QUICKSAND
LAST night, Liverpool beat arguably the best side in Europe at the moment.
On Saturday, no disrepect to The Tykes, they surrended shockingly to a Barnsley side swimming the waters of middle-table mediocrity in The Championship.
Reds fans must be scratching the today wondering how we can go from the ridiculous to the sublime in just a matter of days.
How can you build on such a quicksand?
It's this infuriating inconsistency that has dogged Liverpool in recent years.
Passionate and committed displays one week followed by souless and clueless showings the next.
Tuesday night was an example of all the things that the Reds can do right.
Granted, we had a one man advantage for two thirds of the match, and the game looked like petering out into a 0-0 draw, but the battling never-say-die attitude of the team had to be admired.
There were lionheart performances from the likes of Gerrard, Mascherano and Torres, coupled with a surprisingly effective display from Kuyt, hints of class from Babel, and some invaluable cameos from Pennant and Crouch when they came on.
All the fans can ask is that the players go out and die for the shirt, fight for every ball and throw the kitchen sink at the opposition.
Any lack of quality (a problem in some areas that cannot be understated), is a headache that is all the manager's.
After all, he buys the players.
With a little bit of good fortune, which Liverpool haven't had in months, we put two goals past a team who have one of most cast iron defences in Europe.
Players like Chivu and Cordoba were among the stubbornest opposition Torres/Crouch/Kuyt and Co will face in a long time.
Similarly, shutting out a side who have scored an average of two goals in their last handful of Serie A away games was another impressive achievement.
The plan for the return in the San Siro must surely be two up front and go for the goal that will leave Inter dead and buried and needing 4.
Play a lone striker, and watch the ball never stick, and cue wave after wave of Italian attacks.
With all the controversy surrounding Hicks and Gillett of late, a filip was needed to give our season some fresh impetus.
Imagine if all we've got to play for come April is battling for fourth place in the Premiership with Everton!
The players and the crowd on Tuesday night at Anfield stepped up to the plate.
It was one of those occasions when it made you proud to be a Liverpool fan.
Take the same attitude into every game we play, and the last third of the season will be a damn sight more rewarding than what's gone before.
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A true account of the current situation, salient.
It was good to see Pennant back in the fray as I believe we have missed his direct style of attacking football and I believe Gerrard has missed him as an outlay option who has matured into a useful player since his arrival.
It was also interesting to see Lucas picked ahead of Alonso, I assume it was due to one (or more) of the following: Alonso's poor form, a lack of match fitness or not wanting to play him with Mascherano at home. However, I believe it could be the end for Alonso as Rafa may see him as a way to make good money for reinvestment in the summer. Not forgetting how good a player the young Lucas is looking.
Not wanting to jinx us but what is the current ruling with regard the Champions League winners re-entering the competition should they not finish in an adequate league position? Did Blatter et al. stipulate that our situation a few years back was a one off?
Same old story I'm araid. Inconsistant against the 'smaller' teams. We've been unlucky at home in some games this year, noteably against Arsenal and Chelsea in particular, yet useless against the likes of Wigan and Portsmouth [although having a good season its mostly built on their home form]. It's nothing to do wth rotation but merely the apparent belief of some players that all they have to do is 'turn up' to win against more lowly opposition. This is the conundrum that really needs to be solved.
Extremely unconvincing on Saturday against Boro. Without the brilliance of Torres we would have struggled against an ordinary Teeside side.
Did anyone else notice Richard Keys asking Graham Souness,
"Do you think Rafa Benitez is a good manager or just a lucky one?"
This man is the cornerstone of Sky Football. How long do we have to put up with this man who talks through the seat of his pants, which as everybody knows is firmly planted in the Stretford Road End.