By
Shubbankar <http://bleacherreport.com/users/799219-shubbankar-singh> Singh
(Contributor) on March 6, 2012
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MARCH 03: Robin van Persie of Arsenal controls
the ball ahead of Jay Spearing of Liverpool during the Barclays
Premier League match between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield on March
3, 2012 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Clive Mason/Getty Images
Forget Liverpool <http://bleacherreport.com/liverpool> vs. Manchester
United <http://bleacherreport.com/manchester-united> in terms of
squad depth, quality of players or statistics. We are talking about
what the difference is between the two sides on the pitch rather than
on paper.
Liverpool lost a game at home 1-2 that they dominated and gave the
opposition a mere two chances. Manchester United struck three goals
away from home in a game they chased shadows for much of it.
The hallmark of champions, and champions elect one may say.
Arsenal <http://bleacherreport.com/arsenal> did something of a
similar nature against the Reds in the weekend gone by, but they have
repeated this feat very sporadically to term it as one of their
habits. Manchester United on the other hand seem to do it on a very
regular basis. Like they somehow are owed wins like these. Such is the
belief in the players that they will win any given match.
Make no mistake about it.
It was a very talented Tottenham side that the Red Devils dispatched
this Saturday with utmost ease. The nature of the United's victory
would have deflated Spurs just as it did to the Reds the day before
after Robin Van Persie's two goals. Similarly, United would have taken
a lot of belief and added audacity to their already nonchalant winning
attitude.
So what is the difference, the mantra, the secret ingredient if you
may—that makes Manchester United so much apart from Liverpool. Let us
take a look at three main ones from a long list:
What is needed to bridge the gap to the Champions for the Reds?
· More Investment
36.3%
· Time
17.5%
· A Better Manager
16.7%
· More Silverware
1.2%
· All
25.5%
· Other
2.8%
Total votes: 251
1) Set Pieces: Manchester United have always been good at scoring
goals from set-pieces whether the given set-piece was fair or not.
Their habit of scoring so frequently from dead ball situations
actually gives rise to controversy.
The referee is human and gives undeserved corners and free-kicks to
every team. When a team scores from it—it creates controversy, which
will occur if that team is Manchester United—regular scorers from
set-pieces. Liverpool on the other hand force an enormous number of
corners. In fact, the Reds must be holding the dubious distinction of
maximum failure to convert from dead balls. I
ronical, when you consider that they have Charlie Adam, whose corners
alone were worth 10 million pounds last season.
2) Finishing: Looking through the last few years, Manchester United
have always had good clinical strikers and goal scorers.
From Ruud Van Nistelrooy to Cristiano Ronaldo
<http://bleacherreport.com/cristiano-ronaldo> and even Wayne Rooney
and Dimitar Berbatov, United have never had dearth of prolific
scorers. Remember last season when they were finding it difficult, who
stepped up—another goal getter in Chicharito.
Against Tottenham on Sunday also, they were clinical or they would
have dropped points. Liverpool on the other hand need a barn yard to
aim the ball at. Martin Kelly may need two of those big wooden doors
in fact. The Reds cannot score from the penalty spot even and somebody
please place a goal in space to get Charlie Adam to score.
Football is a simple game.
The team that scores goals, more of them, will win. Liverpool are just
not getting the goals part in the otherwise very decent play and
performance.
3) The winning habit: It is hard to say that Liverpool players should
develop a winning habit like those of United players. The Red Devils
have won many more trophies in the recent past and are making every
bit of that experience count.
The type of mentality ingrained in United players is achieved through
success and consistently winning the long race—the league title rather
than bursting through short sprints—knockout competitions.
Liverpool cannot seem to get a run going in the league. The reason for
that is that they have lost the audacity that the Reds of the eighties
might have had.
The Carling Cup is certainly a start, but until Liverpool can scrap a
League Title out of somewhere, they will constantly find it hard to
finish in the top-four—now that the league has got so much tougher.
Remember, the first title is always the hardest to win.
Thanks for reading.
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