LIVERPOOL FC, THE PAST AND THE FUTURE

The past year has been a year of up and downs for Liverpool Football Club, we started the the year 2006 as reigning champions of europe, but a bad start to the 2005/06 season put an end to our title aspirations but a fantastic run of results at the end of the season see us climb the table and qualify once again for the champions league.
But that great run of results did more than just ensure a good financial future by getting us into europes top comp, it put real belief that with a few summer signings even on Liverpools tight budget Rafa could work his magic in the transfer market and give us a squad that could finally find Liverpool Fc`s holy grail... to be once again after a long long wait be crowned League Champions.
Its very unlikely that it will happen this year once again our bad start to the season has caused us problems. I think there is 2 reasons for our bad start firstly we were given the worst possible schedule of games by having to play manure chelski arsenal everton and bolton all away from home, just the first 3 teams there make it very hard to get a winning run together.
Secondly if you look at the players we bought in the summer, Pennant sums up our problems, Pennant was brought in to cover the right side where we have had our biggest problems for years and we really needed to spend big there to bring in a player who would actually improve our team, he is not now or will never be a world class player , Rafa may work his magic on him and improve him over time but there is our problem.
Rafa is a master tactician and very good in the transfer market but he really can only do so much with the funds handed to him. Hopefully these will be problems of the past as long as nothing goes wrong in the clubs takeover.
So if i had to summarise the year that was, it was a roller coaster for hopes and dreams expectations were high, so it was disappointing to watch Liverpool struggle at the start of the season but if i can give a prediction i would say the future is looking very bright for the red side of Mersey... as long as we dont fuck this deal up and as long as some of our stupid fans who when we were having a BAD RUN were actually questioning if Rafa was the right man for the job.
Earlier in the post i said it was very unlikely that we could win the title this year and that is true, but if you had asked me 3 weeks ago i would have said it was impossible. So who knows this is football and anything can happen at Christmas...IN RAFA WE TRUST

CHARLTON 0 LIVERPOOL FC 3

Good solid result, the first 20 minutes of this game were probably the best football Liverpool have played so far this season. The early goal seemed to give us great confidence and we were ripping Charlton to shreds and it was amazing that Kuyt did not add to his goal tally.
But back to that first goal....thank god we got rid of Djimi Traore, his high foot tackle on Pennant in the pen area was complete madness and he really should have been sent off it was so dangerous. For the first time today Pennant seems to have grown some balls and took some resposibility and was not afraid to go past a man and was very unlucky not to score so maybe there is some hope for him after all. Gonzalez on the other wing also seems to be settling in but he really should have done better near the end with a free header.
Bellamy deserves a mention because his all round play today was fantastic capped of by a brilliant finish to seal the game, and what can you say about Gerrards goal, only he could keep such a cool head with defenders all around him to place the ball in the far corner of the goal and just leave their goalkeeper watching on as a spectator only able to watch the great man do his magic.......a good days work!

LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB SOLD ?

Dubai International Capital, the state-owned private equity firm which hopes to purchase Liverpool, has confirmed that it can provide the financial backing to allow the Premiership club to compete more effectively with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea should it complete its £450m takeover at Anfield.

Please please Mr Parry dont fuck this up, this is Liverpool Fc´s chance to get back to where we belong as one of the top global football teams. This deal has everything that we want and need, clear our debts, new stadium and cash for Rafa in the transfer market. The stadium will on its own ensure a great financial future for the club.
There has been some grumblings about Liverpool Football Club going into foreign hands and some may not like the fact that the new owners happen to be Arabs, but i have no fear of this and i think we will never find better investors than the Maktoum family.
You only have to look at their track record in horse racing with their Godolphin racing international, these guys dont like to lose and have bought and bred the best horses as well as hiring the best jockeys and have an outstanding reputation in that sport.
I dont see them as been another Roman Abramovich they will not throw the money around as stupidly as he has done, but i have no doubt that Rafa will be able to compete with the big boys now in the transfer market and we have seen what he can do with a few measly rubles what can the man do with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum`s billions.
So please please Mr Moores and Mr Parry please dont fuck this up, this is our chance to put this club back where it belongs.....winning league titles.

ANYONE WANNA BUY LIVERPOOL ?

This supposed deal to buy Liverpool Football Club is once again grabbing the headlines, dont get me wrong i know the only way for Liverpool to seriously challenge in the premiership is with new money but it just seems a little desperate with Rick Parry flying off to Dubai like a cheap salesman peddling his wares.
I cannot understand why it is so hard to get investors for a club like Liverpool Fc, it is one of the few football clubs in the world that is a true global brand and with a worldwide following of fans, so why so hard to get investors.
When the Kraft family were interested what actually put them off buying in, maybe Parry is not the right man for selling the true potential of Liverpool fc or are his hands been tied by the chairman David Moores.
One thing is for sure they are making a very difficult job of selling Liverpool Fc and losing time while chelski and manure go further and further ahead on and off the pitch.....wake up lads, the future of this club is in your hands!

WIGAN 0-4 LIVERPOOL

Bellamy is back with a bang, it was only Wigan but an away win is what was needed and hopefully will kick start our season.
A lot of work is still needed to be done to win a champions league spot for next season and in reality that is our highest hope right now. But as long as we back Rafa anything is possible.

RAFA OUT?

I have had enough of this `Rafa out´ comments from some supposed Liverpool Football Club`s supporters. This is not the Liverpool way, we have a tradition of backing our under fire managers and Rafa has improved this team.
Rafa`s biggest mistake was winning the champions league for us, instantly the league was expected next, but we have to look at the squad he took over they were mostly below par players.
Ok we are going through a bad run away from home but thats exactly what it is ....a bad run.
Give the man that gave us probably the most memorable night in this clubs history a decent chance to show what he can do and im talking about a long time, longer than a bad start to a season.
IN RAFA WE TRUST!

LIVERPOOL 1 MAN CITY 0

A hard days work Man city were good today and we were below par, but i thought the three man defence of Agger Hyypia and Caragher was very good and the way forward for this club in the future. Agger stood out not only great in defence but a real menace going forward but Sami`s brilliant long ball to garcia deserved a goal and shows the finn is far from finished.
Apart from that it was an ordinary performance but today we can blame injuries to the squad. Stevie took his goal well but it was Kuyt`s never say die attitude and tackle that gave our captain his chance.
A well needed result but when we start doing it away from home i will start celebrating

LIVERPOOL 2 READING 0

Easy day at the office as we seem to be getting our form back, it was great to keep a clean sheet. Dirk Kuyt looks settled already and he really looks like the top goal scorer we have been missing in recent seasons and whats even better is Rafa seems to think he does not need to be rotated and rested so much, with him on the pitch i always have the feeling that he is going to score.
Rafa`s selection dilemma was highlighted again yesterday when he left Momo out, Gerrard was allowed to play in the centre and he ran the game from start to finnish. But we dont want to leave Momo or Alonso out but Gerrard is much more influential in the middle. I really wish we would try 3-5-2 it is a risk defence wise, but with a midfield like that we would be camped in the oppositions half all day.
One other thing about yesterday, i thought Zendon was very good and it was by far his best game for us so far, and its good because watching Gonzalez yesterday it is going to take a long time for him to get used of the prem if he ever does.
A good days work we just have to keep up that level of football and commitment now every week home and away.

IN RAFA WE TRUST

ANGRY Rafael Benitez last night hit back at his Anfield boardroom sniper when he said that criticism of the club should be kept private.
The Liverpool boss was shocked by the attack on him by an unnamed director in yesterday's Mirror, who questioned his leadership and transfer dealings after defeat at Manchester United effectively ended their title challenge.

One of the greatest things about Liverpool Football Club has always been how the clubs board members have backed our managers through thick and thin, but this boardroom member has ended all that and he should have had the balls to say this openly and not hide behind anonymity.
Rafael Benitez inherited probably the worst squad of players to ever pull the famous red jersey on and has won the champions league and fa cup in his first 2 years and i think there is no doubt the squad is much improved and he has also brought in players to the youth set-up from all over europe to help secure the clubs future success.
Now i have been critical of some of Rafa`s decisions in the past but he is pushing the club in the right direction........he is the right man for the job!!!
This board member has to be identified and kicked of the board straight away because he does not have the good of the club in mind.

BORDEAUX 0-1 LIVERPOOL FC

Great result but we are not firing on all cylinders yet, we were lucky to beat a bad team, and that is not good enough for Liverpool Football Club.
On sunday we face our biggest enemies in a must win game, not only to revive our season but to fuck theirs up, with Momo Kuyt and Gerrard back there is hope.
The biggest plus in the Bordeaux game was the clean sheet and if Carragher and co can do the same on sunday we will win because Kuyt is that good.
It will be the turning point of the season.........yes this game is that important.
On a sad note i have to speak about the player i thought in the summer was going to be our best signing for years..Mark Gonzalez, dont get me wrong i still think there is hope for him its still very early and maybe my expectations were too high, but he was very bad last night he was constantly outdone for pace and did not seem to have anything else to offer apart from knocking the ball down the wing and then losing it, nothing would give me greater pleasure than been proved wrong but at the moment all i can think is something that goes against one of my earlier posts...........please get well soon Harry Kewel, we need you now!

LIVERPOOL 1 BLACKBURN 1

Another bad day at the office, and this time we cannot blame Rafa`s tactics or selection even though i thought taking Pennant off was crazy, he looked the most likely to open up their defence.
But our problems seem much deeper than Rafa`s tactics or team selection, we seem to have lost the `every loose ball is a battle to win´ team spirit that we had last season. Sloppy defending once again let us down, and i think its time we looked on Sami as a last choice and looked more at Agger and Paletta.
But the most worrying thing about todays game was our reaction after they scored, we did not react at all, it was the same slow tempo instead of hunting for the equalizer. And to be totally honest we were lucky to get even 1 point from the game after they somehow missed an empty goal near the end.
People may say dont panic its so early in the season, but we need to turn our form around right now just to get a champions league spot, and those pre-season dreams of winning the title....just not back going backwards and finishing worse than last year would be an achievement right now because of our current form!

LIVERPOOL 3 GALATASARAY 2

What a game what a night, it was the perfect example of shock and awe, this game was done and dusted when Crouch scored the brilliant third goal, even though they had their moments when it was 3-2 we never really looked like losing the game.
The best thing about this game is it gives Rafa the the problem of who does he pick up front for the next game, Crouch looked world class and Kuyt is a must pick but Bellamy despite not scoring has been playing good football and there is also the matter of God chomping at the bit to get a game, its a managers dream.
Pennant last night was fantastic and he really should be getting more playing time and im sure he will when we figure out how to fit him in.
I am a fan of the 3-5-2 but i dont think it suits our squad, i would hate to leave Finnan or Risse-Aurelio out of the team. This is where Rafa has his toughest decision, trying to fit all our great players into a starting 11, as i said before a managers dream............

LIVERPOOL 3 TOTTENHAM 0

Great result but it could have been so very different if Jenas did not do the near impossible when he missed with the open goal at his mercy.
But Liverpool Football Club deserved all 3 points today and it seems our top players are coming good at last Alonso is continuing to come back to his best while Gerrards set up play for the first goal was world class, once again Kuyt looked like he would score every time he was within a 10 yard radius of the ball and i loved the way he took his goal really giving it a lash into the back net and even as the final whistle went he was screaming at the ref to award a penalty, the boy just does not give up.
Riise and Gonzalez on the left looked good and i dont think its just an accident that speedy has finally started a prem game as soon as Riise has recovered, maybe Rafa sees speedy and Aurelio as too inexperienced or lightweight to play together just now.
But 2 goals from our left sided players is good, speedy seems to have the habit of being in the right place at the right time while Riise is just Riise and he is one of only a handful of players in the world who can score goals like that, massive power and the ability to keep the ball 1 yard of the ground all the way to the back of the net.
A good days work but now its just a case of doing it week in week out.

LIVERPOOL 2 NEWCASTLE 0

Welcome back Xabi.
Alonso had been very disappointing so far this season nowhere near his usual excellence but on Wednesday night he was back to his best, it was not his wonder goal that impressed me so much, it was his pass to Finnan to set up the first goal and his overall passing and play that showed he seems to be back to his best.
Another man that impresses me more and more every time i see him play is Kuyt, he scored the first but it is his all round play that catches the eye, he is a bundle of energy wanting the ball at every opportunity and if it is not passed to him he is not afraid to get stuck in to win the ball back and once he gets it he has what all the greatest strikers have, the courage to take a shot from anywhere. Yesterday he tried a bicycle shot from outside the box, if that was anyone else i would be cursing them, but with Kuyt there is always that feeling that he will score.
A good result but it was against a very bad Newcastle side, Tottenham will be much tougher, they are a much better squad than their performances indicate and they will play a lot better this season. I just hope their good run dos`nt start tomorrow.

CHELSKI 1 LIVERPOOL 0

Unlucky day at the office but once again Rafa must shoulder some of the blame, his obsession with having to play the off-form Alonso meant having to play Gerrard in the only out-field position that he cannot play, left midfield.
Why did Rafa talk up the long awaited arrival of Gonzalez so much if we are never going to play him, Gerrard in the centre of the action against 10 man chelski could have been the difference between losing and winning and as much as Rafa has improved Liverpool fc and his summer signings have been the most impressive of the top 4 clubs, his policy of rotation at all costs has surely cost us premiership points already.
4 points from a possible 16 is a shocking start to the season but maybe its the perfect wake up call to Rafa.... please play our best 11 and for gods the season is only 4 games old and we have been resting players since game 2 so lets have a little faith in our players to be able to play 2 games in a row without a rest.
Rafa Benitez has brought us triumphs since he arrived that not even the most hardened Liverpool Football Club fans could have foreseen, so we must allow him to do his job even as now it might baffle and annoy the fuck out of us but we have to also question some of these strange team selections of his but as always......In Rafa We Trust

INTO THE LIONS DEN!

Liverpool Fc go into sundays game against chelski as the underdogs, and our results so far this season underline that fact, but i wonder what happens when we put out our strongest starting 11 for the first time as im sure Rafa will do...i hope.
The team i would like to see start is as follows

Reina

Finnan... Carragher... Agger... Aurelio

Pennant.. Gerrard.. Sissoko.. Gonzalez

Bellamy... Kuyt

But im sure Rafa will also play Alonso in midfield and just 1 striker up front, probably Kuyt and maybe Warnock instead of Aurelio.
I have a good feeling about this game as i think Rafa has been thinking about this single game for the last 2 weeks as he has rested players and totally turned Liverpool Football Club`s focus on winning this one single game.
Yes it is that important, if we can get a good result and performance against chelski in their own back yard it will knock that champions feeling of invincibility out of them, and after that who knows what can happen for the rest of the season.
I loved `John the weeper Terry`s´ comments today....TITLE RACE DOWN TO US AND UNITED BY MONDAY.
My god the man is an ass and i hope Rafa hangs a copy of that Terry comment in the dressing room before the game, he might just have done us a great favour by motivating our troops.
Prediction........Liverpool to win 2-1, Kuyt and Gerrard to score...dont care who gets their consolation goal.

WAS RAFA AT FAULT?

Liverpool played some shocking stuff today, the defence was all over the place for the goals and midfield looked lost while Everton picked up the majority of the loose balls.
Up front Crouch and Fowler looked ok but just never got the supply.
My biggest disappointment today was Rafa Benitez starting 11. Ok Everton are a mediocre team but this is the merseyside derby that means this is their game of the season and will give their all to win, Bellamy and Kuyt are the strikers that are going to put the ball in the back of the net more times this season than our other strikers so we have to start with at least 1 of them.
In midfield Alonso should be rested because he is not playing well so far this season for some reason and we cannot afford to keep playing him to sort himself out if we keep dropping points and it will allow us to use Pennant on the right with Gerrard and Momo in the middle. Garcia should only be used in Europe and coming off the bench, i believe Kuyt, Fowler up front a Gonzalez,Momo,Gerrard and Pennant midfield today would have made the difference, the defence today was a shambles and i think its time for Rafa to make the decision on Sami, maybe the legs are just that bit too slow now that his intelligence and experience cant compensate.
We have to play our best 11 in as many prem games that we can, the premiership has to be our priority and today was 3 points thrown away.
We have 4 points from 3 games.....Rafa no more messing about, pick our best starting 11 and show what we can do!

NEW STADIUM FOR LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB

This has dragged on for so long that i wont believe it till we actually play our first game in the stadium, this has been the one big failure of the Liverpool board.
We should have been already playing in our new stadium for the last couple of seasons, the amount of ticket revenue we have lost out on is shocking, while the mancs up the road have been adding capacity for years and leaving us way behind in money terms.
I just hope that building starts as soon as possible and that the board completely understand that if Liverpool Fc are to remain one of the top clubs in world football that we need this stadium as soon as possible no more excuses or delays.

STRIKER DILEMMA?

Liverpool Fc have a problem that we have been waiting years to have, who do we play up front today in the merseyside derby.
Kuyt and Crouch both scored midweek in the internationals but Bellamy is very hard to leave out while Fowler has been training to reach his peak fitness for the past 2 weeks and must be chomping at the bit to get a game.
While i think Kuyt and Crouch should get the nod for todays game, Rafa may surprise us all again with his selection.....this is the new look Liverpool Football club and what a great problem to have!

LIVERPOOL FC, WHAT HAVE WE DONE?

Rafa has sold Kromkamp, which was expected at some stage because he did not improve the team, but to sell him without bringing in cover at the same time could cost us dearly.
Lucas Neill would have been a great bit of business as Finnan is 31 now and more likely to pick up injuries.
But it is a worry that we have no direct cover for right back now. I know Rafa says Carragher or Paletta can cover if something should happen to Finnan but i would not like to see Carragher moved from centre while Paletta is still clearly learning his trade as seen by his mistakes in the pre-season.
Other last day transfers were crazy, mainly the West Ham saga, 2 great players but the Hammers are clearly been used as a feeder club now, by who nobody knows yet but i dont expect to see Tevez or Mascherano to be there next season, but they will probably get the cream of south American talent to put in the shop window in the future for one season...good luck to them as long as roman chelski is not involved.
The best bit of business from the top 4 was undoubtedly done by Arsenal Julio Baptista is going to be a asset, Gallas is a class defender and wenger seems to have worked his magic again by recruiting 18-year-old starlet Denilson from Sao Paulo.

Liverpool Football Club have still strenghtened more over the summer than our rivals but Arsenal got a little closer with their last day signings, but as always...IN RAFA WE TRUST.