Liverpool End League Season On A Draw, Now Onward To Athens

It sure would have been nice to end the season on a win but Matt Holland’s freak first minute goal dented that opportunity. Then again, it would have been nice for Robbie Fowler to end his last Liverpool season with a league goal but within 30 seconds of him coming off the pitch, Liverpool had a penalty that Harry Kewell tucked away, one Fowler certainly would have been down to take.

Even though the game ended in a draw it was still enough to secure a third place finish in the league with Arsenal failing to overcome Portsmouth - a victory for Arsenal sending them above Liverpool on points difference. It all helps - money, statistics - whatever way you look at it.

What is interesting to me anyway is that Harry Kewell was on fire when he hit the pitch yesterday. To be honest, I have doubts about him remaining at Liverpool past the close season, and given that he hasn’t played proper league football in the guts of a year you would have to seriously question the selection choices at Liverpool if Kewell makes it to the pitch in Athens. There’s no way the club can afford another repeat of Istanbul, give Kewell his final spot against the grain only to have him collapse again when he hits the pitch.

Yesterday did show though that we need strength on the wings. Arbeloa had a bit of a mare while Zenden just hasn’t got the pace. Without injury, Kewell and Garcia would still be my choice for the Liverpool wings and both would have enough in them to cause no end of problems for Milan in Athens but as it stands Garcia will be out for another few months and Harry has missed 11 months of soccer action, he can hardly expect to walk into the Champions League final side now, can he? Would you do it, put him in the side?

In the end, it hasn’t been a bad season for Liverpool, though anything less than a top four finish would have been pretty poor. It is still evident that we’re not a league-winning side. We need the strength in depth, certain players need to gel in their roles. Bellamy and Kuyt have done well for their debut seasons; Mascherano has fit in following his move but needs to keep his head focused on the pitch as yesterday showed; Daniel Agger is getting stronger as the weeks go by and is an ideal long-term replacement for Sami Hyypia. There’s difficulties on the wings still and we need to stop dropping points against poorer sides.

Yet we’ve got new owners, new players on the way (including Voronin), the possibility of a nice transfer budget, a new stadium on the way and things are really looking up. Not only that but in a few days time the Liverpool squad depart for some climate training before our second Champions League final in three seasons, not bad for a club who hasn’t won the league title in nearly 20 years. Though maybe now we can stop saying “ah sure there’s always next year” and let next season be the one where it all falls into place.

For now though it is time to start concentrating on the one match remaining in Liverpool’s calendar. Milan and Liverpool tied at 2-2, Fowler strolls on to the pitch to score an 89th minute penalty to win the cup? Or maybe just goes medieval on his last game and bags a hat-trick.

One can live in hope….

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