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“The Champions League is back at Anfield!”“And the Champions League is back at Anfield!”, cried Clive Tyldesley, a United man through and through, when Liverpool returned to their favourite competition after a one-year hiatus in 2004-05. That day sparked a string of memorable European nights for the most storied English team to play the game. Memorable victories at the Camp Nou and the Bernabeu come to mind, along with that one magnificent night at Istanbul.This love-story ended in the 2009-10 season, triggering a streak of four dark, gloomy seasons in the red half of the Merseyside. And then Brendan Rodgers and his Merry Men came along, lighting up the Premier League with some wonderful, delightful attacking football, full of speed, zest and goals. Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City and poor old Tottenham Hotspur, all suffered defeats at the hand of a team, which had nothing to lose.Now, in their first season in Europe in 5 years, the team is sure to play the same brand of vibrant, attacking football in the Champions League too. For they have nothing to lose.Grouped alongside Real Madrid, FC Basel and Ludogorets, a second place is the general consensus among fans and pundits alike, for the Reds. They can beat Ludogorets, they might beat Basel, but Madrid? Surely, beating the Los Blancos, the biggest team out there, is way beyond Liverpool’s reach. Or, is it? Let’s see. Here are six reasons why Liverpool can top their group in the Champions League this season.
#1 Anfield, the 12th man
No other stadium in Europe, except for maybe, Galatasaray’s Turk Telekom Arena and Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion can match Anfield as far as the loudness, electricity and atmosphere is concerned. The stadium literally gives me goose bumps, every time I witness a match there. And, I’m just a TV spectator. Away teams, however experienced and seasoned, are sure to be intimidated by what they’re going to see at Liverpool’s fortress.
Walking out to the “This is Anfield” banner with “You’ll Never Walk Alone” ringing in their ears, the stadium and its fans are sure to strike a fear factor in away teams. Legends of the game, including Alan Smith, Rio Ferdinand and Fabio Cannavaro have stated that there’s nothing like a night at Anfield, playing in front of The Kop. Nothing comes close.
Needless to say, the fans will give it their all to see their team across the line, when the going gets tough. Who can forget that night 10 years ago against Olympiakos? Or that nerve-wracking penalty shootout against Chelsea a few years later? Or last year’s match against Manchester City, which wasn’t even a European fixture? With the fans rallying for the team, the players get that something extra which spurs them on; that adrenaline rush that makes the full backs sprint across the length of the pitch in the 91st minute; that moment of genius which makes Steven Gerrard whack the ball to kingdom come with seconds left on the clock; that extra ounce of energy in their reserves to see the game, and the dreams of millions of fans through.
With their 12th man firmly behind them, there are no limits to what Liverpool can do at Anfield. Real Madrid knows this better than most teams – the last time they came to the Merseyside, they were steamrollered by a whopping 4-0 margin. All 9 points are possible for Liverpool at home, for when the wind is against them, they wouldn’t be walking alone.
#2 Real Madrid is floundering
After clinching the coveted La Decima a few months ago at Lisbon, the future looked rosy for Los Merengues. They had the most complete team in the world – two world class goalkeepers, the best defenders on the planet, a midfield which was the perfect blend of defensive strength and offensive fluidity, and the BBC up front. Enter Florentino Perez. The construction magnate chalked up the perfect plan for shaking Madrid’s foundations, and here they are, an uncertain and imbalanced team, with a gaping hole in the middle.
Madrid should never have sold Di Maria and Xabi Alonso. Period. While the former offered relentless commitment and work rate, along with his famed dribbling skills, the latter stitched their defence and attack together, making them a cohesive unit. Add to this the sale of their best goalkeeper, and you have a classic case of a self destructive transfer window. With the players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, seemingly unhappy with some of the departures, it is up to Carlo Ancelotti, to plug the holes and appease the egos in his Galactico squad.
Because, if he doesn’t, Liverpool might cause one of the upsets of the group stage. To vindicate my point, let me cite 3 matches from last season. Firstly, the match against Arsenal at home, when Liverpool led by 4 goals in the opening 20 minutes. Secondly, Spurs – home and away. And finally, the game against United at Old Trafford, which Liverpool won 3-0. Liverpool took early leads in all 3 matches, exploiting the vast stretches of space left by the midfielders of these teams. Arsenal played with Arteta and Wilshere in midfield; Spurs with Eriksen and Capoue; United with Carrick and Cleverley. Enough said. And Liverpool ran amok, like a knife through butter, against all 3 of them.
Madrid is in danger of becoming the next victims of the Liverpool attack. And, if they don’t do something and cement their soft centre, they’ll surely end up on the receiving side of a battering. With Khedira injured, Illaramendi unconvincing and Casemiro loaned out, I see it coming.
#3 Basel and Ludogorets
While people might say that the Reds were unlucky to draw Madrid from pot 1, there’s no denying the fact that they got the most unfancied teams from the other two pots. Liverpool could have possibly drawn PSG from pot 2, and Roma from pot 4. Instead, they face the Swiss champions FC Basel, and PFC Ludogorets Lazgrad, the champions of Bulgaria.
Granted, Basel isn’t a team to be scoffed at. Liverpool would do well to remember that the Swiss side beat Chelsea, both home and away. Chelsea, the only side against whom Liverpool lost both home and away. But, those matches, at least the one at the Bridge, can be termed as a freak result; a day when nothing goes the way of the fancied team. While Liverpool can surely be expected to beat them at Anfield, the away match could prove to be a hard night. Liverpool should be able to see through that fixture too, provided they attack with their characteristic speed and defend better than how they’re doing now. The fact that there is no Mohammed Salah surely helps. I shudder to think of what could’ve happened if he had to face Glen Johnson.
And now we move on to Ludogorets, Liverpool’s first European adversary of the season. The Bulgarian side is an unknown quantity, about to play in Europe’s top tier for the very first time. Coming from a rousing and hair-raising qualifying campaign, the Ludogories are the odds on favourites to end up at the bottom of Group B. While I don’t expect them to be pushovers, I don’t see anything less than 6 points from the two fixtures. I’m worried about Liverpool’s annoying tendency to make things hard for themselves, though. They shouldn’t play the way they played against West Brom, Hull and Villa last season.
#4 Sterling, Sturridge and Super Mario
The most important part of Liverpool’s unbelievable campaign last season was the much talked about SAS forward pairing, which later became the SASAS forward trident, tearing opposition defences to shreds. Suarez, Sturridge and Sterling formed one of the most fluid and unpredictable forward line-ups seen in the English game, giving all sorts of nightmares, especially to slower defenders like Mertesacker and Younes Kaboul.
With Suarez gone now, the onus falls on Mario Balotelli, to take the attack to the same levels that Suarez did with the other two partners-in-crime. Sterling, Sturridge and Balotelli(don’t try abbreviations there; I’ve tried all permutations and failed miserably) have the firepower and potential to terrorise all 3 defences they’re going to face in the group stage.
The one battle that I can’t wait to see is Raheem Sterling vs the Real Madrid defence. At the risk of resorting to hyperbole, I state that I believe Sterling is going to tie the Madrid defence in knots – especially if Arbeloa plays at right back, in the wake of Dani Carvajal’s injury.Right wing, left wing, or at the tip of the diamond – there’s no telling where Rodgers plans to deploy his diminutive magician. Defences, who’d already have their hands full with the menace brought by Balotelli and Sturridge, surely wouldn’t be able to contend with Sterling’s pace and trickery. Look out for the 19 year old – he’s going to set Europe on fire.
If Sterling starts moves and carries them forward, Sturridge dispatches them with ruthless efficiency. 36 goals in 52 games points to a player who is clinical, to say the very least. And, Sturridge is no “born offside” striker a la Pipo Inzaghi – he was the best dribbler in the league after Sterling and Hazard last season. A wonderful creator and finisher, Sturridge has a brilliant left foot, equally adept at shooting bullets as it is with deft lobs and caressing touches. At just 24 years old, Sturridge is well on his way to becoming the best English striker after Alan Shearer.
Add to Sturridge and Sterling, the mercurial presence of Mario Balotelli, and you have the perfect recipe to skin defences alive. But, this depends on how well Balotelli plays on the day. Rodgers would do well to hone him into a consistent striker. And, if he does so, Balotelli would be the steal of the season, coming in for a mere £16m.
He has everything in his game – pace, vision, aerial ability, distance shooting. Now, he just has to link up well with Sterling and Sturridge and do what he does best – score. Whatever Liverpool’s travails might be in the other half, if these three fire in unison, there’d be no stopping the team. Europe, beware.
#5 Brendan Rodgers
After King Kenny’s failed second home-coming, things looked downright bleak for Liverpool. And, Brendan Rodgers didn’t look like the answer either. Trying to enforce the La Masia inspired one touch football on a team with the likes of Stewart Downing and Jonjo Shelvey in it, wasn’t going to work, no. A humiliating 3-0 defeat to West Brom in his first match proved as much. But, Rodgers learnt, improving exponentially with time. By the end of his first season, we’d seen glimpses of the potential of this Liverpool team and its deadly precision going forward.
However, it was only in the 2013-14 season, his second at charge of the club, that Rodgers turned a promising team into a team that could deliver week in, week out. There are few managers in the world today, who are tactically as sound as the Irishman. Gradually transforming his team into a direct attacking threat, Rodgers moulded them into a group which can pass the ball and play between the lines, before suddenly launching into a counter attack at breakneck speed. Also, the way he studies other teams, and sets his formations accordingly, has been hugely impressive.
Playing under Rodgers has been an education for each Liverpool player, including the veterans in the side. Gerrard even called him the best coach he’s played under. High praise, indeed. Rodgers has changed a tactically naive team, into a team which plays with brains as much as it does with feet. Examples of this don’t come better than Jordan Henderson, who is a different footballer today.
Whatever the occasion, Rodgers isn’t going to shy away from giving his youngsters a chance too. Raheem Sterling, Jordon Ibe and Jon Flanagan are what they are today because of the influence Rodgers has had on them. And as long Liverpool have him directing the operations, they can beat anyone. In Rodgers, Liverpool has the best manager in Group B. He might not have Ancelotti’s resume, but he’s well on his way to becoming an elite manager. Along with Jurgen Klopp and Diego Simeone, I feel Rodgers is the best young manager in Europe today.
#6 Steven Gerrard
Important cup matches do something to Steven Gerrard. They awaken the match winner in him. The 21 year old baby faced winger who scored in the UEFA Cup final, went on to become the young captain who started the resurrection in the European Cup final, a few years later. And, who can forget the 2006 FA Cup final at Cardiff, the Gerrard final? Just YouTube “John Aldridge goes mad after seeing Gerrard’s goal”, and you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Liverpool needs Steven Gerrard more than any other player, in Europe. His powers might be waning, he might be 34, he might not score them like he used to. But he brings something intangible to the team – an aura, if I might call it so. As far as the Champions League is concerned, he’s the only player who’s been there and done that, for Liverpool. Yes, Balotelli and Sturridge are Champions League winners too, albeit in a lesser role in different teams. When the going gets tough, Gerrard gets going. Whether it be stoppage time goals, last ditch tackles, important penalties, inch-perfect through balls – he gives the team something, every single time.
Nothing fascinates Gerrard more than a Champions League fixture. Nothing spurs him on like it does. The pages and pages that he devotes to those nights in his autobiography are enough evidence. He’ll be chomping at the bit, more than the youngsters who are yet to play in Europe – it means so much to him. Liverpool need their Captain Fantastic in the arduous nights ahead. He’ll pull them through thick and thin, no matter what, no matter how.
I saw Gerrard playing at right back once, after Steve Finnan was stretchered off, in that night at Istanbul nine years ago. He marked the Brazilian winger Serginho, after having played through 90 lung-busting minutes in the centre of the park. He didn’t give an inch of space to the Brazilian and fought through fatigue and muscle cramps. I was 10 at that time. I’ve been convinced that he can do anything on the football pitch ever since.
