be sacked.

The comparisons between United back then and Liverpool now are apt: England's two biggest clubs, with all the monumental pressure that comes with it, both trying to end a two-decade drought without the league title. Except Ferguson took four years to win his first trophy, and spent most of that time in the bottom half of the table.

Change the record! There always seems to be this ridiculous comparison between Alex Ferguson’s first years at Man United and Benitez’s first years at Liverpool. The reality is that the comparison is redundant and is just serves as a pathetic excuse to deflect criticism away from Benitez’s appalling impact in the premiership.

Anyway, Mr Tomkins is focusing on the wrong comparison. A more accurate comparison would be between Ron Atkinson and Benitez. Like Benitez, Atkinson was a nearly-man in the league, finishing in the top four in his five seasons in charge.

Despite having a talented squad and ample money to spend, Atkinson could never get the best out his players, and was never able to break the Merseyside monopoly, which was the principal reason he was sacked in 1986.

Sound familiar?

Benitez is going through the same thing – good players and lots of money to spend but for various reasons (mainly flowing from Benitez’s stubbornness) Liverpool cannot seem to break the Man United/Chelsea/Arsenal monopoly.

Indeed, in the premiership, Liverpool are arguably going backwards. After finishing on 82 points in Benitez’s second season in charge, the third season saw a drop to 68 points – a total that will be tough to beat this season if the team continues it’s frustratingly inconsistent run of form.

Liverpool suffered the same fate under Gerard Houllier and Roy Evans – always finishing in the top 4 but never getting realistically close to winning the championship.

Mr Tomkins will have everyone believe that Ferguson’s first 4 years in charge were an unmitigated disaster on every level, as this quote from his article seems to suggest:

Benitez's league record outstrips Ferguson's in every possible way when comparing their respective first four years in charge, and while football has changed, and the past cannot be compared to the present with total accuracy, the fact is that no-one in the world thought Alex Ferguson could ever win a league title at United.

In Ferguson’s first full season in charge, United finished 2nd in the league with 81 points, beaten to the league title by possibly the most exciting Liverpool team in history. But no one would have believed Ferguson would win the league with United after that, would they?!

Utter nonsense.

In fact, in terms of trophies won, Ferguson’s record is almost identical to