A season Preview

So I?ve taken some time off work to do my best Alan Shearer impression and creosote the fence, oh the joys! Traditionally this time of year saw me sweating out barbeques and too many pints as I tried to get fit for the forthcoming season in the North-Down Area League; but alas a back injury and weak joints have prematurely ended what should have been a brilliant football career. I may be pushing thirty, but I?m convinced that the hordes of Premiership managers were just around the corner - now my chance has gone!

So without the excitement of my own playing season ahead, can I look forward to Liverpool taking the Premiership by storm? Well, if you judge anything based on pre-season results we?re in deep doo-doo. Unconvincing wins over Wrexham and Crewe, followed up by defeats to Kaiserslautern (2-3), Grasshopper Zurich (0-2) and, most worryingly of all 0-5 against FSV Mainz, leave a slightly concerned feeling in the pit of my loins. Yes we had a depleted squad for the Kaiserslautern game, necessitating Pepe Reina?s second half appearance in midfield, the match against Grasshoppers was the first for our returning England World Cup players, and the Mainz game only went to pieces following whole-sale half-time changes? but it really doesn?t do much for the confidence, either amongst the fans or the team. Nothing?s won in August right!


Pepe Reina - Midfield Maestro?

Tonight sees Liverpool returning to competitive football proper, with the Champions [sic] League Qualifier first-leg against Maccabi Haifa at Anfield. At least the worries that second-leg would take the team to the war-torn Middles-East are gone with UEFA?s decision to play the match at a ?neutral? venue. But Haifa remain a potential banana-skin ? don?t forget, we?ve lost at Anfield at this stage in the last two seasons! Hopefully Benitez plays his strongest possible team, and with only Fowler and Aurelio definitely out injured (both minor, thankfully), and Agger and Gonzalez doubts, there should be no excuses.

The first real test of the season will come on Sunday, when Liverpool face Chelsea in the Community Shield. It could prove to be a telling match, how will Liverpool?s (largely unknown) summer signings match up to Chelsea?s World-Stars? It has been proved over the last few seasons that on our day we can match Chelsea, but on Chelsea?s day they can hammer us? I just hope that the gap hasn?t widened again through the summer.

Who are you? Who, who, who, who?

I imagine once again we?ll be battling it out for second prize again. With United being United, and Arsenal looking strong in last nights victory over Zagreb (I hope our youngsters can show that sort of drive), as our only real challengers for the coveted (sniff) runners-up place. I can see Spurs continuing to improve through the season, Blackburn will remain a hard team to beat, Everton are due another good campaign, Aston Villa will be a test of Martin O?Neill?s mettle, and West Ham could be even better too, but the Big Four will remain the same.

Benitez, following my advice in an earlier missive for this site, is still on the look out for another striker, so aside from perhaps a single signing, Liverpool?s squad for the 2006/07 season looks like this-

Goalkeepers
Pepe Reina ? An immense first season, including eleven straight clean-sheets, was almost spoiled by an FA Cup abomination, though he made amends in the shoot-out. Has stated that the only way for him to gain recognition in his native Spain will be to lift the Premiership. Let?s hope he?s determined!
Jerzy Dudek ? To be honest, after missing the World Cup due to lack of first-team football, I?m surprised he?s still here. More than able ?keeper and one of the best on his day, but guilty of the odd howler.
Scott Carson ? Third choice at both club and country. I expect he?ll go out on loan at some stage to gain experience, though I can?t see him having a long-term future at Anfield with Pepe around!
Chris Kirkland ? Out on loan at Wigan, don?t expect to see him back. A frustrating signing, more due to injuries than form.

Defenders
Jan Kromkamp ? Full-back or midfielder who I thought would mirror on the right what Riise gives us on the left. Looks one-dimensional, and I don?t expect to see too much of him before he goes back to the Netherlands.
Steve Finnan ? A revelation under Rafa, excellent going forward, steady at the back. Shouldn?t be troubled for his right-back spot too much this season.
Sami Hyypia ? A rock (usually)! Lacks the pace of a few seasons ago which can see him caught out, but his overall defensive abilities should see him in the team at the start of the season. Whether he lasts is another matter.
Jamie Carragher ?Would die for the club, not much more to say than that.
Danny Agger ? Young and expensive Danish international centre-back, who starred in the Dane?s 4-1 win over England last season. Yet to have a run in the side, hope is high, judgement is reserved.
Fabio Aurelio ? Left-back and Liverpool?s first Brazilian, like Roberto Carlos has a sweet left foot. How he copes with the English game remains to be seen.
John Arne Riise ? A legend in my eyes already. Billed as the ?Norwegian Roberto Carlos? when signed five years ago, he has begun to show consistency to go with the occasional moments of brilliance.
Gabriel Paletta ? 20 year-old Argentinian centre-back. I expect Paletta to make only a limited impact on the first eleven this year. Will he develop from his promise, or will he be like countless other young-stars who?ve rotted in the reserves?
Stephen Warnock ? Started last season excellently and broke into the England squad, then faded from view. Solid, but I don?t know if Rafa really rates him or not?
Djimi Traore ? Looks to have finally gone after six years of bandy-legged left-back antics. Woo-Hoo!

Midfielders
Harry Kewell ? Please Harry, stay injury free, work on your shooting and you can be a legend. More consistent than he was, but still not the player we signed from Leeds. Expect Rafa to lose patience with Harry if he doesn?t ?show-up? on a regular basis this season.
Steven Gerrard ? Captain fantastic! Had a disappointing World Cup (like most of the England players), but at Liverpool he will once again be The Man. Will probably spend more of the season in the centre of midfield, but will do whatever?s best for the team, be that on the wing, in defence, or in nets!
Luis Garcia ? Generally good World Cup and will be working hard to move beyond ?squad player? at Anfield. Needs to work on his consistency, though has the ability to scare any defence.
Mark Gonzales ? A proper winger. How will he fit in? Don?t know, but I?m looking forward to finding out.
Xabi Alonso ? With Hamann gone, Alonso stands alone as our midfield rock. Should have another superb season, but don?t expect to see him in the headlines that often.
Jermaine Pennant ? Wee sh*t! Great player though. Hope he?s learnt his lesson and buckles down to show Wenger how wrong he was. That, or Rafa shows him the real meaning of ?early doors?? as in the exit.
Momo Sissoko ? Better than Essein, cheaper too. Showed great character last season after the eye injury. Still young and sometimes rash, but should be a fixture in midfield for a decade.
Bolo Zenden ? Looking forward to seeing him again, though seems to be preparing for life in the middle rather than out wide. Should score a few, but how will he link up with his teammates?
Salif Diao ? Yes we still own him. Not for much longer hopefully.

Forwards
Robbie Fowler ? If we get twenty to twenty-five games out of him, I?ll be happy, he should score about fifteen goals in those. Actually one of the most prolific England strikers in the Premiership last season, and if Sven paid attention, would probably have done a better job for England than his other strikers ? God would probably have turned him down though.
Craig Bellamy ? Wee sh*t number two! See Pennant, as a player great, as a man, I remain to be convinced.
Peter Crouch ? I may be slightly off hymn sheet, but I remain to be convinced of the point of this man. Works hard certainly, strikes fear into opposition defences, but doesn?t score, and hardly sets any up. Heskey without the pace.
Florent Sinama-Pongolle ? Hopefully back in the reckoning. Pace to terrify any defender, determined, just has to work on the sometimes wayward, but often powerful shooting.
Neil Mellor ? Love this guy. Through-and-through Red. Hopefully free of injuries and ready to run through walls again.
Djibril Cisse ? Good bye and good riddance to a waste of talent. Billy Big Balls attitude and flashness doesn?t sit well with me or Rafa? actually, hope the leg heals quickly so we can get the money!
A. N. Other ? Don?t know who yet. Won?t be Torres (can?t afford him), hope its not Kuyt (don?t rate him), and, on the QT, wish it had been Van Niistelrooy! Wait and see.

Youth Players ? Expect young winger Paul Anderson, striker Craig Lindfield, defender Jack Hobbs and perhaps a few others from the Youth Cup winning team to make the odd appearance through the season. Expect Darren Potter and Anthony Le Tallec to be cleared out!

Backbone of Liverpool Team In “Dodgy Catalogue Pose” Shocker!

On paper I think we have the bones of a squad good enough for second place. But football isn?t played on paper, a fact Chelsea would be as well to remember as those at Anfield. With the right tactics and a bit of luck Chelsea could feel Red breath on the back of their necks. With the wrong tactics and no luck, we could slip into the UEFA Cup spots? but that?s not going to happen is it? (Has my cynicism gone too far?)

So, onwards and upwards, and as always?

In Rafa we trust!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 9th, 2006 at 1:28 pm and is filed under Liverpool. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. Both comments and pings are currently closed.