LiverInterPool

Some of us can do certain things really well. Me, I'm really good at the daily Jumble. I can do that sucker in about five minutes while operating heavy machinery. It's my gift. Rafa's Liverpool, and perhaps Liverpool in general, do Europe really really well. My Villa have cranked out some moments, but the sheer excitement of arrogant Juve's annilhation at the feet of Sami Hyppia and Luis Garcia in 2005 ranks as one my happier Spring afternoons.

Shades of that performance were present yesterday, although seventy-eight minutes of missed chances and yet another Gerrard goal underline that Liverpool are a side lacking in the finishing department. And that's the other half of Rafa's coin: Rafa's Liverpool do transfers really really poorly. Sure, blame the money: "Look how great he's done with the purse strings wrapped around his neck!" But a glance at Wenger puts that canard to bed pretty fast. Rafa's like the Heisengberg Uncertainty principle (second nod on this blog in as many months!): the better he does in the Champions League, the higher the expectations in the Premier League, the worse the summer transfers (see yesterday's blather). Liverpool just can't do well in Europe and well at home at the same time.

All of this could be moot in the second leg. It's worth remembering that in 2005, Liverpool barely scraped a turgid draw with Juventus when they went to Turin, and many are saying that Internazionale are one of the best club sides Italy's produced since the 90s. Certainly, their amazing consistency and style (!) in Seria A bears that theory out. But if Liverpool get by the second leg, they will have eliminated in the first round one of the heavy favourites even while they're battling Aston Villa for fifth spot at home. They seem to be the AC Milan of England. There are worse comparisons to be made...