Article: Rafa and Gerrard thinking about the title

Good article from today's Sunday Express.

Torres can win us the Title
John Richardson
8th July 2007



Rafa Benitez’s contented look as he paraded record £20million buy Fernando Torres was in stark contrast to his appearance when he issued an ultimatum to Liverpool’s American owners.

And the fact that the fiercely ambitious Spaniard is now in the firing line rather than George Gillett and Tom Hicks after getting his own way in the transfer market doesn’t bother him one bit.

“I love being under pressure,” admitted Benitez, whose skipper Steven Gerrard is predicting title success for Liverpool following the Torres coup.

Benitez added: “I have always placed myself under more pressure than anyone else can manage to put me under.”
After winning a considerable battle of wills to spend big on his major transfer targets, including 23-year-old former Atletico Madrid star Torres, Benitez knows that he will have to deliver in the coming season’s Premiership title race.

It’s why he placed his neck on the block the morning after Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat against AC Milan in the team’s Athens hotel.

He called for immediate and lavish action to secure long-term contracts for the main men already at the club, like Gerrard and England defender Jamie Carragher, and extensive funds for the new faces he wanted.

The money-men from across the Atlantic responded.

Benitez explained: “The Americans said that we wouldn’t be spending money like drunken sailors but I said that if we want to compete now we must spend or forget it.

“They listened because we had a plan. I have three years to go on my contract. I am not thinking just to win things this season – I am thinking of winning things every season.

“I want to prepare the club for the future and also to compete in the ­present. We are really close and maybe we can be contenders for the title.

“In Torres we have a player who can fight, who can run, who can keep the ball and who can score goals.
“We have a fantastic player for six years. I think because of his age his value will go up.”

Gerrard makes no secret of his frustration at the club’s failure to land the championship since 1990.

But with striker Torres in the bag, he believes they can now realistically think about bringing back the glory days of Dalglish, Rush, Hansen, Barnes and Beardsley.

And no one at Anfield is more fired up than Gerrard, who is ready to hit the ground running with a win in their opening fixture at Aston Villa.

Gerrard said: “I grew up watching Liverpool teams, great teams with great players, winning title after title and you just expected that dynasty to continue.

“It’s been too long away from Anfield and we’re determined to start another legacy here in our time.

“We feel we’ve got the players here to do that. This club is in the business of winning trophies and the title’s the Holy Grail.

“Winning that is going to be the objective when we travel to Villa Park.

“We let ourselves down at the start of last season and the start we made left us with a mountain to climb.”

With a rest behind him, Gerrard is fully recharged for the start of the new campaign – the exact opposite to last season, when he entered the ­campaign off the back of a World Cup.

And this time a Champions League final will not be enough for him.

“We can promise to push Chelsea and United all the way,” he insisted.

“You could never call getting to the last two in the European Cup a failure, but nothing can take away from the fact we gave ourselves a mountain to climb in the league after making a slow start to the season. We were hampered a bit by the World Cup – I know I was – but we can’t use that as an excuse. It was the same for all clubs.

“I think that when the new season gets under way we’ll be ready for a serious challenge for the title.

“Fernando is now one of many Spanish players here and that will help him settle in more easily.”

“We can promise to push Chelsea and United all the way,” he insisted.

This kind of attitude shows that the boys are really up for it.
C'mon lads bring the title back (or should i say home) to Anfield!!!
Y.N.W.A

That is the spirit. Gerrard is spot on about the start of the season, we need to start strong to be in the race for the title. RAFA got a plan...

I think now we have torres and a great striking force we have a chance of winning the title.

Last season, we only picked up 11 points from our first 8 games. You can accept the fact that we lost to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, but the results against Sheff Utd, Everton, Bolton & Blackburn really cost us. That was 10 points dropped in those games, against opposition we need to be beating if we want to win the league. If we had won these games, and assuming we wouldn't have fielded our reserves for the last three games if there was still something to play for, we could have actually finished 4 points behind Man Utd, and 2 points ahead of Chelsea. A good start this coming season is imperative if we are going to challenge for the title.

So why did we start so poorly? For me it comes down to two things, the lack of pre-season friendlies & trying to integrate too many new faces. In Rafa's first three seasons we have played four, three & five pre-season friendlies respectively, and there were hardly any first team players in most of the games. This season we have eight friendlies before the start of the season, and apart from the games where we're fielding a 'Liverpool XI' I expect to see near enough a full strength side. This will give our players the opportunity to get out of first gear before the season starts, not eight games into the season like last year. With regards to the number of incoming transfers, I feel it was unavoidable. Rafa had a lot of dead wood to get rid of when he took over at the club, and a lot of new players needed buying. Riise, Hyypia, Carragher, Finnan, Kewell & Gerrard are the only players from the Houllier era that were good enough to stay, and so he has had to be very busy in the transfer market. The flipside of this has been that we're still yet to start the season with a settled squad under Rafa. Last season we had Kuyt, Bellamy, Gonzales, Aurelio & Pennant to intergrate into the first team, with Agger still being relatively new. As I said before it was unavoidable as the players were needed, but it definately cost us points early on whilst everyone built an understanding. This summer though, we have a much better squad assembled, with only three new players really needed for the first team, two wingers and a striker. The striker has already been signed in time to have a full pre-season with us, and fingers crossed the wingers won't be too far behind. As long as the rest of our transfers don't take too long we can start the season with a settled squad for the first time since Rafa took the reins.

I expect us to have a good start to this season for the reasons above, and also as the fixture list has been kind to us. We play all three newly promoted teams in our first six games, and have the chance to take an early three point lead over Chelsea at Anfield. Last season a lot of people were predicting it would be our year, and I said it would take one more season. This year I'm sticking to my assessment & I agree with Rafa & Stevie, this will be the season we bring the title back to Anfield.

I agree with your optomism Eddie but unfortunately at this precise moment in time I don't think we do have the squad to win a title. 

United will probably score goals for fun - something that has been our major problem for the last number of years.  A lot of pressure currently rests on Torres shoulder.  The guy can't speak a word of English, will be no doubt living in hotel rooms for the first part of his season, playing in a new league with new team-mates.  He's a great player but even the best player in the world would need time to adapt. 

Too often than not our creative play has run in to brick walls as we have neither a left or right winger that strike any kind of fear in to opposing defences.  We do not have the kind of attacking midfielders who scare defenders so much that they are pulled out of position - giving the forwards a decent amount of space (unlike United).

If we don't bring a couple of wingers in - not potential wingers for the future - but proven class wingers that will terrify opposing defences then who we have upfront matters not one jot as we will stay base our football around a tight defence and predominantly counter-attacking football.

One striker will not solve our problems.  The next few weeks in the transfer market are critical to the season ahead.  It all depends on whether the board want to do one of two things.

1. Consolidate our ability to qualify for the Champions League

or

2. Make a genuine, not a half-arsed, attempt at landing the Premiership title.

The clock's ticking.

I'm trying to keep my head and not get to excited, but i really hope the premier league comes to anfield, but a great start is most definitely needed.

I agree with your optomism Eddie but unfortunately at this precise moment in time I don't think we do have the squad to win a title. 

United will probably score goals for fun - something that has been our major problem for the last number of years.  A lot of pressure currently rests on Torres shoulder.  The guy can't speak a word of English, will be no doubt living in hotel rooms for the first part of his season, playing in a new league with new team-mates.  He's a great player but even the best player in the world would need time to adapt. 

Too often than not our creative play has run in to brick walls as we have neither a left or right winger that strike any kind of fear in to opposing defences.  We do not have the kind of attacking midfielders who scare defenders so much that they are pulled out of position - giving the forwards a decent amount of space (unlike United).

If we don't bring a couple of wingers in - not potential wingers for the future - but proven class wingers that will terrify opposing defences then who we have upfront matters not one jot as we will stay base our football around a tight defence and predominantly counter-attacking football.

One striker will not solve our problems.  The next few weeks in the transfer market are critical to the season ahead.  It all depends on whether the board want to do one of two things.

1. Consolidate our ability to qualify for the Champions League

or

2. Make a genuine, not a half-arsed, attempt at landing the Premiership title.

The clock's ticking.

I completely agree that our squad at this moment in time wouldn't be good enough to win the league, but I do believe that two class wingers will be enough to win us the title. As I've mentioned in another topic, the fact that we signed Torres rather than a poacher, and that we usually play with two defensive central midfielders, means that we need wingers who are good goalscorers.  On the right, Joaquin & Quaresma, whilst both being skillful players who would set up a host of chances, aren't potent enough in front of goal, both averaging about a goal every seven games in their careers. For me it would be Simao on the right, who has scored 81 times in 213 appearances for Benfica. On the left I'm not so sure. David Silva, Vicente, Malouda & again Quaresma (who can play either side) are all options, but none of them are majorly prolific. In an ideal world my option, which might be pretty controversial, would be Arjen Robben. I know it's not an option now as he plays for Chelsea, and a lot of people might not want him because of that, but who wouldn't have signed him when Chelsea did? His diving, I honestly believe, is because Mourinho lets his players do it, and could be easily cut out under Rafa. He had a scoring record of 1 in 3 at PSV, and even at Chelsea, where the rotation of the wingers makes Rafa look like he picks a consistent team, he managed to get 1 in 4. Like I said it's not an option, but I can't think of any available left wingers who would get the goals we need.

For us to win the title i agree with Eddie, we need 2 world class wingers, a good centre back for cover, and to keep all our key players fit, we saw with chelsea last season how damaging injuries to key players can affect your team, if we can do all that then i think we should be finishing within 5 points of whoever the champions are, we should be getting at least second now as eddie said we have a settled squad now, but i don't think we will win the title this year, but we should be pushing them all the way.

A very good point there Liverbird, is the element of luck. Man Utd had it last season, for me they only had a title winning team, not a title winning squad. But they got lucky, didn't have many injuries to key players, and their lack of depth wasn't shown up. To add to my previous post, I believe we need two quality goalscoring wingers, and a bit of luck,and we can win the league this season.

In Rafa we trust it took a while to sign someone but when we did we done it in style hopefully a couple of wingers to follow,i think Manure will be concentrating on the Champions League this season which will benefit us in the league but our main stubbling block is the games against the other contenders we need to get more out of these games against Utd,Chelsea and Arsenal as well as win the so called easy games.

A very good point there Liverbird, is the element of luck. Man Utd had it last season, for me they only had a title winning team, not a title winning squad. But they got lucky, didn't have many injuries to key players, and their lack of depth wasn't shown up. To add to my previous post, I believe we need two quality goalscoring wingers, and a bit of luck,and we can win the league this season.

With a "fit" Harry Kewell, we have a very attacking winger, scores a good few, makes more and puts the full back under loads of pressure, pinning him back.  I know he hasn't performed as well as everyone hoped, mainly due to injuries, but I really think he can make a difference this year.  I'm not saying don't get a leftie, as he is injury prone but he has lots to make up for and loads to prove.
so a Quaresma who can play both sides, with Harry and Pennant (who, I think will have a better season now he has settled) we will have the wingers to compete.

What ever the outcome, as ever I can't wait for the season to start.

DH

I agree with your optomism Eddie but unfortunately at this precise moment in time I don't think we do have the squad to win a title. 

United will probably score goals for fun - something that has been our major problem for the last number of years.  A lot of pressure currently rests on Torres shoulder.  The guy can't speak a word of English, will be no doubt living in hotel rooms for the first part of his season, playing in a new league with new team-mates.  He's a great player but even the best player in the world would need time to adapt. 

Too often than not our creative play has run in to brick walls as we have neither a left or right winger that strike any kind of fear in to opposing defences.  We do not have the kind of attacking midfielders who scare defenders so much that they are pulled out of position - giving the forwards a decent amount of space (unlike United).

If we don't bring a couple of wingers in - not potential wingers for the future - but proven class wingers that will terrify opposing defences then who we have upfront matters not one jot as we will stay base our football around a tight defence and predominantly counter-attacking football.

One striker will not solve our problems.  The next few weeks in the transfer market are critical to the season ahead.  It all depends on whether the board want to do one of two things.

1. Consolidate our ability to qualify for the Champions League

or

2. Make a genuine, not a half-arsed, attempt at landing the Premiership title.

The clock's ticking.

Agree JD. At the minute our squad is not good enough to win the league but I expect at least 2-3 more top class signings in the next couple of weeks. If not I will be very disappointed as it will show the new owners have not provided the funds necessary to improve the playing staff. But I think that it's good to read real positive comments from the players and Rafa as far as challenging for the title as it shows the are hungry to win.