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Two down, two to go Liverpool still has plenty left to accomplish
Updated: Sunday May 13, 2001 11:44 AM
CARDIFF (Reuters) -- Like the great Anfield sides of old, Gerard Houllier's Liverpool displayed the ability to win when playing badly in Saturday's FA Cup final as it continued its remarkable progress on four fronts this season. The 2-1 victory over Arsenal added to the sense that a changing of the guard is taking place in English football, with the two major powers of the last decade, Manchester United and Arsenal, being rapidly caught up by the youthful vigor of sides like Liverpool and Leeds United. Houllier's team is a long way from matching the dominance of the Liverpool sides of the 1970s and '80s, but not even they managed to win three major cup finals in one season. Liverpool, having already won the League Cup, will achieve that feat if it wins against Spanish side Alaves in Wednesday's UEFA Cup final. It is just as determined to complete a remarkable quartet by beating Charlton Athletic in its final premier league match next Saturday to finish third, thereby sealing a Champions League place next season. "The team that started the game, I don't think they were over 24 years of age on average," said Houllier. "So we still have a lot to do in terms of maturity and progression. "Of course this kind of experience is going to give more self-belief to players. All I know is the talent and the work ethic and the attitude is right and, when the attitude is right, usually everything follows." On Saturday, the boisterous Millennium Stadium provided the perfect platform for Liverpool to show its resilience. One Liverpool banner read simply "A Hero Will Rise" and Michael Owen duly did so with his deadly late double. "Big players usually respond, they deliver in big games," said Houllier of his star striker, who is still only 21. Having scored goals in the World Cup for England and now in a domestic cup final, Owen, like the rest of the Liverpool camp, wants to play on the biggest club stage of all, the Champions League -- even if it messes up his summer holiday. "It would be a great achievement for the players and the team and the staff and everyone involved to win the other cup but, at the start of the season, we set out to get into the Champions League and we've got one eye on that game," said Owen. Looking forward "Obviously we'll be focused on the game -- I think everyone'll be wishing their summer holidays away because they'll be looking forward so much to playing in the Champions League." Saturday's success was achieved despite the fact that Steven Gerrard and Emile Heskey, its two brightest other young talents, had relatively poor games and it needed a couple of experienced substitutes after Freddie Ljungberg's goal for Arsenal to spark them into life. The first replacement, 36-year-old Gary McAllister, provided the free kick from which Owen athletically scored the equalizer. Then the second, Czech Patrik Berger, whose cv includes a goal in the final of Euro 96, floated the long ball behind Arsenal's aging defense from which Owen raced through to win the cup for Liverpool. "I thought the subs brought a bit of a spark and a bit of freshness and stamina. Patrik came on and delivered a good pass to Michael," said Houllier. Liverpool could have been dead and buried by then if it had not been for two goal line clearances by captain Sami Hyppia and his central defensive mate Stephane Henchoz, who was lucky not to have conceded a penalty after deflecting Thierry Henry's tentative 17th-minute effort wide with his forearm. "I just tried to do my job," said Hyypia, the modest Finn who, despite being captain for the day, was happy to let Robbie Fowler and injured club captain Jamie Redknapp lift the trophy. "If the goalkeeper is off his line, I step in and I happened to be there when the ball came." Youth is not blooming at Arsenal, whose defensive trio of goalkeeper David Seaman, Tony Adams and Lee Dixon -- aged 37, 35, and 37 respectively -- were all left floundering when Owen scored his winner. "We need some players. We have lost two big games now in the last 15 minutes, Valencia and now this one and it is not a coincidence," said manager Arsene Wenger. The Londoners also need a striker who can finish after Henry, for all his sublime control and running ability, squandered chance after chance on Saturday. As the BBC's former England striker Gary Lineker later said: "He lacks the killer instinct."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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