Source: Liverpool_Echo
Liverpool FC captain Steven Gerrard feels he is getting back to his best
Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres 460[LNB]THE difference a few goals can make. Liverpool's trips home from Europe this season have been miserable affairs, but flight ZT1729 out of Bucharest in the early hours of yesterday morning was a stark contrast.[LNB]Rather than sit in silence, stewing on the effects of a ruinous defeat, it was clear to see wherever you looked on the plane that easing past Unirea Urziceni to progress to the Europa League's last 16 had lifted the atmosphere.[LNB]Rafa Benitez, for one, was particularly animated, spending a good deal of time talking tactics with Emiliano Insua; Ryan Babel, fresh from scoring his first goal since November 4, sported a huge smile, while Pepe Reina clearly had mischief in mind.[LNB]Then there was Steven Gerrard.[LNB]Content after adding another record to his ever expanding haul, he sat with his close friend and vice captain Jamie Carragher, discussing the events of a satisfying night's work.[LNB]On touching down at John Lennon Airport, though, the skipper had left all thoughts of Bucharest and surpassing Alan Shearer as the all-time leading British scorer in Europe behind but that should come as no surprise.[LNB]A season, after all, must still be salvaged and Gerrard is desperate for Liverpool to use their 3-1 triumph in the Steaua Stadium as the kick-start to begin turning the screw on the teams with whom they are jostling for fourth place.[LNB]Liverpool have, undoubtedly, disappointed this year but - if the atmosphere on the plane that carried them home can be used as a gauge - there is reason for believing the remainder of the campaign can yet be profitable.[LNB]Gerrard certainly sees things this way. Having admitted there have been occasions when confidence has been a commodity in short supply at Anfield in recent months, the quest now is to bring it back by building on their solid achievement in Romania.
