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Torres' tenure at Liverpool looks full of promise
Article by: RAVIPAN PAVASUTHIPAND


There has been a lot of hype surrounding Liverpool's record signing Fernando Torres and he did not disappoint.

The Spanish international completed his Premiership debut at Villa Park on Saturday in a satisfactory fashion. Despite failing to get on the scoresheet, Torres' overall performance suggested he could be a major player for the club in the long term.

Liverpool kick-started their new campaign with a 2-1 victory at Aston Villa and inspirational captain Steven Gerrard made the difference once again.

The skipper's superb free-kick late in the game ensured the Reds pick up all three points on the opening day of the season for the first time since manager Rafael Benitez took over the reins at Anfield.

But for all Gerrard's brilliance and Jamie Carragher's determination (with the exception of his unwanted penalty contribution), the talking point was always going to be on that man Torres.

Torres, who was the only new recruit in the Reds' starting 11, was clearly desperate to make an immediate impact with a goal and although he was unable to do so, the Anfield faithful should find comfort in his encouraging display.

He already showed some intelligent forward play and his partnership with Dirk Kuyt looked promising.

Torres spurned a great scoring chance in the first half but was involved in the build-up to Liverpool's opener - an own goal by Villa defender Martin Laursen - and looked sharp until he was taken off with 20 minutes remaining.

Boosted by money available from the club's new American ownership, Torres became Benitez's most expensive capture of the summer from Atletico Madrid at a reported 20m.

It was the first time Liverpool have splashed out that much cash on a player.

The Torres deal eclipsed the club's previous record buy of 14m on French striker Djibril Cisse, whose number nine shirt Torres inherits.

It was a bold move and also a gamble by Benitez but one he needed to take as he tries to construct a championship-winning side.

Torres knew the minute he penned a six-year deal with the club what sort of situation he had got into. He knew there would be immense pressure on him to score the goals that would turn Liverpool into genuine title contenders.

But Torres is someone who knows all about the weight of expectation.

After making his Atletico debut at just 17, Torres became the youngest captain in the club's history at 19 and the only man shoulder the burden of one of Spain's biggest clubs for seven long years.

He was the symbol of the club and idolized by Atletico fans the same way Gerrard is at Liverpool.

In Spain, Torres is known as mature, driven and mentally strong which are all the necessary attributes to be successful in English football - or anywhere else for that matter.

Critics say Torres could suffer the same fate as compatriot Fernando Morientes at Anfield. But Morientes, though a wonderful player, was an injury-prone striker approaching his 30s when he joined Liverpool.

It was obvious that physically Morientes was not suited to the nature of the English game while Torres, at 23, has pace, power and bags of skill with the potential to get better.

Torres may take a while to get used to the pace of the English game, but he should be allowed the protection of patience.

What he is truly worth to Liverpool can only be judged by how much he contributes over the next five or six years, not how he does in the first few months of the season.

If he helps the club land major trophies, the fee will be money well spent.

Torres has the credentials to rise to the challenge. And on the evidence of Saturday's match, it shouldn't take him much time to fully adjust to the demands of the Premiership and live up to the expectations of his new Kop following.

Liverpool begin their European adventure with a third Champions League qualifying round away to French outfit Toulouse tonight. And Torres, if selected to start, will get his first test of European premier competition - something he never experienced while he was at Atletico.

Then comes the visit of Chelsea on Sunday where the Spaniard will make his Anfield debut. A goal against Mourinho and Co will be the best way to really introduce himself to the Premiership.
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Benítez revels in Liverpool's embarrassment of playing riches
Louise Taylor in Toulouse
Wednesday August 15, 2007
The Guardian


Rafael Benítez experienced an unfamiliar sensation when he travelled to Toulouse yesterday. For the first time during his tenure as Liverpool manager, Benítez, who last night said he now "trusts" every member of his squad, is spoilt for choice when it comes to team selection.

"We have a lot of good players now but we can only name 16 of them for Premier League matches and 18 for European games; our only problem now is that we have too many players," Benítez said before his side trained here ahead of this afternoon's first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Toulouse. "We may be in a very good rugby town here but I cannot start 15 players."

Although Peter Crouch was reputedly upset at not making the squad for Saturday's win at Aston Villa - and indeed told Benítez so during what is rumoured to have been a heated exchange - he was on yesterday's flight from Liverpool's John Lennon airport along with Javier Mascherano and Yossi Benayoun who were also excluded from the Villa trip.
This time it was Jermaine Pennant who had no seat on the plane and was left behind along with the injured Harry Kewell. Benítez does not expect Pennant to protest and has told his squad that being rotated will become an increasing fact of life at Anfield. Tellingly he believes it is agents rather than players who often stir up trouble with managers.

Hinting that Crouch's representative was behind his purported unhappiness, Benítez said: "I often say to agents you just look after yourselves and not the players. They should be working for the players and not for themselves."

Referring to his chat with Crouch, he joked: "I have prepared the same speech for all the players. I realise I will keep hearing the same question because I have a good squad and I have to decide but I will always have the same answer. We now have two players for every position. It is what we wanted and the situation when you play for a very big club."

Benítez knows it will be difficult to keep everyone happy but endeavoured to make this balancing act sound simple. "We feel the team spirit is very good," he said. "On Sunday I spoke to a player regarding the [rotation] situation and was really pleased with his response. He said he would be ready when needed and accepted the situation like a professional."

The Spaniard feels such disappointments are an inevitable by-product of being part of a squad without "second stringers" - something which was not always the case in Liverpool's recent past. "We have very good players in the squad now, so it's not as if players coming into the team when people are rested will not be good enough," he said. "I have confidence in all of them."

"I see players working so hard in training, effectively saying 'don't forget I'm here'. Each week it might only be a small detail which determines who starts."

Liverpool's style is likely to be more attacking than in the past. "We need to score more goals away," said Benítez. "That's why we need a different approach." However, with temperatures in excess of 30 degrees forecast, the visiting game plan may yet need modification.

Toulouse - in France's third tier eight years ago - are unlikely to be soft touches. In the Champions League for the first time, they finished third in last season's league and last weekend beat Lyon, the champions, 1-0. The winner came from Johan Elmander, a Swedish striker much coveted by Manchester City and West Ham.

Benítez admits he keeps on watching re-runs of May's final defeat by Milan. "I am still not over that game in Athens because we came so close to winning," he said. "I think about it all the time."

For Steven Gerrard, that focus on the past could prove a positive. "Athens was a big blow but it can be a spur," the captain said. "We've just got to look at Milan and use their attitude. They lost to us in 2005 but used it to bounce back. Now we've got to bounce."
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Champions League Qualifying Preview: Toulouse - Liverpool
14/08/2007 19:20

What: Champions League Third Qualigying Round, Leg 1
Who: Toulouse (3rd Ligue 1) versus Liverpool (3rd EPL)
When: Wednesday, 15 August, 1630 local (CET)
Where: Municipal Stadium, Toulouse

In terms of financial income the Champions League is now capable of boosting the coffers of football clubs like never before. At the end of Liverpool’s momentous journey to lifting the trophy in 2005 the Reds earned a staggering £50m, of which over £10m came from just making it to the group stage.

When these figures are bandied around the prospect of not qualifying for the group stages for one of Europe’s ‘big’ clubs is almost unthinkable, whilst on the other side of the coin a shock entrance to this prestigious tournament for a lower to mid-table club is the football equivalent of the holy grail.

Wednesday’s 1st leg fixture between Toulouse, a historically low to mid-league French club and Liverpool, one of Europe’s big boys, will be the perfect scenario in which these two differing attitudes will clash to see who will emerge holding the money-bags and who will be left with small change.

The Champions League Qualifying games are often overlooked by most in the football calendar as they usually pitch a big team against a minnow, very similar to this fixture, but with so much at stake they are never a formality.

Rafa Benitez will be wary of Toulouse’s creative attack and will be meticulous in his preparation to ensure that the Reds don’t fall like Bobby Robson’s Newcastle and David Moyes’ Everton have recently done at this crucial stage.

Liverpool’s European Legacy

In addition to the money on offer for qualifying and progressing through the Champions League, Liverpool’s involvement in group stage is seen as an absolute must.

Such is the history this club has enjoyed with Europe’s premier knock-out competition that a European tournament without Liverpool will certainly seem a little hollow, similar to if Real Madrid, AC Milan or Bayern Munich were not involved.

For the fans, being involved with Europe’s elite is almost as important as chasing that elusive league title, for the need to maintain their special status around the world depends on European adventures.

Judging by Rafa Benitez’s decision to rest key players from last weekend’s Premiership opener it seems he shares and believes in the magnitude of the Reds Euro legacy as much as the diehard Kopites do, and thus will be looking for no slip-ups in France.

Toulouse Enjoying The Underdog Tag

The large southern-French city enjoys an underground label of being a highly desirable place to live and work, a tag that has benefited its economy as its population has swelled to make Toulouse one of Europe’s fastest growing city.

Its football-team have in no small-way mirrored the city’s steep growth in fortunes as their miraculous charge for a Champions League qualification spot was aided by the award of 2 extra league points for a game that had to be abandoned due to the opposing fans invading the pitch. Nonetheless they are here and now face the unenviable task of finding a way past Liverpool so that they can taste the Champions League proper.

This will be the first time Toulouse has ever featured in Europe’s most prestigious competition and after beating French Champions Lyon 1-0 on the weekend, will go into the game full of confidence and keen to exploit the underdog tag that has bought them so far already. With an attacking mind-set and a large dose of beginners luck, Toulouse might surprise Liverpool, and if they do manage the unthinkable, it will the biggest achievement in the French club’s history.

FORM GUIDE

Toulouse

10 May v Le Mans (H) LOST 0-1 (Ligue)

19 May v Nantes (A) DREW 0-0 (Ligue)

26 May v Bordeaux (H) WON 3-1 (Ligue)

04 August v Valenciennes (A) LOST 1-3 (Ligue)

11 August v Lyon (H) WON 1-0 (Ligue)

Liverpool

01 May v Chelsea (H) WON 1-0 (aet on penalties) (CL)

05 May v Fulham (A) LOST 1-0 (Prem)

13 May v Charlton (H) DRAW 2-2 (Prem)

28 May v AC Milan (Final) LOST 2-1 (CL Final)

11 August v Aston Villa (A) WON 1-2 (Prem)

TEAM NEWS

Toulouse

The biggest headache for head-coach Elie Baup is the injuries that have stripped him of his first-choice central-defence pairing. Both Daniel Congré and captain Dominique Arribagé are out injured and their deputies proved less than able during their unexpected 3-1 defeat to tiny Valenciennes.

Baup will instead hope his forceful attack shall cause enough problems so that Liverpool will be kept on the back-foot. The strike-force of the impressive 21 year old André-Pierre Gignac and one of Ligue 1’s leading stars the dangerous Johan Elmander will be confident of overpowering the Reds backline and hopefully scoring vital goals home and away.

If Baup opts to contain Liverpool he could play with Elmander operating behind Gignac, a role his touch and vision allows him to do surprisingly well, or the Frenchman could press for an early advantage with a high octane pressuring 4-4-2 system.

Last Starting XI: Douchez, Ebondo, Cetto, Ilunga, Mathieu, Sissoko, Dieuze, Emana, Gignac, Elmander, Bergougnoux

Liverpool

After coming through their opening league game with a deserved but late away victory, Liverpool’s confidence will be soaring. Added to their widespread optimism is the fact that they are relatively at full-strength with only long-term absentee Harry Kewell in the recovery process.

Rafa Benitez bemused many by leaving Israeli conjurer Yossi Benayoun and Peter Crouch out of the squad for the Villa game, but in hindsight it could prove a masterstroke for both players are expected to play in France. Crouch, at 6ft 7 will always prove difficult for a continental defence, especially one whose main defenders are missing, whilst Benayoun has the game intelligence to keep possession and fashion chances away from home.

Benitez is likely to go for a 4-4-1-1 formation with the Israeli floating behind Crouch. Expect Sami Hyppia to make a surprising start ahead of Daniel Agger, for his height, strength, experience and aerial ability might prove decisive against the talismanic Elmander.

Last Starting XI: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Arebola, Pennant, Gerrard, Alonso, Riise, Kuyt, Torres

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Toulouse – Johan Elmander

It is a widely-held opinion that if Toulouse are to create an upset against Liverpool, then Elmander will have to be at the top of his game. The ‘Swedish Drogba’ is an apt label for Toulouse’s highly-sought after marksman, for his build is similar to the Ivorian. Possessing unerring strength and a clever first touch, Elmander is a very hard player to get the ball from, and once in possession he can be highly effective.

Against Lyon last Saturday he scored the winner and was the leading scorer for the French outfit last season, with headers, poaches efforts and stunning strikes all part of his arsenal. However unlike Didier Drogba, Elmander has an added dimension to his game that makes him a particular tricky customer.

When playing for previous club Brondby, he was often used as the deepest forward of three due to his ability to see and make a telling pass. Liverpool will have to be wary of Elmander’s knack of coming off the front man and playing others in when the game gets a little subdued.

Liverpool – Yossi Benayoun

It is no secret that Steven Gerrard is always the main focal point for any Liverpool system, and once again the great man showed that quality four days ago in telling fashion by whipping an 87th minute match-winning free-kick against Villa into the top corner from 30-yards.

However with Toulouse expected to heavily track Gerrard by playing two holding midfielders, the space available will be ideal for someone of Benayoun’s skills to highly influence the outcome of this game. Whether he comes in off the right wing or roves behind a front-man, the Israeli international has the experience, vision and technique to carve Toulouse open for a vital away game. Toulouse will do well try and shackle Gerrard’s driving runs but if it comes at the cost of keeping an eye on Benayoun and his creative equal Andriy Voronin, then they could be setting themselves up for a mighty fall.

PREDICTION

At Anfield, in the return-leg, Liverpool will be overriding favorites, but this game in Southern France is hard to call for many. Traditionally big teams see-off the smaller teams at the qualifying stage, yet Toulouse are not an unknown quantity. They have a good manager and a hard-working team that, with the ‘points awarded’ controversy aside, probably deserved their Champions League finish last year.

By beating Lyon last weekend they proved they can contain big teams and come away with a goal or two and in Johan Elmander they have a real threat, something that was not missed by Sven-Goran Eriksson who placed the Swede at the top of his transfer wish-list.
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Source: Goal.com
 
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D0ggyStylz

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I saw a guy in a Gerrard jersey at the game last week, was thinking if it was you. Later saw him at awafy chicken.

HTH
 
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Özil

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yeah i seen him as well... he was 1 row in front of me but that wasnt me... i dont wear soccer jerseys to the footy...
 
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Jose Mourinho says John Terry will return for Chelsea against Liverpool on Sunday.

Terry, who has been out with a knee ligament injury, trained on Wednesday and is ready to return to compensate for the loss of Ricardo Carvalho.

Carvalho limped out of the action in the first half at Reading on Wednesday night with a knee injury, and Mourinho is expecting to lose him for a long period.

He said: "I think I am going to be without Ricardo for a while but John Terry is back.

"I lose one central defender but I win another one. John was back in training today with no limitations. He trained for one-and-a-half hours with the reserves in a very competitive situation.

"He could have played tonight but I wanted to protect him. He is ready for the next game so Steve McClaren can drink some champagne tonight after that information."
 
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D0ggyStylz

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Gerrard, torres and alonso should go in for a simultaneous karate kick to his head. they are useless so a life ban from football wouldn't bother the liverpool club.
 
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Rafael Benitez believes Andriy Voronin could be a 'revelation' at Anfield this season.
The Ukrainian bagged the winner in Toulouse yesterday afternoon as the Reds secured victory in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier.

Following an impressive pre-season campaign, the free transfer summer signing now appears in the mood to challenge for regular first team action and the boss admits his displays so far have been exactly what the Reds required up front.

"It was a fantastic goal and it showed the quality that Andriy has," said Benitez. "When we bought him, we were thinking about a striker with different movement and quality and game intelligence and Andriy has all of those.

"Because he was a free transfer, people were maybe talking about Torres or the other new buys but we knew that he could be a revelation.

"We knew he could give us different things. We have Torres, Crouch, Kuyt and Voronin and now we can use different players and look for different things."
 
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