English Soccer - Liverpool Must Stay Focused

It was so frustrating to watch Liverpool Football Club during their match against Stoke City a week ago. To think that I had to stay up all night waiting for the time of the showing in my part of the globe. They were on top of the league and everything seemed quiet at the camp.

But an unexpected outburst of words from club manager Rafael Benitez, criticizing the way the FA seemed to turn a blind eye to Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson's alleged actions of disrespect to the referees seemed  to have rocked Liverpool's boat and which made them tense the night they played. Which is perhaps a contentious statement. But to fail to come up with a win against a side whom you have met before, wouldn't Benitez been able to come up with a better strategy against Stoke? For one thing, I cannot understand his decision to play with only one striker, and picked Dirk Kuyt over Robbie Keane, provided that Fernando Torres still isn't fit to play the whole 90 minutes. And to clog the middle with five midfielders with Steven Gerrard playing support? As if the Stoke half wont get crowded enough when they let everyone stay back and defend it.

Stoke has lost 10 games, but has also snatched a win against Arsenal. Meaning does this team play differently against other teams but employ this defensive style of play against the big four clubs? Unfortunately though, I can't watch all the games and whenever I watch a game of Stoke against the Big 4, I often see this defensive style of play. Is it wrong? No, but the team lost against Chelsea and Manchester United so there must be a way for Liverpool to defeat Stoke. Instead, I witnessed a sequel of the their first meeting.

With United perhaps leading the soccer standing after the Saturday night game, Liverpool now have to win not only this Monday's Merseyside derby but all their remaining games and win so in convincing fashion. To do so means that they have to stay focused and courageous. And it also means that any external factors be shut out, from the mind of manager Rafael Benitez to the minds of the players.

Benitez, with his tirade, appears to have been the first manager to succumb to Ferguson's mind games. Its different to talk the talk but Benitez also has to show that the club can walk the walk. That plus his health matters, soon to undergo another operation to remove more kidney stones and his ongoing negotiations regarding his future with Liverpool Football Club , it seems that the manager has a lot on his plate at the moment. Rumors about Daniel Agger's agent was allegedly seen talking to AC Milan representatives also provides unwanted distraction.

It is up to Liverpool's home grown heroes of Gerrard and Jaime Carragher to rally the players and instill in them the belief that they can withstand this onslaught of United, break an 18 year title drought and win the English Premier League crown. Lucky for the Reds that Chelsea are sputtering at this time and that loss to Man U really showed that the Blues appear to be not that in to their campaign. And Arsenal? Until they get Cesc Fabregas back from injury, might lose to Stoke once again. Why do I say that? It's a sequel!

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