[lfc-news] Mark Lawrenson column - Post

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Liverpool Daily Post, 16 Aug 2005
Liverpool hopes on a wing and a prayer
By Mark Lawrenson, Daily Post

MIDDLESBROUGH away has been one of the more difficult visits on
Liverpool's fixture list recently, especially last season when they put
in a 'nothing' performance.

This time around they dominated with an excellent performance and
deserved to win 2-0 or 3-0 at least. Rafael Benitez's preferred system
worked almost to perfection and Steven Gerrard had maybe seven chances
that on another day would have gone in.

As good as it was though, I think they should have had three points, not
one.

Just look at Chelsea - they could easily have lost at Wigan, but they
managed to win. Just look at Arsenal. Newcastle held them out for most
of the match, but they manage to find a way to take all the points.

One area where I feel they still have the edge is in width, which is
where Steve Finnan and John Arne Riise or Stephen Warnock must stand up
and be counted more than they have done to date.

Benitez's system - 4-2-3-1 can mean a lot of the play comes down the
middle at times, which is probably why he is so keen for a right-sided
midfielder.

At Chelsea they have Damien Duff, Arjen Robben, Shaun Wright Phillips
and Joe Cole. Manchester United have Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo and
Park Ji Sung. Arsenal have Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires, with
Ashley Cole and Lauren bombing on from fullback.

If the likes of Bolo Zenden and Luis Garcia tuck in for Liverpool,
Finnan and Riise or Warnock have to get past them, but it is a skill
Liverpool have yet to master to its full effect.

That is still the subtle difference between those clubs and Liverpool,
and over the Premiership season that will add up to a few points at least.

Still, given that away from Anfield was his team's Achilles heel last
season, I am sure I was not the only person to see the improvement
Benitez has made.

There was a confidence around much of Liverpool's play that was
partially a follow up to the Champions League victory and partially
something more.

What was it? I think it was the understanding they have built up in
pre-season which shone through in their movement and appitite for the game.

And then there was Gerrard. In that role off the front player - secure
in the knowledge he has Xabi Alonso and Momo Sissoko minding the shop -
he is virtually unstoppable at times.

A lot of his success comes from the positions where he starts his runs.
He is running off the back of midfield players at centre-backs and
full-backs who are trying to jockey him, whereas he is going flat out.

That commits defenders - just ask Ugo Ehiogu, who could not keep up with
Gerrard and brought him down for the sending-off.

That is where he is most effective, although given that Benitez will not
play 4-2-3-1 all the time, he may have to settle for a more conventional
midfield role in other games.

I think one of those will be against Sunderland in the next match, who
looked like they would struggle after defeat against Charlton's 10 men.

Djibril Cisse should come back into the starting line-up for that game,
which I am looking forward to.

He could be a real star this season, given what I have seen of him so far.

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