'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
And off we are off to Wembley once again, with us heading into the semi-final stages of the FA Cup competition for this year.
Attacking Combinations
I already said this in the summer transfer window, along with the January transfer window, and I’m going to reiterate this once more. When we signed both Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, we relied to heavily on the fact that Andy Carroll had to be successful, hence we signed players such as Downing, etc.
The reality is that we had a formidable attacking threat in the Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, and I personally think that it would have been wiser to have built the team around him rather than Carroll. Maxi Rodriguez showed, once again, that he indeed had that ‘spark’ inside of him, as he and Suarez combined brilliantly to produce a peach of an opening goal.
Indeed Carroll’s link up play is getting better, along with his holding up ability, but as I have often said in the past, he’s just not ready yet. This season isn’t going to be his breakthrough season just yet.
More Inspiration
Liverpool FC have had the general territorial domination in recent months, lacking in the inspiration to create magic to score goals. Steven Gerrard led the way in mid-week with a stunning hat-trick against Merseyside rivals Everton.
This time it was Martin Skrtel’s marshaling of the defence coupled with Suarez’s constant attacking threat that won Liverpool a ticket into the semi-finals of the FA Cup this year.
The Growing Confidence of Stewart Downing
The look on Stewart Downing’s face reeling away in celebration said it all. He was a man short on confidence when he first arrived, and is continually developing his game, and now he looks like one of our consistent first XI picks.
But one must question his motivation, as he did run a press release straight before the League Cup final, saying he was indeed training harder in an attempt to get picked. He should be giving 100% in every training session, even if Liverpool are indeed preparing for a game against Norwich City (whom we drew with earlier in the season).
I am most certainly hoping that he can continue his rich vein of form (ESPECIALLY IN THE LEAGUE) over the course of the next few seasons.
