DOWN on their luck, high on commitment – Fabio Aurelio believes relentless hard work and fierce determination hold the key to transforming Liverpool’s season.
Not even the Reds’ biggest supporter would try to mount an argument that Rafa Benitez’s side passed and moved with grace at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday – but there was an aspect to that performance which, in some ways, was even more pleasing.
It all started when Jamie Carragher called a huddle before kick-off; he and Pepe Reina, with the aid of some carefully chosen words, did their best to try and instil passion and belief into a team which has taken a number of hefty knocks this winter.
Whatever was said in those seconds before Lee Mason got the game under way will remain in the sanctity of the dressing room; but, clearly, the rousing rhetoric had an effect, as Liverpool looked united once again.
If decisions went against them, men clad in black and gold were not afraid to ask Mason difficult questions, remonstrating every time the match official erred; nobody shirked a tackle nor did anyone think twice about putting their bodies on the line.
Having had to contend with stories that the squad was in a state of disarray, here was evidence to the contrary; from the injured skipper Steven Gerrard offering support in the stands to those who ran themselves to a standstill, this was Liverpool putting up a united front.
True, their efforts were not sufficiently rewarded; that Robert Huth was able to pilfer an equaliser in the final minute was a source of huge frustration for Rafa Benitez and company but it was impossible to escape the feeling this was a significant performance.
Benitez, for one, was thrilled with the attitude and commitment and Aurelio was quick to offer similar sentiments; though they were left to rue that equaliser, they have a chance to make amends when Tottenham visit tonight.
Though it would be wrong to bill this re-arranged fixture as being make-or-break for Liverpool’s Champions League hopes, it is impossible to say how much confidence could be gained should the Reds take maximum points this evening.
Desperate to avenge their opening day 2-1 defeat at White Hart Lane, Liverpool have a prime opportunity to move on to the shoulders of Spurs, Aston Villa and Manchester City with a victory that could be the catalyst for a winning run.
“What happened at Stoke is typical of our fortune right now,” the Brazilian defender said.
“When things don’t go well, everything seems to be against you. We have got to manage this (situation) at the moment. We have got to approach all our games like we did the one on Saturday. We had the right attitude. If we keep that up, we can start changing things.
"We have got to be grateful for the support we got at Stoke. The fans were superb. They are always very helpful for us when they are behind us like that. It will be our first home game since we got beat by Reading, so we want to give them something back.
"We are going to be up against one of our direct opponents for fourth place. It’s a very important game and we will give it everything that we have got. Games against teams like this won’t specifically decide who finishes fourth but beating that type of opponent can give you more confidence, which is what we need now.
"We are going to be playing against a good team that is ahead of us in the table right now. They beat us on the first day of the season. But if we can win, it can gives us a boost for the rest of the season and help us push harder in the coming games. Before Stoke, we had won two league games and we are starting to build up a bit of momentum.”
If Benitez was looking for any good omens ahead of tonight’s match, one comes from the fact Spurs have not won at Anfield since 1993 – and that 2-1 success was their last against any of the ‘big four’ away from White Hart Lane, a run of 66 matches.
Another quirk is that Liverpool have never been beaten at home by both Arsenal and Tottenham in the same season; but it will, of course, take more than favourable statistics to see them get home in front here. As Aurelio counters, fight and endeavour will be the minimum requirement to quell Harry Redknapp’s men but he has promised Liverpool, as was the case in the Potteries, are in the mood for another scrap.
Aurelio said: “In terms of our football, we haven’t played at our best. But compared to the Reading game, our attitude was much better. When the team is in this situation and things aren’t going in your favour, the first thing you have to show is character.
“We know as a team we can still get out of this situation, as long as we keep on fighting. Look at Sotirios (Kyrgiakos). He was the right type of player for that game. He is good in the air and he fought hard, as Stoke were playing a lot of long balls.”
Aurelio’s words should provide solace for both fans and manager and, as Benitez points out, it was around this time last season when such an attitude helped Liverpool get out of a sticky spot – four consecutive draws – to finish the campaign with a flourish.
He said: “Last year when we had some problems, everyone was on board. That was good. Now we have a bad moment, we need to see everyone – players that we can count on and people around the club – pushing.
“What can you do? All you can do is your best.”
No comments:
Post a Comment