Gerrard's cup heroics so special
May 16 2006
Alex raises a good pointwith: You say you can't be sent of for preventing a goal scoring opportunity after a goal is scored (and I agree) but that means that whether or...
By Ian Rush, Liverpool Echo
THERE cannot be any doubt that on Saturday in Cardiff the FA Cup was restored to all its former glory.
Neither can there be any argument about the reason Liverpool won the game.
Steven Gerrard.
I thought the whole occasion was special not just because of all the drama, but because of the way the supporters on both sides behaved all day.
All credit to the West Ham fans for playing their part in making it such a great atmosphere. They'd gone two goals up, seen it clawed back, watched their team go ahead again, had to suffer Stevie's late equaliser and then seen their side lose on penalties.
But they all stayed at the end to cheer not just their own team but the Liverpool lads as well. You usually see the losing end half empty but this was different. You've got to give the Hammers fans credit for that sportsmanshipand for helping make it all so memorable.
As for Liverpool, I don't think I've seen them give the ball away all season as much as they did in the first 30 minutes.
But grim as it looked when they conceded the second I never felt the match had gone because they just weren't playing the way they can. You knew there was still time for them to get back into it.
There's no doubt that in the end, though, they won the cup because of the captain.
He's an incredible talent and certainly the best Liverpool player of his generation. But if he had been playing for West Ham on Saturday and not us, I think they would have won the cup. He was that influential on the match.
Steven said in the ECHO last night that the target now must be to launch a real title push and he's right.
The cups are great to win but the league is the bread and butter and we won it so often during the 60s, 70s and 80s that no-one will be really happy until we get right back to the top again.
It's easier said than done of course and to do so we need strengthening in two areas - on the right side and up front.
Stevie has slotted in on the right many times now but Saturday definitely showed for me his best position is still a central midfield one. And if we can get a striker of real pace in to add a regular goal threat, then maybe we can turn up the heat on Chelsea and Manchester United.
It's what everyone desperately wants and after two fantastic cup campaignsin Europe and at home in the last two years, the chance is there to push on now and take that big step forward in the Premiership.
But that's for next season. Like everyone else, I'm still savouring a great game, a great player and a great advert for British football.
Final walking wounded a one-off
THERE'S a suggestion after Saturday's game we should allow more substitutes in extra time in cup finals.
I know there were lots of players down with cramp and other injuries in Cardiff but at least the sides could use three substitutes.
I remember in 1986 when we played Everton we were only allowed one!
Personally, I think Saturday was a bit of a one off in terms of players going down. And Liverpool in particular may have paid the price for a ridiculously long season in which they've played well over sixty games.
Perhaps it all just caught up with them at last.
