Thoughts on Liverpool

Liverpool Football Club has not won the top division title since 1990, there fans know this, all football fans know this, all of Manchester knows this. They have never won the Premier League title, whereas Manchester United has done, quite a few times. When Liverpool last won the League title it was their 18th triumph, the most in the English top ranks. Man United had only won six. Then the dawn of a new era heralded a changing of the guard and as Liverpool struggled to find a worthy successor to King Kenny Dalglish, United had Alex Ferguson to strike.

Man United now have 20 league titles in total, the 19th was cheered more than the 20th or the first under Ferguson's guidance in 1993 on that Monday night against Blackburn.

On Sunday, Liverpool were playing their game in hand over Manchester City (while they played in the League Cup final). This game was played at the old enemy's fortress Old Trafford - a place called the Theatre of Dreams but it has been anything but utopia recently under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho. Now Mourinho has gone, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is riding the rocky ship and guiding the Red Devils to an unlikely Champions League position which in November seemed unfathomable.

Liverpool had the opportunity to go three points clear of Manchester City, an important landmark in this tight season and with Tottenham Hotspur having been defeated on Saturday at Burnley, the chance for breathing space was paramount.

However, the chance slipped by as Liverpool who have fluffed lines recently away at West Ham and at home to Leicester and showed fallibility in a league victory over Crystal Palace. In a game where they played virtually their full strength side bar James Milner at right back over an ailing Trent Alexander-Arnold; Man United had an injury crisis culminating with them committing all three substitutes in the first half (Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard) and Marcus Rashford playing 75 minutes with an injury of his own and having to stay on the field in vain, this forced Romelu Lukaku to play out on the wing while Rashford committed sprints when required.

Liverpool were playing against 10 men in the second half, and yet they could not breakdown a resolute defence led by Luke Shaw's impressive display in nullifying the threat of Mo Salah.

Yet there in lies a problem with Liverpool - the front three of Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane - has been the lack of goal threat in times of stalemate.  The reliance upon goals from the trio is a problem as the midfield trio that started against Man United - Jordan Henderson, Gigi Winjaldum and Fabinho - have only scored six goals all season, that is not enough for any side with title aspirations.

This is Klopp's dilemma in not being totally gung-ho, the midfield trio affords him stability with Andrew Robertson marauding down the left when allowed but that midfield triangle offers no creative inspiration to unlock resolute defences. Firmino went off injured to be replaced by the lacklustre Daniel Sturridge.

When the game demanded invention, Klopp took off the captain Henderson for Xherdan Shaqiri to hopefully create a chance that never came.  The decision to withdraw Henderson made sense, the club captain coming back from injury had played 90 minutes midweek against Bayern Munich so resting muscles was Klopp's concern.  However, the reaction from Henderson to being substituted ignoring both Klopp and the incoming sub spoke volumes of possible upheaval behind the scenes and the problem with player power as individuals feel they should remain untouched. Salah was substituted with 10 minutes remaining and he afforded no ill will - he must have known he did not give his best.

Liverpool had the opportunity to make a statement and give the title another twist and some distance; yet with 11 games remaining they are only one point clear with games remaining against Everton, Tottenham and Chelsea.

Manchester City are on a roll, they have won the first trophy of a possible unprecedented quadruple, players are coming back from injury and the rotation of the squad allows goals to be scored by many parties whomever starts games. For instance, in the final on Sunday the front three was Sterling, Aguero and Bernardo Silva; for the league game on Wednesday at home to West Ham you can anticipate a front three of Sane, Jesus and perhaps Sterling.

This rotation will afford Guardiola to maintain momentum while the options for Liverpool are thin and if individuals play with such impotency as Mane did at Old Trafford, the chance for Liverpool to gain that 19th title may be gone.

Gary McAllister

Full piece appears here
http://boxtoboxfootball.uk/gary-mcallisters-season-in-the-spotlight/

Gary McAllister is one of those players, that when people talk of them they are remembered fondly - not a bad word to be spoken of them, glowing praise radiates in odes to their past glories.

When people think of the Scottish midfielder what comes to mind firstly? A receding hairline or lack of hair altogether. A midfield maestro who could pick a pass with pin point accuracy. A reliable player who elevated every side he played for.

From his early career days for hometown Motherwell he left for Leicester City where in the then Second Division he drew acclaim before joining Leeds United in 1990. For many, McAllister was a key missing piece of a side that eventually won the First Division title, the last before the dawn of the Premier League and he was the lynchpin of a formidable midfield foursome of himself, Gordon Strachan, David Batty and the late Gary Speed - a best of British midfield.

Following a move to Coventry where he rekindled a partnership with Strachan, McAllister was nearing the end of his playing days and in July 2000 he signed a free transfer with Liverpool.  To many an observer it was a strange signing for both the club to sign an ageing but gifted individual, and seen as a retirement move for the Scot taking the bigger payday to seat behind younger team-mates on the bench.

Yet the importance and quality of McAllister's dead-ball expertise came to fruition the longer the season went on culminating in a triumphant triumvate of trophies for the red side of Merseyside; in a season where they also finished third in the Premier League.

Starting with a League Cup triumph in Cardiff where Liverpool beat Birmingham 5-4 on penalties on 25th February. Birmingham were a Championship side at that time and came so close to causing an upset, yet the lottery of a penalty shoot-out fell in Liverpool's favour; tellingly McAllister scored the first penalty of the shoot-out, Birmingham missed their first attempt and momentum was with them.

From that game, Liverpool only lost two more games all season (a 2-0 defeat at Leicester and a 2-1 defeat at home to Leeds, who finished fourth and were on the crest of a great season themselves); most famously McAllister had the final say in the Merseyside derby on 16th April on Easter weekend at Goodison Park. An always tense match was locked at 2-2 when deep in injury time a free-kick was awarded to Liverpool the ball safely positioned some 40 yards away from goal. 

Using his wealth of experience and intelligence, McAllister knowing the pitch was wet from rain took the decision to shoot for goal hoping for a shot on target might induce a goalkeeping error; a long run up was met by a shot on target and the ball found the corner of the net under the despairing arm of Paul Gerrard.

It was the first game, three days after the home defeat to Leeds, and the result galvanised Liverpool to go undefeated in the league for the remaining six games of the season to finish ahead of McAllister's former employer in the league. 

McAllister had become the figurehead of the side surrounded by the burgeoning youth of England's finest - Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Emile Heskey. McAllister was the focal point of the side becoming as talismanic as Bryan Robson, Ray Wilkins and dare I say, Andres Iniesta.  By being able to read the game with a brain, the game can slow down for you and he was able to see passes many would not.

McAllister became the shepherd of the new flock of superstars coercing the best out of this new breed of footballer in the soon to be christened Golden Generation with Owen himself taking over the mantle from Robbie Fowler. Credit should go to Houllier who was able to fit three midfielders like McAllister, Gerrard and Dietmar Hamann into an XI - Hamann could do the dirty work in front of a defence which allowed Gerrard and McAllister to express themselves fully with probing runs and assists.

McAllister's calm from the penalty spot was also seen as the responsibility would fall on his shoulders to convert the spot kick - there was never any doubt when he stood from 14 yards ready to give his side the lead.

Liverpool returned to the Millennium Stadium again in May to come from behind to defeat Arsenal with Michael Owen scoring twice in the final 10 minutes; McAllister himself came off the bench to help change the course of the tie.  Trophy two had been gained.

A mere four days later, Liverpool heading to Dortmund to face Alaves in the final of the UEFA Cup.  McAllister started this game and his influence was everywhere on the night. At the age of 36, McAllister was Man of the Match coolly converting a penalty in the 41st minute to give Liverpool a 3-1 half time lead. Despite the grit of Alaves to keep fighting and pulling back the tie, McAllister would have the final say.

With the game heading to a penalty shoot-out and Alaves down to 9 men; G-Mac stood over a free kick from the left wing; his quality of delivery was telling as an inswinging delivery was met by the fateful head of Delfi Geli who cruelly converted into his own net. With this being the dreaded period of Golden Goal, that settled and ended the match in an instant.  Liverpool players swallowed up the Scottish veteran and jubilation rained on the field as Liverpool completed the cup treble. The first time ever an English side had won both domestic cup competitions and an European trophy in the same season.

McAllister's late season form means that it is his exploits that are more fondly remembered than that of the PFA and FWA Player of the Year Teddy Sheringham; many felt that McAllister's influence and far ranging appeal should have been acknowledged in some respect. However, to many Liverpool fans he is fondly recalled and for two months of 2001, Gary McAllister was perhaps the most important footballer in Europe.

Not bad for someone who was thought to be too slow for the quickening English Premier League.