After almost 20 years of longing, two decades of expectation ending in premature disappointment, this was supposed to be the season that a league trophy filled an increasingly dusty spot in an Anfield cabinet, but things do not always go as planned.
Before hysteria breaks out, it is noted that Tuesday's stunning UEFA Champions League destruction of Real Madrid was a phenomenal achievement and gives an indication that all is well, while also acting as a massive boost for expectation and confidence among players and supporters. However, the focus here is on league form and the midweek European win only makes struggles in the Premier League all the more bemusing as Liverpool persist in trailing Manchester United on and off the field.
Oasis' Noel Gallagher is famously a staunch Manchester City follower, while U2's Bono and The Edge were seen strolling across the Stamford Bridge turf after the first leg of Chelsea's UEFA Champions League last-16 victory over Juventus, indicating musicians have time for football when off duty.
That pattern undoubtedly works in the opposite direction and come May, if not before, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez's iPod may well be filled with the sentiments of Gallagher, Paul Hewson and David Evans (Bono and The Edge), who have asked the question, 'where did it all go wrong?'.
On 28th December, Liverpool, usually more reliable than an advent calendar for identifying when it is the festive period as a role of title race also-rans tends to have been accepted, travelled to Newcastle and dismantled their St James' Park hosts 5-1 to open a three-point margin at the top of the table - 10 ahead of United, having played three games more - and deliver a signal of intent that a league silverware drought, which has stretched since 1990, was about to end.
But Saturday lunchtime's trip to United - which can be seen live on Sky Sports 1 & HD1, and had appeared set to prove a possible title decider - has now morphed into what realistically seems just another opportunity to renew a fierce North-West rivalry as the defending champions hold a seven-point lead over their Merseyside foes and also enjoy the luxury of a game in hand, against Portsmouth on 22nd April.
There have also been whispers that, if league form slips further, third place and automatic qualification for the Champions League is not guaranteed. In 1996/97 Liverpool made it all the way to 'squeaky bum time' - a Sir Alex Ferguson phrase which, despite creating thoughts of the morning after the previous night's mutton vindaloo, perfectly sums up the climax of the season - before falling away from the pace to finish fourth. If Guus Hiddink continues to rejuvenate Chelsea, and Aston Villa get their act together, there could be a repeat performance.
This was supposed to be, and looked ready to be, the year for Liverpool and, regardless of victory over Real, it cannot be argued that there has been a collapse similar to an England batting order at Sabina Park, a 17-point swing, in form. Responsibility has to fall somewhere. Benitez has played a part and the Spaniard's notorious outburst at United boss Ferguson in the build-up to a fixture at Stoke following the victory on Tyneside was the turning point.
Even if there are other factors responsible for the title, barring an extraordinarily dramatic finish, returning to Old Trafford, Benitez's scripted explosion in the direction of his counterpart - a master in mind games who barely needed to flex grey matter, which had been so severely tested in the past against the likes of Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho, when offering a sly, gentle jab about Liverpool's ability to handle pressure - generated negative publicity and was, for a seasoned manager, ill advised and badly timed as a victory proved out of reach in the next three league matches.
Unconstructive off-field headlines, such as the 'Rafa rant', have been a plague and have distracted from the most important area, on the pitch. Conjecture that Benitez is ready to swap Merseyside for a return home to Madrid has refused to go away, with the 48-year-old - who is out of contract in the summer of 2010, and has set a two-week deadline for a fresh agreement - reportedly turning down a number of drafted, four-year extensions as he haggles for greater influence over transfer policy and recruitment plans of the club's academy. Control on a par with the likes of Ferguson and Arsenal's Wenger would have a positive impact, but - no matter what the claims of the Liverpool squad regarding consistent focus amidst turmoil - managerial squabbles with Texas-based co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, who themselves suffer a fractious partnership, have been destabilising.
Add to this the news that chief executive Rick Parry's 12-year career with the club is to end in May as rumour suggests his working relationship with Benitez and Hicks has become untenable, the arrest of captain Steven Gerrard following an incident in Southport when the midfielder was celebrating the victory over Newcastle, and persistent on-off stories regarding the club's ownership - a Kuwaiti investment consortium headed by the Al-Kharafi family have held a season-long interest and could agree a third-party stake - and focus again drifts away from sticking the ball in the onion bag.
A fresh face in the boardroom is required in order to offer the finances to compete with United, Chelsea, Arsenal and the emerging Manchester City. A new 73,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park - a source of increased revenue for which designs and planning permission are agreed - has been put on hold as Hicks, who is understood to be keen to stay, but with a new partner, and Gillett search for a buyer before a July deadline. Loans from RBS and American bank Wachovia, which were used to buy Liverpool in February 2007, have increased to a debt of £350million and are due for renegotiation in four months' time, offering potential interested parties the opportunity to play chicken before tabling a cut-price summer offer, possibly a fee in the region of £400m rather than a speculated £500m asking price.
Behind-the-scenes issues, therefore, have played a part in a fall away from the summit but, of course, league points are not solely won and lost as negotiating candles are burnt at either end. Since the turn of the year, Liverpool have struggled horribly on the pitch. FA Cup elimination to neighbours Everton came at a time when top spot was surrendered to United as 2009 league form reads; three wins, four draws and one defeat.
Draws have been a problem as a total of 10 have been recorded, including infamous home shares of the spoils with Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and Hull City, indicating a lack of a cutting edge, an inability to pick locks and a failure to kill teams off. Victory over Real will have reverberated around the world and emphasised that Benitez has few superiors in Europe, and another continental success is a possibility. But that makes league struggles all the more head scratching. As if a gambler who thrives on the Black Jack tables of Monte Carlo but then draws a blank on Scarborough's slot machines, the former Valencia chief appears to run out of ideas when domestic opponents park the bus in front of goal.
That lack of potency has owed a lot to the persistent injuries of star striker Fernando Torres. Any club would struggle with the loss of their main goal threat, and that makes the decision to sell Robbie Keane back to Tottenham Hotspur a little over six months after prising the Republic of Ireland international from White Hart Lane for a figure in the region of £20m all the more debatable.
Keane flopped at Anfield, struggling with the weight of expectancy as he frustratingly spent most of his time running around like a headless chicken or on the bench, and his presence was acting as a diversion. Benitez deserves credit for acknowledging that fact and for showing the self-deprecation to move the player on when it would publicly damage his managerial status. But Liverpool have suffered an established difficulty in turning dominance into goals and since the winter transfer window that has been highlighted when the tactical options have been a mixture Dirk Kuyt, rookies David Ngog and Nabil El Zhar, or the lacking-in-confidence Ryan Babel. A genuine replacement was needed before Keane was allowed to leave.
Benitez has often been castigated for his persistence to shuffle his pack, showing a stubbornness which all great managers possess as he attempts to replicate the model at Valencia which brought two Primera Liga titles to the Mestalla. With persistently strong finishes after slow starts, the benefits of the system are evident. But this season, talk about a rock and a hard place, he has maintained a far more settled team as core individuals have been used on a regular basis, at times being played out of position, and, after a bright opening, that has led to tiredness. Comeback victories, against United, Manchester City and Wigan, were a trademark in late summer and autumn, but a fatigued defeat at Middlesbrough at the end of February was in contrasting difference.
Liverpool's league problems, though, are not entirely self-imposed. Their history is undeniable but, as much as it may hurt the occupants of Anfield Road, in the modern era they are not on the same level as United in terms of global notoriety, experience or finance. The above brings the ability to attract the better players - when United paid £18m for Anderson in 2007, Liverpool were splashing a third of that fee on Lucas Leiva - and that develops strength in depth to leave the rest playing catch-up.
A club of the gigantic size of Liverpool will not be happy with the underdog tag, but they appear to revel when the odds are stacked against - see recent European exploits, especially the 2005 Champions League final - while expectancy and pressure seems to be followed by a choke and a need to do things the hard way - see the 2001 Uefa Cup final, the 2006 FA Cup final or various Premier League campaigns.
This is not to completely dismiss Liverpool from the title race before maths decides otherwise. The rampage over Real will spark a new sense of optimism and victory at Old Trafford could make things interesting while, having resumed the underdog role, a trademark strong climax could be on the cards. But there appears too much to do in efforts to defend a tally of 18 league titles. Even if defeated, United would still possess a seven-point advantage if they win their game in hand, and the champions would also need to significantly lose their way in other matches in accompaniment with a drastic domestic improvement from Benitez's side in almost every department.
Before hysteria breaks out, it is noted that Tuesday's stunning UEFA Champions League destruction of Real Madrid was a phenomenal achievement and gives an indication that all is well, while also acting as a massive boost for expectation and confidence among players and supporters. However, the focus here is on league form and the midweek European win only makes struggles in the Premier League all the more bemusing as Liverpool persist in trailing Manchester United on and off the field.
Oasis' Noel Gallagher is famously a staunch Manchester City follower, while U2's Bono and The Edge were seen strolling across the Stamford Bridge turf after the first leg of Chelsea's UEFA Champions League last-16 victory over Juventus, indicating musicians have time for football when off duty.
That pattern undoubtedly works in the opposite direction and come May, if not before, Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez's iPod may well be filled with the sentiments of Gallagher, Paul Hewson and David Evans (Bono and The Edge), who have asked the question, 'where did it all go wrong?'.
On 28th December, Liverpool, usually more reliable than an advent calendar for identifying when it is the festive period as a role of title race also-rans tends to have been accepted, travelled to Newcastle and dismantled their St James' Park hosts 5-1 to open a three-point margin at the top of the table - 10 ahead of United, having played three games more - and deliver a signal of intent that a league silverware drought, which has stretched since 1990, was about to end.
But Saturday lunchtime's trip to United - which can be seen live on Sky Sports 1 & HD1, and had appeared set to prove a possible title decider - has now morphed into what realistically seems just another opportunity to renew a fierce North-West rivalry as the defending champions hold a seven-point lead over their Merseyside foes and also enjoy the luxury of a game in hand, against Portsmouth on 22nd April.
There have also been whispers that, if league form slips further, third place and automatic qualification for the Champions League is not guaranteed. In 1996/97 Liverpool made it all the way to 'squeaky bum time' - a Sir Alex Ferguson phrase which, despite creating thoughts of the morning after the previous night's mutton vindaloo, perfectly sums up the climax of the season - before falling away from the pace to finish fourth. If Guus Hiddink continues to rejuvenate Chelsea, and Aston Villa get their act together, there could be a repeat performance.
This was supposed to be, and looked ready to be, the year for Liverpool and, regardless of victory over Real, it cannot be argued that there has been a collapse similar to an England batting order at Sabina Park, a 17-point swing, in form. Responsibility has to fall somewhere. Benitez has played a part and the Spaniard's notorious outburst at United boss Ferguson in the build-up to a fixture at Stoke following the victory on Tyneside was the turning point.
Even if there are other factors responsible for the title, barring an extraordinarily dramatic finish, returning to Old Trafford, Benitez's scripted explosion in the direction of his counterpart - a master in mind games who barely needed to flex grey matter, which had been so severely tested in the past against the likes of Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho, when offering a sly, gentle jab about Liverpool's ability to handle pressure - generated negative publicity and was, for a seasoned manager, ill advised and badly timed as a victory proved out of reach in the next three league matches.
Unconstructive off-field headlines, such as the 'Rafa rant', have been a plague and have distracted from the most important area, on the pitch. Conjecture that Benitez is ready to swap Merseyside for a return home to Madrid has refused to go away, with the 48-year-old - who is out of contract in the summer of 2010, and has set a two-week deadline for a fresh agreement - reportedly turning down a number of drafted, four-year extensions as he haggles for greater influence over transfer policy and recruitment plans of the club's academy. Control on a par with the likes of Ferguson and Arsenal's Wenger would have a positive impact, but - no matter what the claims of the Liverpool squad regarding consistent focus amidst turmoil - managerial squabbles with Texas-based co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, who themselves suffer a fractious partnership, have been destabilising.
Add to this the news that chief executive Rick Parry's 12-year career with the club is to end in May as rumour suggests his working relationship with Benitez and Hicks has become untenable, the arrest of captain Steven Gerrard following an incident in Southport when the midfielder was celebrating the victory over Newcastle, and persistent on-off stories regarding the club's ownership - a Kuwaiti investment consortium headed by the Al-Kharafi family have held a season-long interest and could agree a third-party stake - and focus again drifts away from sticking the ball in the onion bag.
A fresh face in the boardroom is required in order to offer the finances to compete with United, Chelsea, Arsenal and the emerging Manchester City. A new 73,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park - a source of increased revenue for which designs and planning permission are agreed - has been put on hold as Hicks, who is understood to be keen to stay, but with a new partner, and Gillett search for a buyer before a July deadline. Loans from RBS and American bank Wachovia, which were used to buy Liverpool in February 2007, have increased to a debt of £350million and are due for renegotiation in four months' time, offering potential interested parties the opportunity to play chicken before tabling a cut-price summer offer, possibly a fee in the region of £400m rather than a speculated £500m asking price.
Behind-the-scenes issues, therefore, have played a part in a fall away from the summit but, of course, league points are not solely won and lost as negotiating candles are burnt at either end. Since the turn of the year, Liverpool have struggled horribly on the pitch. FA Cup elimination to neighbours Everton came at a time when top spot was surrendered to United as 2009 league form reads; three wins, four draws and one defeat.
Draws have been a problem as a total of 10 have been recorded, including infamous home shares of the spoils with Stoke, Fulham, West Ham and Hull City, indicating a lack of a cutting edge, an inability to pick locks and a failure to kill teams off. Victory over Real will have reverberated around the world and emphasised that Benitez has few superiors in Europe, and another continental success is a possibility. But that makes league struggles all the more head scratching. As if a gambler who thrives on the Black Jack tables of Monte Carlo but then draws a blank on Scarborough's slot machines, the former Valencia chief appears to run out of ideas when domestic opponents park the bus in front of goal.
That lack of potency has owed a lot to the persistent injuries of star striker Fernando Torres. Any club would struggle with the loss of their main goal threat, and that makes the decision to sell Robbie Keane back to Tottenham Hotspur a little over six months after prising the Republic of Ireland international from White Hart Lane for a figure in the region of £20m all the more debatable.
Keane flopped at Anfield, struggling with the weight of expectancy as he frustratingly spent most of his time running around like a headless chicken or on the bench, and his presence was acting as a diversion. Benitez deserves credit for acknowledging that fact and for showing the self-deprecation to move the player on when it would publicly damage his managerial status. But Liverpool have suffered an established difficulty in turning dominance into goals and since the winter transfer window that has been highlighted when the tactical options have been a mixture Dirk Kuyt, rookies David Ngog and Nabil El Zhar, or the lacking-in-confidence Ryan Babel. A genuine replacement was needed before Keane was allowed to leave.
Benitez has often been castigated for his persistence to shuffle his pack, showing a stubbornness which all great managers possess as he attempts to replicate the model at Valencia which brought two Primera Liga titles to the Mestalla. With persistently strong finishes after slow starts, the benefits of the system are evident. But this season, talk about a rock and a hard place, he has maintained a far more settled team as core individuals have been used on a regular basis, at times being played out of position, and, after a bright opening, that has led to tiredness. Comeback victories, against United, Manchester City and Wigan, were a trademark in late summer and autumn, but a fatigued defeat at Middlesbrough at the end of February was in contrasting difference.
Liverpool's league problems, though, are not entirely self-imposed. Their history is undeniable but, as much as it may hurt the occupants of Anfield Road, in the modern era they are not on the same level as United in terms of global notoriety, experience or finance. The above brings the ability to attract the better players - when United paid £18m for Anderson in 2007, Liverpool were splashing a third of that fee on Lucas Leiva - and that develops strength in depth to leave the rest playing catch-up.
A club of the gigantic size of Liverpool will not be happy with the underdog tag, but they appear to revel when the odds are stacked against - see recent European exploits, especially the 2005 Champions League final - while expectancy and pressure seems to be followed by a choke and a need to do things the hard way - see the 2001 Uefa Cup final, the 2006 FA Cup final or various Premier League campaigns.
This is not to completely dismiss Liverpool from the title race before maths decides otherwise. The rampage over Real will spark a new sense of optimism and victory at Old Trafford could make things interesting while, having resumed the underdog role, a trademark strong climax could be on the cards. But there appears too much to do in efforts to defend a tally of 18 league titles. Even if defeated, United would still possess a seven-point advantage if they win their game in hand, and the champions would also need to significantly lose their way in other matches in accompaniment with a drastic domestic improvement from Benitez's side in almost every department.
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