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Double Claret – but Didi’s absence is 100% proof

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Barrettski:
A few words from me, in between pickling sessions... so if it doesn't make shensh, blame it on the boogie. Oh and ERP/Bob/Steve do posht it on the front if you like.

Double Claret – but Didi’s absence is 100% proof

And so that was Christmas, and what have we done? Well four points isn’t bad, especially on the road against a Villa who’d probably sell a Columbian for a win at the moment and a West Ham side on a roll (a ham roll? - sorry). This was a fine way to come back after Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal disappointments. But for me it’s more important that we’ve managed to survive four games in this period, without Didi, and still remain in touch with the leaders...

Two points behind the leaders with a game in hand going into 2002? I’d have taken that in August, but the results raise a few questions about a midfield that struggles to impose itself without Hamman. I’m not normally one to disappear up The ITV Premiership arse of statistics led analysis but on this occasion it’s probably worthwhile:

Liverpool with Didi: played 12, won 9, drawn 1, lost 2. That’s 28 points and the kind of form associated with a 90 point championship season. Contrast that with a Liverpool team without Didi: played 7, won 2, drawn 3, lost 2. That’s 9 points and on track for a 50 point season “Aston Villa” season.

So what does that look like on the pitch? At a surprisingly full Villa Park it looked rather good and rather than read what the sensationalist journalists thought (you know, the guys that wake up for shots on goal in a quaint American kind of a way) how about a word from Thommo:

“I'd like to reassure all Liverpool fans who have only seen the highlights of the match that we controlled the game. I think some of the people who have analysed the game could only have seen the highlights themselves rather than the full game” – Phil Thompson.

The key word there is “controlled”. Liverpool came out of the blocks fast at Villa and bossed the game. A midfield of Hamman, Gerrard, Berger and Smicer was more assured than the midfield that lined up against Arsenal and Chelsea. Familiar patterns emerged, like Didi breaking down the Villa attacks, fluidity of movement and passing. The same passing that was so disjointed and wayward against the Gooners was now assured and hey, don’t we all love it when those triangles start appearing?

With Hamman being the cornerstone that others can depend on, the likes of Berger are free to make those runs, and play the through balls. For the benefit of Sky, it was a top class Paddy pass that set Smicer through on goal, not Jari. It must be rough trying to pick up on these things if you’re just watching the highlights, even if the haircuts are vaguely similar. Muppets.

Didi also does a fine job of hiding other players’ misdemeanours. Smicer is free to duck out of that 60-40 challenge if Hamman is reading the game and looming behind him. Murphy’s misplaced or over ambitious pass isn’t as calamitous if Didi is covering and Paddy can go wandering infield as much as he likes because uncle Didi is watching the space he’s left untended. Can you tell that I'm a big Didi fan?

I can’t mention Villa without a quick word on John Gregory. I’m sure some people find him more nauseating than I do. I just think he’s out of his depth and out of place. The Premiership is now festooned with great men. Love them or loathe them, they are big men. Gerard Houllier has restored the pride and the greatness to Liverpool FC. Similarly, Bobby Robson has given the Toon Army hope and breathed new life into St James’. Arsene Wenger and David O’Leary are emperors of all they survey and that which they have built: teams capable of beating Europe’s finest. Even Claudio Ranieri seems to have got his spluttering motor to go more like a Ferrari than a Fiat…. In a rare fit of madness I’ll even recognise all that Sir Alex has achieved, for these are all big men. They have gravitas and an air about them. In contrast, John Gregory’s actions during the game and his comments after it were that of a small man. I’m not even going to repeat them. Sorry, but the guy couldn’t hold a candle to the senior statesmen of the game described here. I suspect his hair would go up in flames if he tried.

And so to Upton Park, where seeing a long ball is supposedly as rare as hearing a “T” in conversation.  It’s always a good game, but put this one into context. We haven’t done the double over West Ham in eight years and all joking apart; they’ve put a string of results together recently. This achievement has in no small way been down to the growing maturity of Cole and Carrick not to mention the form of Di Canio and Sinclair. Balance that against a very lack lustre Liverpool midfield and we were in trouble from the off.

The team sheet came as a surprise to most, except perhaps the relative who bought Didi a dodgy Knockwurst for Christmas. Yes, Didi was absent with a dose of the squits and Stevie G and Mikey were on the bench. Berger, Smicer, Murphy and Macca needed to be on form. They weren’t and the opening minutes were played as strangers.

I listened intently as the chances were stacked up and imagined how the “experts” would view this one. Aside from Anelka’s double miss and Heskey’s skilful surge on goal, we weren’t at the races. Defoe and Cole were impressing all the girls in their home playground and it took a resolute effort from Henchoz and a man of the match performance from Dudek to keep us in it. This was painful and we were heading for some Sunday headlines that wouldn’t have been good for Didi’s stomach.

A mere, one-nil down at half time and at last Stevie comes on to provide the air of urgency and the sheer presence required to boss a midfield. Why he didn't start is a mystery to me. But there was still no genuine improvement and West Ham played the neater stuff. That was until the most boring club in the Premiership took to playing four strikers and chase the game. I thought I’d mention that as not many papers will have the inclination print such stuff tomorrow and such analysis would mean stringing too many words together for the likes of our TV friends.

So Michael Owen grabbed his 100th and we nicked a point?. NO, no and thrice no, a) Michael took his goal well and can now finally avoid banal media questions about milestones and b) we took the point that Jerzy Dudek set us up to win. Let’s not forget the kind of praise that the Red Nosed Dane of Old Trafford received when the trophies went their way. This is the kind of praise we now need to give him.

At the moment there doesn’t seem to be an answer to how we play when Hamman isn’t available and that will be the difference between our 19th title and a Champions League place. For me, the solution will be found on the training ground and the way in which Murphy, McAllister and Gerrard (or Redknap) are set up to do the holding midfield job. I hope it's found soon.

In the meantime, reasons to be cheerful? Oh yes: 1. Jerzy Dudek is proving to be a stunning world class keeper, 2. Anelka looks the business and will find his feet soon and 3. Emile looks hungry to score again.

Happy New Year
YNWA

Mottman:
Hamman is 100 % class, Dudek has won us many points already.  The future is great, sit down or stand up and enjoy the ride it could take us to further greatness or wet our appetite for things for greater things to come.

It will happen, just a matter of time.

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