Liverpool's Gerard Houllier yesterday became the latest in a long line of managers to cast a suspicious eye over the enviable home record of the Greek champions, Olympiakos.
Houllier is uneasy about the apparent ease and the regularity with which the Piraeus club transforms home advantage into success. "I won't tell you what I think; but I think they have a good home record," said Liverpool's manager ahead of tonight's UEFA Cup third-round first leg.
The Olympiakos record to which Houllier was referring is curious when considered against their away form.
Over the past three seasons the Greeks have staged 14 Champions League ties at the Olympic stadium, avoiding defeat in all of them. In their 14 away legs, Olympiakos failed to win a game. This season they defeated Valencia, Lyon and Heerenveen at home but failed to reach the Champions League second phase because they lost the away games.
"It is not the team I fear, it is the referee," said Houllier. "We need a good referee, a strong referee."
The Dutchman Rene Temmink has been handed the match. He last officiated for UEFA two weeks ago when Rosenborg were held 1-1 by Bayern Munich and he showed two yellow cards.
Although his side have won seven of their previous nine games, Houllier is concerned about an inability to display the ruthlessness that invariably separates the good from the exceptional.
He has concerns, too, about a defence that last season was tight and mean but that is now proving to be sloppy and generous.
"It is proving to be frustrating because we are constantly opening the scoring in games but then failing to protect our advantage," Houllier said.
"I do think we have improved as a team. We are scoring more goals and creating more chances. What we have to do now is cut out the errors, get rid of them."
Though he is understandably desperate to claim an away goal, Houllier may well decide to play safe this evening by utilising Emile Heskey as a lone striker. Such a move would seem logical with Michael Owen still not match-fit after a month on the sidelines with a head injury and Robbie Fowler struggling with another knee problem.
