Liverpool Keep Rolling

So, is Liverpool the real deal? Well, that 1-0 defeat of Chelsea on Sunday would have the optimists breaking out the champagne already…and the cynics chirping on about another false dawn. As I’ve said before, I don’t know if Liverpool will win the title this season, but I think they’ll be in the thick of the title chase, something that hasn’t happened in 12 years.

It’s not just the fact that the Reds have now beaten both Man U and Chelsea; it’s more the manner in which they have overcome the two toughest teams in the Premiership. I’ve said enough about the Man U game at Anfield, but at Stamford Bridge it was fascinating to see Liverpool on top of the Blues for the full 90 minutes.

Sure, Chelsea dominated the ball but they created precious little with it and save for a frantic dash to punch out a Bosingwa cross, Pepe Reina was never called upon in the Liverpool goal. There are those who would label this just another game crushing defensive display, yet it’s not for nothing that Chelsea had been unbeaten at the Bridge for more than four years. Besides, just ask Middlesbrough how easy it is to keep Chelsea quiet for 90 minutes. Sure, Liverpool defended very well – hey, that’s part of the game – but Petr Cech was clearly the busier of the two ‘keepers and the margin could well have been wider.

Some would also argue that Alonso’s goal was a lucky strike, given the deflection off Bosingwa. No matter. That’s part of the game too, and many long-suffering Liverpool fans – yours truly included – will recall Joe Cole’s deflected winner at Anfield in 2005, after Liverpool had been denied two clear penalty appeals.

But that’s all water under the bridge. One win against Chelsea will not bring the title to Anfield and the season is only nine weeks old. Liverpool clearly have the quality and the character to make a title challenge. Only time will tell if they can stay consistent and Liverpool fans will do well to heed the lessons of 2002.

Then, as now, the Reds got the season off to a flyer, winning 9 and drawing three of their first 12 matches…..before disaster struck and they followed with 5 draws and 6 losses in the next eleven!

Of course, Gerard Houllier’s squad included such leading lights as Bruno Cheyrou, Salif Diao, El Hadji Diouf and Djimi Traore. Benitez’s squad is clearly of much brighter vintage and I doubt they’ll implode in such spectacular manner. Exciting times at Anfield but there’s a long, long way to go.