Liverpool got through the formality of putting their name alongside fifteen other names come December in a bowl. Some of the other fifteen names are yet to be confirmed, even though the bowl is more and more looking like a fish bowl, an exclusive small bowl that have the same fish swimming around year after year. Maybe though, it is also a testament to Rafael Benítez that the membership in such bowl is being taken for granted and considered as a formality. The final whistle and the confirmation of qualifying into the last sixteen were greeted with a polite applause and a couple of nods. The match itself didn’t provide that much to get exuberant and over-excited, but qualification with a game in hand, is no mean feat in my books. In his five years, Benítez achieved qualification from the group stages every year, and this after inheriting a side that its biggest achievement was actually qualifying into the group stages.

Talking about inheritance though, Benítez did inherit someone special, and yesterday night he was there delivering, after an absence of a match in which Liverpool disappointed. Benítez did inherit Steven Gerrard, after having a thorough nurturing from Gérard Houllier, but Benítez did not sit on his laurels and kept his estate in the bank for a rainy day. Benítez has invested in his main asset to mature and blossom, getting his dividends back in a number of goals that far exceed his tally under the previous manager. Even though sometimes looking to have their personalities clashing, they both compromise for the good and fortunes of Liverpool F.C. beyond their call of duty. Forget about perfect midfield partnerships and perfect striking duos, what we really have and should appreciate more is a great partnership of manager and captain. The manager calls the changes and the tactics, the captain implements them.

Xabi Alonso found himself strangely on the bye-line. There was no room for him to produce any of his trademark forward passes but instead he produced an equally sublime cross. With a whole mass in the middle of the penalty, Gerrard’s intelligence dictated him to distance himself from it all. With space created for himself he ghosted in at the very right moment and met the ball with his head to simply direct into the net for the eight time this season, a tally most strikers would be proud of.

Liverpool never really built on that advantage, and had their own shaky moments as Marseille pressed forward from time to time. The backline stood tall though to keep another clean sheet and when the back four got passed, Pepe Reina was there to thwart any danger.

Liverpool got what and where they wanted with the minimum of fuss, like a train arriving into its destination as expected. Maybe it is still apt to remember that such unceremonious journey had a lot to do with the return of an excellent driver who made the small things matter and made the most of an opportunity that he presented himself for. His drive and presence keep the train on the right track, and equally important arriving in time.