Europa League
Thursday 20th September 2012
Stade de Suisse
Young Boys VS Liverpool
Against Hearts it was all about progression. Getting through to the group stages of the Europa League so that the club would have a platform on the continent. Now that we're actually here, the really hard work begins. I don't know how good Brendan Rodgers is at juggling, but I guess we're about to find out.
An away game in Europe is a test of everything that makes a manager. It's not so much about the quality and standard of the players - certainly at this point in the competition - as it is about the various different styles of tactics and management that will be encountered. The game abroad is a lot more tactical and methodical than at home and as such even on a basic level will be an important learning curve for the management team. While there's a massive need for Liverpool to get back into the Champions League, this experience will certainly help Brendan Rodgers as he acclimatises to what is needed to thrive in a competition like this.
Not so long ago, a game like this would really be a journey into the unknown. In the age of information that we now live in, there is no chance that our Swiss opponents will have the same level of surprise that they may have had in a previous decade. The sheer level of how teams are scouted these days, as well as the comprehensive data and research that can be done about pretty much any player mean that everyone will know full well what to expect.
All summer long, the talk was about how the squad would have to be fully utilized in other competitions so that we can improve our league position. With a huge game in Manchester United waiting for us at Anfield on Sunday, it was imperative that the vast majority of the first team get some well needed rest. The only players whom I'm slightly concerned about are Jonjo Shelvey and Raheem Sterling. I'd like to see both of them play against Man United so their involvement tonight will have to be managed. Were it not already completely understandable to use some of the fringe players, already this season we've seen a prime example of what happens if when we don't. The miserable performance against Arsenal was directly proportional to the game the majority of that side played against Hearts three days previously and we don't want a repeat of that. Added to that fact, neither of those games involved a plane journey.
Of those that we have taken, it is an exciting bunch of talent that while I believe will be extremely tested - which is what a lot of the younger lads will need - can certainly get a result. At the back and in the midfield, given the restrictions in our squad, I think we're quite well covered. Carragher, Coates, Enrique, Henderson and Downing is at the very worst a basis for a solid team. Nuri Sahin also has been severely undercooked as of late but still has enough quality to really put a stamp on the game. Despite a certain tentativeness surrounding our forward line, I'm excited to see what happens. Having seen how Raheem Sterling has been able to project himself into the first team as of late, I'm certainly looking forward to seeing how Suso can do, provided he plays. Also, the likes of Yesil and Assaidi whom I know very little about and want to see exactly what they're capable of.
Whatever happens tonight, it should be remembered that this is the first game of six, against tricky opposition on their own home ground, as well as the fact that we'll be fielding a team with an average age in the early twenties. Games like this are all about patience and professionalism. Our "big name" tag will mean that both the Young Boys players and fans will be up for this game and it's up to us to impose ourselves on them. It may be very difficult at times and not the greatest spectacle of a football match that's ever taken place but it's Liverpool in Europe. I've missed it.
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