Liverpool 5-2 Fulham: Suarez takes over at the Cottage

Firstly, let's get a closer look at what Luis Suarez did Monday night in west London:



Suarez delivered an absolutely brilliant performance at Craven Cottage, working hard all night and essentially dictating the entire game. He was running the show; every time he was on the ball he had the Fulham on their heels, and when he wasn't, his movement was magnificent and he found space to further terrorize their defense. Suarez cooked Brede Hangeland on multiple occasions, and wasn't much nicer to the rest of Fulham's backline. He was by far the best player on the pitch Monday night, and was the catalyst for virtually every Liverpool attack.

It didn't hurt that he had a little help from Maxi Rodriguez, who has somehow turned the clock back to 2006 with yet another hat trick, his second in three games. Maxi hasn't gotten a lot of playing time under King Kenny in recent weeks, with Kenny and Steve Clarke preferring to play Meireles and Kuyt out wide. But with Andy Carroll's absence, Liverpool played a United-style 4-3-3/4-5-1 hybrid, which allowed Maxi and Dirk to support Suarez on the wings while Meireles, Lucas, and Spearing dominated the middle of the park.

Maxi surely now has a spot in the team for the remainder of the season, namely against Spurs in a huge game at Anfield this Sunday. And if it's true he'd like to stay at Liverpool for a while, even in a more limited role, he would be a quality player to have in squad next season. We all know the Reds are going to make a play for the likes of Ashley Young, Juan Mata, maybe even Adam Johnson this summer; we desperately need that sort of width and pace on the flanks, which Maxi just doesn't provide at this point in his career. He's a clever player, with wonderful technique and a great feel for the game, who picks his spots well and manages to make an impact. But like Kuyt and Joe Cole, he compensates for a lack of pace to get around defenders by cutting inside, which narrows play and takes away an important dimension of the team's attack. We've all seen this before; the loss to United in September comes to mind. For too long Liverpool have lacked real quality on the wing, dynamic players who have the pace and skill to transform an entire game. Someone who can deliver killer balls into the box for Andy Carroll, and team up with Suarez to pick apart a team. Someone like King Kenny's old pal John Barnes.

That's why I'm already looking forward to what Kenny, Damien Comolli, and the new owners have in store for us this summer. Certainly, injecting some more youth, pace, and quality into the squad is what's in order, and the likes of Ashley Young (it may very well happen) would be massive. Regardless, Maxi put in a great game against Fulham, one that showed just how valuable he can be to this team. Seven goals in three games (he scored one against Newcastle) is immense.

It was all about Suarez on Monday night, though. He managed to put in a Man of the Match performance on a night when another player on his team scored a hat trick, such was the magnitude of the game he played. He's looked a dangerous player from the moment he came into the side, but now that he's developing more of a sense of the English game and settling in, he's beginning to play at a world class level. If you watch the game tape posted up at the top, you'll see that he very, very easily could have had a hat trick of his own. Fernando made a huge mistake not wanting to play with this guy; not only would Suarez have made life so much easier, but they could have dominated together (stylistically and tactically, you can tell it would work). It would definitely be a better fit than what he has now at Chelsea. Note: What do Chelsea FC and the U.S. Navy have in common? They both paid 50 million for a sub.

But enough about the past. At the moment, it looks like we have ourselves something special. He's the best player on the team and the fans already love him. He's shown he can play out wide, in the hole, and even up top by himself. His efforts have lifted spirits around the club after we were abandoned by one icon and lost another to injury. And when Andy Carroll gets going and puts in more colossal performances, I think Liverpool will actually have themselves a terrifying strike partnership. Besides King Kenny, Luis Suarez is a huge reason why Liverpool are about to overtake Spurs and qualify for the Europa League next season; if they can beat them at what will surely be a rocking Anfield this Sunday. It's no wonder why we just can't enough.

Champions League Round-Up: On to Wembley

Here we go again; Barcelona and Manchester United will face off once more in the Champions League final this year, giving United a chance to redeem their loss to Barca two years ago in Rome. That match was notable for Messi & Co. outplaying United in Cristiano Ronaldo's last game for the English team, and this time, I think we can expect a similar result. United have been simply great this year, this despite their best player being out of form for over half the season and their game lacking of the sort of style and invention we're so accustomed to seeing from them. Still, I was convinced whoever won the SuperDuperClasico semifinal would go on to lift the European Cup, and I stand by that prediction.

Pep Guardiola's Barcelona are, in my opinion, the best team to ever play the game; no side in the history of the game has ever delivered such stunning results with such aesthetically flawless football, and they've done it by sticking to a formulaic philosophy that is not only unique, but devastatingly effective. They've done it with a crop of players who are largely homegrown academy products from La Masia, including several who constituted the backbone of the greatest Spanish national team of all time and ended decades of misery by lifting the World Cup in South Africa last summer. Without going into the furor surrounding the events that played out over the course of the semifinal against Madrid (too much to get into, but it is just typical Jose, and typical Barca to some extent as well), Mourinho tried his best to stop Barca once more and couldn't do it, not with the current Real squad anyway. Those of you who read my post from several weeks ago on Barcelona know how much it pains me to admit that they're the best in the world, but I have to stand by my statement: they're the best ever. No, I never had a chance to see Bob Paisley's Liverpool or Arrigo Sacchi's Milan or Johan Cruyff's Ajax sides of the late 60s/early 70s, and yes, you could attribute this to some sort of generational bias. But considering the level of competition in the game today, and the individual level at which FC Barcelona's players are plying their trade every week, I think its safe to say this team could beat anyone, ever. And I certainly hope they do it against Manchester United.

If you haven't deduced this yet, I'm a Liverpool fan. In fact, later on I'll be posting about our crucial game at Craven Cottage tonight against Fulham, which we'll need to win if we want to make it into European competition next season. I try my best to be levelheaded and fair to Manchester United, and I think I do a pretty good job of it when commentating on them here. So since they're about to be crowned champions of England for a record 19th time, allow me this much. I hate Manchester United. I hate how they're about to overtake Liverpool's tally, and I hate how they will revel in the victory as finally knocking Liverpool off their f***ing perch, as one Alex Ferguson would put it. I wish them the worst against Barcelona and hope they disgrace their nation by getting embarrassed on home soil at Wembley. I will be rooting against them with everything I have, which will be refreshing because I look at it as an opportunity to put aside my distaste for the Great Barcelona and cheer on their magnificence. I hope they fail because I'm determined that we maintain our record as the most successful English team in European competition, and I want them to get nowhere near our tally of 5 European Cups. In fact, I can't wait until August when we can finally start a new season and tie up the league championship record at 19 a piece. I hate Wayne Rooney, I strongly dislike Nemanja Vidic, and Javier Hernandez just annoys me. And I can't say anything about Alex Ferguson (I refuse to call him 'Sir') that hasn't already been said about cholera.

So, now that we've gotten that out of the way, well done to United. They eased past a potential trap in the Schalke tie, and if it weren't for future United/Bayern/Arsenal/Milan goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, they would have crushed the Germans in Gelsenkirchen. Then, Alex had the audacity to field a central defensive partnership of Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling behind a midfield of Paul Scholes, Anderson, and Darron Gibson(!!!) in the second leg of a Champions League semifinal, which was cool because he could actually do that, give his starters some much needed rest, and still get a great performance from his squad (depth is the key to this United squad's success, as Ferguson himself indicated). They have been the best English team in a year when the Premier League was so competitive and top-heavy that the top six teams threatened to cancel each other out -- and very nearly did. United haven't played spectacular ball, but its clear when you see them take the pitch that they're still on an elite, world-class level and not to be underestimated. You don't go over half a season in the Premier League undefeated on luck alone, no matter what Arsene says. As for their European campaign, it has thus far been sublime. They deserve to be at Wembley, as much as I hate to say it.

But I cannot envision a scenario where they beat Barcelona. David Villa was the perfect foil for Messi up top, and as soon as he signed for Barca last summer we all knew it was over. Pedro's emergence as an elite player, with Andres Iniesta's determination to stay healthy after an exhausting season last year, have allowed Barcelona to perform at an unprecedented level in 2010-11, and that's saying something.

Sure, Wayne Rooney may be back (sorta) and what Ryan Giggs has done is nothing short of incredible (we know). And of course, Rio Ferdinand's determination to battle through his back problems, and injuries directly related to them, to give it one last go when everyone thought he would be done for the season (perhaps for good) is admirable. It's clear that his and Vidic's ability to anchor the backline together once more has resulted in the defensive stability needed to make yet another run at a European Double.

Regardless, I just don't think it will be enough. When you throw a First XI of Valdes, Alves, Puyol, Pique, Abidal, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Villa, and Messi on the pitch at Wembley, playing in the biggest match in club football for the most prestigious trophy in club football, there's just nothing anyone can do. Not even Alex Ferguson's Manchester United.

Prediction: Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United

Super-Duper Clasico: Two Down, Two to Go

Two matches into the four Clasicos we've been blessed with as soccer fans, and things are getting interesting. After captivating 1-1 draw in La Liga last Saturday, Real Madrid and Barcelona squared off in the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday, and once again we were treated to a magnificent match. Real took the spoils this time, winning the competition for the first time in 18 years. It constitutes their first trophy under Jose Mourinho, and the fact that it came at the expense of both the club and Mourinho's fiercest rivals made the victory even sweeter.

Cristiano Ronaldo hit a magnificent, game-winning header in extra time to win it for Los Merengues, and it seems like Jose is finally getting this group of Galacticos to figure out how to throw a wrench into the Barca juggernaut. They managed to keep Lionel Messi under wraps for most of the game, and took advantage of Barca's aerial weakness with a steady supply of long balls. Barca was left frustrated at the end of it all, with nothing to do but run into the arms of their beautiful, famous girlfriends and look forward to the teams' next encounter.

Next up is the two-legged Champions League encounter we've all been waiting for, with one match each at the Bernabeu and the Camp Nou. Barca have La Liga all but locked up, and Real have returned the King's Cup (or a replica, at least) to their trophy cabinet, and all that remains for the taking is the Holy Grail of European soccer. I, like most, have no idea what will happen. Pep Guardiola recently said that he considers Barcelona to be underdogs for the semifinal, which I find ridiculous. But it's probably his way of marginalizing the inferiority complex which Mourinho utilizes so effectively in getting his teams psychologically prepared for battle. Regardless, Jose has the 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Barca earlier this season to rely on, which surely would provide enough motivation for 10 Clasicos if need be. Besides, it's Real Madrid - Barcelona we're talking about here. If, as a player, you're not pumped up enough by the mere prospect of that fixture, you probably shouldn't be playing football.

The first leg of the Champions League semifinal between Real Madrid and Barcelona is on Wednesday, April 27, at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. Kickoff is at 2:45 ET, so if you can get out of work or class or any engagement and catch the match, you would be wise to do so. It promises to be one for the ages.

No Way, Jose: Mourinho's Unbeaten Streak Over, But He's Still Special

And so it ends. Jose Mourinho’s remarkable, nine-year home unbeaten streak in league competition was broken this weekend after Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat at the hands of Sporting Gijon. Mourinho’s record was extraordinary given its length (150 league matches at home without a defeat), as well as its sheer difficulty. It meant that the Special One did not lose a single match at home during his time in the Premier League and Serie A, when he was managing Chelsea and Inter Milan, respectively. Of course, the streak also goes back to his time in Portugal as manager of Porto, but the level of competition found in England and Italy makes his achievement all the more impressive.

Mourinho is a polarizing figure for me, and I'm not alone in that assessment. Grant Wahl's profile of Mourinho in Sports Illustrated last month makes for a great read, painting Mourinho in a captivating light for American readers who may not be familiar with the man or his accomplishments. Best bud Sir Alex Ferguson was interviewed for the story, and is full of praise for his heir apparent to the Manchester United managerial role, placing Jose up "at the top" among managers working in the game. There are numerous, fascinating anecdotes in Wahl's article (too many to mention here), and for that alone it's well worth a read. Here's one of my favorites:

Milan, May 2010. The news is out. Mourinho is leaving Inter Milan for Real Madrid. Outside the Bernebéu after the Champions League final, an Italian TV camera captures Mourinho ducking into a luxury sedan. The car advances, then abruptly stops. Mourinho emerges from behind the smoked-glass windows and walks 20 yards to Inter defender Marco Materazzi, the hardman best known for absorbing Zinédine Zidane's head butt in the 2006 World Cup final. Mourinho and Materazzi embrace for five, 10, 20 seconds. Both men's shoulders are heaving. Two of the toughest men in soccer are sobbing like Dick Vermeil.

Mourinho polarizes fans, players, coaches, and pundits alike, and for many different reasons depending on who you are. For me, Mourinho is a genius whose tactical acumen and psychological mastery of man-management put him among the greatest minds to ever work in the game; he's also the cocky prima donna whose tactics and philosophy, often calling for a defensive and unattractive approach, constitute what some have labeled "anti-football." I like to think of him as the man who never got the best of Rafa Benitez, my true managerial hero; yet those battles with Rafa's Liverpool when Jose was at Chelsea resulted in some of the most dramatic and tactically sophisticated matches of the era. He brought the best out of Anfield (and most of the grounds his teams traveled to) as an antagonistic villain, yet he's always been a master at deflecting media scrutiny and attention off of his players and onto himself. His 4-2-1-3 formation, implemented at Inter last year during their historic treble and again this year at Real Madrid, has proven to be a masterstroke as Mourinho put an distinct accent on the traditional 4-3-3 and ended up with a customized, closely-crafted work of tactical brilliance.

But the home league record that he knowingly cherished is now gone, something which was certainly inevitable. Regardless, Jose doesn't seem to be having the best time of his career in Madrid and recently restated his desire to return to the Premier League and his beloved England. Where exactly, nobody really knows, but everybody can see how much he appreciates Sir Alex and Manchester United, and the consensus is that he'll wait until Ferguson walks away from the game to take over his role at Old Trafford. While he appreciates Liverpool's club culture and the magnificent atmosphere generated at Anfield, it appears to be a love-hate relationship that he enjoys more from the perspective of an adversary. He's stated that certain things in the past make it impossible for him to coach there, and seems to view the club much like he does Barcelona (with begrudging respect, but as an opponent). Besides, Jose likes to work in a situation where he has adequate financial backing to buy players handpicked by himself for his own system (developing young players is something he has notoriously neglected as manager), and that's just not Liverpool's style at the moment. Manchester City could be an option, as well as a remarkable homecoming to Chelsea, but most bets seem to be on Mourinho at some point returning to the site of his infamous touchline sprint; only this time, he'll be sitting in Sir Alex's seat.

Personally, I think Mourinho has unfinished business in Madrid, regardless of what happens this year. Madridistas are the soccer version of Yankees fans, except 50 times crazier, and they expect nothing less of their coach than the remarkable trophy haul he brought Inter fans. The crazy thing is, if we know anything about Jose Mourinho, he probably expects the same of himself. The La Liga title looks to be out of reach this year, but the Champions League is the true holy grail for Los Merengues; if Madrid can get by Tottenham, a date with destiny and Barcelona is in order for the semi-finals (as well as a chance to avenge this). Plus, considering the fact he has this guy at his disposal, as well as this guy, and has only started to craft a team full of fantastic, world-class players in his own image, I think we can expect the Special One to stay at Madrid for at least another year or two. At least, as long as it takes for him to live up to the extraordinary standards he's set for himself thus far.

Gerrard & Carragher: On Hodgson, Kenny & Torres

Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher were the featured guests on Sky Sports' "Goals On Sunday" this weekend, joining hosts Chris Kamara and Ben Shephard to talk, often candidly, about Liverpool's season thus far. Among other things, the duo discussed why Roy Hodgson's time as manager was so tumultuous, how the appointment of Kenny Dalglish has reinvigorated the team, and their thoughts on the departure of Fernando Torres.

These guys are two of my own personal heroes, and as born and bred Liverpool boys, Gerrard and Carragher represent the heart and soul of the current squad (and have so for a while as captain and vice-captain, respectively). As such, they're also arguably the two most important players in the team, and probably have a better idea than most about the goings-on at Liverpool FC. And since most players tend to avoid these kinds of informal yet informative sit-down talks with the media, it was fascinating to hear Stevie and Carra (in their customarily thick Scouse accents) cover a wide array of topics with Kamara and Shephard, and with a good deal of candor.

I've posted here YouTube clips of the interview (thanks to ElPistoleroYNWA for putting them up), and transcripts of Gerrard and Carragher's comments can be found on the Sky Sports website, as well as the official LFC site. While the pair cover a lot of interesting topics, including the 2005 Champions League Final in Istanbul and new signing Luis Suarez, there was one bit in particular about the Fernando Torres affair this January which caught my attention:

"We wanted him to stay but he made his decision and we have to respect that. Only he knows whether he downed tools and only he can explain why his form wasn't as good in his last few months. But knowing Fernando, I don't think that was the case. I think he just wanted a change. It's sad the terms in which he left because he was idolised by the fans, the people around the club and by us as players." - Steven Gerrard

This prompted me to look up what "downed tools" meant in Scouse, or at least colloquial British English, and I wasn't surprised to find that it essentially means to "stop working." Now, the notion of Fernando Torres having mailed in the first half of this season's campaign is not one that should be foreign to spectators; anyone who saw him play over the course of his first three years in Liverpool and then again this season will tell you it's undeniable that Torres was either still recovering from the knee injury he played with through the 2010 World Cup, or he simply had already decided he had no future at the club and didn't want to risk a re-occurrence of injury by exerting himself on the pitch. It's the only explanation for why a player who always had one of the higher work rates among the elite strikers in the world was often found this season pulling out of challenges and not running down balls to the best of his ability. Of course, with his form for Chelsea since he made the switch to London, it could very well be both.

But Gerrard's comments make a few things apparent. One, whether he actually thinks Torres quit on the team or not, his mere suggestion of Torres having "downed tools" and packed it in suggests that it was certainly something those at the club had noticed. This is only reinforced by comments from Liverpool's new Director of Football, Damien Comolli, earlier this week stating that Torres' departure was a great relief as Liverpool had rid itself of a player who did not want to play for the club. The striker's body language on the field had been the subject of much scrutiny over the course of the season, and while I personally thought that kind of psychoanalysis was a load of rubbish that read too deeply into things, in retrospect it has become obvious that the player we once loved and idolized had lost the plot and simply did not want to be at Liverpool.

But another thing Gerrard's comments make clear is the fact that the team is now unified and together in the post-Torres era, ready to continue onward behind electric new boys Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. Gerrard even went as far as to say he still does not regret repeatedly turning down the offers of other clubs wanting his services, opting to stay in Liverpool instead, which I have to admit I thought had to be the case by now. Never in the interview with Stevie and Carra do you get the impression that these are two footballers who, in their advancing age, are discouraged by the prospect of an ever-shrinking window of opportunity for success in football. Gerrard in particular looked more cheerful than he has in months, and pretty fit and healthy for a guy who only had surgery on his groin 2 1/2 weeks ago and hasn't fully trained since (I winced every time he crossed his legs, but he looked to have no problems at all). Carragher is always an upbeat guy, always boasting about how lucky he is to play for Liverpool and the sense of pride it gives him.

One thing is certain; Torres is gone, Suarez and Carroll are here, and Gerrard and Carragher will always be here. Hopefully, Stevie's recovery goes quicker than planned and he can take the pitch next week against West Brom. It was unfortunate to see him so hobbled and his abilities obviously hampered by the groin injury, as his statistics this year can attest to. Getting him back on the pitch, and back to his best at that, makes Liverpool a completely different side when they have one of the greatest players of his generation in the team.

FC Barcelona and the Case of the Swollen Collective Ego

I sincerely hope I’m not the only one who’s gotten tired of Barcelona’s Mes que un club shtick. What had always been, for me and many others who aren’t Real Madrid fans, one of the more admirable clubs in the world has now turned into an entire organization of stuck-up, elitist snobs who think it’s the destiny of every world-class Spanish player in the world to play for them, claiming that their team is the only one which plays the game the proper way. They’ve made Madrid look humble and even likable in comparison, something that was previously unfathomable.

Arsenal fans surely would have something to say about the way Barcelona have handled their courtship of Gunners captain Cesc Fabregas, with Xavi, Gerard Pique, and co. all having made clear they believed it would only be a matter of time until Cesc made the journey home to his native Catalonia to play for his beloved Barca. But besides the Fabregas affair, Barcelona hasn’t spared other clubs from this sort of treatment either. I was furious when Xavi came out this summer and said Fernando Torres deserved to play for a better, more prestigious team than Liverpool (seeming to forget our convincing defeat of Barca in the Champions League four years ago, only one year after they won the competition). It pissed me off even more when they poached Javier Mascherano from us at the end of the summer transfer window, in the process turning the most dominant defensive midfielder in the game into a mere bench warmer (but hey, if that’s what Masch wanted, good for him).

Regardless, the Barcelona set-up is perhaps the definitive reason why Spain has dominated international competition over the past couple of years, winning the World Cup this summer for the first time. And indeed, Barca do play the most attractive football in the world, have the best player in the world in Lionel Messi, and generally are the best team in the world at the moment. But we know this, and we really don’t need a whole team of well-groomed, wealthy young Spaniards to remind us every few weeks.

Which is why it really grinded my gears when Xavi, the architect, quarterback, conductor, pass-master, etc., of the Barcelona attack came out after their 3-1 defeat of Arsenal at the Camp Nou on Tuesday and accused Arsenal of not playing football. Yes, the Gunners didn’t have a shot on goal. Yes, Barca dominated the proceedings. But Xavi should keep in mind that at the time of the Robin Van Persie’s unbelievable, unwarranted red card, Arsenal were leading the tie on aggregate and were in a position to advance. Arsenal manager and all-around genius Arsene Wenger had said all week that his team was not going to pull a Mourinho and park the bus in front of their goal, after their 2-1 win in the first leg in London gave them a valuable advantage. But any possible effort to put up a defensive fight against the oncoming Barca siege was left futile after Arsenal were reduced to 10 men. They had no chance, as we saw with Barca’s dominance over the last half-hour.

I think the Van Persie’s red card was an injustice of the highest order in soccer (without saying anything implicitly, I think the referee’s motives should be questioned). Add that to the fact Arsenal had no Fabregas after he came off with a hamstring injury at half-time, and Arsenal was doomed to a second successive year of Champions League elimination at the hands of the sport’s favorite holier-than-thou narcissists. Someone should knock this team off their perch and remind them that, less than a decade ago, they were in the shit financially, had difficulty consistently qualifying for European competition, and couldn’t convince David Beckham to join them instead of Madrid (before ultimately lucking out with the greatest consolation prize in history, Ronaldinho).

Like Liverpool now, the Barcelona of the early 00s was a historically prestigious institution facing serious problems both on and off the pitch; they built themselves back up to the top by making some good hires, developing their youth academy, and reorganizing themselves financially. But also like Liverpool, not even mighty Barca was spared from the financial and footballing pitfalls facing other clubs. They would do well to remember this before opening their mouths again and misleadingly declaring some sort of divine superiority over the rest of Europe.

Liverpool 3-1 Man Utd: Suarez Stars, Carroll Debut

Now while this blog will focus on all sorts of goings-on in the soccer world, I have to admit that I'm a Liverpool fan, so how better to ring things off with a review of the biggest game in England this weekend, against our hated rivals and league leaders Manchester United.

Basically, United looked tired, beaten, and uninspired. Backline anchors Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were both absent through injury, and it showed as new January signing Luis Suarez ripped and tore through the United defense. Suarez is looking more and more like a brilliant recruit and a genius signing, and the way he plays with the ball at his feet and the opportunities he creates make you wonder how Fernando Torres could ever have passed up on the opportunity to play with the Uruguayan. He was directly responsible for two of Dirk Kuyt's three goals for Liverpool, and surely Manager Kenny Dalglish and Director of Football Strategy Damien Comolli's vision of pairing the skilled Suarez right off of budding colossus Andy Carroll should prove devastating in the future.

Speaking of Caroll, the 22-year old Geordie made his long-awaited debut after becoming the most expensive British player of all-time this January after his move from Newcastle to Liverpool. He barely had enough time to really leave his mark on the game, and as the score was 3-0 when he came on and it was his first game since December, circumstances weren't the best for Caroll to show exactly why he's worth all that money. Reports emerged this week that Newcastle valued him at 1 million a year ago, and the boy just went for 35 million in January; him and Suarez combined cost around 58 million pounds, so their success is imperative to the long term prospects of Liverpool. Take into account that most of that money came from the 50 million that Chelsea gave us for Torres, and you could say that whether you think Andy Carroll is worth 35 million or not, Liverpool fans have to hope that the player becomes at least 20 goal a year scorer who can adequately replace the offensive production that was lost with Torres' departure.

That lack of production is why Liverpool have struggled so mightily this year, especially since Torres decided to abruptly leave. The team can't rely on the likes of Kuyt for performances like this every week, as we all know the Dutchman is better suited supporting from the wing, with his lung-busting runs down the flank from which he cuts into the box and often finds himself at the exact right place at the exact right time. Luckily for Liverpool, though, he filled his striking role admirably today, and gave another committed, memorable performance for the Liverpool cause, hurting United's title chances on the way. Suarez is slowly but surely making his way into the hearts of the Liverpool faithful, and his price, which was so debated between Liverpool and Ajax during the discussions which led to his transfer, is now looking very reasonable.

So the biggest question mark for Liverpool now remains Andy Carroll: will the imposing young striker find his form soon and carve out a spot for himself in the Liverpool starting 11, week in and week out? Can he ever justify a 35 million pound price tag, and even if he can't will he prove a successful, potentially world class player? The remaining weeks of the season will give us an opportunity to see exactly how this team comes together as a unit before the summer, and hopefully they give fans a chance to see what the future holds for Liverpool FC. If Carroll doesn't come through as advertised, however, and his detractors are proven right about his inexperience, unspectacular pace and skill on the ball, and "one-dimensional" aerial style of attack, Liverpool may yet find they have paid 35 million pound for little more than Carroll's trademark ponytail.