Always liked Henry Winter. Top man. Was on LFC TV being interviewed in Marseille with Claire earlier, saying boss things about us.
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Rafa Benitez reignites brilliant Liverpoolby Henry Winter in Marseille
Marseille (0) 0 Liverpool (2) 4
It is on magical evenings like this that Liverpool must dream of lifting the European Cup not focusing regretfully on the Carling Cup. Liverpool's season is very much alive and kicking strongly following this magnificent display of counter-attacking football that blew Marseille away.
The Mistral that swept into this ancient port last night originated on the Mersey. "Aux Armes" chanted the defiant locals. "Au Revoir" retorted the visitors. Marseille simply did not know what hit them. French defenders kept collapsing in the teeth of a gale whipped up by Steven Gerrard, so often the scriptwriter of Liverpool's most dramatic moments. Fernando Torres was not far behind in his unrelenting excellence.
Each player was outstanding. Each struck early. Each represents a vivid reason why Liverpool can be so formidable. The irrepressible pair cut the French defence to little orange-and-blue ribbons that floated away on the bitter Provencal wind. Marseille's hapless centre-halves, Gael Givet and Julien Rodriguez, were lambs to a slaughter orchestrated by Gerrard and Torres.
Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel added breakaway goals in the second half as Liverpool swept into the last 16 of Europe, although not as group winners following Porto's 2-0 victory over Beşiktaş. Still, one point and one goal from their first three Group A games, nine and 16 goals from their second: some comeback.
If Rafa Benitez's players deserve huge praise for relighting their European fire, the coach himself merits sustained applause for the way he kept everyone calm and organised. Benitez should now enjoy his imminent meeting with Liverpool's owners, although he might struggle to convince Tom Hicks and George Gillett that he requires many reinforcements in the January transfer window (barring the necessity of making permanent the loan deal for the exceptional Javier Mascherano). The astute Argentine and the rest of Benitez's players were terrific here.
Here was thrilling confirmation of the class that did exist in a side that faltered at Reading at the weekend. Here was a crystal-clear reminder of Benitez's ability to set up a team so brilliantly for a European examination. Everyone knew his job.
advertisementJamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia dominated Mamadou Niang in the air and on the ground. Mascherano anchored midfield, allowing Gerrard to raid forward. Harry Kewell, a model of endeavour all evening, and Yossi Benayoun protected their full-backs zealously as well as pushing on busily.
Kuyt and Torres dropped back to fight fires when Marseille had the ball, which was for two-thirds of a desperately one-sided affair. Torres was almost right-back at one point in the first half, embodying Liverpool's all-for-one spirit flowing. Benitez's men had known how daunting this place could be, how they would have to stick together to survive one of European football's most intimidating arenas. "England Is Our Kingdom" read one banner in the heaving mass of humanity that constitutes the north end of Stade Velodrome. Gerrard was having none of that. Marseille soon became an Englishman's kingdom.
Marseille's supporters also raised huge flags depicting the crests of Chelsea, Manchester United, Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United, Liverpool and Southampton, English visitors all vanquished here. The Liverpool of Benitez were determined not to go the way of Gerard Houllier's men and so resolve was stamped on every tackle and break.
Flares were also held aloft, the red sparks showering all and sundry. Fireworks were released by fans, leaving plumes of smoke hanging in the cold Provencal air. Missiles rained down on Pepe Reina whenever he ventured back to his goal-line. But however intimidating the Marseille fans tried to make the atmosphere, Liverpool kept going about their accomplished work.
They had walked into a storm all right, a blizzard of flares, missiles and abuse. But fear? No chance. Liverpool were so confident, so good that they eventually departed to a standing ovation by a French audience won over by their visitors' character and tactical class. Embarrassingly, expensively, Marseille had failed to heed the warning words of their captain, Lorik Cana. "Liverpool are strong as a team but they have two special players in Gerrard and Torres," Cana had observed. If only his colleagues had listened.
The man hailed by Cana as "the best midfielder in the world" was first to show, first to coax tears from French eyes. Gerrard earned the spot-kick with a driving run, eventually falling under Givet's challenge. It looked a slightly soft decision, but there was contact and Gerrard duly went down.
The Norwegian referee, Terje Hauge, flicked a finger towards the spot and Gerrard resumed his quest for goal. Marseille's keeper, Steve Mandanda, guessed Gerrard's intentions and managed to push out a centrally-placed kick, but Liverpool's No 8 was too quick to the rebound which he hooked gleefully into the net.
Marseille's supporters were enraged by the penalty, and threw plastic bottles at Gerrard. Their mood soon soured further when Kewell collected possession on the left and teased a fine pass through to Torres. These are the attacking situations the fast-moving Spaniard loves best: angling in from the left, able to work the ball on to his right foot for a clinical finish. El Nino sped past Cana and Rodriguez. As Givet dived in, Torres placed the ball emphatically past Mandanda.
Tucked away in one corner, Liverpool fans celebrated wildly, their joy intensified in the second period. Within three minutes, Kuyt had made it 3-0. Again Kewell played an important role, lifting the ball in to Kuyt, and the Dutchman rammed the ball past Mandanda.
Liverpool had not finished, Babel darting through in injury-time to round Mandanda and roll home a fourth.
Liverpool walk on.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=VCLA3EBDXQQPDQFIQMFSFGGAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/sport/2007/12/12/sfgmar112.xml