Liverpool versus Aston Villa preview
Ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Aston Villa on Monday, the former Mersey side boss and current Aston Villa manager, Gerard Houllier has spoken of the Reds’ squad as a team which owes him for their foundation. He was not referring to Liverpool’s current lack
of form, instead spoke of the former Liverpool, a team that won the English Premier League in 2001. The year was a gloriously successful time for the squad, as they managed to obtain the treble- the League title, the UEFA Champions League title and the FA
Cup. Liverpool went on to win the UEFA Champions League title in 2005 under current Inter Milan manager Rafael Benitez.
Houllier spoke of the squad that Benitez inherited from him at Anfield and the UEFA Champions league competition, explaining that Rafael would not have had a chance to compete in the competition of the elite European clubs had he not first ‘groomed’ the
players. Houllier spoke of his legacy at Anfield, saying “The legacy is the team because the team that was left with Rafa he won the Champions League the following year. So that means we finished in a position to play in the Champions League”.
Houllier talked about his concerns whilst managing a club, including the legacy a manager leaves behind as one of the three “missions” for the boss of a club to undertake. The ‘Daily Mirror’ reported the Frenchman as saying that the job is “three-fold”.
He emphasized the primary duty of the manager to bring home the trophies and silverware, which he accomplished successfully at the Merseyside club. Apart from the legacy, he spoke of the development of his players. "So you want your team and your players to
improve, both as players and men and I think if you have the time you can do that." He reiterated his fondness for his former squad, mentioning Michael Owen’s Ballon d'Or win and describing the Red’s captain Steven Gerrard as a “world class international player.”
The two Liverpool players’ names were amongst others he praised, naming Danny Murphy, Emile Heskey, Stephane Henchoz and Sami Hyypia. The sixty three year old hailed the names mentioned above as players who “did well, contributed and became better players.”
Houllier spoke of the Anfield experience and admitted that he “might feel something special when I get on the pitch just before the game.” He was encouraging of his opponent manager’s position at Liverpool and gave Roy Hodgson his full verbal support. The
Frenchman believes that it will be “no problem” for Hodgson to restore the Reds to their former glory days of the top four and encouraged Kop fans and management to “Give him a bit of time, he needs to change a few things.”
Liverpool began with a bleak start to this Premier League’s season as they managed to secure only one win from their first eight games. Their dismal run in form had seen them wallow in the relegation zone for a while but they now rest in the mid table, sitting
in the twelfth position with nineteen points, the same as one spot above-Newcastle United who possess nineteen points but having played sixteen games- one more than Liverpool. The club are currently competing in four competitions besides the Barclay Premier
League; the Europa League, FA Cup (Football Association) and the Carling Cup. Hodgson explained to the media that he was convinced his team would perform better in the coming games in the Premier League as opposed to their dismal start, firmly believing those
days are behind them. “The important thing for Liverpool is that when the league turns around, when we are about to approach the 20th game, we have repaired the damage our disastrous start to the season did to us.”
Liverpool are at an advantage over Houllier’s team, as they sit four positions above Aston Villa, and lead by two points. Aston Villa have won four games compared to Liverpool’s five this season and have lost the same number of matches (six). Villa have
drawn five fixtures, as opposed to Liverpool’s four. Both teams have scored seventeen goals this season but Villa possess the leakier defence, having conceded twenty four goals to the Reds’ nineteen. Villa are two points away from relegation and a win at Anfield
will see them secure three points, leading to a total of twenty- enough to replace Liverpool in the twelfth position in the table.
Captain Steven Gerrard will not feature for the Red side, due to a hamstring injury. Agger is out with a calf injury, Carragher with a shoulder problem and Spearing with an ankle injury.
Aston Villa have Albrighton out due to appendicitis. Knee injury worries will stop Delph, Heskey, Petrov and Reo-Coker from playing this fixture. Sidwell has an Achilles problem and Weimann an injured ankle.
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