- Phil McNulty - Sport Online chief football writer
- 26 Oct 08, 05:43 PM
Rafael Benitez had only one serious alarm as Liverpool recorded a landmark victory at Chelsea - and it did not come during 90 minutes that confirmed his team as serious title contenders.
It was an alarm of the smoke variety and interrupted Benitez's post-match inquest on how Liverpool had ended Chelsea's 86-match unbeaten record in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge.
The noise may have temporarily drowned out Liverpool's manager, but it was of no consequence. He had watched his team deliver the message loud and clear on the toughest title territory of them all.
Benitez simply said: "No panic."
And in doing so he was copying a mantra Liverpool had followed to the letter to frustrate the life out of Chelsea.
Continue reading "Liverpool send out title message"
- Phil McNulty - Sport Online chief football writer
- 26 Oct 08, 12:14 PM
Tottenham have gone out with the new and in with the old to restore credibility at White Hart Lane and save a season in danger of meltdown.
Coach Juande Ramos and sporting director Damien Comolli, supposedly the modern model of the managerial structure, have gone and in their place comes a good old-fashioned English manager in Harry Redknapp.
Chairman Daniel Levy was in a desperate situation but he has not resorted to a desperate measure in giving 61-year-old Redknapp a final crack at the big time.
In fact, by dispensing with a theory much loved by football's modernisers and purists and appointing a man steeped in traditional methods, he may have made an inspired choice.
Continue reading "Tottenham go back to basics"
