By Chandraditya Kusuma, Indonesia
The season’s almost over, despite there are many things that could happen in the closing, I could already said that the appearence of Liverpool FC in this season has been wonderful and awful in quite different time. We’ve seen them down in the table during Roy’s managerial time and climbing high during the King’s time. We’ve been let down by the performances of the reds againts smaller sides and their away performances earlier during (sorry but to mention again) Roy’s reign. But very proudly to say we’ve been very great against the other big four and Man City the rising power. The good thing about this season is after free falling down to the lower of the table, now we are rising up, up, and up with the #1 in the rank of “100 Players Who Shook The Kop” as a manager, King Kenny Dalglish.
Seeing this season’s about to close, I’ll review the performances of the redmen and pick some outstanding performers as the player of the season. We may have seen the unspectacular display from the like of Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen and the rise of the local lads like Martin Kelly, Jay Spearing, Flanno, and recently Jack Robinson (Those boys could be one of the highlight of this season) and also the winter fabolous newcomer, Luis Suarez and Andy Carrol. I’ve recognize our player(s) of the year and it is definetely not Konchesky nor Poulsen and sorry but not yet the boys and Luis or Andy. It’s those who have been outstanding this year consistently, those redmen who had put his socks over and over again for the team, and those who inspired the future kop idol. Yes I’m talking about Pepe Reina, Raul Meireles, Lucas Leiva, Dirk Kuyt, and Martin Skrtel. Ps: I really wanted to add Stevie G, but despite playing wonderful as always this season like his display in Napoli and Fulham match, he’s been battling a lot with his injuries. A little bit too much to be in the list.
#1 Pepe Reina
The Spanish who arrived right after the Istanbul triumph may have not enjoy his opener in Anfield this season. He unluckily had to be blamed for the Arsenal’s equalizer last minute goal that denied Liverpool’s win. Than in international match he also had another blunder againts Argentina. Well, those moments are the first and the last flop of Pepe Reina this season. Overall, he’s been wonderful, outstanding, fantastic, and every good words that could describe a player. With Dagger and Carra keep coming in and out the line-up because of the injury and the underperformed replacements Soto Kyrgiakos, Pepe has been wonderfully played for us. He saves the goal over and over again, there are plenty match where I was feel that we could go down to four or five but we didn’t and that’s because Pepe Reina our saviour. He deserves the recognition, to be the number one as Liverpool player of the season.
#2 Raul Meireles
He picked up PFA Fans Player of Year, how could that be possible?. Maybe we’ve heard that questions a lot by those who haven’t watch Liverpool much enough this season. Yes, Raul has been ‘the engine room’ of the team, he steals ball with Lucas, he passes ball with Stevie, and he shoots with the strikers. In times where Gerrards are injured we play not very bad and sometimes pretty good because of him. He’s been plot in many positions this seasons. In the earlier of the season he often starts at the center, and then the right-wing (playing not very good during Roy’s), behind the strikers where he play very great scoring many goals starting in the derby, and lately he played at the left-wing and playing very good too while sometimes running to the center of the field to build attack. For me, his display has been wonderful and obviously the best buy in our team, and #2 in my list :p.
#3 Lucas Leiva
Couple years ago we always heard mock about Lucas Leiva, that Yellow-head Brazillian midfielder who can’t pass, who made flops, and so on. But now, we’ve seen the same men and talked about him in a very different way. The number 21 had been phenomenal this season, some say that he is a best premier league midfielder in the making. He is dominating in the tackling departement, he’s marking and covering skills are growing to be great and now he can pass very-well!. We’ve seen his presence as crucial in some big-matchs, againts Chelsea he fight very well againts their midfielders and againts Man United, he put Scholes and Carrick in a very deep position. Actually not just in those match, but in almost every single match this season.
#4 Dirk Kuyt
Our current top-goalscorer, just beaten Torres last night when he scored againts Birmingham. He’s always been the crowd favorites I guess. A natural striker, but had a new role as a right-midfielder maybe ever since arrive in Melwood. Despite his attacking instinct and technical presence, Kuytergizer never mind to do dirty jobs, he slides and tackles alot, and for that we respect him as a commited player. This season Kuyt have been very consistently playing in the right-wing, forcing tackles, crosses and more importantly he scores many important goal, 3 of the most are scored in his compatriots goal, van der Sar’s.
#5 Martin Skrtel
He mostly acknowledge by his physical presence in the back four. I know he’s not the most talented defender in the world, his not really good in marking, his speed is average even for central defender, and he sometimes make flops. But this year, I see Martin has been working very good on his weaknesss. The miss of injury-prone Agger, Johnson, and Carra has been covered well by him. His presence should be recognize more. He deserves this place.
And that is the list, #YNWA