Torres key to Liverpool's success

If there's one player Liverpool need to hold on to, it's Fernando Torres. Reports are once again linking him with a move back to Spain but staying at Anfield seems to be a top priority for the ace striker. Let's hope it remains that way. If Liverpool want to challenge Manchester United for the Premiership and gain further European success, Torres is key to their ambitions.

Torres was one of the first players to be offered a new contract to stay at Liverpool.
Although the Spain striker still had four years remaining on his original six-year contract, Liverpool presented him with improved terms and added an option to take the deal through to 2014.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has described Torres as one of the best strikers in the game today and he is convinced he can only get better. "Every major side would want him in their team, but he has shown how much he wants to achieve success at Liverpool by committing his future to the club," Benitez said recently.

"He's a special talent but still has the hunger to improve his game."His faith in Torres seems to be reciprocated.Torres says a lot of other players committed themselves to Liverpool this summer and he was no exception.He believes their ambitions, and his, can be met by the Reds next season and is convinced he will win both the League and the European Cup with Liverpool.

"The winning tradition is very clear at Liverpool. I want to be involved in a little piece of their history. As long as Liverpool want me, I will stay," he has told the national press. "I am happy with my contract and would not leave just to earn a little more somewhere else. To want any more would be greedy and that is not me."Liverpool pushed Manchester United all the way in the title race last season before having to settle for second place.Dirk Kuyt, Daniel Agger, Steven Gerrard and Benitez himself have already signed new contracts in the last two months.

"We've made huge progress this season and now we need to take the next step," Benitez added on the club's website."We are building something special here and securing such important players on long-term deals means we can move forward with confidence. This sends out a very positive message to everyone connected with the club."

Hip hip hooray for Hyypia

Just how brilliant are the Liverpool supporters! Not only can the Kop raise the roof when the going gets tough, they can now dictate the tactics too.There was a brilliant flash of humour on the final day of the Premiership season as the Reds confronted Tottenham at Anfield.

Liverpool had already secured their creditable second place to Manchester United but Tottenham still had everything to play for with a place in the Europa League at stake.Liverpool also had a record to maintain – an entire season unbeaten at home for the first time in 21 years.

Fernando Torres had already secured a place in the history book by scoring his 50th goal of the season for Liverpool and with the Reds coasting to victory, it was the fans, as opposed to Rafael Benitez, who wanted a change on the pitch. Bring on hero Sami Hyypia, they cried.

Benitez later admitted it had always been his intention to bring the big Norwegian on a minute or two from time so the Kop could wish him a fond farewell. After a brilliant ten seasons with Liverpool, Hyypia is joining Bayer Leverkusen to see out his playing career.

His cool head, brilliant defending and a crucial goal or two made him a firm favourite at Anfield and the crowd had absolutely no intention of letting him go without a rip-roaring send-off.Managers aren’t normally dictated too by the supporters but on this occasion, Benitez just had to concede.

Ten minutes before time, on came Hyypia and what a great touch it was for captain Steven Gerrard to pass on his armband. The icing on the cake would have been scoring and Hyypia very nearly did that too.Afterwards, as Hyypia did a lap of honour, applauding the crowd, he admitted there were tears in his eyes.

Liverpool are losing a grand servant and their loss is Bayer Leverkusen’s gain. It’s great players like Hyypia who form the backbone of clubs, working consistently and silently in the background but always being there when needed.It’s odds on that Sami Hyypia will one day return to Anfield in some sort of coaching capacity and Liverpool will welcome him back with open arms.

Meantime, attention turns to Xabi Alonso who is being tipped to leave Liverpool, possibly for Real Madrid. Benitez says no, this is not the case. Alonso is happy at Anfield, has no plans to leave and is a great player they still want around.Liverpool fans will be waiting to see just who remains in the squad and what new signings will be made for the next season.

The Kop will be hoping to go one step better and secure the Premiership and avoiding those costly draws at home will be the key. Even the fans won’t be able to dictate that one.

Stevie G’s gold dust

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has double reason to be proud of his latest accolade, Writers’ Award Player of the Year 2009.

For in the wake of the announcement, reaction by football fans across the Premiership has been one of praise, rather than sour grapes.

How different to the nasty gripes which followed the PFA’s choice of Ryan Giggs for their Player of the Year, a title for which Stevie G was also short-listed. Giggs wrongly received plenty of flax, given his lack of appearance for Manchester United this season and the belief that the award was more for outstanding performance over the years as opposed to an illustrious season.

No-one can take that away from Gerrard. He has been an absolute inspiration, a talisman for Liverpool and, but for his injury spell during some vital last games, could and probably would have made all the difference to the Reds’ title challenge.

Gerrard has notched up so many successes and accolades during his career that it’s hard to believe he will be only 29 at the end of this month. He is one of only 16 Liverpool players to have scored more than 100 goals for his team and there have been some absolute crackers.

Gerrard has it all. Charm, charisma, speed, skill, agility, the ability to perform in a variety of positions and the cool head to lead where others will follow. But he has that additional quality no amount of money or training will buy. He has the golden touch. Put Gerrard on to the field when things seem down and out and it’s like sprinkling gold-dust on to the pitch.

Who will ever forget his incredible show of fortitude during the Champions League final in Istanbul in 2005? Apparently down and out with a 3-0 deficit against AC Milan, even die-hard Liverpool fans were switching off their televisions and leaving the stadium in their droves. But just nine minutes after coming back out of the tunnel, Stevie had turned the tide to begin one of the greatest comebacks in years and eventually lifted the cup in front of delirious fans.

And then, in 2006, he did it again, scoring a dramatic last-minute equaliser against West Ham in the FA Cup final at Cardiff to force extra-time and the victory on penalties for Liverpool.

Captain Fantastic, as he has become known, as won virtually every piece of silverware there is going and numerous titles. He concedes that the Writers´Award Player of the Year 2009 is one of his proudest achievements to date.

What Gerrard now needs to do is to win the Premiership with Liverpool, the only accolade eluding him. Manager Rafael Benitez knows what he has got in Stevie G and realises he is the man who can make all the difference between success and narrow failure. Gerrard may well wear red and be a Red through and through but sometimes, on that rare occasion, a player transcends all club rivalry and wins the admiration of all, no matter what their allegiance. Gerrard is one of them.

Liverpool can temporarily move back to the top of the Premier League

Liverpool face a tricky trip to West Ham United today but can move back to the top of the Premier League with a win. It will be a tough encounter at Upton Park as West Ham are also trying to push for a UEFA cup sot ahead of next season.

Rafa Benitez has no other matches to worry about this season so is likely to pick the best Liverpool side he can. Xabi Alonso will not play any part in the match as he is still recovering from the ankle injury he suffered after Joey Barton’s challenge last weekend. Liverpool’s only other concerns are Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano who are both carrying slight knocks but are expected to play.

Gianfranco Zola will be relying on the ever-audible West Ham support as well as the talents of many young players he has brought into the first team. Carlton Cole will miss out as he continues his recovery from a groin strain and joining him will be James Collins and Kieron Dyer.

Benitez will insist that his team still have a chance the Premier League title glory and will refuse to concede the title to Manchester United until it is a mathematical certainty. This makes for an attacking promise from the Liverpool boss and we may be treated to some of the best football of the weekend if Liverpool hit their straps.

However, West Ham must win the game if they want to have any chance of stealing 6th place away from Everton who are looking more and more likely to finish in that position. The gap is currently six points and a win will put the pressure back onto Everton who face a tough match today against an ever-improving Tottenham Hotspur side.

Hopefully it will not be a dead game as considering both teams do still have something to play for the likelihood that they will get anywhere near these proposed goals by the end of the season is grim. It could well turn out to be a rather pointless encounter, but such is professional football this is not likely to happen.

Until the fat lady sings, everyone on Merseyside and East London will be signing their hearts out and any slack effort or match play from either side will not only let the fans down but will not do either club justice.

There is also the added spice that both managers like to wield the post-season axe and the players should be aware of this. Liverpool will want to improve their squad again at the close season so anyone who does not pull their weight in Liverpool’s remaining games could fast find himself in the Benitez list of players to get rid of.

West Ham are also likely to increase their ambitions next season and this could well mean a massive over haul of playing staff if the new owners of the club allow Zola adequate funds to create a squad good enough to compete in Europe. There are a lot of youngsters currently in the West Ham side and they need to play out of their skins if they want to have any chance of staying in Zola’s plans.