Monday, August 13, 2018
One night in May seems like a long time ago
One night in May seems like a long time ago
Two of the biggest clubs in Europe chose this weekend to confirm that they could be approaching troubled times.Milan recorded their third home defeat in a row, the first time this has happened in 40 years. Liverpool, after their 3-0 defeat to Arsenal, have now set the record for their worst away start in Englands top division in 52 years.
James Richardson writes in the Guardian that "twenty points from first place, nine from the Champions League positions: domestically, this Milan team is finished."
Undoubtedly, the loss of Shevchenko and eight Serie A points before the season even started has proved difficult to overcome. Carlo Ancelotti is surely on borrowed time, aside from Kaka it is hard to think of any match-winners at the Rossoneri.
Above all, most of the team that started the game against Roma are old. This is amply demonstrated by the back five that started Sundays game (Dida, Maldini, Nesta, Simic & Brocchi) who are all over 30. The two defenders on the bench, who did not play were Cafu (36) and Costacurta (40).
Amazingly the current problems at Anfield have led to criticism of both Rafa Benitez and Steven Gerrard. Matt Dickinson writes in today�s Times about the "maddening mystery of Benitez�s true personality." Dickinson points out that the Spaniard has "never spent more than three years in any job." Surely Livepool will do anything to keep Benitez, probably their best manager since Kenny Dalglish.
Much of the criticism aimed at Benitez has come from his decision to play Stevie G on the right-hand side of midfield. Alan Hansen wrote in yesterdays Telegraph that "Gerrard has to play through the middle." Most analysts seem to forget that he played most of last season on the right and scored 23 goals.
Hansen sums up the real problem, that Liverpool have relied on Gerrard for way to long: "I have said before that Liverpool cannot keep placing their faith in a single player like Gerrard, especially when he has not been performing to the very high standards he set in Benitezs first two seasons at Anfield. By no means is Gerrard playing badly, but you cannot expect him to keep performing at the levels he has been doing because every player, no matter how good, sees his form dip."
For the neutrals one has to hope that these two massive clubs can turn their current fortunes around simply because they produced the greatest European final in modern times only a year and a half ago.
(A documentary on the 2005 Champions League final, "One Night in May," can be seen here, here and here.)
