Liverpool on the edge

Liverpool FC always seems to be at its best when on the edge, and last night, against Marseille, they were truly at their best.
After the first three matches in the first stage of the Champions League, Liverpool had only gotten one meager point, and last year's finalists seemed to be heading towards an early exit. However, with three impressive victories in their last three matches, Liverpool is now in the last-16, and is surely a team to be feared.
Olympique Marseille has been looking very strong lately, and in front of a strong home crowd, could have made life difficult for the English side. But with Gerrard's penalty and Torres beautiful goal, Liverpool sealed the match in the first 15 minutes, and never looked threatened. If anything, 0-4 was a small victory, and that is truly impressive result in Southern France!

In an interview, Steven Gerrard said that the team had prepared themselves by thinking of the match as a "cup" match, a "win-or-lose" match. In reality it was, I guess, but it is interesting that it is this attitude that makes the current Liverpool side. Thus, it would seem that they should not be considered contenders for the Premier League title, while indeed for both the FA Cup and the Champions League!

Steven Gerrard to stay in Liverpool

The soap opera about where Steven Gerrard would be playing next season seems to have ended. Mr. Gerrard has now apparently confirmed that he will stay in Liverpool. I do not understand the intricacies of the whole affair, but I certainly think this is the best for both Liverpool and Mr. Gerrard. Why leave the success he is having in a great club like Liverpool, to go to Real Madrid or Chelsea? In Madrid, he would probably just become another marginal superstar in a team that has won nothing for two seasons (which team is the greatest: non-winners Real Madrid or CL Champions Liverpool?). In Chelsea, he would be fighting for his position.
No, as a football fan, I am happy that he is staying in Liverpool. With new players and renewed motivation, Liverpool will continue upwards next season - both defending their CL title, but also fighting for the Premier League title. Mr. Gerrard will certainly be central in this, and continue showing his skills for Liverpool fans in particular and football fans in general.

Great Liverpool victory

I have never been much of an Arsenal fan, in spite of the great team and wonderful players they have displayed in the last years. Still I have enjoyed watching them. However, watching them against Liverpool yesterday, they were as much a disappointment as Liverpool was great! After watching a defensive Liverpool in the CL against Monaco, I did not have big expectations, but Mr. Benitez seems to be getting the act together, now that a great Steven Gerrard is back to lead the way.

All goals were great in Liverpool's 2-1 victory: Xabi Alonso's beautiful hammer from Steven Gerrard's great pass, and also the beautiful passing by Robert Pires to Patrick Vieira for the Arsenal equalizer.

But the best, and here any Liverpool fan might agree, was young Neil Mellor's wonderful first goal in the dying seconds. An amazing strike, and he could not have chosen a better moment!

Arsenal is now five points behind Chelsea in the Premier League. Although too early to say, it seems there is a new champion on the way...