A tale of two cups
Posted by Tim on 20 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: Fan's voice, Liverpool, Posts
Some clichés just have a habit of being too true. European nights at Anfield are special. The Liverpool team cannot compete in the Premiership. Rafa has no interest in domestic cups. Rafa Benitez is a master tactician in the Champions League.
How else is it that the Reds, so far behind Arsenal in the league and just three days after losing to mid-table Championship Barnsley (pre-match form: losing 3-0 to Plymouth Argyle) in the FA cup could beat Serie A’s best team Inter (pre-match form: unbeaten in 5 months) by two goals? At the beginning of the season, I like many other Liverpool fans were hoping this was the year we’d crack the Premier League once and for all. But the winter months had seen such a paucity of good games for us, that the loss to Barnsley at home in the Cup came as less of a shock than it should have been. But the result on Tuesday night just reminded me how much I enjoyed European football, and I now readily look forward to another march towards the final, hopefully knocking out some English clubs along the way (for what else is there to cheer about?).
Yes of course I want Liverpool to win the league. Yes, it’s a shocker to lose to Barnsley at home. But I have to say, I love the Champions League! It is after all the best league in the world.
Or is that the wrong cliché?
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Can Liverpool really go all the way? If you look at their display against Inter, on form the best team in Europe, you’ve got to think they can. They were the only team with the ball even before Materazzi’s red card. that sending off wasn’t the key to victory either, Inter looked pretty solid playing for a draw with 10 men. It was the introduction of Viera and the injury to Cordoba, who had been a rock in defence. A two goal lead with no away goals conceded looks a tall order for Inter to overcome, but Liverpool know all about great comebacks and will not be complacent.
All the way? Surely a dream?