Steve Finnan, Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia, Djimi Traore - a Champions League-winning defence? A year ago you would have messed your pants laughing, at 10pm on Tuesday night after one of the best defensive performances you are ever likely to witness, it seems like the least they deserve.
In a word, against Chelsea they were immense. And not just that back four but Steven Gerrard, Igor Biscan, Dietmar Hamann, Luis Garcia, John-Arne Riise, bloody hell even Antonio Nunez and Harry Kewell when they came on, gave every last breath to keep out the Premiership champions.
Every player got every part of his body he could possibly manage between the ball and the goal for every one of the 96 minutes. I have no idea what the phrase 'no quarter given' actually means, but at Anfield there seemed to be not the slightest fraction on offer.
I'll leave the arguments about the 'goal' and the inevitable calls for goal-line technology to someone else. It was given, that is all, and my admiration is not for the way Liverpool gained the lead, but how they held it.
Jose Mourinho says the best team lost, and maybe they did in the greater scheme of things, but the Chelsea manager was wrong not to acknowledge that the team that won this particular game deserved to win this particular game on the grounds of hunger, of determination and of sheer bloody-mindedness.
This was a Liverpool performance reminiscent of the England's last win over Argentina in the World Cup - nothing pretty, nothing imaginative, just the sheer brilliance of footballers doing half the job of a footballer, that is keeping the opposition from scoring.
And at the heart of it all was Carragher, who produced one of the finest performances from a defender we have witnessed in some years. How many vital blocks? How many immaculately-timed tackles? How many towering headers? He may not be skilful, he may get a nosebleed when he crosses the half-way line, his distribution may not be Ferdinand-esque, but lordy, the boy sure knows how to defend.
His dedication is clearly contagious because he demanded and was rewarded with similar performances from a central defender long dismissed as well past his best, a right-back viewed as average rather than spectacular and a left-back seen as a laughing stock up to just a few months ago. They were all brilliant.
Granted, the game may have been different and that defence may have been stretched further by a fit Arjen Robben and Damien Duff. But you know what they say about 'ifs and buts'...a defence can only stop what's put in front of them and this Liverpool defence stopped this Chelsea attack. Again and again and again.
For all their second-half possession Chelsea were restricted to just a handful of clear-cut chances, with Jerzy Dudek only being called upon for one (brilliant) save. The Pole was given protection stronger and more impenetrable than he could ever have imagined. Chelsea huffed and puffed but they just could not blow their house down.
It made for an enthralling, nervous and brilliant spectacle for the neutrals among us, those of us who just wanted some entertainment and excitement at the end of a dull Premiership season. And by golly, did we ever get it?
To Chelsea, thanks for the entertainment and commiserations that you came up against such remarkable opposition. To Liverpool and Jamie Carragher, congratulations - have a well-earned rest.
Personally, i felt that they have already overachieved as a team in Europe and under achieve as a team in Englisg League. We will never stiff the League Trophy until we found some consistencies and a centre forward who can bang in 30 odd goals in a season, a defender who can stop playing like a clumsy defender from Pahang, muaahhahah...and a decent midfielder like err..Steven Gerrard.
Even if they can't beat Milan In Istanbul, Turkey in the final...i can simply sit back and remember that we have beaten a couple of champions on route to the final..Juventus and Chelsea. Thanks for the sweet smile i will be wearing until next saturday where we will be beaten to pulp by Arsenal!!!
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