Rather than blog about any old shite and end up on yet another ramble, we’ve decided to bring a bit of ‘orderly structure’ to proceedings, and I haven’t even needed to get the Mrs involved.
And so, we’re going to open the floor. We want to generate some proper discussion as we unleash a flurry of random ‘LFC Greatests’. Yes it’s been done before but not by us so it doesn’t count.
We’ll be posting these here on every Liverpool fan’s favourite new site, The Anfield Wrap, which is packed full of seriously brilliant content from some of the country’s finest writers (and us), and not to mention the groundbreaking weekly podcast which has already had its fifty-thousandth download in just over a month.
We know we’re opening the proverbial can of worms but if it gets some debate flowing, then all the better. We remember an article from Tony Evans a couple of years back where he placed Tommy Smith ahead of Emlyn Hughes, Dudek in front of Grobbelaar and Keegan above Rush. All contentious but all backed up with aplomb and that’s exactly what we’ll be aiming to do.
Coming up in the next few weeks, we’ll weigh up LFC’s greatest Spanish player, greatest European performance, greatest centre-half (we’ll have to batten down the hatches for that one) building up to our greatest victories over the Mancs in tandem with their arrival at Anfield in the league.
Feel free to drop any ideas our way – the more leftfield the better – and we’ll all put the world to rights.
Greatest Spanish player – ah, that’s a tough one. I’d go with Alonso. Instrumental in winning our last two trophies (God, that was a long time ago). Yes, he did have some problems in 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 but it doesn’t change the fact that he made our team tick on the pitch and that he was (and still is) a class apart off it and, what is most important for me, that he holds Liverpool deep in his heart and that he’s raising his kid as Liverpool fans. When he left, we got a great amount of money for him and some other players got a lesson in how to leave Liverpool with dignity. Which they didn’t learn in time.
Greatest European performance – another tough one. Marseille away in 2007 or Real Madrid at home in 2009. Chelsea at home in 2005 and 2007 are also very special games for me, not as majestic performances as those two aforementioned but we showed great spirit, we showed what our club is all about and supporters were fantastic.
Greatest centre back – being 24 years old, my choice isn’t as tough as that of people who are 20-30 years my seniors. Sami Hyypia is my all-time favourite Liverpool player – pure class, pure intelligence, fantastic positioning, tackling, organisation skills and a great threat in opponent’s box. I love the man to bits. However, I can’t describe how much I envy those who have seen the likes of Emlyn Hughes (if he counts as centre back), Tommy Smith and Alan Hansen (OK, Lawrenson, too) play week in, week out in our shirt. I’ve only seen them in game replays and clips I downloaded, as well as in documentaries, unfortunately for me.
greatest spanish player alonso all day long
Wow ! Can of worms is right! I`ve been following the Reds since I was 5. I was born the year Liverpool were relegated and no, it wasn`t my fault. I never saw Billy Liddel play and there is so little film of him so I have to discount the great Scot. I loved Willie Stevo, for me, on his day, as good as Stevie G but his career wasn`t long enough to be counted as the greatest, I`ve narrowed it down to four players.No mean feat,Dalglish, Keegan, Rush and Emlyn Huges are the four. Dalglish was a unique footballer. Speedy but not lighting like his predecessor Keegan, Dalglish had a knack that enabled him to evade tackles with ease.He was a playmaker,a striker and an enthusiast. His whole demeanour enthused football. He took Liverpool to another level alongside some great players in the 80s team that for me was the best Liverpool team ever. Great energy and stamina were Kenny`s attributes but his key attribute was his intelligence.
I remember Keegans debut. Bought in the close season he went straight into the team in the opening day fixture.Standing on the Kop that day we all knew that this mop haired kid from Scunny was something special. He was good enough on his own but the partnership he struck up with Tosh was magnificent. I don`t think there has been a striking partnership at any club never mind Liverpool, as prolific and exciting as Keegan and Toshack. Keegan was an all action effervescent player. A 100 per center who improved on his game by developing himself physically. The skinny kid that made his debut on that sunny August day grew to be man in just four years.He starred in our first European Cup triumph and then went onto become European Footballer of the year with Hamburg SV. A great player but short lived at Anfield which is why he is not my first choice.
Ian Rush, what a striker! He put the fear of God into Evertonians every time the Derby came up. Signed from Chester for £300,000 it`s hard to imagine he struggled at first at Anfield. It was Bob Paisley who turned him round by insisting Rushie got greedy. He did get greedy and never looked back , breaking Gordon Hodgson`s and Roger Hunt`s all time scoring records for the Reds. featuring in the 80s team alongside Dalglish they had a formidable partnership too.
Finally we come to Emlyn Hughes, who of course, as skipper lifted the European Cup in 1977. Yosser or Crazy Horse were his nicknames. His flamboyant style breaking out of defence or midfield was unique and i`m sure will stick in my memory forever.He regarded Shanks as a father figure and bloomed under his guidance. Disliked by Tommy Smith and of course Evertonians for his infamous poem from the balcony of the Town Hall, Hughes was an all action player brimming with enthusiasm for the game and his club. Always remembered.
So there we have it.Four great players but only one can be the greatest, For me , it has to be Dalglish. A long career as player and player manager and a football man through and through Dalglish`s intelligence does it for me. Players like him only come along once in a lifetime and Liverpool FC were the beneficiaries of this great footballing Scot in the Liverpool FC tradition.
I`ve not seen a player to compare with him since and doubt if I ever will.
Being only 16, I doubt I have been around long enough to know LFC’s greatest Spanish player, although I have seen a couple gems in my lifetime. Fernando Torres and Xabi. Now, many will see my mention and Torres and beat me down with a stick! But although he exited the club in all the wrong ways while saying and doing all the wrong things, you cannot argue that during his time at Liverpool, he was the club’s main man (excluding Stevie).
His 65 goals in 102 appearances were vital to the team who under H + G’s ownership seemed to lack potency in front of goal. In his debut season, he scored 24 goals breaking the record number of goals from a foreign striker in his debut season, showing his class immediately. Although he seemed to tail off towards the end of his LFC career, (and he still seems to be tailing off at Chelski) during his ‘peak’ he was a magnificent, world beating striker.
Nothing needs to be said on Xabi Alonso which hasn’t already been said before. He brought class, creativity and seemed to spark a connection between the team. His passing range inspired others and helped Liverpool on the road to trophies. A truly wonderful player, sold for a good price and left with the respect of all Liverpool fans. A true gent, and arguably Liverpool’s greatest Spanish player just ahead of ‘Judas’ in my eyes.
Greatest Spanish player? It seems to me to be a very short list consisting of two & a half players; Alonso, Reina & that bloke who’s now at Chelsea. Discounting our former number 9 leaves it as a straight choice between Xabi & Big Pep. I’m leaning towards Jose Manuel Reina Paez.
Some of Rafas purchases can best be described as ‘goddamn awful’ but the £6 million he paid Villarreal for Reina was a fantastic piece of business. At 22 years of age ( young for a keeper) & playing abroad for the first time he settled in straight away. This is put into proper context when you look down the East Lancs Road & the trouble ‘their’ keeper is having despite playing behind an established, title winning defence.
Reina won the ‘Golden Gloves’ trophy in each of his first three seasons & turned in match winning performances without resorting to flash, ‘for the camera’ saves. He became our best & most consistent keeper since Clem was in his prime. He seems to have the drive & passion that he had when he first came to Liverpool. This was shown in his reaction to conceding against Bolton recently despite being three goals up.
No Liverpool fan believes that Casillas is a better keeper than him, infact we would struggle to name a goalie that is better than him full stop. It’s a disgrace that he only has 22 caps to his name & if he was to go on the transfer market I think you would be looking at a fee over £20 million. A fee that many teams would be willing to pay. Which show’s you what other, better qualified people think of him too.
Our greatest ever Spanish player without a doubt is Fernando Torres. I don’t think anyone else comes close. Seems to me most of us don’t want to give him the credit because he’s now at Chelsea. I suggest you have a look at the highlight reel from 07-09. Breathtaking.
I’ve been watching the reds since 1987 and in that time the best players have been Barnes, Gerrard, Torres, Fowler. In no particular order. I can’t comment on Dalglish, Souness, Rush etc coz I didn’t see them play at their peak.
I’ll probably get lynched for saying this but I think Pepe is overrated. Don’t get me wrong, he is a brilliant goal keeper. Probably the best with his feet that I’ve ever seen. However I don’t think he’s the best on crosses and not the best when a striker is one on one with him. Those 2 facets of his game are not poor by any means but I would not say he is world class in those areas. Also, when we signed him he had the reputation of being excellent at saving penalties. I can’t remember the last time he saved a penalty for us?
Thanks for all your comments, some interesting stuff in there. The Greatest LFC Spanish player sounds like it’s going to be good – what side of the fence are you on when it comes to the rent boy?