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Club Focus - Liverpool - Will the game in Spain be travelled to on a plane?
After experiencing everything from beach balls to defective knee cartilages ruining his teams’ plans this season, it should surely have come as no surprise to Rafael Benitez that an Icelandic volcano is the latest in a line of many factors to hamper his club’s preparations throughout 2009/10.
In truth it was probably one of the more predictable obstacles. In the continued uncertainty over flights out of the UK, how Liverpool will get to Madrid for Thursday’s Europa League semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid is still up for debate, but at least they’ll embark upon their trek in good heart. Ahead of last night’s match with West Ham, Benitez would have surely been concerned about the effect that a Monday night match would have had upon his long haul travellers later in the week, but he needn’t have bothered. If only they could play the Hammers all the time.
It isn’t the greatest of advertisements for the Premier League, but there will still probably be three worse teams that West Ham United come the end of the campaign. It was a spineless, gutless performance from Gianfranco Zola’s team. In truth it was just the kind of match that Liverpool could have done with ahead of what could well be a draining few days. The result was never in doubt once Yossi Benayoun chested in Steven Gerrard’s 19th minute free-kick, and further goals from a sharp David Ngog finish, and another one off Robert Green’s shin confirmed one of Liverpool’s simplest wins of the season, and gave the Reds three points that at least prolong faint hopes of a fourth placed finish a little further. Tottenham go to Manchester United and Manchester City go to Arsenal next, and so maybe those hopes should be a little higher, but the subdued atmosphere and disappointing attendance at Anfield last night suggested otherwise.
Supporters are demoralised by the poor season, but as long as the Reds keep on putting in performances like last night’s, there should at least be cause for optimism. Optimism is a word that surrounds the club right now. Friday’s announcement that Liverpool FC are officially up for sale - something that they’ve effectively been ever since George Gillett and Tom Hicks sweet talked the Royal Bank of Scotland into giving them £237m to buy the club in early 2007 - has set minds racing as to what sort of transfer budget could be available in the summer. In truth those figures can’t even be contemplated until a new, financially sound buyer is found, and that might take a while. Liverpool’s hierarchy should take their time to confirm new owners. It could easily not be sorted out until next season at the earliest, but in truth supporters should welcome that. After the last time they rushed into an ownership decision went so badly wrong, it is better to be safe than sorry this time around. Once bitten, twice shy.
Whether or not any prospective new owners will be taking over the Europa League winners could well be answered come Thursday night. Liverpool will reportedly make the trip to Madrid via road, rail and - eventually - air, but once they get there they’ll face a tough task to prolong their ambitions - and they are fierce ambitions - of winning a European trophy this season. Hopes of an away goal could rest with Ngog, who will have to take on the mantle of Liverpool’s main striker for the rest of the campaign in the wake of the knee surgery that rules Fernando Torres out of action until the World Cup.
The 21-year-old Frenchman Ngog has both benefited and suffered from being at the same club as Torres. He’ll have learned from him in training on a daily basis, and that experience should be invaluable to any young forward, but when Torres isn’t available then great expectations are placed upon Liverpool’s number 24. He’s not Torres - few could dream to be - but that doesn’t mean that the pressure is any less intense. It’s likely to get even greater at the Vicente Calderon on Thursday, as a travel-weary Liverpool enter battle in what should be a vital first leg. Ngog, Benitez and Liverpool will be hitting road, rail and air in their bid to salvage some good news from this bizarre campaign. If they can do, then the gruelling trip will have been most worthwhile. If Ngog really is 24 carat gold, then now would be a good time to prove it.
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