The Week That Is - Dreamland
Article by e-Liverpool Correspondent Tony ThorneFollow e-Liverpool on Twitter here!
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"Reality is wrong. Dreams ARE for real." Tupac Shakur
And so it's happened. Reds fans have been unusually reserved and subdued on our title chances this year. We battered Arsenal, but we still said it was unlikely. We hammered Everton, but we still thought it was too much. We were unlucky not to take at least a point from Manchester City when they were truly in their stride, yet there was never true conviction that we could do it.
But, for some reason, victory over a mid-table team in indifferent form in mid-March has catapulted Liverpool dreams to genuinely thinking we have a chance at snatching our first Premier League title in 25 years. And the @e_LiverpoolNet and @40YardsLFC Twitter accounts, which I encourage you to follow, were blowing up with excitement from Reds fans after the game.
The tactical tinkering of Brendan Rodgers has been discussed in many forums by pundits and players, including plaudits from Steven Gerrard who has described Rodgers as the best man-manager he has worked with. Playing Raheem Sterling as the central point of a diamond midfield completely outfoxed the rigid pairing of Michael Carrick and particularly Maruoane Fellaini, who received a knock and seemed to disappear from the role entirely.
Liverpool had a commanding quality about all that they did, and the hosts had only one shot on target all game, though it took a good save from Simon Mignolet to keep out a good effort from an otherwise quiet Wayne Rooney.
The number of touches Liverpool have in opposition territory, specifically the penalty area, was brought to the fore with Manchester United conceding a record three penalties in the Premier League for the first time. They have never conceded more than one at home in 22 years of the Premier League prior to Sunday's game. The fleet-footed approach in the box proved Rodgers' style is working to the Reds' advantage.
Steven Gerrard played one of his best games for months, not that he has been playing badly mind you. Not only did he thump two penalties in, but he is really looking comfortable in his own skin and is handling the media with a swagger and confidence that he has not previously shown. On the pitch, he has relinquished some control further up the pitch to Henderson, who seems to be dictating play down both flanks and is happy to receive the ball and find a different approach.
The team is stronger right now than the sum of its' parts, which is why the collective Liverpool fans' mind is racing. Last week I asked do we #DareToDream : today I say we are in #Dreamland.
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