Has any team in recent times, one coming off incredible back-to-back victories, received less credit for those wins than Liverpool did for last week's remarkable four-goal dismantlings of Real Madrid and Manchester United?
The conventional wisdom seems to be that both teams somehow had a rare off day, with all of their key players coincidentally underperforming when facing the Reds. Furthermore, in the case of Real Madrid, most pundits seem to think that the current edition seems to be the worst Real Madrid side ever. Now, while Juande Ramos' current squad admittedly bears little resemblance to the greats that have graced the Bernabeu, we're not exactly talking about a bunch of scrubs here.
Real is the reigning Spanish champion, and entering the matchup against Liverpool was riding a 10-game consecutive win streak. Similarly, Manchester United was being lauded as possibly the greatest squad ever by the English press, and came into the game undefeated at home and riding an 11-game win streak. They fell in similarly stunning fashion, and yet somehow we're led to believe that it was all of their own making and had nothing to do with exemplary performances and tactical astuteness by Steven Gerrard and Co., who carried out their manager's orders to perfection? With this in mind, here's what I'm thinking about Monday.
1. Rafa Benitez is undoubtedly improving Liverpool. This might seem like a case of stating the obvious, but given the constant criticism Benitez faces in the press and in some quarters of the less informed Liverpool fan base, you'd never know it. The problem, of course, is the weight of expectations and the sense of entitlement of some fans who believe Liverpool should challenge for or win the title based on its prestigious history alone. This conveniently ignores the last 19 years of futility and the fact that under Benitez the team is far stronger now than it was under his immediate predecessor, Gerard Houllier, and those before him in the Premiership, post-Kenny Dalglish.
You'd think that being transformed into one of the top European teams (based on UEFA rankings, Liverpool is the No. 1-rated team in Champions League performance over the last five years) after being regularly eliminated in the UEFA Cup by powerhouses like Brondby and PSG under Houllier would enlighten some fans. Apparently not. By some form of warped logic, Benitez's critics point to this season's Premiership race, in which Liverpool lost its one-time healthy lead over United, as evidence that Benitez doesn't have what it takes to win the league. This view neatly sidesteps the fact that Benitez is the one who built the squad and got it into contention in the first place.
I'm not saying Benitez is infallible, but the man is a brilliant tactician whose virtues far outweigh his flaws. He's on the right track, and Liverpool fans everywhere should hope that he signs his much-discussed contract extension soon. As for the myth that Benitez is asking for an unprecedented grant of transfer power, it's simply untrue. All Benitez wants is to have final say on his own transfer budget (soon-to-be-ousted chief executive Rick Parry was formerly in charge of determining the values of players Benitez had identified). It's a basic right that virtually every manager in England already has -- even in places like Sunderland and Bolton -- and yet it created a huge sticking point in negotiations. Why? Read on.
2. Is Liverpool's part-owner George Gillett the most clueless owner in soccer? The answer is no, but he's definitely in the running. The only thing saving Gillett from that lofty designation is the famed incompetence of Jesus Gil (formerly of Atletico Madrid) and Juan Soler (formerly of Valencia), both of whom are guilty of a list of travesties far too long to detail here.
In Gillett's case, both he and co-owner Tom Hicks have received the brunt of Liverpool fans' ire for, among other things: putting the club into debt, breaking promises about financing and developing a new stadium, failing to keep club affairs out of the papers (is that even possible in this media age?), and an aborted attempt to oust Benitez.
I don't know for sure where Hicks stands on some of the other issues, but in the case of Benitez, the fans have it completely wrong. Hicks is firmly in Benitez's court, and his presence is what ensures Benitez's position. In fact, he's the one who is pushing Gillett to acquiesce to Benitez's transfer demands and to sign him to the contract extension. From day one the roadblock has been, and continues to be, Gillett. From my perspective, it's rather odd and petty behavior from Gillett, a man who wants to sell his share of the club yet clings to his illogical hostility towards Benitez. Let's not forget that Gillett is the one who wanted to replace Benitez with Juergen Klinsmann -- a desire that Gillett told fans earlier this year was based, at least partly, on Klinsmann's "excellent marketing talent, and having close links with those at adidas, Nike and Reebok." Ah yes, I'd forgotten about how critical a coach's commercial savvy was. Thanks for the reminder, George.
3. Michael Bradley is a goal-scoring machine. OK, so I'm exaggerating, but he does have four goals in his last five games for Borussia M'Gladbach (two were penalties) and is now firmly entrenched as a starter. Before fans begin to conjure visions of Bradley transforming into the U.S. version of Michael Ballack or Gerrard, let me say this: Tone down your expectations of Bradley's offensive ability. He simply isn't that type of player, and most of his goals fall into the category of six-yard box finishes.
I'll admit I was still skeptical whether Bradley could reproduce his goal scoring in the Bundesliga, where defenses are far more organized than those in the Dutch Eredivisie. However, he has shown this season that he has genuine instincts for being in the right place (in and around the box) at the right time (for clean-up opportunities), which is a rare knack in itself. Then again, Bradley should also bear in mind that sometimes it's better not to score in the Bundesliga -- something to which Stuttgart's Mario Gomez can attest.
4. MLS kickoff 2009. The new season is upon us, and I'm definitely excited to see Seattle play. The Sounders have an impressive array of offensive talent for an expansion team, and though defense remains a question mark, the team at least appears to be adequate there on paper. (Former USL midfielder Osvaldo Alonso was an unheralded signing who will provide a significant defensive shield for the back line.) My pick for the MLS Cup winner this year? I think it'll be either Chicago or New York.
5. Worst dive ever? I can't sign off without a mention about the Arsenal-Blackburn game. Nope, I'm not talking about Andrei Arshavin's outstanding performance, but about Morten Gamst Pedersen who performed possibly the most blatant dive I've seen in recent times in the Premiership -- utterly shameless.
Jen Chang
