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KENNY: LET'S GRASP CHANCE TO RETURN TO TOP
Kenny Dalglish 02 April 2009
Who would have thought a few weeks ago we'd soon have a chance of returning to the top of the Premier League table? After that defeat at Middlesbrough I doubt many people would have believed it would be possible again this season, but the fact we are now talking like this says everything about the work the boys have put in over recent games.
Football can change so quickly and from being in a position whereby defeat at Old Trafford would have probably put United out of sight as far as we were concerned, we are now looking for three points at Fulham to go two clear of them in the race for the title.
The lads deserve all the credit in the world for the results they have achieved over the last few weeks. We have been scoring goals, not conceding too many and winning matches comfortably. The goal difference has turned in our favour as well, which could just be important come the final day of the season.
To go to Old Trafford and win so well demonstrated the belief - as well as the quality - within the squad. We went a goal behind but remained strong and confident we could find a way back in. To then go on and score four goals was a wonderful achievement and would have made United sit back and think a little bit.
Before that game we had netted four against Real Madrid with a tremendous team performance and then after the victory at Old Trafford we put another five into the Villa net. I don't think that was a 5-0 game because Villa actually looked a decent side during stages in the match, but you can't argue with the overall result against a good team.
I remember in that game Pepe Reina had to make some good saves when we were 1-0 ahead - and that sort of contribution can often be overlooked when looking for headlines or heroes after matches.
I have said for two or three years that Pepe is as good as anyone in the Premier League and I stand by that. The spine of our team is as strong as there is anywhere - and that all starts with the goalkeeper. The only person keeping him out of a team at the moment is Iker Casillas with the Spanish national side - and he showed at Anfield last month what a good goalkeeper he is.
There have been standout displays from many players of late but it's no surprise to see a number of people talking in glowing terms about Steven Gerrard. Everything which has been said and written is well deserved.
His form over recent weeks has been absolutely magnificent and any accolades which may come his way are justified. You just can't take away from him the contribution he makes to our team - and I'm not just talking about in the high profile games. There have been many 'lesser' occasions over recent years where Steven has taken games by the scruff of the neck and lifted our performance to another level.
I don't think there's anything wrong with people saying he's the best player in the world. Some might dispute it but a lot of Liverpudlians would agree. Nobody can argue, though, that we have a better chance of being successful with Steven in our team. I'm sure he'll be the first to stress, however, that while personal awards are nice, it's team prizes which matter most.
We have to hope now that Steven and the rest of the international lads come back from World Cup qualifying duty fit and well for the game at Fulham.
There's never an ideal time to have an international break and it is going to be a concern for Rafa that he will get the players back on Thursday evening and then have to travel to London on Friday. There's hardly any time to do any work ahead of the match.
I don't understand why we haven't yet applied an easy solution to this problem - a problem which is faced by every club which has international players in its squad.
Instead of playing international games on Saturday and then Wednesday, meaning players are away for ten days, why don't they get scheduled for a Wednesday and then a Saturday instead?
The club teams play their game no later than the previous Saturday, the players then join up with their countries and play Wednesday and then Saturday, giving them a full week back at their clubs ahead of the next league match. Players will tell you themselves they don't enjoy being away for ten days with their countries. It can become laborious. There is a solution which would benefit everybody so I don't understand why we don't implement it.
That's for another day though and for now we have to concentrate on the task of facing Fulham on Saturday. We shouldn't fall into the trap of taking this game lightly. We know what the reward will be if we can win, but Fulham took a point away from Anfield earlier in the season and beat Manchester United last weekend. They have a manager in Roy Hodgson who has done a fantastic job at Craven Cottage, and done it with great dignity and integrity. He will make sure his side are ready for this game, and we have to make sure we're as equally up for the challenge.
If we go out and perform as we have been over recent weeks then we should win the game - but we have to go and do it.
Although United will still have two games in hand on us after we play on Saturday, it would be interesting to see how they respond when they take on Villa at Old Trafford. How will they cope with the pressure? A draw wouldn't be enough for them to go back top. It would make things very interesting, but first we have to do our own job and get our own three points in the bag.
Once the weekend is out of the way we can turn our attentions to the Champions League again and the first leg of our quarter-final with Chelsea.
I think we could have got an easier draw - but they'll be saying the same thing. I am sure it will be a difficult match for both sides, with the game at Anfield being one where Chelsea will look to come and defend and to be as tight as possible.
For us, a 0-0 draw wouldn't be the worst result in the world because it would mean the onus will be on Chelsea in the second leg. I'm sure, though, that with the way we're playing at the moment, the boys will be looking for goals.
We can't afford to think it will be comfortable simply because we have beaten them twice this season. When they came to Anfield I don't think there was a great deal of harmony within the football club, but since Guus Hiddink came in they seem a lot more settled.
I am expecting two difficult and close matches for both sides - but as ever in Europe you have to be confident of us going through.
To be involved in challenging for the two biggest competitions at this stage of the season says everything about the progress we are making. And it's no coincidence to me that good results and good performances are being achieved on the back of things appearing far more settled within the club.
There's a real feel-good factor around the place and long may that continue.
Kenny Dalglish 02 April 2009
Who would have thought a few weeks ago we'd soon have a chance of returning to the top of the Premier League table? After that defeat at Middlesbrough I doubt many people would have believed it would be possible again this season, but the fact we are now talking like this says everything about the work the boys have put in over recent games. Football can change so quickly and from being in a position whereby defeat at Old Trafford would have probably put United out of sight as far as we were concerned, we are now looking for three points at Fulham to go two clear of them in the race for the title.
The lads deserve all the credit in the world for the results they have achieved over the last few weeks. We have been scoring goals, not conceding too many and winning matches comfortably. The goal difference has turned in our favour as well, which could just be important come the final day of the season.
To go to Old Trafford and win so well demonstrated the belief - as well as the quality - within the squad. We went a goal behind but remained strong and confident we could find a way back in. To then go on and score four goals was a wonderful achievement and would have made United sit back and think a little bit.
Before that game we had netted four against Real Madrid with a tremendous team performance and then after the victory at Old Trafford we put another five into the Villa net. I don't think that was a 5-0 game because Villa actually looked a decent side during stages in the match, but you can't argue with the overall result against a good team.
I remember in that game Pepe Reina had to make some good saves when we were 1-0 ahead - and that sort of contribution can often be overlooked when looking for headlines or heroes after matches.
I have said for two or three years that Pepe is as good as anyone in the Premier League and I stand by that. The spine of our team is as strong as there is anywhere - and that all starts with the goalkeeper. The only person keeping him out of a team at the moment is Iker Casillas with the Spanish national side - and he showed at Anfield last month what a good goalkeeper he is.
There have been standout displays from many players of late but it's no surprise to see a number of people talking in glowing terms about Steven Gerrard. Everything which has been said and written is well deserved.
His form over recent weeks has been absolutely magnificent and any accolades which may come his way are justified. You just can't take away from him the contribution he makes to our team - and I'm not just talking about in the high profile games. There have been many 'lesser' occasions over recent years where Steven has taken games by the scruff of the neck and lifted our performance to another level.
I don't think there's anything wrong with people saying he's the best player in the world. Some might dispute it but a lot of Liverpudlians would agree. Nobody can argue, though, that we have a better chance of being successful with Steven in our team. I'm sure he'll be the first to stress, however, that while personal awards are nice, it's team prizes which matter most.
We have to hope now that Steven and the rest of the international lads come back from World Cup qualifying duty fit and well for the game at Fulham.
There's never an ideal time to have an international break and it is going to be a concern for Rafa that he will get the players back on Thursday evening and then have to travel to London on Friday. There's hardly any time to do any work ahead of the match.
I don't understand why we haven't yet applied an easy solution to this problem - a problem which is faced by every club which has international players in its squad.
Instead of playing international games on Saturday and then Wednesday, meaning players are away for ten days, why don't they get scheduled for a Wednesday and then a Saturday instead?
The club teams play their game no later than the previous Saturday, the players then join up with their countries and play Wednesday and then Saturday, giving them a full week back at their clubs ahead of the next league match. Players will tell you themselves they don't enjoy being away for ten days with their countries. It can become laborious. There is a solution which would benefit everybody so I don't understand why we don't implement it.
That's for another day though and for now we have to concentrate on the task of facing Fulham on Saturday. We shouldn't fall into the trap of taking this game lightly. We know what the reward will be if we can win, but Fulham took a point away from Anfield earlier in the season and beat Manchester United last weekend. They have a manager in Roy Hodgson who has done a fantastic job at Craven Cottage, and done it with great dignity and integrity. He will make sure his side are ready for this game, and we have to make sure we're as equally up for the challenge.
If we go out and perform as we have been over recent weeks then we should win the game - but we have to go and do it.
Although United will still have two games in hand on us after we play on Saturday, it would be interesting to see how they respond when they take on Villa at Old Trafford. How will they cope with the pressure? A draw wouldn't be enough for them to go back top. It would make things very interesting, but first we have to do our own job and get our own three points in the bag.
Once the weekend is out of the way we can turn our attentions to the Champions League again and the first leg of our quarter-final with Chelsea.
I think we could have got an easier draw - but they'll be saying the same thing. I am sure it will be a difficult match for both sides, with the game at Anfield being one where Chelsea will look to come and defend and to be as tight as possible.
For us, a 0-0 draw wouldn't be the worst result in the world because it would mean the onus will be on Chelsea in the second leg. I'm sure, though, that with the way we're playing at the moment, the boys will be looking for goals.
We can't afford to think it will be comfortable simply because we have beaten them twice this season. When they came to Anfield I don't think there was a great deal of harmony within the football club, but since Guus Hiddink came in they seem a lot more settled.
I am expecting two difficult and close matches for both sides - but as ever in Europe you have to be confident of us going through.
To be involved in challenging for the two biggest competitions at this stage of the season says everything about the progress we are making. And it's no coincidence to me that good results and good performances are being achieved on the back of things appearing far more settled within the club.
There's a real feel-good factor around the place and long may that continue.