The earth got all ploughed up in a hard way, the seeds were all thrown but it just failed to rain at the right moment. And Liverpool only left the City of Manchester Stadium with a point after a scoreless draw. After seeing the then leaders Manchester United lose at Upton Park, the onus was on the reds to make up lost ground and sustain the challenge on the title, but the psychological barrier of earning the full points after seeing other teams failing proved once again too hard to break. It was not for the usual lack of aptitude or belief this time though. It was a mixture of a sturdy defense marshaled by one Richard Dunne who just got into the way of everything the reds threw at him, and just a case of trying to walk the ball in only to be repelled at the very last minute.

Yesterday was a case of a side with the best away record travelling a short distance to meet the best home side in their own back-yard. A record attendance was recorded in the rather new stadium, it would seem that the red part of Merseyside still generates more interest that the red part of the same city.

Fernando Torres started his seventh match in succession in the Premier League, showing that the early talk about rotating too much is getting less credible day by day. In a way though, it could be argued that the toll of having another match in a short space of time at a time when he is used to be on his holidays is taking its toll on this gem as at times he looked rather off colour compared to the brightness we have been accustomed to. Torres was presented with a couple of chances that he never pounced on hungrily as usual and his usual burst of pace was often curtailed by his direct opponent Richard Dunne, who probably had his best game ever. The Spaniard’s strike partner for the day, Dirk Kuyt worked tirelessly as usual but once again failed to score and not being an enough menace in their penalty area. His header some five minutes from time only got cleared off the line after being parried by their keeper, Joe Holt. Maybe a bit of more spring on his header would have given the reds the so deserved three points.

The best display by the man in red was by a mile Javier Mascherano. On a day, where the midfield maestro of yesteryear Dietmar Hamann, the one called Kaiser for very serious reasons, was on the other side, the Argentinean took it upon himself to show that while the German will always be fondly remembered, we’ve got in our hands a very similar type that can run all day, tackle, break attacks, win the ball back and start attacks himself. I was having different thoughts lately about spending seventeen million on a defensive midfielder, when sometimes we could do with a tad more creativity, but on days like yesterday you get convinced that in their hands Liverpool got a gem, still in his early days that loves the shirt he plays in, that can’t be afforded to let go. And in enough time to take a couple of leafs from Hamann’s book and win free-kicks in his own half, on evidence yesterday twice in succession, shielding the ball in an inimitable way, only provoking the opponent to take his feet rather than the ball. It would make the very complete midfielder.

Such two points lost confirm Liverpool as outside challengers, rather than in the very fray of things. Still on a different cloud, but for sure a better man.

Fernando Torres opened up the Derby defence with the technique and glee of an excited kid unwrapping a Christmas present. He received the ball just outside the penalty area, took on his opponent on his own rather than passing, then just went past the next Derby defender and just clipped the ball in the far corner. With the match just thirteen minutes old, and a Derby defence seemingly water tight as a wrapping paper you would have thought that the focus has now turned on improving the goal difference column rather than the points won one. Openings and good chances followed in the next thirty-two minutes or so, but they were treated with the respect of a spoilt brat who had too many jumpers and argyle socks under his Christmas tree.
The no easy games cliché looked as dead and buried as the turkey digested during yesterday’s lunch. After going one goal up, Liverpool recorded 86% of the possession in the first fifteen minutes, a six-nil win at Anfield in September, and a record of seven points out of eighteen matches only confirmed the threat of today’s opponents.

The affable and ex-Liverpool reserve Paul Jewell seemed to have roused his troops at half-time. And Liverpool probably felt they have done already enough to return to Merseyside with the three points. They disrespected their opponents and just looked all over the place, wasting pass after pass, lacking assertiveness, cutting edge and solidity at the back, when taking in consideration John Arne Riise was deputising as centre-back, it was not too surprising. An accident was waiting to happen, and it actually did happen on the sixty-seventh minute when James McEvely slotted the ball home after Liverpool failed to defend properly a free-kick. The present unwrapped by Torres in the first half looked now broken and effectively put on the side.

Liverpool quickly regrouped, Dirk Kuyt was thrown into the fray for Ryan Babel (who so far always looked better and more effectively when subbed on rather than when starting the match). The returning Xabi Alonso got the best out of the Welsh keeper Lewis Price after a curling shot from just outside the penalty area. Steven Gerrard went even closer, getting the better out of Lewis Price but not the crossbar as he rattled a shot after some very good work by Yossi Benayoun who subbed Sami Hyypia earlier on.

It was only a reprieve though, when some two minutes later, Gerrard simply poked the ball into the net, after a close save on Torres to save Liverpool’s blushes and basically get Liverpool out of jail from a position of not just two points lost, but squandered and scattered shamefully.

Yesterday, Liverpool welcomed Portsmouth at Anfield, and returned to winning ways after two sour setbacks in the space of a week. Portsmouth arrived at Anfield billed as the best away side, having achieved six wins and one draw from nine of their travels. Such a record was better than Liverpool’s home one so far this season, and it implied a worrying state of affairs for the red men, in a game and situation that only a victory was acceptable. The worry though proved unfounded as much as the rumour of Harry Redknapp managing the England circus, when as early as the sixteenth minute when Benayoun and an own goal by Sylvian Distin gave Liverpool a two nil lead. The only surprise till then was not the way Liverpool ridiculed such statistic but how Fernando Torres was not yet on the score-sheet.

Torres just created havoc every time he got the ball, like a wolf amongst a flock of sheep. For the first goal, he latched on a Harry Kewell pass by the bye-line, outran Sol Campbell and then turned him over in the penalty area. A tackle robbed him off the ball but Kewell picked on the loose ball to cross over to Yossi Benayoun in the middle of the penalty area to coolly volley in. The latter is proving to be another astute signing, and as a direct replacement of Luis Garcia he now surely deserves a catchy ditty as he has been weighing in with his fair share of goals, this being his sixth of the campaign.

Later, an interception by Javier Mascherano had Dirk Kuyt making ground effortlessly in Portsmouth’s area and altruistically as always let the ball to Torres who was surrounded by two defenders. Campbell did actually stop the kid from his tracks, only though for his clearance to ricochet off the onrushing Distin which got past the wrong-footed David James. A bit of owed up luck did finally get Liverpool’s way.

With a two goal cushion, Liverpool rather switched off and just shepherded Portsmouth along the pitch without breaking much sweat. The sheep looked rather subdued, with hardly any baa getting heard. IN the start of the second half, they rather changed and Benjani gave them hope and Liverpool’s comfortable cushion was getting to feel itchy.

It didn’t last too long though, as Torres finally got into the score-sheet, twice. A forward Mascherano pass towards Ryan Babel had James panicly get out of his line, the Spaniard coolly collected the clearance and deposited into the net. Towards the end, the captain headed down a Jamie Carragher long ball at Torres path and once again, he just finished beyond James.

Such a goal earned the Spaniard a substitution and a standing ovation from the Kop and the rest. Derby County at Pride Park now awaits. Without trying to tempt fate, just a fistful on Boxing Day should ensure Liverpool the pride of three away points.

An unlucky deflection through the luckiest and jammiest player on earth and a rush of blood through Peter Crouch’s head in the space of a minute put paid of Liverpool’s hopes of advancing to this year’s League Cup semi-finals. At the very last minute it was then a Shevchenko’s goal which all but sealed the issue.
The League Cup has always been down the pecking order in a list of priorities, and has usually been seen to the other cups what a scribbler is to a writer but the chance to join three other Premiership sides in the last four and a defeat at Stamford Bridge always hurt.

Benitez continued with his philosophy of using most of his younger and fringe players, together with the ones coming back from injuries for this competition. Jamie Carragher was given the armband and looked like a father figure to most of the lads on the pitch. His vocal chords, directions and advises were ever present complimented with tackles and interceptions. It was diabolical for him to be the one who deflected Lampard’s shot only to wrong foot Charles Itjande and give Chelsea the lead. It felt like a proud parent who takes his kid’s hand to let him stand up on his feet only to fall at the very end himself after stepping on an unseen slippery slope. The midfield pairing of Xabi Alonso and Lucas Leiva proved interesting and some tidy stuff particularly in the first forty-five minutes. Alonso reminded us of his simple football, with short passes that got Liverpool out of trouble with ease and Leiva had another satisfactory night and was only denied of his first Liverpool goal by a very good save from Petr Cech. Momo Sissoko joined them in the midfield on the pitch, as always was full of running and as most of the times lately squandered the ball needlessly sometimes wrong footing himself rather than the opposition.

After the blow on Sunday, yesterday could have been a pill to ease the pain, but it seemed the doctor was wary of the side-effects such pill could leave on next Saturday, as Harry Redknapp’s Portsmouth travel to Anfield, a game in which a win is imperative and that can leave us with a marginally better shape for this Christmas.

Liverpool did lose their unbeaten record in their last outing in the Premiership a mere eight days ago against run of the mill Reading, but that was the last thing on most fans minds as Liverpool prepared to face Manchester United at Anfield on the back of a 4-0 away victory over Marseille. The Reading result was felt as a mere blip, almost acceptable considering the big game in three days time against the French side. At the end of the match it was the 4-0 victory’s turn to feel so far away as Liverpool lost their unbeaten home record to Manchester United of all teams.

The first half was a cagey affair as you would expect, Liverpool having slightly better chances which ultimately came from a couple of Van Der Sar’s mistakes. The chances were not taken and at the forty-second minute the reds were hit by a sucker punch through a Tevez goal. Liverpool had the whole second half to react but even though attack they did they very rarely threatened seriously to save something from this match. It was the substitute Babel who came closer when after a fine run he attempted a vicious shot which only finished a couple of inches wide to their goal.

This has been Rafael’s fourth duel at Anfield against the bitterest of rivals, and the record speaks for itself. One scoreless draw and you know the rest. This manager who has given us the European Cup in unforgettable circumstances in his first season in charge is finding the three points against the parochial Ferguson beyond his reach. There have been alarming similarities in the three defeats against them at Anfield, most notably the drought of goals. After four goals in the previous match, and twenty-seven goals in sixteen Premiership matches, a solitary goal at the very least wasn’t exactly asking for a glass of cold water in a desert. Considering also the form of the new signing Torres it was more like asking for a drink from a friendly bartender. Torres was seen as the main difference in Liverpool this time from the earlier Rafael Benitez sides but unfortunately he failed to make the desired impact and looked a shadow of himself.

The final whistle left me mute, hardly a complaint coming from my lips, and with hands in my pockets. The second half performance looked like an eager youngster eager to impress on his debut but that still needs to develop, leaving you with more questions than answers. Talking on youngsters and reflecting on the whole season so far takes me back to Gerard Houllier’s first full season when the French boss had two youngsters in the name of David Thompson and Steven Gerrard. We all know how they both developed in the past eight years. So far our Premiership campaign looks more like the former’s season back then, promising at times but eventually found short against the big guns. The Steven Gerrard side of Liverpool is yet to materialize, got to be now rushed as soon as possible, and with the circumstances dictating to be away from home.

Liverpool yesterday confirmed their November form was no fluke. It was the Reading match that was the blip, as mentally they were already in the South of France even though physically they were still in the South of England. It was a complete performance, that fits well with any other great European performance since the first match in Iceland against KR Reykyavik way back in 1964.
Liverpool were urgent, and they opened the score in the first three minutes. Steven Gerrard caught the Marseille defence flat footed and just drove stubbornly to the penalty area with the net in his vision. A scathing tackle brought him down. He got up and from the penalty spot he took charge of his drive’s reward. His shot was saved momentarily but the rebound fell nicely to him. He could not miss and did not.
Liverpool were in a class of their own and their current talisman, a certain twenty-three year old on his first season and debuting in the Champions League this year stamped it all eight minutes later. This is a lad who at the moment can dance through a minefield with a cigarette between his toes wearing a smile on his face. He accepted Kewell’s pass while at the very end of their penalty area. He shimmied one, then deceived another while surrounded by a couple of their defenders and then just coolly finished beyond their keeper and into the corner of their net.
Liverpool then exuded confidence and supremacy, with a strong wind blowing in their winds. The November momentum and their European pedigree carried them onwards and upwards. For a team representing the largest commercial port in France, les Marseillaise couldn’t grasp what type of vessel has invaded their port. Earlier on, from their radars it showed it is an English one. They knew such vessels, and they have conquered six of them during their history, even one coming from the same port, a mere three years ago.

But that ship back then had a different captain and different crew. And this crew did not travel to Marseille to trade or negotiate. This ship came to conquer. This ship was a proper Liverpool ship that once again showed that it can navigate through any European waters and is a different breed or make from any other English ship. This has a different knowledge and nous of the European waters.

And then in the second forty-five minutes Liverpool just sailed with the swagger and confidence of a triumphant ship. It was then Kuyt’s turn to add his name on the score-sheet as the resurgent Harry Kewell anticipated an awry clearance and passed to the Dutch man who one on one with the keeper did not miss. His hard work got rewarded.
Time passed on and the only thing Liverpool failed to do in these second forty-five minutes was plant a flag of the Liverbird with five stars in the middle of the pitch. The strong wind still continued to blow in Liverpool’s sails and sensing such momentum Rafael Benitez threw in his young Dutch prodigy Ryan Babel. And for the fourth time in such circumstances after Besiktas at Anfield, Newcastle at St James Park and Bolton at Anfield, Babel wrapped up, sealed and perfected another vintage Liverpool performance. Running on a through-ball from Fabio Aurelio, he shrugged a challenge and then passed to him while evading the keeper’s charge presenting himself with an empty net to pass through.

The very important and crucial week has started in perfect fashion. Rafael Benitez is proud by his fans, squad and work. Sunday presents another encounter that could provide defining, but Liverpool could not set themselves in any better shape or form.

Liverpool’s most assuring record of the Premiership season so far is now over. Liverpool did stutter in the process, drawing six games out of fourteen, but by hook or crook they have always made a point and took at least one. Such a record got crooked at a time when they were showing their best football and after earning three consecutive Premiership victories. In such form, an away tie at the Madjeski Stadium at Anfield looked as ominous as the sighting of a star in the sky, rather than a bank of dark clouds. It feels like Liverpool got bitten by a pet dog rather than a stray dog.

In a season, where Liverpool only conceded two goals in their previous seven away ties, and coming from four consecutive clean sheets a 3-1 reversal makes the pet dog bite even more unfathomable. As Rafa Benitez himself stated, certain decisions did go against Liverpool. Their first goal came through a disputed penalty and with the score-line at 1-1 Torres was clearly tripped in the penalty area. The biggest turning point of the game though was their second goal. The highly dependable Pepe Reina let a floated free-kick and a crowded six yard box get the better of him. The politics of Champions League qualification got in the way of Liverpool’s response. Fernando Torres got subbed.

Slightly after Steven Gerrard was unlucky to hit the cross-bar after a vicious shot outside the D area. From the same action, Liverpool got caught flat-footed as a very quick counter-attack was concluded by James Harper as he coolly got round Reina and finished in an empty net. With such a deficit and twenty-three minutes left to save something, the response by the manager was once again taken with the thought of Marseille at the Stade Velodrome and Champions League qualification in three days time. Steven Gerrard, who looked the most likely lad to score got subbed by Ryan Babel. The last substitution of Sami Hyypia for Jamie Carragher was as stimulating as a yawn.

As a proper fight-back got rather sacrificed, a meeting with the so called new custodians now very near, the balloon of next week’s commitments got pressured even more. It is now up to Rafa and his chosen eleven to firstly lower such pressure and direct his balloon in the pots of the last sixteen in Nyon and then hype up the pressure once again for the visitors at Anfield next Sunday. Bartering in the meeting should come easier with the success of both tasks.

Rafael Benitez rotated three players from the starting eleven that got the 4-1 victory over Porto last Wednesday, but the word rotation seems to be well forgotten now. It’s like water under the bridge now, as the same so talked about rotation, Rafael’s tactics and the sublime big signing in Summer seem to be creating a great bridge that connects ‘almost there’ to ‘actually being there’. And yesterday against the dour side of Bolton, currently rather on form after changing the affable Sammy Lee to Gary Megson, Liverpool got there and what they wanted in the first forty-five minutes. They did not have to dig deep and bring fresh legs to maybe provide different options and ideas at the last quarter of the match, as we have seen so much in the past and had to endure. The business was done in the first forty-five minutes. The sometimes tense and frustrating affairs yesterday were replaced by free-flowing, confident and attractive football. Benitez is building a slick, shiny bridge that in itself is a sight to behold and its slickness is not impeding the trustworthiness of it all, as the other clean sheet obtained attests.

Sami Hyypia, definitely the most inspiring signing by Gerrard Houllier opened the score via a Steven Gerrard floated free-kick. The Finn notched his second goal of the season yesterday, and the tradition of a customary few goals per season by the elegant centre-back looks to be still alive. Traditions do linger on at Anfield. Then just before half-time, Fernando Torres oozing with class once again, latched on a Gerrard’s pass, and finished with the expertise of a veteran and grace of an artist. Torres does makes things happen, he moves to and fro, he beats opponents one on one, that was all known before his signing. What was questioned before he had his first kick for Liverpool was his goal account at Atletico Madrid. That question seems to be all history now, as an account of eleven goals at the very start of December testifies. Torres took to the Premiership with ease, the usual ‘give him at least one season to settle’ has never been used for El Nino. He rather looks that he came from some Eastern cold place rather than sunny Spain.

Then in the second half, Peter Crouch got Liverpool another penalty which Gerrard duly finishing. The fresh Babel put the last touches on Liverpool’s performance as he pounced on Dirk Kuyt’s saved shot and finished in an empty net. Again, the young Dutchman found the net shortly after coming in.

November has been a very good month and now December has started on a perfect note. A strong momentum has been now set up, preparing Liverpool in the best possible way for the big matches coming on shortly.