Europa League
Thursday 30th August 2012
Anfield
Anfield
Liverpool VS Hearts
Tonight's game represents an appetizer. Something to water the mouths of every Liverpool fan ahead of what will hopefully be a long and eventful European campaign to come. Our opposition may not be the greatest test we'll face at home this season but with the tie firmly in the balance it will a classic case of professionalism from the side that Brendan Rodgers chooses to go out and establish our place back in Europe following last years absence. Among all our problems at home, being able to host teams from around the continent feels good again. It's good to be back.
If this were a league game, it would almost certainly be the likes of Wigan. I say that not to disrespect Hearts but to illustrate the power of a European night at Anfield. Much has been said over the years that if we could replicate - as a crowd - the sheer noise and power that we all know we're capable of in the Europa or Champions League on a domestic setting, very few would be able to handle it. Having said that, it's only human nature that some occasions don't make the hairs on your neck stand up quite as much and that it's much easier to be riled for certain teams and games than it is for others. I've seen the sheer might of this old stadium in Europe many times and the fact that it still manages to inspire awe from teams and people around the world is a measure of how high we were. It's time to start doing that again.
Luis Suarez himself said that he watched Liverpool as a boy, because when you get to the latter stages of a competition like this people at the very least you're in the back of everyone's mind. Atletico Madrid have been unable to make a real mark in the Champions League over the last few years, but have had one hell of a time in winning the Europa League twice in the last three seasons. People remember winners, regardless of how poorly a competition may be marketed in the eyes of a few. Tonight isn't about winning a trophy however. It's about the start of an adventure across the continent. To go to places and see people that we wouldn't otherwise come into contact with. There are a number of delightful cities we could end up seeing over the next few months, but none of that can happen unless we emerge victorious tonight.
As seems to be the case with every game these days, Brendan Rodgers has a few questions to answer in regard to selection tonight. With Arsenal coming to visit Liverpool in the league on Sunday and the need for early points still very important, it's very possible we may end up seeing the majority of the same squad that travelled up to Tynecastle last week. Daniel Agger's suspension now having been served, he'll almost certainly partner Martin Skrtel on Sunday, leaving Jamie Carragher to come in alongside the impressive Sebastian Coates. Jose Enrique could have some part to play given his lack of match fitness but it's far more likely Jack Robinson will play at left back again and hope to impress. Should the game be wrapped up late on I wouldn't be surprised if the Downing experiment continued tonight either.
Jordan Henderson needs some game time having not featured much in the league recently but who plays alongside him could be something of a mystery. Gerrard and Allen are prime candidates for being rested ahead of Sunday but it's likely only one of them will be whereas Charlie Adam and Jay Spearing both look to be heading ever closer toward the exit door. Up top Raheem Sterling may be a little disappointed to be on the bench or even miss out altogether but I think that would put him as a favourite to play against Arsenal and would underline how much of an impression he has made on Rodgers since he arrived in the summer. Hopefully Adam Morgan gets a chance to play more than the handful of minutes that he took part in last week and Andy Carroll - despite the endless speculation - has done enough to shake off the injury that put him out of the first leg*.
Whatever team is put out, we are in that precarious position of having such a slender lead nobody knows what approach to adopt. A clean sheet guarantees progress but sitting back too much may be a mistake while on the other hand a cavalier approach could lead to us getting stung on the break. Hearts will know that if they score at any time things will get very anxious with the away goal situation but for the most part will probably be content to keep the game goalless for as long as possible and try to silence the crowd. As we go from the heat of the summer to the relative cold and damp Autumn, Liverpool can give some warmth to the hearts of their fans with progression into the group stage. The adventure begins here.
*I hope for his sake he has. Brendan Rodgers just told ESPN that he's having a medical with West Ham. Apparently it will be a season long loan.
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