Bleacher Report - Steven Gerrard

Twilight at Anfield: Is Alberto Aquilani a Vampire?

Willie Gannon — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:52:27 -0500

Alberto Aquilani is expected to make his first start of the season against Fiorentina on Wednesday. Pale with the dark features of a Carpathian prince, the Italian has yet to play a match during the day...

Liverpool's new number four, has only played three appearances in the famous red shirt this season, all in evening kick-off games.

So far it would seem that Rafa is reluctant to give his new signing a game during the day, so it begs the question, is Alberto a vampire?

His debut was in the Carling Cup defeat to Arsenal, before he made his league debut in the 2-2 draw with Birmingham. And then two weeks later he came on as a last minute substitute against Debrechen in the Champions League.

Aquilani signed for Liverpool as a £20 million replacement for Xabi Alonso in August. However, the midfielder had an injured ankle and the early prognosis was that he needed a number of months to recover.

That recovery period has seen Liverpool's title challenge evaporate before November as well as the club being eliminated from the Champions League at the Group stage for the first time in years.

Liverpool fans have been waiting for this game for some time, as the big money signing is expected to have a massive influence on the team over the next few seasons.

As with any new player that has been out for some time, a certain anticipation has been built up, some of it unrealistic, some of it not.

He is a very different player to Alonso, and it is very unlikely that Rafa sees Aquilani as the answer to Liverpool's midfield problems.

If anything it could be Steven Gerrard who moves back in place of Lucas while Aquilani moves into that hole behind Torres, when available.

As for what kind of player Aquilani is?

He is a creative type midfielder, not great in the tackle, doesn't score that many goals, can get up and down easily, has a languid style similar to Berbatov's, has an eye for a pass in the final third, and is somewhat injury prone.

Obviously there is more to him than one measly paragraph, but you get the picture.

Liverpool and Rafa need Aquilani to hit the ground running. Signing an injured player has cost Liverpool much this season, and the managers wisdom has been questioned in the corridors of power at Anfield.

As of this moment he has yet to play match for Liverpool during the day. His pale gaunt features hide the intense intelligence of a man focused on one goal, getting out of the crypt of the reserves and into the bright lights of the first team.

He needs to do it, Rafa needs him to do it, and Liverpool's fans need him to do it. Tomorrow nights match against Fiorentina is s dead rubber, and is the ideal match to get someone match fit without having too much on the line.

It will move him closer to the first team in a major way, and the next step is for Rafa to start playing him during the day.

Just don't ask him to cross the ball...

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Congratulations Steven Gerrard on 500 Liverpool Appearances

Nabeel Khokhar — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:28:52 -0500

It was on 29 November 1998, in the final minute of a game against Blackburn Rovers, that an 18-year-old Steven Gerrard made his debut for Liverpool Football Club.

On 5 December 2009, coincidentally once again against Blackburn Rovers, Steven Gerrard now captain of his beloved Liverpool, made his 500th appearance for the Reds.

His 500 appearances, over 11 years at his only club have been laced with so many great performances, so many great goals and so many great moments.

Since that debut, Gerrard has gone on to be considered one of the best defensive midfielders, central midfielders and now attacking midfielders the club has ever seen.

In the Liverpool Football Club fan poll "100 Players Who Shook the Kop," fans voted Steven Gerrard second only to the great Kenny Dalglish.

After being installed as captain in 2003, Gerrard has gone on to become a talisman, with his most defining moment coming on a night in May 2005 in Istanbul, when it was his inspiration that saw Liverpool win the Champions League trophy for a fifth time.

After scoring the first goal that saw Liverpool peg back a three goal deficit in six minutes of football history, it was the awesome sight of Captain Gerrard geeing up his fellow teammates and fans to achieve what many thought was not possible.

That night Steven Gerrard lifted the greatest trophy of his Liverpool career to date. The sight of him lifting the European Cup and the shear ecstasy on his face is forever engraved in all Liverpool fans' hearts and minds.

But it was the winner in the group stage match against Olympiacos, that secured Liverpool's progression into the knock out stages, that Gerrard claims is his most important goal for the Reds. Who can forget that superb strike and the celebrations that followed on the pitch and by Andy Gray in the commentary box.

The following year saw Liverpool take on West Ham in the FA Cup Final, in what was later to become known as "The Gerrard Final." Steven Gerrard, almost single handed, pulled his team kicking and screaming through to victory.

He laid on the inch perfect pass for Djbril Cisse to reduced the deficit to 2-1, then hammered in an unstoppable volley to bring the scores level at 2-2.

But heartbreak seemed on the cards for Gerrard and his Reds as West Ham made it 3-2.

With Liverpool staring defeat in the face, Gerrard went down suffering from exhaustion induced cramp. He limped and struggled on as the stadium announcer told the crowd that there would be a minimum of four added minutes.

Then with the pain of cramp still coursing through his body, Gerrard saw Liverpool's long hopeful ball into the box get cleared away. The ball traveled 37 yards away from goal before Gerrard ran on to it to hit the most awesome shot in FA Cup Final history.

The ball flew past Shaka Hislop, the power and precision that Gerrard generated while still suffering terrible cramp was awe-inspiring.

Gerrard went on that day to lift the FA Cup for Liverpool after a penalty shootout.

Steven Gerrard is an indisputable Liverpool Football Club legend. His inspirational and talismanic leadership of the team has saved the Reds on numerous occasions. His importance to the team is immeasurable.

All Liverpool Football Club fans should send their heartiest congratulations to Steven Gerrard on his fantastic milestone of 500 appearances for the Reds. May there be many many more.

Congratulations Steven Gerrard!

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Steven Gerrard Not Able to Inspire Liverpool On His 500th Appearance

Nabeel Khokhar — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 15:09:12 -0500

Once again, following a morale boosting victory, Liverpool have failed to capitalize in their next game. This time around the Reds were held to a disappointing scoreless draw by Blackburn Rovers this afternoon.

Last weekend, the Reds scrambled past Everton to grab three points when really they did not deserve more than one.

The Merseyside derby is always a critical game for both teams in any season and a win against city rivals goes a long way in lifting morale and confidence. Liverpool's trip then to Ewood Park was expected to result in solidifying away victory.

It was also to be a landmark game for Steven Gerrard who was making his 500th appearance for the Reds and as coincidence would have it, against the very same team against whom he made his debut in 1998

Congratulations to Gerrard goes out from all Liverpool fans and what those fans would have given to see the Liverpool captain put in one of his trademark performances.

But without his attacking mate, Fernando Torres, in his 500th game, Gerrard and Liverpool once again looked toothless and lacking attacking flair and creativity.

Once again, Rafa Benitez deemed his expensive Italian summer signing fit enough to take a place on the bench, however not seemingly match fit enough to play any part in the game.

Many fans are now beginning to question why, if Alberto Aquilani is able to make the bench, he is not playing any part in the action itself. Surely, if it is match fitness the Italian needs, then he is not going to get it by being named as a substitute and then not being given any time on the field of play itself.

On an afternoon where Liverpool craved for some creativity and spark, once again, Benitez held his Italian ace at bay. Rafa has reiterated on many occasions that Aquilani is at Anfield for the long run and will not be rushed into action. But if his fitness is enough for him to take a place on the bench, then surely 15 or 20 minutes in the action would benefit the Italian enormously.

Liverpool once again stutter and falter to deceive and wait for their season to take some direction. Any springboard that they create for themselves, they do not take advantage of.

Steven Gerrard's 500th game for Liverpool will not be one that lives long in his or any of the fans' memory and push Liverpool's stake for a Champions League place come the end of the season, further away.

Much has been made recently of Liverpool's upcoming fixtures over the festive period and the potential for them to collect a significant number of points from these games. However, much of that may depend on the outcome of the first of those matches which is a home game against Arsenal next Sunday afternoon.

Should Liverpool come out of this fixture will a morale boosting three points, they must this time take advantage of this springboard to go on and give themselves a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

But regardless of whether the Reds go into the holiday fixtures on the back of a victory against Arsenal, failure to accumulate a significant number of points in those matches may see fourth place seem like an awful long way away.

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World Cup 2010 Draw: Analyzing the Groups and Who Will Advance

gus sanchez — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:02:36 -0500

Now that we're all accounted for...

After a tension-filled World Cup 2010 draw, all 32 teams now know where they're going to play, and against whom. While we're still six months away from the first match on Jun. 11, here are some quick thoughts on each group, and what we could expect after the opening rounds:

(Teams listed according to seeding)

Group A

South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France

Is it safe to say France got lucky? After a controversial qualification, karmic justice would have called for France to get a just on-pitch punishment by being placed into a group of death, but Les Bleus got a favorable draw. Still, a favorable draw doesn't get them past this first round. Mexico is greatly improved since Javier Aguirre took over El Tri this past summer during qualifying, and they'll be tough and dangerous. You never know what to expect from Uruguay; they can score goals in bunches (with Diego Forlan up front), but they're also maddeningly inconsistent.

No host nation has ever failed to progress past the first round; South Africa could, unfortunately, be the first nation not to qualify. This could be the dullest group of all, with each team finding a way to play inept, uninspired ball, with Mexico and France barely qualifying. So barely that we could see another handball from, say, Franck Ribery...kidding!

Winner: Mexico
Runner-Up: France

Group B

Argentina
Nigeria
South Korea
Greece

After a harrowing qualification, Argentina made it through by the grace of God, and not because of Diego Maradona. He'll now have six months to get his tactical act together, assuming he'll remain as Los Albicelestes ' manager. But he's got the kind of firepower (the trio of Messi, Tevez, Aguero, and even Higuain) at his disposal. Nigeria has always been the great promise of African soccer, but have never capitalized on that promise.

Greece, the surprise winner of the '04 Euro, are well-coached by Otto Rehhagel, and deeply organized; again, they may be one of the surprises of this WC. South Korea played very well in qualifiers, and could challenge Argentina for the top spot.

Winner: Argentina
Runner-Up: Greece

Group C

England
United States
Algeria
Slovenia

England comes into the World Cup with a tremendous buzz following them. The Three Lions have a strong chance to sweep the board with nine total points. This team may be the best team England has fielded since the last time they won it all, back in 1966. Don Fabio has England playing well, and Wayne Rooney could be the breakout star. Provided they don't get snakebitten as always during the WC, we could see England in the final.

USA must be breathing a huge sigh of relief, knowing they've dodged European bullets like France and Portugal. For once, the US gets a favorable draw and has no excuse not to take advantage of this. If the US doesn't advance, the entire team should remain stranded somewhere in Africa. Algeria qualified via an ugly and bloody playoff against Egypt, but they'll be invisible during the tournament. As for Slovenia, they shouldn't be taken lightly; dispatching a heavily-favored Russia showed this team could be a tournament dark horse.

Winner: England
Runner-up: USA

Group D

Germany
Australia
Serbia
Ghana

You know what you're going to get with Germany: tight discipline and a rich history behind them. Der Mannschaft is good, but just how good are they? With Michael Ballack leading the way, they'll be tenacious and balanced. Australia still plays with the style that Guus Hiddink stamped on the Socceroos four years ago, and they'll continue to be feisty, with Tim Cahill leading the charge.

Serbia will prove to be defensively tough, as Nemanja Vidic patrols the defensive backfield. Finally, Ghana will look to improve on their strong WC 2006 showing, and their strong play during qualifications. Look for Michael Essien to have a strong tournament.

Winner: Germany
Runner-up: Ghana

Group E

Netherlands
Denmark
Japan
Cameroon

The Orange wrapped up their qualifying spot earlier than any other European nation. On paper, this may be the strongest Dutch team for quite some time, but they always seem to find a way to self-destruct or play to less than their potential. The one question that remains unanswered is will Rob Van Persie be ready, and fit. The matchup between Denmark and Netherlands will be a matchup of two similar styles, which calls for open, attacking football, and could be the match of the opening rounds.

Japan is greatly improved, what with their J-League providing quality, attacking players that are looking attractive to European clubs. Cameroon will drive you insane; they can play dominant, beautiful football the first game, and inept, uninspired football the next. Look for the Indomitables to play more of the latter than the former, sadly.

Winner: Netherlands
Runner-up: Denmark

Group F

Italy
Paraguay
New Zealand
Slovakia

Italy bears the burden of being the reigning World Champions, and they're much older this time around. They've been placed in a favorable group, but don't expect Italy to advance past the quarterfinals. Paraguay surprised everyone in CONMEBOL qualifiers, handily beating Brazil and Argentina, and they'll come to South Africa as a strong, intriguing side.

As for New Zealand, their qualifying was a feel-good moment for their nation, but the Kiwis will be grossly overmatched. Slovakia showed they're organized, but organization doesn't win tournaments.

Winner: Italy
Runner-up: Paraguay

Group G

Brazil
North Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal

This here is the vaunted Group of Death. For once, the conspiracy theorists can't claim Brazil has an easy draw. Their matches against Ivory Coast and Portugal will be tough-as-nails tests, but, as Dunga and his highly-disciplined fashion has shown, Brazil will easily mesh into an tightly-organized unit and repel any challenges. Plus, there's too much talent—Kaka, Luis Fabiano, Maicon, and Dani Alves, for starters—for Brazil to falter.

Ivory Coast could be the story of the World Cup. With perhaps the best striker in the game right now in Didier Drogba (who, without question, is playing the best football anywhere right now), they'll carry the torch for the entire African continent and advance far in this tournament. Yes, they will challenge for the cup, and that's not a stretch of a comment to make.

Portugal struggled through qualifiers, but even without former FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo, they managed to qualify. Still, this is Portugal we're talking about here, and taking them lightly comes with great consequences. It's conceivable that Portugal can advance.

As for North Korea, well, let's just say this: This could be the worst team ever to play in the World Cup. Not only will they lose each match by a wide margin, they may be hard-pressed to score a single goal. Their 1966 feel-good story will not be repeated this time around.

Winner: Brazil
Runner-up: Ivory Coast

Group H

Spain
Switzerland
Honduras
Chile

As one of the heavy favorites, and the No. 1 ranked team in the world, Spain comes in with great expectations. They'll carry with them the momentum of winning the 2008 Euros, and there are very few teams with the firepower (Torres and David Villa) to go all the way. Yet they also carry the burden of failed expectations from World Cups past. This time, however, a favorable draw will boost their confidence, and it would be a surprise if they didn't win all three games.

Switzerland is a dark horse favorite to make some noise this time around. With Ottmar Hitfeld at the helm, he'll throw a masterful grasp of tactics against their opponents, and they'll give Spain a difficult matchup. But the Swiss are also prone to slight underachievement as well.

Honduras went through a wild CONCACAF qualification—at one stretch, Honduras was in first place in the final qualifying group—as well as political strife, with a coup d'etat taking place during qualifiers. That political strife could pose problems for the Honduran side during the World Cup. Under former Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa, Chile isn't going to fear any opponent, and, during CONMEBOL qualifiers, Chile proved they could win the big games, even under hostile conditions.

Winner: Spain
Runner-up: Chile

Of course, all this analysis would be moot were I to be proven wrong...

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