Reds analysis: Title dream alive after dominant win against United

Neil Jones assesses the 3-0 win at Old Trafford

Alex Ferguson saw it. Diego Maradona was there, and he saw it. So did Roberto Martinez and Roy Hodgson. And Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, watching through his fingers from the Old Trafford directors box.

David Moyes certainly saw it. The Manchester United manager will be seeing it in his nightmares for some time to come too, you suspect.

Wayne Rooney called it the worst day of his football career. He saw it.

Yes, on a day when the world tuned in for the latest instalment in English football’s fiercest rivalry, everybody saw it.

They saw what Liverpool have become. They saw what Brendan Rodgers has turned them into.

Title contenders? You bet. With nine games to go, the Reds are right in the thick of things. They may be Chihuahuas, according to Rodgers, but they have the bite to match their bark. They’re the Premier League’s form side.

They butchered United here. They were stronger, quicker, fitter, smarter. They had more belief, more confidence, more quality in every single department. They battered their rivals into submission, and they weren’t even at their best.

This is what Rodgers has created, this is what he has insisted he would create since the day he walked through the door at Anfield. A machine of a team, that wins matches and wins them well. A team that their supporters can be proud of. “Make us dream” read the banner unfurled in the away end at Old Trafford prior to kick-off. This was beyond most Reds’ wildest.

As the manager said, they could easily have won by more.

In the end, of course, 3-0 will do. The 4-1 win here in 2009 will stand the test of time, but this was more comprehensive, a more complete performance.

United may be at a low ebb right now, but they were slaughtered here.

Steven Gerrard, of course, led the massacre. The Reds skipper has seen most things during his Anfield career, but even he must be pinching himself right now.

There were times when that elusive Premier League medal seemed a million miles away, but now it is tantalisingly within reach.

No player would deserve it more. In a world of hyperbole and exaggeration, here is the man who merits every ounce of praise thrown his way. The greatest English footballer of his, probably any, generation.

His penalty brace set up this victory, but this was a midfield masterclass from Liverpool’s captain.

There are many ways to lead a football team, but few do it better, and with more authority, than Gerrard.

He set the tone in the opening minutes, a crunching (but fair) challenge on Phil Jones leaving the United man juddering.

Seconds later, he was arrowing the ball, with pinpoint accuracy, 50 yards across the pitch, stretching the game, controlling it.

He was dominant aerially, unflinching in his defensive duties.

He was unfortunate to pick up a booking after a collision with Marouane Fellaini but, assisted by the tireless Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen, offered a lesson in controlled aggression thereafter.

Fellaini and Michael Carrick tried, but could get nowhere near him.

He won more than three-quarters of his duels, won possession back for his side on a dozen occasions, and completed 89% of his passes.

What a pity that a consummate performance could not be topped with the most memorable of hat-tricks – but how telling that when the pressure was really on, when the world was really watching, Gerrard delivered for his side.

His first penalty was drilled into the side-netting, his second into the bottom corner.

It seems absurd to say so now, but there were murmurs after Liverpool had gone to Tottenham and won in style back in December.

We had seen the future, apparently, and Gerrard wasn’t a part of it.

He was past his best, too old to influence games as he once did, his body too weak to see him through the demands of a title challenge.

How wrong can you be?

For as long as he plays, Gerrard will influence games. Big games, too. He is too good a footballer not to. Liverpool will always, always, be a better team when he is in it.

Right now, he is playing his best, most consistent football since 2009.

Liverpool came up short in the title race that year, beaten at the post by a strong, resilient United.

Times are changing, though. It’s a bold statement, but as United plummet – and how dramatic has their decline been? – this Reds side look capable of going one better.

Rodgers won’t say it publicly, of course. “If you think we can win it, you write it,” he told his post-match press conference.

Privately, though, he knows the dream is alive.

He knows. He saw it too.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...ews/man-united-0-3-liverpool-analysis-6839922

 

Let's luxuriate in the defeat of United for another day. The team can rest today but tomorrow it's back to the hard work preparing for Cardiff with the same diligence. We however don't have that problem so we can enjoy the results of yesterday's clinical dissection.

Today Radio 5 Live has been awash with comment upon United and Moyes. It makes me laugh keep hearing from pundits and deluded Mancs that this transition can be accomplished with a new manager and a kitty of between £100-150 million. Believe me, United may be hurting today but the reason why is far deeper and won't be fixed by a new manager and a sackload of cash. Last night when they turned the lights off at Old Trafford they also turned off the glory days - they just haven't recognised it yet - but they will!

 

It may take many years and a lot of delusion along the way.

 

Perhaps about 20 years should do the trick

 

Lets hope they don't get as many cups as we did along the way.

 

in the end is an echo peice so a little biased and if we can say that about the slaford crap we can say it about ours.

its nice to read but

 

We are still behind Chelsea and City in terms of likelihood of winning the title.

And after Spurs lost their slight opportunity to push Arsenal for 4th this season; Arsenal are well in title hunt despite no one expecting them to win the shiney thing.

Good to be in the thick of things but we still have less than 10% chance of winning title IMO.

Cardiff is going to be a challenge because every time we beat a rival* by a large margain and then face a (forgive me Cardiff) minnow we have a bad performance.




* If we can call Utd a rival, historically yes, but not a rival for position anymore this season.

Yesterday mornings game felt more like a merseyside derby than a NW derby... although with Everton there is always sick feeling we might slip up, never once was that case with United.

 

oh and guys hope and reality on utd plight are two different things. If city can and chavs (who finished 6th under d matteo) can then utd can.

LFC NEED to beat arsenal to 4th minimum each year. the magnitude of the problem we face through the introduction of unlimited oil money cannot be brushed aside. I have no idea what will occur next but one can only hope that the FSG model proves far more sustainable than the glazier wall street money harvesting does.

 

Gerrard as certainly come alive this season and I am no longer looking for him to be dropped for a few games. He has started chasing back when he losses possession, maybe its because Allen and Hendo are doing his running for him meaning he has more energy in these situations. Shame he didn't get a unique hat-trick though (especially since I predicted Gerrard to score ).

Where does Lucas fit in once he's fully fit? I don't think Hendo, Gerrard or Allen can be dropped on current form but then, that's a great problem to have too.

 

Sorry MITO but when it comes to United I believe that you are wrong. There comes a time in the affairs of man (and companies and football clubs) when the tide turns and there is little or nothing that you can do but accept it and try and manage the consequences. That, I believe is what is happening to United.

It's not just the loss of Ferguson. In business terms its classic. A sustained period of success both on and off the field produces an organisation that finds it very difficult to turn itself around when the environment in which it operates changes. It becomes a victim of its own success. The myths and fables that sustained it no longer satisfy. Executive decisions are made for the best of reasons but in the light of the experience that has already begun to fail it.

Let's take an example. European football was always a key factor for United - not only playing in Europe but being seen to be one the most powerful sides. However, over the last few seasons they have had to relinquish that goal to conserve their efforts in Europe to sustain themselves domestically. Perhaps a part of that is due to the corporate decision to focus their attention upon the level of debt that they carry - lets leave aside FFP for moment. So Ferguson had done a good job in maintaining their success domestically whilst being hamstrung by limited funding for new players. But, that can only be a short term strategy when your opponents have more or equal funds to invest on an on-going basis. Now the quality within the club has been diminished to such an extent that they would have to invest even more than their opponents to buy short-life ready made stars just to try and catch up.

Given that situation the corporate decision to repay debt and the demands of their owners is chocking their ability to make that player investment. Even if they did they only have to look as far as WHL to see that big money spend on the number of players that they need can bring it's own problems with it. Hence the likelyhood is that they fall between 2 stools and merely exacerbate the situation. Hence, as a club the try and make the right decisions for all of the right reasons but still end up going further backwards. All of this in a media environment where the pundits still hold to the 'truisms' that they have known - too big to fail, the spirit of United, etc. etc.

Just as it takes loads of sea-room to turn a super oil tanker, it's going to take United a lot longer than they, the media and their supporters actually think get over this interim period. Perhaps the hardest part is that they will have little glimmers of success but it will take a long time before they can strut the stage again with the old certainty.

I'm not going to lie and say that this does not please me - of course it does. But the pen-picture that I have tried to paint is very close to the truth.

 

You may be right, dave, but you can't be certain.
I'll believe it when I see it.

 

Ok Dave I get where you come from and if I put things this way. If utd fans think a couple of changes will bring back dominance then yes you are right however if you are adding to the frankly crazy talk out of mills (who is amuppet) then I don't agree.

My belief is that had Chelsea been the least bit sensible and stuck with anchelotti at least they would have dominated and utd would not have got a look in since now I think to write off utd from even cl qualification next year would be foolish

You are quite right that root and branch utd reform will take a long time at all levels so.... Utd would be crazy to throw out some of the old guard and should build on it for next year but we cannot just think a team with that much spare revenue won't come back. Yeah they could blow it and yeah 5/6 players might not improve it but generally it's about belief. I think we must not lose sight of who's the top 3 spending powers in this league and so must look equally at arsenal being just as potentially unstable as utd if wenger goes. But we can't depend on others to give us success we must continue to push

 

for the record i'd like to see them bankrupted. weeds grow on the stretford end before bulldozer level the place...



they'd no sympathy for us whatsoever.. not a single one when RBS stepped in but i can still not see them not spending their way out of it and back into CL. The dominance is gone though. Even at thier height they didn't buy big well (veron being biggest import)

I don't see them being able to turn up an evra, vidic etc etc etc overnight so we'll see but i remain convinced that come may 2015 we'll be seeing them fight for at least 4th... under a new manager.

 

Nicely written piece, but you omitted one glaring statement.

Rogers tactical nous, he knew Utd where frail in midfield and thus changed our shape to a diamond to exploit it. He tinkers, but to devastating effect. He's studied and implements plans, has a plan b as well. Also you looked at our bench yesterday we had options. He should in my opinion win manager of the year. But Moaning Maureen will probably do that.

Re Utd, look at us circa 90-91, thats where Utd stand today.

 

The main problem they have at the moment is their attacking players. Trying to fit all of them into one side. We're lucky to have a tactically sharp coach who has been willing to experiment with his formations and line ups to get the best out of Suarez, Sturridge, Coutinho & Sterling. Moyes has pretty much stuck with the 4-4-2 formation throughout the season and has not been willing to compromise from it

A good manager could get them challenging for the title next season.

 

I think everyone can see that Moyes is out of his depth. Shown by his refusal to make any subs til 70+ minutes and even then didn't change the shape. But when he replaced uniteds £37 million saviour Juan Mata with an aging defender in Ferdinand that summed up his priorities. He's a losing manager and always will be. If he is there next season and given a pot of gold to spend then united will take years to recover. A new manager may just get them back on track IF he can attract the right players without European football.

 

I think the mata for Ferdinand one was forgivable he tried to last with one cb after vidic brainfart but he had to react. It's the no change as our midfield killed theirs from oh 30 mins in that for me showed the huge problem... He had to get some measure of control and how the f clattenburg did have Rafael off is another moyes issue... He left him out there with zero cover and kept switching rws blindly chasing that area when they'd no pace to get behind?

No for me moyes failed not after sending off but far before and before the game began.... Utd should have been angry, hurt and dying to prove something... Moyes is a wet whimpering flop

 

You not keen then, mito?

 

You appear not to comprehend the scope of what I am saying. The problems for United are twofold. Firstly they have a crisis on the pitch. Secondly they have the organisational dilemma that all organisations face when they lose major elements of their executive personnel and that coincides with a downturn in their fortunes. For United the true problem lies off the pitch and directly impacts upon their ability to rectify the problems that they are experiencing on it.

The only thing I share with Mills is the likelihood that it will take a number of transfer windows gather new personnel with which to start the rebuilding programme and to break the culture that now is failing them. Unfortunately, I don't see their demise ending with bulldozers but I am certain that their age of dominance is now at an end. I don't bet usually but if I could get odds that United will not qualify for CL next season then they would be very very short indeed.

But now United and their problems are no concern of mine. We've extracted the maximum number of points that were possible this season and humiliated them in front of their own crowd - so that will satisfy for now. They are no threat to us any longer and therefore don't really warrent any further time or consideration.

 

I love it Dave!!