Houllier looks for elusive confidence

GERARD HOULLIER is desperately looking for confidence as his Liverpool squad lurch on in their battle for a Champions League place.

A tame home draw with Fulham did little to further their cause and another missed penalty, this time from Steven Gerrard rather than Michael Owen, dragged confidence down another notch.

The Reds seems to have given Houllier the green light to plan for next season, keen to avoid the upheaval of a new regime which could disrupt plans to build a new stadium.

But Liverpool’s fans are at the end of their tether. Results are bad enough but performances give little reason to be optimistic.

They battled against Fulham, saw Gerrard miss a penalty, Emile Heskey and Harry Kewell hit the woodwork but they never took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Chris Coleman’s side overcame the pre-match disciplinary problems that saw Sean Davis and Zat Knight axed for breaking curfew last weekend to frustrate Liverpool at every turn.

Had Collins John, the excellent Steed Malbranque, Luis Boa Morte and Moritz Volz done better with good chances, the gloom around Anfield would have been even more stifling.

Houllier shared the fans’ frustrations and admitted the tension around Anfield has hardly helped his players.

He said: “I accept the fans’ disappointment, but the players are doing their best. There was a bit of anxiety and nervousness, we gave the ball away. It is not sloppiness, just that the players lack confidence.

“There was a chance for Michael at the end when if he was confident he would normally just have volleyed it. But instead he wanted an extra touch to make sure, and it was blocked. That’s what happens.”

Houllier switched his team around for the game, trying to find the elusive formula which saw the Frenchman deliver three major trophies just three years ago.

Bruno Cheyrou and Vladimir Smicer were brought in and Houllier said: “My team selection was based on the theory that if we passed the ball more and kept it on the floor, we would handle better a situation where a team defends deep against us.

“I made substitutions to change things, at 0-0 you must try things, it is what management is all about.

“We are still battling on, still there, it is so close. Let’s wait to see what happens at the end, we still have Newcastle to play on the last day at Anfield. There will be other results that will impact on us.”

While Liverpool fans have plenty of reason to moan, Fulham’s supporters are enjoying an unexpected purple patch which sees the Cottagers hoping for European qualification.

Coleman, after exactly a year in charge yesterday, saluted the progress Fulham have made.

He said: “For us to be five points away from Liverpool with four games to go is a tremendous achievement, that shows how disappointing the defeat by Blackburn on Monday was for us, had we won that we would have been right on their tails.

“The season is very much alive, very exciting. If we can beat Charlton next week we will still have a lot to play for, even now.

“Davis and Knight will be back into the squad next week, they have been punished but they are still important players for us.”