[lfc-news] Mark Lawrenson column - Post

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Liverpool Daily Post, 30 Nov 2004
Anfield passion scared Arsenal into submission
By Mark Lawrenson, Daily Post

LIKE everyone else at Anfield, I felt privileged to be in attendance for
one of the great games of the season on Sunday. Passion, pace, attacking
verve, fantastic goals - it had it all, but one performance stood out for me.

It came from the supporters and they created an atmosphere I hadn't heard
at Anfield for a long time. Right from the first whistle, Anfield was like
a colosseum and you could sense everyone was urging the Liverpool players
to have a real go at Arsenal and get into them.

It is to the players' credit they did just that. Obviously Rafael Benitez
had instructed them to be aggressive and with the encouragement from the
stands, they really got stuck in.

That's one thing about Arsenal. They are a fantastic team, but if there is
a weakness it is that they can be knocked out of their stride by commitment.

On Sunday you could see the likes of Robert Pires, Thierry Henry, Jose
Antonio Reyes and Cesc Fabregas were hurdling tackles and were constantly
on edge wondering where the next challenge was going to come in from.

Of course, being aggressive in defence is only half the battle, but
Benitez's masterplan of playing Harry Kewell, Steven Gerrard and Florent
Sinama-Pongolle in front of Xabi Alonso and Dietmar Hamann worked brilliantly.

Hamann did what he does best in stopping Arsenal's attacks, while Alonso
could have found his best position as a deep-lying playmaker.

It means he is very difficult to pick up and with his range of passing
skills, he is able to put the ball on a plate for the front-running
striker, in this case Neil Mellor.

He also has the freedom to get forward himself with the German sitting
back, as shown by one of the goals of the season.

Ahead of them, Sinama-Pongolle worked hard on the right and helped to
stifle Ashley Cole's forward momentum, while Harry Kewell also worked his
socks off, and when you are struggling for form, you can't ask any more
than that.

Steven Gerrard was simply magnificent and he will thrive thanks to Benitez
giving him licence to attack the opposition from all over the pitch.

He terrorised Arsenal on Sunday and they won't be the first team to fall
under his strength of will.

No disrespect to Mellor - who worked tirelessly and deserved his goal - but
when Milan Baros returns or Benitez brings in another striker in January,
Gerrard will have even more of an impact.

As for Mellor, I still believe he is no more than a good squad player.

His movement is good and he is a good finisher, but unfortunately for him
he lacks that extra bit of pace to get him away from defenders.

I played with his dad Ian when I was at Brighton and he was quick, but Neil
hasn't inherited that. Without that I feel you have to be an exceptional
player with a true footballing brain to make the grade - like Teddy
Sheringham or Kenny Dalglish. I don't think he possesses that, but I would
be delighted if he proves me wrong.

Evans the people person can prove his coaching prowess with Wales

THE first game I played at Anfield was for Preston Reserves when I was just 17.

Despite a brilliant display by me at centre-back - which I say in the
knowledge not too many people would have been at the game - we had five put
past us that day by a team managed by Roy Evans and with John Toshack up front.

I can remember thinking how young Roy was to be looking after a team, but
he was an impressive coach then and he continued to impress me during my
time with Liverpool.

Now he has joined Tosh in charge of the Welsh team, I think he will do a
tremendous job there too.

The great thing about Roy during his time at Liverpool is that he was
always the players' confidante.

Whereas Ronnie Moran was the sergeant-major, Roy could be relied upon to
offer a sympathetic ear, the good cop to Ronnie's bad cop.

I can see him fulfilling that role for Tosh now, because he is a people
person who is good at getting to know the players and offering them an
outlet if they want to talk.


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