Liverpool are back in France tonight, a mere four months on from their last visit and one of their more damaging results of a stuttering campaign.
Lyon’s Lisandro Lopez struck a last minute equaliser at the Stade Gerland in November, dealing the Reds an almost fatal Champions League blow. That they return to the country tonight in Europe’s lesser, second tier competition – this season rebranded as the Europa League – is as regrettable for the club as it was deserved due to their poor performances. This is no time to feel sorry for themselves though, and perhaps it’s time that someone told their two star attractions that.
Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres spent most of Monday night’s defeat at Wigan’s DW Stadium looking forlorn, frustrated and fed up of the seemingly endless disappointment that the 2009/10 campaign has been.
Reds captain Gerrard temporarily found himself as the latest focus of his nation’s newfound dislike for their footballers after a supposed “obscene two-fingered gesture” towards Monday’s referee Andre Marriner – who eventually admitted that he didn’t think it was anything, and that he wasn’t all that bothered about it even if it was – but perhaps fingers should be pointed at the midfielder and forward Torres as to why Liverpool are underachieving.
Of course there have been much worse performers for the Reds this season – helpfully the club print out a list of most of them on the back of the match programme at home games – but the usual, almost inevitable star turns from Gerrard and Torres have been strangely absent.
That old myth about the Reds being a “two-man team” was dismissed by all with more than half a brain cell long ago. Last season’s form of the likes of Yossi Benayoun and Dirk Kuyt reaffirmed that, while Pepe Reina and Javier Mascherano could walk into most top teams worldwide. Xabi Alonso did, and don’t underestimate the effect that the playmaker’s departure for Real Madrid has had on both Gerrard and Torres. He laid the platform on which both could perform.
But surely criticising the pair every time their usual stellar form dips below excellent is wrong? There are, after all, much less talented players in the Liverpool squad who would never attract such criticism simply because not as much is expected of them. Injuries haven’t helped either, but the need for the pair to return to top form seems greater than ever.
The club’s fans demand certain high standards, and whenever those standards slip they start asking questions – such as of Jamie Carragher earlier in the season.
Much of the debate about who will end up snatching fourth place in Premier League has centred around the belief that Liverpool will improve “when Gerrard and Torres get going”, but what if they don’t?
The same applies in the Europa League too. Lille are a good side, especially at home. They are the top scorers in France this season and possess a number of gifted, quick attacking players. Liverpool face a tough task this evening.
That task will be made much easier if their two superstars shine brightest. Gerrard has scored two in his last three after all, and Torres is still regaining full fitness.
Reasons for optimism? Those are few and far between for Liverpool this season, but they might just grow and grow with the performances of their dynamic duo.
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