Walton Breck Road

Liverpool FC: Thank you Rafa Benitez for making me dream

By Michael Owen

On the 25th of May 2005 I was sat in the Ataturk Stadium, Istanbul. The players were walking out of the tunnel and my Dad turned and said to me “You’re not going to enjoy this”. He was right.

Support for Rafa worldwide (photo from JingMc)

Through 90 minutes of football, 30 minutes of extra-time and an agonising penalty shootout I went through more emotions than I’d been through in my entire life from excitement to despair, disappointment to utter euphoria and the lowest of the low to top of the world all over the course of one football match.

I remember after one particularly gloomy night of football at Anfield I asked my Dad if I’d ever see Liverpool in a Champions League final like Manchester United in 1999 – he told me he wouldn’t put money on it. 

Remembering that moment whilst sat in the ground in Istanbul made me not care about the result, win, lose or draw I’d seen Liverpool get to a European Cup final in what was a roller-coaster ride of a tournament which saw the Reds see off the likes of Juventus, Leverkusen and Chelsea. 

When I saw Steven Gerrard lifting the trophy that night it made me dream of past glories I wasn’t lucky enough to be around for, it made me believe Liverpool FC could go on to conquer the world.

That belief was created by Rafael Benitez. 

Despite what the pundits may say, he didn’t disappoint in his six years in charge at Anfield. Aside from the fantastic Newcastle games under Evans and the FA and UEFA Cup wins under Houlier Rafael Benitez and his side provided me with my best memories of being a Liverpool supporter. 

In the past six years I’ve seen Liverpool see off some of the best in Europe. Spanish giants Barcelona and Madrid have fell at the hands of the Rafalution, as have AC, Inter and Juventus. On the domestic front I’ve seen us thrash United, defy Romans Russian millions at Chelsea and, oh, yeah, beat Everton more times than I can remember. 

 I’ve been astonished by brilliant performances from players like Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso, whilst I’ve been utterly wowed by Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher who have both become world-class players thanks to Benitez.

For three years I thought Liverpool FC could do about anything. In 2005 we secured the European Cup and Super Cup. In 2006 we brought home the FA Cup and Charity Shield and in 2007 we reached the Champions League final again. 

But just months before our close defeat at the hands of AC Milan a lethal dose of poison was inject into the veins of the club I love, that poison was Tom Hicks and George Gillett. 

Now, three years later, I have grown to hate our happy-go-lucky American owners and what they’ve done to Liverpool Football Club and the manager I felt could take us to new heights. 

Where Benitez wanted Villa the board offered Voronin, when Silva was sought after all that could be afforded was Riera and there was certainly no sign of Snoggy Doggy. 

Despite the sometimes questionable tactics, often strange policies and a notably stubborn attitude I truly believe I’d be talking about Liverpool FC –English Champions if Benitez had signed who he wanted to over the past six years. Alves, Simao, Silva and Villa are just a few names the boss missed out on and that cost the club dearly.

The boardroom battles that he fought to try and get as much as he could to take the club forward eventually broke him and a disappointing season was the result, but for five years before that Rafael Benitez turned Liverpool FC from falling stars to European powerhouses and for that I commend him. 

But I’ll remember the good times, the mad nights and day’s home, away and abroad. But most importantly I’ll remember that Rafael Benitez made me dream again. 

Thanks Rafa – You’ll Never Walk Alone. 

Liverpool 2-1 Atletico Madrid: Diego Forlan strike ends Reds Europa League hopes

By Michael Owen

A 2-2 aggregate result in the Europa League semi-final ensured Atletico Madrid advanced to the final of the competition after beating Liverpool on away goals at Anfield. 

Atletico scorer Diego Forlan 

The reds got the game off to a good start, putting the Madrid defence under-pressure and winning a good number of corners. 

But the Reds failed to capitalise upon the pressure until late in the first-half, when the ball fell to Alberto Aquilani inside the area, allowing the Italian to fire a shot into the bottom corner of the goal to give Liverpool a 1-0 lead on the night and bring them level on aggregate. 

The second-half saw Madrid subdue Liverpool’s attacking moves, defending well and playing on the counter, with both Simao and Diego Forlan coming close on a number of occasions. 

With 90 minutes played the game was taken to extra-time, where Liverpool made a bright start, with Yossi Benayoun breaking into the box and finishing well to give Liverpool the lead on aggregate. 

But it wasn’t to last as ex-Manchester United striker Forlan found himself unmarked and with the ball deep inside the Liverpool box, giving him time to place it easily past Pepe Reina and in the back of the net, a goal which would ultimately be the decider. 

The second-half of extra-time proved to be unsuccessful for Liverpool , with substitutes Degen and Pacheco failing to make enough of an impact to help Liverpool get the goal which would put the through to the final in Hamburg.

With little to play for in the league the result represents a disappoint end to Liverpool’s season, with the team looking at qualification from the Europa League rather than Europe’s top club competition the Champions League.  

WBR Live: Liverpool v Atletico Madrid

Liverpool v Atletico Madrid: Reds face tough test against Madrid at Anfield

By Michael Owen

I don’t know what it is about European nights at Anfield, but even after an uninspiring 1-0 defeat at the hands of Madrid last Thursday it’s still a given amongst most of our fanbase that we’re Hamburg-bound. 

 

Liverpool seem to have a knack of winning against the odds in crucial European nights at Anfield, whether that be St Etienne in 1977 or Chelsea in 2005, the famous ground seems to have something in the air before European games which turns every red-shirted player on the pitch into a superstar. 

Of course, that’s not to say that it’s a foregone conclusion. Thursday night represents one of the biggest challenges Liverpool have faced this season, and if the result doesn’t go in their favour it will be another season without a trophy for Rafael Benitez’s side. 

Speaking of the manager, there’s no doubt he’ll have prepared his side for this tough test. He may be better acquainted with the other side from the Spanish capital but Benitez’s knowledge of the Spanish game will ensure he knows exactly what to expect from Atletico, and the side h puts on the pitch should be ready to deal with the challenge. 

I’ve said it before pretty much every one of our Europa League games this season and I’m more than happy to say it again, especially after this weekends events. Maxi Rodriguez will no doubt be a big miss. The former Atletico star clearly provides an extra element to the Liverpool attack and his creativity and ingenuity will be missed. 

But Alberto Aquilani’s return to the side against Burnley can only be seen as a positive one going into the game, with the Italian midfielder setting up three of Liverpool’s four goals and taking his assist tally to 6 in 2010, the most out of any Premier League player. If (and that’s a big if) he starts against Atletico there’s no doubt he’ll offer a lot to the Reds going forward. 

Critics said after last weeks game in Madrid that we should be beating Atletico easily, even at their own ground. The reasoning behind the argument being that the Spanish side are struggling in their own league and had a disappointing run in the CL before ending up in Europe’s second-tier competition. 

Sound familiar? 

The game going to be far from an easy one, but hopefully I’ll be looking back on it with a smile on my face whilst basking in the German sun on May 12th. 

Atletico Madrid v Liverpool: Players must step up due to Torres injury

By Michael Owen

Liverpool will be looking for to beat Atletico Madrid at the Calderon tonight without star striker Fernando Torres. But the home side have selection troubles of their own, with Sergio Aguero ruled out through suspension. 

 

The Reds undertook a mammoth 23 and a half hour journey to the Spanish capital due to flight restrictions in the United Kingdom, but the Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says that this won't give Atletico any advantage over the five times European Champions, suggesting the trip via train, coach and plane acted as a good bonding session for his side.

Former Atletico midfielder Maxi Rodriguez will miss the tie against his former club as he is ineligible to play for the Reds in this seasons competition. Martin Skrtel, Martin Kelly, Emiliano Insua and Fabio Aurelio will all miss the tie through injury. 

As with the trip to Benfica this will no doubt be a hard one for Gerrard and co, but clinching an away goal, even if the Reds do lose 2-1, could prove enough if Liverpool can put in a similar performance to the one witnessed in the last round at Anfield against the Portuguese outfit. 

The loss of Torres will no doubt be a major blow for Liverpool but Rafael Benitez's side proved against West Ham that they have the firepower to bag a good number of goals even without the Spain international, it's all a question of whether the players in the squad can stand up and be counted on such an important game in Liverpool's season. 

Of course, as mentioned, this is just the first-leg and Liverpool have the notable advantage of having the second-leg at home, something which has been a major factor in the Reds recent European triumphs over some of the best teams in both the European Cup and Europa League. Some people say it's a load of rubbish about the impact of the Anfield atmosphere, but I bet the Atletico players will beg to differ next Thursday night as they walk out onto the pitch.

Liverpool 4-1 Benfica: Torres Brace Ensures Europa League Progression

By Michael Owen

Liverpool secured their place in the Europa League semi-finals last night by beating Benfica 4-1 at Anfield (5-3 agg). 

Unlikely Scorer: Lucas  

A brace from Fernando Torres, header from Dirk Kuyt and a surprise goal for Brazilian midfielder Lucas ensured the reds got a vital win in the quest for Europa League glory. 

Despite the emphatic score line the Portuguese outfit were far from pushovers, with their goal bringing the score to 4-3 on aggregate, meaning if the reds conceded another goal without reply Benfica would have been facing Athletico Madrid rather than Rafael Benitez’s side. 

But Liverpool did hang on and in convincing fashion, with Fernando Torres’ late goal securing the win for Liverpool, ensuring the side’s hope of European glory is still alive. 

Good performances from under-fire Dirk Kuyt and Lucas will no doubt have given both a much-needed confidence boost going into the final stage of the season and the Brazilians well-placed finish for his goal may leave Benitez wondering whether his position as a holding midfielder allows him to live up to his true potential.

The two goals from Spanish striker Fernando Torres continued his good run of form, with the front man now netting two goals in each of his last four Anfield appearances. Reds fans will be hoping he can continue his scoring run against former club Athletico Madrid, who Liverpool will have to beat if they want to reach the competitions final in Hamburg on May 12th. 

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez was happy with his team’s victory over Benfica, who currently sit top of the Portuguese league. 

“We played against a good team,” he told Five.

“We knew it would be hard, they have their strengths and weaknesses and we took advantage of those weaknesses.

“The third goal was really, really good,

“All the players had ambition and determination to win tonight.”

Liverpool’s two legged tie against Athletico Madrid will take place on the 22nd and 29th of April, with the second-leg taking place at Anfield. 

Liverpool v Benfica - Reds Must Step It Up At The Back To Tame Portuguese Outfit

By Michael Owen

Going into a second-leg matching knowing that you need to win in order to progress is never an easy task, but with an away goal advantage and a capacity Anfield crowd Rafael Benitez’ men will be confident they’ll be travelling to Spain for a semi-final battle in a few weeks time. 

Cardozo - Benfica's first-leg savior  

Inconsistency has proven costly in Liverpool’s season so far, and if the reds want to have any chance of finishing in the top four and winning the Europa League it’s something they’re going to have to overcome starting with Benfica on Thursday night. 

The last time the Portuguese giants came to Merseyside the walked out 2-0 winners, eliminating the then Champions of Europe from UEFA’s premier competition. Liverpool won’t be hoping for a repeat of that night in 2006 and Rafael Benitez will be wary of the threat the Lisbon side pose.

Following on from the first-leg Liverpool will be well aware of what the likes of Aimar, Cardozo and especially Di Maria have to offer when pushing forward, handling these three players may well be the key to ensuring the reds can keep Benfica at bay long enough to grab the crucial goal that would send the through to the next round. 

But Benfica will be equally as aware of our threat going forward as we are of theirs. Naturally Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard will prove to be a handful for the Portuguese defence, but aside from the usual suspects Alberto Aquilani may well be fit to start for a Liverpool side in need of a creativity boost. 

Maybe most crucially of all, Liverpool need to ensure they’re resilient at the back if they want to evade conceding an away goal, both full-backs, despite our lack of width going forward, may be asked to stay back a little more in order to ensure no goals are leaked and taking a leaf out of Barca’s book and defending from the front may be a good option for the reds.

It’s going to be a tough game, there’s no doubt. But throw in a mixture of our passion for European football and the atmosphere that will be generated inside Anfield and you’ve got to say Liverpool are the favourites to get on step closer to Hamburg. 

Confidence Key To Beating Benfica

By Michael Owen

It’s a weird sensation – losing and not being bothered. It’s something I’ve never really experienced before as a Liverpool fan, even in games that mean little or nothing, a win is a win and the feeling you get from it is like a drug habit you can’t, and don’t want to, kick. 

Double Trouble: A Brace for Oscar Cardozo 

Yet after losing against Benfica in the Stadium of Light yesterday I really wasn’t too bothered by the loss. 

It could be put down to the fact it’s the Europe League, but then again I’ve been one of the few Liverpool supporters around who’s been relishing playing the UEFA’s second-tier competition. Regardless of what’s up for grabs the chance to play the likes of Benfica, Valencia, Athletico Madrid and, er, Fulham is simply mouth-watering. 

If I had to put it down to something I’d like to say its confidence. After all, an away goal against a side that haven’t lost in 25 games isn’t exactly bad going. Is it? 

I suppose playing with ten men against a team of twelve didn’t really help either. Last night’s referee was more than happy to give a dubious decision the way of the English national side yet was feeling considerably less compassionate when it came to offering Liverpool a helping hand. I mean is it too much to ask for Torres to have at least a little bit of protection? 

Going into the second-leg there’s every chance of a Liverpool victory. A one goal deficit isn’t a hard one to turn over, especially not with that away goal, and after our last home display against Sunderland its clear this is a Liverpool side that still has the ability and, most importantly, the confidence to get a result on home soil.

Of course, in between now and our next European encounter we have the small matter of a Premier League face-off with Birmingham City at the weekend, one of the harder games in a relatively smooth run to the end of the season for us. There’s no doubt Alex McCleish’s side pose a threat, but a large number of draws and lack of real talent up front is enough for me to say the reds have every chance of picking up three-points. 

Its two games which could change the face of Liverpool’s season, hopefully both will break from this seasons tradition and end in success. 

Benfica vs Liverpool: Reds Face Portuguese Challenge Without Aquilani

By Michael Owen

For the first time this year, Liverpool will be going into a Europa League tie with uncertainties over their future, especially with English sides recent results against Benfica in Lisbon. 

Troubled Past: Liverpool away in Lisbon 

The last time the reds travelled to the Stadium of Light they suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hand of tomorrow night’s opposition, and the home leg added extra salt to the wounds for Liverpool supporters, with the then champions of Europe sinking to a 2-0 defeat at Anfield. 

It’s a game which Liverpool will have to go into and look to attack, Benfica are far from pushovers but their defensive ability is questionable, especially in a game in which they will be put up against Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, two players noted for their ability to grab goals in important ties both domestically and in Europe.

Alberto Aquilani won’t travel to Lisbon after picking up an ankle injury. Whilst this is a big blow for Liverpool it’s far from the end of the world. Sunday’s emphatic win over Sunderland showed just how well the Reds can play without ‘the little prince’ on the pitch and, if all goes to plan, the reds will be able to carry that form into quarter –final tie. 

Of course Argentine midfielder Maxi Rodriguez will be missing from the game due to ineligibility. Who comes in to replace him is uncertain, if Rafa Bentiez decides to stick with two up front then Dirk Kuyt won’t be able to occupy his usual position on the right, as he’ll be needed as a front man. Yossi Benayoun may be asked to come in on the wing, though Benitez usually prefers the Israeli captain on the left-hand side, which was occupied by Ryan Babel on Sunday.

Young full-back Emiliano Insua will once again be put to the test against strong European opposition and, due to his inexperience, there’s little doubt that the Portuguese outfit will target the youngster in an attempt to get the ball into the box. The young Argentine clearly has ability going forward, even if his performance in defense is questionable, and it's fair to say there's no better left-back to fill-in with Fabio Aurelio once again sidelined through injury.  

The same Liverpool team that showed up against Sunderland needs to show up again, with an attacking mentality and creative flare. Inconsistency has been a common theme in Liverpool’s season, hopefully that won’t be the case going into Thursday night’s game.