Red Storm Rising?

Well here goes the football season. By that I mean the English Premiership season 2006-2007!

The Community Shield match started off this season's proceedings: the game between the Reds and the Blues were up to expectation. As expected Liverpool won the match 2-1, with Crouch and Riise scoring the goals. Rafa tried some new players in new positions while resting the old; Chelsea came with their strongest squad. Yet that was not enough. Sissoko was a rock in midfield, while the Carragher-Agger pairing akward as it was, held firm against Schevchenko and Drogba; Zenden, Riise and Gonzales terrorised the Chelsea defence; Crouch and Garcia could do no wrong. But it was 1-1 only at halftime. Rafa injected some urgency into the Reds attack bringing on Gerrard, Alonso and Bellamy into the attack: this paid off with Bellamy producing the cross of the match for Crouch's winning goal. Chelsea were in tears...but in all fairness Mourinho was outsmarted by Rafa, and his team outplayed by resurgent Liverpool.

So what will we expect of Liverpool this season? More of the same I hope. Consistency is the key. Sisoko should hold the fort ala Hamann; Alonso, Gerrard, Gonzales, Pennant and Zenden rotating in midfield; but the attack pair of Crouch-Bellamy should provide the punch lacking last season. Defence? Carragher and Hyppia would be the rock they were the last two seasons, and with Paletta, Agger in the wings, Liverpool finally has the depth they lacked so much.
Liverpool would be the team to watch.

Next week, Sheffield United. We wait for the storm to come ashore...