Jim White

It all depends on Torres

Fri Oct 23 09:35AM

It was not perhaps the terminology his manager might use, but Glen Johnson was accurate in his assessment of what Sunday's game against Manchester United means for his club's season. Speaking in Liverpool's training ground earlier this week, the England full-back described the fixture as "s*** or bust".

His point was this: facing the champions in such a position, after the worst run of defeats in 22 years, with morale so low it is barely detectable, with the possibility of their championship campaign lasting only until the day the clocks go back, might seem like the worst possible bit of timing. Another defeat - and United are currently adept at inflicting them while not playing particularly well - and it really is all over. With four league setbacks already recorded, another would suggest, far from being champions at the end of the season, they would be lucky to make it into the Champions League qualifying positions. Victory, however, against the odds and against expectation, would fill the squad with the sort of self-belief that could set the team back on course for trophies. It is, as he says, a massive game.

United enter it in strangely mixed form. Against CSKA Moscow in midweek they were full of professionalism and control: Paul Scholes was simply magnificent. In the second half against Bolton the previous Saturday they were anything but. While nothing like as abject as Liverpool were against Lyon, they were not the easy, smooth machine they can be. And that was despite Edwin van der Sar bringing a bit of confidence and stability back to the back line. That they won against Gary Megson's side is yet further proof of Alan Hansen's favourite adage, that it is the mark of champions that they can conjure up a win when still playing badly.

It might be comforting for Liverpool followers if their problem were the opposite. If their defeats over the past four games had solely been about misfortune and a malevolent fate, that they were playing well but losing, it might speak of an impending change in circumstance. But against Sunderland it was not solely the intervention of a plastic beach ball that beat them, they were woeful. And in the second half against Lyon they were even worse. This was a defeat that spoke of something more significant that just an autumnal dip in form.

So what chance have Liverpool got of surfing out of Anfield on Sunday evening on a riptide of renewed vigour and hope? Well, it all comes down to this: it depends if Fernando Torres plays. If the other players see the Spaniard's name on the team sheet the lift will be enormous. Before they even walk out on the pitch, a sudden injection of hope will course through their veins. They can deliver all the platitudes they want about them not being a two-man team and about the faith they have in the squad and how all of them are pulling together, but let's face it, you would hardly be human if you were not hugely relieved to see Torres lining up alongside you rather than David Ngog. Or heaven help us Andriy Voronin.

It is probably too late now to work out quite how Rafa Benitez has arrived at this position of being so bereft of cover for his genius centre forward, but, with Stephen Gerrard unlikely to be fit, he knows Torres has to play on Sunday. Just look at the game from Nemanja Vidic's position. Last season Torres destroyed the foresquare United defender at Old Trafford, turned former invincibility into something that resembled pre-set jelly. Vidic has made a mixed start to this season: his manager selected him in Moscow in midweek largely in an attempt to play him and his centre-back partner Rio Ferdinand back into form in time for Sunday. What a pleasant way to ease yourself into the pace of things if you are faced with Ngog. What a nightmare if it is Torres you have to mark.

The fact is, if Johnson is right and everything depends on Sunday, then Torres has to play. With him they have a chance. Without him, before November arrives, Liverpool's hopes of lifting the title will have gone.

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1st
From slim_shady398 on Fri Oct 23 10:10AM
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1st time on first good article too
From slim_shady398 on Fri Oct 23 10:10AM
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I'm loathe to quarrel with an "old schoolmate", but 71 years of watching football cause me to smile when i read comments like"It all depends on Torres". Yes he's a great player,and Yes he'll lift the team,but Fergie's no mug about how to play him and neither is Vidic who has had the runaround.in the past. At this level, games are seldom won by one super-player,but by the team that plays as a team. If I were a Liverpool fan, I'd be more concerned at how United played in Moscow without at least four who will be available on Sunday. Berbatovv is beginning to tick,Valencia is improving every game, and Gary Neville is nearing his best. I don't know who'll win,and I greatly respect Liverpool-but we're going to Anfield with realistic and Great Expectations.
From kel.palmer on Fri Oct 23 10:11AM
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Spot on article. Torres is class, no doubt about it. Liverpools problem is that he's the only real world class player they have. Man Utd will win this at a canter. I'm seriously going to miss having Liverpool as a creditable foe. Chelsea - BORING UGLY FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!! Arsenal - flatter to deceive. Man City - Hahahahaha! Liverpool - R.I.P.
From chrismanu747 on Fri Oct 23 10:32AM
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Same thing I said before. Even if Torres is playing, Liverpool will lose if Lucas is involved.
From josephhkng on Fri Oct 23 11:06AM
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good article...torres is a massive addition to the team that has been so bad for 3 weeks
From skinthole on Fri Oct 23 11:34AM
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Nice article Jim. My worry is, United have a way of effing up this kinda opportunities. I'm a United fan & nothing will give me more pleasure than a 4:1 scoreline in our favour @ Anfield on Sunday. BUT....& Sir Alex has to tell his charges, that will only happen if the team is clinical in creating chances & merciless in taking them. There cant be a better time to RIP the heart out of the KOP than on Sunday. I hope the boys will grab it with hands, feet & heads!!! That said, its still a Liverpool V United game & ANYTHING can happen!
From yomibello on Fri Oct 23 11:35AM
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A half decent article, by a half decent football (among the majority of football pundit rougues). Liverpool played alot better against lyon than mr white suggests, they were unlucky not to be 2-0 up before half time and just after half time. The media and the nutters who write some bloggs are trying to put more pressure on liverpool than they deserve, liverpool would not of lost at sunderland without the beach ball and the lack of knowledge of the ref. Even if liverpool lose against man utd, they are the real winners and ferguson is the real loser, becuase of his bad opinions and lack of sportsmanship. White has no right to rubbish squad players like n'gog before their career has hardly started. The trouble is with football with football culture and worst football media, is they want success yesterday or very soon. liverpool have competed really well over the past several seasons, competing against the huge advantages of man utd (and they have only occasionally played good football). Sometimes in football their is no justice. The football media won't be happy until they have hounded benetiez out of his job.
N. Whitfield
From nickwhit22 on Fri Oct 23 11:43AM
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Nice article only for Manure fans. Not saying that JW is biased against LFC and I do not care, but media really and truly is against them. If they win they criticise them, if they loose they are in crisis. Benitez never gets anything right for them. Any system he uses is wrong. I would like to see LFC winning every single thing absolutely but there is competition and there are other very good managers also playing against. My only problem is with Lucas. He's not good at defending and not creating any chances. He is just distracting Mascherano. I am all out with Benitez except for playing him.
From sardvic on Fri Oct 23 12:26PM
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No.9 Nick Whitfield....
I've never read so much incorrect blinkered rubbish on here, do you even watch any matches?
Liverpool played alot better against lyon than mr white suggests...UH NO THEY DIDN'T! THEY WERE THE HOME SIDE AND MADE LYON LOOK LIKE BARCELONA, WERE LUCKY TO GET AHEAD IN THE MATCH.
liverpool would not of lost at sunderland without the beach ball and the lack of knowledge of the ref..DID YOU WATCH THIS? THEY HAD 85 MINUTES TO GET BACK IN THE GAME AND WERE LUCKY TO LOSE BY JUST THE ONE GAME..WORST LIVERPOOL PERFORMANCE IN YEARS
Even if liverpool lose against man utd, they are the real winners and ferguson is the real loser..HA HA OK THEN MATE
liverpool have competed really well over the past several seasons, competing against the huge advantages of man utd..DUH LIKE WHAT? 'POOL HAVE SPENT MORE AND BROUGHT IN 67 PLAYERS OVER 5 YEARS..FACT MORE THAN MAN UTD..competed really well..if winning nothing in 3 years is competing well then I agree.
halfwit!
From rugmeister68 on Fri Oct 23 12:27PM
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AAHHH want to sex your slow
From murphyniall on Fri Oct 23 12:33PM
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What a ridiculous and flimsy team, Liverpool are. "It all depends on Torres". Liverpool are about as secure right now as a hymen in a South London Comprehensive.
You will never walk alone.....in the Europa League next season (if you're lucky!)
From paqman78 on Fri Oct 23 12:37PM
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I think there is still time for Liverpool to get it right this season. And I do see Liverpool winning Silverware this season. Not sure what yet but I think it's coming. Strength in depth is missing yes but I think only for Torres & Gerrard which is what makes it look like we depend on them. I think every other position is covered by at least 2 players. I'm hoping Aquilani will solve the Gerrard one and hey watch this space in January for David Villa could be available for as little as 2 Million and he seems a little fed up at Valencia at the moment.
From kel_clennell on Fri Oct 23 12:38PM
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c'mon TORRES!
From eddicent on Fri Oct 23 12:40PM
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utd to win 1 nil, in a really boring stale game
From vince.patterson on Fri Oct 23 12:41PM
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Liverpool beat man utd without torres or gerrard last year ?
From lopezmaxi92 on Fri Oct 23 12:42PM
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FORGET ABOUT TORRES , WEARE NOT DEFENDI NG WELL THAT ISTHAT
From salmanmalki on Fri Oct 23 12:44PM
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Touch my bum!
From fil.hindle on Fri Oct 23 12:54PM
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Good article but it doesn't all depend on Torres. It depends on Ngog, Lucas, Babel and any other player you care to mention who is just not up to the required standard. Liverpool's problem is not so much the two star players but more the 20 odd average ones wo make up the rest of the squad. The test of any squad is to see how many of their players could improve upon those in the same position in your team. Below Gerrard and Torres there is nobody who could get into Man Utd's team.
From grahamnpotter on Fri Oct 23 12:55PM
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Nice article Jim, if something of an over-simplification. El Nino was gusting around the pitch at Spurs, against Villa, Chelsea and Fiorentina - along with Gerrard - and all to no great effect. And we all know why that is; the loss of Alonso has cut the supply chain to the front, exposing the creative limitations of Mascherano and Lucas.
So perhaps the presence of Torres on Sunday is significant only to the degree that he may (whatever his level of fitnes) distract United to a certain extent. He will have an effect on the mind-set of the opposition and his team mates, as you say. But I fear this may only alter the scale of the defeat that is surely coming.
Of greater significance I suspect will be whether Rooney plays, because if he does, the shockingly fragile rearguard is going to be in for one hell of an examination. He, along with likes of Giggs and Neville, will understand what an opportunity has presented itself, not only to knock a so-called title rival out of the race, but actually inflict a longer-term damage. No Champions League, and we are looking at one unsustainable business model at Anfield. Did someone whisper Leeds?
Surely this is the game to move Carragher to right back and push Jonson further forward? And why not partner Torres with Kuyt? It's an easy game from the sidelines.
From kentishstock on Fri Oct 23 12:59PM
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a lot of Lpool fans want the unthinkable...Utd to win by a cricket score but a three nil defeat will do anything that will hasten the departure of Benitez, the man is a gutless coward who blames everyone but himself and we are living on a very didgy 2005 win in Istanbul. Lpool fans know how lucky we were that night and we kept it to oursellves but now honesty has to be out in the open. Imagine Lpool going to CSK Moscow with five first teamers left at home...never happen! What happens if Torres is out...we lose not last season granted but we had Alonso then...we don't now. Benitez spoke to Crouch two times in a year and a half. What is wrong with him? Control freak on speed that's his problem, telling people like Pennant to hug the line when he can beat three in a row and cross a ball, no wonder Jermains told him to stick his club, that is the trouble it is HIS club got rid of all the backroom staff and getting by on yes men. That is not the Lpool way. As much as I loathe them. I want them to get rid of Benitez for me and thousands more.
From steviecalrow on Fri Oct 23 01:00PM
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Who cares?? My boyfriend thinks the same with me. He is eight years older than me, lol. We met online at __EUAgeless.com__ nice and free place for younger women and older men, or older women and younger men, to interact with each other. Maybe you wanna check out or tell your friends.
From lucykey19810823 on Fri Oct 23 01:25PM
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Who cares?? My boyfriend thinks the same with me. He is eight years older than me, lol. We met online at __EUAgeless.com__ nice and free place for younger women and older men, or older women and younger men, to interact with each other. Maybe you wanna check out or tell your friends.
From lucykey19810823 on Fri Oct 23 01:25PM
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liverpool will win the game 3-1
From abiyuassefa on Fri Oct 23 01:29PM
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liverpool have beaten bolton west ham burnley stoke hull and debrecen while losing to spurs villa chelsea sunderland fiorentina and lyon ........ 4 out of the 5 teams liverpool beat will be in a relegation dog fight and stoke wont win 3 games away from home all year .When you sll alonso and expect lucas to slot in seamlessly into the team you deserve to be sacked .When you sell a striker in january(Keane) and still the summer after dont buy any cover you deserve to be sacked . When you are playing a champions league game and drawing 1 all with Lyon and you take off our best chance of a goal benayoun amd bring on andriy vorinon you deserve to be sacked
From darren.varley on Fri Oct 23 01:53PM
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Liverpool fans are trying to cover up massive mistakes and flaws made by Rafa by blaming the Owners. wen ever Liverpool loose or theres trouble at the club it's the owners fault never Rafa's!!! And then Rafa has the cheek to blame the owners for not supporting him financialy in the transfer market???? would any of u want to give this man your money to spend on players look at the money he's wasted in the time he's been there on ABSOLUTLY TERRIBLE PLAYERS SOME WOULDNT GET IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP LET ALONE a so called BIG 4?? Lucas,Babel,Voronin,insuia,ngog,keane,arbiloa,the greek cb the italin left back 9 million lol joke!!! the list goes on!!!! why should they give him more money when all he's bought are terrible players, not are they no good as starting 11 but there rubish squad players lol which is even worse!! yea okay not every player can adapt and make it in the prem but out of the 62 rafa has bought i can only think of a handfull tht hav been "good buys" and thats stretching it!!
at the end of the day it's down to the manager to train coach and get the best out of the resources he's got and i dont think he has done this atal, he forced alonso out because he thought barry was comming and that he wud b better for the team the alonso???? really??? and mascerano will leave at the end of the season because of Rafa, he just dosnt know how to connect with the players. rubbish manager!!!!!!
From mattneems on Fri Oct 23 01:55PM
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#18 I just imagined the sobs and tears as you wrote that!
Man u 2 L'pool 0 ht 1-0
From screwloose.computers on Fri Oct 23 02:09PM
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chrismanu 747, absolutely spot on at last some one on here that knows their football!!
From ruairiflynn on Fri Oct 23 02:15PM
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+1 to article
From kestutis_vir on Fri Oct 23 02:15PM
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its steven gerrard not a stephen gerrard you fool jim white
From hidayat_wisel on Fri Oct 23 02:22PM
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