TOP 10 MOST IMPORTANT GOALS
10) Torres @ Portsmouth
A 3-2 away victory over Portsmouth in the league doesn’t sound that important on the face of things, but this match was hugely important in recovering our best form. Down 2-1, Dirk Kuyt salvaged a point to make the scores level at 2-2 on 85 minutes. A few minutes into stoppage time, and the scores looking likely to remain, I was cursing our horrible luck over the past month or two. Too many draws! Not only was 1st looking unlikely, but slipping into third was appearing quite probable. So up stepped Fernando Torres, who powered in a header past David James and boom… three points. Usually I celebrate these goals by running around like a complete fool. With this goal, I simply just shrank into a fetal position and cried. It was odd. I didn’t realize just how much this title race mattered and just how much we were actually in it. Without this header, who knows what would have happened. It was crucially important for getting back onto our feet.
“I Heart Liverpool FC,” says Torres.
9) Torres v. Chelsea
Torres again was at it, and this time it was Chelsea at home. With the scores level at 0-0 and only a few minutes to go, it was looking like yet another draw… something we were getting far too accustomed to at Anfield. Once again, the hero was Torres, heading in at the near post from a lovely cross. His celebration was just as memorable, however, running towards the corner flag and sitting like the Dalai Lama. Classic! He would make it 2-0 moments later after a defensive slip up and excellent work rate from Benayoun, but the first goal was the real important one.
Kuyt @ Manchester City
Down 0-2 at halftime, this one looked over. We had been wonderful these first few months, and all of a sudden we were crashing down to a pretty humiliating defeat. Torres crawled us back into it with two good goals, and now we were looking at a good point on the road. But Dirk Kuyt had other ideas. Seconds after Skrtel went down with injury, Kuyt turned around the mood after Torres’ strike was parried into his path, and he was able to tap in the rebound for an unbelievable turn of events. GET IN!!!
7) Benayoun @ Fulham
In a time where Liverpool and United were switching roles in the title race, Liverpool were in need of three points at every opportunity and were seemingly getting these wins at will. Having just disposed of United and Real Madrid during the week prior with a combined 9-1 scoreline, we somehow found ourselves at 0-0 with 90 minutes gone at Craven Cottage. The woodwork had been struck an incredible four times, and lady luck seemed to have deserted us. Yossi Benayoun was the man this time to pull us out of the mire, and he arrowed a nice one into the far corner from 12 yards, sending our sideline and supporters absolutely crazy. WOO HOO!
6) Gerrard v. Middlesbrough
All of these late winners in the league began with Gerrard, however, as he struck in the 94th minute against Middlesbrough. Down 1-0, Jamie Carragher’s lucky strike had given us a 1-1 draw… but that simply wasn’t good enough against a side that was doomed to relegation by season’s end. As the final whistle was about to blow, Liverpool had one more chance at glory. Alonso sent a raking long ball down the pitch, which Keane and Pogatetz competed for, falling right at the feet of the PERFECT person… Stevie G from 18 yards out. With a one-time shot, Gerrard went for placement instead of power, and curled it wonderfully into the top far-post side netting, sending the Kop absolutely delirious!
5) Benayoun @ Real Madrid
In one of the worst and most drab matches I have ever seen, Liverpool found themselves drawing with Real Madrid in Spain 0-0 in the Champions League Round of 16. The signs of life were unseen, yet a set-piece was won, and the unlikeliest of scorers in this situation gave Liverpool a goal. Benni’s header was powerful, precise, and quite memorable. It gave us a 1-0 lead into a home match which would be a route and one to cherish. None of it would have been possible without Yossi’s header.
4) Babel v. Manchester United
Before this match, Liverpool had never beaten Manchester United in the league under the reign of Rafa Benitez. In the fifth season in charge, the dream finally became a reality. Down 0-1 after just three minutes, it wasn’t looking likely. But a fortuitous own goal gave us hope and we completely outclassed and outworked them for the remainder of the match without any reward. So when Javier Mascherano broke down the right flank and outmuscled Giggs (player of the year my ARSE) and slid the ball to Kuyt, there was some genuine hope that the moment had arrived. Kuyt decided to lay the ball backwards and to the side, which surprised me at first given his own potential shot on goal, but what I didn’t see was the onrushing Ryan Babel, who scuffed his shot off of the ground and into the roof of the net for a delightful moment of pure bliss. A wonderful moment from the boys in red.
WTF is Keane doing, dropping a deuce? Anyhow, Babel’s strike gives us a memorable victory.
3) Kuyt v. Standard Liege
Real Madrid. Chelsea. Marseille. PSV Eindhoven. Atletico Madrid. Without this 119th minute goal from Kuyt in the second leg of the Champions League qualification match, we could have easily just have replaced those names with the likes of “FC Copenhagen,” “Metalist,” or “Rapid Bucharest.” Tell me which sounds more exciting. Enough said.
2) Alonso @ Chelsea
Stamford Bridge is basically the anti-luck ground for Liverpool. Wins, goals… neither are very common at this ground. In the Houllier reign in particular, horrific losses were common. Under Benitez, 0-0 draws became the result of choice. So in the 2008-2009 season, Xabi Alonso decided to shake it up a little. Despite deflecting horribly, the ball went right up the middle once Cech had commited to the right of his own goal, and the ball trickled in. A little bit of luck is needed in big matches such as these at times, and sometimes that is all it takes to break a streak of winlessness at a ground. Not too Xabi…
1) Gerrard (pen) @ Manchester United
There are matches that are important, and there are matches that stick in the memory, and there are matches that are total routes in your favor. All three are brilliant. This one WAS all three. 4-1 on the road, over your biggest rivals, and in the midst of a title chase? You can’t top that, and Gerrard’s penalty once the scores were level was absolutely the pivotal moment. One might argue that the Torres goal got it all started, but this penalty from Gerrard was ice-cool. 70,000+ people in a stadium who absolutely despise you? And to have the nerve to sink a penalty? Talk about confidence and composure! But then again, it is Steven Gerrard who is barely even human. DEMI-GOD, BABY! Captain Fantastic has done it again…
