Gravesen’s return could be bargain

Sep 4 2007 by Mark Lawrenson, Liverpool Daily Post

THOMAS GRAVESEN could turn out to be a great bit of business for Everton – especially when you consider the amount they were going to spend on Manuel Fernandes.

Bringing the Dane back will prove far less of a gamble for David Moyes because he knows exactly whet he is getting.

When Real Madrid were scouting for Gravesen they must have got him mixed up with Lee Carsley because they wanted a holding midfielder – but he’s much more than that.

The main thing he brings, however, is experience and with a UEFA Cup run hopefully coming up this gives the squad something that Fernandes wouldn’t have.

The only question mark about Gravesen would be whether he has the legs for it any more.

But in terms of the balance of the midfield and the extra options Moyes has been after, it could prove one of the best signing of the transfer window.

Gerrard fit and playing vital for Liverpool and England

IT’S not often I’ve backed Steve McClaren’s judgement since he became England manager. But in saying he expects Steven Gerrard to feature in both of the vital forthcoming qualifiers at Wembley against Israel and Russia is a good call.

Not just for England – but for Liverpool as well.

For a start, the injury problems McClaren has had means that if there’s a chance of Gerrard being fit he will be desperate to get him in the side.

By the time the game comes round it will be three weeks since he played against Chelsea with an injection so he should be able to play pain-free by now.

If he does that this weekend and gets through 90 minutes, McClaren will have no choice but to send Gerrard out against Russia as well.

Rafael Benitez, on the face of it, might not be too chuffed about this, especially as he’s already pretty narked about having one of his early kick-offs at Portsmouth the following Saturday.

Given the mood he’s in, I wouldn’t like the job of ringing him to tell him Gerrard had aggravated his injury while on international duty. But if the Liverpool captain comes through okay it could be a big boost for the manager when his side returns to Premier League action.

Gerrard will have minutes under his belt in a highly competitive environment, so he will be match-sharp and raring to go after having to sit out the last three club games.

And with Liverpool scoring 12 goals and going top of the table – where they will still be when they go to Portsmouth in 11 days’ time – Benitez actually has little to worry about as long as Gerrard comes through the internationals unscathed.

The Spaniard knows that he now has a squad that can cope without him, maybe not long-term, but certainly in plugging the gap he has left short-term.

In fact, Gerrard couldn’t have been out at a better time because the games he and Jamie Carragher missed have provided the perfect chance for some of the new players to settle in and prove Liverpool can cope without their star Scousers.

The problem is, in the case of Gerrard anyway, I don’t think England can.

Israel are no Derby County. I watched them quite a bit when they were in Ireland’s qualifying group for the last World Cup and they easily got draws in Dublin and against France in Paris.

They did it by drowning out the midfield. They put loads of them in there, stifling possession and creativity. And they’ll do that no problem at Wembley on Saturday if England don’t have Gerrard in there.

The real key is getting players wide and this is where England can really benefit from the start Shaun Wright-Phillips has made to the season.

Him on the right, Joe Cole on the left, Gerrard going through the middle with Owen Hargreaves sitting in, and Michael Owen up front with one other is looking like McClaren’s perfect formation.

Whether Benitez likes it or not, it gives him the best chance of getting six points out of six this week and perhaps saving his job by keeping England in with a chance of qualifying.

So it’s inconceivable his final say on Gerrard will be anything other than: “Yep, you’re fit son, get your boots on.” But if Gerrard does play a part in England getting those two wins he will come back to Liverpool buzzing.

An he’ll join a squad top of the Premier League and dying to get out there to extend that lead next Saturday lunchtime.

It’s a scenario that just might work out for Benitez better than he could imagine just now.

* TALKING of agreeing with McClaren’s judgement, he got it right again yesterday by calling up Joleon Lescott. Since moving to Everton he has had little trouble making the step up to the top flight – and you can see him making a similarly effortless move to international level as well.

Babel’s turn has touch of the Barnes

I’M not really into comparing modern day players with heroes of the past.

For example, Fernando Torres is just Fernando Torres. He looks good enough without being called the new Kenny Dalglish.

That said, l can’t help thinking of John Barnes when I see Ryan Babel.

The way he sold those two Derby players and left them on their backsides before he scored his goal on Saturday really reminded me of the way Barnesy used to turn defenders inside out before leaving them in an embarr-assing heap on the turf.

The way he then sold the goalkeeper with his eyes before sending the ball the opposite way into the net was a sign of real class.

Maybe not John Barnes class yet, but even a passing resemblance is pretty impressive at this stage.

It’s yet another indication of how well Benitez’s signings are settling in.

Of the new boys, he only started with Torres on the opening day at Villa but he’s gradually brought them on and eased them in. So far so good.

Forget beating Derby 6-0, however, at the end of the day they are doomed to finish bottom, there’s no doubt about that.

The best thing about the weekend for Liverpool was Chelsea losing to Aston Villa.

It makes Liverpool’s win at Villa Park on the opening day look a very good result and is another sign that the top two are looking a bit more vulnerable this year.

It means Liverpool can go into the international break delighted with the way things have panned out so far.

Mark Lawrenson was talking to NICK SMITH