Football Dispatch

Monday Football
07 January 2008
by Jerrad Peters

FA Cup replay: lousy Liverpool will host happy Hatters
This time, somebody may actually whack John Arne Riise with a golf club. The Norwegian defender’s botched clearing attempt in the 77th minute of Liverpool’s Third Round FA Cup tie at Luton Town gifted the Hatters a well-deserved draw and the promise of a lucrative replay against the 2006 winners at Anfield. Conversely, it also heaped additional pressure on the shoulders of under-fire manager Rafael Benitez. It’s questionable at this point just how much more criticism the Spaniard can actually withstand. He is already on tenuous footing with the club’s American owners and, after Sunday’s debacle, can expect factions within the club’s support to turn against him as well.

As it happened, Liverpool very nearly escaped with their pride intact. Peter Crouch, who along with Dirk Kuyt was devoid of chances throughout the proceedings, scored what looked to be the match-winner when he beat Dean Brill in the 74th minute. The goal came as a shock to the Kenilworth Road faithful who had watched their side dominate possession and create the better chances as the match progressed.

Justice was served just three minutes later, however, when Riise deflected Drew Talbot’s cross behind stand-in goalkeeper Charles Itandje. And at the final whistle, the obvious and recurring questions. How could Benitez have omitted each of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Pepe Reina, and Javier Mascherano? And in addition to that, how could he have left three of the four out of the squad entirely? How could the likes of Riise, Crouch, Kuyt, Ryan Babel, and Xabi Alonso not have beaten a League One outfit currently mired in administration? And, of course, how could Benitez expect to keep his job?

“I don’t fear a change at the end of the season,” stated the 47-year-old, afterward. And he’s probably right in his thinking. Liverpool co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are likely to contemplate a managerial chance a lot sooner than that.

Even more inexplicable than his squad selection, however, was Benitez’ absurd proclamation that he was “happy” to be forced into a replay. “I am happy,” he said, “because we will have another game at Anfield.”

They will indeed. A preventable game which will needlessly expend the energies of his players. Ironically, Benitez’ squad rotation looks to have added matches to Liverpool’s schedule. So much for keeping fresh for critical matches in April and May. The title must certainly be a long way off when you’re worrying over replays with Luton.

FA Cup Fourth Round draw highlights
Giant-killers Oldham Athletic and Huddersfield Town have been paired together in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup. Oldam will host the match at Boundary Park after shocking Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday. Huddersfield, meanwhile, saw off Birmingham City 2-1 through Luke Beckett and Chris Brandon.

After beating Aston Villa 2-0 at Villa Park, Saturday, Manchester United will face Premier League opposition once again. The Red Devils will host either Tottenham Hotspur or Reading in the Fourth Round. Another all-Premier League tie will feature Chelsea at the JJB for an encounter with Steve Bruce’s resurgent Wigan Athletic. Finally, the winner of the West Ham-Manchester City replay will win a trip to Bramall Lane for a match against Sheffield United.

More Berbatov twists
Despite Tottenham manager Juande Ramos’ 35M-pound valuation of Dimitar Berbatov, Manchester City have tossed their hat in the ring for the 26-year-old’s signature. Fellow Bulgarian Martin Petrov is keen to lure his countryman to Eastlands and has come out in support of the transfer. City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been prowling for another striker since taking the reigns at the club and has been guaranteed a bottomless war-chest by owner Thaksin Shinawatra for the winter transfer period.

Shinawatra, the deposed Thai prime minister, would like to spend his way to the heights of
English football a la Roman Abramovich. The belief is that he may overspend in order to bring world-class talent, such as Berbatov, to the club.

Berbatov, however, has suddenly attempted to calm the water regarding his status as White Hart Lane. Yesterday, the striker criticized his agent, Emil Dantchev, saying, “I’m happy at the moment. You can win titles and medals with every team and I can win with Tottenham, too.”

The former Bayer Leverkusen hitman also put aside the commonly-held notion that he maintains an inflated impression of his own value. Regarding Ramos’ valuation, Berbatov stated, “It’s ridiculous. I don’t think I’m worth so much money. I just have to do my job and score goals. I’m not a one-man team.”

If he is being sincere in his comments, much of the Berbatov saga could be laid at the feet of a renegade agent out to make a quick buck from a big-money transfer. It’s not inconceivable; and it wouldn’t be the first time.

7-goal wonder wanted by Boro
Alfonso Alves rose to prominence when he scored 7-goals in a single match against Heracles earlier this season. That is, at least, prominence in English football circles. Indeed, the 26-year-old Brazilian has been doing little else than scoring goals since arriving in Holland in 2006. In 49-appearances for Eredivisie side Heerenveen, he has notched 49-goals – including 34 in the league proper. And at 6-feet, 2-inches, he poses an imposing frame in front of goal. Middlesbrough have already made an offer for the player and Heerenveen have reportedly accepted. It now remains the player’s decision whether to make the move to Teeside. If he’d like some free advice…

In/out
Juande Ramos will make an attempt to sign Tal Ben Haim over the coming days. The 25-year-old Israel international defender moved to Chelsea in a free transfer from Bolton Wanderers in the summer. He has, however, failed to earn a regular place in manager Avram Grant’s starting XI and is thought to be pondering a change of scenery. Even with the long-term injury to captain John Terry, Ben Haim has been kept out of the side by former PSV Eindhoven centre-half Alex. The addition of Serb youngster Branislav Ivanovic has also served to further unsettle the Israeli. Ramos, keen to upgrade each of his defensive positions at Tottenham, would be willing to pay upwards of 8M-pounds for his services.

Manchester City, ever threatening to sign everyone before signing no one, will make a substantial offer for Alessandro Mancini. The AS Roma winger was the subject of failed bids from both Liverpool and Lyon in the summer. But with the Giallorossi performing well in Serie-A and through to the Round-of-16 in the Champions’ League, it is unlikely that manager Luciano Spalletti would part with the Brazilian. Unless, of course, the price was right. Sven-Goran Eriksson values the 27-year-old at roughly 16M-pounds.

You’ll remember these names
German giants Hertha Berlin and Schalke 04 dipped into the winter transfer market over the weekend. Hertha paid 5M-euros for highly-rated Brazilian Rafael. The 22-year-old has scored 12-goals in 15-matches for FC Zurich this season and Hertha boss Lucien Favre is hopeful that he can help boost the club’s woeful goalscoring record. Not coincidentally, Favre coached Rafael at Zurich before taking assuming the vacancy in the German capital this season.

Schalke, meanwhile, have signed Levan Kenia. Just 17-years-old, the Lokomotiv Tbilisi playmaker has already signed a 4-year-contract with the Gelsenkirchen side. The Georgia international already has six senior caps under his belt, including the famous 2-0 win over Scotland in October.