Why Liverpool's two games v Arsenal show how quickly football can change
When Liverpool faced Arsenal on the first Sunday of the season, the inevitable questions of how each team's seasons would go were asked. How would Roy Hodgson do? Will Liverpool fight for Champions League places once again and could Arsenal push on from pretenders to silverware winners?
For the Gunners, their season has gone as the majority probably predicted. Lovely football with impressive results up until around February where the bottle and character that needed to be added to the class and ability already possessed, has once again been found lacking. For Liverpool, their season hasn't been quite so predictable. Although many might have thought the Reds would be in or around sixth position as the campaign draws to a close not many would have foreseen what has happened between then and now.
The football club has had a change from top to bottom since then with new owners, a new manager and a new strikeforce - All for the better. A prime example of how much football can change in a short time can be seen by the player got sent off in the opening game. Before kick off, Joe Cole was going to be the key attacking player with Fernando Torres only on the bench. By half time he'd got out of his early bath and wouldn't feature in the league until mid September. Now, in April he was an unused substitute for the second big game in a week with likes of Jay Spearing and Jonjo Shelvey being preferred to him.
The young midfielders didn't look out of place either with Spearing putting in another assured, hard working performance and Shelvey keeping the ball well, whose persistence led to him being fouled for the free kick that led to the equalising penalty.
So, just like the first el Classico the evening before, the points were shared thanks to two expertedly taken penalties. Robin Van Persie and Dirk Kuyt both showed tremendous Dutch courage to dispatch from twelve yards under immense pressure as the record for the latest ever Premier League goal was broken twice in a matter of minutes. Although a point means Manchester United are that bit closer to a that number nineteen,the reaction of the players and the fans to Kuyts 102nd minute leveller shows that everyone at the club is focused on Liverpool and Liverpool only. Although there mightn't be much to play for in terms of tangible rewards, each remaining result is important and good performances are required from every single player. Whether that be a fringe player like Spearing showing he is good enough, or young players like John Flanagan and Jack Robinson showing that they are ready for action or even the likes of Cole and Maxi playing for their futures, Kenny Dalglish will want to install a winning mentality that can be carried on into next season.
With injuries a plenty, it is interesting to see how Dalglish is responding to the list of casualties which is growing by the week; and it seems as though he has the future in mind. Flanagan has filled in excellently at right back and is expected to start a third consecutive game at home to Birmingham tomorrow. Robinson was chosen ahead of Danny Wilson at left back, a role in which the Scot has never seemed comfortable in, whilst Spearings extended run in the side is showing how much the boss rates him. The experience gained now will help both the players and the manager next year when it comes to games with a lot more riding on them. Dalglish can use these remaining games to see who he can or cannot rely on, when Liverpool really get back to business in 2011/2012.
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