CALL IN THE AA AND GET MOTORING; LAWRO on Saturday.Byline: JOHN CROSS; Mark Lawrenson Mark Thomas Lawrenson (born Preston, Lancashire, June 2, 1957) was a defender in the Liverpool and Irishfootball teams of the 1980s; he later became a prominent radio and television pundit for the BBC. RAFA BENITEZ needs to drop the handbrake and throw in Alberto Aquilani Alberto Aquilani born in Rome, Italy (July 7, 1984) is an Italian football midfielder who currently plays for AS Roma. Aquilani is considered one of the most promising football talents in Italy. He highly considers Il Capitano Francesco Totti as a mentor. to put Liverpool's season into top gear. Today is a crossroads fixture for Liverpool and Manchester City, a crucial match for both clubs . But City have missed the chance to put daylight between themselves and Liverpool in recent weeks. They have got stuck in a rut with draws while Liverpool have stuttered badly but are still in touch with the top four. Liverpool are unquestionably un·ques·tion·a·ble adj. Beyond question or doubt. See Synonyms at authentic. un·ques  tion·a·bil a different team with Steven Gerrard
and Fernando Torres fit and starting.
But the player Benitez really starts to need pushing forward is Aquilani, all pounds 20million of him. Aquilani (right) is an attackminded player and perhaps that is why Benitez has been very cautious about bringing him in and starting with him even after his lengthy injury lay-off. But if you're going pay big money then surely sooner or later you have to try to reap the rewards. Benitez was a bit more expansive with the style of football last season and yet this season, with bad results and low confidence, there has been a temptation not to take risks. Liverpool desperately need a run of results and to start kicking on and there's only one way to do that - really go for it in games. The David Ngog dive against Birmingham rather deflected from Liverpool's draw against a team tipped for relegation. But that was bad and now they need to win games. Beating Manchester City would give them such a lift and the belief that they can make the top four and also see off one of their main rivals. A run of games with a few wins would really see them move up the table and Liverpool need their big players to deliver. It's not just all about Torres and Gerrard. Others must take responsibility. And when you cost pounds 20m, Aquilani has to deliver. It's the same for City. There are big expectations for them this season. People say Mark Hughes must qualify for the Champions League but I feel finishing fifth would be good progress. After all, they have had to buy players who were largely not in teams in the Champions League but the next tier down. When you do that, you get the next best and recent results told us City are still a work in progress. Robinho is the exception to the rule and, with all his sulking and agitating ag·i·tate v. ag·i·tat·ed, ag·i·tat·ing, ag·i·tates v.tr. 1. To cause to move with violence or sudden force. 2. , I would just sell him if I were City. If Sheikh sheikh or shaykh Among Arabic-speaking tribes, especially Bedouin, the male head of the family, as well as of each successively larger social unit making up the tribal structure. The sheikh is generally assisted by an informal tribal council of male elders. Mansour can back the pounds 32.5m paid for him - or even close - he should cut his losses. Simple as that. You don't want disruptions when you're trying to build something. City's big problem is not the attacking players anyway. Craig Bellamy and Martin Petrov can give them better options to Robinho down the left. The problem City have is when they don't have the ball. Gareth Barry and Nigel De Jong Nigel de Jong (born November 30, 1984 in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland) is a Dutch football player, currently playing for Hamburg. Nigel de Jong is the son of Dutch footballer Jerry de Jong. He began as a youth player for Ajax Amsterdam. are good players but the team don't defend well enough as a unit yet. It's not just about the back four struggling but the whole team not giving the likes of Kolo Kolo (meaning "wheel" in some Slavic languages) may refer to one of the following:
You can be sure City will kick on and spend big again in January to try to push for the top four. But I still have my doubts about whether City can make it, and once Liverpool get back in their routine and groove then the top four will probably take on a rather familiar look again. Interview: JOHN CROSS lawromania@mgn.co.uk CAPTION(S): ONE-WAY STREET Benitez points Jamie Carragher in the right direction at training yesterday |
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