Source: Daily_Mail
Playing United was easy. Now it gets really hard for Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool
As strange as it may seem, this was the easy bit for Kenny Dalglish. This was the day when, even if his team lost, he couldn't really lose. It will be a little harder from now on. Blackpool at ice station Bloomfield Road on Wednesday is next. Then it's a derby at home to Everton on Sunday.[LNB] These are the games that will tell us much more about the second coming of King Kenny and whether he really has what it takes to rouse this moderate bunch of players from the slumber that has already wrecked their season and cost Roy Hodgson his job.[LNB] Back for good: Dalglish was givenrousing backing[LNB] Hodsgon never really looked like a Liverpool manager. The job always seemed too big for him. Nevertheless, the role of Liverpool's players has been overlooked. It should not be. They have let this great club down. They have lost nine games in the Barclays Premier League and are out of both domestic cup competitions. It is only January.[LNB] Dalglish himself touched on the issue when he said yesterday: 'Every person at this football club may think they could have done a little bit more.'[LNB] Some are more culpable than others. It is hard to criticise players like Steven Gerrard and Pepe Reina. It is a little easier to look hard at Fernando Torres.[LNB] The centre forward was given rousing backing from Liverpool's 9,000 travelling fans yesterday. He was given similar support by Dalglish both before and after the game.[LNB] It must be said he has done little to deserve it. The goal he scored against Bolton last week was a good one. He also contributed with two against Chelsea back when the champions were still considered formidable opposition.[LNB] That apart, his contribution to Liverpool's season has been lousy. There are some people inside Anfield who speak scornfully of his attitude. [LNB] Bad day: Fernando Torres yet again failed to produce his best[LNB]Over the next few months this must improve. The last Liverpool team Dalglish managed had Ian Rush and Peter Beardsley in it. [LNB]He certainly got more out of those two in the 4-4 FA Cup draw against Everton 20 years ago that prompted him to resign than he did from Torres yesterday. [LNB]Clearly aware of the delicate nature of the subject, Dalglish spoke yesterday of Torres's hard work. That was not how it looked to most other people.[LNB] Playing as a centre forward in a team reduced to 10 men is never easy.[LNB] Even so, Torres was dreadful yesterday. His touch and anticipation - basic tools for any goalscorer - were absent. Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans read everything that came his way before he did.[LNB] When he was withdrawn with 13 minutes left, the only real surprise was that Dalglish hadn't called his number a little sooner. Dalglish's own Liverpool playing career was as synonymous with sweat as much as it was inspiration.[LNB] There was plenty of both. Torres claims to be a student of Liverpool's history.[LNB] He could do worse than take a look at the years on his DVDs marked 1977 to 1986. There are some obvious lessons to be learned. [LNB] What a twit! Liverpool star Johnson in astonishing attack on pundit MersonGiggs: It's the big games, like Liverpool, I will miss most when I retire[LNB] [LNB] [LNB] Explore more:People: Rio Ferdinand, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, Roy Hodgson, Fernando Torres, Pepe Reina, Steven Gerrard Places: Liverpool
